Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-07-29
DRILLS A TUNNEL
THREE FEET PER
HOUR ROCK
Wonderful Machine it Is Said
VIII RevoIutionize Present
Methods of Mining in the
Southwest,

c. c. Harris, of Findlay, Ohio. VIII,
has been operating in the Big Horn
mountains, II has over fifty claims
that he is opening up, was in the clJS
yesterday on his way to FL Paso and
home, says the Phoenix Republican
He showed some very good specimens
Of copper bearing ore. secured from
the thirty-five foot level. He expects
to return in September and begin more
active development work on his
claims. He has been an oil operator
and has now a large lease OF wells
in indian territory. He says that ne
has put about $50, 600 into the game
of mining through other people. bur
now Intends to look after the squan-
dering of it himself. However, he
hopes to get some returns for his in
Vestments.
Mr.. Harris was yesterday %oxplainlng
a new rotary tunnel drill. i|nyentoi
by j. +. Harms, a man who has beer
engaged in tunnel work for thirtv
years, and which invention If it prove
practical as experiments with the first
machines indicate, viii reVolutionizc
methods of tunneling. Mr.. Harris is
a stakeholder in the company which is
not advertising nor trying to sell
shares. but IS going along quietly and
has at an expense of $21,O00 obtained
patents in every country in the world.
This drill was invented about seven
years ago and Mr.. Harris was the
first hacker, but "A empOrarv financial
ebarrassment caused him to abandor
II for a time. Later, another company
was organized and has built a driil
at the American Tool Machine Works
IN Cleveland n has made tests az
Magnolia, Col.
The engineers who listened to Mr..
Harris statements yesterday smiled
at his claims, but he said he expected
that. He IS willing, however, to back
his statements with the coin. This drill.
says Mr.. Harris, has been built VITA
a diameter of eight feet and it weighs
four tons. It has a ratchet movement.
chipping out the rock. the cuttings be-
ing sluiced out with water. which also
keeps the drill cool. on the face OF
this drill are $40 mOlars or cutting
edges of the fincst and toughest steel.
IL takes 800 cubic feet of air at a
pressure of 100 pounds per Inch to
drtll Il hole four feet and three inches
IN diameter with a drill of that size.
With a larger drlll, OF course. il re-
quires more power.
The test machine at Magnolia has
a scventy-foot tunnel In length
in hard granite. In the presence OF
leading engineers in Colorado this
lrill cut eve and on%e-quarter inches
IN ten and threc-quartcr minutes. q
rate OF three and One-half feet peg
hour. MIR. Harris said yesterday thai
he was ready to wager So 600. ~'roe
he cash in a bank. against another
10000, that an eight DOT Gin diane
'ter) rotary drill could cut Zoe feet IN
.Wcnty-four hours in the hardcs.
Kind of rock. He Is ready TO back up
his with the money and give $1,000
is a commission for the work. These
ire startling figures and If the drill
Will do what he thinks IL will. 1t means
/ great revolution in building tun-
lols, subwaVs and irrigation canals
through rock.
Walker Bros. bankers. Of Salt Lake
lily. are buying the machine for work
n that state, the nature of which AR.
Harris had not learned. Proctor and
Gamble. who are the manufacturers
# Ivory soap, are buying IN eight-foot
lrill for some irrigation tunneling In
Bcrnardino county, Cal.
The cost of operation of the drills
" this size is vet "a question. perhaps,
,ut Mr.. Harris thinks il will be less
han the cost OF the powder tp blast
'ut the same sized hole bv the old
Then tho rapidity Of the cut
ing is an item that must be taken
nto recount as Il will drill II success
al. as Mr. Harris believes. as much IA
dav of twcntN-fnur hours as two mcr
~ the old methods could blast out in
tx months.
The machine for the SAT- Lake pco-
he viii be i'm operation about the mid
.lc of next month. when IL viii bt ,
iNen a thorough test.