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Mine was ordered closed by the Mining Enforcement and Safety <br />• Administration on February 12, 1974, due to the dangers posed by <br />the fire in the adjoining mine. <br />Surface coal mining operations began at the site in 1976 with the <br />construction of necessary support facilities. <br />During the 1975 intensive cultural resource survey, several <br />historical resources were located. The historical sites located <br />with the permit area are shown on the Historical and Archaeological <br />Site Map (Map 16). Two historic sites were found on Federal Coal <br />Lease D-034365. One is a small log house at the bottom of Streeter <br />Canyon with a collapsed roof (5MF405); age and history of the house <br />is unknown. A second site contains six small sandstone piles of <br />unknown origin (5MF403). Five piles are about three feet thick and <br />twice as long; the sixth is about thirty feet long. Since the 1975 <br />survey, it has been determined that small areas of the Lease were <br />dry-land farmed many years ago, and the rock piles are the result <br />of rocks being removed from the farming area. Further testing of <br />the piles was not recommended by the historical consultant. <br />The Colowyo Mine Lease lies on the edge of Axial Basin. In 1882 <br />William S. Taylor engaged in ranching at Spring Gulch and founded <br />the Axial Post Office. In the same year C. J. (Charlie) Duffy came <br />to Axial Basin and settled near Signal Butte. Thomas Iles bought <br />the first major cattle ranch in Axial Basin in 1904, located at the <br />mouth of Milk Creek Canyon. <br />Other than the past mining activities and some minor homesteading, <br />the permit or adjacent areas had no significant historical events <br />take place on it. The abandoned surface facilities of the Red Wing <br />mine and the Streeter Mine have been removed. <br />The permit area was not the location of any events important to the <br />course of state or national history. None of the two underground <br />mining sites have been associated with people important in state or <br />national history. <br /> <br />2.04.4-3 <br />