[White Pine, Sacramento Union, February 18, 1869]

 

            White Pine, Nevada.— A correspondent of the Union, a miner of 1849, writing from Hamilton, White Pine District, February 12th, says:

            For the benefit of your many readers and my friends, I take this liberty of informing them through your valuable paper that I have been here in this district for the last three months, and have come to the conclusion that it is the richest and roughest district yet discovered on the Pacific slope, but let everybody who intends to come here this Winter be prepared. My advice is for them to stay where they are until spring; that is plenty of time. It has been snowing and storming for the last two weeks, and it seems as though there is no let up to it. The snow is two and a half to three feet deep on a level in every town, and the roads are almost impassable in some places. Everything is on the standstill, waiting for Spring. This I say for men of small means. Work is plenty at $6 per day, but men are scarce who will work for that.  They prefer to take their chances prospecting.  There are many poor men who have come here without a dollar who are now worth thousands. For instance, there are some old Sacramentans, some old hod-carriers, defunct merchants, etc., whose names are familiar with many: G. W. Anderson, C. P. Cummings, Morril, Wilson, Johnson, and last, but not least, Budd Smith, the oldest son of old Captain Smith, of the horse market of Sacramento. Smith came here without a dollar to his name, and now he is looked upon as a gentleman who has plenty of cash and as a business man of the first order. As an auctioneer his equal is hard to find, and when any one has anything to sell the first place they strike is Budd's auction horse market.

            Of course, there were some veteran prospectors — men who wished to see the thing out. They remained, prospected all the Summer under difficulties — scarcity of "grub" and fear of "ye noble red man" not the least of them — struck nothing, and were of course "hard up" toward Winter. Their only alternative then was to go to work for wages, and there was only one company which was working and paying their men $5 per day, currency. Even that was desirable, as a few weeks work would secure a "grub stake," and the company was backed by a Chicago capitalist. But, alas for the fallacy of human expectations! the capitalist came, but not the capital; indeed, so limited were the finances of the aforesaid capitalist, that on his arrival he was obliged to borrow $100 from a gentleman who was acting in the capacity of bookkeeper for the company. This, of course, was a disappointment, as he (the capitalist) was reputed to be wealthy, and was to bring in machinery for a mill, money enough to put it up and pay up all the expenses of the mine besides. Things looked rather "shaky" about this time; but it is said that a certain personage looks out for the welfare of his own, and I believe there is some truth in it, too; for although no "stamps " came from the East, the machinery came in from Bryan City, the mill was put up and is now in operation, together with the mine, and everything looks lovely, etc.

            It is said the darkest hour is just before the dawn. So also may it be said that after dawn the day is not always bright. No sooner had this company emerged from their difficulties than they showed the cloven foot. They were not pressed by their employés for money — in fact not even asked for it — every one of them having their Winter's provisions laid in, and all willing to give them an opportunity to settle more pressing demands from the proceeds of their first "clean-up." No! The chance for shaving merchants and mechanics were not quite so good as they were to shave the miner and the laborer. They should take dirty gold at $22 per ounce currency — which in fact was not marketable at any price — and well they knew it.[1] But it was thought that they could not help themselves; they were here in mid-Winter, without money ; therefore could not leave, and must necessarily work for whatever they (the company) chose to pay them, In that they were mistaken. The innate sense of right which every honest man possesses was aroused and rebelled against an act of such gross injustice — it was not for the amount lost, but for confidence abused and promises broken. Those men who worked for the company were assured by the capitalist from Chicago that they should get every dollar they earned. Vain assurance ! The miners quit, and now that company may hire other men on the same terms if they can, and will doubtless pay them in the same currency.