The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-08-02
THE EXPENsF on PrMP1Na

HE EAEEN6f VI ~ MIlNfF
Up the water from such a depth is ener-
mous-from 100000 to 100000 a
year is the estimate; besides, work is
difficult in an atmosphere Of from nine
ty-five to one hundred and twenty de-
grees, where the water Is often at q tenn
perature of one hundred and sixty de
grees. In some places miners can only
handle the pick for five minutes at a
time, having then to retreat to the "cOol-
ing places" into which compressed air is
introduced, so that it often takes three
or four men 10 keep one pick going. A
recent item set down the daily
consumption of ice per man
in some parts of these mines at
ninety-six pounds. The aim Of the
Sutro tunnel was to create, as at were, a
new surface and q new point of depart
ure, nearly l 300 feet below the surface
of the ground. To this depth the natu-
raj flow of the water will drain the mine.
1t is in contemplation TO make the mo-
tive force of the water falling from above
pump up that gathered below, the whole
being discharged at the tunnel level.
Further, the tunnel will veutilate the
mines up through theshafts, thus enabling
the men to do more work at less expense.
Again, wire rope transportation with
double track will convey the ore, etc, TO
the surface with infinitely greater esse
and less cost than it could be hoisted to
the top of the shaft. Lastly, the Carson
river flows near the mouth of the tunnel
and, having considerable fall, its power
will be used to compress air TO be sent
into all the mines to cool the atmosphere
and propel machinery.
The cost of hosting and transporting
to the mills at Virginia City of the 1900
tons of ore daily produced by the Com
stock lode is placed at 81 500; the tun-
mel company claims that it can deliver
the same ore at the mouth of the tunnel,
THE TOWN OF sUTRO,
Lyon Co., New, at an expense of $3.50,
thus making the new town a rival or
rather the successor to Virginia. With
these advantages. it will be possible to
take out low grade ore, that now it does
not pay to extract, long after the
bonanzas have been exhausted
The Sutro tunnel company has, under
act of congress, a right to charge 81
ton for all ore extracted from all the mines
after its completion, which, with the
other sources of revenue indicated
above, should secure a handsome profit
for its shareholders, who further own
5000 acre tract at the mouth of the
tunnel, where town is to be built and
works will be erected. The same act of
congress also gives them ali the mines
previously owned for distance of 1000
feet on each side of the tunnel for seven
miles in length. A dozen or more quartz
lodes, some showing assays of from g to
800 a ton, are cut by the tunnel, but
will not be worked till its main object
has been accomplished.
1t is now about
EIGHT YEARS SINCE
work was begun at the mouth of the
tunnel in the valley of the Carsen,
which stream washes the eastern base of
the Washee range. 1t is
DoUBLE-TRACKED, STRAIGHT AS AN
ARROW
IN its course-indeed from its extremity
the faint star of light at its entrance can
be seen. The rise is just sufficient for !
drainage; three air shafts insure ven
tilation. To be precise, ground was
broken October 10, 1869, with the |
limited means-indeed it was some time |
ere machinery was introduced to do the |
boring. The total length of the tunnel |
to the chart is 20,170 feet. or |
81 miles and 123 yards. The cost TO |
August 1877, including all auxiliaries, |
was 81 $50, 697 Is probably $3.50, 900 has
'ince been expended on the work, and it
will cost $500, 900 to complete the track
md means of transportation, so that
altogether an outlay OF from So, $50, 900 |
o $4,000, 900 viii have been incurred
when the work is finished.
Though this tunnel has been claimed
a be the longest in the world il shrinEs |
nto insigni6cance when compared with
he Rothschonberger Adit, to conduct
he water from the Freiberg mines to
2othschonberg, on the Elbe, near Meis-
en-. Work was begun on this Adit in
he last months of 1874; its length, with
Is branches, is rather more than thirty
ne and half English miles, but It is
ecessarily of smaller size, having
inform height of 9S4 feet by width
,mewhat less.