Tintic, Plutus Mine
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This page was last updated on November 5, 2025.
(The focus of this page is the surface workings of the Plutus 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.)
Plutus Consolidated Mining Company
The Plutus Consolidated Mining company had been incorporated in August 1901. By August 1907, the group was seen as one of the "dead soldiers" of Tintic and was reported as being for sale. The Plutus group was put together in August 1901 by R. G. Anderson, and was sold to Jesse Knight and his associates in August 1907. In November 1907, the group was sold to the Plutus Mining company, jointly owned by Jesse Knight and David Evans. While Jesse Knight was president of the new company, David Evans was general manager, and had been the one who had put the sale together. Evans was the president of the adjacent Juab Mining company, which was included in the formation of the new Plutus Mining company.
The Plutus group was located immediately south of the city limits of Eureka City, and immediately east of the Eagle & Blue Bell properties, and north of the Mammoth group. At that time the Plutus group included the James G. Blair, Marion, Mahogany, November, Silver Alec, and Stonewall Jackson claims. The Chief Consolidated Mining company's No. 2 Shaft was located on the northern edge of the Plutus group, within the boundaries of the adjacent Crusader claim.
The Crusader Consolidated Mining company had gone into receivership in May 1914, at which time the property was purchased by the Chief Consolidated Mining company.
In August 1908, the Plutus company purchased the interests and assets of the adjacent North Mammoth Mining company, which included the Jason and Medea claims, located southwest of the existing Plutus group. In January 1909, the Plutus group purchased the interests and assets of the Tetro Mining company, located immediately to the north of the Plutus, and adjacent to the south limits of Eureka City. The Plutus group, previously undeveloped, would then be worked by way of the Tetro mine's existing shaft and the mine's electric hoist and compressor. The combined group encompassed 14 patented claims. Evans stated that it had taken over two years to get the Plutus group and the Tetro group together, adding that he had believed that combining the two group would make for a successful mining company. The drift of the Tetro 500-foot level would be extended 500 feet to reach the Plutus ground 700 feet below the surface. The existing Tetro 400-foot level would be reopened and developed to restart production of first-class ore that could be shipped direct to the smelter.
In May 1909, the assessments of stockholders started, to clear out to minority stockholders and place the company into the hands of the majority stockholders who were furnishing the funds for development.
The Plutus property became mired in a court case concerning an old prospector who had been one of its original locators. The law suits had started in mid 1908, and were not resolved until late 1911. By April 1912, due to the low stock value on account of the law suits, Evans had taken control of the company, with Jesse Knight remaining as president. But the Plutus property remained idle, until Spring 1916 when the Chief Consolidated company announced that it was drifting in the direction of the Plutus ground, at the very north end of the Jason claim.
In April 1916, Walter Fitch of the Chief Consolidated company was elected as a director of the Plutus company. The other directors included Jesse Knight, president and David Evans, vice president and general manager. Work on the Plutus was to be resumed.
October 9, 1916
Walter Fitch of the Chief Consolidated company, purchased control of the Plutus Mining company from David Evans and the Knight interests. The November 1916 annual report for the Chief Consolidated company included the following, "During the year your company [Chief Consolidated] has purchased numerous additional mining claims and also a majority of the shares of the Plutus Mining company, which it now controls. The lands of that company adjoin those of yours and it will be explored by the extension of the mine's workings." (Provo Daily Herald, October 9, 1916; Salt Lake Herald, November 7, 1916)
March 9, 1917
By early March 1917, it was reported, "The Victoria shaft [of the Eagle & Blue Bell company] was being used for the development of the Plutus and officials of the Chief Consolidated company are anxious to continue the prospecting of that section of the big estate owned by the Plutus, which they now control." The driving of the drift from the Victoria shaft into the Plutus ground, passing through Eagle & Blue Bell and Victoria ground, was started in November 1916. Any ore values found would be paid to the Eagle & Blue Bell company, which also controlled the Victoria company. (Salt Lake Herald, November 12, 1916; Eureka Reporter, March 9, 1917)
Assessments started in April 1917, to reduce the number of minority stockholders.
(Although the Chief Consolidated company controlled the Plutus company after 1916 through ownership of a majority of the stock, the company remained separate due to its minority shareholders.)
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