Just west of the Smelter, found this where the Sanborn map indicated a "Screen house"
Large pipes coming out at the bottom
Interesting trapezoidal shape, with a iron frame in the middle of it.
But why both the windows and the pipes? Civil engineers, help me out on this one.
An example of what happens when the contractor screws up the concrete.. you have to repour all of the footings, and reinforce the old with an iron strap
The view from underneath the railroad bed
Feels nice to stand up straight, eh?
Doesn't take much imagination to figure out where the coal trestle went..
On the map, the launder ends at a water tank, which I think is this circular foundation.
Almost spooky, so preserved, yet falling apart.
Mortar which is more weather resistant than the sandstone.
By the way, these steps have got to be super old.
OK, so now onto the launder. I followed the "ditch" west towards Cowles Creek (yes that is the original spelling)
The ditch was definitely deliberate-
walls built up with rock.
And, wow.
Was NOT expecting to find bits of the launder still intact, relatively.
And, the steel to help it cross major river valleys.
The ever-so-gradually sloping grade finally met up with Cowles Creek, much further upstream.
Probable dam site.
More pics of the launder. It's very close to where I have been many times, yet, just enough out of the way where it is hidden, and thus preserved.
The view of the screen house looking east from the "ditch"
