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archieftoegang 2.10.02, inventarisnummer 2901, pagina 17

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aapouz vnou rux satxer connrrraz
1two gears 1873 and 18741 this Mine nas pielded Bullion to the value
1of 5000. 000 dollars, the principal of it since last Tune. The vield tor
11 September was 562, 000 dollars, and tor October 610. 000 dollars. The daily
i pield of the ore is about 400 tons: about 44 per cent. of the value of the
Bullion is 6018.
4
It is estimated that there are standins in the
Mine above the 1, 530. toot level, over 13 millions of dollars worth of ore: below
iit is as yet incaleulable: Mr. Whitehill ihen proceeds to write of the
adjoinins Mine, the Calitornia, trom which it should ve particulariy observed,
no amount of Bullion worth mentionins was raised in 1875. The actual raisins
of ore nas only just begun. Ot this Mine, ne says The discovery of rich ore
is in this Mine was the result of the derelopments made in the Consolidated
t Virginia. The same body ot ore extends trom one to the other, and noi tar
t beyond is not yet determined. The tirst discovery of this ore was on the 1, 500
1 toot level. The ore here averases 600 dollars per 1on. About 10 teet below
the 1,500 toot level the richest portion of the ore is tound. It is said to averase
here 1200 dollars per ton. Et has veen estimatea by reliable persons, that this
bonanra will pield over 100, 000, 000 dollars.
Mr. Raymond, the Commissioner of Minins Statisties, in vis Report tor
the year 1874. writes as tollows of the same group of mines: So tar as this
i ground nas veen explored it is impossible to come to any detinite conclusion as
1s to the actual dimensions of the ore-6089.
the ore varies in quality: extraordinarily rich streats are met with. In some
As nas veen remarked,
is places tor 50 teet in the cross. outs the ore assays 900 dollars, and, axain, sections
11of 200 teet assay 130 dollars: s on the other hand, in some places the ore
1 will not assay above 50 dollars: I tabulous reports and estimates have veen
tsiven vargins trom 150000,000 10 1, 500, 000, 000 dollars in 5i5h1. I is
i reasonable to suppose that the grouna trom the best and belcher north line
to the Ophir south line (apparently the ground of the Consolidated Virginia
and the Calitornia) ( will pield, judsins trom present derelopments and present
i pield, ore tor two years to come at the present rate of extraction, vi2. 450 10
11 580 tons daily. The quality of the ore is a matter of pure speculation. At
ii present the average is about 150 dollars per ton: 1 Mr. Luckhardt thinks
1that 160 dollars may possibly be an average of the whote mass reterred 10,
t but this is merely a prudent quess: tThe Calitornia is not yet producins:
In the Best and Belcher, much 500d ore is anticipated, but the work is pro-
gressins Slowl9.
An averase of 500 tons of ore per day, sivins 150 dollars worth of
Bullion per ton, would, takins the gear at 300 workins days, sive an annual
vield of 22, 000, 000 dollars, o2 4. 400, 0001. 1. as vour Committee have under
5100d. work is not suspended on Sundays, the amount would be considerably
larger.
It is important, nowever, to observe at this point that the vullion pro.
auced in most of the Silver mines of the Onited States, vut especially in those
of the Comstock Lode, contains a large proportion of 6o1d. In several of the
documents submitted to pour Committee, it is stated that one thira of the tot21
value estimated to be produced in the Onited States Should ve deducted tor
Cold, leavins two-thirds tor Silver. In the Comstock Lode the value of the Cold
containea in the vullion is stated on all hands to amount to nearly ts per cent.
The Director of the Mint of the United States, in alludins in nis last Report to
the tabulous accounts which reached turope of the discoveries made near the
1close of 1874 on the Comstock Lode, writes: t Some of the accounts not
is only placed an excessive estimate on the provable piela of the extensive ore
1 body, but the very important fact that the bullion from that source is in value
is nearly half Cold, appears to have escaped attention: The actual results of
parcets of vullion receired in this country trom the State ot Verada were placed
betore pour Committee, as sheun by account sales, and corroborate the esti
mate siven. Accordinsiy, when certain Mines, or Troups of Silver Mines, in
the United States are stated to have pielded a siven sum, the tact of Co1d
enterins on so large a scate into the amount must never ve torgotten. The
omission to take this circumstance into account, and the difficulty of deter
minins what the actual deduction shoula ve in the case of different mines, have
caused a great part ot the confusion and the discrepancies wvich are to ve touna
in the various estimates formed of the production ot Silver in the United States.
Takins
Appendix 9.
Appendix 8.
ov oapaxotarior op Stvxk.
Pakins 43 per cent. as the proportion of 6old in the mines of the Comstock
Lode, the estimate of the annual product must ve reduced trom 22, 000. 000
dollars 10 12, 100. 000 dollars, 16. trom 4, 400, 0001. 10 2, 420, 0001.
In the latter part of the year 1863. the Director of the Mint himselt
visited these mines, and pour Committee, theretore, think it right to sive nis
account of them almost in tull:
i New and Extensive Developments of Precious Metal Ores on the Comstoch Lode.
ix
1.It was a curions coincidence that, about the time the new spacions Mint at San Appendix 9.
Francisco was completed, and increased facilities siven the Carson Mint by the duplica
tion of its coinins machinery, the lacitie coast shoula be surprised by the reported
discovery of an ore body in the Comstoek Lode wlich eurpassed in extent and richness
all others that nad veen previonsly met with.
is Since the usetulness ot those Mints to the country at large, and more especially Cali
tornia and Verada, depende dupon the supply ot the precions metals which they receive tor
manipulation, it was important to ascertain noi tar the expectations ot an abundant suppli
trom that source were likely to be realised. Additional interest was siven to this dis
oovery in consequence ot the passage of an Act of Congress lookins to preparations tor
a return to specie payments.
1:In view ot these taets, and veins in Calitornia durins the summer on official business,
ttelt it my duty to obtain correct information respectins the extent of the ore body and
its prospective vield of bullion. Laccordinsly sought a conterence with the managers of
the Consolidated Virginia and Calitornia mines, in which the discovery was repre
sented to have been made, and explained to them my views, statins that the information
sought was deemed important tor the use of the Covernment.
i The sentlemen applied to cheertully acquiesced in my wishes, and volunteered every
aid they coula sive in promotins my object, ofterins to alloi me to seteet any one whom
tthought proper to 5o into the mines tor the purpose ot makins tull observations and
measurements, and to tate epecimens trom the several dritis, crossouts, and winzes tor
assay, representins, as nearly as coula ve obtained, an average of the ore 6089.
ee In view of this ofter, l‛determinea to make a personal inspection ot these mines, and
to call to my aid the services of Protessor Robert L. Rogers, 1010, as betore stated, nad
veer selectea tor the important auty of superintendins the equipment of the retinery in
the new mint at San Francisco. The annual settlement of the San Francisco Mint havins
been completed, Lvisited Virginia City, in company with Protessor Rogers, on the 16th
day of July. Atter spendins a day in examinins the topography of the locality, and the
seneral course of the Comstock Lode, as exhibited by the workings alons its line, we
entered the mines, and on the first day examined the dritts and crossouts, which had
veen made on the 1400, 1, 500. and 1, 550 teet levets, observins the course of the same,
and makins such a collection ot specimens as seemed to us to represent an average of
thercharacter ot the ore bo89. Epon comparins our views, it appeared that there were
sonie points which needed a turther and corrovorative inspection, and accordinsly the
next day Protessor Rogers repeatea nis visit into the mines, settled the points that
nad been omitted on the tirst day, and gathered a second extensire collection ot specimens
to2 25589.
i Betore we tett Virginia Citz tor San Francisco, the superintendent ot the mines
placed in our hands certitiea eurveys, exhibitins the direction, relative position, and length
ot the salleries, crossouts, and winres of the different levels. These surveys were taken
to San Francisco tor caretul examination and study.
On the 26th of August, navins official husiness at the Carson Mint, Lagain visited
the mines, repeatea iheir inspection, and examinea especially the explorations which nad
veen made since my previons visit, takins specimens trom them tor a55a9.
1At my request, the superintendent of the mines nas turnished a statement shewins
the explorations and developments made trom 261h August, the date of my last visit, up
to the 2nd instant November.
is In the meantime, the assays of the specimens taken have veen made ander the
supervision ot Protessor Rogers.
With the data thus obtained, we have veen able to arrive at somewhat detinite con
clusions as to the provable gield ot these mines. These conclusions are embodied in a
Report by Protessor Rogers, herewith submitted, and in which Leoneur:
e H. R. Linderman, Director of the Mint
Professor Rogers had reported as tollows:-
te My explorations through these Mines were accomplished durins two prolonged visits,
made on separate days: one in company with jourselt, and the other under the quidance
ot the Superintendent. This was a work not merely ot a general or superticial character,
vut of caretul and laborions inrestigation, in which all the salleries and orossouts on the
different accessible levets were critically inspectea and scrutinised with reterence to the
body of ore that might be within view, and its appearance in point of quality.
338.
Appendix 9.
t: The