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Square Set Timbering
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The ore rocks in the Comstock were not found in small veins,
but in larger masses of quartz surrunded by a wet, clay-rich
material. In order to remove that difficult ore, the miners had
to build wooden platforms from wood to replace the ore that was
already removed. That held the rock in place so the mine didn't
collapse and gave the miners a working surface from which to take
out the next layer of ore. This type of support was called square
set timbering and was invented in Virginia City by Philipp
Deidesheimer in 1860 (see Smith, G.H., Tingley, J.V, The
History of the Comstock Lode, NBMG and University of
Nevada Press, Reno, Nevada, 1998).
Getting the wood for this timbering and clean water for the
town were two huge obstacles to mining to be overcome. (see
Galloway, J.D., NBMG
Bulletin B45, Mackay School of Mines, University of Nevada, Reno,
Nevada, 1947.) See also the Environmental Section of this site,
Influence of Mining.
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Square Set Timbering
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