Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1897-07-10


near the mouth Of tunnel that was for
merly run TO connect with the Bell shaft;
thence northeast of the Eureka and
X x shafts TO point between the Phenix
and Jackson mines, where IL bends around
aud takes q southerly course through the
Hamburg belt OF limestone, westward OF
the Kemp * Keen, PATRON and Dunder-
berg mines. and through the Uncle Sam
and Hamburg mines further 20 the south
ward. 1t faults all formations, but Is it,
self nowhere faulted or dislocated so far as
can be determined. II has been traced
upon the surface and is identified under
ground by its filings OF rbyolite, 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 80. II has most import
ant bearing on the present structure OF
Ruby Hill and the country to the south
ward. as also on the relation OF the
ore bodies TO each other. Throughout its
entire course it Is found to be the key to
the structural problem OF the Ruby Hill
and Prospect Mountain minerslized zones.
The country southwest, on the footwall
side Of the fault. has been raised several
hundred feet relatively TO the hanging
wall. 1t is probable that there was up
heavsl and subsidence. butthat the latter
exceeded the former. Taken in connection
with all OF the mines 10 the southeast, il 10
found TO be fault plane along which the
whole southwestern country has been
raised from 500 TO 1900 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 q 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 a mean dip OF about 40 degrees,
and the fault fissure, which dips at an an
gle OF about 70 degrees. This, which we
shall call the upper wedge, lies on the
southwest or footwall side OF the dssure
and has been raised ia this locality about
/, 400 feet relatively above the lower wedge
aud narrows to 4 thin edge at its lower
axtremity. IL is remarkable for its crushed
and broken condition. 1t was ia this
wedge that all OF the tremendous ore bod
les which made Ruby Hill famous in the
early days OF the district were 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 sny ore at
all NAV be fonnd in IT, From the marrow
part Of the upper wedge. downward. as
seen upon the 18th and 14th levels, as well
az upon tbe i,200-foot crossut from the
LOGAN shaft, below the 14th level OF the
Eureka Con. mine. the face Of the quartz
ite forms the footwsll OF the fault, the lat
ter maintaining its dip at an angle OF 10
degrees, the same as IL does above. Below
the 18th level. with its thinest edge upper.
most and its form inverted, as compared
with the upper wedge. but situated upon
the northeast or hanging wall side OF the
fault 10 q
LOWER WEDGE OF LIMESTONE
Identical in character with the upper
wedge. This 10 crushed and shattered in
precisely the some manner. and, subse.
quent to the upheavsl and subsidence
along the fault line, was doubtless an un
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
tha. the levels near the surface are ex-
hausted 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 is no
cues ton Of doubt among the experienced
miners who have worked on the deepest
levels OF Ruby Hill that there are bodies
OF ore to be found In the lower wedge OF
limestone as valuable as those which
were excAvsted 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;
bat when 1t 10 remembered that the Eu.
reka Con. and Richmond mines have alone
paid over ten million dollars In dividends
and made . number OF people wealthy,
and when IL 10 further borne in mind that
the ore Ia known to enter the lower wedge
Of limestone and to 60 down below any
depth vet attained in Ruby Hill. IL lie not
unreasonable 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
not sinking the LOGAN shaft deeper and
prosecuting 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 we're 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.
1t is a settled fact that the machinery was
defective for the general requirements OF
the mine. but the volume of water to be
contended with and all OF the material that
could have been broken in the mine could
have been raised TO the surface with ma
| ohintry that should not have cost over
one-fifth OF the sums that we're paid for
the cumbersome plant which now stands
idle at the LOGAN shaft. 1t Is probable
| that
THE TRUE WATER LEVEL
| OF the Ruby Hill lode. IL there Is suon
thing. has not yet been encountered. This
| 10 q 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 useiessiy
penetrated. but II proper measures were
taken. that flow could be easily stopped.
| The balance Of the water came from the
shale in the main hanging wall OF the lode
as we'll as from seepage from the surface:
but was immsterial. The limestone itseii
| Ia comparatively dry, which fact has been