Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-04-13
THE cONsrOCK SITUATION I'M
DEE CONFEDERATION.

II.
Above the COO level Of the Comstock
lode, from one end to tho other. there
n untold millions OF tons OF low grade
ore which would pay for working. II Il
could be done at less than the present
rates Of mining. handling and milling.
This ore IL seen In the groupings Of
Cedar Hill. the Ophir. Gould 4 Curry.
Chollar, Gold Hill proper, tho Yellow
Jacket. Ksntuck. Crown Point. Bslchsr.
on American Flat. and at several other
places along the great ore belt. and at
various points below the GOO level there
10 plenty Of low grade ore extending to
the level Of the Sutro Tunnel. and even
below. All this ore il lying idle and has
been for many years, merely because 1t
would not pay to work. Mine owners
and capitalists would willingly engage
excessively in the working Of this ore
could they see any margin for profit.
but because there 10 none. they have not
and will not. It il merely . matter Of
figures, and dollars and cents to lose or
win. Labor. a. we'll a capital. are both
msrcenary in this matter and study self.
interest, all Of which il perfectly correct
and to be expected.
The day OF reckless wildcat mining
merely upon and for assessments is past.
As the mines OF the Comstock have at
tainsd their greatest depths. mining has
been gradually more and more reduced
to Q square business proposition and en-
cheering science. A few years ago
scores Of shafts were being worked all
along the lode. giving hundreds Of engi.
neers and mechanics employment about
the various hosting works. but now
operations arc concentrated and still
further concentrating into q few princi.
pal shafts. 90 that 1t Is not at oil difficult
to look forward to the time when the
entire deep workings OF the Comstock
may 30 operated through four or five
shafts. and perhaps less. more especially
IL no further bonanzas arc found. and
the heat, water and other difficulties
increase with further depth. There Is n
limit to capital n we'll as to mechanical
power, skill and human endurance.
These facts have to be looked squarely
in the face by us all. 1t is very evident
that capitalists are doing SO. Booms in
stocks are q matter Of past record. pleas
ing to read about. but not good to
base future calculations upon, the moro
especially in view Of the fact that many
we'll remembered stocks which doomed
in the golden past are now dead. and
even the living lei have got their
booming propensities pretty well as
sesssd or otherwise discouraged out OF
them. Stock booms nowadays are too
spasmodic and unreliable to DO pleasant.
These practical Comstock reflections
present themselves in more and more
tangible form every day. One after the
other mining works are being shut down
and discontinued. valuable mills are ev-
sryvhsre lying idle. merely from lack Of
the very ore which lies idle in the mines,
and men arc walking about idle, or leav-
ing the country merely because capital
cannot afford to give them work. And
yet the very men who seek work else
where gladly accept less wages than they
worked for here. There Is something
radically wrong in all this. The facts Of
the situation are presenting themselves
in an extremely angular and ugly shape
for the consideration Of business men.
working men. and all who study the best
interests Of the country and the people
at large. II IL no time to mince matters.
with bankruptcy and stagnation loom
ing up on all sides. and the man who
will not consider the situation squarely
and fairly Is simply . narrow.mindsd,
stupid fool.
With mining expenses. mining sup
plies, wood and other regulates reduced
four or i've thousand moro men ct work,
the mills all running. and business Of all
kinds correspondingly revived and fiour-
iships. living and all other expenses
would necessarily b reduced and our
Comstock community would be prosper
Gus again a. she has been in the past.
AL the foregoing suggestions are not ex.
pected to suit everybody. bat they are
honestly conceived and respectfully sub
mittsd for the beneficial and sensible
consideration Of those most interested,
and in whose hands lies all the power
TO bring about the much desired change
for the better.