CENTRAL AJSD EASTERN NEVADA. 361 



toothed pinion, geared to the driving wheel of the pump. The Oregon shaft, 

 having about the same dimensions as the Manhattan, and resembling it in 

 general features, was 553 feet deep in September, 1869. The average cost, 

 per foot, of sinking this shaft, including expense of timbering and of operating 

 the hoisting and pumping machinery, amounted to $68 93. 



An idea of the items making up this total is presented in the following 

 statement of costs for the month of March, 1868, during which 42 feet were 

 sunk, the shaft being, at that time, between 300 and 400 feet deep : 



Per foot. 



Sinking, 42 feet $26 38 



Hoisting machinery, engineers, carmen, &c 13 29 



Materials consumed, timber, lumber, &c 15 89 



Fuel . 6 77 



Supplies : powder, candles, fuse, steel, &c 2 42 



Work in preparing and placing timbers 1 67 



Hauling fiiel, lumber, &c 2 36 



68 78 



This shaft is substantially equipped with hoisting and pumping machin- 

 ery. One engine, having a cylinder of 10 inches diameter and 20 inches 

 stroke, is already in place for hoisting. The pumping engine and pump, for 

 which provision is made, are not yet in place ; the water is now raised by a 

 water barrel. 



The total cost of sinking this shafts incurred previous to December 31, 

 1868, appears from the accounts of the company to amount to about $58,000, 

 including all outlay for buildings, machinery, &c,, &c. 



The costs of mining, per ton of ore produced, are very large, as they 

 naturally must be where the vein is so narrow that the quantity of workable 

 ore produced is but a small proportion of the whole amount of rock broken 

 and raised to the surface.^ These costs vary considerably from month to 



^ In J. Eoss Browne's report, Mineral Resources, 1868, concerning the Florida 

 mine, on Lander HiU, it is said tliat 4,000 tons of country-rock were mined in producing 

 317 tons of ore, or one ton of ore in 12 j% tons of rock brought to the surface. 

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