[Albert S. Evans, Letter from White Pine, Alta California, March 25, 1869]

 

LETTER FROM WHITE PINE.

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[SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE ALTA CALIFORNIA.]

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Rough Weather on the Summit — A Caution to Weak Lungs — The Refluent Rush — New Signs of Richness — Sundry Notable Discoveries — Concerning Wild Cats — Etc.

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TREASURE CITY, March 20th, 1869.

            Editors Alta: Since my last, we have all been housed up here like to many Arctic bears in winter, the storm continuing, with only fitful intermissions. Last night was a "rouser," in every sense of the word. The wind howled in its most savage style, and the snow fell at intervals. This morning there was about one foot of snow on an average, though on the sheltered hillsides of the mountain there were drifts many feet in depth, and travelling on foot is out of the question. Nevertheless the weather is gradually moderating, the cold not being anything like so severe as it was last month, and when the sun comes out for an hour or two the streets are running with slush, which penetrates any leather, and is rough on weak constitutions. People with weak lungs or a predisposition to pneumonia or pleurisy, had better stay away from here at this time. Of course out-door work is out of the question, and prospecting has ceased entirely for the time being.

            The roads from Austin and Elko, the latter in particular, are in a terrible condition, and passengers by the stages have a rough time getting through, being compiled to get out in the mud and lend a hand at lifting the overloaded vehicles out of the sticking places at frequent intervals. The storm, which came in the shape of snow here, was rain in the valley and "no bottom," is the report of all the stage drivers and passengers.

The Rush Hitherward.

            Passengers just arrived via Elko report an immense crowd on the way here, the reports of the late fine weather having sent them away from home by thousands. For those who bring money, and can afford to pay liberally for such accommodations as the district affords, there is a good opening here; for men accustomed to hard work — mining, teaming, or house building, and are willing to take off their coats and rollup their sleeves — there is a good opening also; but for men without money, without trades and unaccustomed to hard labor, there is only a prospect of hardship, disappointment and not improbably a pauper funeral out on the hillside. For dry goods and bankers' clerks, and even with no particular occupation, to come here without money, expecting to even make a living, let alone getting rich, is worse than absurd. It costs enormously to buy even prospecting tools and grub, and the chance of such persons finding anything remunerative to occupy their time is about the same at this time as of being struck by lightning in a White Pine Po-go-nip. For common humanity sake keep such persons at home, if possible.

New Developments.

            In spite of the savage weather, some wonderful developments are being made daily in this district. The California ledge, at the south end of Treasure Hill, of which I wrote some days since, is opening out wonderfully, and it now appears to be the general opinion that it will prove to be the second mine in the district in point of value. It already ranks alongside the Hidden Treasure, while many persons, well posted on such subjects, class it as next to the Eberhardt. The ledge will average twenty feet in width, and some of the ore is immensely rich.

            On Bromide Flat, the new discoveries attract a crowd daily. As fast as the ore is taken out it is hauled off to the mills. A dozen shafts have been sunk within at many feet of each other, and the drifts are already running into each other on all sides. The only exception is on the Gov. Bross "square location," and I noticed one jumper just on the edge of that.

            Among the big mines recently developed on the southern slope of treasure Hill, is the '" Thunderbolt," situated about a quarter of a mile southeast of the California, near the foot of the hill. A cut has been run into the hill some twenty feet, and the ledge opened in such manner as to show a width of fully twelve feet of ore closely resembling the California. Sixty thousand dollars was offered and refused, as I am informed, for this mine.

            The proposition advanced in one or more of my previous letters, viz : that there is a ledge dipping northeastward through Treasure Hill, and cropping out in a continuous though irregular line from the Hidden Treasure Mine northwestwardly along the western slope of the hill to a point west of Hamilton,  is being demonstrated as correct beyond a doubt The Excelsior is one of the best defined of the mines located along this line, and the Echo and Elmira, lower down the hill to the northwestward, may be classed in the same category, both showing an immense ledge. Near the Echo and lower down the hill is a mine called the "Phoenix," which was bought by Messrs. Parker, Fry, Shannon, Caldwell and others from F. G. Berry, two months since, for a small price, it being then entirely undeveloped. Since that time it has been opened, and shows at this time a ledge nearly thirty feet in width filled with ore, some of which is immensely rich. I saw a sample taken from that mine yesterday which showed horn silver and chlorides in abundance. I look upon that mine as being among the most promising in that part of the district.   The same ledge is found in the extension, 400 feet northwards, and the Featherstone, also looking well, is located still further to the northwards on the same outcrop or ledge. When the weather settles down and work can be resumed in all parts of the district, you may look out for greater developments and greater excitement over them than anything yet known.

            In speaking of this line of mines situated on a continuous ledge, I have several times alluded to the Excelsior as one of the most prominent. This Excelsior was located in November, 1867, below the Eberhardt, and must not be confounded with a much more recent location bearing the same name situated on the eastern spur of the hill due south of Hamilton and in the immediate vicinity of the Virginia. The latter, a different affair altogether, is, I believe, now on the market in San Francisco.

Wild Cat.

            What in heaven's name are all your people in San Francisco about ? Every express brings hundreds of letters of inquiry about the worst wild cats ever turned loose on an unsuspecting and confiding public, and it would seem that there are a hundred sales of such stock or "locations," where there is one in any of the genuine, valuable and reliable mines, incorporated or otherwise, in this district. I tell them and you, to go slow. The best mines are sold readily here, and nine-tenths of the wild cats go to San Francisco. Put no faith in assays; you can get enough rich rock for an assay out of almost any prospecting hole the district, even where there is no sign of a ledge. Buy nothing until you have seen it with your own eyes, or have the word of some one on whom you can rely who has seen and examined it. You cannot expect every mine to turn out an Eberhardt; many promising locations work out in the best districts, and this district, though differing from all others, is not an entire exception to the rule — but that is no reason why a man should deliberately fool away his money and buy into a hole in the barren limestone, or an imaginary location entirely. Of what use are your eyes, ears and senses generally, if you will not avail yourselves of their services? I am sick of the subject.

Yours,

EVANS.