Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1878-02-18

Tho San Francisco Baiistin OF the 10Th
instant contains this;
The Yellow Jacket Mining Company ID
Al present engaged In sinking q new shat
10 strike the Comstock lode At . depth o.
about $500 feet. To accomplish the work
which this new shaft will make necessary
10 perform, the company have had new
machinery made ct the Union Iron Works
In this city. This machinery includes q
horizontal compound condsnsing engine
Of 100 horse power; boilers. pumps, etc.,
Of an aggregate weight Of 400 tons. The
boilers. pumps and rods havo been com.
plsted aud shipped 70 Virginia City, No
vada-
The engine Is o being put together a
the foundry. preparatory 70 shipment.
This engine rests on . horizontal base, u
feet in length. each side OF which 10 cast
In three pieces for convenience OF ship-
ment. The breadth Of tho engine 10 Is
feet. The power 10 communicated from
the two cylinders 10 . forged crosshead. 10
which 10 attached the shaft connecting
with tho v.bob working tho pumps. The
crosshsad Is tho largest piece Of wrought
iron ever forged In Ban Francisco. II
weighs %, 900 pounds ; IL II feet In length.
o inches In thickness ~ way. and three
feet the other. The shaft and crank weigh
20 tons. On each side Of the engine, about
half way between the crosshead and the
connection Of the shaft with the V.bob, Ii
fy.whcel 80 feet In diameter and weigh
ing 30 tons. These iy-wheels are con.
nected by q shaft IS inches In diameter,
running through the main shaft. The
cylinders consist Of an initial cylinder 81
inches In diameter. weighing u tons. and
an expansion cylinder 65 inches In diam.
stsr. weighing 80 tons. The pistons oil
these cylinders have . l2-foot stroke.
These cylinders carry steam pressure oil
$50 pounds, expanded eight fold. The
cylinders and cylinder heads are steam.
jacketed. being covered with thick coating
Of asbestos, o non conductor OF heat TIL
engine Is supplied with an air-pump Of
the most improved construction, htted
with an automatic Injection valve. The
engine IL operated with O'Neil's cut-ofi
valve motion.
Every modern mechanical appliance has
been embodied In this engine. aud every
part which will be subjected 70 wear has
been ca~se-hardened. II 10 thus me Of the
most perfect machines In existence. II
has been constructed at . cost OF $500, 900.
Five hundred skilled mechanics have been
employed at the Union Iron Works for the
past four aud . half months on this work
alone. Every part Of the work has been
done In the Union shops. Several costly
machines have been made during the pro-
gress Of the work, which were necessary to
make parts Of the engine. Tho proprietors
Of the Union Iron Works. Messrs. Pres
colt, Scott 4 Co.. have taken more than
ordinary pride In the execution OF the con.
tract, refraining In every particular from
incorporating In tho machinery any part
not strictly Of San Francisco. This has
been done In tho interest Of home industry
which had some weight with the BONANZA
arm when they awarded the contract, this
frm being the principal holder OF Yellow
Jacket stock. This firm Is demonstrating
the feasibility Of manufacturing all classes
Of engines In this city. and they entertain
tho opinion that II will not DO many years
before tho importation Of engines and
pumps from the East will DO done away
with altogether.
There are two massive bronze plates
fixcd on each side OF the base castings OF
the engine. Ono Of these Is emblematic Of
the industry 10 which tho machinery 10
devoted. In the center Is the figure OF .
miner at work In the drift, and surround.
ing II are surface scent On tho Comstock.
The other plate bears the following In.
scription %" Yellow Jacket Mining Co., u.
q. Taylor. Superintendent; William ii.
Patton. Construction Engineer ; Prescott,
Scott 4 Co.. builders, 1873" The letter
go" In tho left hand lower corner and
the letter p" In the right hand lower
corner.
The new shaft Of the Yellow Jacket Min
ing Company. In which this machinery Ia
10 be placed. Ia estimated TO cost$i ,OoO, 900.
This figure covers the cost Of the machiney.
Tho shaft 10 now down about 1880 feet.
and to push the work IN completion IL will
be raised from the 2200 level. The 1900
level 10 represented 10 DO only 40 feet from
the line Of tho shaft. When tho connec-
ton Is completed. all the drainage OF the
mino will DO carried through u. The
machinery has sufficient capacity 10 carry
the workings TO . depth Of 5000 feet.