New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-19

OF the faiIure of All others, but because of the
objection the capitalists everywhere maze 10
his efforts to induce them to invest III the
tsnnel. He was asked here IN New iorh' as
we'll as in London, Paris, and Vienna, why the
Nevada people themselves did not take hold OF
4, project that offered such inducements as no
rresentedf He answered this as well as he
0uld, but still the question was repeated; ana
at last he realized that the doubt it implied
would absolutely prevent his obtaining Tue
means required from Eastern or European capi-
tslists. He also discovered that there was but
ore way of meeting the difficulty. and that
was by actually obtaining from the people OF
Nevada that practical Endorsement of his
scheme involved in their contributions OF their
own money and labor. In setting about the
work of securing this, he has acted with his
Usual vigor; and if he meet with any reason
able success, and is able to show any practical
result. there will thereafter be no difficulty In
obtaining all the capital necessary for continu-
ing the work through the silver veins.
The Sutro tunnel, as our readers are aware,
was projected as a means of piercing the sll-
ver-bearing mountain, in the State OF Nevada
wherein exists what is known as the COM
"stOck lode" the richest silver vein OF which
there ia any record in ancient or modern his
tory. This lode has been worked for ten
years past, and during the last six years has
produced $75,0O00O0; but Capt. Sutro says that
the whole of this enormous sum has been
swallowed up by the expense of producing IT,
The business of working it, which has always
been great is now one Of extreme difficulty,
and it is merely question Of time when 1t
will have to be abandoned, no matter how
rich the ore. The miners have reached
an average depth of about one thousand
feet, at which nearly fifty steam engines are
required to pump out the water ana MOIST the
ore, and the expense of keeping ali this ma
chinery in motion is so heavy that it is already
improbable to work some OF the mines. Id
addition, it appears that the heat has so greatly
increased that, at the present depth, the miners
can do but one half their proper amount OF
labor. Now, if fifty engines are required 10
work these mines depth of 1000 feet, how
many will be necessary at depth OF LOU or
1000 feet and if the thermometer now stands
at 100 degrees Fahrenheit, how high will 1t stand
with another years progress into the earth
1t is admitted on all hands, we believe, that
the mining of this lode must ere long cease,
though there may not be the slightest sign OF
the exhaustion of the silver deposits.
II is the opinion of oil scientific men and
mining engineers, based on experience and in
yestgation. that mineral lodes true fssure
veins. such as exist in this locality, descend in
definitely. No termination of any of them has
ever been found, though some in Europe have
been worked for ages, and have been carried
TO DEPTHS far below that reached in any Ameri-
can lode 1t is in this fact that encouragement
is found for the projected tunnel, which, by
entering the mountain at its base, will reach
the silver at point far below that which can
be reached by mining after the present fash
ion At the same time the immense expense
of the steam engnery now required will be
saved, and the means of ventilation will keep
the temperature at point at which the miners
can work with facility and safety. Of
doubt than there is of the general
principle laid down by Capt. Sutro,
" that in order to work mines nationally and
proftably, wherever the topography of the
country allows it, great district or main tun-
a. els, which serve as highways under the
mountains, must be constructed The pro-
jected tunnel will reach the COmstock lode
after traversing a distance of about 10000 feet,
and will cut this lode at perpendicular depth
of about 1000 feet. In order to expedite the
work, four shafts will be sunk on the tunnel
route, from the bottom of which, at the proper
depth of the tunnel level. drifts will be ex-
tended in each direction.
Five hundred millions of dollars (says Capt
Sutro) is a low estimate of the amount Of silver
contained in this mountain; and, without the
tunnel, it must forever remain in the bowels
of the earth, for the expenses of its extraction,
under the present system, would be greater
than its value. 1t is not in our power, of
course, to verify or Justify this estimate. We
must say however, that if the miners of
Nevada, who are cognizant of the scientific
and engineering facts on which these deduc-
tons are based should show enough faith and
interest in them TO take hold of the work Of
constructing the great tunnel, we should be
very well pleased. Let them invest according
to their ability let them display half the en-
ergy in carrying out the scheme that Mr..
Sutro has shown for four years in urging it
and we venture to say that, if there be any
prospect Of success, capitalists will not be
slow in coming to their assistance.