Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-09-04

a probably the biggest hole in
/ go the world-the old Central
IL ~ mfne-with space measure
| ment at the surface Of IA
| acres, and depth of some 400 feet.
| There are, in addition to several small
er ones, four other enormous eXcava-
tions, all witnessing to the tireless en-
ergy Of men in a hurry to be rich.
The diamonds are found in grey
rock called blue ground" which fills
! a pipe" or natural shaft of unknown
into funnel shape Below the few
feet of red sand On the surface comes
the yellow ground, "-lime-fo fifty
or sixty feet
Underneath that is the blue
! ground" which, although the yellow
! ground" is not without diamonds, is
the true Acknowledging rock. Scien-
lists believe that these pipes" are
the craters Of extinct volcanoes, and
that at some time when the surround
/ ing country was under water, this dia-
mondiferous rock was forced up in the
form of volcanic mud. How and when
and where the diamonds were formed
remains mystery, but they are I'M
! doubtedly of earlier date than the
rock which encloses them.
Early Diamond Digging.
The first mining operations were re-
stricted to digging and scooping out
the earth. But, by degrees, as the
hole got wider and deeper, troubles
came in the shape of accumulation of
water and falls of reef" In gold
mining the reef is the gold-bearing
rocks, but the "reef' of the diamond
mines is the surface shale and basalt
surrounding the pipes"
This was the cause of great tribu-
lation to the early miners, as it caved
In again and again, and overwhelmed
those working below. After various ex-
pedients had been tried withiut per-
manent success, it became impossible
to work the mine any longer in the
old way, and many thought the in
| dustry was absolutely ruined.
Here was the opening for the cap
ltalist, who soon superseded the dig
ger"
The larger claim-holders banded to-
Sether, and sank shafts outside the
area already operated upon, with gal
ieries running towards the center, I'M
til the blue" was tapped In 1888
| Messrs. Rhodes, Barnato, and Belt,
having bought out the smaller hold
ers, formed the De Beers Consolidated
Mines, Limited, that great corporation
which has ever since controlled the
diamond mining industry.
The main shaft at the Central
connects with the pipe" OF blue
ground by means Of several CALLER
les, the distance from shaft to pipe"
being 1,134 feet. At the time of the
writer's descent the lowest gallery
was 1900 feet from the surface.
Armed with the necessary permit,
we stripped and re-cIothed ourselves
in sort of dressing-room.
The outfit includes flannel shirt, and
coat and trousers of duck" or some
such material, the articles being decid-
eddy the worse for wear. Instead of
braces or belt, looped leather thong
does duty An ancient SOU -wester
with ear-faps, and tied under the
chin, a pair of socks that have seen
service, and rubber Wellington boots
complete the costume.
Accompanied by the manager, we
get into the cage at the top of the
shaft, and after few seconds of swift
| motion, step out at the 1000 foot lev
el. Each supplied with a composite
candle-but no candlestick!-we pro-
coed to explore the workings on that
! level We pass stalwart natives at
work, with here and there a white
overseer. Some drill holes in the
rock ready for blasting; others gath.
er up the fragments into small steel
trucks, which are pushed along on
rails to the shoot" which conveys the
blue" down to the 1900 foot level.
These boys" handle many a lump
with a fortune hidden in it. Some
times their quick eyes detect the
stone" and not being without the de-
sire for pelf, they covet, Ike Achan,
and, like Achan, take-if they can do
so Innoticed. They will make an In
cision in their flesh as secure hiding
place for their And" and even swal-