Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-08

rock. Into each OF these will be put giant
powder dynamite. This is used in the
shape of candles Of different sizes Some
are as big around as a broomstick, and
others are no larger than the ordinary
candle. The candles are thrust into the
hole, a fuse connected with them, extend
ing outside. Then dirt clay, or ore. is
lightly pounded about the fuse. packing
the candles of dynamite lightly into the
rock. Then the fuses are lighted and the
miners go away to another part OF TIE
works. In moment there Is a terrible eX-
piosion. We hear a number CT these eX-
blossoms pass through the mines.
They fairly shake the earth and the con-
cussicn of the air puts out candles, al
though We are quarter CT mile away.
At the same time the rock falls 1t is now
dug down with picks and loaded onto the
cars 1t IS not, however, thrown into the
ears at the point where it falls. This gold
bearing ore is very heavy and every bit
or muscle and expense is saved in big
mine like this. Pipes or shafts are cut be-
tween the tunnels and the ore is thrown
into these and it falls by gravity into the
car placed under the shaft in the tunnel
below.
Cars md Sacks of Golden Gravel
Each car is marked with the locality from
which 1t comes. 1t is run along the track
to the elevator, and when the ore arrives
at the top some Of the ore is taken out of
1t and assayed, in order that the manager
may know just exactly how much each part
of the mine Is worth, and where the gold
comes from. This assaying goes on all the
time The ore Is divided into classes, and
there Is a warehouse at the top of the mine
which has an immense floor spotted with
piles of ore Of different grades. Each pile
has little board sign in 1t, marked so as
to show from what part of the vein it came
and its value. Some of the piles look like
ballast, and others much like gravel.
l asked whether the gravel was worth any
thing. and l was told that it comprised
some OF the most valuable ore of the mine
Some of 1t is indeed. worth so much that
1t is carried away from the mine in little
sacks, each holding no more than half q
bushel. to the smelters. 1 was shown four
sacks Of ore. which the manager said were
worth at least $4,000, or s., 500 apiece I
tried to lift one. but found it was all I
could do to raise it from the floor. The high
grade rock is wheeled in iron barrows into
the warehouse. L have seen wheelbarroWs
of dirt which looked more like gold to me
on the roadside in Ohio. ] pushed wheel
barrow load myself which / was told was
worth 500. into the warehouse, and upon
my questioning the fact. was asked to go
to the assay Office and see the method of
finding out the amount Of gold IN the rock
An Assay Once.
This assaying goes on all the time. The
ore Is assayed as soon 1t comes out of
the mine. 1t is assayed again and again
in the mill. and in the cyanide mill which
l visited near Florence every fifth handful
In each carload Of ore bought is put through
an assay in order to find just the average
that the car Is worth. A part of each car
which comes out Of the shaft is put into q
little steel mill. called q crusher. which
chews the big rocks into little ones. The
little rocks are pounded up until they be-
come dust or q dour OF powdered ore. This