Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-06-30
The sutro Tunnel.

Years have passed since Adolph Sutro
first conceived the mighty idea of q
tunnel from the banks Of Carson
river, four miles in length, which should
intersect the great Comstock lode at a
depth Of about 1000 feet. Years have
passed, and yet that tunnel has not even
been practically commenced. The On.
terprise has seemed too gigantic, and
the contamination too far distant for
present interest, yet the absolute neces-
sity for that same tunnel was never less,
or moro apparent than it is to-day.
Other tunnels Of far greater magnitude
have been projected in the mines OF
Europe, and carried to u successful
issue, none of them perhaps possessed
of the Importance and real feasibility OF
this, yet it has seemed almost impossl-
BILE to interest the monied powers to an
extent which should insure the success
full carrying out Of the great project.
Step by step, however, in the face OF all
opposition and discouragements, Nj.
Sutro has marched with o calm conn.,
dence and iudomitable will, which chal-
lenges the admiration Of the most skep-
teal, until now he seems to be on the eve
of success. All the necessary grants,
rights of way, aud legislative assistance
aud encouragement he secured long ago;
money was the only requisite LEFT want
iug. He failed to interest the capital
lists of America or Europe to an extent
sufficient to ~uuloose their purse strings,
but Government is evidently about to
assist him, the Committee on Mines and
Mining having reported q bill TO Con-
gress granting q loan Of United States
bonds TO the amount of SIS, o0o, 900 in
aid Of the Sutro Tunnel. This may not
be quite enough, but it will do very
we'll for q starter, and should the bill
become u law, it will insure the hual
success Of this important work. Eight
million dollars Is estimated as the prob.
able cost, and four years as the time OF
completion. A day or two since, We re-
ceived from the author q very hand.
somely bound and carefully prepared
work, entitled "The Mineral Resources
Of the United States, and the Importance
and necessity Of inaugurating a rational
system Of mining, with special reference
TO the Comstock Lode, and the Sutro
Tunnel in tho State Of Nevada" by
Adolph Sutro. The book is published
in Baltimore, and contains about two
hundred and forty pages. The typo
graphical execution is very excellent,
and the work Is embellished with q
handsome engraving Of Virginia, and
maps illustrative of the proposed Sutro
Tunnel and the typographical and geo.
logical characteristics Of the country
through which It is to pass, Among its
contents are included q treatise on the
Comstock lode, and the evils of our
present system Of mining, letters
from distinguished experts relative
thereto, and q very able article on the
character Of the Comstock lode, and the
probable mode Of its continuance, by
Ferdinand Baron Richthofen. Also q
vast amount Of statistical and other
valuable information relative to mines
and mining operations in various por-
tions Of the world, aud figures demon
stratinK just how deep from the surface
Comstock operations can be prosecuted
before, at the present average yield, ore
will not pay to hoist; therefore the
paramount Importance Of the Sutro
Tunnel. The work is very instructive
and we'll worthy the perusal OF all inter-
ested in such matters. From present
appearances, the Sutro Tunnel will yet
become q prominent feature as practic-
ally connected with the Comstock lode,
and In the not very far distant future.