CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEVADA. 307 



silver. The riclier portion is returned to the shaft-furnace and mixed with 

 the charge of fresh ore. The cost of cupellation is stated at $5 per ton of 

 ore. 



It is stated as a result of a long-continued operation that from 90 to 95 

 per cent, of the assay value of the ore was extracted by the method of treat- 

 ment above described. 



The general cost of the reduction of the ore, at the date of the writer's 

 visit to the works, is given in the following statement. These expenses have 

 been somewhat reduced since that time by the completion of the Central Pa- 

 cific railroad, and consequent cheapening of supplies and labor. It may also 

 be observed, in this connection, that the increased facilities of transportation 

 from Oreana to San Francisco, secured by the completion of the railroad, in- 

 duced the manager of the works to dispense with the refining process at Oreana 

 some time before the total suspension of operations. The ore was smelted in 

 the shaft-furnace, as already described, for the production of crude metal, 

 which was then shipped without refinement to San Francisco, where it was 

 subjected to methods of separation or sold for export. 



Expenses of 8meUing Furnace per day. 



Two smelters and two helpers $16 00 



Two breakers * — ^ - - - - - - ' 7 50 



Two feeders 8 00 



Two engineers '• 8 00 



Fuel for engine — furnished on contract 16 00 



Chinaman — general laborer 2 00 



General expense ■> . ^ ^ 2 00 



Smelting 13 tons per day, costing 59 50 



Cost of smelting, as given above, per ton. , 4 57 



Charcoal, 18 bushels per ton, at 50 cents per bushel 9 00 



Estimated repairs per ton 50 



Mining and hauling per ton 4 50 



Superintendence and general account per ton 3 00 



21 57 



