The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-06-04

more or less unpleasantness, chiefly
more, the Mexican company withdrew
from the pumping association, in or
der 10 await developments.
Didn't Wait Long.
1T has not had to wait very long
The other companies quickly ran into
debt for electric power the pumping
expense being about $1,000 per month
for power alone, and something like
$4,000 is now owed to the Iruckee
River General Electric company, which
is controlled by the American Gold
fields Consolidated, and is operated by
Stone & Webster. The directors Of
the several companies have levied the
usual assessments in order to keep the
game going, but at last the real stock
holders of the majority of the compa-
MES had become tired, the titular
stockholders-the brokers--did not
want 10 put up their own money, and
consequently the majority Of the stock
has reverted to the treasures Of the
companies for the non payment Of as
sessments. This is the case of the
Savage, Gould a. Curry. Hale 4 Nor
cross, Best 4 Belcher, Chollar, EX-
chequer. Alpha and Bullion compan-
les. The Sierra Nevada has an as
sessment pending, The stock of the
Ophir and Consolidated California &
Virginia is still out, The Mexican and
Union are the Slosson companies.
1T should be noted that we are re-
ferring to the group of ComstocE
mines at Virginia City. The more i'm
portant mines of the Gold Hill section,
viz. the Crown Point, yellow Jacket
and Belcher. passed some years ago
under the control of T.. Il. Sturgis Of
Scranton, Pa. who has been undertake
ing to operate them seriously.
Control May Pass.
THE present situation is, therefore,
that the control of the majority Of the
Comstock properties may pass to
whomever will take out of their treas
uries the stock upon which trifling
assessments are unpaid. There Is,
therefore, good chance that the con-
troll may be taken away from the brok
erage ring and by interests who are
minded to do real mining. The Com
stock still has great possibilities as
mining district if it be approached
with a view to real development and
real mining, as the recent experience
of the Mexican company has amply
demonstrated.
THE Ophir also during the last few
years had an excellent ore body and
ought to have yielded good profit, If
it had been mined in modern fashion.
We say from our own observation
there was never greater difference be-
tween any two mines than between
the Mexican and the Ophir, the work
ings Of which are separated only by
bulkheads. Modern methods of devel
opment, intelligent drainage and ven
tilation made of the Mexican a mine
which, although hot, nevertheless per-
mitted Of efficient work by the min
ers. Open a door and pass into the
Ophir, and there was an inferno.
"At the time when the pumping as
ISOLATION was formed, in 1898, the wa
ter at the Comstock mines stood about
20 feet below the 1700-f foot. or SutrC
tunnel level. The pumping reduced 1t
to the 2500-foot level At one time a
further gain was made and the 27O0-
foot level was reached, but this was
obtained with inefficient machinery and
could not be held. At present the wa
ter stands at the 2500-foot level. We
hope that somebody will quickly be
found to take control of the whole
group Of Comstock companies, put
them under a united management and
make a serious effort to unearth the
possibilities that many biologists and
engineers believe this great mining
u.strict still to have. Since it's palm
days there have been great improve
ments in mining methods mining ma =
chinery, mining knowledge, indeed in
almost everything pertaining to the
mining industry The Comstock mines
have never yet had more than a tenth
or a twentieth of chance to be bene-
fitted by the improvements In the art. y