Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1878-12-11
A Promising Nine.

At the regular annual meeting OF the
stockholders OF the Centennial Gravel
Gold Mining Company. held at their
office In Gold Hill evening before last.
the old Board Of Trustees was r%e-elec-
ted, and Major William Downie was re-
elected Superintendent. There aro
sixty.four shares in the company aud
mine, fifty.four Of which were repre-
sented. The reports OF the officers were
received. placed on file. aud after ample
discussion OF plans for future conduct OF
operations the meeting adjourned. The
Centennial mine Is very eligibly located
In Washington township. Nevada
county, CAL, among some OF the richest
and most productive mines On the great
blue gravel lead, and bids fair 10 prove
M good as the best Of them at no distant
day. The company engaged in its do.
yelopment Is composed Of citizens OF
Gold Hill and Virginia. They started
the present tunnel. under the Superin-
tendency OF Major Downie. some three
years ago, and at the distance Of 200
feet passed through the rim or bed rock
into the grovel channel. After RAINING
some COO feet further, 1900 feet In all,
they found the tunnel was too high above
the bed OF the channel, and not running
In the right direction. Small streaks OF
pay gravel occasionally met with showed
that they were on track OF the
precious metal and must sooner or later
get at 1t properly. Considering that
this was the first tunnel ever run into
that bill, md there was consequently no
guide to 20 by. striking the channel 30
favorably was not only the result OF
good judgment. but a piece OF remark
ably good luck.
A little over q year ago q new tunnel.
or branch OF the old tunnel. turning OIL
to the right some 400 feet in from the
mouth, was started and mi on n lower
grade than the old one. This IL now In
1900 feet from the mouth, and Is run
ming squarely across the gravel channel,
cutting the bedrock all the way, all but
a foot or two Of the top Of the tunnel
being In the bedrock. The gravel form.
ing the roof is not OF the pay sort.
although small streaks yielding coarse
gold are occasionally found. as in the
old tunnel. During the last week or 30
heavy powders have been encountered.
and the formation shows other changes
which indicate near proximity to the
main back channel, where the pay gravel
IL expected TO be found. Meanwhile a
string OF sluices has been set. and other
preparations made for working the
gravel a. soon as ''pay" Is reached.
Twelve good inches OF water flowing from
the tunnel will DO utilized for .his pur-
pose. This stream OF water Is pretty
valuable, Of itself. by means OF a water
blast ingeniously constructed by Super.
intendent Downie himself, this stream
OF water has been made to force air into
the tunnel, though pipes which extend
It's entire length, furnishing most ex.
cellsnt ventilation at very small cost.
Indeed, the work Is conducted US
economically rs possible in order to
favor the pockets OF the patient and
pcrsevering yet not afluent stockholders.
The entire cost Of three years Develop
ment work. TO the present time, includ.
Ing wages, timbcring, track.iron, air
pipe and all other requirements. amounts
TO about go, 900, which is a very
reasonable SUN for the amount Of work
accomplished. The Centennial Com
pany's location embraces 100 acres,
heavily timbered. and tho title is secured
by United States patent. II that com.
pany does not eventually succeed IN
developing q valuable. good paying
mine. they will be the worst fooled lot Of