New-York tribune., 1869-05-22


pressed apprehension that II might prove par 20
lie earth will not trouble the mines for many day,
provision made FOR The removal OF foul air aud the heat
pensc which few Of the companies can bear unless very
rich deposits soon discovered IT, on the other hand
hp barren ground to be traversed by vertical workings
nU ir"dy occurred on the horizontal conrse OF the
vein (some Of them lC0 feet IN lengtb the out
Law required for explorations would be enormous. It's
important TO bear IN mind that while the discovery VI
new OrcbOdes wOud postpone the evil day. it would not
relieve tho mines from the constant expense and burden
OF the present system OF working The economy is
% open tho vein by deep tunnel and drifts reduce the
number Of shafts, and consolidate the management OF e
mines In many respects (Owuerships of course. may
remain they are but administration should be modified
by assocatiOn0 The barren ground now pIesehuhE
Itself should be underun with tunnel, aud the neces'
sdry dead-worS cheapened. few remarks will slow
what interest the Government possesses IN the questo
/ Tie bullion product Of the United states is decreas-
ing every year There various reasons for TINS ue-
crease. Some Of them beyond the reach OF egSlah
while Others arc themselves the results of unwise legsa
tOn Everybody admits the decrease to be, especially at
this time, national misfortune. ,.,.
One great cause or trouble rs tne IaGJ I IaI is s
has not the whole been to @ @
a striking example Nearly $Vg,VOgVU 9 L4No ~ D,Cn @ "a
racted from that one lode within the past mae years
vet the aggregate cost TO owners has been almost as
much. The reason is simple. GnhecesSaIS !"oi a. i% %
been employed. and vast sums OF money wasted III CA-
whole evil the system of scattered Jealous, ,indyidu
al activity which has destroyed by dldncthe resources
five or forty companies. each owning from 10 10 iOO IeGt
along the vein. and each almost without exception NoIh
ing its own ground independently; 40 superlulehdetS
40 presidents 40 secretaries, Az boards OF directors an 10
be supplied with salaries or worse yet WIN pelqnsre
orwors Of all with opportunities to speculate O
lawyers and Witnesses perlpatllc experts CoHctInsa
savers tious'us , W W 80 ~ IcX G ,ese o Com
stock mining Aside from this immense dram OF money
owCnng 10 90 per cent OF the whole production, tho
labor actually performed has been, for want OF uned
action often useless There have been tunnels enough
run by different companies into the Comstock l0de 10
make n put together the whole length OF tho Sutro tun
mel. Hardly one OF them is good for auy thlng to-day
The Bullion Company which has the deepest snait on
the lode, had any ore but has spent more tan
million OF dollars in prospecting while some nelghbor
for long periods Now this division OF vein, which
gives tie rich chimney to one owner and the barren M
suit has proved be that both owners waste money
All the explorations in the barren mines OF the Comstock
could nave beeh executed WIN tlo nHHcy nuns away
by the mines that have had, Tor time rlch ore: -
3. Those in legislation or the want Of IT. which
cannot be repaired. II Is not wise to interfere win
daton In right than custom Of 10 years standing: The
companies ON the ComstoGk lode must be % ca 10 30 20
until the stern fact OF failure forces them 10 auOp'
AZ present however the tendency is moro than
the other way. AS the prospects OF mining on the od
wastefu plan darker aud darker oihecTs agents,
and stockholders bend their energies to what they
can by speculation out Of the approaching wreck We
might well afford to leave them to their fate, but for the
fact that the effect Of an abandonment OF the Costock
lode would be fatal TO systematic and permanent
mining the Pacific States. IL would confirm the mis-
chieyous feeling that mningis hall graD ana nan gam1e
that the only way TO make money at Is TO dig out what
rich you get and then hld fool to buy Tie prop
ery failing that TO make fool OF that collective III
dVidual, the public, and TO unload yourself OF your
s. The sutro tunnel will do four most important things
1t will settle the question OF the continuance OF the Com
stock in DEPTH it will inevitably unite The mining com
pauies various respects, and remove much OF the eN
peuse OF separate pumping hosting prospecting, ana
general administration it will render possible the bcuc
notation OF loWEIade ores oSoiuleS 1Ho pu} OASIS lol
rational and permanent mining; and, finally, by assuring
the future IL VIII Kill that speculation which thrlVes on
ignorance OF the future.
G. do not think the tunnel would prove total pecun
aVy loss in the worst event SINCE would also explore IN
depth country which IS very likely TO contain other
bodies Of rich ore. All the indications are hd Me 0gh
Of the CopSiock bodies east Of me re aud promising
deposits already known to exist In that direction
We Gull from the account of Reese River District
a few observations OF general applicability; ,,,
Guently "pinch," and contain large barren intervals
sometimes only showing clay seam where the vein
should be. This is disastrous peculiarly Ior mining on
ne present system, Of small OlcerSps The profits Of
the bonanza wasted in the administration Of the
mine, and there is nothing saved Tor the period OF dead
work in exploration. None Of the mines have extensive
reserves. But the other hand, these narrow but per
sisteut veins may be followed III lhe nl altl t ley
will widen again aud contain ore WHAT Is needed Is
proper system Tor prGspe1ng Wotk ToancdnS a II 10 s
lowest cost. 1htlo ls great utal OF low
grade ore not sent TO NH. Small as the veins are,
their pioa9cI Is st @ , ~ scut ~ tSS mil and
has therefore, bear the cost OF the whole cXtac
n0nrcr by sHch handling Uhc average Of the whole being
Tcduced and less likely than ever TO be prOhtaby re
ich product for roasting aud aalg gaaon, II it could
hc successfully carried out would work great aud bone
Mining is never sound aud prosperous footing uutn
low grade are successfully reduced Lyen on INC
CoIstock yein az shown, this Is not the 10
such an extent might be wished but IN eastern Nevada
the waste OF low grade ores Is sun greater Ia cerinh
sense the high yield per tuu reported from these districts
@ q anav of The ycIn mattcr but tlc quality
OF that portion OF II which is rich enough to pay for mill
ing These remarks DO not al present apply 10 NAUe
D. Lt fera i little doubt that sooner or later the
proHts OF mining even there will depend upon tho cost
OF reduction ana the treatment Of low grade ores
do not see any reason 10 believe that tho resources OF
Reese River District exhausted On the contrary,
tbcy have but Just been bkmmed. Not single mine Is
den eTonc 10 be upon the undsturbcd and settled pOr
tf, ,f ifg
consolidation Of properties and new aud more ccono-
mca system Of mining VIII DO required Tor the adequate
future development OF the district"
Here is part of an account Of the valleys Of the
great interior BASIN:
American Desert u not so bad as ~ is painted There
are spots which seem TO be forsaken alike OF nature
Even the aka country Is inhabitabc and capable u
sustaining rural population. Nevada, In an agrcul-
tura point OF view perhaps at present the most forbid
ding Of all the States, VII ere ohg spy hef own people
with the neccssareR Of life. The lands Of Nevada
may be divided into three classes those which are absO
uty worthless say ouethrd OF tho whole area those
which could be made productive by Irrigation, and those
Tie latter class Is far more abundant than a casual
observer might suppose. The history OF Eastern Nevada
furnishes curious illustration Of this fact. For the hrs
year or after the country was opened by the pioneers
It thought impossible TO keep stock In these noun
tains and valleys through the Winter Now horses and
cattle OF all kinds turned out Tor tho Winter, ana
actually fattcn on tho white sage and the bunch
grass" The latter Is product remarkably adapted 10
tins climate IL starts very carly-as soon as
the snow disappears from the vacys-comes speedily to
into nutritious, standing hay. It's most useful
peculary is the tenacity with which 10 clinRs 10 its
seeds, which Gn the variety known saud-gmss)
small dark grains, which the Indians thrash out aud con-
vert into bread, and which cattle devOur with aydity,
even digging the sand sometimes, TO obtain them.
This grass grows IN bunches almost II planted In hills,
aud the traveller may frequently discern at great dis
tance patches Of these punches several square
miles IN extent, contesting with the sagebus the
patton OF the arid soil, and forming with their light
straWcOlOr, striking contrast TO the dusty green and
gray Of the latter. should think this grass might be
cultivated with many sandy soils OF the East,
and would convert useless waste lands into valuable
pastures On the other hand, 10 Is likely that Winter
wheat and barley would do pretty well Of the
Without arLllcal lrIlgaLon. hmce llcY