Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1897-07-31

most uniform southessterly course, with
an average dip. underground, OF about 70
degrees TO the northeast. 1t passes near
the Richmond Office and 10 plainly visible
near the mouth OF a tunnel that Was for
merly run to connect with the Bell shaft;
thence northeast OF the Eureka and
shafts 70 point between the Phenix
and Jackson mines, where 10 bends around
and takes southerly course through the
Hamburg belt Of limestone, westward Of
the Kemp * Keen, Patroon and Dunder-
berg mines. and through the Uncle Sam
and Hamburg mines further 20 the south
ward. IL faults all form stions, but is it.
self nowhere faulted or dislocated so far ss
can be determined. Ii has been traced
upon the surface and 10 identified under
ground by its filings OF rhyolite, ore,
ledge material aud composite OF rhyolite
and clay, the latter having been produced
by attrition where the walls are close to-
gether or nearly so. II has most import
ant bearing on the present structure OF
Ruby Hill and the country TO the south
ward. ss also on the relation OF the
ore bodies 70 each other. Throughout its
entire course 10 is found to be the key to
the structural problem OF the Ruby Hill
and Prospect Mountain minerslized zones.
The country southwest, on the footwali
side OF the fault, has been raised several
hundred feet relatively TO the hanging
wall. IL is probable that there was up
heaval and subsidence. but that the latter
exceeded the former. Taken in connection
with all OF the mines to the southeast, il 10
found to be fault plane along which the
whole southwestern country has been
raised from 500 TO 1000 feet. There can
be no question that the key TO the problem
OF deep mining IN Ruby Hill and Pros
pect Mountain will eventually be found in
the Ruby Hill fault.
The limestone OF Ruby Hill 10 divided
into two sections, which we will designate
the "front" and "bsck" limestone. The
latter forms a wedge which. taken through
the Eureka Con. mine, extends from the
surface downward to near the 18th level
end lies between the quartzite, the face OF
which has mean dip Of about 40 degrees,
and the fault fissure. which dips at an an
gle OF about 20 degrees. This. which we
shall call the upper wedge, lies on the
southwest or footwall side Of the fssure
and has been raised in this locality about
l 400 feet relatively above the lower wedge
aud narrows 20 a thin edge at Its lower
II 10 remarkable for its crushed
wedge that all OF the tremendous ore bod
les which made Ruby Hill famous in the
early days OF the district we're mined.
The exploration of the front limestone.
which overlies the fault to the southwest, /
has not been sufficient 10 determine
whether either large deposits or any ore at
all may be found in IL. From the narrow
part OF the upper wedge, downward. as
seen upon the 18th and l4th levels. as well |
as upon the l,200-foot crossut from the
LOGAN shaft, below the l4th level OF the
Eureka Con. mine. the face Of the quartz
ite forms the footwAll OF the fault, the lat |
ter m maintaining it's dip at sn angle OF 10 |
degrees, the same ss ID does above. Below |
the 18th level, with its thinest edge upper. |
most and its form inverted, rs compared
with the upper wedge. but situated upon
the northeast or hanging wall side OF the
fault 10
LOWER WEDGE OF LIMESTONE
Identical In character with the upper
wedge. This il crushed and shattered in
preci,ely the some manner. and. subse- |
1uent 10 the upheayal and subsistence
along the fault line, was doubtless an IN
divided part Of the block OF limestone
which forms the upper wedge.
The future OF Eureka District will de- |
pend largely on deep level mining; not
that the levels near the surface are ex- |
OF ore. for on the contrary, there |
are hundreds OF the smaller mines and |
prospects OF the district capable OF pro- |
ducing the precious metals that are seldom |
or never talked about; but there 10 no |
question Of doubt among the experienced |
miners who have worked on the deepest |
levels Of Ruby Hill that there are bodies |
OF ore 10 be found in the lower wedge OF |
limestone SIS valuable as those which |
we're ezcavated in the big chambers OF the |
upper wedge.
The exploration OF the lower wedge would |
require the expenditure Of large sums OF
money. no doubt-perhaps hundreds OF
thousands, possibly millions OF dollars;
but when IL 10 remembered that the Eu- |
reka Con. and Richmond mines have alone |
paid over ten million dollars In dividends
and made . pumber OF people wealthy, |
and when ID 10 further borne in mind that
the ore is known TO enter the lower wedge |
OF limestone and to go down below any /
depth yet attained in Ruby Hill. IL is not |
unre asonable to believe that deeper ex- |
ploration in the lower wedge would pay.
The only reason given to the public by |
the Eureka Consolidated management for |
uOt hius tue SoCou teePeA nHe
TO the lode below the LOGAN
1900 foot level, was that the machinery |
upon the LOGAN shaft was inadequate for |
the dual requirements OF draining the mine |
OF water and raising the material broken |
underground to the surface; they were un- |
willing to continue draining the hill OF |
water unless one or more OF the companies |
that were operating in Ruby Hill would |
divide the burden OF expense With them.
II IL a settled fact that the machinery was |
defective for the general requirements OF
the mine, but the volume Of water to be |
contended with aud all OF the material that |
could have been broken in the mine could |
have been raised to the surface with ma
chinery that should not have cost over |
oue-fifth OF the Gums that were paid for |
the cum mbersome plant which now stands
idle ct the LOGAN shaft. 1t is probable |
that
THE TRUE WATER LEVEL
OF the Ruby Hill lode. II there Is such
thing. has not yet been encountered. This
is moot question. The principal flow of
water that was encountered in the l2Oo'
foot crosscut from the LOGAN shaft came
from the quartzite. which was uselessiy
penetrated, but II proper measures were
taken. that flow could be easily stopped.
The balance OF the water came from the