Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-07-26
THE sUTRo n

VII Il N --
A Washington correspondent writ
ing to the Carson Register under date
of July 10th, makes special mention Of
a valuable work on Mines, just pub
lished by order Of the Secretary Of
War. 1t is the official report on "Mln-
ing Industry" forming one Of the
series Of reports on the theological
Exploration of the Fortieth PARALLEL
submitted to the Chief OF Engineers BY
Major King, geologist In charge. In
chapter III, relating to the cost and
yield of ores in the Comstock mines,
the report alludes to the Sutro tunnel
project, giving considerable details re-
garding its objects, feasibility, and
what might be accomplished by it In
case it were ever completed. We make
the following very sensible extract In
support of our own frequently pub
lished views Of the matter, and which
merely express the mature and DELHI
crate opinion Of all the most capable
and unbiased mining men and engi-
neers interested in the practical work
ing and development of the Comsbock
ledge. .
'SThe demand for, or usefulness of
the tunnel depends entirely on the
value of the lode in depth; and the
question, now pending, as to this
value, Is likely to be answered sooner,
more fully, and at less cost, by the sew
eral deep shafts which are now being
sunk from the surface downward, than
it can be by any other means. These
shafts vary In depth from 700 feet to
l,400 feet, the average depth or four or
five of them being about 1000 feet. TO
sink these four or five shafts to the tun-
mel level will require less length Of
shaftipg than it Is proposed to con-
struct rs auxiliary work along the line
Of the tunnel itself; they are already
equipped-w with the necessary machin-
cry, and at present rate OF progress
will probably reach the tunnel level
at many points, before the tunnel can
reach the lode at one and some Of
them would need to be sunk to that
level, even If the tunnel were con-
structed, for the purpose Of connection,
ventilation and drainage. Should these
shafts, with their connected prospect
ing works, placed as they are ut Inter
walls along the length of the lode, fail
to develop any valuable bodies Of ore
in depth, the tunnel would not be like
ly to do so, and there would be no ne
cessity for its existence"
"On the other hand" continues tho
report, "should these explorations
now in progress prove the existence OF
ore-bodies in depth, the tunnel would
become a great deslderatum, If not an
absolute necessity"
The Registers correspondent subse-
quently adds: Since the preparation
Of the above report, l understand the
discoveries on the lower level OF Crown
Point have clearly demonstrated to the
satisfaction of miners, that ore-bodies
do extend to an unlimited depth on the
Comstock lode, and hence we may infer
that the tunnel has become San absc-
lutte necessity"
The Registers correspondent can
of course infer whatever he pleases,
yet he Is evidently under a wrong I'm
preston. The great ore deposit devel-
oped IN the lower level Of the Crown
Point will be pretty well worked
out long before Sutro's tunnel even
| proposes to reach the ComstocE ledge,
and even then its point OF intersection
| would be a mile or two north OF the
deposit in question. Even With a
branch drift, or south extension Of the
| tunnel to the Crown Point, 1t would
certainly be far cheaper and more eN-
peditious to hoist the ore through the
Shaft to the surface than to send 1t six
miles around through the Sutro tunnel
to Carson river, away from the Com
pany's mills, or any reduction works
except what may be hereafter erected
within the reach Of Sutro's hopeful
monopoly - certainly cheaper than
paving Sutro two dollars on every ton
of it In the way of royalty" The
Daney tunnel would be q tar cheaper
and more advantageous arrangement,
The correspondent, however, only men-
tions the Crown Point development
to show that ore bodies do extend to an
unlimited depth along the Comstock
lode. We in common with the rest OF
our fellow citizens do most ardently
hone that this may prove to be the
fact. and that similar good ore bodies
nav be developed below the present
lowest depths attained in Savage,
Could Il Curry and other mines ada
cent 10 the proposed point Of intersec-
t;on of the Sutro tunnel, but as the
sensible report above quoted states, the
mining companies viii sink tnelr
shafts to that specified depth, tunnel
or no tunnel, and If they develope ore
will be fully prepared to extract It
much more cheaply than BY sending 1t
ont 10 Carson river through any tuul-
mel having s. per ton royalty for
tha privilege. Therefore 1t Is plain
20 be seen that the Sutro tun-
mol, Il no NECESSITY whatever
in working the Comstock ledge.
Besides this, let it be especially borne
in mind that Sutro's tunnel would DC
of no o practical use In working
the Comstock ledge at a greater depth
Than It's proposed point OF intersection
than irving to dig the bed OF Carson
river deeper with a sugar scoop. Inc
ledge only be worked deeper BY
means of the shafts and surface hoistire
works. Sutro's tunnel might perhaps
he found of some advantage 10 the way
of drainage, or air connection, same q
the Latrobe and other prospecting tun,
neIs. but If so, the mine owners woule
donbtless be willing to pay for what
ever advantage they FOUND IL TO pe,
,rbav would pay thousands in tina
way, but not one cent ior srlopse, o.
"royalty." Government will haraiy
aid or abet Mr.. Sutro in his great mo
nopoly, OF aspiring, hopeful dreams o
"royalty."
STATED our.-It Is but a few week