The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1914-05-30
TUNNEL
IN GOOD SHAPE
COMSTOCK MINING MEN THOR
OUGHLY INSPECT THE
BIG DRAIN.

"A. w. WupSh
the United Comstock Pumping asso-
citation, Superintendent T. F. Nc
Cormick of the Ophir and Con. Vir-
ginia Mining companies, Superin-
tendent James M. Leonard OF the Vfr-
ginia & Gold Hill Water company,
and T. s.. Higgins, foreman Of the
latter company, made a trip OF IN
spection through the Sutro tunnel
and it's branches yesterday, says the
Virginia Chronicle. The party vent
to Sutro by automobile and were
guests of Franklin Leonard, super1n-
tendent of the Comstock Tunnel COM
pany. They entered the tunnel at the
portal at Sutro, and spent
hours in making a careful examina-
ton throughout it's entire length. The
large stave pipe drain was found to
be carrying off the water now being
pumped from the deep levels without
difficulty, and it's capacity is equal
to handling a large increase in flow,
should it be desired or required. The
main tunnel throughout its entire
length, was found in first class con-
dition, many new tunnel sets of tim
bers having been placed during the
past year.
The party then went through the
South Lateral branch of the tunnel
to the Alta shaft connecting drift,
and found the timbering in as good
condition as in the main tunnel. The
Alta drift which was recently reop-
ened. and. repaired, and a e drain
constructed was also found to be in
a most satisfactory shape. At the
Crown Point connection with the
South Lateral, the water being
pumped from the Gold Hill mines by
the Sturges management at the joint
| Crown Point-Belcher incline is being
discharged into the tunnel drains and
is being cared for readily, and with
ample capacity for a much greater
volume of water from that section
of the lode. The Ward shaft con-
Meeting drift was also carefully in
spected from the South Lateral tun-
mel to the tunnel level of the Ward
shaft. and it was found to be in good
state of preservation. The party
then returned to the junction, and
examined the North Lateral branch
to the .Ophir connecting drift. which
was found in splendid condition.
The ventilation throughout the tun-
mel was found to be good, with all
the air connections working very
satisfactorily. The party then re-
turned to the surface through the
c. 4 G. shaft.
1t will be of interest to learn that
the United Comstock Pumping asso-
citation is now pumping into the SUIT
20 tunnel at the G. & G. shaft, a
volume of water that is estimated at
about 100000 gallons daily, and
at Gold Hill, the mines there are
discharging nearly 10000 gallons
of water additional each day, making
| a total of $500, 600 gallons every
day that is being cared for through
the tunnel. The Tunnel Is this per-
forming most effectively one of it's
primary objects, and is a most i'm
portant feature of the deep level
drainage of the Comstock lode. The
sending through the tunnel of this
vast volume of water is accomplished
at a small fraction of the cost that
would be entailed if it was necessary
to pump to the surface.
The Sutro tunnel, with it's eight
miles of underground workings is
probably now in as fine a condition
as it has been at any time in it's long
history. The tunnel property is a
factor in Comstock mining that has
contributed much to the success of
operations in Virginia City, and has
made possible the attaining of new
ground that has yielded millions of
dollars in bullion during the past
few years. and thus added materially
to the prosperity of the entire re-
gion.