TEEATMENT OF THE COMSTOCK ORES. 233 



The foregoing may be illustrated by some of the statements that follow, 

 showing the details of cost in two mills. The first statement concerns one of 

 the best mills in the district, situated between one and two miles from the 

 mine supplying the ore. The transportation of the ore in this instance aver- 

 ages about $1 50 per ton. The mill is driven by steam, and pays $12 per 

 cord for wood. There are tv^^enty stamps and twelve Wheeler pans. The 

 capacity of these is between 35 and 40 tons per day, for days actually worked. 

 During the six months to which the figures apply, 6,019 tons were treated in 

 168^ days' work, an average of nearly 35|- tons per day; the remaining 15 J 

 of the 184 days the mill was idle. 



The costs were as follows : 



For labor, per ton $2 37 



For wood, per ton, i of one cord 2 00 



For quicksilver, per ton, 1| pounds 1 15 



For castings, per ton, 6f pounds 60 



For sulphate of copper, per ton, If pounds 27 



For oil 12 



For hauling and sundries 2 51 



Total, per ton 9 02 



During the six months next ensuing, the cost, per ton, for treating 6,539 

 tons, was $8 33. 



The statements just given are drawn from accounts made in the year 

 1867 ; but for the mills of the neighborhood referred to the costs of perform- 

 ing the same kind of work have not been much, if at all, diminished since 

 that date. 



The following statement presents carefully analyzed accounts of milling 

 costs in the Savage mill, one of the two belonging to the Savage Mining 

 Company, and employed in treating ores from the Savage mine. This mill 

 is situated in Washoe Valley, fourteen miles from the mine. Unlike the case 

 previously referred to, this mill has the benefit of cheap wood, costing $6 

 per cord, and a partially sufficient water-power ; advantages obtained at the 

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