The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-07-15
OLD CoMSToCK TUNNEL.
Famous Avenue Into District Again
Proves Its Usefulness

Sutro began work on October 10, 1869.
The people OF Virginia City marched with
bands OF music 10 the site Of entrance OF
the tunnel and the work was begun, but
only 1866 feet had been bored UP TO tho
end OF the year 1871. Thereupon Mr..
Sutro succeeded in raising money abroad.
the working forces were increased and
the tunnel driven with great energy. The
greatest progress made In any one month
was All feet IN December 1874, and the
sScond largest advance was In January,
1877, when SSS feet were driven. The
main tunnel has total length OF more
than 20, 500 feet. and the north and south
laterals and other drifts extending from
the tunnel, make up a total length OF
approximately seven and half miles.
The capital OF the company was orig
inally s2o.00O.oo0. divided into 1000. 900
shares OF the par value Of $40 each; This
capitalization was reduced In 1889 to S4,-
100000 consisting OF the same number OF
hsres a. par value m @ e. nand and ihs
company's indebtedness
The Comstock Tunnel company has
contracts with all the mines on the Com
stock lode, providing for a royalty OF s
per cent on the coin value of the bullion
produced from the several mines. The
total income OF the tunnel enterprise
mateIy 81, 300, o0O nearly all of which was
received prior TO 1898. During the past
fifteen years the conlpany's royalty in
come has been nominal, owing 10 the
large scale. The problem OF sustain
ing seven and one-half miles of under
ground tunnel, keeping the same in re-
pair and open without any income from
the property was the task which con-
fronted Franklin Leonard, now president
OF the company. His great faith in the
Comstock. based upon the use OF the
Comstock tunnel for drainage has now
proved to he well founded. The compre-
hensive plans Of Engineer Leon NJ. Hall,
and the untiring efforts of President
Charles HirshheId. president of the Com
stock Pumping association, those asso-
OF mining men throughout the country.
They used 10 say "the old Comstock was
great. but IL Is now worked out, but to-
day, on all sides we hear the PREDICTION
stock lode from the lower levels, all
based upon deep mining and the use of
the Comstock tunnel for drainage
During the past two years great guam
titles Of lumber have been installed in the
tunnel and the construction OF large
water and steam tight Grain fume is
the property during the last three years
in special improvements and repairs
amount TO approximately 100000. Today
it is possible TO ride on an electric auto
car from the Ward shaft connection TO
the mouth of the Sutro tunnel In twenty
five minutes, which speaks volumes for
a hint pointing to the adoption OF modern
methods. The company has Just COM
pleted an addition TO It's new mill at the
mouth of the tunnel and two companies
have been organized for the purpose OF
prospecting ground from the tunnel level
Operations at the tunnel level have also
been begun In the Hale Norcross. Saw
age and other mines suggesting great
possibilities for the future. 1t Is believed
that before another year expires the cleo
tric trolley system OF transportation in
the tunnel will be I'm operation, and all
OF the hot water from the mines confined
In the new drain flume AS soon as this
transportation plant is completed. 1t will
be in order TO extend the tunnel TO drain
the many rich properties at American
Flat and Silver City.
! believe that the history and the pro-
duction of the past on the Comstock lode
is 10 be duplicated and I assert with the
greatest confidence that there ought 10
be. and there undoubtedly is, as much
ore In the 1000 feet below the Comstock
tunnel level as there was in the 1000 feet
above it.-Frankiin Leonard, jr., I'm San
Francisco Recorder,