The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-03-10
$4,000 900, A. MON TIA.
Unparalleled Production OF
the Big HBOnanza Mines.
The Bonanza Kings PhilOS-
Phfcally Drawing
their StuRendOus
Dividend.


their StuPendOus
Dividend.
| Correspondent of the Cincinnati Com. }
VIRGINIA, New, February %,
IS76.-The mind is staggered by
the figures required to express the
stupendous mineral wealth of the
Comstock lode. Since the year it
was ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, 000,-
900 in bullion has been produced
from the lode, but there is no SEN
sible diminution in the supply;
but, on the contrary, every indica-
ton points to the fact that there
are still millions upon millions of
hidden treasure in the reeesses of
these rugged hills. 1t will be re-
membered that D. Linderman,
Director of the Mint, and PROBES
sor Rogers, of the University of
Pennsylvania, together with q
score of scientists, spent some
weeks in this section last summer,
for the purpose of making an ex-
haustive investigation of the min
eral wealth hereabouts. The in
yestigation was conducted with
the greatest care, by killing geolo-
gists, and the report thereof, en-
bOdying Professor Rogers con
illusions, appear in the annual re-
port of the Director of the Mint
for 1876. Prof. Rogers enlarges
on the character of the rock exam
ined, and gives the results of diff
ferent assays, and concludes by
expressing his opinion that two of
the leading minas-the California
and Consolidated Virginia-there
are not less than 100000, 900. 1
am told by gentlemen in the best
possible position to know that DIR.
Linderman has given it as his
opinion that the ultimate yield of
the California and Consolidated
Virginia mines will be $3.50, 0O0, 900,
but rather than make a mistake in
the estimate, il was concluded by
himself and Prof. Rogers to put it
$500, 100000. 1t was nv good
fortune to receive an invitation
from Mr.. Mackay to make a de-
scent into these mines. l suppose
it is hardly necessary to inform
you that this gentleman is at the
head of the Bonanza firm, the 9th
er members being James G. Fair,
James G. Flood and William
O'Brien. But of these gentlemen
more hereafter.
The invitation which Mr.. Mack
ay so kindly offered was accepted
with undisguised alacrity. l be-
lieVe it to be worth while to roam
around in the presence of $780,
100000. Accordingly a day was
fixed, and l presented myself to
the Consolidated vi. ginia hoist
works about l o'clock, the other
day, and was invited by Mr..
Mackay to disrobe in an apartment
set apart for that purpose, and to
don miners outfit. This apart.
ment is probably the most luxur.
ious of its kind in this region
two bath-tubs, a sideboard, mir
rors, toilet articles, and Brussels
carpet are some of the luXuries
The necessary change in my ap.
parel was made in ten minutes
and l stood up and exultingly
viewed myself in the mirror. A
check flannel shirt, pair of blue
flannel everalls, a pair of army
shoes, and cap sat loosely on one
of the poorest apologies for a
ghost | had eyer seen; but the an.
ticipations of the descent soon put
such thoughts far away. The min.
ing boss came in and gave me q
lantern, which I lighted, and
stepped on the cage. "G-o-n-gr'
from deep toned gong We
were descending. How smoothly
we slipped along, and, as we in
creased our speed, how weird the
sensation! 1t was a long, slim
ride through the blackness OIL
darkness, but so quickly accom-
plised that 1 could hardly believe
my guide, philosoher and friend
l sincerely hoped-when he told
me to step of. We had arrived al
the bottom of the shaft, and stood
on the I,500-foot level. I do moi
know if the opinion be universal
that mines are damp and danger.
GUS; it had certainly been mine
} But the first step from the s'cage''
} to the lower level. dissipated that
dream. The bottom of the mine
for thirty or forty feet in the vicin-
ity of the shaft found paved with
sheet iron, and a long and earnest
look into the darkness beyond in
dictated anything but water. ]
was not uncomfortably warm
where we stood, and L
swell, we'll go up through the
main drift first" 1t was the fore.
man who spoke, and withdrew my
gaze from the interior to attend my
guide. We walked northward and
through one of the main drifts of
the Consolidated Virginia mine, six
hundred feet, passing cross cuts
leading from this to the California
mine. Before we had gone a hun
dred feet, however, the ore deposit
was reached; In fact, we passed
through an unbroken ORE body for
i've hundred feet, when we turned
abruptly to the right, and passing
through cross-cut No. 6, reached the
northwest boundary of the Cslifor-
mia mine, where it joins the Ophir.
Ny attention was called to q Wine
which is being sunk for the purpose
of transferring California ore thro'
the Ophir shaft, beginning about
March l. Now was / to behold q
/ sight IN comparison with which all
my previous conceptions of wealth
paled into insignificance. Slowly
treadiDg our way through this main
California drift, my guide occasion
ally halted and requested me to
climb up the boards on either side.
Then holding his lamp on high he
modestly asked, What do Won
think of that?" What did I think
of it'll If should but collect my
thoughts, even now / would be only
too glad to tell the whole world
what thought. As far as the eye
could reach a solid, black mass of
ore, rich beyond comparison, ex-
tended. Can any one conceive the