Middletown transcript., 1869-05-29
silver-sIining In Nevada.

VIZ SoSpSi ~ stoPc Vi tllc w dSHOe nlOUHCal0S,
at the foot of Mount Davidson, their lofti-
f est summit. Its "strike," or course, is
nearly north and south, its width is from
live hundred to one thousand feet, and its
continuous length has been ascertained, by
underground workings, to be not less than
three and half miles, though but small
portion of this is productive. The
"gangue," or rock which contains the sill
yer, is quartz, and the rock which bound
the fssure is "propylite," a species of por-
phyry, between which and the vein is
sclvage of clay. Nearly two thirds of the
vein is filled with native rock, containing
no admixture of silver, and the value Of
the remaining portions varies greatly. The
course of the vein is irregular, like that of
a river, the quantities of ores being affec-
ted by its sinuosities. Hence the produc-
tive values of mines penetrating the same
vein, near to each other, may greatly diff
fer, and often company, after working at
loss for several years, may, almost by
accident, become suddenly rich. This was
notably the case with the Hale & Norcross
Company, which, after working for five
years, and penetrating to depth of seven
hundred feet, as last resource turned
eastward, and, after delvipg fer three hun
dred and sixty feet, at this depth discov-
cred rich mass of ore, which has since
been followed up for two hundred feet.
During tho five unsuccessful years, the
entire expense of opening the mine, erect
ing the machinery, etc. had to be borne
from money collected by assessments, un-
til they aggregated the sum of $3.50, 900.
At the end of the sixth year dividend
was returned to the stockholders amount
ing to $40, 900, and cash surplus re-
tained Of $133. 288. 90, making, altogether,
the handsome profit in one year, l55 per
cent. on the par value of the stock. Such
instances of rapid transition from apparent
failure to well-assured success are, of
course, rare; hut this shows the i'm por-
tance of thoroughly scientific basis of
operation in mining, as in all other enter.
prises, and such instances as do occur
serve to keep hope alive in the hearts of
many who, having invested all, or more
than they could spare, in new companies,
have since been obliged to subject them
selves to rigid economy, in order to pay
the constantly recurring assessments on
their stock.
Mining ON the Comstock is carried on
almost exclusively by means of perpendic-
ular shafts, from which horizontal drifts"
or tunnels are run out, about one hundred
feet apart, vertically. The principal shafts
now in use are fae specimens of mining
engineering, some being divided into three
and others into four compartments, and all
being protected by heavy timbering. The
tunnels are generally cut small, and are
left unprotected while used only for pros
pecting, but when something of value is
developed they are enlarged, and timbered
every five or six feet Main working
drifts after timbering, arc usually about
six feet high in the clear, three and half
feet wide at the top, and somewhat wider
at the bottom. In each drift is laid
wooden track shod with iron, along which
the cars loaded with ore are run to the
shaft, when they are hoisted to the surface
on the 'cage."
The cost of sinking the shafts and of
tunnellng varies, of course, with the ma
ture of the ground and the depth to which
they penetrate. The Bonner shaft was
put down at an average cost of S109. SO
per foot, and the cost of the horizontal
tunnels averages, in the Gould and Curry !,
mine, from $l6.O8 to $16.S per foot.
The amount of ore raised from the twenty
nine mines on the Comstock Lode is esti-
mated at 1900 tons daily, and the total :
amount raised since the commencement of
operations, at about 2, 900, 900 tons. These /,
pres are mined at cost of S.. S6 to So. .OS :
per ton, and yield from $24. GA to $50 SO l
per ton. There are seventy-seven mills '
in crushing the ores from this :
ode, the ores of which are the most s:do-
'lle" of any of the silver ores of Nevada,
he processes for their reduction being of
he most simple kind, and the cost of re-
luction averaging from $13, 80 to $14O4 n
'er ton, These averages of cost and pro- Il
luction are for the years 1866 and 1867 Il
hiefy the former-and are constantly o
hanging to the benefit of the miner, as &
improved machinery and increased know e.
edge come to his aid AS the cost is ft
ireatly enhanced by the difficulty of OBJ W
aiming fuel and, in many places, water, OF
he advance of railroads into the mining I'll
egions will greatly lessen the expense Of b
mining and Of reduction. d.
The whole subject is one Of no little in
crest. The mineral regions of America
re among her chief sources of wealth, and ia
n their ultimate effect, will doubtless prove CT
enefcial in their influence but this will tt
My be the case when mining shall have Fl,
ecome a regular, rather than a wild, OF
peculative occupation. To the uninitia- W
ID, dealing in gold and silver stocks is dc
bout as venturesome as any speculation ly
hich could be entered upon. Such lodes us
5 the Comstock are rare enough, and even m
n this, to seven mines which paid divi-
ends in 1866, there were thirteen which
aid nothing, 1t seems, however, to be M
W Of progress that the individual shall w,
Q sacrificed for the good of community. 4,
q material as in intellectual progress, ma \, H.
y waste their fortunes or their lives to 81 =.
Lcraa sa thn richns of Tho Gn.ur ~ 4 Ii ~