Tintic, Eureka Hill Mine and Mill

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This page was last updated on November 9, 2025.

Overview

(The focus of this page is the surface workings of the Eureka Hill mine, as visible in photographs, as well as a general description of the mine, with minimal coverage of the geology and financial returns. Also to establish a timeline using sources not previously readily available.)

The following comes from Geology and Mining Industry of the Tintic district, Utah, by G. W. Tower and G. O. Smith, USGS 19th Annual Report, 1897-1898.

West of Eureka are the Eureka Hill and Bullion-Beck mines, whose workings, connected in many places, extend under the hill slopes on both sides of Eureka Gulch and explore a portion of the Eureka zone 3,500 feet in length by 1,000 feet in width. Their workings also connect the Gemini mine on the north and the Centennial Eureka on the south.

The Bullion-Beck mine, through the main shaft and winzes, has reached a depth of 1,200 feet (5,150 feet above sea level). The Eureka Hill mine has cut to a depth of 1,150 feet (5,340 feet above sea level). The latter shaft is 100 feet higher than the Bullion-Beck, so that, level for level, there is a difference of 100 feet.

Eureka Hill Mine

The following comes from D. B. Huntley, Mining Industries of Utah, Appendix I, Reports of the Tenth Census, 1880, page 457.

The Eureka Hill mine was discovered in 1870. In 1871-1872 a 12-stamp mill, without a furnace, was erected, which would not work the ore. In 1873 the property was sold for several hundred thousand dollars. Final payments, however, were not made, and the property reverted to the original owners. There have been many legal complications about the ownership of this property, and a stone fort was once regularly garrisoned to defend it. In early times ore was worked at the Homansville smelter and at the Shoebridge and Wyoming mills. Later it. was sold to the smelters at Sandy. Since July, 1880, much of it has been shipped to the Tintic mill at Homansville. The property comprises two patented claims, the Eureka and the Montana, 2,200 by 200 feet each, and was owned, at the period under review, by a close corporation called the Eureka Mining Company. These claims are on two nearly parallel veins, about 100 feet apart.

USGS Professional Paper 107, Tintic Mining District, published in 1919, page 192-193

The Eureka Hill mine, one of the oldest and most productive mines of the Tintic district, is on the south side of Eureka Gulch just below the town of Eureka and almost due south of the Gemini. In 1911 work by the company had practically ceased, though the levels were still open and lessees were operating on several of the upper levels. The mine, which is owned by the estates of Justice Field, George E. Whitney, John A. Packard, Joseph Packard, and Joab Lawrence, has been worked for many years under the direction of the late G. W. Riter, who kindly furnished much valuable assistance and information.

The mine has a large output to its credit, principally of silver and lead, and the beginning of its productive period dates back to 1877. The tonnage of ore is of the same order of magnitude as that of the Gemini and Bullion Beck mines but is probably larger. The total gross value of the ore may be estimated as between $10,000,000 and $15,000,000. Some copper and gold has been produced but no zinc. The tenor of the ore has varied greatly, but the average has been about 25 ounces of silver-to the ton and 7 to 10 per cent of lead.

The mine is opened by a vertical shaft 1,520 feet deep and having altitude at the collar of 6,476 feet. There are about fifteen levels extending north and south and about 11 miles of development work. The lowest level now accessible is 1,100 feet below the collar. There are signs of water on the 1,500-foot level and small seepages at other places.

February 28, 1870
The Eureka Hill mine was first located and the claim staked-out on February 28, 1870. The town of Eureka grew up around the Eureka Hill mine. During 1894 the Eureka Hill, practically idle year long, built a 100 to 120-ton capacity mill, with plans and machinery furnished by Frazer and Chalmers Company. An increased water supply also aided this endeavor. (Faith, Hope, & Prosperity: The Tintic Mining District, By Philip F. Notarianni, Tintic Historical Society, Eureka, Utah, 1982)

May 13, 1871
"The Eureka Mining Co. of this city has just been organized, with a capital of $500,000, among the stockholders of which we find the names of Marshall & Carter, W. S. Godbe and others of this city and Tintic, and Jno. N. Whitney and J. C. Richards Iron Works, Chicago. The company have purchased nearly the entire consolidated interests of Eureka Hill, and contemplate the immediate erection of stamp mills and smelting works on an extensive scale, together with all modern improved mining machinery. -- Eureka Sentinel." (Corinne Daily Journal, May 13, 1871)

May 25, 1871
"Organization of the Eureka. -- The Eureka Mining Company of Utah was fully organized and incorporated under the laws of the Territory on the 25th inst. [May 25], with a paid-up capital of $500,000. The incorporators and trustees of the company are Joab Lawrence, of St. Louis; John N. Whitney and J. C. Richards, of Chicago; Thos. Marshall, C. C. Eddy, George Crimson and Thos. Taylor, of Salt Lake City. President, Joab Lawrence; Vice-President, John N. Whitney; Secretary and Treasurer, Wm. H. Wood, of San Francisco. The company have taken immediate possession of the property which embraces nearly all of Eureka Hill, Tintic; have already a force of fifty miners at work, under able superintendence, and are preparing to erect stamp mills and other machinery with all possible dispatch.— S.L. Herald." (Corinne Daily Journal, June 7, 1871)

April 4, 1872
The Eureka Mining company, in the Tintic district, was reported as having been sold to English parties for $720,000. Also the Wyoming mine in the same district was sold for $125,000. (Corinne Daily Reporter, April 4, 1872)

1873
" Eureka Hill.—The Eureka Mining Company of Utah now hold full possession of all the mines situated on this hill. There are four parallel ledges known as the Eureka, Deseret, Young Lion, and Montana, on each of which the Eureka Company owns 2,200 feet. The locations were made in 1870, since which time a large amount of work has been done upon them, and a survey for a United States patent made. At the time of Mr. Ward's visit the company were sinking a very large shaft and timbering it splendidly. This shaft is intended to cut all the veins at a considerable depth and to serve as a main working shaft. The Eureka Company have been much troubled by jumpers on their claims, but they have the prior location; and, by the expenditure of a great deal of money, have traced out all jumpers and proved the continuity of their veins." (Statistics of Mines and Mining, 1873, Vol. 5, Raymond)

April 12, 1873
"The Eureka Mining Company. -- This company has been doing but very little work of late, but it is expected they will resume active operations very shortly. They have several hundred tons of ore on the dumps." (Salt Lake Weekly Tribune, April 12, 1873)

December 5, 1873
The Wells Fargo & Company, as plaintiffs, filed suit in Third District court in Salt Lake City, against the Eureka Mining company, John Q. Packard, Edward Woodruff, and Joab Lawrence, as defendants, for the recovery of a promissory note in the amount of $1,817, dated July 21, 1873, with interest dating from September 20, 1873. Failure to appear within a maximum of 40 days would result in a default judgment in the favor of the plaintiff. (Salt Lake Tribune, December 5, 1873)

December 11, 1873
Joab Lawrence, former president of the Eureka Mining company, was arrested in New York City, and John N. Whitney, current vice president of the company, was arrested in Detroit and transported east by U. S. Deputy Marshalls. The arrests were in answer to accusations by E. B. Ward, current president of the Eureka Mining company, and John Q. Packard, both of Salt Lake City, accusing Lawrence and Whitney of stock swindle. (Deseret News, December 11, 1873)

1874
"The Eureka Mining Company's property was sold by Messrs. Lawrence & Whitney to Captain E. B. Ward and other parties in Detroit during the year. The representations of the vendors in regard to the value of the ores not being borne out by the subsequent mining experience of the new owners, Mr. Ward has taken legal steps to recover the money paid for the property, so far without favorable results. There has not been much work done at these mines during the year." (Statistics of Mines and Mining, 1874, Vol. 6, Raymond)

January 3, 1874
The case of the arrests of Lawrence and Whitney was the subject of an account in the Utah Mining Gazette. The story was related that Lawrence and Whitney had negotiated with Ward for the sale of the Eureka Mining company. The sale was dated October 1872, with an inspection having taken place on August 28, 1872, with the "circular" putting forth the guarantee that the mine would pay a monthly dividend of 5 percent upon the sale price of $500,000. Ward accepted the terms of the sale but soon discovered that the mine failed to pay the said returns. Ward then decided that he had been cheated. He sent an agent to Chicago, with his stock shares in-hand, to sell it back to Lawrence, with instructions to get as much as he could; to sell it back at any sacrifice. The agent found that Lawrence and Whitney had both sold their own stock in the company, and that they would not buy any stock back at any price. In the meantime, Ward had taken control of the company, elected himself as president and elected his own men as directors. Upon more investigation by his agent, along with many parties in Utah who knew the mine, and some locals who claimed that they had been instructed to "salt" the mine, Ward determined that the sale had been a swindle from beginning to end. (Utah Mining Gazette, January 3, 1874)

(There were no further references to this excitement, so it was likely settled by the parties involved, especially considering the Wells Fargo suit filed in December.)

(Joab Lawrence later filed suit in the First District Court in Provo, against the Eureka Mining company to recover $80,000. The court decided in Lawrence's favor. -- Deseret News, July 28, 1876)

May 26, 1874
"The sale of the personal property belonging to the Eureka Mining company took place today, and nearly everything was bought on a account of Wells and Fargo, under whose execution the sale took place." (Provo Times, May 26, 1874)

March 17, 1878
The first reference to the Eureka Hill Mining company, "Twenty men are employed on the Eureka Hill Mining company's property. This ore is shipped to the Wyoming mill." (Salt Lake Tribune, March 17, 1878)

January 13, 1886
John McChrystal and John Q. Packard, and their Eureka Hill Mining company, were sued by the Bullion, Beck and Champion Mining company, charging trespass and theft of mineral ore when the Eureka Hill company crossed the line between the two companies and removed ore from Bullion Beck & Champion property. The First District court in Provo found for the Eureka Hill company. The case was headed for the Utah Supreme Court. (Salt Lake Evening Democrat, January 13, 1886)

January 16, 1891
"Mr. Condon [Pat Condon] mentions a feature of [the Tintic] district which is not generally known, and which will be of interest to the readers of The Tribune. In the porphyry and granite sections the mines yield fine ore near the surface, but when they get down from 150 to 200 feet they run into white iron or pyrites, and the good ore is pinched out. He cites the work of the Eureka Hill, where, after reaching the iron, it remained idle for a time, when John McChrystal pushed the work down through the iron and tapped the big ore chutes." (Salt Lake Tribune, January 16,1891)

(At sometime in 1894 or 1895, the Eureka Mining company and its property passed to the Eureka Hill Mining company. The sale was not covered in online newspapers, or in other available sources. More research is needed.)

January 6, 1895
"The veteran John McChrystal is superintendent of two great mines - the Eureka Hill and the Keystone - John Q. Packard is president and R. J. Hilton is secretary of both the properties. Workings on the Eureka Hill commenced away back in 1872. There are eleven levels in this mine, and it employs about seventy men all told. John McChrystal is not alone superintendent of two great mines - he is mayor of the town - a hustler of the type that counts in more ways than one." (Salt Lake Herald, January 6, 1895)

April 12, 1896
"Twelve and a half tons of silver bullion, valued approximately at $375,000, will shortly be shipped from the Eureka Hill. It leaked out last evening that no shipment has been made from the mine since January 1st, the bullion product accumulating all the time until the immense amount mentioned is on hand. The bullion contains a small percentage of gold that will bring it up nearly to coin value. The shipment, while not large enough to fill a car, is as extensive as would be permitted. This, it is said, will be the largest and most valuable single car shipment ever made from a mine in Utah, and, it is believed, in the world." (Salt Lake Tribune, April 12, 1896)

July 14, 1896
John McChrystal died suddenly of heart failure on June 14, 1896 while standing on the dump of the Eureka Hill mine. He was superintendent of the Eureka Hill and Gemini mines. He was also mayor of Eureka City. He was 64 years old. (Salt Lake Tribune, July 15, 1896)

July 23, 1896
"The Eureka Hill mine is increasing its force considerably, a full night shift going on tomorrow night. When the hundred stamps begin to pound away day and night it will require about two hundred tons of ore to keep them employed. A great many men will be needed, but we advise men not to come here, as the market is overstocked. The Eureka Hill mine starts to work at 7:10 in the morning, have half an hour for noon, and quit at 4 o’clock, the men taking twenty minutes of their time to go down and come up. This gives good satisfaction. The night shift works on the same plan. The Eureka Hill mill abides exactly with the law. working the three shifts of eight hours each." (Salt Lake Herald, July 23, 1896)

May 18, 1901
The Bullion-Beck company filed suit against the Eureka Hill company for tresspass and encroachment, alleging that the two companies extracted over 25,000 tons of ore over a four year period. The suit was against the Eureka Hill company, and Moylan C. Fox and George W. Riter, claiming $950,000, at $38 per ton. (Salt Lake Tribune, May 18, 1901)

1902
"Eureka Hill Mining Co. - Has steam, water and electric power, with 100-stamp mill; employs about 150 men. Secures a little copper as a by-product from gold-silver ores." (The Copper Handbook, Volume III, 1902, page 300)

Eureka Hill Sold To Chief Consolidated (1922)

October 18, 1922
From the Eureka Reporter, October 20, 1922.

The Eureka Hill company has gone the way of the Grand Central, the Gemini, the Ridge & Valley, Eureka Mines, and nearly a score of other local mines, which is one way of saying that the old time producer has passed into the hands of the Chief Consolidated people.

On Wednesday [Oct. 18] the deal, which gave the Chief company the management and control of the Eureka Hill, was closed. At that time four representatives of the Chief were elected to places on the board of the Eureka Hill, which is one of the oldest mining corporations of Utah, organized at a time when million share corporations were unheard of. This company has but 10,000 shares issued, with a very modest par value and an exceptionally brilliant dividend record, the Eureka Hill ground having carried a liberal portion of Tintic’s old original ore channel on which are located such mines as the Gemini, Bullion Beck and Centennial Eureka. Even in recent years this company has been a dividend payer in a small way, but principally because of the fact that it owns valuable water rights at Homansville and a system which supplies the city of Eureka and many of the district's mines. This water system goes to the Chief along with other holdings of the company.

Since the dismantling of the hoisting plant several years ago, which followed the closing of the mine and the large stamp mill, the operations in the Eureka Hill have been carried out in a rather desultory fashion by lessees, who operated in close proximity to the surface or through adjoining mines.

Acquisition of the Eureka Hill gives the Chief Consolidated, company a solid block of ground in the vicinity of their main workings. The newly acquired property was worked at a time when mining was handled in an entirely different manner than at present.

October 24, 1922
"Control of the Eureka Hill mine has been acquired by the Chief Consolidated company, it is reported. By the consummation of this deal the Chief company has secured the major interest in the oldest property in the camp. Operation of the mine will be conducted on the leasing system." (Salt Lake Tribune, October 24, 1922)

Eureka Hill Mill

July 16, 1896
After John McChrystal's funeral, "work on the mill at the Eureka Hill mine will be resumed, Mr. Packard having stated that arrangements would be made looking to that end. The forty new stamps are being placed in position and when they are ready the battery will consist of 100 stamps, making the largest combination mill in the west." (Salt Lake Herald, July 16, 1896)

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