MANHATTAN 
 
 itfoer JUfnmg 
 
 OF NEVADA 
 
 REPORT OF ADELBERG & RAYMOND. 
 
 1865 
 
University of California Berkeley 
 
 Purchased from 
 THE HEARST FAMILY FUND 
 
MANHATTAN 
 
 0mpttg 
 
 OF NEVADA. 
 
 REPORT OF ADELBERG & RAYMOND. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 WM. C. BRYANT & CO., PRINTERS, 41 NASSAU ST., COR. LIBERTY n 
 
 1865. 
 
MANHATTAN 
 
 llm Him 
 
 OF NEVADA. 
 
 REPORT OF ADELBERG & RAYMOND. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 WM. C. BRYANT & CO., PRINTERS, 41 NASSAU ST., COR. LIBERT?. 
 
 1865. 
 
MANHATTAN 
 
 ing fempang of 
 
 CAPITAL STOCK, - - - - $1,000,000, 
 In Shares of $1OO Each. 
 
 Trustees : 
 
 THOMAS 1ST. DALE, NEW YORK. 
 
 E. PEET, , " 
 
 H. AUGUSTUS TAYLOR, 
 
 JOHN J. OSBORN, 
 
 E. REED McILVAINE, - 
 
 CHARLES Y. MARTIN, BALTIMORE. 
 
 President : 
 
 H. AUGUSTUS TAYLOR. 
 
 Secretary and Treasurer : 
 
 CHARLES G. TAYLOR. 
 
 Resident Superintendent : 
 
 JOHN E. BO YD, AUSTIN, NEVADA 
 
 Office of the Company 30 BROAD ST., NEW YORK. 
 
REPORT. 
 
 INTRODUCTION COMPARISON OF VIRGINIA AND REESE RIVER. 
 
 The early traveller, whoever he may have been, who, entering 
 the country east of the Sierra Nevada, in the latitude of Carson 
 Lake, gave it the expressive name of the Great American Desert, 
 no doubt supposed that he had found a barrier between the 
 Atlantic and Pacific, more formidable than mountain-peaks or 
 stormy seas. No matter with what giant strides the coast of the 
 Atlantic or the Valley of the Mississippi might advance to 
 wealth and power .no matter what imperial cities might arise 
 along the golden shores of the Pacific ; between them stretched 
 this desolate land, of then unknown extent, apparently forsaken 
 of Heaven, and offering only death as a reward for the enter- 
 prise of man. 
 
 The observer of to-day cannot escape the same first impres- 
 sion. Nothing breaks the ashen monotony of this waste. There 
 is, no form, no color, upon which the eye can rest with pleasure. 
 The brain seeks in vain for suggestions of thought. In this 
 horrible wilderness men have lost themselves, body and intellect 
 at once their minds, like their feet, wandering in circles with- 
 out guide or landmark. The bones of unfortunate travellers 
 have gradually defined the road through the desert. 
 
 But this forbidding land was to become, not a dismal barrier, 
 but a silver bridge, between the East and West. Compensating 
 Nature has blessed this region, to atone for its sad deprivations, 
 with a wealth, in the measure of which the fancy of the poet can 
 only compete with, not surpass, the statistics of the mint. 
 
There is no known field so peculiarly fitted to the spirit of 
 American enterprise as this Eeese Eiver country. That spirit 
 demands positive material results, without loss of time, and with- 
 out the necessity of that close discrimination and economy which 
 is the only guide through the intricacies of business in old, long- 
 settled countries. In a word, we ask quick and sure profits ; and 
 if they are not sure, then they must promise to be large. The 
 energy displayed in the recent development of petroleum lands, 
 is evidence of this. But Eeese Eiver Silver Mines can show a 
 more encouraging record than petroleum in its palmiest days. 
 Let the following facts suffice as proof : 
 
 The Eeese Eiver District was discovered at the close of 1862, 
 and began to be settled and prospected in 1863. Last year there 
 was capital invested there to the amount of $2,000,000 ; and the 
 amount of bullion produced in the same year was $600,000, or 
 30 per cent, on the capital. This year, without the use of any 
 additional machinery, the monthly product is $100,000. The 
 product is limited only by the number of mills running, since 
 every mill is supplied to its full capacity with ores. Taking into 
 consideration the fact ih&tfour mills produced the above results, 
 and that thirteen new and improved mills will be at work next 
 year, we are justified in saying that five years can hardly pass 
 before ten bars of silver will be shipped from Austin for every 
 one that goes from Virginia City, hitherto the Ophir of the con- 
 tinent. Austin and its district will only begin to live when the 
 Pacific Railroad is completed. The astounding achievements of 
 the past two years are as nothing to the certainties of the 
 future. 
 
 American capital, as we have said, demands that profits shall 
 be large, if not sure. We venture to say that nowhere else can 
 they be found so large and so sure as in the Eeese Eiver country. 
 A man or a company, with eyes open, cannot fail here ; lor there 
 are no sources of failure aside from the dishonesty of agents. 
 
 The characteristic features of the great argentiferous lodes of 
 the Eeese Eiver District may be best comprehended by a com- 
 parison of this district with that of "Virginia," also called 
 " Washoe." 
 
These two regions are divided by Carson Sink, or the valley 
 of Carson Lake, lying between the eastern slope of the Sierras 
 and the range of hills known as Silver Hill. The two regions 
 are subdivided into numerous " districts," technically so called ; 
 but the general names of Virginia and Reese River are justified 
 by the total and thorough distinction, marked no less by the 
 valley above mentioned than by radical differences of climate, 
 topography, rnineralogical features, and vein-phenomena. These 
 causes have already produced in the population of each region 
 a local and distinct spirit. In energy, enterprise and contempt 
 for each other, the men of Virginia and Reese River eagerly 
 compete. Virginia is now far ahead in material progress ; but 
 we think the chances of the future are in favor of Reese River. 
 The impartial observer should be cautioned against accepting 
 the opinion of either side concerning the other ; for " Reese 
 River is nowhere " to the Virginian, and the partisans of Austin 
 assign to Washoe the same indefinite locality. 
 
 The first great distinction between them is this : The produc- 
 ing mines of Virginia City are all on one lode, which, in its in* 
 numerable subdivisions, extensions, continuations, feeders and 
 what not, supplies a host of companies with names, which, if 
 they do not mean Comstock Ledge, mean nothing. The mining 
 field, however capriciously dismembered by multifarious owner- 
 ship, is to the eye of the geologist and miner, a unit all its 
 phenomena being referable to one master-lode. 
 
 The numerous names of Reese River, on the other hand, 
 signify as many distinct undivided lodes, each having character- 
 istics of its own, while certain general features are common to 
 them all. 
 
 Again, the ores of Virginia carry a large portion of their 
 silver in the native state, while the silver of the Reese River 
 ores is perfectly mineralized : that is, it appears invariably in 
 chemical combination with electro-negative elements, as true 
 silver ore* 
 
 A third important difference is in the outcrops of the metal- 
 liferous veins those of Virginia being bold and strongly 
 marked, while those of Reese River are indistinct, blind, and 
 unattended by irregularities of the surface. In fact, the Reese 
 River lodes may be said to crop out several feet below the 
 surface. 
 
This comparison of the two regions is necessary, first, to ex- 
 plain how those who are only acquainted with the mines of 
 one of them may be totally deceived in judging of the other; 
 and secondly, to show the folly of expecting that the same in- 
 dications accompany rich ore in both, and to hint at the magni- 
 tude of the task which now lies before us namely, a descrip- 
 tion of the Reese River country, with especial reference to the 
 property of the Manhattan Company. 
 
 TOPOGRAPHY OF THE EEESE RIVER COUNTRY. 
 
 The eastern declivity of the Sierras, on which stands Virginia 
 City, descends, first steeply, then with imperceptible grade, to 
 the Sink of Carson River that is to say, from an altitude of 
 6,000 feet to one of perhaps 3,500 feet. From Carson Sink the 
 country rises again eastwardly, with easy grade, to Silver Hill, 
 the most westerly of a series of mountain ranges, parallel with 
 each other and with the Sierras, and separated by level plains 
 or fiats of little width but great length. The widest of these 
 plains is that of the Carson Sink already alluded to, and also 
 called Twenty-six Mile Desert. It is the lowest of the series. 
 Indeed, these narrow plains rise regularly in successive order 
 eastwardly, and form, taken together, a system of terraces be- 
 tween Virginia City and Austin, which makes the elevation of 
 the latter city a few hundred feet the greater of the two. The 
 mountain ranges may be considered, then, as merely the dividing 
 lines between many parallel terraces in which the country rises 
 from Carson Sink. The detritus from the eruptive rocks of 
 these ridges has formed the flats between them, and constitutes 
 a poor, pebbly and sandy soil, on which nothing grows for miles 
 but the dingy sage bush* Here and there small accumulations 
 of hitmtts occur, where some bold ledge crosses the descent of a 
 creek. At such points will be found greater Variety of growth > 
 such as w r ild prune, wild gooseberry, wild rose, cotton wood, a 
 sort of mahogany, &c t The " pino " or pine-nut tree is found 
 on the southern slopes, where the elements of disintegrated rock 
 are favorable to vegetation ; but it only grows in groups, not 
 densely. Such groups of pine-nut are called timber lands. 
 
. 
 
 Where they are large, they furnish fuel for several years. The 
 neighhorhood of all settled places is already, cleared. "Want of 
 fuel is the only serious drawback to the development of the 
 wonderful resources of this country. 
 
 Each of the mountain ranges is a water-shed. There is no 
 communication of water-courses between the flats ; but each is 
 in this respect a little inland world, producing and consuming 
 its own precipitations of moisture from the atmosphere. Every 
 rivulet and spring, as well as the principal rivers, has its own 
 sink near by, where it plunges down and disappears, or pauses 
 and dries up. Of these we shall speak again. 
 
 GEOLOGS" OF THE REESE RIVER COUNTRY. 
 
 The rugged conformation of the mountain ranges indicates at 
 once their great antiquity. Primeval granite with chloritic 
 slates, "the latter mostly altered, always broken and much tilted, 
 are the constituent rocks. Here and there are small patches of 
 sandstone and limestohe remnants, the lithological character 
 of which is almost obliterated and metamorphosed beyond accu- 
 rate recognition. These remnants of sedimentary rock are few 
 and far between. In the latitude of Virginia and Austin the 
 plutonic rocks, (granite, syenite, porphyry, &c.,) and volcanic 
 rocks (trachyte and trachytic lava,) predominate, while north of 
 this line the outcrops of chloritic and argillaceous slates are 
 larger than the rest. 
 
 Among the most obvious geological features of the country 
 are three parallel zones of volcanic rock, which run across it 
 from east to west, cutting the ridges and valleys at right angles. 
 From a great distance they strike the eye as yellow or light 
 red belts, stretching, a mile wide, over the backs of the ridges. 
 They lose themselves in the alluvium of the flats, to reappear 
 on the opposite mountain sides in the precise line of their course. 
 The rock of these belts is all spongy, burnt, and altered beyond 
 recognition. It contains traces of cinnabar and large quantities 
 of soluble sulphates and chlorides. These are the original de- 
 positories of all those salts that appear in the deep mould of the 
 flats, where the rivulets evaporate or " sink." 
 
 The variety of contents and temperatures among the springs 
 2 
 
. 
 
 of these terraces is wonderful. Highly charged with soluble 
 salts from the volcanic rocks, the water descends to be filtered 
 and evaporated in the sands of the flats, and leaves a residuum 
 of common salt in one place, of carbonate of soda in a second, 
 of borax in a third, of alum in a fourth. These are the evapo- 
 rating dishes of the laboratory of the great chemist, Nature. 
 Her retorts, too, are near by. Fissures in the rock are their 
 necks, from which sublimations of pure sulphur are deposited. 
 She experiments, too, with hydrocarbons, after the fashion of 
 Yenango County ; and a deposit of yellow tar (on Tar Creek, a 
 few miles south of the latitude of Austin) is the evidence of her 
 success in the Petroleum line. 
 
 VEIN-PHENOMENA OF THE REESE RIVER COUNTRY. 
 
 Long and careful study has enabled us to divide the argen- 
 tiferous veins of this region into two great systems, distinct in 
 age, character, and value. The first of these we denominate 
 the Old System, because the veins cut the primary rocks only, 
 and, therefore, cannot be geologically more recent than the Sil- 
 urian Age. They have a general course N.W. and S.E., and 
 dip from 40 to 70 to the N.E. They are disturbed by a series 
 of faults running 15 "W. of S., which must have occurred soon 
 after the formation of the veins themselves. At all events, 
 these faults are older than the veins of the second system, since 
 they are cut by the latter. The Silurian veins are invariably 
 small. They carry from the outcrop to the water-level the 
 never.failing chloride of silver, with carbonates of copper and 
 lead, and antimoniates of lead. Below the water-level, the 
 metals appear in the state of sulphurets, and the veins become 
 immensely rich in true silver ores, such as Antimonial Sulphu- 
 rets of Silver, (Brittle Silver Ore, Dark Euby Silver or Pyrar- 
 gyrite, Miargyrite), Arsenical Snlphurets of Silver, (Light Ruby 
 Silver or Proustite), Stephanite, and a great variety of Fahlerz or 
 Copper Silver Glance, of various richness. A symmetrical ar- 
 rangement of vein-matter, with interlacing combs, is character- 
 istic of these veins. 
 
 This System is divided into two classes, of which the 
 first carry oxidized metals even below the water-level, have a 
 
11 
 
 very dark, blueisli-black color, and both hanging and foot wall 
 (granite) totally decomposed by violent vein-action, to a distance 
 of five feet on either side. 
 
 The second class carry no oxydized metals below water-level, 
 are light-colored, and have decomposed the country rock for two 
 or three feet. 
 
 The veins of the second or New System are of greater size, 
 but less antiquity than the first. They strike 1ST. and S., dip 
 almost 90, and vary in width from three feet upwards. They 
 carry as gangue massive quartz, with no internal arrangement of 
 vein-matter, and show by the appearance of sulphurets at their 
 very outcrops, that they are of geologically recent origin. This 
 system also must be divided into two classes, the first of which 
 show oxyds and sulphurets mixed often with backs of iron and 
 manganese, and the second carry only the sulphurets of base 
 metals even at the outcrop. The latter veins are sometimes 
 150 feet thick ; but they cannot as a class be called rich veins. 
 
 The following resume will present in a comprehensive view 
 this classification : 
 
 (N. B. It must not be supposed, that strike and dip are so 
 uniform, as this table seems to indicate. In this respect there 
 is considerable variation among veins, even of the same class. 
 Indeed, if we consider the manner in which fissure veins are 
 formed, it seems strange that there should be any parallelism 
 at all.) 
 
12 
 
 SYSTEM. 
 
 CLASS. 
 
 OCCUR- 
 RING} IN. 
 
 STRIKE. 
 
 DIP. 
 
 OUTCROP. CONTEXTS. 
 
 | 
 
 EXAMPLE. 
 
 VALUE 
 
 
 I. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Below water- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 level. Some 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chloride of 
 
 oxyds and rich 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 N. W. 
 
 40 
 
 silver, car- 
 
 sulphuretted 
 
 Revenue 
 
 
 
 
 
 & 
 
 to 
 
 bonates of 
 
 ores. Vein-mat- 
 
 Mine, on 
 
 Very 
 
 
 
 Granite. 
 
 S. E., 
 
 70 
 
 lead, cop- 
 
 ter symmetrical- 
 
 Lander 
 
 rich. 
 
 
 
 
 with 
 
 N. E. 
 
 per, &c. 
 
 ly arranged. 
 
 Hiil. 
 
 
 
 
 
 faults. 
 
 
 Black. 
 
 Country rock 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 much decom- 
 
 
 
 Old . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 posed. 
 
 
 
 
 II. 
 
 
 
 
 
 No oxyds below 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 water-level. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Granite 
 
 
 
 do. Lighter 
 
 Vein-matter 
 
 Oregon 
 
 
 
 
 (and 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 in color than 
 
 symmetrically 
 
 Mine, on 
 
 Very 
 
 
 
 Slate.) 
 
 
 
 No. I. 
 
 arranged ; vein- 
 
 Lander 
 
 rich. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 action on coun- 
 
 Hill. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 try rock less 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 violent. 
 
 
 
 
 m. 
 
 
 
 
 Massive 
 
 Sulphurets below 
 
 Many lodes 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Varying 
 
 quartz, some- 
 
 water-level. 
 
 of the Smo- 
 
 
 
 
 Slate 
 
 N. 
 
 either 
 
 times iron or 
 
 No arrangement 
 
 ky Valley 
 
 Some- 
 
 
 
 (and 
 Granite) 
 
 & 
 S. 
 
 way a few 
 degrees 
 
 manganese 
 back, with 
 
 of vein-matter, 
 which is mas- 
 
 and A ma- 
 dor Dis- 
 
 times 
 good. 
 
 
 
 
 
 from 90. 
 
 oxyds and. 
 
 sive quartz. 
 
 tricts. 
 
 
 New. 
 
 
 
 
 
 sulphurets. 
 
 
 
 
 
 IV. 
 
 
 
 
 do., with sul- 
 
 Base metals ; 
 
 North of 
 
 Doubt- 
 
 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 phurets of 
 
 no arrangement 
 
 Amador 
 
 ful. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 base metals 
 
 of vein-matter. 
 
 District. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 only. 
 
 
 
 
 Several veins of the Old System carry their various antimo- 
 nial and arsenical ores so pure, that the bullion produced after 
 amalgamation is 995-997 fine. Indeed, one bar of chemically 
 pure silver (1,000 fine), was cast in Austin, at the period of our 
 visit, from the ores of the Midas mine. Other veins carry more 
 copper, lead, and even zinc, in their ores ; but all of this system 
 are rich, and have this in common that they carry their silver 
 perfectly mineralized, and never native, as in the Washoe mines. 
 While, therefore, the almost universal method of beneficiating 
 the Virginia ores is amalgamation without roasting, it is neces- 
 sary in this region that amalgamation should be preceded by 
 chloritic roasting. Taking into consideration all local circum- 
 stances, we believe that the " Silver-amalgamation Process," as 
 developed years ago, in Freiberg, Saxony, will be found the 
 most advantageous for Heese River. 
 
13 
 
 The veins of the Old System are found in greatest abundance 
 in the Eeese River District itself a subdivision of the country, 
 having its centre at Austin, and taking its name, as does the 
 region generally, from a small stream, which flows through the 
 narrow flats, from the junction of the Toiyabe and Shoshone 
 ranges, forty miles south of Austin, to a point fifty miles north 
 of that town, where it sinks. The names Reese River, Amador, 
 Smoky Valley, &c., are merely geographical in their significa- 
 tion ; and it is only for convenience sake that we identify the 
 district around Austin more especially with the old, rich, small 
 argentiferous veins. These veins in reality are also found in 
 other districts ; but it would carry us too far for the limits of 
 this Report should we enter upon a detailed enumeration of 
 localities. We have already filled many pages with a general dis- 
 cussion which would not be necessary, were the country better 
 known. Xo comprehensive view of it has^yet been taken, and 
 nothing is now before the public from which a clear idea of that 
 country can be obtained, in its great topographical and geolo- 
 gical features. This fact will excuse our extended treatment of 
 that branch of the subject, and likewise explain the substantial 
 repetition of this general view in many of our reports upon 
 Reese River properties. 
 
 PROPERTY OF THE MANHATTAN SILVER MINING COMPANY. 
 
 This property belonged, until recently, to the Oregon Mill 
 and Mining Company, under which name it has already yielded 
 large profits and won a wide reputation. It comprises : 
 
 1. One ten stamp mill, with amalgamating apparatus, capa- 
 ble of working seven tons daily. 
 
 2. Eighteen hundred acres of wood land, which will furnish 
 fuel for about ten years. This land is some distance from Austin, 
 and therefore not liable to trespass a most important recom- 
 mendation. The present cost of the fuel brought thence to the 
 mill is $6 50 per cord. 
 
 3. Four silver-bearing quartz lodes, viz. : 
 
u 
 
 (a.) North Star Ledge. (Original location, not Buel North 
 Star.) This lode has heretofore furnished the ore for the mill ; 
 but it is not worked at present, for the want of machinery to lift 
 the deep waters. It belongs to Class II, Old System, and is very 
 rich. Its pay-streak of ore is 12 inches wide. The ore brought 
 to grass, all taken together, has yielded at the rate of $200 per 
 ton in the mill. The production of the vein, when it was 
 worked, was 5 to 10 tons daily, with a force of 15 men at $5 
 per day. 
 
 (5.) Oregon Ledge. This lode now furnishes the mill with 
 ore, yielding 7 tons daily, with a force of 12 men. The pay- 
 streak is 15 inches. The gross yield of the ore, taken promiscu- 
 ously, is $200 per ton. Old System, Class II. 
 
 (c.) Blue Ledge. Old System, Class I. Yery rich, but not 
 yet opened. 
 
 (d.) Southern Light Ledge. Just opened to a depth of 100 
 feet. Pay streak 15 inches. Six men take out 2 tons of rich 
 ore daily. Old System, Class II. 
 
 The number of feet on each ledge is: North Star, 1,000; 
 Oregon, 1,000 ; Blue Ledge, 800 ; Southern Light, 900. They 
 are parallel, and sufficiently near each other to be embraced in 
 one comprehensive system of workings. 
 
 The present shafts and workings, although they have already 
 yielded handsome returns, are to be considered rather as pros- 
 specting work than as the proper foundation of systematic and 
 permanent operations. In order to complete our view of the 
 present condition of the property, however, before proceeding to 
 indicate its capacity of future development, we adduce a few 
 statistics from the books of the old Oregon Mill and Mining 
 Company. 
 
 The mines have thus far furnished, on an average, 7 tons of 
 ore daily, yielding 200 gross returns per ton. The cost of 
 mining and smelting is estimated at $40 per ton. Assuming 
 about 20 working days in each month, we should have, 
 
15 
 
 140 tons of ore, mined and worked, giving a gross 
 
 income of $28,000 
 
 140 tons of ore at a cost of $40 5,600 
 
 Leaving a net profit of ................... $22,400 
 
 Or per annum ........................... $268,800 
 
 In reality, the profits of the proprietors, last year, were up- 
 wards of $240,000, representing interest at 24 per cent, on a 
 capital of $1,000,000. 
 
 OF WORKING AND DEVELOPMENT. 
 
 The following plan, communicated to the Company's agent in 
 a confidential Report of the 27th May, 1865, indicates our con- 
 ception, not of the full capacity of the property, but of the pro- 
 per steps by which its development should be initiated, and the 
 condition to which, in a short time, it may be brought. 
 
 The present openings on the Company's lodes have abund- 
 antly proved the richness of the ores, and have yielded hand- 
 some returns ; but they are not located as well as they might 
 be, with reference to future economy and ease of working. The 
 relative position of the different lodes affords an admirable op- 
 portunity for systematic exploration. 
 
 I. General Plan. The Oregon vein, which furnishes at pres- 
 ent most of the ores beneficiated at the Oregon Mill say 7 tons 
 per diem and the North Star vein, the upper workings on 
 which are now deserted for want of proper hoisting and pump- 
 ing machinery, can be worked, on account of their flat and 
 similar dip, with a single engine. The present incline on the 
 Oregon offers all facilities for hoisting and pumping on that 
 vein. But the North Star, lying somewhat flatter than the 
 Oregon, should be opened from a new point of entry. The dis- 
 tance between the vein- sheet of the Oregon and that of the 
 North Star is between 140 and 160 feet. That is to say, a per- 
 pendicular shaft at or just below the outcrop of the former vein 
 will cut the latter at a depth of 140 to 160 feet (if the dip of the 
 North Star is not subject to some violent disturbance, of which 
 there is no sign). We advise the opening of the -N orth Star 
 
16 
 
 by such a shaft, near the mouth of the Oregon incline. Even 
 if there were no other reasons in favor of this plan, it is recom- 
 mended by the following considerations : 
 
 The North Star and Oregon both belong to the old system of 
 veins, a never-failing feature of which is the series of faults 
 which we have already described, which shifted the veins, in- 
 variably westward, long before the present configuration of the 
 surface was determined by neptunic agencies. These shifts con- 
 tinue to a depth of about 300 feet, if we may judge from the 
 westward slides in the mines, which diminish with the increase 
 of depth. The appearance given to the upper parts of such 
 veins, in broken ground, is that of a connected series of lenti- 
 cular masses rather than an uninterrupted vein-sheet. Now the 
 proposed shaft would strike the North Star below its broken 
 ground and on its settled dip a considerable advantage* 
 
 But there are other considerations which speak for this loca* 
 tion. It is contemplated to work both mines with one engine ; 
 and only very serious reasons could justify the location of the 
 two shafts so far apart as to necessitate a cumbrous transmission 
 of power. The proposed arrangement would be in this aspect 
 most convenient. There can be but one objection urged against 
 starting the North Star shaft from the mouth of the Oregon in- 
 cline; namely, that it would have to be sunk through dead 
 rock* But even this is not quite true. Before the shaft has 
 reached the depth of 70 feet it will have cut the Blue Ledge 
 (lying between the other two), which, although nowhere prop- 
 erly opened, has proved itself, by the remarkably rich chloride- 
 rock obtained from its outcrop, a hundred yards west of the 
 Oregon location, a vein of great promise. Indeed, the celebrated 
 Revenue mine is located upon it. The opportunity of 
 opening this lode en passant, by the North Star shaft, is an ad- 
 vantage offered, so far as we know, by no other locality in this 
 region. In fact it is one ground of the very high estimate which 
 We place upon the value of the Manhattan property ; and it 
 would be a great oversight to neglect it. 
 
 There is no danger of missing the Blue Ledge, since its whole 
 vein- sheet lies between the Oregon and North Star, intersecting 
 neither. Moreover, it is our opinion (based only, it is true, on 
 
17 
 
 analogies) that the space between the two latter lodes is irregularly 
 occupied by lenticular masses of silver ores, traceable to the dis- 
 turbances of all three. A shaft which prospects this ground 
 will certainly throw much light upon the character of the Com- 
 pany's whole mining field. 
 
 Finally, this shaft will stand in the middle of the 1,000 feet 
 of the Oregon, and leave 800 feet of the North Star location to 
 the East, thus affording opportunity for future developments to 
 an indefinite extent. For the present, this one shaft will be 
 all sufficient ; but for future work a second shaft near the Oregon 
 outcrop should be begun, 300 feet east of the first ; and in due 
 time, according to a systematic plan, a third shaft 300 feet east 
 of the second thus providing for an ever-increasing daily yield. 
 Nothing is more important than this laying out of future opera* 
 tions, with reference to the necessities and growth of a great 
 enterprise ; and nothing has been thus far so much neglected in 
 the Reese River country. The rich mines of Mexico are suffi- 
 cient proof of the folly of such neglect. 
 
 II. Immediate Work. Under this head we advise the Com- 
 pany: 
 
 1. To begin the North Star main shaft immediately. 
 
 2. To procure pumping apparatus for clearing the Oregon of 
 deep waters. 
 
 3. To drift from the bottom of the Oregon incline, as nearly 
 east and west as the dip of the vein and the drainage of the 
 drifts will allow 300 feet in each direction. 
 
 4. To sink the Oregon incline 50 feet deeper, at that point 
 start galleries parallel to the first, and continue in this manner, 
 opening deeper stoping-gronnds as fast as the main incline can 
 be sunk. 
 
 5. To begin an incline on the Oregon 300 feet east of the 
 present, to connect with the galleries from the old incline. 
 
 3 
 
18 
 
 The details of this work cannot, of course, be prescribed 
 beforehand, and must be arranged by the Resident Superin- 
 tendent. 
 
 III. The Southern Light. We are fully convinced that the 
 present shaft is an excellent point of entry for this lode, the dip 
 of which is too steep to allow of its being worked in one system 
 with the others. The great richness of this lode and the facility 
 of working it may make it the favorite one of the property. It has 
 been cut by a perpendicular shaft, and the rich ore seems to set in 
 below. We, therefore, advise the sinking of an incline on the lode 
 from the bottom of the present shaft ; and we do this, judging that, 
 although the angle of the incline with the perpendicular shaft 
 will be somewhat inconvenient, the inconvenience, in this par- 
 ticular case, will be nothing to the difficulty of driving horizon- 
 tal galleries from the perpendicular man-shaft through dead 
 rock. In the course of future developments, shafts should be 
 sunk on the Southern Light, 300 feet apart, and stoping-ground 
 opened by successive drifts, 50 feet apart, as already recom- 
 mended for the Oregon. 
 
 If this plan is adopted for the four lodes, and put in practice 
 at the most convenient points at once, a daily yield of 20 tons 
 may be expected by the time the machinery necessary for bene- 
 ficiating that amount can be erected. We need hardly point 
 out that our plan does not contemplate the outlay of money for 
 mining work that is not furnished by the mines themselves, 
 since the operations recommended will afford from the beginning 
 a continuous supply of ores. 
 
 1Y Mill and Amalgamating Apparatus. The most eligible 
 location for reverberatory furnaces for the chloritic roasting of 
 the silver ores, before amalgamation, is immediately south of the 
 present furnace-house. A shed like the present one should be 
 erected, and four furnaces built in the southern part of it, while 
 the northern part is reserved as a discharging-floor, joining the 
 present one. If the elevation of the ground is not sufficient to 
 allow of a discharge through an arch built below the hearth, the 
 roasted ore may be raked out of the furnace directly upon the 
 
19 
 
 cooling-floor, opposite the working doors. Each furnace should 
 have a capacity of 900 pounds. We should advise building 
 them a few inches wider and longer than the present ones, in 
 order to obtain a larger oxydizing surface. In the construction 
 of the present furnaces, a mistake was made in reducing the 
 space between the hearth and the arch within too narrow a com- 
 pass. It should be borne in mind that roasting is a process of 
 oxyclation, in the conduct of which we should avoid as much as 
 possible all reducing influences. The flame of the fire-wood, 
 containing particles of glowing carbon and carbonic oxyd gas, 
 is a powerful reducing agent, which, coming in contact with the 
 charge, tends to defeat the object of the oxydizing process. 
 Hence the arch in the new furnaces should be 10 or 12 inches 
 higher than in the present ones, especially just forward of the 
 fire-bridge. The completion of these four would give the Com- 
 pany eight furnaces, of a capacity of 800-900 pounds each. 
 Estimating the time of roasting at four hours, these eight fur- 
 naces would treat upwards of 20 tons of ore daily. 
 
 The following plan of amalgamation we have adopted, for 
 reasons intelligible only to the practical and scientific metallur- 
 gist. In our confidential report to the Company, we have dis- 
 cussed this question at length ; and we will only say, that the 
 amalgamation we recommend has the advantage that it allows 
 the existence of soluble chloride of copper in the roasted charge, 
 and thus affords a simple safeguard against the loss of silver by 
 volatilization the presence of soluble chloride of copper, which 
 is decomposed more easily than the chloride of silver, being con- 
 sidered an evidence that no silver has been lost. 
 
 The stamp-works should be divided into an upper and a lower 
 department. In the upper division, towards the hill, 10 pans of 
 the Wheeler pattern, one size larger than the present ones, 
 should be placed, each capable of grinding 500 pounds of roasted 
 ore. This grinding is necessary, because a great deal of the 
 roasted ore is sintered together, so as to hinder amalgamation. 
 They should be worked as at present, steam being employed for 
 heating the ores, and more perfectly chlorating those atoms of 
 silver which have escaped chemical action by sintering in the 
 furnaces. These 10 pans would grind and prepare 20 tons of 
 roasted ore daily. 
 
20 
 
 In the lower or southern department should be placed 10 
 amalgamating tubs, such as are now in use, to perfect, by means 
 of copper plates, the amalgamation of the ore prepared in the 
 grinders. Each one of these tubs will amalgamate 500 pounds 
 of the prepared ore in two hours. If one hour is allowed for dis- 
 charging, the 10 tubs will amalgamate daily 20 tons each tub 
 receiving the ore prepared by one grinder. 
 
 The stamp works should be erected on the hill-side as near 
 the mouth of the furnaces as convenience will allow, and so high 
 that the stamped ore may be transported on tramways to the 
 hoppers of the furnaces. If 20 tons a day are the assumed basis 
 of capacity, at least 28 stamps will be required. As this num- 
 ber is not convenient, and as it is advisable not to work stamps 
 to their full capacity, and as, moreover, one or more stamps will 
 constantly be idle on account of broken tappets, or similar 
 causes, we advise the erection of a 32-stamp mill, in 8 batteries 
 of 4 stamps each, each stamp to weigh 600 pounds, and to be 
 run at the rate of say TO revolutions per minute. At this speed 
 no part of the machinery will be heavily strained, and the wear 
 and tear will be lessened. 
 
 An engine of 50 to 60 horse power, with ample boiler room 
 for the generation of steam, especially in winter, for purposes 
 aside from the motor, will be required for such an establishment 
 as we haved sketched. Of course the engine-room should be 
 carefully built and finished, so as to exclude all manner of dust 
 and gases. 
 
 Finally, the works should be provided with a laboratory suffi- 
 ciently furnished for tests and assays for the control of the differ- 
 ent departments of the metallurgical processes. 
 
 ECONOMICAL VIEW. 
 
 The above -described results could be brought to pass in four 
 or five months, under skillful superintendence, with an outlay of 
 about $70,000 cash, and a monthly reservation from the returns 
 of the present mill. 
 
 The daily yield will then be 20 tons of ore brought to grass, 
 crushed, roasted and amalgamated. This ore will probably be 
 richer than has heretofore been taken from the lodes, since it 
 
2L 
 
 will be from deeper shafts and slopes ; and the cost of mining 
 and beneiiciating will probably be less than $40, the present 
 average, since the enlargement of the works and the develop- 
 ment of the whole country will reduce expenses of all kinds. 
 We will assume, however, as the yield $200 per ton, and as the 
 expense of treatment $60 per ton instead of $40, leaving a net 
 profit per ton of $140. 
 
 In one month of 20 working days there would be beneficiated 
 
 400 tons of ore, aifording a net profit of $56,000 
 
 or in one year 672,000 
 
 representing 67.2 per cent, on a capital of $1,000,000. 
 
 (All the sums mentioned in this report are reckoned in coin.) 
 
 The present cash value of the property, i. e. the principal on 
 which it pays 20 per cent, annually, is $1,200,000. The ex- 
 penditure of $70,000 more upon it will make it worth, at the 
 end of four or five months, $3,300,000. 
 
 These are facts and figures which have a real basis, and are, 
 in our opinion, no more uncertain than any other human calcu- 
 lations. If we may speak with frankness concerning ourselves, 
 we have not the reputation of making very flattering reports. 
 Of a hundred reports, issued by us within the last eighteen 
 months, not more than a quarter have been unconditionally 
 favorable. We believe that by our freedom in condemning un- 
 sound enterprises we have earned the right to praise with equal 
 earnestness what we find worthy of praise. The data upon 
 which the present Report is based were collected by Dr. Ad el- 
 berg, during a careful examination of the country, which occupied 
 many weeks and our deductions from this data are moderate 
 and reasonable. The realization of the great success we have 
 indicated is dependent only upon the honesty, fidelity and skill 
 of the Company's Superintendent. 
 
 ADELBERG & RAYMOND, 
 
 Mining Engineers and Metallurgists. 
 
 90 Broadway, New York, 
 August 3, 1865. 
 

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