Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1898-04-16
Mining Department.
DEEP MINING.



The Mining and Scientific Review
discusses work In the Comstock as fol-
lows:
1.-THE impression prevails even on
this coast that the comstock lode has
been explored TO the greatest depth
possible: that with fhe exception of a
Few scattering ssreaks and punches OF
ore In old levels above the Sutro tnn-
mel. the mines are exhausted.
Some say that at the depth of 3.0O0
feet. or little below. the lode pinehed
out; others, that al the depth Of about
1900 feet only barren quartz WAS
found. Hut the notion most generally
prevalent II that at the bottom Of the
deep shafts SUI Ia rivers OF water were
tapped that the mines were all flood.
ed and the miners drowned cut. no
pumps being capable OF handling wat
er that poured in from the snbterrnn-
can depths. The conclusion arrived at
BY the majority OF outsiders Is that In
depth the Gomsgock IL dead and that
work can never again be done ON the
great lode below the points where sink.
ing was suspended In the Jacket. tn
lon, Combination and other deep
shafts
The fact il thar the big lode IL still
alive and should he pumped out aud
work al depth resumed. With the
water out o. the mines there il nothing
% prevent the exploration 1T the lode
70 the depth OF 5000 feet or more bs.-
low the surface, A great mistake was
made when pumping WAS stopped. and
the mines allowed 10 iili with water 10
the level Of the Sutr0 drain tunnel Ia
resnmlng work ON the iosle at depth the
greatest expense will be in draining
the shafts drifts and other openings
on the water thar has accumulated la
them. Most of tsesc openings. how
ever. are al no great depth below the
level d the SusFo tunnel. and when
They have be.n pumped out only the
shafts Will remain to he drained As
the water win at first have 10 h. lift.
ell but short distance. IL may ~
raised very rapidly by putting ia a
number of pumps h le run By slse-
tricity or compressed mir such pumps
may BIZ used until the long drifts,
cr"@sruts, wines. and othrr 0peuings
Of the old submerged levels, are
drained when ii will only remain 10
pump out the shafts
Although the mining men 81 the
Comssock have always claimed 10 bw
world b"aters. they failed To 'fitl she
BILL when they backed out IL their lins
% big shafts at the depth ~ 5000 10
$3.50 feet. They then EDnk hack scat
and have since been passed BY the min.
ers OF Lake Superior and Australia
doubtless they could have gour ahead
had the order be~n given % continue.
but fhr stockholders huugrrud for div.
ideiids and ciHut1red foe d return 10 che
old upper levels labOyr the Sutru drain
tunneN. where u was known thar large
amount Of paying ore had tHsen lift bss-
hind In the racr for depth. So the
work Of exploration waa stopped anil
the miners st to work ON the Attrss
thing 10 b. found III the orc t4sgiea IT,
ing high and dry in the Old Upper lcv
els
There was no trouble in handling
the water nj the bottom Of any one ~
those deep shafts Tn. water that
Hooded the mines to the a0ttth ctld 81
the comssock lode cnmc IN at q point
asb feet above the Bottom 20 the Vel.
low Jacket new shaft. the deepest on
/ TINT Division " the loie. February III,
lsS1 nm immense pocket ar reservoir
Of winter was Numbered into tu drift
that was bt'tng run from the Jacket
SHAFT Into the Excheauer mine ON the
4 "
shaft was AZ thar time 1000 feet deep.
the water frotn the Exeheauer thtu.
dercd down Into il and eau@rsl the
stoppaEeof nil operations exrrpt nurup.
ing The jacket people pumped and
bailed nm average flow of ITO miners.
Inches a day for some dnya, yet the
water gained on them aud eycngualIy
raised 10 the source ~ supply on the
21utfoot level of the Exchennpr. The
water then filled all tho mines az the
Gold hill end Of the lode.
Pumping was continued, however
IN order 10 exhaust tho Htibterrnnea,
reservoirs Of the Excheduer I'm March
18th. when the water had beeu 81 fay
lowered that u stood only aJO f.e.t
above the 3DO0.foot level ~ the .rneket
shaft. Then. rs no combined arrange.
ment could be made among tho several
companies Entrusted 10 continue the
work and drain nil the mines. the .Tac.
Not company stopped pumping and
smut down their works. This stapped
gu work below the level II the sti,ro
tunnel In the whole line ~ aot1th .end
mines. and they still remain fiooded.
Hah proper prccautiou been oh.
served by the Exchequer people and 4
Irlll-hoie Kept In advance IN the drift
~ Nbhtu HHNt uFfu uB trouble. In
such situation diamond drill should
nave been constantly employed in 'feel.
ing ahead for water When water
was tapped, the drill.holc could either
nave been plugged np or pine and
cock could hive been put IN ana ths
now drawn OF ~ II could DO handled
70 blnnder into such Il big body ~
water was piece Of very bad man.
SEGMENT. '''a''
The return 70 the old upper levels
was not u bad move. ns good bodies af
ore were found and an Immense
amount Of bullion was ohtaiped N.ts
bodies of ore were found IN The f,on.
solldaied Virginia q California usIa
q Norcross, Confidence. Yellow Jacket
orown Point, Gould 4 Curry. Sayaga
Chollar, Best & Belchpr and sama nst'
ers The Consolidated California q
virginia paid steadily Sfas.0OO month.
y IN dividends. the Confidence ana
Hale Y Norcross paid dividends T.,
lsss 81 the rate Of $4,000 20 $50. 900 4
month. and some others paid smalias
"a A a