Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1874-12-03
THE HEART OF THE UoMsTouK.
An Unasrgropnd sIount.ai., et solid sil-
Virginia City Enterprise. October "a.

Virginia City Enterprise. October "a.
); al The Consolidated Virginia mining
company are beginning TO open up and
Icy bare some OF the secrets OF the
northern end Of the great Comstock
lode. They are reaching tne great lode
on new and sound line, and are find
ing o continuous body of ore. This
body is now known 20 extend from the
Gould & Curry through the Consolida-
ted Virginia, California and Ophir, to
the Union Consoli lidated. The Conso1ida-
ted Virginia company are on the upper
edge of the great deposit lying under the
basins which are situated in the cas-
tern suburbs of the city; and are now
beginning to reach come of the rich ore
it contains! In the early days many of
our miners were of the opinion that in
the course of time o point in the lead
would be;reached where would be found
almost solid silver. At tthe fur
therl depth of four or five hundred feet
in the mina tho Consoli idated Virginia
company may reach q point ~here their
ore will lack, but little OF being solid,
silver. There appears to he lying far
down in this portion of the lode per-
feet mountain of silver ore. Specimens
brought up from the drift running into
dred-foot level of the Gould g. Curry
yer. The, reporter of the Gold Hill
section Of the Consolidated Virginia
mine day before yesterday, gives the
following account OF it:
"The drift, after reaching the Con-
solidated Virginia south line, and be-
ing connected with the fifteen hundred
foot level of that mine by an air winze,
the Gould & Curry drift being thirty
eight feet lower down than the south
drift from the Consolidated Virginia
shaft, was pushed directly ahead to
prospect the ore- vein on the level.
Hardly had the line been crossed before
the drift encountered q body of rich,
sulphuret ore, second to nothing of the
kind now known to exist on the Com
stock lode. The drift has penetrated
this body Of ore ITO feet, with every
Indication OF its extending the entire
length of the claim, and even into the
California ground. To attempt fair
description of the rich character of the
ore is almost useless, the sides and face
of the drift being one glittering mass of
sulphurets mixed with the richest char
acter of chlorides. Much of the ore Is
being sacked, and o portion of the
amalgamating department. of the Mari
posa mill is to be set apart for it's reduc-
tion, its extreme richness often requir-
ing the,use of 500 and 600 pounds of
quicksilver to a charge for single pan,
where only 200 pounds is used in work.
ing the ordinary class of ores. No
CROSS cutting of this body has yet been
attempted, and all the air forced in by
the compressor is required to drive the
Burleigh drills in the face of the drift.
The exhibition of the precious metals
displayed in the face when blast of
half q dozen holes is discharged is
simply grand. and one that would cause
the eyes of the miser to weep with Joy.
Two appraisers have been made, 1000
feet apart, for air connections with the
1,50O.foot draft south of the shaft, both
of which passed the entire distance
through the same rich character of ore.
The future prospects of the Consolida-
ted Virginia, judged by It's present de.
velopments, are not only almost with
out an estimate, but every drift run, in
fact almost every stroke of the pick
made, seems to be adding to its already
immense wealth."