November 15, 2011

Nevada's Online State News Journal

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Nevada History:

 [Albert S. Evans, Letter from White Pine, Alta California, August 14, 1869]

LETTER FROM WHITE PINE.

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[SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE ALTA CALIFORNIA.]

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Smelting Ventures — How Things Generally Look — Notes on the Leading Mines — Other Interests — Tunnels — Bullion Shipments.

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TREASURE CITY, Nev., August 10th.

            Editors Alta : Since my last, business has been dull and at times lively in White Pine. A part of the rioters have been convicted of "riot," or "unlawful assembly," and the miners' strike may be considered finished, as the Miners' Union has disbanded. So far so good. The mills are now running right along, and there need be no lack of ore for them to crush hereafter. Trade, there is next to none, and real estate is as dead as Julius Caesar, or any other man. Over speculation has produced its legitimate results, and the period of utter prostration, sure to follow the fever of excitement, is upon us. There has been much sickness at Hamilton — fevers and billious diseases — and at Treasure City there has been a number of cases of erysipelas within a few days.

Smelting.

            I am glad to see that Colonel Bulkley's experiments in smelting with cheap furnaces the base metal ores have awakened attention to that subject, and there is a prospect that many tons of base bullion will be sent out from the district to San Francisco, weekly, for a long time to come, if the San Francisco market will afford a profit. The bullion can be laid down in San Francisco for six cents per pound, all charges of production and transportation included, and if the business is wisely and liberally encouraged, it will grow to immense proportions rapidly.

            I hear of half a dozen parties who will put up from one to half a dozen furnaces each immediately, and several are nearly ready to start. The furnace of Messrs. Jordan & Pritchard, at Swansea, was fired up yesterday, and would, if the lining had held, have turned out from three to six tons of metal per day for the next ten days; but an accident shut them down. The extensive works of which Mr. Mosheimer is the Superintendent have been delayed by accidents to machinery, etc., but are expected to turn out large amounts of bullion very soon. There is an unlimited amount of the ore in the Base Range, and at Ophir Hill, south of White Pine Mountain, Uncle Joe Trench has a mine which will yield vast quantities of immensely rich smelting ore, far better than anything in the Base Range.

Facts vs. Croakers.

            In all fairness I can say, and I think that the observation of all unprejudiced visitors will confirm my statements, that at no previous time have the mines of this district given such promise of permanency or looked a tenth part as well. The change in this respect since I left here three months since, is wonderful. Real estate is almost wholly unsaleable in all three of the towns, and greatly depreciated in nominal value; trade is dull, and all kinds of business save mining at a stand-still. White Pine is passing through the period of reaction following undue and intense excitement incident to every mining locality having real merit. Washoe "went up like a rocket and down like a stick," and for nearly three years was in a collapsed condition, then came out triumphant and was a world's wonder. White Pine is in the collapsed condition now, but will remain so for a much shorter time. The restoration of confidence and the establishment of business on a sound basis will require time, of course, but not a very long time.

            One of the great drawbacks to the prosperity of a new mining region is the fact that a class of thriftless prospectors always rush in, locate claims by the thousands, and then sit down in idleness waiting for capitalists to come and buy their claims for fabulous sums. Sometimes capitalists come and buy and get bitten — a few did it here six months since — but oftener they do not come at all, and the prospectors are "frozen out" and leave, grumbling and cursing the whole country. Six months since the owners of every little hole in the ground, 4x6 feet square and ten feet deep, in White Pine District expected to get at least $10,000 for it, and in most cases the asking price was from $25,000 to $500,000. Now such claims are wholly unsaleable, and the unwilling holders are swearing that the whole country has "gone in." These men never do anything to develop a district, and the sooner they are starved out, leave, and make room for active workers who will put money and muscle into the mines, the better for all, except the aforesaid drones. They are getting well down towards the bed-rock here now, and must soon hunt their holes with a view of working them or leave for some other diggings. What this district now wants most is work, and that is really about all it does want.

            I have been told over and over again in San Francisco, that all the silver being shipped from this district came from the Eberhardt Mine, and there was not another mine in the district. Now, for the past week, I have been going around among the mines, and I propose to give you a list of those which I have visited, and which I know from my own observation have got enough ore to make it certain that they will sooner or later pay dividends to the owners or stockholders, if not grossly mismanaged.

            First, then, of course, the Eberhardt. All that I have ever written on this mine I repeat.  Little  has been done on it since I saw it last, and there is no change whatever in its appearance. The Company had out ore enough early last spring to run their mills until September, and did not care to take out more merely to pile it up on the ground. Since the strike they have been cleaning up their dump and making ready for operations on an enlarged scale. Eighty men will soon be put at work at $4 per day. There is an independent fortune — a colossal one, I might say — for each of the owners in the Eberhardt in the ore already uncovered in the mine, if there was not a pound behind it. They will take out $75,000 in bullion this month.

            The Aurora Consolidated. This mine has any amount of $100, and upwards, ore, and can run a mill from the product of any one of half a dozen of the claims embraced in its ground. Their main shaft is down from 45 to 50 feet, and is in ore all the way. The drilling from this shaft either way has failed thus far to show the outer edge of the deposit or vein. Recently the Company drifted out the Ogdensburg claim, a short distance north of the main shaft on the hillside above Main street, and opened up new ground. The Ogdensburg shaft was found to have just missed an immense deposit of rich ore. On Thursday I visited that point, and found a number of men at work clearing away the roots of a huge pine tree which formerly stood there. They had an excavation like a cellar, perhaps 12x20 feet in size, and all in rich ore. The men were getting out a ton of ore to the man per day, besides doing the dead work. The Company is spending a good deal of money in running for, and tracing out, mines located on their ground or ground which they claim. Thus far they have only failed with the Earl, and that case is not yet decided; whether they beat the Earl or not, they have ground enough of their own where there is no dispute, which is known to be rich, to keep a large force employed for five years to come at least.

            The Aurora South. This mine is looking better daily. There are from 1,000 to 2,000 tons of pay ore now on the dump and any quantity more in sight below. It is a big mine.

            The Hidden Treasure. This mine has been opened extensively since I was last here, and shows immense masses of the highest grade ore. The dump contains hundreds and hundreds of tons of far better ore than the average now being taken from the Comstock ledge, yet it is thrown aside as not immediately valuable. The last month's work has disclosed more ore than was ever in sight before, and the mine is bound to pay unless grossly mismanaged. The result of the suit with the Rathburn Company is not taken into consideration in this calculation, as the Company has abundance of ground without that involved in the dispute.

            The Silver Wave. This mine is situated directly westward of the Hidden Treasure. I went down into the shaft and drifts, and saw a splendid body of first-rate ore, very similar in appearance to that in the Aurora. The Company has drifted some forty feet northwards, and have not touched end or bottom of the ore yet. I ranched for nearly two months last winter within a stone's throw of this mine, and little dreamed how much wealth was lying so near me undeveloped. This mine certainly ought to pay very soon.

            The "Pogonip and Othello." This mine has already been described in the Alta. It has steadily improved since I saw it last, and is apparently sure to pay if properly worked, and I think it is being well run.

            The Chloride Consolidated. This aggregation of mines is in fine shape, and there is an immense amount of fine ore in sight and being taken out and milled daily.

            Treasure Hill Silver Mining and Milling Company. This Company now owns the Post Hole, Nevada, Summit and other mines, and is taking out $3,000 worth of ore daily and hauling it to their mill (formerly to Big Smoky) at Hamilton. They have settled disputes and defined boundaries with their neighbors, and have every prospect of making a big thing.

            The Virginia. This mine never looked half so well before. They now have out some 400 tons of magnificent ore and a large quantity of lower grade. They are now using the tunnel which was ill-advisedly commenced last fall, having connected it with their old shaft, and are in the finest and most extensive body of ore I have seen outside of the Eberhardt. The deeper they go the better the ore appears.

            The California. The fine large mill of this Company, at Eberhardt City, is now nearly ready to run, and the mine shows any amount of ore, which, though not generally of a very high grade, is sufficiently so to pay well for working in the Company's own mill.

            As I came past the Virginia this morning I saw them shipping beautiful high-grade ore from their dump at the mouth of the tunnel on large mule wagons direct to some mill at Hamilton or below. They have a graded road now from the latter place to their mine. The Pogonip and Othello, in running to run out the West Point, this week opened the ore connection between the Pogonip and Othello deposits, showing them to be one and the same in fact, though originally supposed to be separate. I think it safe to predict that this Company will pay dividends within sixty days from this date at the outset; if they do not, it will not be for lack of earnings from the mine to do it with. There are a number of good claims in Blue and Bullion Hills, but I did not have time to visit them. I might, perhaps, add a number more to this list, but only venture to speak of those which I know from personal observation have got pay ore in paying quantities, and must pay if not mismanaged. In a year more this list will be largely increased.

Promising Mines.

            Among the mines which I have seen which promise well, if properly worked, and probably will or might be made to pay, are the Iceberg, Umatilla, Blood Omen, Hidden Treasure, Consolidated, Karl, White Pine Mutual (vexing questions of title involved in the last two), Sage Brush, Alta, Last Chance, Justin M'Carthy, Seymour, Elmira, Banner State, Mazeppa (not that incorporated under that name, but the original, now owned by Col. Clarkson Applegarth), Mahogany, Princess, Summit (Base Range), Vulcan (do.), Minerva, Dell, North Virginia, Omega, Northwestern (opposite American Hotel, Treasure City), Wabash, Hemlock, Mammoth and Treasure Hill Consolidated Mining Company. The last named company is formed by the consolidation of the Extension of the Sierra Nevada North, Magnolia, Mary Ann, Inca and Oscar claims. It is incorporated in White Pine, and all the Directors — energetic efficient men — are residing here. The Company's ground forms a square, lying just south of the Hidden Treasure, and east of the Silver Wave. I saw fine pay ore taken out of one of their shafts this morning and was surprised to see such fine developments in ground which has been run over for a year by prospectors, and was heretofore regarded as a mere ledge of barren limestone. Unless I am much mistaken, this ground is going to prove very valuable, and I shall not be surprised to see the Company come forward as one of the representative enterprises of White Pine, at no distant day. The Cinderilla, on Treasure Hill, is looking finely, and if a little more work was done on it, might be included in this list.

Tunnelling.

            Very much depends on the result of the tunnelling operations now being carried on. If any one of the tunnels now being pushed into Treasure Hill strikes a good ledge of ore at any considerable depth, the permanency of the mines of White Pine District will be established at once beyond a doubt. The Eastern Slope Tunnel Company, whose works commence near the Pocotillo, some 400 feet below the crest of the hill, have struck some low grade ore already, and have a fair prospect of striking a good body immediately. This Company has pushed work steadily from the start, and deserves credit for its energy and spirit. I saw in the Silver Vault Tunnel, 300 feet below the Hidden Treasure and a little southeast of it, at a depth of sixty-five feet from the entrance of the tunnel, what satisfies me that they are near pay ore. They have cut into rock which exactly resembles the casings of the Aurora, and there is hardly a doubt of their getting into pay ore very soon. If they do not all signs fail, and the oldest rock sharps are fooled badly. The tunnel will pass under the surface of the hill some 300 feet, and if there is pay ore there, then Treasure Hill may be regarded as one vast deposit, and it will take many years to work it out. The man who first strikes a good "blind ledge" in a tunnel in Treasure Hill will be entitled to be considered a public benefactor of the first class, and will deserve something more substantial than the thanks of the community. Above the Silver Vault Tunnel to the southward, and within fifty feet of the surface, there is a claim in the edge of the limestone outcrop which is called the Princess. There is every indication of a good silver deposit at that point, and a drift or tunnel is about to be driven in upon it with fine prospects of success. This claim lies to the southward of the Treasure Hill Consolidated Company's ground, spoken of elsewhere.

A Gleam of Daylight.

            Within the past three days a number of sales of mining ground have been made for cash, and the deeds recorded. There is a decidedly more hopeful feeling among the miners and business men all around. Accounts from the outside districts are better daily, and a good trade from them will come into Hamilton this winter. Nearly all of these districts, numbering twenty or more, will ship bullion or ore for reduction to some extent next season, and with their aid White Pine and Nye Counties will ship on an average not less than $1,000,000 per month in 1870. That amount may be doubled, but in any event it will not be reduced below that figure. I would like to see the Mexican arastra tried in reducing the ores of this district. I believe that the rock could be worked by that process for $20 per ton at most, and with a better yield of silver than the mills get in many cases. It is a wonder that nobody has yet tried it on.

            I have been sick nearly ever since I arrived, and am up and off this evening.

Yours,

EVANS.