Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1872-01-24
THE surRo TUNNEL REPORT.

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A few days ago we made editorial
mention of the brief summary of the
report Of tho Sutro Tunnel Commits
sioners, received among the kilograms
from Washington. The San Francisco
Bulletin Of Saturday last gives a much
moro full comprehensive and elaoor-
ate summary Of the same, fully sus-
tainining our remarks on the subject
In every particular, and from which
we coudense the most important
points. g STAR
ADVANTAGES CLAIMED FOR THE YORK.
In treating Of the Importance OF tho
work of constructing the proposed tun-
mel. the Commissioners, after giving
general description Of the Comstoek
lode, with its surroundings and tho
present method Of working Its mines,
state tho advantages claimed BY Mr..
Sutro for his project, which are,
briefly: First, improved ventiiatlon;
preserving the health OF the miner anu
enabling him to accomplish a greater
amount of labor than would otherwise
be- possible; second. the drainage OF
the mines above the level Of the tunnel,
which IL now accomplished at a great
expense by means Of costly machinery;
third, q largely increased economy. In
the working Of the- mines, by taking
the ore through the tunnel to rsduc.
ton works at It's mouth, instead OF
raising the same to tho surface anu
transporting 1t, often to a much greater
distance. to the mills already estao-
lished; fourth, Its value us an eSplor-
ing work In cutting at considerable
depths several mineral lodes known 70
exist to the eastward Of the ComstocK,
all of which have been or arc now
worked for the precious metals, n
finally, its value, in a geographical
polnt of view, in determining n
depth at which precious ores will De
found In country In what may be
considered as true ilssure veins. -,
These claims arc considered by the
report in their order, and are passed
upon at length with apparently great
care and mlnuteness Of statement.
TIE SUBJECT OF VENTILATION.
The Commissioners say that at the
date of the passage Of the Sutro Tuu-
mel Act, in 1866, mining operations on
the Comstock lode were undoubtedly
much embarrassed by the lack Of pro
per ventilation ; but this difficulty has
since been obyiated In a great degree
by connecting together the drifts OF
contiguous mines, thus establishing a
current down one shaft and up another
passing through the Intervening drifts,
and by tho use Of blowers operated by
the steam power Of the hosting ma
chiuery. 1t Il, therefore, the opinion
of the Commission, that while the pro-
posed tunnel would increase n I'M,
prove the ventilation Of the mines, and
possibly dispense with the use OF some
part Of the means for artificial ventila.
tion, vet even with all Its aid, mechan-
ical ventilation would still be needed
for certain parts OF the mines to which
the air from the tunnel would not pen
citrate.
DRAINAGE.
On the subject Of drainage, the Com
missioners report that the necessity Tor
draining the mines which was formerly
experienced almost disappeared as
greater depths were attained; and 1t
was discovered that the water, Instead
OF permeating tho earth to an indefin-
ite extent, was mainly confined to
near tho surface, and that beyond a
few hundred feet It was struck In linn
tied quantities only, collected in pock.
cts bounded by impermeable seams OIL
CLAW, so that In many Of tho deepest
mines water is not only not trouble
some, but Is found in less quantities
than Is needed. Taking their W OBJ
servations, In connection with the
statements Of the Superintendent OF
the mining companies, the Commits
sioners are of opinion, therefore, that
the tunnel, for this purpose alone, Is
not u necessity for the drainage OF the
Comstock ledge.
In other words, the Commissioners
saw no necessity for this tunnel, as far
rs the ventilation or drainage OF the
Comstock ledge was concerned, and
questioned what It really would &C
complish, or whether IL would be OF
any positive benefit. In fact, they
distinctly state that whether It can be
made OF any practical use or benefit In
working ever the low grade ores Of
the ledge more economically or to
greater advantage than Il done by the
present means depends altoSe:horupon
circumstances, as witness tho follow
ing:
ECONOMY OF WORKING MINES.
Under this heading the Commission
srs give comparative estimates of the
cost Of working the mines by the pres
ent method, and tho cost Of extracting
the same amount of orc by Q OF
the proposed tunnel, taking account Of
the royalty Of 81 per ton, and other
charges which the Tunnel Company Is
entitled by Act Of Congress to collect,
the royalty being collectablo on
the ore extracted from the mines
after the completion Of the tunnel,
whether It passes through the latter or
not. Allowing for a reduction in the
charges for transportation, etc, which
Mr.. Sutro says the Tunnel Company
can afford to and will make, the COM
parison Is still against the cost Of work.
Ing through the tunnel and in favor OF
the present system; but there are other
considerations, not to DO overlooked,
which the Commissioners present to
prove that the tunnel project Is not to
be condemned on the showing Of these
exhibits and the figures Of the Super
intendents, which all assume that the
ores would continue to be worked ut
the present mills. 1t Is, they shy, an
essential part Of the scheme to have re-
duction works at the mouth Of the tun-
mel. to DO operated by the water power
of the Carson river, by which the cost
Of tho further transportation Of the ore
alluded to above. would be saved. OF
the feasibility Of obtaining the neces-
sary power throughout the year from
this source, by e Of q dam, the
Commissioners are fully satisfied. As
Stunning this to be true, it Is claimed by
the advocates Of the tunnel that, with
an abundant supply Of water, concen-
tration works may be put up, after the
methods followed in the mining re-
gions Of Germany and England, by
which the refuse matter may be me-