76 MINING INDUSTEY. 



of surface waters. Just beneath the Hne of the " Colorado" is, at several points, 

 a marked tendency to form concentric masses. This is especially the case in 

 the Savage, where the quartz seems to have remained in a viscous condition, 

 and to have been deposited again and again, long after the rest of the bodies 

 had become solidified. 



Bonanzas and Oee. — The special arrangement of bonanzas throughout 

 the lode has already been made familiar to the reader by describing the various 

 sections in detail. It remains now to make a general re-survey of the ore-bodies. 

 In conformity with the general chimney-openings of the lode, they group them- 

 selves in three well-marked families ; those of Gold Hill, Virginia, and Ophir. 

 The three together have produced the immense aggregate of ^100,000,000. Of 

 this total, the Ophir group has produced about $7,500,000, and at the present 

 writing the Gold Hill and Virginia groups are nearly equal. It is probable 

 that the Virginia group has produced about $48,000,000, while the Gold 

 Hill cannot rise greatly above $42,000,000. Within a year or two the differ- 

 ence will probably be turned in favor of Gold Hill. Further on, in a detailed 

 account of production in the chapters by Mr. Hague, will be found an analyzed 

 statement of the total product of the principal mining companies. The figures 

 stated will include such returns as are authenticated beyond a doubt, and such 

 as bear the official stamp of accuracy. Beside the actual bonanza account of 

 each company, considerable sums have leaked out in the form of mill clean- 

 ings and battery scrapings. To reach the total, several milUons have to be 

 added to the official returns. 



In the brief space of nine years the Comstock lode has furnished at the 

 rate of nearly $11,000,000 per annum. This entire sum has come from the 

 limited areas of the bonanzas. It is only in the latest periods, generally since 

 1868, that the extra-bonanza ore has been touched. 



Turning now to Atlas-Plates 6 and 7, the reader will perceive that not 

 more than twenty-five per cent, of the actual face of the lode has been occupied 

 by argentiferous bodies. In the general sum of vein-material, of course, they 

 have constituted a still smaller percentage. It is safe to say that not more 

 than 5^ of the lode-materials have been charged with silver to a work- 

 able percentage. The upper 600 feet has furnished seven-tenths of the 

 entire silver product. Plate 6 shows the Gold Hill bonanzas. The group 



