Tintic, Grand Central Mine

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This page was last updated on August 31, 2025.

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Overview

(The focus of this page is the transportation of ore from the Grand Central by aerial tramway, to the railroad at the mouth of Mammoth Hollow.)

By 1899 the Tintic district was the leading mining center of the State of Utah in value of output, which was over $5 million. This figure was an increase from the 1898 figure of $4 million. The Grand Central was listed in both years as one of the leading producers.

The ores of the Grand Central mine carry mainly copper, gold, and silver; lead is present at many places. The Grand Central was among the Tintic mines that yielded most of the gold in the district. The other mines included the Centennial-Eureka, Mammoth, Victoria, Eagle and Blue Bell, Gold Chain (Ajax), Opohonga, North Star, and Iron Blossom No. 1.

The Grand Central mine is on the steep southeast slopes of Eureka Peak. The altitude of the collar is 7,149 feet. The Grand Central mine, with its shaft collar at 7,149 feet elevation, was (after the Mammoth) the highest of the highest producing mines. The others were the Gemini (6,467 feet), Eureka Hill (6,476 feet), Eagle & Blue Bell (6,818 feet), Centennial-Eureka (6,887 feet), Opex (6,961 feet). The shaft collar of the The Victoria was at 6,998 feet. The Mammoth was at 7,052 feet.

The mining property of the Grand Central mine lay with the Victoria on the northeast, the Eagle & Blue Bell on the north, the Centennial-Eureka on the northwest, the Emerald on the southwest and the Mammoth on the east. The shaft of the Grand Central mine was 3/4-mile south of the Victoria mine shaft. By 1919, the tunnels of the Grand Central mine on connected on three levels with the tunnels of the Victoria mine. The Grand Central's 1100-Level tunnel connected with the Victoria's 900-Level tunnel.

Notes taken from "Faith, Hope, & Prosperity: The Tintic Mining District," by Philip F. Notarianni, published in 1982.

Activity in the 1894-99 period burgeoned in all parts of Tintic. In July 1894 the Grand Central Mining Company had begun active operation toward developing its property near the Mammoth. Hoisting equipment was purchased from the Centennial-Eureka, and water obtained. Officers were: C. E. Loose, manager; J. R. Twelves, secretary-treasurer; and directors L. Holbrook, Reed Smoot, C. E. Loose, David Evans, and Abraham H. Cannon. (Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1896, pp. 23-27; January 1, 1896, p. 21)

Most of Tintic's towering gallows frames were constructed from massive wooden timbers; however, in 1897 or 1898 the Grand Central added a magnificent gleaming steel headframe to its new surface plant. A three-compartment shaft, down 700 feet, was serviced by a new hoisting engine and two cylinders with three auxiliary cylinders for operating the reverses, clutches, and brakes designed to reach a depth of 2000 feet . All this machinery was enclosed in a building constructed entirely of steel, including the framework . Such an operation was considered a novelty in its time. The engine and compressor room measured 56 by 60 feet and boiler house 40 by 45 feet with a wood working building. Total cost of the plant was $40,000. (Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1899, p. 17.)

In May 1896, the New East Tintic Railway built a spur to serve the Grand Central, a total distance of about five miles that also served the Mammoth mill, Sioux mill, the Ajax mine, then the Sioux mine. In December 1900, an additional spur was built across the mouth of Mammoth Hollow to reach the lower terminal of the Grand Central mine's aerial tramway. The tramway had been built in 1899.

Also in 1899 litigation commenced that would linger for years; namely, a law suit over ore bodies between the Mammoth and Grand Central companies.

The Grand Central, purchased by the Chief in 1922, remained within Mammoth City limits, following litigation by the Chief Consolidated mining company and the D&RGW railroad to limit the expansion of the boundaries of Mammoth City.

Timeline

February 10, 1895
Work began on developing the Grand Central property. The property had been surveyed for the purposes of applying for a federal mineral land patent. (Salt Lake Herald, February 10, 1895; Lehi Banner, February 14, 1895)

June 22, 1895
"Work has recommenced on the Grand Central group. The double compartment shaft with manway is now down forty feet and two shifts are putting it down with the greatest possible rapidity. The owners propose to make a mine of this property in short order." (Salt Lake Herald, June 22, 1895)

July 6, 1895
The Grand Central Mining Company has filed its articles of incorporation with the Utah county clerk. The organizers are C. E. Loose (32,000 shares), Abram H. Cannon (28,000 shares), L. Holbrook (15,000 shares; president), David Evans (10,000 shares), Reed Smoot (5,000 shares; vice-president), A. Burch (5,000 shares), B. B. Clark (2,000 shares), A. A. King (2,000 shares), John R. Twelves (1,000 shares; secretary-treasurer). General office in Provo, Utah. Property includes the following claims: Christopher Columbus, Snow Bird, and Grand Central, with options on Silveropolis, King William, and Wedgwood. 250,000 shares. (Provo Daily Enquirer, July 6, 1895)

(A.H. Cannon was also a principal of the Bullion-Beck mine, on the north side of Eureka.).

(The Grand Central was unusual among startup mining companies. The company had the immediate confidence in finding a paying ore vein that they were installing a large steam hoist, and a three-compartment initial shaft, which would provide for two ore skips, with a man-skip between them.)

The Grand Central company had purchased a steam hoist from the Centennial-Eureka company, which would be installed right away. The company embraced 75 acres. (Salt Lake Tribune, July 11, 1895)

January 1, 1896
The Grand Central, having started just six months ago, has successfully installed a 75-horsepower steam hoist, has completed its three-compartment shaft down to 225 feet, and has completed 500 feet of cross-cutting from that 225-foot level. (Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1896)

(The steam hoist was the same hoist that had been replaced by the Centennial-Eureka company in 1892, when it completed its new hoist house and hoist frame.)

November 25, 1896
In late November 1896, the Grand Central struck ore in a drift from the 200-foot level. The company had sunk its main shaft down to the 700-foot level, and had spent $102,000 doing so. The ore was struck on the 200-level drift, at a distance of 1300 feet from the main shaft. (Salt Lake Herald, November 24, 1896; Provo Daily Enquirer, November 28, 1896)

December 2, 1896
"David Keith of the Silver King, at Park City, and Herman Bamberger were looking over the Grand Central last week." (Provo Daily Enquirer, December 2, 1896)

December 3, 1896
The ore coming from the Grand Central mine during its development work was low-grade milling ore. As soon as the high-grade shipping ore was struck, the New East Tintic railroad "will be extended to the property. It will be necessary to build about one mile of track in order to attain sufficient altitude to enable the road to be built on a 6 per cent grade." (Deseret News, December 3, 1896)

(The New East Tintic railroad had only just been completed between Mammoth station and the Mammoth mine in September, a distance of 1.99 miles. There is no indication that this spur was ever completed. Instead, an aerial tramway was later built and a spur of the Oregon Short Line railroad was built to serve the tramway's lower terminal.))

(Read more about the New East Tintic Railway)

January 10, 1897
The Grand Central struck a body of ore after driving a drift from the 700-Level, 590 feet from the station in the main shaft. The body of ore was an extension of the "gold zone" of the adjacent Mammoth mine. The strike proved the extent of the Mammoth gold zone, and increased the value of the Grand Central property. (Salt Lake Tribune, January 10, 1897)

(There was no mention if the boundary line between Grand Central property and Mammoth property was crossed. But the Mammoth had its boundaries re-surveyed.)

(After just two years of development work, starting at the surface on raw ground, and after spending $115,000 [about $3.7 million in 2025], the congratulations poured in to the mine's owners, making note of the persistance in light of the uncountable negative comments over the past two years. The organizers apparently knew what they were looking for, and based on the wealth of the surrounding properties, they found it after just two years.)

June 4, 1897
The Grand Central shipped its first ore from the mine to Salt Lake City. The ore had come from the face of the strike on the 700-Level. The shipment was in the form of 20 tons of sacked ore. The ore was pure gold bearing with no silver content, and would likely sell for $300 per ton [about $6000, or about $200,000 in 2025 dollars]. The high value of the ore was indicated by the fact it was sacked, instead of simply dumped into a open-top car. An ore sack was an added expense reserved only for the highest-value ore, because ore sacks cost 60 cents each [about $19 in 2025], and could be used only once. (Deseret News, June 4, 1897; Salt Lake Herald, June 4, 1897)

September 9, 1897
David Keith purchased 10,000 shares of the Grand Central "several months ago," and "yesterday," Thomas Kearns purchased 50,000 shares for nearly as many dollars. (Salt Lake Tribune, September 10, 1897)

(Keith and Kearns were already well established with their successful Silver King mine in Park City, which they had began developing in 1890, and had incorporated in 1892. The sale of such a large block of shares, 60,000 shares of the original 250,000 shares, to Keith and Kearns was seen throughout the Utah mining community as a valuable endorsement of the future of the Grand Central mine.)

(The Grand Central mine shipped 50 tons of ore during the first week of January 1898. -- Salt Lake Herald, January 8, 1898)

March 25, 1899
"The Oregon Short Line has determined on doing considerable work at Eureka. During the late visit of [OSL] President Cornish to the camp it was decided to increase the side trackage and to build a spur to connect with the aerial tramway that is being constructed by Grand Central people from their mine to the railroad." (Deseret News, March 25, 1899)

June 30, 1899
"With the completion of the big steel shaft house and the installation of the new hoist which has a lifting capacity of 250-H.P., the Grand Central la now equipped for the thorough development of the gigantic ore bodies that as yet have been but scratched on top, and that the main ahaft, which is but 700 feet deep, will be driven to the 1000 level. The plant, which includes a 10 drill compressor and an electric lighting and signal aystem, is up-to-date in every respect, and containa many little economical devices that will reduce the operating expenses. It is understood the management has not abandoned the aerial tram for the transportation of its ore to the railroad track at Mammoth; the estimated cost would about equal the amount paid each year for hauling by wagon, and the operating expenses would be but a small item." (Salt Lake Mining Review, June 30, 1899)

Aerial Tramway (1902 - ?)

(1907) Grand Central Mine Tramway (1907-?): Tintic, Utah = 7,920 feet

November 16, 1902
The Grand Central ore bins were connected to the Grand Central mine high up on the north slope of Mammoth Hollow by an aerial tramway. The Grand Central aerial tram went into "commission" the following day, November 17. (Salt Lake Tribune, November 16, 1902)

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