Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1873-08-08
Something about Cortez.

- VIM oouotieS ere long be adding
stili more, it may be interesting to
your readers to learn something in
regard to its prospects. The locality
no mining district in this State was
better known to the early prospector
In Eastern Nevada than was that of
Cortez. But of late years so little has
been heard of it, that many persons,
even among those not far distant.
would have some difficulty i'm locat-
ing it..
Cortez is situate in the same range
OF mountains with the Reese River
mines. 60 miles from Austin. and IN
miles from Beowawa. The first loca-
tons were made here i'm Nav. 1864. bv
4 company under the leadership of
DIR. Ieatch. At that time but little
was Known in this section of country
IN regard to silver mining. Prospec-
tors generally believed that i'm granite
formations alone were to be found the
ores containing silver. Other forma-
IONS were not much disturbed than
IN searching for precious metals.
me most striking feature of this
district is Mount Tenabo, a bold and
preclpltous peak. having a mean alti-
tube above the level of the sea of
about lO,"UO feet, and rising very abb
ruptiy, on It's western slope, from the
valley below to a height of nearly
2.JUo teet. Its prevailing formation is
limestone, consequently but little at
tentlon was paid to it, i'm the a of
prospecting. at the time of the organ
lZatlon OF the district. On one of it's
northerly spurs. however. was found
the sought after granite, and at
once a vigorous search was institu-
ted i'll this formation for the treasure
1t was supposed to contain. This re-
suited i'll tne finding Of such veins as
the Farrell, Earl, Randolph, Teatch,
Nenban, Curran and Merrill, which
created some excitement and brought
other treasure seekers into the neigh
borhood. An immense quarzite dyke
which can be easily traced with the
naked eye from the valley below,
was then discovered coursing through
the limestone from north to south.
Astonishing ASSAYS were obtained
from this quartzite, and locations
were made uponit for miles in extent.
Extension after extension was made
upon the Nevada Giant. The discov-
ererS and those fortunate enough to
obtain feet" in COrtez, were wild
with excitement. This mammoth
lode, they claimed, vas a great moth
err lode. In it was contained the min
eral wealth of the world. From this
point had emanated the then insig-
niticHnt Com>tock Reese River and
Humboldt mines. They believed
that there was here enough wealth in
sight to make them and all their
friends rich. Companies were incor-
porated in San Francisco to carry
away their shining ducats stock was
issued, assessments levied, and a mill
built at great expense. But, ala. for
the realization of the brilliant pros
poets and promising schemes of the
wners of Nevada Giant. Careful as
says and mill tests sOOn ascertained
the fact that the mother lode was en-
tirely barren of silver. Most Of those
whose hopes were so suddenly flight
ed by fatal news, were too much dis
cOuraged to remain longer and en-
deavor to develop some of the really
valuable mines which had been found
in the district. The Spring of 1864 was
as disastrous to the prospects of Cor
tez as to some Of the older camps, so
that for a time it has been under a
cloud, and doubtless would have soon
been entirely forgotten but for the
untiring energy and perseverance of
Mr.. 5. Wenban, who vas of the first
locators in the district. This gentle
man, encouraged by his eStilnable
wife, has lived here now more than
ten years. He vas n of the few
only, who did not lose all their faith
with the bursting of the Giant" bnb-
bic, in the value of some of the other
mines which had been discovered
here. But without capital it was up
hill business to sink shafts and run
tunnels in the hard limestone forma-
ton in which som" locations of lesser
note had been made. Mr.. Wenhan
was at this time without money. He
SAYS, when | began operations in
CorteZ | was without Il dollar l did
not even have a whole sack of flour,
and my children were obliged to
RELYING upon his own efforts he sue
ceeded in developing some of the
mines of which he had secured the
entire control, 50 as to make them
paw the expense of further operations.
The Garrison, Saint Louis, Arctic
and Idaho were made bullion produc-
ing mines only after years of inceS-
SAINT labor. and the expenditure of
vast sums of money. Three hundred
thousand dollars nave been expended
in working these mines, all of which,
however, has been produced i'll the
district. Having purchased in 1863
the mill, which had been built by the
Mount Te"abO Company, for but a
small portion of its original cost, he
has kept it running at intervals ever
since. During the coming year he in
tends removing it to a point more
convenient to the mines. 1t is now
situated eight miles distant, and owing
to the difficulty in constructing roads
in this vicinity, all the ore and wood
is delivered at the mill by pack
mules. 1t will then be remOdeled and
all recent improvements for the re-
ductiOn of ores added, when it will.
without doubt. turn out an additional
number of the lovely dollars and in
crease greatly its present produ ton
of bnllion. 1t is producing now, how
ever, over and above all expenses OF
mining and milling, 81 . per day
for the proprietor, while the mines
show better prospects than ever b e
fore of yielding an increased supply
of valuable ore. The average value
OF that being extracted at present is
about S425 per ton. After years Of
r,,,,hinU il in Carrier Mr.. Wenban is