VIEW OF SHAFT FROM THE DAM.
THE SHAFT, SHOWING HEADINGS.
This pit formed a shaft which had been sunk on shore to begin the operations upon the reef. From the shaft a series of tunnels extended very much like one’s outstretched fingers. Between the tunnels there were smaller tunnels, running from one to the other, leaving pillars to support the rock and the water above. A strong dam had been built around the mouth of the pit to prevent the water from flooding it. The tunnels or headings, as they were technically called, had been designated by names instead of numbers. Most of the men working there were Cornish miners, and they seemed not fond of numerical designations. The superintendent originally called the central heading Number One, but it was changed to Farragut Heading. The others in order after it were Madison, Humphrey, Hoffman, Sherman, Jefferson, Grant, McClellan, Franklin, and Jackson.
UNDER HELLGATE.
At the center of the reef the highest tunnel was known as Grant Heading. Nine feet of rock was left to form a roof. The rock was not very hard, but full of seams and fissures, through which the water constantly dripped. The narrow seams were closed by blocking, and when a wide seam was struck it had to be closed outside.
In one case the miners came upon a horizontal seam, through which the water poured at the rate of six hundred gallons a minute, and before the flow could be stopped, the miners were standing in three or four feet of water. Bags of clay were kept in readiness on the edge of the coffer-dam, over each heading, so that, whenever a seam was found, it could be closed as quickly as possible.
A large number of men were employed in these headings, drilling holes in the rock, and preparing for the great blast to come. For a long time, hand drills only were used, but the work was greatly facilitated by the introduction of drills operated by means of compressed air.