Combination Shaft

Combination Shaft. Chollar – Potosi, Hale and Norcross and the Savage Mines. , The Combination Shaft began in 1875 when the owners of the Chollar-Potosi, Hale and Corcross and the Savage mines combined their efforts to sink a shaft to explore the Comstock Lode at a greater depth. The Combination was the deepest shaft ever sunk on the Comstock, reaching a depth of 3,250 feet. Low grade ore was found at this level, but proved to be of little value. The Combination was plagued by flooding in the mid-1880’s and the two Cornish pumps lifting over 5 million gallons of water a day could not handle the incoming water. Another problem was the stifling heat of 130 degrees due to geothermal forces that often doubled over miners with stomach cramps. The Combination became cost prohibitive and in October, 1886 the pumps were shut down. Within 36 hours water rose to the 2,400 foot level, filling the lower workings of the Chollor-Potosi, Hale and Norcross and the Savage mines. Assessments on the Combination eventually reached $7 million with virtually no return to the owners. It proved to be one of the more costlier ventures in the history of the Comstock., You can see the remains of the site on the hill side south east of Virginia City to the left (east) of the truck route highway 341.