The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-01
A rRoDUor or THE coMsrocK LODE
Changes Made in Wood by Enormous Pres
sure, Hent md MInernliEed water.

THAT p~aperweiEht OF mine ?" said the min
ing broker. as he completed a transaction II
stocks that made him sigh for past days
For the thousandth consecutive time l an
about TO explain that 1t was given 10 me by
superintendent whose mine / visited on tn,
famous Comstock lode. Nov that you know
that II comes from the Comstock perhaps yot
will he able to tell what 1t is.
mo. it's not a piece OF rock. although IL has
somewhat tho appearance OF n mineral speci'
men. Neither is II metallic. although IL has
both weigh and hardness. You might observe
also that It rings clear when struck, that II
will turn the edge OF u knife. that 1t will
scarcely kindle in the flame OF n blowpipo, that
although it was taken from n depth Of 2,00C
feet or more 1t is n product Of tho surface OF the
earth. Now that you are 80 we'll informed
possibly you would like to pass an opinion on
the subject?
Give 1t up2 / don't blame you. That's what
/ did first of, and everybody else the same way
except a few old Comstockers who drift into
my office. They know what 1t Ia ~ soon as
they set eyes on II. That is q piece OF wood
which has served as n timber In one OF the
mines on the lode. 1t was just ordinary pine
brought from tho Sicrras to begin with. But
whore It was used It was subjected to great
heat. together with u pretty steady flow OF
NuNtA w ~ thS Siiiii Univ
and also to great pressure In holding up the
mountain OF rock which lies over the vein and
is known in the geography OF the outside world
"9'TRe hot mineraiized water has q great deal
to do with this alteration OF, the wood. but the
largest part OF the result is due to an enormous
pressure. Out there in Virginia City they will
tell you that Mount Davidson Is sliding down
hill. 1t is an actual fact. The upper layers to
s s,iGaHipind 10 nSM o Mso the soIid i are sS core Of
the mountain. The place where, the sliding
motion is most felt is lust where the, rich ore is
thickest. Some folks say that 1t is due to the
extensive excavations underground that this
you by the hour about geological faults and
convince you that this, sliding is the work OF
nature. Tho few people who are left in Vir-
ginia City. nov that the mines are idle. do
ing down hill, l guess its because they feel
that the capacity Of the Geiger grade for rapid
transit, in time Of urgency, was established
Greeley through on time and succeeded, But
down in the underground workings 1t Is differ
ent. The pressure is something enormous.
But It is slow and gradual; They have learned
pressure, and, they timber the mines with re-
gard TO that direction. Because the pressure
Is so slow in making itself felt a straight tim
Der OF the largest iameter or OF the smallest
viii Sdnd,a sSorts Th.t under gno, the has strain Sdnno without ut
my papers down. The heat, the minerals
in solution In the water. and above, all the re-
morseless pressure Of the mountain have short
ened the stick, and the shortening was attend
ed with a considerable. degree OF mineraliza-
ton. just as, soon as the pumps get the lode
emptied and things begin to boom once more on
the Comstock you can count on seeing plenty OF
of those who like to have about them all sorts
OF things somewhat out OF the m