[Albert S. Evans, Letter from White Pine, Alta California, March 21, 1869]

 

LETTER FROM WHITE PINE.

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[FROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE ALTA.]

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Snow Storm — More Discoveries — Curious Mineralogical Indications — All Science at Fault — Excitement Over a Rich Find — Big Figures About the Eberhardt — Other Claims — Etc.

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TREASURE CITY, March 14th, 1869.

            Editors Alta: The storm which commenced on Saturday last still continues at intervals, and out-door work is wholly suspended in consequence. It is snowing steadily as I write. It appears to be the general impression that the worst of the winter is over; but those who come here now without funds, and depending on prospecting to make a raise, will be apt to get hungry, if nothing worse, and will probably wish themselves back again in San Francisco.

New Developments.

            In the mines I hear of new developments daily which not only surprise me but puzzle the oldest inhabitants. Yesterday I visited a mine called the "Othello," at the lower or northwestern point of Pogonip Flat. It was purchased a few weeks since by Joseph Low, ex State Controller Oulton, and a third party whose name I do not remember, for a few hundred dollars. They have since purchased old titles to the extent of some ten thousand dollars. There was nothing on earth to indicate that there was a deposit of ore in that point beyond a little "stringer" of white spar or quartz perhaps half an inch in width. Had an old miner in any other district been called on to express an opinion on that subject, he would have undoubtedly pronounced the man who would spend a dollar in sinking through barren limestone in such a place, a regular lunatic. Nevertheless, that little stringer led directly down into a bed or ledge of magnificent ore, second only in value per ton to the richest taken out of the Eberhardt. They are down now about twenty feet, and the ledge is pitching quite sharply into the hill to the southwest. Half a dozen men are taking out a thousand dollars' worth of this ore daily, and the ledge is widening steadily. After seeing and carefully examining this mine, I have arrived at the conclusion that I know nothing whatever about the formation of the district, and that the most scientific "cuss" on earth is as ignorant as myself on the subject.

            It is quite certain that no man can give anything like a reliable guess on the value of any mine until it has been fairly opened, and it is not improbably that many a shaft which now shows nothing but barren limestone and spar, and is justly classed as the "wildcat," may yet lead down into deposits as valuable as that I have described.  It is a queer country, anyhow.

            I also visited the Colleen Bawn, on Bromide Flat, on my way back.  They are taking out ore from their claim which is almost solid silver, and can be whittled with a knife like lead.

Another Rich Strike.

            I have just been out in the driving storm to see the fun on Bromide Flat, where a rich strike has just been made.  An excited crowd were standing around the locality of the strike, pulling over the ore as it came to the surface and discussing the merits of the case.  I found no less than nine shafts sunk through the dolomite within a space of less than 100 feet square, and each location claiming 600 to 1,000 feet on the ledge.  From one of these shafts, the "Charles and Theresa," I saw magnificent chloride ore being taken; and from one within ten feet of it — the "Andrew" — belonging to a saloon-keeper named Henley, over 100 sacks of extra rich ore, valued at $7,000, were taken out yesterday, and is the custom when titles are in doubt and lawsuits in prospect, hurried away to the mills at once.  The new strike is right on the southern end of the Gov. Bross (square location) ground, and within 150 feet of their shaft.  In the Gov. Bross they have sunk already three feet into the spar and quartz, with some ore all through it, and they have every prospect of running into the rich vein within five or ten feet more at the outside.

The Eberhardt.

            There is much complaint among noisy twenty-five cent "capitalists" visiting this point that they are not allowed to enter the shafts in the Eberhardt Mine, and one would think by their howling that they had an inalienable right to go there as often as they please.  On inquiry, I find that no new regulation has been made on this subject.  The Company have lost $75,000, at the least estimate, in "specimens" stolen, begged or otherwise carried off by visitors, and the tax has become so great that it is absolutely necessary to put a stop to it.  Again, the crowd of visitors is so great, that unless such orders were given, it would take a dozen men to watch and wait on them, while all work would necessarily be stopped.  With regard to the mine itself, I can only say, from personal observation, that there is not a sign of its "giving out," except in the way of bars of bullion.  The Company now have but four men at a shift taking out ore, that they have got so far ahead of the mill that there is enough now on hand to run every stamp up to its full capacity until August next, and they will soon discontinue taking out ore entirely, as it is accumulating on their hands too fast.  The have enough ore out or in sight at this time, according to the estimate of the Mine Superintendent, Mr. John Bichnell, to run the mill at the average rate of $5,000 per day for the next three years.

Adjacent Claims.

            A short distance to the northeast, say 700 or 800 feet, is a claim called the Happy Jack, from which ore is being taken from a six-foot vein assaying $622 03.  The Green Mountain, some 200 feet above the Happy Jack, is also showing well, having ten tons of $150 rock on the dump already.  I might go on enumerating such strikes for columns, if it was an object.

The Grasshopper.

            This claim, located on Chloride Flat, having been pretty well opened and shown to hold good ore, is about to be incorporated with the Esperanza, Affgan, and Backbone in San Francisco.  The Grasshopper has 1400 feet, the Esperanza — lying adjacent — 600 feet.  The Affgan and Backbone, lying near the Argyle, on the southern slope of Treasure Hill, have 400 feet each.  They are all in the hands of Henry Knowles, once an Arizona miner, an old San Franciscan, and a wrestler generally who goes to San Francisco to-day.  They all look well and [illegible[ to be in the hands of a good company.

Yours,

EVANS.