Gilpin Observer

DORCAS MILL BURNED.
Big Cyanide Plant at Florence Destroyed.

Denver.—A Republican special from Florence, Colorado, Monday night says: The Dorcas mill, the only cyanide reduction works in the Arkansas valley, caught fire about 1:15 o'clock this afternoon and was destroyed two hours afterward, entailing a loss of $300,000 to the Dorcas Mining, Milling & Development Company, which owned it. The insurance is $200,000.

Arthur Aldrich, a roll helper, says the fire started near the elevator between two rolls in the roll room.

Charles Robinson and William Bowles, who were working in the roll room, had a narrow escape from instant death, the flames leaping toward them rapidly. They slid down to the first floor on the hot steam pipes, bare-handed, alighting on top of the hot boilers below. Their hands were terribly burned. Other employees were slightly injured in escaping the flames which raced through the mill like a whirlwind.

The mill was built about six years ago and had not lost a day's work. It treated 150 tons of ore a day, mostly from the mines of the company in Cripple Creek. Less than six months ago the company refused $200,000 for the mill.

The office building and boarding house was saved. Four mills, the El Paso, Metallic, Page and the Dorcas have been destroyed by fire here in the last four years, entailing a loss of $1,160,000. The Dorcas mill is the only independent plant in Florence. It throws a hundred men out of work.

It is thought the mill will be rebuilt.