Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-03-16
IN THE BElcHER.
cROssCUrrINa Oh THE 5000
LEVEL.

Drifting south ON the 276o Level
The Wiuxe-rhe Formations En-
cousssred ON Both Levels.
This morning q representative OF thu
News asked and obtained permission
to accompany Superintendent Smith II
his regular round through the Bslche'
mine.
On the 2760 level the drift south alopl
the ore vein is being extended and is q
feet from the main crosscut east in which
the ore vein was discovered. The for
nation encountered up to this point hal
changed but little since the drift wal
last visited. and is still in porphyry carry
ing streaks OF quartz and low grade ore
This drift is now to be turned more ts
the east so a. to prospect the veins o
quartz and ore cut while cbamberiul
out for the winzs from this level. Th'
formation seems to make In that dirrc'
ton.
The winze from this level is down G.
feet and continues in quartz and por
phyry with stringers and lunches OF ore
Of about the same nature ~ those found
in the station. 1t 10 not deep enough
to reach the ore vein.
The situation here 10 easy OF concep'
ton. First from the west is the wall o.
black dyke having a pitch OF 81 degrees
to the east. East Of this about 100 feel
Is the streak Of ore. having nearly the
same pitch as the ledge itself. Twenty
| five feet east Of this streak, or liz feel
| from the dyke. the winzs has beer
started with a pitch Of 80 degrees to the
east. This would Just about bring the
dyke and winze together on the 5000
level aud the ore vein should be cui
through in the passage and should begin
to show itself within the next 20 to 80
feet. 50,
To the east OF the Wine the drill
| which was run months ago found Al feet
OF quartz and porphyry. The two points
| Of interest on this 2760 level now are
this winze and the south workings as
turned east to cut through the selvage.
| along which the drift has been run and
against which the ore was found. to see
what the streaks OF quartz and punches
aud strinsers Of ore found to the east
and in the station for the winze mean.
On the 5000 level q crosscut has been
started eas from the main drift south at
a point nearly 3i5 feet south Of the
incline. 1t has just been started.
Before mentioning moro OF this cross
cut a word a. to the situation on this
level and in r~etutation Of the prevalsn,
belief in San Francisco that the drif.
has passed through the vein and is on
the east side OF 1t.
In running this drift south. and at q
point 200 feet south OF the incline, the
casing of the ore vein was struck. First
was q clay seam and then quartz carry
ing water. Into this quartz . drill was
punched nine feet. The first few feet
showed nothing; the last few feet gave
ASSAYS of soms So or SO. The length
Of the drill was reached and nothing
more was done. The hole was run to
let the water out rather than to pros
pect the vein. ,
This streak OF quartz was followed
awhile, but never cut through.
After a little 1t fell back to the east and
has never been crossed.
After 1t fell back with Its dividing
seam, quartz and porphyry were o
tered in the drift south. The water Is
still east Of the partition Of clay. The
quartz and porphyry continue as far as
the drift has been run, the rock being
dry aud the quartz increasing a. the
formation il followed south. The whole
mass is also getting softer and looking
better.
IL is to prospect this formation which
has fallen back to the east a. well a.
the main ore vein that tho crosscut
ia being run. The side Of the
crosscut with the face OF the DRIFT
present q front to the south OF about
is feet and it is filled with seams
Of quartz, one Of especial strength and
promise being in the southwest corner,
and " similar ONES lying to the east.
The whole formation is illed with quartz
Of q bright. lively character, carrying
low grade ore.
At the same time that the crosscut
above mentioned is being showed east
one opposite it will be run west to see
wha, there ID in that direction. When
both arc out Of the way the drift south
will be continued in that direction to the
Seq. Belcher line.
To say that these crosscuts are on the
east side Of the vein is sheer nonsense.
II they are, then is there no vein east OF
the incline on this level; for none has
there been encountered rs yet and none
crossed in running the drift south. This
Is apparent 10 every visitor. and for thi,
was the mine examined today. Mor-
over, the clay which bounds the quartz,
struck when running south. IL known I
have swung of to the cast and to Ito IL
that direction.
The vein is thseefore east Of the south
drift on the 5000 level. There In u"
doubt about that; but the puzzl. new Is
to know what to make OF Ibis quartz
formation into which the south drift has
penetrated and in which the crosscuts
both east and west are started. 1t Is
no bad indication and the fact that 1t is
growing softer and better a. well as
stronger u. IL il followed south must
cause 1t to be entered ~ . new factor IN
the Belcher problem.
In conclusion 1t only remains to state
that the mine has not lost . favorable
prospect which it has had at any time
since this ore streak was struck on the
276O level, but has rather added thereto
both on the 2760 and 5000 levels. The
workings on these levels must continue
to attract q lively interest for weeks and
probably months to come.