The value of the gold output of Cripple Creek in 1901 exceeded by $2,400,000 the value of Colorado's entire silver production in 1891, the state's banner silver year.
The now famous Cripple Creek district was for many years a cattle grazing country, but as early as 1849 there had been some gold excitement near Mt. Pisgah. In 1891 Bob Womack, a ranchman in charge of a Denver firm's cattle in the district, found some good looking gold ore. He brought specimens to Colorado Springs and after considerable difficulty succeeded in interesting a few men with capital, who journeyed over the hills with him and located the El Paso Gold King mine, a property that has paid its owners hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The news that there was gold over the hills to the west of Colorado Springs induced hundreds of men to flock to the new camp. These men had little money, but energy and perseverance in abundance, and by their efforts the value of the new field as a gold producing area was proved. The richness of the ore found in the district was soon heralded over the country, and a grand rush began. Today the Cripple Creek district is the greatest gold-producing camp in the world.
There are twelve towns in the immediate district, with a population of not less than 70,000 people. The principal towns are Cripple Creek, Victor and Goldfield. Other towns in the district are Independence, Altman, Anaconda, Elkton, Cameron, Arequa, Lawrence, Mound City and Gillett.
| PRODUCTION FOR 1901. | ||
Table showing Cripple Creek's gold production for 1901 by months—value and weight of ore, and total for year: |
||
Tons. |
Value. |
|
| January | 46,500 |
$ 2,125,000 |
| February | 44,700 |
2,058,000 |
| March | 53,000 |
2,225,500 |
| April | 47,600 |
1,850,000 |
| May | 42,500 |
1,720,000 |
| June | 41,000 |
1,806,000 |
| July | 53,000 |
2,272,500 |
| August | 53,000 |
2,287,500 |
| September | 53,095 |
2,292,000 |
| October | 54,000 |
2,288,200 |
| November | 52,000 |
2,275,300 |
| December | 54,800 |
2,300,000 |
Total |
595,195 |
$25,500,000 |
| TOTAL TONNAGE TO DATE. | |
Table showing weight of ore from the Cripple Creek district for the past eleven years, with total to date: |
|
Year. |
Tons. |
| 1891 | 13,000 |
| 1892 | 21,000 |
| 1893 | 80,000 |
| 1894 | 110,000 |
| 1895 | 200,000 |
| 1896 | 190,000 |
| 1897 | 296,000 |
| 1898 | 350,000 |
| 1899 | 422,805 |
| 1900 | 504,568 |
| 1901 | 595,195 |
Total to date |
2,782,568 |
| TOTAL PRODUCTION TO DATE. | |
Table showing value of ore produced from the Cripple Creek district for the past eleven years, with total to date: |
|
Year. |
Value. |
| 1891 | $ 200,000 |
| 1892 | 400,000 |
| 1893 | 2,000,000 |
| 1894 | 3,500,000 |
| 1895 | 7,500,000 |
| 1896 | 9,250,000 |
| 1897 | 12,000,000 |
| 1898 | 15,000,000 |
| 1899 | 20,168,412 |
| 1900 | 22,512,875 |
| 1901 | 25,500,000 |
Total |
$ 119,983,287 |
| COLORADO'S GOLD PRODUCTION. | |
The following table shows the gold production of the State for the past thirteen years: |
|
| 1889 | $ 3,363,217 |
| 1890 | 4,016,229 |
| 1891 | 4,767,880 |
| 1892 | 5,539,021 |
| 1893 | 7,487,071 |
| 1894 | 10,618,463 |
| 1895 | 15,013,434 |
| 1896 | 15,110,960 |
| 1897 | 19,572,137 |
| 1898 | 23,512,819 |
| 1899 | 26,508,676 |
| 1900 | 28,869,392 |
| 1901 | 36,917,167 |
$198,296,426 |
|
| COLORADO'S METAL PRODUCTION FOR 1901. | |
Type Metal. |
Value. |
| Gold | $ 36,917,167 |
| Silver | 12,448,419 |
| Lead | 6,864,060 |
| Copper | 1,495,651 |
| Iron | 8,858,940 |
| Zinc and manganiferous iron | 1,115,000 |
Total |
$67,699,237 |
| COLORADO'S TOTAL METAL PRODUCTION. | |
The following table shows the total production of the principal metals of Colorado, since the records of mines have been maintained, to the first of the year, 1902: |
|
Type Metal. |
Value. |
| Gold | $ 260,043,896.28 |
| Silver | 352,702,682.15 |
| Lead | 100,166,282.93 |
| Copper | 14,106,987.10 |
Total |
$ 727,019,848.46 |
HOW AND WHERE PRODUCTION WAS HANDLED. |
||
From figures obtained from the various reduction works the great production of the Cripple Creek district for 1901 was handled by the mills and samplers as follows. |
||
| Mills— | Tons. |
Value. |
| Colo-Phila. and Stand. (Colo. Springs) | 204,935 | $ 5,794,800 |
| Metallic, National and Union (Florence) | 80,000 | 1,904,000 |
| Economic (Cripple Creek District) | 40,000 | 1,225,000 |
| Dorcas (Florence) | 21,310 | 538,020 |
| El Paso (Florence?) | 3,500 | 87,500 |
| Metallic (Florence; prior to cons.) | 31,500 | 1,037,500 |
| Union (Florence; prior to cons.) | 25,950 | 648,250 |
| National (Florence; prior to cons.) | 2,000 | 76,000 |
Total mills |
409,195 | $11,311,070 |
| Smelters | 186,000 |
14,188,930 |
Total |
595,195 |
$25,500,000 |
The following is the record of Cripple Creek since 1891, by years:
grand total in ten years, $24,378,849.
The dividends paid by the precious metal mines of Colorado in 1901 amounted to $12,097,472. The total production of ores, actually accounted for, was $58,847,797. So it will be seen that the dividends exceeded 20 per cent. This, it is interesting to note, does not include the profits of transportation, light and power companies, smelters and reduction works, or of mercantile pursuits depending on the mines, nor the vast amount earned by laborers engaged in mining the ores. The dividends by the mines were equal to 4 per cent, interest on $300,000,000.
The incorporated mining companies of the Cripple Creek gold district paid in dividends during 1901; $4,940,691. In addition to the money distributed among their several stockholders, the various companies have added to the reserve funds, and hundreds of thousands were expended in the purchase of additional territory and permanent improvements.
The leasing companies, which take an important part in development work, paid at least $750,000, which makes the record of the camp for 1901 equal $5,690,691 and the total since 1891 reach $24,378,849.
The record of dividends paid during 1901 by Cripple Creek Companies is as follows: |
|
Company. |
Dividends. |
| Arrow | $ 54,000.00 |
| Bankers | 187,600.00 |
| Bull Hill Cons. | 45,000.00 |
| Consolidated Gold Mines | 30,000.00 |
| Consolidated Mines | 304,000.00 |
| Creede & C. C. | 16,000.00 |
| Doctor-Jack Pot | 232,000.00 |
| Elkton | 325,000.00 |
| El Paso | 24,250.00 |
| Free Coinage | 120,000.00 |
| Garfield | 125,000.00 |
| Gold Coin | 360,000.00 |
| Gold Crater | 250,000.00 |
| Gold King | 84,316.50 |
| Grafton | 10,000.00 |
| Granite | 5,000.00 |
| Ingham | 30,600.00 |
| Isabella | 22,500.00 |
| Katinka | 10,000.00 |
| Kittie M. | 1,500.00 |
| Last Dollar | 90,000.00 |
| Mary McKinney | 150,000.00 |
| Midget | 150,000.00 |
| Modoc | 60,000.00 |
| Monument | 3,000.00 |
| New Zealand | 60,000.00 |
| New Zealand Cons. | 53,550.00 |
| Nugget | 30,000.00 |
| Orphan | 106,000.00 |
| Pointer | 25,000.00 |
| Portland | 720,000.00 |
| Stratton's Independence | 793,000.00 |
| Strong | 300,000.00 |
| Santa Rita | 5,000.00 |
| Touraine | 7,975.00 |
| Union | 25,000.00 |
| Vindicator | 170,500.00 |
| Various leasing companies | 750,000.00 |
Total |
$5,690,691.50 |
ACACIA - Formerly paid one cent per share quarterly.
Last dividend of 1c., $15,000, paid December 15th, 1900.
Total to date, $45,000.
ARROW - Paid 2c. per share. $54,000 from proceeds sale of property November 15, 1901.
AMAZON - Pays at irregular intervals.
Last dividend 5c., $30,000, March 15, 1900.
Total to date, $62,000.
BANKERS - Dividend of 15c., $187,500, from proceeds sale of property, paid March 15, 1901.
CONSOLIDATED MINES - One cent monthly.
Latest dividend was an extra one of 10c per share, $190,000, paid December 25, 1901.
Paid during 1901, $304,000
Total to date (including Bull Hill Con.), $497,500.
CREEDE & CRIPPLE CREEK - Dividend of 2c. per share, $16,000, paid in May, 1901, from revenue derived from Union Bell stock in treasury of company.
DOCTOR-JACK POT - One cent monthly, suspended temporarily.
Last dividend of 1c., $29,000, paid August, 1901.
Total to date, $232,000.
ELKTON - Increased to four cents quarterly.
Latest dividend 4c., $100,000, paid December 20, 1901.
Paid during 1901, $325,000
Total to date, $1,304,460.
EL PASO - Regular dividend of 1 cent monthly.
Latest 1c, $24,500, paid December, 1901.
Total to date, $35,305.
FREE COINAGE - Pays at irregular intervals.
Last dividend 12c, $120,000, paid September, 1901.
Total in 1901, $120,000.
GARFIELD CON. - Dividend of 10 cents per share, $125,000, paid March, 1901, from proceeds sale of property.
Total to date, $159,000.
GOLD COIN - Increased to 3 cents monthly.
Latest dividend, 3c., $30,000, paid December 25, 1901.
Paid in 1901, $360,000.
Total to date, $960,000.
GOLD CRATER - Dividend of $2.50 per share, $250,000, paid March, 1901.
Total to date, $250,000.
GOLD KING - Three cents quarterly.
Latest dividend, 3c., $28,105.50, paid October 20, 1901.
Paid during 1901, $84,316.50.
Total to date, $300,527.
GRAFTON - Pays at irregular intervals.
Latest dividend, one cent, $10,000, paid January, 1901.
Total to date, $30,000.
GOLDEN CYCLE - One cent per share monthly, suspended temporarily.
Latest dividend, 1c., $10,000, paid December, 1900.
Total to date, $440,000.
ISABELLA - Pays quarterly, various rates, suspended temporarily.
Latest dividend 1c., $22,500, paid March 23, 1901.
Paid in 1901, $22,500.
Total to date, $742,500.
LAST DOLLAR - Two cents quarterly.
Latest dividend 2c., $30,000, paid December 10, 1901.
Paid in 1901, $120,000.
Total to date, $210,000.
MARY McKINNEY - Three cents quarterly.
Latest dividend 3c., $30,000, paid October 10, 1901.
Paid in 1901, $150,000.
Total to date, $360,000.
MIDGET - One and one-half cents per share monthly.
Latest dividend, 1.5c., $15,000, paid December, 1901.
Paid in 1901, $105,000.
Total to date, $210,000.
MODOC - One cent monthly.
Latest dividend, 1c., $5,000, paid December 15, 1901.
Paid in 1901, $60,000.
Total to date, $265,000.
ORPHAN - Dividend of 8.5c. per share, $106,250, paid November 15, 1901, from proceeds sale on property.
POINTER - One cent at irregular intervals.
Latest payment, 1c. per share, $12,500, made June 1, 1901.
Total to date, $25,000.
PORTLAND - Six cents quarterly.
Latest dividend, 6c., $180,000, paid October 15, 1901.
Paid during 1901, $720,000.
Total to date, $4,027,080.
STRATTON'S INDEPENDENCE - Various rates quarterly.
Latest dividend December 20, 1901, 20 per cent, $244,000.
Paid in 1901, $793,000.
Total to date, $3,065,000.
STRONG - Five cents per share monthly.
Latest dividend, 5c., $25,000, December 10, 1901.
Paid in 1901, $300,000.
Total to date, $1,390,000.
TOURAINE - Dividend at rate of $7.75 per thousand shares, $7,975, paid June, 1901, from proceeds of sale of property.
Total to date, $84,975.
VINDICATOR - Increased to five cents quarterly.
Latest dividend, 5c., $55,000, October 25, 1901.
Paid in 1901, $170,500.
Total to date, $664,000.