NEVADA. 



is occupied by the Dutch troops. The total 

 force assembled on the coast would then con- 

 sist of seven and a quarter battalions <>t infan- 

 try, and 11 fow companies of artillery and engi- 

 neers, making about 6,000 men in all ; but 

 only t.iu--|i;ilt' uf them would be available for 

 active operations, as the occupied districts 

 will ha\v to be strongly garrisoned. The new 

 . :t'n >n was to be placed under the com- 

 mand of Colonel Pol, who hold the post of 

 commander- in -chiot' and civil commissioner 

 in Acheen after the return of General Van 

 Swieten. 



NEVADA. Silver-mines constitute Neva- 

 da's greatest source of wealth. They exist in 

 nearly every section of the State. The rich- 

 est deposit of silver in the State, if not in the 

 world, is the Comstock lode, on the east side 

 of Mount Davidson, in Storey County, and 

 partly under the towns of Virginia and Gold 

 Hill. Its area contains about one-third in 

 value of gold, and two-thirds of silver. The 

 lode has a general north and south course, and 

 an east dip, and has been traced on the surface 

 27,000 feet. It has been actually explored for 

 19,000 feet, and within this space the princi- 

 pal mines are situated. It has been opened to 

 a depth of 2,000 feet. A tunnel, known as the 

 Sutro Tunnel, is in progress, designed to drain 

 the mines, and otherwise facilitate operations 

 on the lode. It commences at a point one 

 and a half mile from Oarson River, and three 

 and a half miles below Dayton, and runs north- 

 west to the Savage Mine, a distance of 20,178 

 feet, where its depth will be 1,922 feet. At 

 the close of 1874 it had reached a distance of 

 8,250 feet, and was progressing at the rate of 

 seven feet a day. Next to those of the Com- 

 stock lode, the most productive silver-mines 

 are in the region near Eureka, in the east cen- 

 tral portion of the State, and in the Ely district, 

 near Pioche, Lincoln County, in the southeast. 

 The White Pine region, in the eastern part of 

 the State, which, after the discovery of the 

 mines, in 1868, was the scene of great excite- 

 ment, now yields comparatively small returns. 

 The bullion product of the State since the open- 

 ing of the mines, according to R. W. Raymond, 

 United States Commissioner of Mining, has 

 been as follows : 



The reported production of bullion in 1874 

 was $85,407,288, nearly all <>f which was 11- 

 The value of the bullion product of Ne- 

 vada since 1871 has exceeded that 1,1 California. 

 The United States census of 1870 (admitted to 

 bo incomplete) returns 189 mines, having 44 

 steam-engines of 2,780 horse-power, and two 

 water-wheels of 50 hone-power; hands em- 

 ployed, 2,866 (809 above and 2,057 below 

 ground) ; capital invested,482,258,400 ; wages 

 paid during the year, $2,900,872; value of 

 materials used, $1,686,865; of products, $11,- 

 166,452. Of the mines, 91 were quartz-mines 

 of silver ; 46 quartz-mines of gold and silver ; 

 1 copper, and 1 lead. The number of quartz- 

 criishing-milld in 1872, according to the report 

 of the State mineralogist, was 162; number 

 of smelting-furnaces, 16; number of stamps, 

 1,904; daily capacity in tons, 5,183. These 

 numbers include those idle as well as those in 

 operation. The amount of bullion from Ne- 

 vada deposited at the United States mints and 

 assay-offices to June 80, 1873, was $10,401,- 

 717.37, of which $9,261,649.43 was silver, and 

 $1,140,067.94 gold. 



A mint was established at Carson City in 

 1870. The deposits of gold and silver bullion 

 during the years ending December 31st, has 

 been as follows : 



VOL. xrv. 88 A 



At the close of the year, great excitement 

 prevailed in consequence of the discovery of a 

 vein of silver in the Comstock lode, of which 

 the value was estimated by experts as high as 

 $1,500,000,000. This great bonanza was sup- 

 posed to be from 1,000 to 1,200 feet in length, 

 and about 600 feet in depth. The ore was re- 

 ported to average not less than $200 per ton, 

 while much of it would yield $500 per ton ; 

 and specimens were found of which the value 

 was far in excess of that sum. The great bo- 

 nanza is thus described by an expert, under 

 date of January 9, 1875 : 



At last the great " bulge," the true heart of the 

 world-famous Comstock silver-lode, would seem to 

 have been reached. As far as explored, it lies in the 

 Consolidated Virginia, California, and Ophir claims. 

 In all three of these mines have been developed 

 marvelously rich bodies wonderful masses of sul- 

 phuret and chloride ores. We have said " bodies," 

 but there is in reality but one body one immense 

 bonanza, chimney, or whatever- else we may choose 

 to call it one huge mass of ore extending all the way 

 from the Consolidated Virginia through the Califor- 

 nia into the Ophir, and no one knows now much far- 

 ther : nor does any one know much of its height or 

 width, and nothing at all of its depth. As to its 

 length we know bomething definite, namely, that it 

 extends 400 feet through the Consolidated Virginia, 

 and undoubtedly traverses the entire length (600 

 feet) of the California, as it has been discovered in 

 the Ophir mine, which adjoins the California on the 



