The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-05-06

CCOs
A VISIT To THE GOLD AND SIL
VER MINES OF VIRGINIA CITY
1850 FEET TOWAH DS THl
CENTER OF THE EARTH.
Correspondent of Spring Lake (Mich.) Repub
| Hcan.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 20, lS80.-Ol
the oath inst, party of Six was made
up for visit to the gold and silver
mines of Virginia City, Nevada. Il
was showing as we passed the summit
of the Sierra Nevada mountains, which
was a novelty for San Franciscans who
had never seen a fake of snow fall,
At Reno we left the G. P. r. R., and
took a branch south to Carson, the
capital of Nevada. Here our road
turned to the northeast and led US
over rugged mountainous region,
which may be good enough to raise
gold and silver but scarcely anything
else. The mountains begin to look as
if they had the small pox, so thick are
the miners claims and the excavations
necessary to retain these claims. Some
of those represent 500, some u, eco,
and some $l,OOOOO0. About half way
between Carson and Virginia cities we
passed Silver City, nestled down be-
tween the mountains, and soon after
this Golden Hill, which is really q
part of Virginia City, though not in
the corporation. Virglnia City con-
tsins 10000 inhabitants. L, Is built on
the rugged sides of mountain, 5000
feet aboye the sea.
After scouting rooms at the Inter-
national hotel, which would be an
honor 10 any city, we stepped into 3
carriage and drove to the Union Con-
solidsted Virginia and California
works. Mr.. Patten, the gentlemanly
showed US no little
attention. To inexperienced eyes, as
most of ours were, this was a most
wonderful sight. Years ago had
read of Virginia City and looked at
the pictures Of it in Hsrper's, but
had little idea of its greatness as q
mining town. The machinery is enor-
mously large. AS looked at the Cor
liss engine in the centennial exhibi-
tion at Philadelphia in 1876, I thought
the world would never need an en-.
gine so large for any practical pur-
pose, but that was child's toy COM
pared to some of these here. / will
not attempt to describe them, but will
simply say the fly wheel Of the one l
was looking at weighs 100 tons, and
all the rest in proportion. In these
works they consume 400
cords of wood in every twenty-four
hours, and work 40 tons of ore. The
pay roll for getting this ore out of the
mine is S47, 900 month. These works
have turned out $63 100000 of gold
and silver since they have been rum
ming.
After lunch we visited the assay
works and the Yellow Jacket mines.
Here the same marvelousness and
greatness of everything appeared. The
piston rod of the pump which brings
up the water at the rate of so gallons
at a stroke, is 1850 feet long, made of
pieces of timber IA inches square, end
to end, fastened together by iron
plates on each side batted on, and
weighs 22O tons. They are taking out
rock now $3.50 feet below the surface.
[ had the curiosity to see how long it
took to bring up one of these cages,
from the time the signal to hoist WAS
given till the cage reached the surface.
1t was just two minutes and ten Sec
onds, speed of almost 80 miles an
hour. The engine in this mill cost
100000. These engines are run by
signal bells, and it requires steady
nerves and the utmost tension of these,
to watch the motion and heed the sig.
mails; no word is spoken Or allowed to
be spoken to those who have this work
in charge 1t is wonderful what
of timber there is laid away
in these mines for curbing. One old
miner said there was more timber in
the Cumstock lode than the city of
New York consumes for all purposes
in 40 years. If any piece Of this tim
Der decays it is Immediately replaced
by another piece.
It is estimated that there are four or
five thousand men at work under
ground here all the time, for they new
er stop for nights or Sundays. These
miners get 81 a day for eight hours
work. They are very intelligent look
ing men. l stood and saw a gang of
them get into the cage and go down.
1 confess felt strong sympathy for
them, going half mile right down
into the bowels of the earth where
the natural heat is almost enough to
bake bread. The next day I tried it
myself. -Four of our party repaired
to the shaft. Some of them were ex-
cluded on accounts of ailments that
made it dangerous to breathe the air
down there. They attempted to scare
me, but l persisted IN going down.
First we took off every article of our
own clothing and put on a miners
rig, queer looking suit assure you,
as we stepped into the cage and bid
goodbye to friends standing around.
The signal given, we disappeared
quicker than can describe it. After
descending LOO feet we stopped and
went out to examine the work. The
superintendent went south and we
went north, with guide and lamps.
We walked through long halls, large
and small rooms, up stairs and down,
r., =