Reprint of this story from the October 30, 1903 issue of The Grand Encampment Herald brought to you courtesy of Grandma’s Cabin, Encampment, Wyoming. Preserving History - Serving the Community.
MACHINERY ON AETNA
Installing Fine Steam Plant and Making Big Improvements at the Aetna Camp.
Superintendent Roger Daniels and a large crew of men are busy in the construction of a new shaft house, 30x60 feet, to cover the new plant of steam machinery received last week at the Aetna camp on Beaver Creek. The plant consists of a 40-horsepower boiler, a 6x8 hoist, a No. 7 Cameron pump and a saw mill.
The machinery was hauled in from Downington over the new Aetna road, three miles in length. A very fine piece of road which Mr. Daniels built during the present year at a cost of $2,000. Immediately upon the completion of the shaft house and the setting of the machinery, sinking will be resumed in the shaft and work will continue all winter.
The present year has been one of progress and good results at the Aetna. The new management has been able to supply ample funds to do extensive development work, by which excellent ore bodies have been opened up, and also to build roads, construct a group of cabins, and lastly to equip the property with a plant of steam machinery.
Mr. Daniels started in this year to further explore ore bodies previously opened. The third ore body encountered in the drifts from the tunnel was the objective point for the first work, and a winze sunk at that point exposed four feet of ore that averages thirty percent copper. The winze was then connected with the surface, and a two compartment working shaft, 4’x9’ was constructed, giving the workings a vertical depth of 117 feet. The shaft is well made, 10x10 timbers having been used.
The wagon road was built during the early part of the summer season and cabins constructed. The new buildings include two 24x40 cabins and an office building 14x24. These together with the new shaft house and the old original cabin make a very impressive camp.
Additional work has been done in the tunnel this year, increasing same to 380 feet in length, and cutting the contact vein. This vein was drifted on for fifty feet to the east, where another ore shoot was encountered. Upon this ore a winze was sunk thirty feet, exposing about four feet of ore, eight inches of which is high grade ore, with an average value of from ten to twelve percent copper. Fully 150 tons of such ore, now on the dump, was taken from this winze and added to the car load of better grade ore taken from the first winze.
While development work at the Aetna has only been commenced, the property is indeed a flattering proposition.
With three ore shoots opened on the fissure vein and one on the contact vein, and all the ore being of good quality, the Aetna has a fine start toward the making of a big mine. The company is apparently in good financial condition, which is as important as the presence of the ore itself, and being under good management may well be expected to come to the front.
The affairs of the Aetna company are now in the hands of prominent Wisconsin business men, among them H. K. Fehland, Jule Thielman and Robert Thielman, who have raised the money for the work and improvements this year. Roger Daniels, the superintendent, was one of the original locators of the ground, and has been with the property from the first. He is a thoroughly experienced and practical man, and fortunately has the support of a wide awake and progressive company.
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