Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1881-05-28
THE EUREKA TUNNEL.
Progress Of the Work and other
Facts of Interest.

A few days since a SENTINEL reporter.
In company with E. ]. Butler, the Secre-
tary, and Maurice Hartnett, the contrac-
tor, visited the Eureka Tunnel. Although
this work has been in progress for up
wards OF two years, we were unprepared
to see 80 large an amount Of labor per-
formed. Onr citizens are fully aware that
this enterprise has been steadily progress
ing, but few have any conception Of its
v~astness or the benefits which must accrue
to our district. A brief outline Of what
we saw may be OF interest to our readers
and stimulate all who have mining inter-
ests in the district to bend themselves to
renewed exertions in developing their
properties.
The Eureka Tunnel is situated upon the
eastern slope of Prospect Mountain at the
head Of Goodwin Canyon, and in the vi
cinity Of many mines which have pro-
duced largely in the past, although no
great depth has been reached by sny OF
them. Among these may be enumerated
the Industry, Piute, Alexandria, Pioneer,
Ell Dorado, Silver Conner and Others,
which we do not now recall. All Of these
and others in the vicinity may eventually
be worked by means Of the tunnel, as this
system Of mining is the least expensive
wherever it can be successfully accom-
plished.
Upon entering the tunnel lime rock is
encountered which is about 200 feet wide,
when a belt of shale is met, which is about
$50 feet in width. Then another lime
body puts in anappearance and continues
for oaunrot hrTn Ira food A nm foak fc1-~
the opening, q small seam of iron ore was
crossed, and a drift started north upon it.
From this drift an upraise was made, the
ore being followed north about 70 feet
through another drift. Theeore appearing
to trend downward, another lateral drift
was run from the tunnel level, for a dis
lance OF rs feet, encountering o seam Of
ore about two feet wide, which appears to
extend north and downward. Owing to
the air becoming foul OF this point, work
was suspended Upon the drift, as it inter-
fered with the work in the breast, the man
agement wishing to push the tunnel ahead
rapidly to reach the contact. At a point
about !, 100 feet from the mouth a splendid
vein is encountered, fully six feet in width,
the ore showing by assay to be OF q grade
which will pay whenever the company may
be able to work it. At a point about fifty
feet west from this ledge, an ore was
met with lying horizontal, varying in
width from two inches to two feet, and
much resembling manganese, although the
miners insist that it is ore. This assays as
high as one thousand dollars per ton,
a streak of yellow chloride running
through it, and appearing to permeate the
whole rock. This seems to puzzle not
only the miners, but also the biologists
and experts who have seen it in place in
the tunnel. Another belt Of shale is soon
encountered, which has been penetrated
over 500 feet, but as water has recently
been met with, it is believed the contact or
mineral zone is being approached. In the
belt OF shale here mentioned mineralized
lime appears, which has forced itself up
and into the shale, as the shale has folded
itself over it. In the mines of Ruby Hill
the indications presented at this point in
the tunnel are followed, and are invariably
found in connection with it. There are in
fact a number Of places in the line of the
work which no doubt the company will
eventually work upon, and in doing so
develop ore in paying quantities.
The length of the tunnel is now 1880
feet with q vertical depth Of 1000.
This great enterprise was inaugurated by
General P. E. Conner, who is proving his
faith in its success by bearing the largest
share of its cost. The immense benefit to
accrue to Eureka District by this work can
hardly be overestimated. 1t will Demon
strate the value OF the great mineral belt
northerly and southerly through
the district to q greater depth than has
yet been reached by any other means