Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1882-12-22
THE EBERHaRDT TUNNEL.
OFER A MILE INTO THE HEART
OF TREASURE HILL.

An Enterprise Second Only i'm In.
p0riance TO the sutrO Tunnel
~S"nnething About the Late Strike
by Our own Reporter.
HAMILTON, Dec. IS, 1882.
Iour reporter, in company with Man
ager Frank Drake, had the pleasure yes
terday Of examining the late new find in
the Eberhardt Tunnel. There are few
who comprehend the gigantic nature of
this enterprise, second only to the Sutro
tunnel which pierces the great Comstock
lode. On arriving at the mouth we found
VIM. Reed, the foreman, arranging a train
OF ten cars to enter the tunnel. The train
was drawn by IN intelligont-looking little
mule, whom the miners have named
Molly. We jumped aboard, and in q
moment the little kicker was drawing us
into the heart of the mountain, the noise
OF the rumbling train being deafening.
There was just sufficient light to make
PLAIN the surrounding objects. Captain
Drake informed me that the tunnel was
driven with the object of making it wide
enough for a double track. With this end
in view ii was made 8 feet in width and 8
feet IN hight, and is throughout an ad-
mlrable piece of engineering skill. The
tunnel Is now 6.400 feet in length, and,
according to estimate, the header is 1,6O0
feet below the surface. 1t runs almost
due north and south for a distance of G, 900
feet. At this point there is a genteel turn
to the west, and here is whore the incline
tram thn rarD rrA.t- 81
the tunnel. A short distance around this
curve a drift has been driven almost
due west a length of 1,200 feet, and some
where in this drift the new find is located,
but l am not at liberty to mention the ex-
act spot. We were dumped out OF the cars
into the mud in the main tunnel around
the corner, and proceeded some distance
IN the west drift, when We came to a south
drift. Along this we trudged for a few
steps when Captain Drake brought us to a
halt and called attention to a well-detined
clayey wall, and explained the mineral in
dlcations that led him to push work to
that point. We moved on again to a point
where the hanging wall joins the clay
wall, which run north and south and dips
to the east. These characteristics, Cap
tain Drake believes, prove a strong con-
tact mineral bearing vein. The ore thus
far explored on the hanging wall shows
and promises well, and assays from $50 to
5000 per ton. They are now driving and
raising on a streak of ore which runs from
= inches to 4 feet in width, and if the pres
ent showing fails TO prove q true contact
with great ore bodies within its walls it
will be no fault of the manager or the
company, but will demonstrate that its
creation is atfault with the formation. The
fact that ore exists deep down in Treasure
Hill has already been proven by Capt.
Drake, and this alone is sufficient to scat
ter TO the winds the theories and assertions
of the fossils and croakers to the contrary.
1t is the intention of Captain Drake to
crosscut INT find the footwall, and see
what lies between the two walls. If this is
done, there will no doubt be a happy sur
prise in store for the company. After
leaving the south drift, we proceeded to
the north drift. This has not been driven
very far, but the face shows excellent pros
poets. Assays taken from it run as high
as S25, and there is no doubt but that it
will soon make into free chloride ore.
From this point VS. started for daylight,
returning east through the west drift at
the point Of intersection with the main
tunnel. Here Mr.. Drake explained how
az 38NSH Ma ~ 10 AAt Nv ~ |
vention and deserves a patent, and he
would no doubt get it if he applied for one.
He partitions the draft coming down the
incline in the tunnel by an air tight door,
and forces it through 12-inch pipes a dis
lance of 1000 feet by an ingenious con-
trivance. In passing out we stopped at a
point 1000 feet from the mouth, and Mr..
Drake called attention to . drift he had
started west for the South Aurora Com
pany's mines. The surroundings show
great assures and breaks, with spar, quartz
and crushed minerai-bearlng matter. The
South Aurora Company not bearing any
expense OF the tunnel and drift, work was
stopped. 1t would DO an easy matter to
prospect their ground from the tunnel,
and they will no doubt rnake overtures
after 9 while.
All the work thus far performed on the
tunnel will in time prove Of the utmost
value to the mines on Treasure Hill. 1t
is q second Sutro Tunnel. 1t Will drain
the water to q depth OF 1900 feet, and
most of the properties on the Hill can be
worked through it by cross drifts. The
company are deserving of the highest
praise for the pluck they have shown in
the tunnel and if the general wish
can repay them they will get their rewar
in a bonanza. But ia speaking Of the
energy, their manager, Capt
should not be overlooked. He
to rank with the best mining
superintendents on the coast. His work
speaks for bin, and the fact that he has
driven u big tunnel G,400 feet into the
heart OF G mountain without entailing the
accident is a tribute any mining
superintendent might be proud Of,