Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-21
GOLDFIELD STRIVES To
MEET WATER SHORTAGE
Consolidated Constructs Pipe
Lines and bitches as Aux
iIiaTy-Drought Costly

GOLDFIELD, New, July 2O-Efforts
to quickly and thoroughly overcome
the water shortage are being made for
the several mills of the district, and
the drouth will not be permitted to
assume very serious phase in mill
ing circles. Although the Consolidated
has thirty stamps tied up at present
by lack of water, this matter will be
remedied within the next ten days, ac-
cording to ]. H. Mackenzie, who is now
in charge of the Consolidated proper
ties during the absence of General
Manager Finlay on a vacation. A pipe
line is now being laid from the mines
to the mill, via the ditch which has
been dug across the saddle of Colum-
bia mountain, where the big storage
tanks are to be established for fire
protection and an emergency water
supply.
1t will not require a great deal of
pumping to carry the water over the
ridge, because the siphon end or sue
tion from the ridge down to the mill
will largely overcome the resistance UP
the other side. This pipe line will be
laid before the tanks are completed
and the line will be in operation within
about ten days.
The mill is drawing about 4O, 1000 gal
| Ions a day from Alkali Springs and
| can also develop about 100000 gallons
day from the we'll that has been
sunk just below the big tailings pond
Besides this there is a large supply
obtainable from the old Five Friends
| leasing shaft, which is on the Last
| Chance claim of the Consolidated es-
tate. This is one of the strongest water
courses ever developed in the Gold
| field district, and is caused by the
compound fault made by the Columbia
Mountain fault and the large fault
that follows the draw between the
south end of Columbia mountain and
the old Consolidater Red Top lease
This water is Unusually pure and well
suited to milling purposes. For the
| time being this has been loaned to
the Combination Fraction for it's mill,
as the Consolidated will probably be
able to get along without it.
NEUTRALIzE DECREASE
It is believed that the present efforts
for an auxiliary supply will fully over
come the shortage now being eX-
perienced by the water company. but if
the sky refuses to give forth some
good rains in the near future it may
only neutralize the steady decrease in
the water company's supply. Should
this prove to be the case, further ex-
tension OF the auxiliary system will be
made until the Consolidated will be able
to run at full capacity independent of
the water company. Outside of a tenn
pOrary inconvenience to the mills
which have been depending almost en-
tirely on the water company supply,
the shortage has no serious phase so
far as mining and milling operations
are concerned in the camp
Tho EfOrp0pa has hppn HE n kapD
it's forty stamps going by availing it
self of water from neighboring shafts,
and will be able to continue without
interruption. With the water that has
been placed at the disposal of the
Combination Fraction from the Five
Friends shaft the Fraction will soon
be again in good shape for water for
milling purposes.
It is over six months during which
not a drop of precipitation has been
recorded. There is no immediate cause
for alarm among residents for lack of
water for domestic purposes, but If the
drOuth continues lawns and gardens
will suffer and wither.
The diminished supply and COnsign-
ment pressure of the water company
will in nowise effect the efficiency Of
the fire protection as the big tank on
the malapai is full of overlooking con-
stantly and holds 900 gallons. The
wells of the local water vendors are all
holding out and no apprectable de-
crease of supply is noticeable. The
railroad companies have their pumping
plants all along the various lines and
state that their tanks are well filled.
Officials of the L. Y. & T. state that
in case the situation should become
alarming their road is prepared to haul
water from Bonnie Glare by the train
load from their big well at that place.
AS it is the railroad supplies water to
Cuprite and all surrounding territory.