The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-13

shift ;" except where the temperature over 100
degrees and that then six hours should be the time
of labor. and the pay in either case should be 81
shift.
The Miners Union has . very good suit Of rooms
and large reading room on b street. with library
that bespeaks intellect than frivolous romance
The daily papers and the illustrated of New York
all there magazines aud periodical literature and the
weekly papers of the principal cities of the Union
English papers are also to be found on the table,
Side furnished with cards. the chessboard
"checquers'' and in Gold Hill and Silver City, q
billiard table.
To all intents the union is in the height Of its
power. and in all probability will remain dictator
while the mines are prosperous or in expectancy Of
There is too much at stake for the manage
ment of mine ever to think Of measuring strength
with "a strike" The unceasing flow of water must
be every moment fought. and to 'shut down" anime
is to announce disaster. There is such q thing as
resurrection. but it is q frightful expenditure of
money to reopen mine and place it where it was
when work was stopped. The Miners Union doubt
less realizes all this. and is. for ought know,
delicate and considerate in the use Of it's
power. With continuance of prosperity the agreed
number of working hours and rate of wages will
exist. but without this prosperity day viii come
when the miners will have to decide on permitting
lower priced labor to exist for mine owners to
leave the country. hear no one begrudging the
present prices paid to the miners for their labor
foreground, especially in hot places II is very try
ing. but very large amount Of low grade ore is
acsumulating. which cannot be worked at the pres
ent rates, and before the abandonment of the Com
stock takes place. in other generation, the
pertinent of working these ores will be tried
MINES.
In some parts of the mines the heat is excessive
tilaon has not been obtained. and that is at times
beyond the will of genius the power Of wealth.
The constant aim of a superintendent is to open
nection from his mines to another, where mutual
benefits experienced in current from shaft
other connecting with the surface At the present
time there is but one hindrance somewhere about
the centre Of the Comstock. to continuous under
ground route from Utah in the North to Overman in
the South. 1t is hoped that the Sutro Tunnel may
do some good and the deep shafts improve
ventilation in the meantime the air from the surface
is sent down to the lower levels, by great blowers
through very large tubes. dusing it's refreshing in
fuence to grateful natures and in time ventilation
will be perfect.
BY most people it has been thought that the actual
depth of q mine had everything to do with its tenn
perature, but experience here and elsewhere has de-
stroyed that notion. The deep mines generally
warm, but in the same district mine and again
is found where heavy clothing is necessary to the
visitor going underground and also in the warm
mines the temperature of upper levels has been
found higher than in other levels some hundreds Of
feet lower.
No less than ten thousand tons Of ice are annually
consumed in the lower levels. Blocks of ice are
placed along the drifts and everywhere near the men
are large casks filled with ice for their Notwith
standing all the appliances brought to their aid
there places where work must be done in order to
'open up" the mine, where the miners able to
work but two three minutes at time. The miners
so engaged work not than three or four hours
day. One half are cooling off, while the other half
at work This respite is called ga pass. and the
time allowed for each pass is regulated by the
miners themselves, according to the degree of the
temperature and the condition of exhaustion.
THE ONE NINE.
Adividend paying mine made detailed statement
of wages paid last year in extracting 217 432 of
ore and reducing of that amount 2l3,6S3 100000 in
the following figures