The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1879-11-04
MINING SUM MARY.
REPORT ON THE
ALICE, NATIONAL MOUNTAIN,
GREY ROCK, CORA, AND
BELL MINES.
by H. l.. Oimstead, Mining Reporter.l

Blowing into the barrel Of a shot gun to
see whether it is loaded is not regarded, by
the average man, as being a very safe proceed
ing. Hitting a can of nitro-glycerine with a
hammer, to find whether it was good would
be considered hardly prudent. To caress
the hind foot of a government mule, to say the
least of it, is hazardous. 1 would therefore
observe to many Butte miners that working
in soft ground and using no timber IS neither
safe nor economical. .....
THE ALICE MINE.
The Rainbow lode, property of Walker
Bros, is worked through a vertical shaft 100
feet in depth. So much has been written of
the upper levels of this mine that we will
start with the 2O0-foot level. The ledge was
cut here at a distance of about 30 feet from
the shaft, north. The drift west from cross
cut is in about 600 feet in this drift there is
a stope about $50 long, and IA feet wide, of
fine working ore. A drift has also been run
about 500 feet east of the cross-cut from which
considerable good ore has been extracted.
800 FOOT. Level.
The ledge was cut at a distance of 81 feet
from the shaft. At this point it was about go
feet wide, vein matter and ore mixed. The
wall and the other on or near the hanging
wall. A drift has been run 900 feet east on
the ledge. A shute of ore about 200 feet long
has been opened in this drift varying in width
from G to Is feet. 1t is difficult to estimate
the size of ore body, as it looks quite as well
in the breast us at any other point. About
400 feet from cross-cut a new ledge came into
the drift from the southwest carrying about 8
feet of good ore. This vein has been opened
about 100 feet and the face of the drift pros
pecting it, is looking finely. The drift west
on the 300-foot level has been extended 500
feet. A stope about $50 feet long of good ore
has been opened in this drift ; the ore body
here will average IL feet in width. Outside
ore and ledge matter. The ore lies IN streaks
and varies from ? to 10 feet in thickness.
Three WINES have also been sunk on this
level. The first, or center Wine, was sunk
where the ledge was first cut, 81 feet north
Of shatt), on the hanging wall and is now
down Is feet, all the way in good ore. A
raise has been started from the 4OO-foot leyel
to meet this Wine; it is expected that the
connection will be made in two or three days
This will greatly improve the air on the 400
level.
The second WINE is 200 feet east of cross
cut. 1t was sunk about the center of the
ledge and is now down so feet in solid
ore all the way. The third winze is 200 fee
west of cross-cut. 1t is down about 60 feet
carrying ore and ledge matter. The forma
ton at this point is very hard and sinking
consequently slow.
This level is connected with the 200-foo
level by two raises. On the
4OO-FOOT LEVEL
The ledge was cut about 100 feet north of the
shaft. Here it is from 80 to 40 feet in width
and carries several streaks Gone as wide as
feet) of very fine ore. A drift has been rul
OH the ledge 70 feet east of cross-cut, in tn
face of which, there is considerable ore.
The drift west, 70 feet long, also looks eX
tremely we'll, in fact fully as promising as tl
800 feet level at the same point.
We now descended to the
500. FOOT LEVEL.
For some unexplained reason, the opening
of this level seems to have been regarded b.
the mining men of this camp with peculia
interest. Why, l cannot understand. 1t Ger
tainly couldnot have arisen from doubts as t
the continuity of the ore bodies below waite
level, as their richness and extent has BEEF
demonstrated both on the 200 and 3O0-foo
levels.
The only reasonable solution to be arrive,
at is the almost universal custom Of men il
an unprospecled camp to exclaim-"Oh, yes
the lodges are pretty good on Top, but the,
wOnt 20 doWn." From which belief the,
seem to derive much comfort.
The ledge on the 500-fOot level was cut -
feet north of the shaft. The cross cut is nov
30 feet into the ledge, and the hanging wal
has not been reached. A streak of very fin
ore, 8 feet wide, and several varying in widtl
from / to B feet, have been crossed The lev
ell is in 35 feet east, and % west of cross cut
The whole 60 feet is in good ore ant
some of it very rich.
The pump is on this level and has no diff
Guilty in handling the water. 1t is a Knowle
pump with a 32-inch cylinder, 14-inch plung
er and 24,inch stroke. Capacity, 16 gallon
to the Stroke-40 strokes per mute
The mill, GO stamps, with Howell Roaste
~attached) runs through about 25 tons of or
per day, and works it to o. per cent. close
milling than which, l think, is not on record
TAE NATIONAL MINE
Is the property of Messrs. BoarGman Il Stew
ems, and is situated on the Original lode, al
Joining the Gagnon on the west.
The main shaft (verticaD is $50 feet deer
Water was struck at a depth of 12O feet. o
the 70 foot level a cross cut was run mort
from the shaft and'c cut the ledge after rur
ming 80 feet. The ledge at this point was
feet wide and all ore. A drift was run abou
GO feet east on the ore body, and in the fac
the ledge is about 4 feet wide, mostly vel
matter, though carrying some ore. In til
face of the west drift, (about Is feet fror
cross cut) the ledge is about 6 feet wide, cal