The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-01-15
Passing of The Comstock Lode
10y William n. Storms)

am H. Storms)
Of ore was over 500 feet high. 1000 fee
: long and from SO to 800 feet wide, ant
, nearly all Of it was surprisingly rich
Comstock Lode Produced $500, 000, 900
Prior to the discovery of the Big
, Bonanza the production Of the Com.
stock Lode is officially stated to have
been 131,000,000. though it was prob
ably considerably in excess Of this fig
ure, and may have reached $17500O,-
900. 1t is generally believed that the
total production of the lode to date
has been not less than $500, 900, 600
and some place it at as high as $780,
100000 though this latter figure il
probably excessive. During the period
that the Big Bonanza was in the de-
Ivelopment stage many predictions
We're made as to the probable total
production Of the wonderful mass of
ore. Well known engineers yentured
their guess with the others, and their
predictions ranged all the way from
$3O,000,000 up to $1,500,OO0, 900. The
value Of the Con. Virginia mines early
IN 1875, as determined by the market
price OF shares was $75,6O0,00O, and
of the California sS4,24OOO0, making
total valuation of $3.50, S40, 900. From
1873 to 1878 the Con. Virginia mine
Is credited with having produced $780,
732,SS263 and the California, during
the same period, $43,727.S31,06, a total
actual production for the two mines
of $104, 460,713.69.
Assessments Exceed Dividends.
Since the latter date many more
millions have been added to this enor
nous production. The excess of divi-
dends over assessments in all of the
mines Of the Comstock Lode has been
officially stated to exceed $56,OO00oO
but 1t is needless to say that had less
extravagant methods prevailed in the
earlier years of the operations there
and had a better knowledge of the
metalurgy of the ores been possible
during the first few years, the ratio
of dividends to assessments would
show far better in favor of the divi-
dends. The total dividends paid are
in excess of $4,000, 900,
Heat Obstacle to Operation.
There have been unusual obstacles
In the way of the development of the
Comstock the principal one being the
floods of scalding water, and the oth-
er the high temperature of the air in
the mine workings. Those unaccus-
toned to the underground conditions
IN those mines can scarcely endure |
the heat when underground for a
short time only as visitors, to saw
nothing Of performing the arduous la
Dor OF the miner. In many working
places 1t required four men where but
one is usually employed, these four
taking turns at 15-minute intervals. Al |
the expiration of this time the miner
would leave the face and stagger out
70 the ice water tank to rest while an
other took his place. The resting
places, near the shaft, are much Cooler
han the working faces These cool
hg on places are only 10 degrees,
which. as compared with 140 degrees,
Dr. even more. seems really pleasant.
n addition to these unusual condi-
IONS which greatly increase the cost
u mining, are the excessive cost IF
transportation of supplies of every de-
'cription; the high cost Of water. and
he cost of power. Nothing Is chea u.
verifying Is dear. Not a thing Is
Produced on the Comstock that can be
lsed in the mines. Even the timber
las to be shipped in from California. |,
he timber growth of the Sierra New
ida, within so miles Of the great mines
having been denuded many years ago.
my one of the factors of expense here
mentioned is sufficient to noticeablv
ase mining costs, but when it is con-
ldered that all Of them and many
theirs have to be met. it is no Won
er that mining costs are. and ALWAYS
ave been, high in Washoe, and It is \,
the mines continued Z, ,
FORK as long as they did.
Water Greatest Handicap.
The greatest handicap is undoubted t
the water. Such was the case at the {
Inc of the discovery Of the Big b. c
ANA and it is more than probable +
nat had this famous discovery nat a
cen made that mining on the Com. S
LOCK would have come to an end in I
ne early '70s The Big Bonanza was 0
iscovered in 1873, after a period of f
ronounced depression in mining ac- "
WHY on the lode. This discovery n
imulated interest in the great lode 4
most remarkable degree. and al s.
affected mining generally through Il
1t the west seeming to restore con- Ir
ience in the industry. The phenom- II
ial development of the bonanza ORC r,
'dy caused nearly every company Q
the lode to go to work with renew Ito
energy and mining was continued Ia
lth great vigor there for several In
'ars, but after six or seven years /. Ell
ackened again. and in 1886 deep min CO
z tbelow the level OF the Sutro tun- w
- was abandoned for the very sim at