Digital Bob Archive

8 July 1980

SEPTEMBER 3, 1891-The Alaska Treadwell Gold Mining Company now handles about 20,000 tons of ore a month through its big mill which is housed in a four-story building measuring 140 by 250 feet. Machinery includes six large rock crushers of the Blake patent, 240 stamps of 950 pounds each, 96 plain belt Frue vanners which had proved unsatisfactory; two amalgamating barrels and a clean-up pan. Power comes from seven foot Pelton wheel working under a head of 520 feet, plus two Corliss steam engines of about 500 horsepower each with three Heine safety boilers. The entire works is lighted by electricity from two dynamos run by Pelton wheels.

The chlorination works is housed separately and consists of four large reverberatory furnaces in which concentrates are roasted to get rid of the sulphur, several large tight vats in which the roasted ore is treated with chlorine gas, and another series of vats in which the roasted ore is leached with water and precipitated with sulphate of iron. The residue is then refined and melted. The total value of the plant is one million dollars and includes boarding and lodging houses large enough to accommodate all employees, a sawmill with a capacity of 20,000 feet of lumber a day, and a large general store.

Last year the company mined 220,980 tons of ore at a cost of 71? a ton and treated the same amount in the mill at a cost of 42? a ton. The chlorination plant treated 5,777 tons of concentrates. The whole cost was $1.35 a ton and the net profit was $418,280.

Dr. W. E. Bergman left on the steamer Mexico and expected to locate in Victoria.

The ferry Julia will make a special trip to Douglas at 8 this evening for those who wish to attend the dance there.

The bridge over Gold Creek leading to the cemetery, near the Calhoun residence, was demolished by a falling tree during the recent wind and rain storm. A meeting of the Cemetery Association has been called to make plans to replace it. The same storm caused the Eastern Alaska Mining & Milling Company dam to give way because of the great volume of water. The mill will be closed for a few days while repairs are made.

There were 35 in attendance at St. Ann?s school when it opened last Monday.

SEPTEMBER 4, 1891-The Silver Queen Mining Company mill on Sheep Creek is now running 24 hours a day. The track tram two miles long is in operation and provides plenty of ore.