THE COMSTOOK LODE. 87 



108° Fahrenheit. The vapors from these hot waters fill the lower chambers 

 of those mines, penetrating every crevice and fissure-line of the vein-material, 

 and have converted the whole lower zone into a moist, steaming region. An 

 interesting instance of the heated waters occurred in the North Ophir mine. 

 When drifting west from the Palmer shaft, a body of clay was cut, and immedi- 

 ately after penetrating it there poured in such volumes of heated water that 

 the miners were barely able to jump upon the cage and escape to the surface; 

 the water rapidly following them filled the shaft over 100 feet deep. The 

 temperature of this hot water irruption is said to have been 104°. That to 

 the waters is due the temperature of the whole interior of the lode is evident 

 from the fact that they average a few degrees higher than the clays or rocky 

 material. 



Chemistey of Vein Mateeials. — Below is given the result of chemical 

 examinations of mine waters from various localities. 



Analysis of water from the 600-foot level of the Savage mine, hy Professor S. 



W. Johnson, of Yale College. 



One liter contained 



Grammes . 



Silica .- 0305 



Alumina and Ferric oxide 0009 



Chloride of Sodium 0021 



Sulphate of Lime .5044 



Sulphate of Magnesia 0308 



Carbonate of Potassa 0148 



Carbonate of Soda , 1297 



Carbonate of Magnesia 0512 



.7644 



