176 MIOTNG INDUSTET. 



and gained by the latter company to restrain the Potosi from encroaching 

 upon the ground of the Chollar. In process of further developments the ore- 

 bodies took an easterly pitch, when the Chollar, in its turn, began to en- 

 croach upon the Potosi. This gave rise to further litigation, in which a large 

 amount of money was expended, with the final result of a consolidation of 

 interests of the two companies, forming the present Chollar-Potosi. 



The two companies previous to consolidation found large and valuable 

 bodies of ore in the upper portion of the lode, from which a large amount of 

 bulhon was produced. The ground was worked by means of shafts on each 

 claim, and adits driven in from surface, cutting the vein at a depth of 200 or 

 300 feet. The productive bodies of quartz, however, did not extend in 

 depth below 450 or 500 feet. Since the consolidation of the two companies, 

 the Chollar-Potosi have extracted from these upper levels a large amount of 

 ore, much of it being of a low grade. This work is still in progress, and 

 during 1869 was being carried on with profit. 



Meantime, while the productive portion of the mine is confined to the 

 upper levels, the company have been steadily engaged in prospecting their 

 ground in depth by means of a large shaft, wjiich descends vertically 913 

 feet, at which depth the west wall of the lode is encountered, and thence the 

 shaft inclines at an angle of 45°, following nearly the inclination of the vein. 

 The depth attained in the summer of 1869 was 1,240 feet, measured verti- 

 cally. No ore-bodies have yet been developed by this work below the levels 

 reached by the operations of the old mine. 



The shaft is of the same general character as those already mentioned. 

 The method of timbering has been already shown. The hoisting and pump- 

 ing works that were formerly established at this shaft were provided on an 

 ample scale for extended operations ; but the inclosing buildings were de- 

 stroyed by fire in the summer of 1869. The damage was being repaired at 

 the date of the writer's visit, but the hoisting machinery had not then been 

 replaced. 



The following tabular statement shows the extent of the company's 

 operations during three years, according to the data furnished in their pub- 

 lished reports. The ore statements for years previous to May 31, 1866, are 



