The times., 1899-03-19
DRAINING THE coMsTocK LODE.
A Great Deposit of Golden Treasure
Far From Exhausted.
(From the Scientific American }


A systematic and determined attempt is
to be made to lower the water level in
the great Comstock mines, and p-rmit re-
sumption OF extracting ores down in the
2, 2,100-foot level. By a combination of the
directors of the thirty. or more, mines in
terested, 100000 has been raised for this
purpose. At present these mines are Good-
ed 40 feet below the outlet of the Sutro
tunnel, which is 1,663 feet below the OPEN
ing Of the shaft of the Savage mine. The
purpose is first to exhaust the upper level
of 500 feet OF water, and then. il the plan
pursued is successful. the remaining levels
extending as far as $500 feet in the deep
est shaft will be ultimately drained and
the stocks of ore known to exist in the
submerged territory viii be brought 10
light.
No estimate of the quantity OF water that
will have to be withdrawn in order to dry
out the various mines has been computed,
but that il is enormous is well known. The
magnitude of the task is fully realized by
! those who have the matter in charge In
1877 the half dozen pumps of the Hale and
Norcross mines raised in six months no
less than 400.0 600 tons of water. at a cost
of l cent for every twenty gallons raised:
1 sea, 600 tons we're pumped out in thirty
months. The experience of every deep mine
on the Comstoek lode is Identical.
The cessation OF pumping caused the
immediate flooding of the shafts. Some
conception OF the enormous task under
| taken can be discerned from these facts.
The cost of raising these foods will be
only one-twelfth more as compared with
the cost in former years.
The stocks OF paying ore remaining in
all of the lower levels of the Comstoek
are believed to be very great. In former
years ores of low value were regarded as
not worth mining, owing to the high cost
| OF reduction. AT present ores realizing
| only 81 per ton can be mined at fair
profit. II is also believed that ores of as
high grade as was ever mined from the
| lode still exist in the uneSplored portions.
The reports of all experts unite in sup
porting. as probable. this theory.
That sufficient low grade ores will bo
| found to pay for their extraction. and
more than the cost. is demonstrated fact.
1t has always been claimed by the geoio-
gists of the Comstock lode that the prob
ability of a continuation of the great ore
body to an indefinite depth is more than
| good, and that rich bodies of ore will be
discovered as soon as science in some way
devises means of moderating the high
| temperature met with in the lower levels.
1t is believed that this problem can be
! solved. Another difficulty of a serious
character is the subterranean bodies of
water occasionally met with, and which
have at times caused serious loss of life,
but a pumping plant of large calibre will.
it is believed, greatly diminish the danger
from this source. The difficulty of mining
in temperature of 120 degrees. some
times reached in the lower leevls of the
Comstock. and the dangers resulting from
unexpected floods can be provided for by
later appliances than were used when
formerly worked.
The ComstOck lode was discovered in
1853, and up to the year 1879 it produced
ore of the assay value of 1868. SOL .205. The
value of its subsequent production is not
known exactly, but to place the total to
date at $500. 100000 is not considered by
well-informed experts any exaggeration.
The wild speculations following the devel
opment of this great lode forms an inter-
esting page in mining history. The aban-
donment of mining in the lower levels re-
suited from the exhaustion of high-grade
ore and the high cost of extraction. Ore
in the l. foot level and above is about
exhausted. With the draining and ventil-
alton accomplished, development will be
resumed. and there are many who believe
that great results will follow. The later
history of this most wonderful OF ell lodes
Of precious metals may prove quite as ro-
mantle and miraculous as that - its
earlier days.