Centennial-Eureka
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This page was last updated on August 28, 2025.
Overview
(The focus of this page is the transportation of ore from the Centennial-Eureka mine, by aerial tramway, then by the Holden Tunnel.)
Notes taken from "Faith, Hope, & Prosperity: The Tintic Mining District," by Philip F. Notarianni, published in 1982.
The Centennial-Eureka company began in September 1884 when J. D. Kendall commenced work. The Centennial-Eureka was originally known as the Blue Rock. The Centennial-Eureka began shipping in 1886 and undertook notable improvements in 1888. Construction consisted of a shaft house, measuring 48 by 72 feet; a boarding house, 20 by 60 feet; a bunk house, 20 by 30 feet; and a tack house, 16 by 30 feet. In addition the shaft reached a depth of 300 feet, and a one-mile pipeline was installed for water. Thirty-two miners were employed.
New hoists and improved surface plants were erected in 1892. Improvements included new boarding and lodging houses, ore bins, and a new house and frame structure for the hoisting machinery. A double-cylinder engine powered the hoist, and the cable reels, equipped with ample brakes, were operated by Clawson clutches for the optimum in weight support.
Highlighting the year 1900 was the sale of the Centennial-Eureka to the United States Smelting, Refining and Mining Company. A decrease in ore production occurred in 1902, as the Centennial-Eureka suspended shipments, primarily to allow United States Smelting and Refining to complete its Midvale smelter.
The Centennial-Eureka moved ahead in 1910 with work on its mine. The shaft plunged to 2200 feet and a tunnel driven in 2160 feet, connected with the shaft at the 500-foot level. Thus, the Holden Tunnel, as it was named, replaced the aerial tramway that had been used earlier to transport ore to the railroad facilities. At the mouth of the tunnel towered a power plant.
November 5, 1885
"Articles of incorporation of the Centennial-Eureka Mining Company were filed in the office of the County Clerk yesterday." Organizers were W. W. Chisholm (secretary-treasurer; 11,250 shares; three-eighths interest), Jacob E. Bamberger (vice president; 7,500 shares; one-fourth interest), James F. Woodman (7,500 shares; one-fourth interest), Charles W. Bennett (president; 1,875 shares; one-sixteenth interest), and Moses Kirkpatrick (1,875 shares; one-sixteenth interest), all of Salt Lake City, Utah, accounting for the full number of the total of 30,000 shares to be issued. Property embraced included all of the Blue Rock claim, all of the Centennial-Eureka claim, and an undivided half-interest in the Eureka No. 5 claim. (Salt Lake Herald, November 6, 1885)
December 8, 1887
The Centennial Eureka replaced its "compound whim" with a steam hoist. "Work on the new hoisting works at this Tintic property is being rushed as fast as possible. From present indications, however, it will be two months, and probably more, before the work of sinking on the main shaft is again commenced." (Salt Lake Herald, December 8, 1887; December 11, 1887)
September 2, 1888
During the last week of August 1888, "Centennial Eureka sent in 100 tons of various grades of ore, going from 100 to 470 ounces silver to the ton, and averaging about one ounce of gold. The entire shipment represented between $16,000 and $18,000. It is now said they will be in the market regularly hereafter." During November 1888, the mine shipped 179 tons of ore, or about five carloads. (Salt Lake Herald, September 2, 1888; December 16, 1888)
December 25, 1889
The output for the year 1889 was 1,742,000 pounds, or 871 tons (about 24 carloads). The main shaft is down 450 feet, and there are three other shafts, one of which has reached a depth of 100 feet, one 75 feet and the other 68 feet. There are 3,400 feet of levels and drifts; and soo feet of stopes and winzes. The water supply is pumped 5,000 feet through a two-inch pipe, raising 410 feet in that distance. The mine is well equipped for work and employs about thirty-fire men." (Salt Lake Herald, December 25, 1889)
October 4, 1890
The following comes from the October 4, 1890 issue of the Salt Lake Tribune.
This property comprises the following claims: No. Five Eureka, Blue Rock, Centennial-Eureka, Kendall, W. W. C., a portion of Silver Gem, Lookout, Summit, Morton and Harrison.
The main shaft is now down 532 feet. The first 200 feet is in a single compartment, but double below that depth. It will be made a double compartment throughout next winter, when it is designed to put in a large double drum engine on hoisting works. There are three working levels, the second, third and fourth. Each of them is 600 to 800 feet long.
The formation is lime, and, like all other mines in Tlntic, is entirely free from water. Even the water used in the boiler is furnished by the waterworks located at Homanville, and which supply the town of Eureka. They are owned by the Centennial and Bullion-Beck companies. This freedom from water makes an immense saving in working expenses. An incandescent electric light plant will be installed very soon.
The mine employes about fifty men, the ore shipments for September being 465 tons, assaying an average of $125 silver, $20 gold and 10 per cent lead. Single cars have been much more valuable than this. While this is very high grade ore it is only the average quality mined in the Centennial. Mr. Chisholm showed the reporter returns from one carload of ore which sold for $15,731.91. The ore is sampled at the Conklin works and sold in the open market. The mine is owned by W. W. Chisholm, J. F. Woodman and the Bambergers.
February 6, 1891
The Centennial Eureka mine was shipping ore that was valued as much as $20,000 per ton. (Salt Lake Tribune, February 6, 1891)
(The company was paying regular dividends but since October production was being held back. Due to the low price of silver, ore was being knocked down and stockpiled within the mine, in drifts as long as 150 feet. By late February 1891, over 800 tons of ore was ready for shipment.)
In March 1896, shipments from the Centennial-Eureka stopped while a four-month purchase option went into affect, with the promise to pay $100 per share, or $3 million, by an "Eastern" capitalist. The option expired on July 3rd, without the option being excercised due to conditions in the money markets in the East. Ore shipments resumed immediately after the option expired. At the time, the par value of the company stock was $50, but was regularly being traded for $54, and as high as $69 per share. Monthly dividends were $2 per share. (Salt Lake Trinbune, March 4, 1896; July 11, 1896)
The company was reorganized in 1899, in Maine, and from then controlled by the United States Smelting Refining & Mining company by ownership of 99.8 percent of the Centennial-Eureka stock.
"The Centennial Eureka was one of the few mines in the State whose stock sold steadily for more than par. In 1896 it had the deepest shaft in the State — 1535 feet. Work there began on September 12, 1884, with J. D. Kendall in charge. Mr. Kendall continued until August 1, 1896, when Mr. C. E. Allen (at that time Congressman from Utah, and later general manager for the U.S.S.R.& M.), became manager. Captain J. T. Woodman was president of the company with J. E. Bamberger, vice president, and W. W. Chisholm, director." (Ax-I-Dent-Ax, Volume 16, Number 5, 1931, "Early Mining and Smelting South of Salt Lake City")
The Centennial-Eureka company property embraced the Centennial-Eureka group, and after 1906 the Tintic, Dove, Swan and Pelican groups, all within the Tintic Mining District. In 1911, the Centennial -Eureka was the largest gold producer in Utah.
"The property of the Centennial Eureka Mining Co., controlled by the United States Smelting & Refining Co., comprises a number of consolidated claims aggregating 230 acres on the steep slopes of the ridge about a mile southwest of the town of Eureka. The shaft is about 600 feet above Eureka Creek, on the north slope of the ridge. The workings extend south underneath the narrow backbone of the ridge and connect in this direction with the Opex mine and in the deepest levels with the Grand Central mine. Toward the north the property is bordered by the Eureka Hill ground, and connections with this mine are established in t he levels of middle depth." "The mine was first opened in 1876 but has been more actively worked since 1886. It has been the most productive property in the district and is distinguished by large and continuous ore bodies rather than by high-grade ore. The principal metals produced are gold, silver, and .copper, and the value of the total output is about evenly divided between the three metals." (USGS Professional Paper 107, "Geology And Ore Deposits Of The Tintic Mining District, Utah," 1919, page 197)
In 1899 the Centennial-Eureka company added an aerial tramway to connect the mine with new ore loading bins at the railroad level, on the south side of the town of Eureka.
The Centennial-Eureka was the largest shipper in Tintic in 1900, shipping 1,633 car loads consisting of 40,825 tons of gold, silver, copper, and lead ores, an average of 25 tons per car, with an average value of $53 per ton. (Salt Lake Mining Review, December 1900)
In 1910 the Centennial-Eureka completed what was called the Holden Tunnel, a horizontal transportation and drainage tunnel, 2,160 feet long, that connected with the original vertical shaft at a point 550 feet below the main shaft's collar. The main shaft was 2,225 feet deep, with plans in 1911 to extend the depth to 2,500 feet.
"Production was circa 80,000 tons of ore in 1907; circa 112,000 tons in 1908, and 109,430 tons in 1909. Production of fine copper is estimated at 4,500,000 lbs. for 1909." (The Copper Handbook, 1911, page 577-578)
Prior to the Holden Tunnel being completed, it was a dry mine, but as development went deeper it became a wet mine. The flow from the Holden Tunnel was 500 gallons per
The following excerpts come from the book "Faith, Hope and Prosperity" published in 1982 by the Tintic Historical Society.
Together with the Eureka Hill and Bullion Beck, the Blue Rock (later the Centennial-Eureka) and the Gemini (old Keystone), both producers by 1886, were labeled the "Big Four" and insured Eureka's growth . The Blue Rock, consisting of several claims in the Eureka Hill area, was located in 1872 and sold by Packard. The Centennial-Eureka company began in September 1884 when J. D. Kendall commenced work. (page 19)
The Centennial-Eureka, which had begun shipping in 1886, undertook its own improvements in 1888. Construction consisted of a shaft house, measuring 48 by 72 feet; boarding house, 20 by 60 feet; bunk house, 20 by 30 feet; and tack house, 16 by 30 feet. In addition the shaft reached a depth of 300 feet, and a one-mile pipeline was installed for water. (page 27)
Highlighting the year 1900 was the sale of the Centennial-Eureka to the United States Smelting, Refining and Mining Company. A further decrease occurred in 1902, as the Centennial-Eureka suspended shipments, primarily to allow United States Smelting and Refining to complete its Midvale smelter. (page 84)
The Centennial-Eureka moved ahead in 1910 with work on its mine. The shaft plunged to 2200 feet and a tunnel driven in 2160 feet, connected with the shaft at the 500-foot level. Thus, the Holden Tunnel, as it was named, replaced the aerial tramway that had been used earlier to transport ore to the railroad facilities. At the mouth of the tunnel towered a power plant. (page 88)
April 8, 1921
"The closing of the copper smelters of the state has resulted in the suspension of operations at the Centennial Eureka, one of the best known Tintic mining properties, and along with it the Bullion Beck, the latter being one of Eureka's oldest mines. These mines are now owned by the United States Smelting & Mining company and while this corporation owns and operates a smelter in this state it has no furnaces for the treatment of copper ore and copper is a big factor at the Centennial Eureka." (Eureka Reporter, April 8, 1921)
In 1943, the U.S. Smelting, Refining and Mining Company ceased commercial operations at Eagle & Bluebell, Centennial Eureka, Bullion Beck and Victoria mines.
Aerial Tramway (1900-1910)
(Built in 1900; out of service in 1910; dismantled in 1911; 4,000 feet length)
October 9, 1899
"It is the intention of the new company to make some extensive improvements around the workings and it is positively given out that a tramway will be built from the mine to the railroad tracks at the foot of the mountain." (Deseret News, October 9, 1899)
(Prior to the tramway being built, the ore was hauled by team and wagon down the steep slope from the mine to the nearest railroad siding.)
October 14, 1899
"While a number of improvements are contemplated at the Centennial, the more important at this time is the construction of a tramway similar to that on the Highland Boy, with which to convey the ores from the mine to the railway. The contract for this has been awarded Jones & Jacobs of this city, and with the tramway in operation, no difficulty will be experienced in doubling the output, which has been averaging about 800 tons a month." (Salt Lake Tribune, October 14, 1899)
October 26, 1899
"Centennial-Eureka Tram. The machinery has been ordered in the east, and the necessary lumber has been ordered from Oregon. The management expects to have the new tram in operation in the early part of December." (Salt Lake Herald, October 26, 1899)
November 23, 1899
Work commenced on the Centennial-Eureka tramway. (Deseret News, November 24, 1899)
December 12, 1899
The machinery for the Centennial-Eureka tramway was shipped from the factory in Trenton, N.J. on December 7th.
(Salt Lake Tribune, December 12, 1899)
February 17, 1900
The new aerial tramway at the Centennial-Eureka mine at Eureka in the Tintic district was "virtually complete." Capacity was reported to be 125 tons every ten hours. The coal elevator to load empty ore buckets on their return trip was not yet complete. (Deseret News, February 17, 1900)
December 1900
The mine had just installed a new aerial tramway to get its ore down to a spur on the OSL just to the west of Eureka, replacing the previous costly method of using teams and freight wagons. (Salt Lake Mining Review, December 1900)
September 24, 1910
"The aerial tramway at the Centennial-Eureka mine is not being used, as ore is handled through the Holden tunnel, which cuts the shaft near the 500-ft. level. Timber, coal and supplies are sent in through the tunnel. The new electrical pumping equipment on the 2200 level has been tried." (Engineering and Mining Journal, Volume 90, September 24, 1910, page 621)
May 26, 1911
"Tramway Sent to Arizona -- The large ore house, which is located at the lower end of the old Centennial Eureka tramway, is being torn down this week. Now that the output from this mine is being handled through the Holden Tunnel this building is not needed. The big gravity tramway, which for so many years carried ore from the Centennial Eureka shaft house to the railroad, a distance of about 4000 feet, has been shipped to one of the properties of the United States Company at Kingman, Arizona." (Eureka Reporter, May 26, 1911)
Holden Tunnel (1910-1926)
October 2, 1909
"Arrangements have been completed for the driving of a tunnel from the road west of Eureka to the 550-foot level of the Centennial-Eureka. The tunnel will be 3000 ft. long and double tracked throughout and with electric haulage. The tunnel will save the company $15,000 a year in hoisting." (Engineering and Mining Journal, Volume 88, October 2, 1909, page 704)
(When completed, the Holden Tunnel lay in a southeast to northwest direction from the mine, and had its opening adjacent to a siding on the Oregon Short Line railroad, a half mile west of the downtown Eureka depot. The tunnel passed under the D&RGW line to Mammoth and Silver City. The tunnel is shown on the USGS 1911 map of the Tintic Mining District.)
February 24, 1910
"The Holden tunnel which connects with the Centennial Eureka shaft at a depth of 550 feet from the collar, will be finished next week. This is 3,000 feet long and cuts off the steep climb up the grade to the shaft. It has been estimated that it means a saving in transportation of $15,000 a year to the company. The tunnel will save the company much in hoisting its water and in sending timbers and supplies down the shaft. The work was started last fall." (Deseret News, February 24, 1910)
The Centennial-Eureka was one of the "deep" mines that hit water as they continued downward extracting the ore. According to the USGS 1919 Professional Paper 107, the water level in the Centennial Eureka was at a depth of 2,036 feet (altitude about 4,851 feet). The other Tintic mines reached permanent water at similar depths:
- Centennial Eureka at the 2,036 level (altitude about 4,851 feet)
- Gemini, at the 1,650-foot level (altitude 4,813 feet)
- Opex, at a depth of 2,170 feet (altitude 4,791 feet)
- Grand Central, at a depth of 2,390 feet (altitude 4,759 feet)
- Chief Consolidated, at a depth of 1,815 feet (altitude 4,755 feet)
- The Mammoth mine, 2,362 feet deep (altitude 4,690 feet), has not reached permanent water level.
- In addition, the water in the Tintic mines averages 100 degree F, and is very caustic.
March 1, 1910
"The connection between the tunnel and the shaft was made March 1. The tunnel is 2160 feet long, and connects with the shaft at the 535-foot level. The tunnel will effect a saving in hoisting ore and pumping water, and in hauling supplies up the hill." (Engineering and Mining Journal, Volume 89, March 19, 1910, page 635)
April 23, 1910
"The Centennial-Eureka company suspended ore mining, April 9, to permit a chamber and sump being cut for the new electric pumping plant which is being installed on the 2250 level. It will be necessary to bail out the water in the shaft from the 2100 level down to the 2250. This will be done with bailers, and as it is impossible to handle the water and waste from the pump chamber and run the mine at the same time the working force will be put on development while the installation is in progress. Two sets of pumps made by Sulzer Bros., Winterthur, Switzerland, and having a capacity of 500 gal. each, will be used. Each set has a five-stage and an eight-stage centrifugal pump coupled in series, and will be driven by a General Electric 400-h.p. motor. It is figured that not over 125 gal. per min. will be pumped now, so that one pump will be held in reserve. A power house is being built at the mine. Arrangements have also been made with the Knight companies to furnish power." (Engineering and Mining Journal, Volume 89, April 23, 1910, page 885)
April 30, 1910
"Work is being done in the tunnel connecting with the shaft at the 535-ft. level. Arrangements for carrying off the water have been completed, and the tracks are being laid. The power plant which is being erected at the mouth of the tunnel is being built rapidly. Work of mining ore was suspended on April 10 until the new electric pumping plant is installed." (Engineering and Mining Journal, Volume 89, April 30, 1910, page 938)
May 4, 1910
"In Utah, this company [United States Smelting Refining & Mining] has made its greatest profit from the Centennial-Eureka mine at Tintic. Recently this property has been closed down, while pumps were being installed to draw water from the lower levels and run it out through the Holden Tunnel. This work is completed and now the mine is forwarding over 2000 tons of ore each week to the plant at West Jordan." (Salt Lake Telegram, May 4, 1910)
May 21, 1910
"Centennial-Eureka -- Hoisting ore was resumed May 5. After the installation of the electric pump on the 2200-ft. level, the ore output has been gradually increased up to the normal production of 300 tons per day." (Engineering and Mining Journal, Volume 89, May 21, 1910, page 1086)
July 30, 1910
"Within the next two weeks the electric power will be connected up with the pumps and machinery at the Holden Tunnel of the Centennial Eureka property. The pumps are in two units of 500 gallons a minute each and are capable of handling 1,500,000 gallons of water every 24 hours. The power plant which has been built at the mouth of the Holden Tunnel will shortly be ready to turn on the electricity. This will be used on the pumps to lift the water from the 2,200-foot level of the mine to the tunnel, which is a distance of 1,650 feet. By use of the tunnel 550 feet is cut off in raising the ore, so that it does not need to go to the collar of the shaft." (Deseret News, July 30, 1910)
September 21, 1910
"It is considered most likely that the Centennial Eureka, a subsidiary company of the United States Smelting Refining & Mining Co., is negotiating for an option on the Grand Central. The Centennial-Eureka bounds the Central on the west and northwest, and is credited with having unearthed a considerable supply of ore recently in the south end of its estate. It is not improbable that the Centennial has traced into Grand Central ground the oreshoot that was thought by many to bear west of south into the Opex." (Copper Curb and Mining Outlook, Volume 6, September 21, 1910, page 22)
September 24, 1910
"The aerial tramway at the Centennial-Eureka mine is not being used, as ore is handled through the Holden tunnel, which cuts the shaft near the 500-ft. level. Timber, coal and supplies are sent in through the tunnel. The new electrical pumping equipment on the 2200 level has been tried." (Engineering and Mining Journal, Volume 90, September 24, 1910, page 621)
October 29, 1910
"Centennial-Eureka -- The offices have been moved from the shaft to the mouth of the Holden tunnel, which taps the shaft at a depth of 550 ft. Oct. 8 the miners began using this tunnel in going to and from work, this saves the trip up the hill, which in the winter is a hard one. About 300 men are employed." (Engineering and Mining Journal, Volume 90, October 29, 1910, page 881)
February 4, 1911
A three-page article about the Centennial-Eureka mine and its new Holden Tunnel.
(Engineering and Mining Journal, Volume 91, February 4, 1911, page 266-268, with three photos)
March 26, 1926
"The United States Mining company has for some time had a force of men at work tearing down buildings near the portal of the Holden Tunnel, which leads to the shaft of the Centennial Eureka mine. Practically all of the surface improvements are being removed. The brick from the large power house have been purchased by R. L. Conyers and James Morgan and will be used in the construction of buildings on upper Main street." (Eureka Reporter, March 26, 1926)
(In early January 1928, the steel frame of the hoist house at the mine, and the steel frame of the power house at the mouth of the Holden tunnel, along with the steel wire rope used as part of the hoist, were all dismantled and loaded into railroad cars as scrap metal. The metal from the hoist house alone filled 15 railroad cars. Several specialized castings were sold for their scrap value to the May Foundry in Salt Lake City to be melted down as reused in other castings. -- Eureka Reporter, January 6, 1928)
(In late July 1928, the property of the Centennial-Eureka above the level of the Holden tunnel was in the hands of leasers. The U. S. company was contemplating reentering the levels below the tunnel level to begin extracting ore to be used a fluxing ore in their Midvale smelter. -- Eureka Reporter, July 27, 1928)
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