Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1881-01-13

work Fairly Under way-A Rich
Old Mine still Yields Its Treasures
How It Has Been Abused and by
whom 1t is Being Revived.
Last evening a SENTINEL reporter took a
run over to see how the little engine, which
the Dunderberg folks had secured from
the Richmond Company for use at the
Bullwhacker mine, was operating. 1t works
like a charm, and there has been o a
hitch in its movement since it was started
up. About a dozen men are employed at
the Bullwhacker. and the work Of break
ing down ore is kept up day and night.
The company have housed boiler. engine,
cable-reel and blacksmith shop, all under
one iron-roofed house. The old whim
house is used for the workmen's cooking
and sleeping apartments and a small adj
dition serves as a stable.
The works are so located as to catch
every cool breeze in the summer, and
every freezing blast in the winter.
THE MINE.
By invitation Of Bob Kermeen, the fore
man, we peeled ourselves for a subterranean
trip, and with candlestick in hand clam
bered down the ladders alongside the track
whereon runs the skip. In places we found
the top Of the incline so uncomfortably
close to the ladder as to scratch our back
bone, while the buttons we're flying of
from our vest-a pretty tough yarn for a
thin man to publish, but quite true. In
one Of the spots, about 200 feet from the
bottom of the winze, we heard the cry !:
Freeze to the wall; the skip is coming
up" and we froze. The thing went past
like a streak Of electricity, and we went
down, down--one step at a time-until the
75-foot level was reached. Here two men
we're stopping out ore from an upraise.
Very little blasting was being done and
still, within 48 hours they had knocked
down ten or twelve tons of ore which
would run from 40 to so per cent lead and
about 20 ounces in silver.
THE SKIP
Is an iron box, about the size of a boot
gans), upon wheels, and this coursing
over an excellent track down the incline.
makes very good time. 1t is much better
than the old within and bucket plan of
hosting, and is far ahead Of the windlass
style OF doing business. 1t holds, when
filed, about l 900 pounds of waste rock,
and the engine runs it rapidly from the
bottom OF the shaft to the gallows frame,
where a patent tip-up is given the concern,
and out rolls the contents into a car which
stands upon the track. A powerful brake
controls the reel, and the skip flies back to
the bottom at the rate of speed desired by
the engineer.
THE SHAFT.
Although the shaft was in a terrible con-
dition when the recent work of repairing
it was begun, it is now in splendid order for
the work required. Evidently, before Jack
Kermeen took hold of the mine, none
others than chloriders and bullwhackers
had ever "bossed the job" OF sinking
therein. But Jack Strengthened the shaft
up, and the track is as easy to ride as the
E. & P. Railroad.
From the 75-foot level there are no lad
ders, and so the foreman rang the skip to
halt for passengers on its downward trip.
Into the +" boot-case" we thrust our bro
gans, threw our arms around the cable
and we're dropped like a hot potato to the
180-FooT LEVEL.
Upon this level an immense amount OF
work has been done in the years gone by.
| Large chambers Of ore nave been stopped
out in the days when lead was Of value.
much Of the same assaying as high as rs
per cent. In 1873 the shaft was continued
below these chambers about 160 feet, but
| careless and reckless workers after the
riches Of the 160-foot level have filed it up
to that level with debris and waste rock.
| From one drift on this level a large body
Of ore has been followed to the north and
downward until it Is almost impossible to
extract the same profitably. As a conse-
quence, Mr.. Kermeen has ordered the old
shaft cleaned out, and from the bottom
will drift and stope up towards the known
body. The working out Of the waste and
debris Is well under way. two men being
constantly employed thereat. The engine
is Kept busy hosting from the bottom of
the shaft, but when some fifteen or twenty
tons Of ore are stopped down on the 75-foot
level, 1t Is at once hoisted and shipped
to the Atlas furnace.
The tracks from the shaft to the waste
and ore dumps are in good condition for
rapid work. The ore wagons can be loaded
from a platform and the roads therefrom
are Of easy grade. 1t is the intention Of the
company to do some heavy work in the
| old Bullwhacker mine as soon as the shaft
IL cleaned out and the track in running
| order to the bottom thereof.