The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-08-17
A SILVER CAVE.
Caverns FILLED with silver Ore
The Roof Hung with Stall
actftes.
[From the Territorial Enterprise.l


From the Territorial Enterprise.1
Chief of Police Bradley, who has
Just returned from Downieville, fur
nishes us with some interesting par
ticulars in regard to the recent big
find in that camp. Chief Bradley is
interested in an extension of the
mine in which the strike was made,
and went out TO Downieville to look
after his interests, he having two
brothers residing there. The cave
was tapped by a tunnel at such
depth that it extends to a height OF
some 800 feet above the tunnel level.
How far below it may go is a matter
of conjecture, as below the floor OF
the tunnel it is filled with water.
The cave Is not a vertical opening.
1t stands at an angle of about
forty degrees. From the floor to
the roof it is from fifty to 100 feet in
height, being quite irregular and
resembling series of chambers.
Magnificent stalactites are suspend
ed from the roof; many being ten
to twelve feet in length, and as white
and clear as alabaster. These sparkle
in the light of candles like so many
huge icicles. Not only are these OBJ
jects of great beauty, but there are
also concretions of the same beauti-
full material that mimic animals and
other things seen on the surface of
the earth. There are corrections
that resemble owls, rabbits, the
heads of goats, donkeys and many
other things. At the nine they
have a concretion that is a perfect
representation of the head and neck
of swan, bill and all being very dis
tinct. Chief Bradley found what
was an excellent representation OF
the head OF goat, the horns being
perfect and natural, but he had the
bad luck to break off the horns in
securing it.
By bringing the lights to bear upon
the water at the tunnel level the con-
tinuation of tie cave can be very
distinctly traced. The water is very
clear, and with the lights properly
placed one may peer down into it to
a depth of twenty-five or thirty feet.
Down IN the water, pendant from
the roof, are TO be seen the same
clusters of stalactites and concre-
tiOns as are found in the part that
has been drained.
Chief Bradley says that, standing
at the tunnel level and gazing up
ward along the cave-when the
lights have been arranged at the top
and at intermediate points-the view
is magnificent. The whole roof
seems to be hung with chandeliers
and other beautiful objects in ala
baster and glass. The ore lies on
the floor and along the sides of the
cave, and is so soft that it is handled
with shOvels. AS the ore is
scooped up and shoveled into
the cars at the track floor
it slides down from above like
so much ashes or loose gravel. 1t is
of deep-red color, and so stains the
hands and faces of the miners that
it is difficult matter to wash it of.
While much of the ores goes up in
the hundreds, it is considered safe to
put the average, as tits shOveled up
and wheeled out, at S75 per ton.
The red dust is so heavy that hand
full of it feels like so much shot.
Mingled with this fine stuff are
great blocks of galena, that come
rolling down as the shoveling pro-
ceeds. Many of these are so large
that one man cannot lift them, and
is necessary TO break them up with
a sledge.
No one knows the value of the
find and it is considered safe to put
it at S250,000. Two car loads of the
ore were shipped to San Francisco a
day or two ago to be operated upon
at works in that city.