New-York tribune., 1869-06-26
THE NEHADA SILVER MINES.
THE ExHAUsrRp MINES AT wAsHoE. COMO,
FTC-WHITE PINE-WHAT RETURNING MI
NERs sAY-INCIDENTs OF THE EARLY E4-
CITEMENT.


CITEMEHT
TpRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT
VIRGINIA CITY, New, June 14.-After an aD-
sence Of nearly years have again reached tne
famous Comsock lode that for the past eight years mas
welded such immense wealth in silver and gold, partially
compensating for the exhausted placers OF CALIFORNIA
The changes three years percepDle even IN
this city, and several of the little towns, whose vitality
depended entirely upon certain mines now nearly OF
quite exhausted are now almost depopulated. The
quantities OF ore removed and reduced every year would
have lasted century worked by the crude disadVana
geous processes employed in South America and Mexico
and the supplies deemed ineIhaustble py the en-
thusastic miners gviuS ulmistakapie signs oi
depletion. The Gould Curry-the pride OF Wasnoe'
whose owners formerly welded great monetary In
uence as almost to realize the fabulous story OF Midas
whose retorts in the glorious old days when Charley
Strong was superintendent turned out from four 10 s1
tuns OF bullion per month, and declared monthly diVl'
dends OF SIS per foot the face OF unparalleled e1pehd
tures-s taking, perhaps hnal rest from ts hercu
lean efforts and its great mill capable OF reducing l0
tuns Of ore day and the erection OF which cost over
million dollars stands idle and deserted, the quality OF
ore from its mine having so deprecated as 70 rem
der profitable working at present impossible
Washoe has immorazed herself, but her glory has de-
parted and her mantle will probably descend upon the
shoulders of Eastern Nevada paid Como flying visit
yesterday Once its mines were supposed to be as rich
as the Comstock and town OF mushroom growth sprang
up with its full quota OF whisky shops gambling Saloons
and embryo hotels interspersed with stock and pawn
brokers' offices mining companies and outfttng stores
But alas "the best laid plans mice and men, etc. the
mines failed to sustain first Impressions and to-day only
two men remain Of the hundreds that made Como their
home On either side, as rode along the deserted
streets were the monuments Of mans industry standing
Just as they left undsturbed even by the wander
ing Pnte who sragees through town, eating pine nuts
and maryeng at the foolishness Of the white man who
builds up towns on the barren mountain side and then
leaves them the bats and owls Only two men, said,
remain faithful to the decayed fortunes Of Como but
those two men are host in themselves. SO far from
being discouraged by prospects that 20 least look
rather dark to the visitor not inspired with the degree OF
confidence they possess they still have Como on the brain
TO an unlimited extent. Never was old Caleb OF VOLTS
Cragg more soctous for the welfare OF his master or
more anxious to support the honor Of Rayenswood than
are these two sole survivors OF departed greatness In the
defense OF Como Any expressed doubt Of tho richness
of the adjacent mines is ndgnanty repelled and per-
sisted in opens breach in friendship that nothing but
sincere repentance and absolute etraeton will close. II
you tmdy suggest that the absence OF so large portion
OF the population must retard rapid development OF
the resources OF the country and cause stagnaton In
business matters they instantly proceed 70 account for
II In 40 satisfactory manner that you finally arrive at
be conclusion that most OF the community are spending
their surplus cash during the hot months at Lake lahOe
AM a.
are using their powerful influence both East and West
to secure for Como monopoly OF the business now en-
loved by San Francisco and Chicago
Miners returning from White Pine arc unanimous In
the opinion that II ia the richest discovery yet made tins
aide OF the mountains but state that there are already
great many more men there than can Ind employment
and consequently an appalling amount OF suffering rom
hunger and exposure They speak OF men known IN this
community as industrious. steady men, OF unstaned rep
utaOn and who left lucrative positions here, begging
their bread at White Pine. aud upon the whole the mum
Der prospecting for grub seems to be LARGELY OF
those prospecting for edges Many assert that the
has not the clearly defined vein running In certain dec
tions like the COmsock eannotbe very extensive butts
confined TO pockets which, although very rch viii soon
boSeyeT in the early DAYS OF washoc among the
croakers and perhaps as flaeious In this case as M
that The Eberhardt tho richest claim yet discovered
and thoroughly prospected and tho "payore" IA found
in veIn as feet vide This mine has already sent
the ore grows richer as they sink deeper The
nearly all in silver very lttle gold being found 20
s P of Pine s Rss mn efs S ednSsd Sy tho ' n
process smelling furnaces now being erected TO
destroy minerals In OF the levels that
tralre the action Of quicksilver upon the precious metals
The Reese River country II nearly deserted Tor this new
excitement and property there cannot DO sold any
price unless Il be prontaby transported To White
Pine Many Of the quartz mills are being removed
tbitber and even dwelling houses and stores. Lumber
stood for weeks az $50 per thousand but rapidly
declined as did provisions both OF which may now bo
tbere as cheapas here with the cost OF transport
alton added. All returning from White Pine agree that
the climate is OF the vlainous description This II
oyn entirely 10 It's great elevation Treasure City being
more 1900 feet above the sea, or 1900 feet higher
The stampede or White Pine from California In gene
raj and from san Francisco In particular has gradually
subsided and society s again returning 10 its normal
condition The excitement attending this last great dis
coyery Of aufefOus and agenerOus l0dcs and ledges
has been almost Unprecedented in is intensity
among the volatile and yersate dwellers OF san Fran
cisco These periodical mining eXccmcnts seem To bo
as essential 70 the healthy growth proper develop
ment OF the Pacific slope as Is the regular morning
whisky cocktail 20 most OF It's inhabitants, and dearth
of the stimulant which has now become a necessity
attended by universal supOr from which large class
OF people only aroused by the glad OF discovery
from the prOspectors the mountains. Never tbe
pamy DAYS when the silver leads OF WashOe opened
had the mining excitement ragged 80 generally during
hs latest rush TO the tar Interior Old forty" miners
who had trod every gold placer from tho Yuba 10 the
Merced had Bhyered under thortatered blankets tho
hyperborean banks Of Frazer River and paid their
dSrgs at the shrine OF Midas under tho burning suns OF
nnder the STIMULATING influence OF gold strapped ihcr
blankets 10 their backs, and led the van OF tho
great tidal wave OF humanity now surgng east
sierras 10 the barren sagecoyered hills Of Nevada.
Injured as they 20 every hardship, priyatOn and
change of fortune known 10 this fuctnatng community
these worthless discouraged d,heartcncd.
are always ready 20 pioneer the 10 the hidden
ures of the mountains the fact that they had returned
from the Boise diggings dead broke" had "sparcd"
their way back ~ Frisco" from Salmon River. and
chased the gitterng igtus Iaas through the pesfeu.
tai wilderness Of AewGranada was but az feather IN
the balance when the glorious news heraded over
the land that rich mines had been discovered at White
Pine and the feQspirng cry Of gold changed them I'm
a twinkiug from chronic old buns" whose stamping
ground the What Cheer House aud the Miners Res.
tauran into the hardy rOnframed pioneers perfectly
adapted by nature, INCLINATION ana experience, 10 pre-
the way for tho thousands Of adyengrers labor
aud mechanics, that followed closely upon their
footsteps These latter classes Of course furnished
the great bulk OF emigrants % White Pine; and
San Francisco, OvercTOwded by adyenturers, dis
gorged her thousands Steamer after steamer left
the wharf for Sacramento loaded with passengers,
until u resembled beehive lust before sWarmng Pass
ages were engaged week In advance, and high premi
offered for tickets that secured an immediate
departure aud then the passage could only
cured 90 tho end Of the railroad, leaving 100 miles Of
stageoOachng, which, IL II had not previously been
cured by telegraph OF the most uncertain character
The stage difficult In the extremo-huge
drifts through which the passengers obliged 10
shovel their way intense oOd that froze the feet aud
hands OF nearly all the travellers, not tho only
things that made the Journey unpleasant All along the
stTewn broken wagons and dead cattle,
deserted by the owners, others In process Of repair
though the only tool perhaps was miserable old AK