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These sluices are the same as shown in the Arthur Lakes plate from 1893, Figure 2. The sluices started <br /> at the location of the Alma sewer lagoons and were continually lengthened as the mining continued. <br /> They turned towards the north northwest once they entered the highest grade channel. Pieces of these <br /> sluices have been intersected while digging on a number of occasions, but most were removed during <br /> the 1930's when the property was sublet to a number of different small miners. These miners both mined <br /> outside the original cut with surface equipment, but also dug tunnels into the gravel banks on the west <br /> and east sides of the eastern pay channel. Those tunnels are still standing and occasionally are intersected <br /> while digging. <br /> 1 <br /> e1 <br /> : <br /> ;�^`' s` .•--.. -t:.4 .*,4► c . .'-.., <br /> witanit n ♦. pl P <br /> .rte .,w" / '-14,..It:.. t ,+ _ �� - ,M • Qn...• /•A <br /> �..-. . - - i :� ../ 0.r.es. ,`A iry:.. ;�` <br /> a ‘igr <br /> _9►v.^rx <br /> _ .• �:., ..,.... •t,j is <br /> FIG. 119.—HYDRAULIC PLACER MINING, ALMA, COLORADO. <br /> Figure 2 Arthur Lakes Plate 1893 <br /> In an overlay of the leases is placed over a pre-law (1972) aerial photo, two major pay channels become <br /> clear. The initial pay channel was worked earlier and by smaller scale methods. This cut was nearest <br /> the river and allowed for hand digging and smaller sluicing and long-toms. The eastern pay channel was <br /> developed once the Columbia ditch began providing sufficient water for hushing and hydraulicking of <br /> the placer gravels. The operator believes that the western edge of the eastern pay channel was likely due <br /> to a grade boundary. However, the eastern edge is clearly defined by the property boundaries. The <br /> Gumaer Placer to the east of the Alma Placer has never been controlled by the same parties since their <br /> staking in the 1800's. <br />