Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-08-30

the inflow from the mines consequent upon
connecting with them BY means OF the DRIFT,
they had more water than the Cornish pumps
could handle, and introduced the hydraulic
pumps, which pumps are run by the pres
sure ofWster from the surface through q
pipe running down from the top ofthe shaft,
whereas the Cornish pumps are run by huge
steam engines.
By means of the hydraulic pumps they
were enabled 10 sink the shaft to the $500
Level. and extended the Cornish puups to
that point, where another set of hydraulic
pumps was set in. They then sunk the shalt
to the $500 level, when they ran another
drift westward, and tapped the vein. Tne
prospects at this depth in the Hale 4 Nor
cross and Chollar mines were so encourage
ing that the management decided to sink
the shaft to the depth of 5000 feet. On
reaching the 5000 level, they ran third
drift through to the vein. The distance
from the shaft to the east wall Of the vein
was found to be only $50 feet. At the depth
Of 5000 feet they put in one Of the pair of
hydraulic pumps that is to be sat up there.
The second pump is now arriving from San
Francisco aud as soon as the several parts
are on The ground, it will be OF once put in
place alongside its fellow on the 5000 level.
This additional pump will increase the ca
pacity from 100000 to 100000 gallons in
twenty-four hours, or about forty-6ye min
ers' inches.
Owing to the excellent showing Of ore OBJ
tanned on the 5000 level blythe Hale i Nor.
cross Company and to the continuation Of
the ore below thar level (as shown by
winze sunk in the VEIN, the management
determined this summer to sink the shaft to
the vertical depth of 5000 feet 1t is now
$3.50 feet deep, and it is safe to say that it
will reach the depth Of 1920 feet early in
September, when il viii lack but eighty feet
of being as deep as the shaft at Przibrau
was at the tina of the great festival. Al
though the shaft is Of great size-about
thirty feet By ten feet before the timbers are
put in-the workmen lower il at the rate Of
about three feet day in rock as hard as
flint
Standing at the 3,OOO-foot level and look.
ing I'D q compartment of the shaft that is
FIVE by six feet in size, the little spot of day
light seen at the top appears to be about
four inches square. At this great depth
even q bit Of rock OF the size OF hickory
nut falling from the top is dangerous. Be-
fore reaching the bottom it whistles ike
rifle ball. indeed, Its velocity is about the
same as if it had been fred 1000 yards
from s cannon. If man fell that dis.
lance there would only remain of bis body
and limbs fragments Such IS the care,
however, of all emploJ5d about the shaft
that accidents are OF rare occurrence, and
the men working at the bottom Of the shaft
feel quite secure.
The hydraulic pump now working at the
5000 foot level OF the shaft IS the deepest In
the world. In Europe the deepest is IN
nine in tie Hartz mountains, Germany,
which is working at depth Of 200 feet.
Il is, however, small pump not halt the
size as the one in the Combination shaft.
Although these pumps were first used IN
Europe, those in operation here are tar su-
perior in size, and in every other respect, to
those Of the Old world, several valuable i'm
provements having been made in them By
the machlnists Of the Pacific coast
The capacity of the two Cornish pumps,
which lift the water from the 2.9OO-toot
level to the SuGo drain tunnel Cat the
1900 level), is about 100000 gallons IN
twenty.four hours, and the capacity of the
present hy drsuhc pumps is S,5OO,OOO gal
Ions in the same time. They are now daily
pumping. with both hydraulic and Cornish
pumps, about 100000 gallons, but could
pump at least 100000 gallons more in
twenty-four hours than they are now doing.
The daily capacity with the hydraulic
pump nov coming, and which will be setup
as mate 10 that now in operation at the
3,OOO-foot level, will be $500. 900 gallons.
The water which feeds the pressure pipe
of the three sets of hydraulic pumps ID
brought from near Lake Tahoe, in the Sierra
Nevada mountains. The distance is about
thirty miles, and the greater part Of the way
the water flows through iron pipes, which 81
one point cross a depression l,720 feet in
depth. The pressure pipe takes this water
from q tank situs'e6 on the eastern slope
Of Mount Davidson, $500 feet west of the
shaft AZ the tank this pipe is twelve inches
ia diameter, but is only eight inches where
it enters the top Of the shaft. The tank
whence the water is taken is i26 feet higher
than the top of the shaft, therefore the YER
ucal pressure upon the hydraulic pump at
the 3,0O0,feet level is 3, 1926 fee. The pres
sure pipe is of ordinary galvanized iron
where it receives the water at the tank, but
gradually grows thicker and stronger, and
at the 5000 level il is constructed Of cast
iron, and is q inches in thickness. The
pressure at this point is 1900 pounds to the
square inch.
In the early days Of hydraulic mining in
California the miners thought that with q
vertical pressure of 80 feet they could al
most tear the world to pieces, and not a man
among them could have been made TO be-
lieye that any pipe could be constructed
that would withstand vertical pressure Of
! coo feet, but we COW see that . thickness
Of two aud half inches of cast iron will
sustain 3 vertical pressure Of over 3,4OO
feet.
There Is only one pressure pipe for all the
hydraulic pumps. This extends from the
tank on the side of the mountain to the
5000 loot level 1t is tapped at the points
where are situated the several sets OF by
drsuEc pumps. The water from the pres
sure pipe enters one part of the pump
where it moves q piston back and forth, Just
az the piston Of steam engine is moved BY
steam. This water engine moves pump
which not only raises to the surface the
water which has been used IS driving pow
er, but also vast quantity of water from
the shaft, all Of which is forced up to the
Sutro drain tunnel through what is called
return pipe. Each set Of hydraulic pumps
has its retlrn pipe; therefore there are
three return pipes-one from the 2, 400, one
from the $500, and another from the 5000
level
Some idea may be formed of the great
size Of these hydraulic engines when 1t is
known that the stations excaysted for
them at the several levels where they are
placed are So feet long, % feet wide, and
IL feet high. AL this space is so filed with
machinery that only sufficient room IS left
to allow of the workmen moving about it..
One Of these stations would, on the surface,
form a hall large enough for ball room,
and to those who are unsequaiuted with the
skill OF our miners it must seem wonderful
that such great openings can be made and
securely supported far down in the bowels
=. IF. H.