THE COMSTOOK MINES. 167 



SECTION III. 



EEVIEW OF OPEEATIONS OF LEADING MINES. 



Having reviewed, in the foregoing pages, the general method of exploi- 

 tation in use on the Comstock lode, the operations of some of the more im- 

 portant mining companies of the district will be briefly noticed. 



Although those mines that have become widely known by their large 

 products are comparatively few in number, and are situated, as has been 

 already indicated, in disconnected groups on those portions of the lode where 

 large and rich deposits were found, there are many others, located at either 

 extreme or in the intermediate ground, which have thus far been unproduc- 

 tive, although explored with great persistence. 



At the north end of the developed portion of the lode the Utah, Allen, 

 Sierra Nevada, and the Union have spent much time and money in thg de- 

 velopment of their claims, sinking shafts to depths of several hundred feet, 

 and exploring the ground by drifts prosecuted at various levels. All of these 

 companies, however, excepting the Sierra Nevada, suspended operations 

 several years ago. 



SiEEEA Nevada. — ^The mine just named has been prospected to a depth 

 of 500 or 600 feet, involving the expenditure of a large sum of money, with- 

 out developing important deposits of silver ore. Its good fortune has been 

 since found in working the surface-rock, which has proved to be rich in gold. 

 The gold-bearing ground is not very high in value per ton, but, as it is easily 

 extracted and cheaply milled, the work has been very profitable. Up to Jan- 

 uary 1, 1869, the company had assessed nearly $500,000, without very satis- 

 factory results. About that time the importance of its gold-bearing surface 

 deposits became known. A mill was erected on the property, close by the 

 source of ore, and commenced operations, milling the rock for the gold only, 

 without attempting to save silver. This simple process consists in amalga- 

 mation in the battery and on copper-plated tables in front of the battery, 

 avoiding all expense for pan treatment. 



During 1869 the company produced and milled 18,000 tons of rock, 

 yielding $155,971 36, or an average of $8 66 per ton. The expenses, per 



