Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-03-06

By permission of Superintendent
Donnelly, we yesterday explossd the
depths Of the Eureka Consolidated
mine, in company with Grit. Williams,
an expert, whose familiarity with all
that pertains to silver lodes made him
a delightful companion. Our districts
prominence in the mining world, al
though supplemented by scores OF
good mines, depends mainly upon the
Eureka, and its rival and neighbor, the
Richmond, and theimmense ore bodies
that have been developed in both
mines contribute to oar standing and
prosperity. To Superintendent Don.
nelly, and his able and wise manage.
ment. is due the ~uncovering and ex.
ploitation OF the immense wealth that
is daily pouring forth from that mag
nificent property. A year ago there
vas very little ore in sight in the mine;
none, in fact, except the disputed body
on the ninth level. Since that time, a
bonanza of magnificent proportions
has been found below that point. and
deep working is proving the i~nexhaus-
tibiIity of the vein. On the fifth level,
a large deposit was also broken into,
which has, for the past six months,
added its volume of precious metal to
the large daily output, and contributed
nearly half OF the regular supply to
the furnaces. Since our last visit, many
Improvements have been added to the
surface works, all tending TO the eco.
noinical aud rapid progress of the
labor. A tramway has been construct.
ed from the main track OF the Ruby
Hill Railroad, leading up the steep
hillside TO a level with the works, by
which means the huge timbers and
heavy machinery are brought M aud
handled with ease. A small engine,
housed in a building at the top, fur
nishes the necessary motive power.
The hosting works themselves are sub
staDtial, and the machinery first class
in every particular. The main engine
is of 80 horse power, and all the latest
appliances are utilized. Although of
enormous proportions and capacity,
the engineer has it under perfect con
troll, and handles IL with as much ease
as if 1t was a pretty and delicate toy.
-Four huge boilers furnish the steam,
only W being used at once, and the
fires are changed whenever it becomes
necessary to cIean one set. A Parked
Lacy air compressor is in operation,
just in the rear of the boilers, running
under a pressure Of so pounds of steam.
and forcingth compressed air through
a series of pipes, down the main shaft
to the ninth level, where two engines
are run by this means. Their work
will be mentioned further on.
DOWN IN TUE DEPTHs
Escorted by Foreman Joe Bice, we
stepped on the cage, and were quickly
lowered to the seventh level. Con-
siderable prospecting work, and some
ore extraction, is going on above this
point, notably on the fifth level. but
our time was too limited tn explore that
portion OF the mine. Following along
this DRIFT quite a distance, we came to a
cross cut running north. In this, at \
distance Of l25 feet, we found a streak
of ore, which was passed through, but
not followed. The limestone through
which the drift was run, became Lroken,
aud mixed with oxide of iron and red
dish vein matter, finally shading off
into low grade ore. This has a width
of 40 feet, and LAYS upon the shale. the
- - 'i'' ''' " itV "otts -
are being run both east and west. The
latter is in 40 feet, some heavy galeua
ore having been met with, and the face
looks exceeding we'll. The east drift i
in 20 feet, lunches of good ore having
been found all along the drift. The
face Is In ore that is widening out. We
have no doubt that "A large ore body
will be developed at this point. Re.
tracing our steps, we made for the up
raise from the eighth. 1t was carried
up in ore all the way to the seventh,
but no explorations have been made
above.
THE EIGHTH LEVEL.
Then dropping and scrambling
down, we came to the ore chamber on
the eighth. A magnificent deposit has
been found at this point, of as yet, un
known dimensions. From the Gig nth
level floor, it has beer chambered nut
to a height of six sets of timbers, or AZ
feet. and a width of nine set, or about
80 feet. The average thickness of the
vein is 80 feet, and more at some points.
A prospecting DRIFT has been run from
the floor of the fifth set of timbers, a
distance of SO feet, in ore all the way.
The ore il of very Ligh grade.
and the deposit is a most magnificent
one. We look upon this portion of
the mine as being one of the most
promising, although by no means the
best. The ore in sight at this point
would make the reputation of any or
binary property. Following the eighth
level north, a distance of III feet, we
came to another ore chamber almost
equal to the last. Its present linen
sions are 36 feet in height, and 40 feet
in width. On the roof the vein at
tanned n thickness of Is feet, and is
spreading as the miners raise. From
all indications this point will yield as
largely as its neal %neighbor to the
south. The eighth is one of the most
promising levels in the mine, and bids
fair tn give a steady and uninterrupted
output for months to come.
QUARTZIrE.
Going back from the first ore cham
Der 200 feet, we strike the quartzite.
Turning west we followed a drift that
had been run along the point of con-
tact of the quartzile and limestone a
distance of 800 feet. The bends and
folds of the footwalls, where it had
bulged ont into the vein matter at
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