The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1915-10-23
"The Nine" at the Fair

1t is peculiarly fitting that the mining industry
should be unusually well represented at oan rraliciseo
because OF the important part that mining mas pidSeu ~
the DEVELOPMENT of resources OF California. says the In
pineerino and Mining Journal. SO today the visitor al
the Panama-Pacific exposition has an opportunity TO see
practically at first hand the development OF one II oul
greatest assets-our underground Wealtll-and at the SANE
time inspect a mine without any OF the d1scom1orts usuaf
" attending such a visit. The bureau OF mines OF the de
nartment OF the interior has. through the active and I'M
selfish cooperation OF a number OF manufacturers ah'
operators OF mining equipment, established an eHh1Dlt 'ia
easily ranks as one of the most interesting OF the eNposi
ton. Quoting from a pamphlet issued by the bureau O.
mines describing the exhibit:
This exhibit. as its name implies, is an actual re
production of ull-size entries, drifts, slopes and rooms,
selected from typical mines IN various parts OF the
United States. In the several rooms OF lhe Mine
are installed the appropriate machinery and Appliances
1sed in the modern mines. Visitors who expect to
see in the mine ancient appliances tanned III story as
the mine mule, the 2ray-bearded MINER with PICK and
candle, black blasting powder and unventilated work
ing places will be agreeably disappointed to find here
a model mine, designed and operated upon such
modern working conditions as are best calculated to
assure the safety and health OF the miners as we'll as
efficiency of operation.
The mine n'ay be entered either by way OF a cage
down the shaft or by walking down the slope. lhe
former is a realistic representation OF a mine cage
descending the shais. The visitor enters through a
typical housing and sees a panoramic effect OF neigh
boring mines and settlements. AS the cage door is
closed he experiences the sensation Of descending the
r.irc. SLOWLY at first, then faster until full speed is at
tanned. Cribbing, timbers backed with tagging, then
rock strata, and deeper and darker are seen two en-
tries with miners working. The illusion is produced
bv the canvas walls of the cage being caused to move
past the occupant, and the illusion of rapid descent is
greatly accentuated by means OF a current OF air
blown upward through the cage, both the panorama
and the blower being operated by a five horsepower
WESTINGHOUSE motor. Finally the cage appears to
slow down and then stop. whereupon the opposite
door to that which the visitor entered is opened and
he is allowed to leave and proceed through a dark
ened tunnel to the mine under the impression that he
has descended to a considerable depth, while as a mat
ter of fact, he leaves on the same level as he en-
tered.
Once in the mine, there is a vast number OF inter
estino exhibits. Ore brought from its native state
and the setting reproduced at great pains and expense
make the visitor feel as if he were really IN a NINE.
Great credit is due to some of the operating COM
Danies for their hearty cooperation in making this eX-
hibit one Of the features of the exposition. Some OF
these have expended large sums OF money and the
services of expert engineers in reproducing sections
Of mines on their properties with great accuracy and
detail. The timbering used was all taken from actual
service in different mines-not made for the occa-
ion"-an it bears the earmarks of years OF good
service. Space does not permit a description OF all the
exhibits in the mine. but a few of the more import
ant may be mentioned: Mining in the gold mines OF
Nevada: at Lead in South Dakota; silver in Idaho;
copper in Arizona and iron ore in Minnesota are among
the representative operations shown.