History of the big bonanza

by Dan De Quille

In Nevada—and the rule probably holds good in every country—after passing the more open and softer matter—drift and rock—there is reached the solid rocky mass forming what might be termed the “skull” of the earth—the hard shell lying between the comparatively spongy exterior strata, and the molten interior mass. This intermediate shell of hard rock is where the miners along the Comstock are now delving in all the deeper mines. Here we find that solid rock takes the place of water in most situations—solid rock is the rule. When the rock is not solid and perfectly homogeneous, there water finds its way and forms subterranean reservoirs of all sizes and shapes, which, in mining parlance, are called “pockets.”

These pockets may be of almost any shape, but are generally in the form of a crevice. As a rule, the crevices are not open spaces like caverns, but are filled with some permeable material into which the water may find its way and settle, as in the ground composing the “scalp” above.

The water at the depth of from 1,000 to 2,000 feet lies in detached bodies. In the country-rock (the rock lying on each side of a vein and forming the general rock of the country) there are fewer of these pockets of water than within the bounds of a vein, as the solidity and homogenous character of the outside rock leaves no space in which water may be contained. The Comstock lode occupying an immense fissure, extending into the intermediate crust of the earth to an indeterminate depth, there are naturally many openings in it, through which water may descend; besides, the material of which the vein is composed is in general much softer, and therefore more pervious than the great mass of rock outside of the vein. The pockets of water are confined within walls of clay or hard, impervious rock. Thus drifts may be run on all sides of, and even under, these subterranean reservoirs, and no water is seen until the confining walls are cut. When a body of clay is encountered and there is reason to suspect that a body of water is being approached, a long drill is used with which to feel the way in advance of the drift, and let the water out, if any there be, in a controllable stream. Were the miners to push ahead with a drift of full size, the pressure of water would presently burst in the whole face of their opening, tear down the timbers, cause extensive caving of the ground, and perhaps flood everything and drown the men before they could escape.

When once the works of a mine have been carried down into the solid shell of the earth, the work of draining any body of water that may be encountered is a mere question of time. If the underground cistern is small it is soon pumped out; if large it takes a proportionally longer time, the same pump being used in each case; but, sooner or later, it must be exhausted. If water were not thus found in detached bodies (instead of being universally diffused) in that zone of the earth under consideration, there could be mining under seas, lakes, and rivers, as is now successfully practiced in many countries.

In illustration of the manner in which miners often drift under and around bodies of water, I may give an incident of the early days of Washoe, when drifts and tunnels had not yet drained off the surface-water, and wells were yet a possibility in Virginia City.

THE MISSING WELL BOTTOM.

A lady resident of the town one day went to a well in her door-yard to draw some water. Being in haste, she let the bucket go down from the windlass “by the run,” and the instant it struck the water out dropped the whole bottom of the well. Every drop of water instantly disappeared and nought was seen where it had been, but a black, yawning chasm in which hung and dangled the bucket. Amazed almost beyond the power of speech, the lady for a time stood and gazed into the bottomless well, then rushed to the house. She had considered the matter and comprehended it.

“What did I tell you?” cried she, addressing her rather easy-going husband. “I knew that the men who dug that well were taking no pains with their work!”

“What is the matter now?” said the husband.