New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-27


city, and every old ono too for that matter has his
fast horse on his pair and although he may Deciad
in rough attire, you may rest satisfied that his
pockets are full Of money doubt il there Is city
of2OOOOO people in the United States which has as
much wealth as Virginia City. There are some
very elegant residences in the city. and there
are families like Mr.. Fairs and Mr.. Mac
kay's that would grace any station, out
taken generally society in Virginia City is one OF
the engmas of life. 1t should be remembered that
several thousands Of the population OF this city are
always under ground. In oil the mines there are
three shifts Of hands. Each shift or detail works
eight hours One shift goes down at o'clock In the
afternoon and stays until 10 o'clock at night when
il comes up and another goes down to stay unbi o
o'clock the next morning when that in turn comes
ND and another goes down and stays until o'clock
in the afternoon, and SO on day after day. Including
Sundays.
TIKI DESCENT INTO THE NINE.
The Consolidated Virginia mine il reached by q
main shaft-probably 25 feet by 10. 1t has no tun-
nels running to the surface because 1t Is situated on
level ground. The shaft, rs before stated. is now
down distance of 1850 feet Those not
accustomed to judge of distances had better
stop and make calculation that Will give
them some idea of this distance. The shaft
is divided into three perpendicular apartments about
six feet by four. In these the cages run. The
cages are simply strongly-built platforms somewhat
smaller than the apartment or tube In which
they descend, and are covered by bonnet OF
iron for protection from anytbng falling from above
These cages-why they are called cages" cannot
imagine-are hoisted and lowered by means of i'm
mense engines and machinery. This machinery
one machine for each cage--turns wheel Oh drum
upon which fat wire rope is wound. AS this wheel
makes its revolutions the cage, to which the other
end of the rope is attached goes up OF down. as de-
sired by the engineer. The machines are so perfect
in construction that the weight OF finger regulates
their snoed and sends the cage whzzng through the
shaft or regulates il to fiveminute trip. Each OF
the three hosting compartments has three cages one
above another. On these the ore is brought up
and the empty cars are sent down. When the SHIFTS
of men take place, each of the three hoistlng ma
chimes brings mp IS men, and when IL goes
down it takes the same number OF fresh hahds'
II reaures two minutes to go up or down iii
these cages, or just four minutes for the
round trip. The cages are not like hotel
elevators in any sense In the first place they
are worked by machinery that costs more of itself
than ordinary hotels cost in the next place they go
ahout ten times as fast as hotel elevators and In
the next place they have sides to tbem no places
to sit Oh and no lights besides they are damp, and
a. YOU get down very hot and disagreeable Win
steam. The precision with which they are worked is
very remarkable and I cannot understand
how the shaft was made so exactly perpen-
dicu,ar for 1850 feet that tho cages do not
strike the sides. Ample provision is mace
for safety so that if the rope breaks as 1t did
in one OF the shafts short time ago. the cage stops
almost instantly.
The first shaft went down was the Consolidated
Virginia. Adjoining the immense bnilding which
:cI, Tho mao Inrr IL.
there is a building ueed for offices. In the rear
is a carpeted room in which there arc bath-tub,
half hundred shoes. many suits OF WOODEN
clothes similar to bathing suits at the seashore. and
ohcut HE same humber Of hatsshOckingiy badhats.
These suits are for visitors to in going into the
mine. The terrible heat Of the mine and
its dampness in places prevents tho visitor
from wearing any article OF ordinary clothing.
In such suit l have described
stepped on the cage, light feeling at the head, and
a humping at the heart. Mir. Mackay, Gen. lie Grange,
Ben Holiday. jr., and the foreman of the mine
were nv COMPANIONS The steam was OOzng
ND around us from tho caverns below, the
ca.,e shook Little as each one stepped
o, the bell struck, the hand of the en-
gil. GER was upon the lever, and down we dropped
Just above our heads stout iron bar ran across the
cage. With one hand grasped this bar and in the
other held lantern. AS the cage shot down, ike
a cannon ball falling from shot-towcr, my breath
beca,oe thing was afraid Of losing, and felt
weakness about the legs which did not speak well
for my confidence in them. must confess my head
was very light and that the hand that grasped the
bar was the OILY thing strong about me- Before we
could bid good-by to the light OF day and the bnsy
world around, we were in darkness black rs coal.
, sound WAS heard above like the moving of ma
chnery, and cars filled with ore went rumbling
along the iron floor we had left. Steam and heat
came up from below, and water dr'pped upon our
heads from above az we shot farther and faIther
into tbe earth Soon the sound above died out,
moment Of silence followed, and then the noise OF
engines and drills and picks camc mp to us from tho
bottom of the mine. moment Later, and We felt
thar the speed was lessenng. The warning mark
on the rope had told the engineer that the cage was
almost down. second after little bump was ielt
the cage stopped. and stepped into tho mine
l 800 feet from the surface Time. two minutes.
IN THE NINE.
Here was q commedious station, or chamber, well
ventilated and strongly tilnbered. Ii reminded me
of railroad station-the cages being TIE cars, the
miners the passengers, the ore and TIMBER the
freigbt To this station the ore is brought in cars
holding 800 pounds. Tie cars are pushed Oh to
the cage the bell is rmng, and up goes the pre-
cious freight. The air at this station was rather
warm but il was much better than at other points
in the mino that it positive pleasure to return
to it, after going through some of the drifts. In
some places the temperature was 40 degrees. II
ANYBODY had told me it was 200. do not think
I could have disputed or argued the question. was
rather glad when Gen. lie Grange in one of the hot
test crosscuts said that his delicate health would not
admit of his going any farther. OF course we could
NOT leave him. and so all turned back AT the end
of some of the drifts, cross-cuts the ore which
the miners were digging out with picks and blasting
when it became necessary, was SO hot that person
could not rest his hand upon it. AT one place wO