The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-16

Especial Correspondence to The Herald)
AUSTIN. New, March 12.-Your citl-
zens may not generally be acquainted
with the fact that Austin at the present
time. is supported WHO'LL by the op-
erations of a mining company, of which
your Mr. F. T. Farnsworth is the
manager and one of the few stockhold-
ers. Out of the Toiyabe range. which
on the north hens in this partially
decayed town with its now dismantled
works, deserted dumps, falling walls
4 and empty dwellings, over S26,09o,00O OF
the wealth of this nation has been TAX
en-. At one time as thoroughly charac-
terisiic a mining camp as any in the
west-with all its vim, vigor and vice.
Austin has seen a disappearance of all
those characteristics, and but for the
operations of the corporation indicated
the Austin Mining company-there
would be in it absolutely nothing to
sustain single life. Some five years
ago Mr.. Farnsworth. for Mr.. Washing
ION of New York, Mr.. Stokes of Mas
sachusetts and for himself, secured
possession of large group of claims
in the range in question. The produc-
ton of the millions named was in the
face of protected and technical litiga-
tion. and when the Austin Mining COM
pany acquired the property, it did so
in a manner that made further legal
contests as to the ownership of the
ground impossible. Then work was in
augurated with view to development
on a large scale, but about the time
the foundation of these extensive op-
erations had been laid the fatal slump
in silver became matter of historical
record. The closing down of proper
ties the state over did not, however,
alter the determination of Mr.. Farms
worth and his associates Rather, 1t
brought them to a resolution to prose
cute work on a still more extensive
scale and by breadth of operations to
overcome. in as great measure as
possible. as much of the loss caused
by the depreciation of silver as might
be accomplished by the introduction of
greater and cheaper methods Of pro-
duction.
Something like eighty claims are en-
braced in the properties of the Austin
Mining company, all situated in what
is known as the Toiyabe range. Nee
essarily much work has been done to
develop these properties in the eX-
traction of the S26,00000O in silver al
ready mentioned and this has exposed
a series of lodges that have been fol-
lowed to a sufficient depth to leave lit
tie doubt as the their permanency.
While not seriously troubled with water
there is enough to make its handling
Of in a
account. After looking the field over
thoroughly, examining the ground and
reaching definite conclusion as to the
possibilities of the property, the COM
pany began the driving of a tunnel
that would tap the present lowest
workings of the properties at a depth
of 700 feet This work has now been
prosecuted for three years and over
and the tunnel, which is in a distance
of over a mile, is being extended at the
rate of $50 feet a month. and before
the work is concluded it viii have pen
etrated the range in a direct line not
less than a mile and a. half. Before a
pick was put to this tunnel, Mr.. Farms
worth made up his mind where the
lodges known to exist above would be
intercepted by the tunnel Up to date
the conclusions reached before the work
was inaugurated have been verified by
the intersection of several lodges which
show the precise characteristics ex-
llibited by them above and giving the
amplest warrant for assurance that no
opinion formed in the beginning as to
the outcome of the work will lack the
fullest confirmation when the labors
now outlined have been completed.
The mouth of the tunnel is near the
Nevada Central Depot. Here the COM
pany's chief works will be located-its
mills, engines, boilers, air compreSSorS
and Nnal hn IA l>.a
hauled by team to the two mines now
being worked-the Gleason and the
Union-and to operate the mill, while
III like manner all the ores and ship
ping concentrates are hauled to the
depot. Once connection is made with
this tunnel the ores will not again need
handling after being brought to the
surface. Those designed for concentra-
ting viii be run directly into the mill
and from the mill the concentrates will
fall by gravity into the railroad cars.
while the shipping ores will go directly
into the cars from the mouth of the
tunnel The power now used to lift the
water from the workings of the several
mines Will then be unnecessary as the
water above the level of the tunnel will
run voluntarily out of the company's
properties. and such coal as will be
used, once all planned improvements
are completed. can be delivered in rail-
road cars at the point where il is to be
consumed.
Besides this. and in fact as one of the
chief items of expense, not pound of
ore, not drop of water. not an ounce
of waste will then be lifted in all the
workings above the level lef this tun-
mel Though the value of this saving
may not seem material to those not
familiar with the production of silver
ores, to those engaged in this industry
the magnitude of this economy viii APP
peal with striking force. Even in
small group it would be of vast sig
nlflcance, but when it is remembered
that this company owns something like
eighty claims. all of which can be
worked through this tunnel the value
OF the work now being prosecuted,
aside from the fact that 1t is develop
ing lodges hitherto untouched, cannot
safely be estimated.
Even this is not ALL since it simply
covers the claims already partially
opened. AS the tunnel is driven further
INFO the range land this driving must
follow the DEVELOPMENT of the COM
pany's ground) the saying will be in
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