Volume 35 (1877) (426 pages)

70° MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. [August 4, 1877. oe THe Engineer. Berlin Pneumatic Dispatch. We read in the Journal of the Franklin Institute that the proposed pueumatic dispatch in Berlin emhraces 26 kilometers of tube, and has 15 initial statious. The wrought iron tubes have a clear breadth of 65 millimeters, and lie about one meter below the surface of the ground, The letters and cards which are to be forwarded have a prescrihed size, aud are enclosed in iron hoxes or cartridges, each of which can hold 20 letters or cards. In order that they may pack closely, they are covered with leather. From 10 to 15 cartridges are packed and forwarded at a time; hehind the last cartridge is placed a hox with a leather ruffle, in order to secure the best possible cloeure of the tuhe. At four of the stations are the machines and apparatus needed for the business. The forwarding of the boxes is effected through compressed or rarefied air, or through a combination of the two. Steam engines of about 12-horse power are used for the condensation or exhaustion of the air. Each main station has two engines, which drive a compressing and an exhausting apparatus, the steam for each engine heing furnished by two hoilers. Large reservoirs are employed, both for the condensed aud for the raretied air. The former has a tension of about three atmospheres; the latter of about 35 millimeters of mercury. The air, which is heated to 45° C. by the compression, is cooled again in doublewalled cylinders which are surrounded by water. The velocity of the hoxes averages 1,000 meters per minute, and a train is dispatched every 15 miuutes. Each of the two circuits is traversed in 20 minutes, including stoppages. The entire cost of the enterprise will he ahout 1,250,000 marks. e MecwanicaL Enerneers.— Mechanical engineers seem to be better appreciated on English railroads than on ours, says the Railroad Gazette, In connection with a notice of the appointment of a successor to Mr. Joseph Armstrong, late Chief Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Western railway, it is stated that the salary of the position is £1,500 a year— equivalent to a little more than $7,500 iu our curreucy. Moreover, after Mr. Armstrong’s death, the company voted his widow a gratuity of £1,000. No master mechanic in the United States, itis safe to say, gets a salary anything like this. Very likely, too, some of our roads would he better off if they had a $7,500 man at the bead of their mechanical department—if they could find one. Certainly it cannot be expected that the best talent will devote itself to or remaiuin this department (where first-class ahility is so much needed), unless it offers some great prizes as well as many little ones. Too many railroad companies seem to regard master mechanics as intelligent blacksmiths, who ought to know how tools are used hut have no great need of brains or education. They are not, in the long ruu, likely to get much hetter material than they ask for—and pay for. Aw Encinezr Honorep.—The New York Angineering Journal learns that the Emperor of Germany, in acknowledgment of the services rendered to German engineers visiting this country, by Mr. William G. Neilson, Secretary of the Centennial Committee of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, has conferred npon that gentleman the fourth class of the Royal Order of the Red Eagle, the decoration of which (a handsome silver Maltese cross, ribbon, ete.), together with a suitable letter from Baron Thielmann, the German charge d’affaires at Washiugton, came to Mr. Neilson’s hands last week. This graceful recognition is in keeping with the cordial spirit in which the German government aud its representatives have from the begiuning accepted the courtesy and assistance: which the institute was able to render. Mr. Neilson was, however, far more than a mere official representative of the institute. It is not toomuch to say that he made himself the personal friend of every guest of the institute who needed his services, and that he deserves a large part of the credit which the successful execution of the plans of the Centennial Committee has reflected upon the society. Ratbway ruroucH Epen.—The scheme of malting a shorter route to India, by constructing arailway along the valley of the Euphrates, appears to receive a good deal of attention at present. The project is uo doubt a fascinating one, but the difficulties in the way of such an undertaking are, however, enormous, if not iusuperahle, That the line, if accomplished, can be anything more than a military road for British troops, few who know anything of the country will contend. The climate may be deecrihed as deadly, and what was ouce a vast fertile garden, teeming with life and industry, and having a magnificent system of irrigation, is now an arid waste, traversed only by bands of plundering Arahs. Canapian CAnat,—The work on the Welland canal, enlarging it to the capacity of vessels of the largest class, will not be completed before the fall of 1879. When completed, it will have locks 278 fet long and 45 feet wide, with 14 feet depth on the sills, the canal proper having a width of 100 feet at the bottom, with a depth of 15 feet. Vessels of over 2,500 tons burden will be enabled to pase through. Asiatic Railway Routes. From the journal of the Vienna Imperial Geographical Society, 1876, we see that M. Hochstatler, the President, has recently published a brochure on these routes, some of which projects are as follows. They will give our eugineers a chance to study the magnificent in projecting: 1. Baranowski project.—Point of departure, Saratow; direction across the country of the Trirguises, the length of Amou-Daria across the Hindoo Couch, which would be the shortest line from Moscow to Peshawer. 2. Project.—Lesseps-Cotard; from Orenberg to Peshawer hy Orsk, Tachkend, Chodchend, Samarcand and Balch. f : 8. Project.—Bogdanowitch, frontier of Siberia stations, Moscow, Cazan, Catherinobourg, Onisk, Tonisk, Irkuck, Tchita, Dalai-Noor, Peking. 4, Project.—Ruhthofen; juuction with the route of Siberia to Onisk (Semipalatinsk), Sugiopol, defile Kastew, Tachkend, Chodchend, Samarcand and Balch. At this last point the route turns toward the west by Wechked and Teheran to join at Tiflis, the Russian Caucasian Reseau, presently in course of construction. Last geological explorations have proved the existence in Central Asia of immense depots of Combustible fossils. Fasr Trarns Suecestep.—The Railway Age says it has been suggested, and not without some reason, that the Union and Central Pacific Railroad Companies might imbihe a little of the fast train mania to real advantage. At present the time spent by the express train from Omaha to Sau Francisco is something over 102 hours for the 1,916 miles, or an average of alittle over 19 miles an hour. If the speed was increased to an average of 25 miles, the long journey would be reduced fully twentyfour hours—a very important saving to travelers on husiness, and one that would not be at all unwelcome to pleasure tourists. It is true that a considerable part of the distance is over heavy grades, but there is also a very large proportion of*level road, and the proposed time could easily be made—especially on the completion of the loop line from Bautas to Oakland, which will save ahout two hours over the present route. Of course the increased speed would be somewhat more expensive, but it might pay nevertheless. Certainly if another transcontinental line is ever opened we shall be likely to see the present line shortening up its time-table, and it is not impossihle that the trip from the Missouri to the Pacific may yet be regularly made in two days and a half instead of nearly four and a half as now. Tue Orp Casie.—An English paper says: “ Persons interested in cable companies will be astonished to learn that there has just been picked np in mid-Atlantic the long-lost cahle which was laid by the Great Eastern steamship twelve years since. The successful laying of that cahle was hailed with rejoicings in the New World and the Old, for though an earlier cable had been partly laid, the cable of 1865 was the first which had actually transmitted a message from the other side. But that cahle soon broke, and was completely lost for the time. The Telegraph Construction Company sent a steamer recently to fish for the old cahle, and a message received through the identical line the other day states that the cable has been recovered in the middle of the Atlantic in good condition. The Anglo-American Company intend to have the line completed and got to work as soon as possible, and this will make the fourth cable of the Anglo American Company. Reciamation oF Lanp iv Morecambe Bay. —A scheme has been originated, says London fron, and is in fact being carried out, under the auspices of the Warton Land Company, for the reclamation of about 10,000 acres of land from Morecainhe bay, by the construction of a sea wall to extend from Hest Bank railway station on the London and Northwestern railway to Arnside point. It is proposed to construct a drive betweeu Morecambe and Arnside, and the possibility of a railway connection across the new hank is talked about. When this work is completed the distance hetween Lancaster and Barrow will he reduced by 10 or 12 miles. The estimated cost of the work is £150,000, and it is thonght the land when reclaimed will represeut a value of £400,000. Licarinc Turwers.—We learn that the managers of the Hoosac tunnel are considering the feasibility of lighting that great subterranean work, so as to remove the gloom attendant on a ride of thirteen minutes through its blackness of darkness, and to give the traveler a better idea of this wonderful passage, four and threequarter miles long, hewn through the mountain at a cost of nearly $17,000,000. The problem of lighting so vast a gallery throughout its ontire extent ie a difficult one and will require some study. Cosrity Brincr.—The trustees of the Brooklyn bridge, crossing East river, betweeu New York and that city, at their meeting on July 2d, etating that thus far $7,557,135 have heen expended npon the hridge, the balance on hand being $154,147. Two strands iu the hridge cable were completed July 2d, containing respectively 324 and 326 wires. The ouly other bridge in the United States as costly as this ie the great railroad bridge across the Mississippi at St. Louie, in which about $10,000,000 are invested. An Army of Miners. A Chronicle reporter was detailed a few days ago to ascertain as nearly as possible the number of miners employed on the Comstock. The following figures, which were furnished by the accountants named, are accurate. The names of the companies are stated in the order in which their claims occur on the lode: (OEM ese (sco dh S connemcn on Sierra Nevada.. Union Consolidated AOS EEG co yoocace 42 OpDU sce. ase): eee 222 California, Con. Virginia, C and C shaft. 1160 Best & Belchersstay. cet. eetew eee e: 27 Gould & Curry 100 Savage. .e.se 100 Hale & Norcross. 54 Chollar and Combin; 110 Bullion and Exchequer. 50 Tmperial Yellow Jacket, Crown Polit yam, aac. Belcher and pump shaft. OVEIMEN ae tee ae The Julia, which is located on the problematic “‘east ledge,” employs 32 men, The above, although it includes all the mines on what is recognized asthe Conistock lode, is hy no means a full report of the number of meu employed at mining in the neighborhood. There are many smaller claims which give employment to from two to ten hands, which are not mentioned at all. Setting the total of such at 150, it will be seen that the whole number will reach 3,156. Of this number, exactly 1,800 are employed iu the Utah, Sierra Nevada, Union Con., California, Con. Virginia, Best & Belcher, Gould & Curry, Savage, Hale & Norcross and Yellow Jacket mines, which are now controlled by the honanza firm; 806 are cmployed in the Mexican, Ophir, Chollar, Comhination shaft, Imperial, Belcher, Overman and Caledonia— controlled by the Sharon or Bank of California party, and 64] in the Bullion, Exchequer and Justice—controlled hy the Schnltz & Von {Bargen party. The lahor prospects are improving slowly, as some of the mines are continually adding to their working force. For instance, although the Ophir, since their last pay day, has reduced its force by about 30 meu, the honanza companies have added about 150 to their working force; so that the numher at present employed is really ahove that stated in the tahle, as the figuree there giveu were taken from the last pay rolls. Within the next 30 or 40 days, the Wells Fargo, Phil Sheridan, North Con, Virinia, Ward, Alpha, Knickerbocker, Baltimore Con., Silver Hill, Dayton, Kossuth, and a score of mines of lesser note, will prohably be started up again. The figures ahove stated do uot include the men employed in and about the mills. — Virginia Chronicle, Pike City Gravel Mines. A correspoudent of the Mountain Messenger (Sierra county), writes as follows from Pike City: While other localities have been busy puffing themselves on paper and finally bursting, like the toad in the fable, we of classic Pike have been modestly standing on our conscious dignity waiting for our worth to be appreciated, and in consequence have been almost forgotten even by the candidates for office, whose memories are so long and who “love the people all so dearly.” This ridge is the divide between Oregon creek and the Middle Yuba, and there is a comparatively level strip of from one to twomiles wideon the top of the ridge. Along this strip are scattered the ranches; foremost in size are Wayman’s, Harris’s, Clerkin’s, Robinson’s, Nelson’s, Houghton’s and several smaller ones. The principal products are hay, potatoes and hutter. There are many indications of prosperity among them showing that a mountain ranch does pay, for instance, the building of new barns and adding to their fields. The formation is much similar to the generality of the southern part of the county, except in the number of talcose veins. These veins are very numerous, and cut through and across the formation in as clear and defined a manuer as any quartz ledge. In many places they carry gold in paying quantities, generally in streaks of quartz running in every direction through the tale. The quartz ledges have beeu very little prospected around here, and none except the Alaska to any depth. This mine has heen worked to a depth of 225 feet from the croppings and paid big. There was good rock iu the hottom of the lower level, but the pumpjug machiuery had got too light to go down. At this time the mine changed hands and the new owners essayed to make it pay by increasing the battery from five to ten stamps, and going after top rock. Since that time the mine has been idle most of the time, except as Mr. Marriott has taken out some patches of ore under a lease, and used the mill part of the time ae an artist’e etudio. The placers were in early daye very rich both in rough and washed gold. They cousisted in ehallow gulches which were easily exhausted, and then re-exhausted by the Chinese. The class of eurface minere who worked out the section of the country, left as eoon as the rivers were worked, without much eearch for the source of gold they found in the grass-roots and the few who remained turned their attention to ranching, On the Oregon creek eide, is a ridge of gravel mixed atthe surface with some quartz bouldere, In this ridge the gulches near Pike City all head, and here they probahly got their washed gold; yet, for two miles I do not think there is a tunnel or shaft on the ridge. What we want is a revival, and it will surely come. Mining is epidemic, and when it breake out in a locality everybody goes there and begins to prospect in all the reasonable and unreasonable 26 . places, and in consequence several good mines are always found soon after some emigrant bluuders on good pay. ‘A Marvelous Winze. There ie a great mine on the Comstock. It has for some years been a matter of deep concern to many people. We may say the concern commeuced when people had loaded up on margins at $243, and suddenly the bottom fell out. That bottom was the matter then; it seems to be yet. The story goes that some 10 days since a winze was being sunk, when the same treacherous body ehowed painful signs of a change to a formation whicb is not considered the best for holding treasure. Then the work was stopped. With laborions effort water— thokgh water is scarce—was brought and the winze was filled to the depth of five feet, Just then a promineut expert was desirous of visiting the mine. Ou the top he was told about the winze and the eudden inflow of water. The account was rendered in a tone of regret, which did not succeed in concealing the sorrow of the managers that such an unlooked-for obstruction should come up in their path, But to show him what would have been but for the catastrophe, he was lowered down to the top of the winze; a brave miner was armed with a giant cartridge, and was hesought, if possible, to get some ore from the very bottom. He was a good miner, the charge was successfully exploded, and, on his eecuud journey, the miner, out of five feet of water, brought up the ore. The expert who had waited, clutched it, assayed it aud reported hy telegraph that it was three hundred and odd dollars at the hottom of the wet winze. The stock went up $2.50 per share and was steadily advancing when it was discovered that the treacherous bottom had deceived the people again—the water had eecped away. This was too bad. When the etory was reported toa distinguished Superintendent, and he was asked what would be a Fair conclusion of the whole business, he said it was the most ungrateful winze he ever heard of; that the nistake was made in using water; that in Justice to the mme lager beer should now be tried. There is no point to the ahove except that it is youched for as true and reveals a system which we thought was coufined to White Pine in the early days, when a Superintendent there asked a man, whom he caught stealing Eberhardt $30,000 rock, if he could not get along with less than a full sack. ‘Not a d—d ounce less,” was the reply; ‘‘I have got to sella claim with this sack of rock,”— Virginta Enterprise. Osceola District. ‘The White Pine News says: At Osceola, the five-etamp mill of Wagner, Peck & Co. is constantly working on Exchange ore with satisfactory results. Our informant rode eome six hours over the district apd saw a number of good leads; principal amongst them are the Cuinberland, which is a-five-foot vein, owned by Mr. George Blair, who, several years ago, worked his mine with an arastra, making it pay. This was before the placers were struck. Other promising mines are the Exchange and Golden Eagle, owned by Mr, James Mattison, the former being leased by the mill company. The Woodman, owned by Peters & Irvine, and the Gilded Age, owned hy Watson & Barrows, are well-defined ledgee, ahout four feet wide, and ehow free gold to the naked eye. The fact that every little yulch around will pay wages in coarse gold is ere adaae! enongh to develop tis district. “Some of these gulch claims are paying well, Wizel & Chappel are making $12 per day to the man, and a number of miners are taken out from $6 to $7 per day. Others make good wages by cleaning up the bedrock and packing the dirt to water. These gulch claims extend about five miles in length and would pay big for one season if a good stream ° of water was convenient to the camp. There is a scope of country, about four miles wide by six in length, in which appears principally quartzite, with an under strata of slate and some porphyry, the general direction of the country rock being north and south, while the quartz veins cut the same at an angle bearing about 20° south. The place has already at. tracted the attention of capitalists, and Mr. Sam Ferguson, a mining expert, has spent several days in examining the mines, The businees of the town of Oeceola ie represented hy two saloons, two restaurants, two butchershops and one etore. Many old White Piners are located there, and vie with others in the description of their claims. Several of the natives were asked the population of the place, hut they varied from 150 to 500. There are probably 100 men in the vicinity. A good road leads from Oeceola to Snake valley, from which are brought new potatoes, fresh vegetas blee, trout and other delicacies. :

70° MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. [August 4, 1877. oe THe Engineer. Berlin Pneumatic Dispatch. We read in the Journal of the Franklin Institute that the proposed pueumatic dispatch in Berlin emhraces 26 kilometers of tube, and has 15 initial statious. The wrought iron tubes have a clear breadth of 65 millimeters, and lie about one meter below the surface of the ground, The letters and cards which are to be forwarded have a prescrihed size, aud are enclosed in iron hoxes or cartridges, each of which can hold 20 letters or cards. In order that they may pack closely, they are covered with leather. From 10 to 15 cartridges are packed and forwarded at a time; hehind the last cartridge is placed a hox with a leather ruffle, in order to secure the best possible cloeure of the tuhe. At four of the stations are the machines and apparatus needed for the business. The forwarding of the boxes is effected through compressed or rarefied air, or through a combination of the two. Steam engines of about 12-horse power are used for the condensation or exhaustion of the air. Each main station has two engines, which drive a compressing and an exhausting apparatus, the steam for each engine heing furnished by two hoilers. Large reservoirs are employed, both for the condensed aud for the raretied air. The former has a tension of about three atmospheres; the latter of about 35 millimeters of mercury. The air, which is heated to 45° C. by the compression, is cooled again in doublewalled cylinders which are surrounded by water. The velocity of the hoxes averages 1,000 meters per minute, and a train is dispatched every 15 miuutes. Each of the two circuits is traversed in 20 minutes, including stoppages. The entire cost of the enterprise will he ahout 1,250,000 marks. e MecwanicaL Enerneers.— Mechanical engineers seem to be better appreciated on English railroads than on ours, says the Railroad Gazette, In connection with a notice of the appointment of a successor to Mr. Joseph Armstrong, late Chief Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Western railway, it is stated that the salary of the position is £1,500 a year— equivalent to a little more than $7,500 iu our curreucy. Moreover, after Mr. Armstrong’s death, the company voted his widow a gratuity of £1,000. No master mechanic in the United States, itis safe to say, gets a salary anything like this. Very likely, too, some of our roads would he better off if they had a $7,500 man at the bead of their mechanical department—if they could find one. Certainly it cannot be expected that the best talent will devote itself to or remaiuin this department (where first-class ahility is so much needed), unless it offers some great prizes as well as many little ones. Too many railroad companies seem to regard master mechanics as intelligent blacksmiths, who ought to know how tools are used hut have no great need of brains or education. They are not, in the long ruu, likely to get much hetter material than they ask for—and pay for. Aw Encinezr Honorep.—The New York Angineering Journal learns that the Emperor of Germany, in acknowledgment of the services rendered to German engineers visiting this country, by Mr. William G. Neilson, Secretary of the Centennial Committee of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, has conferred npon that gentleman the fourth class of the Royal Order of the Red Eagle, the decoration of which (a handsome silver Maltese cross, ribbon, ete.), together with a suitable letter from Baron Thielmann, the German charge d’affaires at Washiugton, came to Mr. Neilson’s hands last week. This graceful recognition is in keeping with the cordial spirit in which the German government aud its representatives have from the begiuning accepted the courtesy and assistance: which the institute was able to render. Mr. Neilson was, however, far more than a mere official representative of the institute. It is not toomuch to say that he made himself the personal friend of every guest of the institute who needed his services, and that he deserves a large part of the credit which the successful execution of the plans of the Centennial Committee has reflected upon the society. Ratbway ruroucH Epen.—The scheme of malting a shorter route to India, by constructing arailway along the valley of the Euphrates, appears to receive a good deal of attention at present. The project is uo doubt a fascinating one, but the difficulties in the way of such an undertaking are, however, enormous, if not iusuperahle, That the line, if accomplished, can be anything more than a military road for British troops, few who know anything of the country will contend. The climate may be deecrihed as deadly, and what was ouce a vast fertile garden, teeming with life and industry, and having a magnificent system of irrigation, is now an arid waste, traversed only by bands of plundering Arahs. Canapian CAnat,—The work on the Welland canal, enlarging it to the capacity of vessels of the largest class, will not be completed before the fall of 1879. When completed, it will have locks 278 fet long and 45 feet wide, with 14 feet depth on the sills, the canal proper having a width of 100 feet at the bottom, with a depth of 15 feet. Vessels of over 2,500 tons burden will be enabled to pase through. Asiatic Railway Routes. From the journal of the Vienna Imperial Geographical Society, 1876, we see that M. Hochstatler, the President, has recently published a brochure on these routes, some of which projects are as follows. They will give our eugineers a chance to study the magnificent in projecting: 1. Baranowski project.—Point of departure, Saratow; direction across the country of the Trirguises, the length of Amou-Daria across the Hindoo Couch, which would be the shortest line from Moscow to Peshawer. 2. Project.—Lesseps-Cotard; from Orenberg to Peshawer hy Orsk, Tachkend, Chodchend, Samarcand and Balch. f : 8. Project.—Bogdanowitch, frontier of Siberia stations, Moscow, Cazan, Catherinobourg, Onisk, Tonisk, Irkuck, Tchita, Dalai-Noor, Peking. 4, Project.—Ruhthofen; juuction with the route of Siberia to Onisk (Semipalatinsk), Sugiopol, defile Kastew, Tachkend, Chodchend, Samarcand and Balch. At this last point the route turns toward the west by Wechked and Teheran to join at Tiflis, the Russian Caucasian Reseau, presently in course of construction. Last geological explorations have proved the existence in Central Asia of immense depots of Combustible fossils. Fasr Trarns Suecestep.—The Railway Age says it has been suggested, and not without some reason, that the Union and Central Pacific Railroad Companies might imbihe a little of the fast train mania to real advantage. At present the time spent by the express train from Omaha to Sau Francisco is something over 102 hours for the 1,916 miles, or an average of alittle over 19 miles an hour. If the speed was increased to an average of 25 miles, the long journey would be reduced fully twentyfour hours—a very important saving to travelers on husiness, and one that would not be at all unwelcome to pleasure tourists. It is true that a considerable part of the distance is over heavy grades, but there is also a very large proportion of*level road, and the proposed time could easily be made—especially on the completion of the loop line from Bautas to Oakland, which will save ahout two hours over the present route. Of course the increased speed would be somewhat more expensive, but it might pay nevertheless. Certainly if another transcontinental line is ever opened we shall be likely to see the present line shortening up its time-table, and it is not impossihle that the trip from the Missouri to the Pacific may yet be regularly made in two days and a half instead of nearly four and a half as now. Tue Orp Casie.—An English paper says: “ Persons interested in cable companies will be astonished to learn that there has just been picked np in mid-Atlantic the long-lost cahle which was laid by the Great Eastern steamship twelve years since. The successful laying of that cahle was hailed with rejoicings in the New World and the Old, for though an earlier cable had been partly laid, the cable of 1865 was the first which had actually transmitted a message from the other side. But that cahle soon broke, and was completely lost for the time. The Telegraph Construction Company sent a steamer recently to fish for the old cahle, and a message received through the identical line the other day states that the cable has been recovered in the middle of the Atlantic in good condition. The Anglo-American Company intend to have the line completed and got to work as soon as possible, and this will make the fourth cable of the Anglo American Company. Reciamation oF Lanp iv Morecambe Bay. —A scheme has been originated, says London fron, and is in fact being carried out, under the auspices of the Warton Land Company, for the reclamation of about 10,000 acres of land from Morecainhe bay, by the construction of a sea wall to extend from Hest Bank railway station on the London and Northwestern railway to Arnside point. It is proposed to construct a drive betweeu Morecambe and Arnside, and the possibility of a railway connection across the new hank is talked about. When this work is completed the distance hetween Lancaster and Barrow will he reduced by 10 or 12 miles. The estimated cost of the work is £150,000, and it is thonght the land when reclaimed will represeut a value of £400,000. Licarinc Turwers.—We learn that the managers of the Hoosac tunnel are considering the feasibility of lighting that great subterranean work, so as to remove the gloom attendant on a ride of thirteen minutes through its blackness of darkness, and to give the traveler a better idea of this wonderful passage, four and threequarter miles long, hewn through the mountain at a cost of nearly $17,000,000. The problem of lighting so vast a gallery throughout its ontire extent ie a difficult one and will require some study. Cosrity Brincr.—The trustees of the Brooklyn bridge, crossing East river, betweeu New York and that city, at their meeting on July 2d, etating that thus far $7,557,135 have heen expended npon the hridge, the balance on hand being $154,147. Two strands iu the hridge cable were completed July 2d, containing respectively 324 and 326 wires. The ouly other bridge in the United States as costly as this ie the great railroad bridge across the Mississippi at St. Louie, in which about $10,000,000 are invested. An Army of Miners. A Chronicle reporter was detailed a few days ago to ascertain as nearly as possible the number of miners employed on the Comstock. The following figures, which were furnished by the accountants named, are accurate. The names

of the companies are stated in the order in which their claims occur on the lode: (OEM ese (sco dh S connemcn on Sierra Nevada... Union Consolidated AOS EEG co yoocace 42 OpDU sce. ase): eee 222 California, Con. Virginia, C and C shaft.. 1160 Best & Belchersstay. cet.. eetew eee e: 27 Gould & Curry 100 Savage.. .e.se 100 Hale & Norcross.. 54 Chollar and Combin; 110 Bullion and Exchequer.. 50 Tmperial Yellow Jacket, Crown Polit yam, aac. Belcher and pump shaft. OVEIMEN ae tee ae The Julia, which is located on the problematic “‘east ledge,” employs 32 men, The above, although it includes all the mines on what is recognized asthe Conistock lode, is hy no means a full report of the number of meu employed at mining in the neighborhood. There are many smaller claims which give employment to from two to ten hands, which are not mentioned at all. Setting the total of such at 150, it will be seen that the whole number will reach 3,156. Of this number, exactly 1,800 are employed iu the Utah, Sierra Nevada, Union Con., California, Con. Virginia, Best & Belcher, Gould & Curry, Savage, Hale & Norcross and Yellow Jacket mines, which are now controlled by the honanza firm; 806 are cmployed in the Mexican, Ophir, Chollar, Comhination shaft, Imperial, Belcher, Overman and Caledonia— controlled by the Sharon or Bank of California party, and 64] in the Bullion, Exchequer and Justice—controlled hy the Schnltz & Von {Bargen party. The lahor prospects are improving slowly, as some of the mines are continually adding to their working force. For instance, although the Ophir, since their last pay day, has reduced its force by about 30 meu, the honanza companies have added about 150 to their working force; so that the numher at present employed is really ahove that stated in the tahle, as the figuree there giveu were taken from the last pay rolls. Within the next 30 or 40 days, the Wells Fargo, Phil Sheridan, North Con, Virinia, Ward, Alpha, Knickerbocker, Baltimore Con., Silver Hill, Dayton, Kossuth, and a score of mines of lesser note, will prohably be started up again. The figures ahove stated do uot include the men employed in and about the mills. — Virginia Chronicle, Pike City Gravel Mines. A correspoudent of the Mountain Messenger (Sierra county), writes as follows from Pike City: While other localities have been busy puffing themselves on paper and finally bursting, like the toad in the fable, we of classic Pike have been modestly standing on our conscious dignity waiting for our worth to be appreciated, and in consequence have been almost forgotten even by the candidates for office, whose memories are so long and who “love the people all so dearly.” This ridge is the divide between Oregon creek and the Middle Yuba, and there is a comparatively level strip of from one to twomiles wideon the top of the ridge. Along this strip are scattered the ranches; foremost in size are Wayman’s, Harris’s, Clerkin’s, Robinson’s, Nelson’s, Houghton’s and several smaller ones. The principal products are hay, potatoes and hutter. There are many indications of prosperity among them showing that a mountain ranch does pay, for instance, the building of new barns and adding to their fields. The formation is much similar to the generality of the southern part of the county, except in the number of talcose veins. These veins are very numerous, and cut through and across the formation in as clear and defined a manuer as any quartz ledge. In many places they carry gold in paying quantities, generally in streaks of quartz running in every direction through the tale. The quartz ledges have beeu very little prospected around here, and none except the Alaska to any depth. This mine has heen worked to a depth of 225 feet from the croppings and paid big. There was good rock iu the hottom of the lower level, but the pumpjug machiuery had got too light to go down. At this time the mine changed hands and the new owners essayed to make it pay by increasing the battery from five to ten stamps, and going after top rock. Since that time the mine has been idle most of the time, except as Mr. Marriott has taken out some patches of ore under a lease, and used the mill part of the time ae an artist’e etudio. The placers were in early daye very rich both in rough and washed gold. They cousisted in ehallow gulches which were easily exhausted, and then re-exhausted by the Chinese. The class of eurface minere who worked out the section of the country, left as eoon as the rivers were worked, without much eearch for the source of gold they found in the grass-roots and the few who remained turned their attention to ranching, On the Oregon creek eide, is a ridge of gravel mixed atthe surface with some quartz bouldere, In this ridge the gulches near Pike City all head, and here they probahly got their washed gold; yet, for two miles I do not think there is a tunnel or shaft on the ridge. What we want is a revival, and it will surely come. Mining is epidemic, and when it breake out in a locality everybody goes there and begins to prospect in all the reasonable and unreasonable 26 . places, and in consequence several good mines are always found soon after some emigrant bluuders on good pay. ‘A Marvelous Winze. There ie a great mine on the Comstock. It has for some years been a matter of deep concern to many people. We may say the concern commeuced when people had loaded up on margins at $243, and suddenly the bottom fell out. That bottom was the matter then; it seems to be yet. The story goes that some 10 days since a winze was being sunk, when the same treacherous body ehowed painful signs of a change to a formation whicb is not considered the best for holding treasure. Then the work was stopped. With laborions effort water— thokgh water is scarce—was brought and the winze was filled to the depth of five feet, Just then a promineut expert was desirous of visiting the mine. Ou the top he was told about the winze and the eudden inflow of water. The account was rendered in a tone of regret, which did not succeed in concealing the sorrow of the managers that such an unlooked-for obstruction should come up in their path, But to show him what would have been but for the catastrophe, he was lowered down to the top of the winze; a brave miner was armed with a giant cartridge, and was hesought, if possible, to get some ore from the very bottom. He was a good miner, the charge was successfully exploded, and, on his eecuud journey, the miner, out of five feet of water, brought up the ore. The expert who had waited, clutched it, assayed it aud reported hy telegraph that it was three hundred and odd dollars at the hottom of the wet winze. The stock went up $2.50 per share and was steadily advancing when it was discovered that the treacherous bottom had deceived the people again—the water had eecped away. This was too bad. When the etory was reported toa distinguished Superintendent, and he was asked what would be a Fair conclusion of the whole business, he said it was the most ungrateful winze he ever heard of; that the nistake was made in using water; that in Justice to the mme lager beer should now be tried. There is no point to the ahove except that it is youched for as true and reveals a system which we thought was coufined to White Pine in the early days, when a Superintendent there asked a man, whom he caught stealing Eberhardt $30,000 rock, if he could not get along with less than a full sack. ‘Not a d—d ounce less,” was the reply; ‘‘I have got to sella claim with this sack of rock,”— Virginta Enterprise. Osceola District. ‘The White Pine News says: At Osceola, the five-etamp mill of Wagner, Peck & Co. is constantly working on Exchange ore with satisfactory results. Our informant rode eome six hours over the district apd saw a number of good leads; principal amongst them are the Cuinberland, which is a-five-foot vein, owned by Mr. George Blair, who, several years ago, worked his mine with an arastra, making it pay. This was before the placers were struck. Other promising mines are the Exchange and Golden Eagle, owned by Mr, James Mattison, the former being leased by the mill company. The Woodman, owned by Peters & Irvine, and the Gilded Age, owned hy Watson & Barrows, are well-defined ledgee, ahout four feet wide, and ehow free gold to the naked eye. The fact that every little yulch around will pay wages in coarse gold is ere adaae! enongh to develop tis district. “Some of these gulch claims are paying well, Wizel & Chappel are making $12 per day to the man, and a number of miners are taken out from $6 to $7 per day. Others make good wages by cleaning up the bedrock and packing the dirt to water. These gulch claims extend about five miles in length and would pay big for one season if a good stream ° of water was convenient to the camp. There is a scope of country, about four miles wide by six in length, in which appears principally quartzite, with an under strata of slate and some porphyry, the general direction of the country rock being north and south, while the quartz veins cut the same at an angle bearing about 20° south. The place has already at. tracted the attention of capitalists, and Mr. Sam Ferguson, a mining expert, has spent several days in examining the mines, The businees of the town of Oeceola ie represented hy two saloons, two restaurants, two butchershops and one etore. Many old White Piners are located there, and vie with others in the description of their claims. Several of the natives were asked the population of the place, hut they varied from 150 to 500. There are probably 100 men in the vicinity. A good road leads from Oeceola to Snake valley, from which are brought new potatoes, fresh vegetas blee, trout and other delicacies. :