Ch. 8: Opening the Craters

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	OPENING THE CRATERS	245

	ily extended, and drifts from this opening were made through the blue ground. The peculiar service of this device was its saving of hundreds of feet of costly shaft cutting through the solid reef to reach the blue ground — a very desirable contribution at a time when the richest claim-holders were sharply pinched by the failing mine and the discouragement of capital. The cost of all development work was defrayed by the blue ground extracted in opening the drifts and cross-cuts, so that there was no further delay in resuming operations in the mine. The first shaft had been sunk on the ground owned by the Central Company, and it was soon copied by a number of similar shafts in other parts of the mine. This brought about a most welcome



	revival of mining, and was so far highly beneficial to the laborers, claim-owners, and townspeople of Kimberley, though it was not designed for permanent service. While the blue ground was being removed through shafts sunk in the bottom of the open mine, it was apparent to all that

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