The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1870-06-07
BUSINESS FOR A RAILROAD
Between Hamilton and EIko.
Report OF Committee on
Facts and Figures.

At an adjourned meeting of the citi-
zens of White Pine District, to take
steps toward the building of rail-
road connecting White Pine and the
adjoining Districts with some point on
the Central Pacific Road, held at the City
Hall, in Hamilton, on Wednesday even
ing, June 1st, 1870, the committee APP
pointed at previous meeting to collect
and report statistics showing the amount
and kind of freights, incoming and out
going, both present and prospective, from
this and adjoining Districts, made the
following report, which was unanimously
adopted and ordered printed:
2. G. HYMAN, President.
W. w. HoBARr. Secretary.
To THE CITIzENs OF WHITE PINE CoUS-
TY: We the undersigned committee
appointed by you at previous meeting,
to collect such statistics and facts as
would illustrate the mineral resources Of
White Pine and other adjacent districts,
and show the necessity of cheaper com
municaton and transportation OF freights
TO aud from the great markets OF the
Country, have performed that duty, and
beg leave TO present the following report:
We must first explain the difficulties
under which your committee have
labored in the performance of their duty
They have had no means at their dis
posal 10 enable them to make a close
and thorough examination Of the Dis
trict and get the facts in detail and the
time allowed them has been too short 10
enable them TO collate the facts in their
possession rs carefully aud thoroughly as
may be desirable. Under these cireum-
stances We have concluded to report such
general facts and statistics as are well
known 10 most of our citizens, and can
be easily verified by any competent per-
son who will take the trouble to visit our
principal mines.
The great source Of our mineral wealth
must be looked for Ia the abundance Of
our i0lo grade ores. A few rich mines
can never maintain large population
for any considerable length of time, on
add much to the permanent wealth and
prosperity of the country in their inn
mediate neighborhood, for the reason
that such mines soon pass into the hands
of few persons, and none can share the
profits except the few owners aud they
in most cases do not reside at the mines
or expend their gains In the place where
they obtain them. We can not therefore
look for permanent prosperity unless
the mines are both numerous and eX-
tensive, and the cost of labor, machine,
ny, general supplies, and local facili-
ties, such AS to enable ns to work our
low grade ores with a margin of proiit
In all mining countries the rich ores are
the exception, and not the rule by which
to estimate their wealth and Importance.
This being the case, il ut once becomes
apparent that cheap transportation Is
matter of prime necessity, without which
we can never work our cheap ores or
maintain a large and prosperous popula-
ton With good railroad connection we
can have both cheap and skilled labor,
cheap food. cheap machinery, cheap
fuel and cheap lumber-all OF which
must come to us from abroad; and II
brought on wagons, many of the articles
of prime necessity will arrive at nenrly,
or quite double their original cost. This
is especially true of food and lumber
and after few years, fuel. Upon the
other hand, the products in which our
District is especially rich, are base ore
and base bullion, both very heavy, and
requiring cheap and easy transportation
to enable us to work them prolitaby.
The disadvantage of costly freight is
not the worst feature of wagon trans
portation. The question of time has
much to do with it. Men of small
means can not wait from 20 days to two
or three months for returns upon their
shipments. They must be Rble TO ship
regularly and promptly to meet the de-
mands of their business and get their
returns with the least possible delay, 1t
is well recognized maxim Of business
men, that promptness and regularity are
essential to success. This we can never
attain without railroad. The fierce
snow-storms of Winter, the deep mud OF
Springtime, the sa:fecating dust of sum.
mer, the incomprehensibl slowness OF
OK teams, and the inadequate supply OF
mule teams, all conspire to make our
business affairs unreliable and huctu-
ating
To engage in producing base bullion
of low grade, without ralroad by
which to send II to market, would be
like raising wheat in the Northwest 80
years ago, when it would cost more to
transport il than il would be worth In
the market. The early settler in the
Northwest had one advantage over us:
he could raise his wheat and then eat 4
at bis leisure. We can produce few
tuns Of bullion and Stdrre before an OK
team could get it to market.
But Notwithstanding our wants, every
business man will tell you that we can
not have railroad constructed unless
we can show beyond doubt that we can
give road business enough to make II
pay, and we think capitalists will not be
more exacting with us than they we're
with the settlers of the Northwest. They
did not ask them how aany bushels of
wheat or corn they had in their barns
ready to ship as soon MS the road was
made; but they spied out the fitness OF
the land and counted the acres that
would produce wheat, and reasoned cor
rectly that the productive capacity OF the
Northwest would make it great country
as soon as 1t was opened to the markets
of the world by network of roads, and
that the hardy sons of toll from every
civilized land would seek homes there
and make every acre productive. To
Gay 1t is the granary of a continent, and
the grandest empire on the globe.
The precedent established by railroad
men In the great valleys of the Missis-
ssippi' shoald not be forgotten by us.
we propose to show what our District
can do, and what other districts could do
10 toward maintaining a road to this place.
we expect railroad men to ask. not Low