AND PACIFIC COAST GUIDE. 17

Evrexa—is half a mile from Santiago,
with a narrow-gauge track on our right,
away down the river. Near the track on
the right, is the dump-shute of the Eureka
mill. Ascending rapidly and tortuously
for two miles, we come to

Movunp Hovsze—Here all supplies for
Dayton and Sutroville, are re-shipped on
wagons; distance to Dayton, four miles,
to Sutroville, five miles. Stages run daily.
A large amount of freight is shipped from
this point for Columbus, and the Monte
Christo country. Since the completion of
the steam-tug on Walker Lake, teams that
pass over Holmes’ toll-road are conveyed a
distance of 35 miles, saving 45 miles of
teaming around the north end of the lake,
through deep sand. This tug is 60 feet
long, with a breadth of 18 feet, and takes
on a four or six horse team, but not a
“prairie schooner” of twelve or sixteen
animals. However, a larger boat is being
constructed to accommodate this trade.

Sutro TunneL—This tunnel is one of
the most important enterprises ever inau-
gurated in mining operations in this or any
other country. € object sought is ven-
tilation, drainage, and a cheap means of
working the mines, or bringing the ores to
the surface. The tunnel commences in
the valley of the Carson River; is 14 feet
wide at the bottom, 13 feet at the top, and
12 feet high.

The main tunnel will be 19,790 feet in |

length, and the cross tunnels about 12,000
feet more. The tunnel will strike the Com-
stock ledge ata depth of 1,8981¢ feet below
the point of the croppings. The estimated
cost, when completed, $4,418,329.50. The
work is being pushed ahead vigorously,
and 18,762 feet had been completed at the
commencement of the year 1878, andshould
no unforeseen drawbacks take place, the
tunnel will be completed and in operation
within the present year.

Near Mound House is a gypsum mine
of good quality, large amounts of which
are shipped to San Francisco. <A track
branches off near the station, to the right,
for Silver City, situated about two miles to
the eastward, in a narrow canyon, in plain
view, where are located anumber of quartz
mills.

Strver—is the next station, 3.3 miles
from Mcund House, Here ore is dumped
down a shute to the right, and taken to the
mills below The best view of Silver City
——a place of 1,000 population, all of whom
are engaged in mining, having one news-

 
  
   
  
      
    
        
       
   
   
       
       
         
     
       
         
      

 

paper, the Reporter—can now be had on
the right; curving around to the left, we
come to the American Flat tunnel, 900 feet |
long. It was at this tunnel where a thrill-
ing incident occurred, October 17, 1872.
(See ANNEx No. 34.) The fire alluded to
in the annex cost the Railroad Company
$500,000. It took two months to replace
the timbering, during which time all
passengers, as mails and express, had
to be transferred by teams.

Passing through the tunnel, Mt. David-
son looms up directly ahead, 7,827 feet
above sea-level; to the right is Gold Hill—
far away, in a narrow canyon. The train
runs around the side of the mountain, de-
scribing a great curve to the north and
eastward, passing numerous mills, among
which are the Rock Island, down on the
right; the Baltimore, a track to the Over-
man, the Knickerbocker, Belcher, Baltic,
and many other mills, both on the right
and left, and finally cross over a huge mill,
and one of the principal streets of the city
of Gold Hill, which extends to the left up
a narrow canyon, and stops at the depot in
the city of

GoL_p Hr11—This is a flourishing min-
ing city,19 miles from Carson and two
from Virginia; population, 6,000. It con-
sists mostly of one main street, built —
a steep ravine. The city has some goo
buildings, among which are one good
hotel, the Vesey House ; and one daily news-
paper, the Gold Hill News. The city is sur-
rounded with mills of all sorts, sizes and
kinds, and all is noise and bustness night
andday. The street between Gold Hill
and Virginia is so generally built up that
one cannot tell where the dividing line is
between them. An omnibus line plies be-
tween the two cities, running every fifteen
minutes.

Passing on from Gold Hill two miles,
around sharp curves, through three short
tunnels in quick succession, with mills to
the right, mills to the left, and mills all
around us, we arrive at

Virginia City—This city is on the
southeastern slope of Mt. Davidson, at an
elevation of 6,200 feet, with the mountain
rising 1,627 feet above it. The city is built
along the side of the mountain—one main
street, with numerous steep cross-streets—
and contains some very fine business blocks.
Virginia is 21 miles from Carson, and 52
miles by rail, from Reno, and contains a
population of about 16,000, a great propor-
tion of whom are engaged in mining op-