Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1910-12-12
SEARCHLIGHT'S
MODEL PLANT
STARTS WORK

! oedfcnllgnt mine was started up on
Tuesday for the first time, and on
Wednesday was viewed in operation
by Bulletin representative. In
the two days try-out not a single
adjustment was necessary fact
that reflects great credit upon Man.
ager Henry E. Carter.
Last February the Searchlight
people started in to fix themselves
for real mining. With a produc-
ton record of over $15O,OOO and
with large bodies of ore in sight,
the future of the property was as
sured and they felt that economy
of operation demanded new equip
ment and numerous improvements.
To begin with. the shaft was
Strengthened, enlarged to double
compartment and fully timbered
| from top to bottom, distance of
| $40 feet. A large station was cut
on the 800 for the accommodation
of the pumping plant; a towering
gallows frame was erected, and the
hoist and engine house enlarged.
Today the Searchlight has one of
the most model and complete equip
ments in the state.
Entering the hoist and engine
house, visitor is at once impressed
with the neatness, convenience and
| completeness of the equipment.
Steam power, the only one in the
district, is supplied by two 70-h. p.
oil-burning boilers. These boilers
are fitted with super-heaters, and
fed with water from heater, from
which the exhaust from the boilers
is utilized. Steam power is also
used for hosting. The hoist room
is laid with cement floor.
A Phoenix steam engine, having
normal rating of ooh. D., oper-
ates the pump, and later on will
also operate compressor. Hoist
and engine are practically noiseless
Ia pleasing contrast to the usual
din where gasoline engines are in
use. One man can attend to the
whole.
The new pump is propelled by
means of an endless wire cable. Az
this was, SO far as known, the first
time cable had been run down a
snaft, there was considerable skep-
ticism as to its success, but seen in
operation 1t appears to work to per-
lection and to be a highly salts
factory means of transmitting
| power.
The cable is 400 feet long and
composed of five separate strands,
each strand made up of 10 small
steel wires, the whole wrapped in
marline. Idlers carry the cable
down the shaft, where it runs
straight and smoothly. whatever
slack there is being taken up by q
tension pulley.
The pump itself, known as a Buff
falo tri-plex, crowds the roof of the
lO-foot station. 1t is a massive
piece of machinery, weighing six
tons-the very embodiment of pow
er. With the present pulley equip
ment the pump has a daily capac-
ity of 100000 gallons, but can be
increased to 100000 gallons.
| Two steam Cameron sinkers, nei-
Their one of which has been above
water for months, raise the water
from the stump into a station reser-
voir tank, from which it is hoisted
to the surface by the tri-plex.
There is bypass, operated by a
float valve, whereby in case the
level in the reservoir gets low, the
triplex pumps back on ITSELF On
this level is also the old Deane
pump, which will be left in COM
mission for use in emergencies.
Tnese are the principal improve
ments, but there are many lesser
ones, all tending to greater safety,
convenience and economy. If the
cable transmission proves as sue
cessful as expected, it will be en-
ployed to operate the mill also,
power coming from the one central
plant.
Manager Carter stated that just
as soon as the new equipment had
been given thorough try-out he
would at once resume sinking and
at the same time start lateral work
on the lower levels.
The Searchlight has one of the
largest-if not the largest-hows OF
water In the district 1t is estimat.