Evening star., 1896-11-04
THE DEEPEST HOLE.
Shaft of n Famous Michigan Copper
Mine Goes Down Nearly a Mile.

Shaft of n Famous Michigan Copper
Mine Goes Down Nearly a Mile.
From the Minneapolis Journal.
A French engineer proposed last year to
the directors of the international exposi-
ton to be given in the French capital in
the year 1900 the digging Of hole to the
depth of one mile. The idea was favorably
received, but, on investigation, the mag
nitude of the undertaking became so ap-
parent that the idea has been dropped. 1t
WILL therefore. be necessary for those who
desire to descend a mile into the bowels
of the earth to come to Calumet for no.
where else on earth are there available
openings of such depth. Within less than
a mile of each other in this mining town
there are three vertical shafts, each nearly
one mile in depth. The deepest of this trio
is the Red Jacket shaft of the Calumet
and Hecla copper mine, which has reached
its full depth of 1900 feet. Five Eiffel
towers could be dropped down this hole
were 1t wide enough, and the top of the
to such height as would allow it to be
easily covered by the steel shaft house now
being built over the monstrous hole.
This shaft was begun in 1889, and it has
taken seven full years to sink it, showing
an average progress of 700 feet annually
nearly all of which has been in blue trap
rock. one of the most refractory of min
erals The conglomerate carrying copper
posed of pebbles and gravel worn by the
action of the water, such as are seen on
sea beaches or lake shores, cemented into
solid mass of Gale and silica. BY the
percolation of the waters and the decom-
position OF certain constituents of the rock
little cavities were formed, in which were
deposited small nodules of copper by the
water.
The Red Jacket shaft is 151a by % feet
In size inside Of the timbers, and contains
six compartments. being fully equal in
working capacity to half a dozen mining
shafts of ordinary size. The shaft is solid
ly tlmbered. The adamantine firmness of
the lock renders it secure for all time to
come, the timbers being merely to carry
the traffic of men and mineral of water
and electricity, which surges between the
sunlight and the bottom. In four COM
partments will slip up and down the
ponderous cages, carrying ten-ton loads of
rock at the speed of express trains Up
and down these cages will also ride the
men who mine the rock from the old sea
bed. In one compartment will be the great
iron pump pipes, and down another de-
scends the steady current OF compressed
air which runs the drills mile below the
engine house. Bunched in slender cables
are the copper wires which convey cleo
tric1ty to light the recesses of the mine
threads of wire that afford telephone COM
munication from the most remote drift to
any other portion of the property for the
calumet and Hecla has a telephone ex-
fectlon OF equipment puts to the blush the
fac1lltfes OF many pretentious towns and
which reaches every Office on the surface
and every portion Of the great mine. There
are nre-alarm wires, too, for the Calumet
and Hecla spare no cost to make it's en-
pioyes as safe as skill and lavish outlay of
money can render them.
The sinking of this shaft possesses deep
interest from a scientific standpoint OBJ
servers ascending to great heights in bal
looms have been able to secure data Of sur
passing Importance regarding met eoroloei-
cal conditions, and observations made at
The depth of mile afford positive infcrma-
ton. The Red Jacket shaft has shattered
some of the deeply cherished theories and
there are text books now eXtant in the
higher institutions of learning which must
be overhauled, because facts nave sue
ceeded theory. The mines of the Com
stock lode in Nevada We're the deepest in
the world The mines We're very hot. and
on the deeper levels some Of the more pious
miners were quite positive that thew
smelled sulphur. and refused to go further
down for fear of encroachng upon the do
minions of the devil. According to deduc-
tiCns the bottom of the Red Jacket shaft
Shouid De ABOUT the proper temperature to
Doll eggs Careful tests have determined
that the normal temperature OF tie rock is
SIT degrees. Fahrenheit at the bottom
Ihe rock temperature at the depth of 1O5
1eet was % degrees, Fahrenheit, showing
an access OF 2S.6 degrees in 4.1gJ feet
There was. however, a gain of s degrees in
temperature in the last 900 feet sunk, g
much more rapid increase than at lesser
depths.
Notwithstanding the beneficial effects Of
ventilation and compressed air. men work
ing at the bottom of the deep shaft do not
nave an especially easy berth though
literally paid They are compelled to wear
rubber boots and rubber coats, as the water
found in the mine at that great depth is
most corrosive on the human body
mere Is machinery enough on the sur
race to drive all the street cars of a civ
like st. Louis at this single one nf eleven
shafts, and it is housed in fire-proof build
lhSs that would be the pride OF {, city of
100000 inhabitants.