Pacific Vein: Gold, Mills, and a Narrow Escape in Pinos Altos
Field Notes: What the Records Reveal
The Pacific Mine at Pinos Altos
George Butler, employed in the **Pacific mine at Pinos Altos**, was cutting a ditch when a mass of rock gave way and completely covered him; fellow miners extracted him, bruised but with no broken bones [4]. This incident places the Pacific mine squarely in the Pinos Altos district, a historic mining camp that planned to send a representative to the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago [3].
The Pacific Extension Mine and Its Gold Brick
Bell in 1891 [2]. This mine was producing **25 to 30 pounds of gold per week** under adverse circumstances, and its owners planned to cast a **1,000‑pound gold brick** for the Columbian Exposition—a half‑ton ingot that would require less than a year to produce under favorable conditions [2].
The Pacific Mill and the Silver City Water Works
In 1890, the mill closed down at 3 o’clock Thursday morning after draining the reservoir completely [1].
Search‑Area Clues
Legal & Ethical Reminder
Sources
- The Pacific mill closed down at 3 o’clock… (1890)The Pacific mill closed down at 3 o’clock Thursday morning, having drained the reser- voir of the Silver City Y/ater Works of water.
- just a trifle in advance of the many mining… (1891)just a trifle in advance of the many mining districts in the country. The central figure of the exhibit will be a 1000-pound gold brick from the Pacific Extension mine, N. Bell, pro- prietor. The mould will soo…
- At the Columbian exposition in “93” to be… (1891)At the Columbian exposition in “93” to be held in Chicago, Pinos Altos will be represented
- George Butler, a miner employed in the… (1891)George Butler, a miner employed in the Pacific mine at Pinos Altos, had a narrow escape a few days ago. He was cutting a ditch when a mass of rock above him gave way and came down, completely covering him up. …