Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-08-22

like ditch, which ran under the car
track. The men who were working IN
the tunnel wore watcfpfoOis oil white
rubber. and their rubber boots reached
to their thighs. We wadcd along the
Track tot distance OF nearly hall mile
before We came TO the end Of the cxca'
walton. Here the men were blasting
down the rock by means Of dynamite,
Each man had candle held in a curious
wire frame and stuck into the rock by
his side. Each man had hold OF q dill
attached 10 pipe, through which the
compressed air came, which turned II
around and around with almost incon-
ccivablc speed. The men held their
drills against the rocks, aud as they did
SO the sparks ilew from the stone, and
atom by atom the drills bored the 70, NJ
holes into which the dynamite candles
were to be placed. Before coming into
the tunnel l had visited the dynamite
warehouse. II was merely a a set
filed with what looked like candle.
Each candle was as big around as a
broom handle, and about ten inches
long. aud each contained enough dyna-
mite, | was told, to blow down any city
house. The drills we're OF about the
same diameter as the candles, and. after
the holes were made b. them. the can.
dies were inserted and pounded In. !
noticed that the pounding was very gen
tie. A too hard knock might set eli the
nitro.glyccrine and blow the men to
atoms.
a gentle tap, however, will no, hurt,
and the dynamite candles arc driven m.
% the holes, fuse Is connected with
them and the remainder OF the hole IS
closed with earth fitting IN about the
fuse and being carefully pounded or
pressed against the candle. All OF the
holes are hllcd at the same time and
then connected by electricity. Nov the
men leave the mine. The engineer 10
the boiler room, a half mile away. raises
a lever, the sparks OF electricity ily and
a moment later hundreds OF tons oi rock
fall TO the ground ready to be carried OF
In great steel cars and dumped down
the sides OF the mountains. Nearly all
mining Is now done by blasting. There
Is little digging with a pick except to
take out the rock which has been
blasted down, and every manner Of la.
| Dor saving appliance that will cut down
expenses or Increase the output Is used.
MAR HEAVEN, MT SMELLS LINE H..
Standing on the dump OF the Maid Of
/ Erin you get good view OF Leadyillc.
II lies In 4 nest IN the Rockies aud IL IS
surrounded by some OF the most picluf.
c,que scenery OF the United States. In.
agne an amphitheater, the walls OF
which are snow'capped mountains, and
IN one side OF the arena there Is a mass
| OF dust, colored houses. Let there be
buildings Of red and yellow brick, log
cabins covered with dust, wooden shan.
ties and comfortable homes, all busted
with yellow, put mountains OF broken
rock here and there through Il and let
immense frame buildings which mark
the sites Of smeliefs show out below Il.
aud you have a faint idea Of the city OF
Leadvillc as II looks today. II IS city
OF schools and churches, city Of wealth
aud manufactures, u town OF gold and
silver aud lead. Il contains about u. 900
people, but II does more business than a
town Of three times the size IN the east
Il IS the highest town ut It's size In the
United States. Situated more than two
miles above the sea, II Is OF all our towns
the nearest heaven, but OF all our towns
| II smells the most like h
There are parts OF Il which are alive
with birthstone, and when YOU drive In
the direction OF the smeliers you have to
cover your nostrils aud mouth with your
handkerchief IN order TO be able TO
breathe. The birthstone comes from the
sulphur In the ore, which Is liberated by
| the intcuse heat OF the smelling fur
naces. Mixed with this smell is the
dust which. when the wind blows. fills
all parts Of the city. The gold and sill
yer ore Is hauled TO the snel,efs through
the streets IN enormous wagons, each Of
which is drawn by four horses. There
Is an almost continual procession Of
these wagons going through from day
light until dark, and the precious dirt
under TOO; is ground to powder. Il con.
tains silver and gold, Il Is said, but silver
dust and gold dust are no better tor
breathing today than gold was ior eating
ia the days when everything that King
Midas touched turned stralghway into
the yellow metal.
LEADvILLR PLACER MINES.