Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-02-06
Communicated
TUNNEL
Its Advantages, and What may be
Expected OF it. ff Successfully
Carried out.

Carried out.
Captain Foley has favored us with
the following notes in regard to the
future of the Eureka Tunnel:
Another enterprise Is being started
under the auspices of General Conner.
Another deep tunnel is about being
driven nearly west from tie eastern
base Of Prospect mountain, where n
rolled the tides and currents of the
Pacific ocean, piercing the mountain at
a depth of 900 feet. The elevation of
the mountain right above the line of
the tunnel was ascertained a few
days ago by an Anervia barometer to
be S,400 feet above the seas level.
The mines of Eureka District are as
valuable as any in the world. The
future yield of the mines OF Prospect
mountain, by means of deep tunnels,
will he almost incalculable. Deep
tunnels are necessary for the full de.
velopment of our mining interests.
The eastern slope of Prospect mount
ain divides itself into three belts or
zones Of crystalline carbonate OF lime
and magnesia, granular, blue or gray,
devoid Of qualification, but not OF
fossils. These belts ofdolomite are sep
arated n from another by
heavy belts of clay, shale and q%uartzite.
There are three prominent ore chan
nels encased between the %quartzite and
shale, evidently true assures: coursing
on the eastern slope with a general
direction a little west of north. having
well-detined boundaries, and showing
unmistakable evidence of a submission
10 some given law. Here we have a
submarine deposit lifted high into the
atmosphere, metalnorphosed and riven
with assures. The tunnel, which is
being started at the head OF Goodwin
canyon, cuts at right angles a number
OF those assures or lodes, namely: the
Magnet series, the Lemmen, Alexan.
dria, Industry, Ell Dorado, and several
others lower down the vest slope.
The theory that was advanced, during
the great law suit, by some of the
ablest experts, was that bodies of ore
lay under the shale. The deep work.
ings of the mines of Ruby Hill demon
strate this to be the fact, and that the
belts of shale extending from the Rich
tlOiId w toCGlC IRhNoh 80 WYNN
more or less than old water courses,
and that ore bodies are found under
the shale. Tho Eureka tunnel will
pierce through two large belts of shale,
cutting them 500 feet below the surface,
and finding, not only ore, on its course
through the mountain, but what will
be of the highest importance to the
future profitable working of the mines
and of i~ncalculable benefit to the town
of Eureka, a supply OF water. A large
quantity of waier will flow from the
sllale at the depth the tunnel cuts it.
The water can be utilized as a power
to pump the water by means thereof
from below the tunnel level. 1t Will
drain the water TO that depth by its
own flow, and dispense with engineers
and costly steam pumps. Water is
the greatotstacle in the mines. The tnn-
mel will turn a great deal OF water nov
flowing from Prospect mountain away
from the mines of Ruby Hill. 1t will
furnish sufficient water for reduction
works. Facilities exist at the mouth
of the tunnel for the erection of fur
naces, saving considerable expense
that accrues from transporting ores
from Prospect Mountain TO the fur
naces at Eureka. The Prospect Noun
tain tunnel has given an impetus to
prospecting on the west slope. The
Eureka tunnel will stimulate prospect
ing IN the east side. A practical illus
tration of the downward continuance
of the metallic lodes, will give a high
value to the mines of Prospect noun
tain. The success OF the tunnel will
give confidence in mining operations.
1t will result in the construction Of
other tunnels by private enterprise,
and AS IA geological survey penetrating
III this argeniiferous mountain, it will
be of the highest value to science.