USA > Nevada > Eureka County > Eureka and its resources; a complete history of Eureka County, Nevada, containing the United States mining laws, the mining laws of the district, bullion product and other statistics for 1878, and a list of county officers > Part 5
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and mountain ranges of Nevada, their axial lines bearing quite regularly north and south.
The works covering the mine are strong and compact, and the machinery ample for all present purposes. The boiler is an upright, eighty-four by sixty-four inches, with horizon- tal engine of twenty-four horse power, capable of hoisting from a depth of seven hundred feet or more, and to which is attached a forty-eight inch reel, carrying a steel wire cable of sufficient strength to hoist from any depth that might be attained. The mine and works are in good condi- tion, under the supervision of Edward Emery, an experi- enced foreman of the mine, whose early training on the Comstock eminently fits him for the position he now fills.
SILVERADO DISTRICT.
This district lies about ten miles south by east from Eureka, in a direct line, though a drive of fifteen miles is necessary to reach it by team. The boundary line separat- ing the counties of Eureka and White Pine, runs through the district, and from the fact that it draws its supplies from Eureka, and is partly in our county, we have included it among the resources of our wonderful county.
The district began to attract attention as early as 1869, when prospectors from White Pine discovered the rich min- eral belt which has since made it famous.
Silverado mountain is a bold, picturesque mass of dolo- mitic limestone, running from northeast to southwest, its entire length being about two miles, and its highest point rising some two thousand feet above the valley.
The mineral bearing belt is about eighty feet in width, and can be easily traced by its rich croppings running along the mountain, about half way up its rugged sides.
THE RESCUE MINE
Is the most important, and has been more extensively
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worked than any in the district. It was located by John Shoenbar in 1872, and worked by him for several years with good results. In 1877 a company was organized in New York, under the name of the Rescue Mining Co., which has made considerable headway during the past fifteen months. Over a mile of drifts and tunnels have been run, and a great amount of rich ore extracted.
The ore lies in chambers in the lime rock, and the aver- age assay of a thousand tons, smelted at the Richmond fur- nace at Eureka, netting $235 per ton, will give an idea of its extraordinary richness. Some smaller deposits have assayed as high as $3,000 per ton.
The mine has now attained a depth of four hundred and eighty-five feet on the incline shaft, and hoisting by horse power, as heretofore, is no longer practicable.
Negotiations are now pending for the purchase and erec- tion of steam hoisting works. With good machinery and energetic management, this property bids fair to rival the best in the State.
The great and only drawback to the district at present is the scarcity of water, which has to be hauled from Pinto, a distance of five miles.
The company has been indefatigable in its efforts to obtain this necessary adjunct to successful mining, having sunk three artesian wells, two of which were abandoned after sinking 300 and 115 feet respectively, while the third is now 600 feet in depth, with a prospect of water. Water can be brought in by pipes from several points about four miles distant, and this will probable be the only means of supply practicable.
THE QUEEN MINE,
Owned by the Jones Brothers, adjoins the Rescue, and has been successfully worked for several years, and a large amount of rich ore extracted. Steam hoisting works have
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been erected, and the future of this property is very prom- ising.
THE MARYLAND MINE,
Owned by an English company, is located on the same lode, and has produced large quantities of ore, averaging from $200 to $500 per ton.
Owing to financial difficulties, this property has not been worked for some years; but work has lately been resumed under an able and energetic miner, John Potter, agent of the British Mill and Mining Co.
Several other locations have been made along the lode, showing good surface indications. There is plenty of wood and considerable mining timber close to the mines, and with proper management and a moderate outlay of capital, Sil- verado is destined to take a prominent place among the ore producing districts of our State.
THE GEDDES AND BERTRAND
Is situated in Secret Cañon, about eight miles from Eureka, to the south. In the latter half of the year 1875, over fifteen hundred tons of ore were extracted, averaging close in the vicinity of $200 per ton. The ore is of an antimonial and rebellious character, and though it contains only about six per cent of lead, it is too refractory to mill, and does not contain sufficient lead to smelt. The company was unfortunate in its management, those controll- ing its affairs insisting upon the erection of a furnace at a point near the mine, where it was impossible to procure the quantity of lead required for the successful smelting of the ores. When the furnace had been demonstrated a failure, the management insisted upon the erection of a mill at great expense, this too becoming a failure, owing, as has already been stated, to the generally refractory character of the ore. The stockholders becoming dissatisfied, refused to place any
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more money in an investment which seemed only too ready to swallow all and return nothing. At this time, had the owners tried the experiment of sending the ore a distance of eight miles, by good road, to Eureka, where lead ores, and in fact all the necessary ores to make their own refractory ones yield, were to be had, it is a certain fact that they would now be in possession of a property of incalculable value, and one probably producing dividends equal to those of the Richmond and Eureka Consolidated.
This fact was fully demonstrated by a shipment of five hundred tons of high grade selected ore to Eureka and San Francisco, which netted the company $200 per ton over and above all expenses. Notwithstanding these figures, the stock- holders, on whom the tide of disgust and disappointment had fully set in, refused to work any further, and shortly after the whole property fell into the hands of Messrs. Arrington and Bartlett, of Eureka, to satisfy a judgment. In the property is included five quarter-sections of woodland and two springs, -no mean considerations in this country. Immense bodies of ore are in sight, and the property is undoubtedly one of the best on the coast.
MINERAL HILL.
This thriving little mining camp is situated fifty-five miles north of the town of Eureka, and five miles distant from the Eureka and Palisade railroad.
The mines at this place were discovered in the year 1869, by a prospecting party from Austin. They sold half of their mines to an English company, who immediately erected a fifteen-stamp mill to reduce the rich ores that were being taken out in large quantities.
Another mill of twenty-stamp power was afterwards erect- ed, at a cost of $130,000, and after running about four months was shut down, and shortly afterward sold to the Leopard Company, at Cornucopia, for the sum of $17,500.
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The mining operations not being well managed, the com- pany went into bankruptcy, and pending litigation the man- agement of the mines was given to Daniel J. Bousfield, a talented young gentleman who had had considerable experi- ence in the Comstock mines. After a successful superintend- ency of over two years, he was succeeded by the present superintendent, John W. Plummer, a prominent mining engineer, who represents John Taylor & Sons, of London, who bought the property at a low figure.
Prospecting is now being carried on, and a few months ago a new district was located about seven miles east of the town, called Union district. The ores found at this place closely resemble the ores peculiar to Eureka district, and encouraged the owners to such an extent that there is now a shaft sun !. to the depth of one hundred and fifty feet, following the clearly defined ledge, and from which good assays are being obtained.
The town has a population of about 75, 3 stores, 2 saloon: and the ubiquitous Chinese wash-house.
CORTEZ DISTRICT.
It was first located about fourteen years ago by a company under the leadership of Dr. Hatch, from Austin. It is situated near the northern end of the Toyabe range of mountains, and at a distance of thirty miles from Bowawe, a station on the Central Pacific railroad. There was considerable excitement in regard to the mines here at the time and shortly after their discovery, but it was not of long duration, and the miners left for more attractive fields of labor. Mr. Wenham, one of the original locators, remained, and it is owing alto- gether to his enterprise and faith in the mines here that Cortez has become a bullion producing district. The principal mines are located on the westerly slope of the lofty peak, Mount Tenabo. The Garrison is the most important location in the district. Steam hoisting works, and all the necessary
1
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appliances for the extraction of ore are in use. The water for the steam engine is packed on mules a distance of about three miles. The prevailing formation here is limestone and quartzite. The ores require roasting before amalgamation, and are of very high grade. They carry both gold and silver. A depth of only about three hundred feet has yet been reached. Other locations of note in this district are the St. Louis, Arctic, Idaho, Magenta, Baltic, and Old Times. There are others of less prominent value. Mr. Wenban, in 1869, purchased the mill which had been erected during the first excitement, and has kept it running at intervals ever since. This mill is situated in a cañon about eight miles distant from the mines by wagon road, and four miles by the trail. The ore is con- veyed to it by pack mules. It is probable that the mill will be moved to a place more convenient to the mines in the near future. The mines at present are in a flourishing condition, with better prospects for the future than ever before.
The Alforges mine, James Laraway, owner, is situated in the same district, and is a paying location, producing steadily and giving good returns.
The preceding pages have been devoted to descriptions of the most important mines of the district, and do not include those of hundreds of smaller mines which produce from one to three tons of ore daily, thus giving their aid to swell the bullion product of the district to a very material extent.
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CHAPTER IX.
United States Mining Laws-Manner of Locating Claims on Veins or Lodes after May 10, 1872, under the Laws of the United States-District Mining Laws-Form of Notice of Mining Location.
FROM and after the 10th of May, 1872, any person who is a citizen of the United States, or who has declared his inten- tion to become a citizen, may locate, record, and hold a min- ing claim of fifteen hundred linear feet along the course of any mineral vein or lode subject to location ; or an association of persons, severally qualified as above, may make joint location of such claim of fifteen hundred feet ; but in no event can a location of a vein or lode made subsequent to May 10, 1872, exceed fifteen hundred feet along the course thereof, whatever may be the number of persons composing the association.
With regard to the extent of surface ground adjoining a vein or lode, and claimed for the convenient working thereof, the Revised Statutes provide that the lateral extent of loca- tions of veins or lodes made after May 10, 1872, shall in no case exceed three hundred feet on each side of the middle of the vein at the surface, and that no such surface rights shall be limited by any mining regulations to less than twenty-five feet on each side of the middle of the vein at the surface, ex- cept where adverse rights existing on the 10th May, 1872, may render such limitation necessary, the end lines of such claims to be in all cases parallel to each other. Said lateral measurements cannot extend beyond three hundred feet on either side of the middle of the vein at the surface, or such distance as is allowed by local laws. For example : 400 feet cannot be taken on one side, and 200 feet on the other. If, however, 300 feet on each side are allowed, and by reason of
JACKSON HOISTING WORKS .- FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY LOUIS MONACO.
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EUREKA AND ITS RESOURCES.
prior claims but 100 feet can be taken on one side, the locator will not be restricted to less than 300 feet on the other side ; and when the locator does not determine by exploration where the middle of the vein at the surface is, his discovery shaft must be assumed to mark such point.
By the foregoing it will be perceived that no lode or claim located after the 10th May, 1872, can exceed a parallelogramn fifteen hundred feet in length by six hundred feet in width, but whether surface ground of that width can be taken de- pends upon the local regulations or State or territorial laws in force in the several mining districts ; and that no such local regulations or State or territorial laws shall limit a vein or lode claim to less than fifteen hundred feet along the course thereof, whether the location is made by one or more persons, nor can surface rights be limited to less than fifty feet in width, unless adverse claims existing on the 10th day of May, 1872, render such lateral limitation necessary.
It is provided by the Revised Statutes that the miners of each district may make rules and regulations not in conflict with the laws of the United States, or of the State or terri- tory in which such districts are respectively situated, gov- erning the location, manner of recording, and amount of work necessary to hold possession of a claim. They likewise require that the location shall be so distinctly marked on the ground that its boundaries may be readily traced. This is a very important matter, and locators cannot exercise too much care in defining their locations at the outset, inasmuch as the law requires that all records of mining locations made subsequent to May 10, 1872, shall contain the name or names of the locators, the date of the location, and such a descrip- tion of the claim or claims located, by reference to some natural object or permanent monument, as will identify the claim.
The statutes provide that no lode claim shall be recorded until after the discovery of a vein or lode within the limits
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of the ground claimed ; the object of which provision Ler. dently to prevent the encumbering of the district mining records with useless locations before sufficient work has been done thereon to determine whether a vein or lode has really been discovered or not.
The claimant should therefore, prior to recording his claim, unless the vein can be traced upon the surface, sink a shaft, or run a tunnel or drift, to a sufficient depth therein to dis- cover and develop a mineral-bearing vein, lode, or crevice; should determine, if possible, the general course of such vein in either direction from the point of discovery, by which direction he will be governed in marking the boundaries of his claim on the surface, and should give the course and dis- tance as nearly as practicable from the discovery-shaft on the claim, to some permanent, well-known points or objects, such, for instance. as stone monuments, blazed trees, the confluence of streams, point of intersection of well-known gulches, ra- vines, or roads, prominent buttes, hills, &c., which may be in the immediate vicinity, and which will serve to perpetuate and fix the locus of the claim and render it susceptible of identification from the description thereof given in the record of locations in the district.
In addition to the foregoing data, the claimant should state the names of adjoining claims, or, if none adjoin, the rela- tive positions of the nearest claims; should drive a post or erect a monument of stones at each corner of his surface- ground, and at the point of discovery or discovery-shaft should fix a post, stake, or board, upon which be designated the name of the lode, the name or names of the locators, the number of feet claimed, and in which direction from the point of discovery; it being essential that the location notice filed for record, in addition to the foregoing description, should state whether the entire claim of fifteen hundred feet is taken on one side of the point of discovery, or whether it is partly upon one and partly upon the other side thereof, and in the
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latter case, how many feet are claimed upon each side of such discovery-point.
Within a reasonable time, say twenty days after the loca- tion shall have been marked on the ground, or such time as is allowed by the local laws, notice thereof, accurately describ- ing the claim in manner aforesaid, should be filed for record with the proper recorder of the district, who will thereupon issue the usual certificate of location.
In order to hold the possessory right to a location made since May 10, 1872, not less than one hundred dollars' worth of labor must be performed, or improvements made thereon, within one year from the date of such location, and annually thereafter; in default of which the claim will be subject to relocation by any other party having the necessary qualifica- tions, unless the original locator, his heirs, assigns, or legal representatives, have resumed work thereon after such failure and before such relocation.
The expenditures required upon mining claims may be made from the surface or in running a tunnel for the devel- opment of such claims, the act of February 11, 1875, provid- ing that where a person or company has, or may, run a tunnel for the purpose of developing a lode or lodes owned by said person or company, the money so expended in said tun- nel shall be taken and considered as expended on said lode or lodes, and such person or company shall not be required to perform work on the surface of said lode or lodes in order to hold the same.
The importance of attending to these details in the matter of location, labor, and expenditure will be the more readily perceived when it it is understood that a failure to give the subject proper attention may invalidate the claim.
TUNNEL RIGHTS.
Section 2323 provides that where a tunnel is run for the development of a vein or lode, or for the discovery of mines,
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EUREKA AND ITS RESOURCES.
the owners of such tunnel shall have the right of possession of all veins or lodes within three thousand feet from the face of such tunnel on the line thereof, not previously known to exist, discovered in such tunnel, to the same extent as if dis- covered from the surface; and locations on the line of such tunnel or veins or lodes not appearing on the surface, made by other parties, after the commencement of the tunnel, and while the same is being prosecuted with reasonable diligence, shall be invalid; but failure to prosecute the work on the tunnel for six months shall be considered as an abandonment of the right to all undiscovered veins or lodes on the line of said tunnel.
The effect of this is simply to give the proprietors of a mining tunnel run in good faith the possessory right to fifteen hundred feet of any blind lodes cut, discovered, or intersected by such tunnel, which were not previously known to exist, within three thousand feet from the face or point of com- mencement of such tunnel, and to prohibit other parties, after the commencement of the tunnel, from prospecting for and making locations of lodes on the line thereof and within said distance of three thousand feet, unless such lodes appear upon the surface or were previously known to exist.
The term " face," as used in said section, is construed and held to mean the first working-face formed in the tunnel, and to signify the point at which the tunnel actually enters cover, it being from this point that the three thousand feet are to be counted, upon which prospecting is prohibited as aforesaid.
To avail themselves of the benefits of this provision of law, the proprietors of a mining tunnel will be required, at the time they enter cover as aforesaid, to give proper notice of their tunnel location, by erecting a substantial post, board, or monument at the face or point of commencement thereof, upon which should be posted a good and sufficient notice, giving the names of the parties or company claiming the tunnel right; the actual or proposed course or direction of the
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EUREKA AND ITS RESOURCES.
tunnel; the height and width thereof, and the course and distance from such face or point of commencement to some permanent, well-known objects in the vicinity by which to fix and determine the locus in manner heretofore set forth applicable to locations of veins or lodes, and at the time of posting such notice they shall, in order that miners or pros- pectors may be enabled to determine whether or not they are within the lines of the tunnel, establish the boundary lines thereof by stakes or monuments placed along such lines at proper intervals, to the terminus of the three thousand feet from the face or point of commencement of the tunnel, and the lines so marked will define and govern as to the specific boundaries within which prospecting for lodes not previously known to exist is prohibited while work on the tunnel is being prosecuted with reasonable diligence.
At the time of posting notice and marking out the lines of the tunnel as aforesaid, a full and correct copy of such notice or location defining the tunnel claim must be filed for record with the mining recorder of the district, to which notice must be attached the sworn statement or declaration of the owners, claimants, or projectors of such tunnel, setting forth the facts in the case, stating the amount expended by themselves and their predecessors in interest in prosecuting work thereon, the extent of the work performed, and that it is bona fide their intention to prosecute work on the tunnel so located and described with reasonable diligence for the development of a vein or lode, or for the discovery of mines, or both, as the case may be.
This notice of location must be duly recorded, and, with the said sworn statement attached, kept on the recorder's files for friture reference.
By a compliance with the forego .. g much needless difficulty will be avoided, and the way for the adjustment of legal rights acquired in virtue of said section 2323 will be made much more easy and certain.
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DISTRICT MINING LAWS.
The rules and regulations of the miners primarily in force in the district, were such as usually governed throughout the State. The early locators adopted formally the Reese River code of laws, which granted 200 feet along the course of the lode to each person named in the notice of location, ' with an extra claim as a bonus to the discoverer of a new | ledge. This code allowed also a space of 100 feet on each side of the claim for working purposes, i. e., for hoisting works, dump room, and other appurtenances of the mine. In the year 1869, at the suggestion of Mr. Stetefeldt, an amendment or addition to the laws was made, whereby " square " locations, as they were called, might be taken up. These square locations consisted of a space of ground 100 by 100 feet, with the addition of the usual extra "square" for the discoverer of a new deposit. They were surface loca- tions pure and simple, and granted all the mineral which lay beneath them to any depth. The reason recited as the motive for this amendment was that the ores of the district did not occur in true veins, but merely in the form of isolated irregular deposits. These new regulations were adopted prior to the discovery of the ore on Ruby hill, and hence it is proper to assume that they were not predicated upon the mode of its occurrence at this particular locality. Nevertheless, all the earliest locations on Ruby hill were made either as surface " squares " or as both "squares " and ledge locations. As examples of the latter, we have the Richmond location, made by the predecessors in interest of the present Richmond Mining Company, and the Marcelina, belonging to the K. K., which was located in a similar man- ner by the predecessors in interest of that company. In the fall of 1869 and early in 1870, the miners seem to have begun to doubt the validity of the square locations, and without exception, relocated their claims as ledges.
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EUREKA AND ITS RESOURCES.
Eureka thus appears to have been the first, if not the only district in the State, in which such a method of location has been attempted. It is still a matter of grave doubt whether such a location could or could not be deemed to come with- in the meaning of any of the United States enactments gov- erning the location of mines, after the promulgation of the law of 1866. At any rate the innovation very soon fell into disuse, or was only invoked as an additional safeguard to round out, so to speak, a ledge location. By combining both a surface claim and a ledge location, the miners were enabled to evade the very troublesome and very improper permission or presumption of the old law that many differ- ent ledges might crop out and be held by different owners within the area of a single claim. This objectionable feature has been entirely obviated by the wise provision of the act of 1872, whereby all ledges, if there be more than one within the surface lines of the original location, are deemed to be the property of the first locator, in so far as they are included within the projected end lines of the claim. The law of 1872 has so far worked admirably in practice. It might be improved, however, by enlarging the surface permitted from 600 to 1,000 feet, and by making the parallelism of the end lines mandatory instead of merely directory.
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