New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-06
MINING ON THE COMSTOCK.

THOUSAND FrFr.
tvpou AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT oFThETRibuNh
V,pc,xrA Cry. New, June 22.-The mines of the
Constock lode are the deepest on the American
Continent Three have attained depth OF 3'ooo
feet ard a number range in depth from LOW
10 Q 500 feet. Although hundreds OF mifons Oh
dollars in gold and silver have been taken from the
mines along the lode the present yield is conpra-
tive,v insignificant. Nearly every mining company
pn the lode is now engaged in sinking ana ur'i'ins
in search of new ore deposits.
PRODUCTIVE MINIS.
At the north end Of the lode the Sierra Nevada
and Union Consolidated Companies have ore which
came in at point 2 so feet below the surface ana
which is known to extend to the $500 level In Tue
Union Consolidated this deposit OF ore Is ABOUT 20
feet in width on the 1920 level. On account VI
certain operations in progress In the Union smart
through which both the Sierra Nevada and Union
Consolidated mines will be worked, no ore can at
present he extracted by either company.
The old Bonanza mines the California ana
Consolidated Virgnia-are still extracting and mill
ina ore. This comes from the slopes on their old
upper levels. The Consolidated Virginia Company
las, week extracted and sent to the mill 1179 tons
of ore. the average assay of when was $40 20. The
same week the California Company mined and
sbipped to the mills 567 tons of orc of the assay
value of $50 IL per ton.
The Hale and Norcross Company yesterday began
hosting ore. This comes from deposit about ten
feet in width, found some months siEce OF their
21O0 level The average assay of this ore - $ol 81
AT the time it found nothing more was dohe
with this vein than TO run crosscut through H.
and ascertain its width. In following the deposit
up in the extraction Of ore valuable bonanza Is
liable to be found Some of the in the vein Is as
rich as any ever developed on the Comstock The
working of this vein will at least give relief TO
stockholders by reducing assessments
The Alta COMPANY on the southern part OF the
Constock. near Devils Gate began shipping ore to
mills last Friday. This ore was taken out some
time ago. 1t came from the Lose, 100 and l,13o
levels There or less ore on ali the levels OF
the mine from the 1850 to the 1850. On the upper
levels it is free Milling ORE but the $50 level it
is base. containing large percentage OF galcna, zhc
and copper and iron pyrites, yet it is rich in gold
and silver, the assays running from SO to 5000
per ton. Some experiments are now being made for
the reduction of this base at the Plcote roasting
furnace near the Devils Gate.
At the Quinn mine, which is at the extreme south
end of the COmstOck. as far as explored they nave
rich ore from the surface down. but as yet they
have no great width of it though they have only
attained depth of 200 feet. At this depth they
are drifting north and south preparatory TO cross
cutting and extracting ore. They can at any time
mine.
FUTURE BONANZAS.
Mining men pay but little attention TO what
they now have IN sight In the way of ore. Their
minds are occupied with the bOnanZls 10 cOmc-the
boaanzas of the future. There appears to
be no regularity regards the recurrence
of the bodies of rich ore known as bonan-
gas" Between them zones of compara-
lively barren ground. but as yet there Is no as
cerained law of Nature regulating the width Of he
unproductIve belts. They only know that there was
such belt between their first and second Inc Of
bonanzas. and that they are now lat most points,
IN another barren belt, pushing downward in search
of their third line of bonanzss. These coming bo-
narz.s are thought TO be at 30 great distance, as
there are signs of the beginning of another fertile
zone soon al the depth of about 500 feet.
At the Becher mine OH tIls 2,76O level was found
s5reak Of very good black sulphuret ore about
three feet in width. which presented the appear
ance of the top of an ore body. Al about the same
depth a marked change in the character OF the VEN
was observed in the Yellow Jacket shaft; az the
Imperial and Alpha mines the change was seen at
the 500, and in the Bullion at the 2450 level. A
similar change has been observed further TO the
northward at a depth of from 2 800 TO $500 feet.
At the latter depth in the Ophr they are drifting
and boring with the diamond drill in a quartz for
nation which assays from IS TO $40 per ton.
SEARCHING FOR TIE NEW BOEANZAs.
Having thus glanced at the present situation on
the ComsOck it viii be next in order to take look
at what Is being done at the principal points aioug
the lode toward the attainment OF a greater depth.
Water is found to be greater hlndrance az great
depths than either heat lack of ar 1t Is found
that pure air can be had at any depth attainabe.
The greater the depth of the mine the more power
full is the rush of air at the bottom when two shafts
fIayt a..l
nected At the depth of 5000 feet tins rush is so
great that it blows off hats, and is found by the
miners unpleasant to face. Volumes of surface air
soon cool off the heated rock walls of the drifts of
the lower levels.
As means of drainage the SutrO Tunnel will be
of almost incalculable valuo. Already the leading
mines of the middle part Of the lode have derived
great benefit from their connection with it. The
course of he main Sutro Tunnel Is almost directly
west to the point where it strikes the east side OF
the Comstock lode in the ground OF the Savage Min
ing Company then branch gees north and
another south. Tins the tunnel and its branches
take the form of the letter IT" the branches FORM
ing the top of tue letter. These branches will be
extended along the face of the lode To the
Sierra Nevada on the north and to the BelcheI
the south.
The tunnel strikes the Con,stock at depth OF
1000 feet below the surface, thus Obviating the
necessity of pumping water to that height. which
is 40 small Item. will be seen when we come "a
consider the weight of a column Of water LOCO feet
high The Sutro Tunnel and its branches give III
anew surface to speak, 1000 feet below the rea
surface of the earth, from which to take new de
parture in the business of draining our mines None
OF the mines now connected with IL need pump
water higher than their 600 level.
The north branch has already connected with thc
Gould and Curry, Best and Belcher, CONSOLIDATED
Virginia and California; the main tunnel raDs The
Savage, aud through the Savage the Hale and Nor
cross ground The south branch has connected