Year: 1863

THE CAvING Is OF THE OPHIR AND SPANISH
M1yEs.-We find the following account in the
Virginia City Enterprise. 1t shows some Of the
peris attending silver mining:


At half past zen O'Clock, yesterday, fifty feet
OF the Mexican mine, (from the surface to a
depth of 2l5 feet.) and fifty feet of the fourth
gallery of the Ophir, caved in. At first, we
naturally imagined that the mightiest calamity
which bad ever befallen the Territory was upon
u.s. but an investigation Of the facts dispelled the
notion. We learned that this vast cave had been
looked for every day for the past two weeks, and
every hour rendered the danger more imminent
cheerful information for US, since we were in
those mines only the day before the accident /;
aud had no recollection Of being told at the time
that they we're expecting some fun of this kind
there. The reason why the Territory has sus
tained no serious damage by this misfortune is,
that only portion of one gallery OF the Opbir
was injured. while in the Spanish the cave only
saved the Company trouble and expense, by fill
ing up at once what they had already begun to
fill up themselves The south end of the Spanish
had been breasted out to depth OF two hundred
and twenty five feet, and it was the intention Of
the Company to fill this up with refuse dirt be-
fore taking out any more ore. This had been
done, with the exception of the two upper setts
of tmbers-say ten feet-and this mass of earth
settled till the top timberS did not touch the
roof OF the mine by three feet wherefore, about
an eighth Of an acre Of surface ground being un-
supported, finally sunk yesterday morning, de-
stroying the Spanish shaft and portion OF the
after end OF the engine house. For two weeks
the Spanish Company have taken out no ore, but
in the meantime have attempted TO avert the ac-
cident, and failed. They will now sink new
shaft, in front of the ledge, and drift from under
it at either end of the mine they please. The
north end has not been worked at all. To sink
this shaft will require four months at least, and
in the meantime the mine will remain idle they
might 60 down on the ledge at once, though, on
the north end.


The Opbir will be delayed only a short time
by the accident. AT least an acre of the ground
Is cracked open if blast had been let off un-
der it these cracks extend from the north end
of the Spanish works, past the Ophir and down
TO the north line of the Central up the hill they
extend about fifty yards and some of the houses
thereabouts are shaken up as if they had eXpe'
rienced earthquake. stone cabin belong
ing 10 man named Kelley was knocked clean
out of shape, not even having a resemblance to
d cooked hat left. Messrs. Palmer, Wilder Har-
Wy and Beckwith, Superintendents of the Ophr
aud Spanish, were down in the mine when the
cavng commenced. Bcckwh aud Wilder were
in the fourth gallery of the Ophr, when dirt and
stones began TO give away and fall, and the huge
tIDbers began to pop like fire crackers They
went down into the fifth gallery, and went into





strations were going on returning they stop
ped to talk with Mr.. Palmer, and about to de-
scend tbirty-fve feet deeper, into the sixth gal
lery, when the grand cave in the Spanish mine
took place, producing uncomfortable crash
and also gale OF wind which blew their candles
out and left them in darkness. Snguarly
enough, they wore all inspired at the same mo-
ment with a desire to go home. Whereupon they,
together with about twenty workmen, groped
their way to the incline and started up the mar
row stairway in single file, in gloom as of
midnight, and with the tmbers cracking and
handfulls OF earth crumbling down about them.
The only observations made were " Hurry, hurry
you fellows ahead there !" And they climbed
that almost perpendicular staircase of three hun
dred feet without ever stopping TO rest Think
Of it, Mayor Arick you who have rested twenty
times in the ascent, and then " let down at The
threshold of the mine, These gentlemen were
aware, though, that not only was an infant earth
quake going on below them, but the incline was
caving at the top. 1t was "a narrow escape. One
man had still narrower one. 1t seems that he
was in drift near the surface when the cave
closed il up and buried him alive for a moment
but the ground soon cracked open above bis
head, and he made q dive for a crevasse and was
drawn out by the workmeD We would have
gone down into the Opbir yesterday afternoon,
in defiance of the danger, but we didn' t want to-
We shall not have time to go down to-day.