Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-03-12

Tine OWuorsnip Of Sne FfOporsy.
One OF the boldsst Of all the great
mining enterprises Of the Comstock
finds expression in the Forman shaft.
II also evidences the great and abiding
faith Of those interested in it-and num-
bered among them are the best mining
men Of the coast-in the perpetuity OF
the Comstock. not only as q assure vein,
but as containing at immense depths
such bodies as ore as will return to In.
vested capital the heavy expenditures
necessary to reach and mine and raise
and mill them. II. As is said. "monsy
talks" it here uttsrs unmis.akabls as
well as earnest and eloquent speech.
When q year ago last summer IL be-
came evident to mining men that they
must 60 east to follow the ledge and that
inclines generally were expensive things
in mines, causing work to DO done at an
arms length and with q great loss Of
power as well as increase Of distance,
the Overman and Caledonia and Seq.
| Bslcher and Belcher and Grown Point
went through gully and over hill and
across ravine and planted themselves
| three quarters Of Q mile in ~ air line
east OF Main street aud then set Super.
intendent Forman figuring on a big
shaft, as to its form, dimensions, eto.
Mr.. Forman first improved on the
Yellow Jacket. a. hs thought; then he
hit upon one exactly like that Of the G.
| & G. and B. & b. shaft; then . happy
inspiration came upon him and he
marked out the form adopted and now
being written with drills and picks and
spades like q new alphabet upon the
| initial page OF tho Comstock. II IL in
| the form OF o full. Gothic l., with
the head south and lip turned to the east.
That eastern lip 10 the pump com.
partmsnt, and 10 six feet by seven feet
in the clear. One half Of 1t Is left unoc-
cupied for the lowering OF pumps and
columns and rods. etc. Adjoining this
and to the west Is the compartment
where the large. low. Atom skip is now
used. It is five feet by six. South Of
this are two others. each AZ BY 8 feet.
These carry 4-ton skips also. but they
are higher than the n in the north
compartment.
This form Of shaft has already demon
strated its superiority. The excavation
10 not so long as where all four compart.
ments are extended ; hence, the miners
have less scslings OF Of walls and drop
| ping in Of rock to contend against. The
| corner has as yet given no trouble. as
some anticipated it would. by crumbling
| down ; aud the shaft has been pushed
| downward through some soft and SWELL
| ing ground. 1t cannot be denied that
this shaft is 30 far Q success and q
marked one. II is timbered by 1874
suaar-pine timbers except where the
ground was heavy and there l4Il4 tim.
bers were used. Sinking was com
msnced Q year ago last November.
The buildings covering this shaft are
each designed for and adapted to their
particular uses. The main building IL
l73 feet long by 81 feet wide. Over the
gallows frame the posts are u feet In
length and further to the east, where the
big engines are to be placed. the posts
are Sc feet long. This portion Of the
building is spanned BY q truss running
across the building. This truss 10 oom'
posed Of 4 single stick and calculated to
be used In handling machinery. This
stick is "a ieet long and "a by IL inches
in dimensions. 1t il sustained BY i've
pinch truss bolts. each having an eye
underneath. In fact the truss bolts oil
through are made with eyes, which are
designed for use in lifting heavy weights.
The posts which sustain the ridge
over the shaft are 30 feet high and the
top OF the ventilator 100 feet from the
main floor. 1t will be seen from the
| foregoing that this is the roomiest build.
ing on the lode. The main timbers Of
| the Rallows frame are six in number and
| 90 inches by 90 and from co to ~ feet
In length. They are Of Oregon pine
and have no knots or defects. The
sbeaves are ca feet high.
South OF the main building and adjoin.
ing il is the machine shop. This build.
ing is 1874 feet long. 80 feet wide, and
the roof 10 gambreled from the main
| building, the posts at the caves being IL
feet and next ths main building the roof
10 81 feet high. This shop contains many
appliances and much machinery neces-
sary to run q big mine.
West OF this machine shop, and on
! the southwest corner Of the whole struc-
rure, is the carpenter shop. well fitted
up with its saws, etc. Its dimensions
are 40 by co feet. with posts 30 feet long.
| The building stands north and south
and at right angles to the main struc-
turs. 1t is conveniently arranged with
q view to easy access to the shaft.
At the north Of the shaft and main
building, and standing north and south.
in the house for the pumping engine
| and the air compressors. This 10 also
40 BY 60 feet. with 30-ioot posts. The
pumping engine is in place and running.
IL has been placed on foundations ~
feet long. 90 feet wide and 80 feet deep,
containing 5000 tons Of rock. Follow
| ing is q brief description OF the engine:
| Class Inverted beam, direct : acting.
compound. jet condenser. Diamstsr Of
cylinders: Initial. 80 inches; expansion,
| SIS inches. Length Of strokes: Initial.
10 feet 4 inches; expansion. z feet .
inches. Diameter Of piston rod: Initial,
6L inches; expansion. So inches.
Clearance at each end. 8 inches.
On the north OF the main building Is
the boiler house, 1874 feet long. 80 feet
wide, the roof % feet high next the
main building to which 1t 10 gam
brslsd, and 20 feet at the caves. 1t is
calculated to accommodate seven sets Of
regulation boilers and can be enlarged
to accommodate nine sets. At present
but two sets are in use.
Over the north side Of the boiler room
and suspended over the fire room Is the
mems changing room. 100 feet long and
II feet wide.
Detached from the main building and
standing north aud west OF 1t 10 the
blacksmith shop containing three FORCES
and all necessary implements OF the