Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-06-06
THEY MET ~ CHANCE.
The Ups and Downs Of Four Eureka
Pr0spe ctOrs.

VA AoOtt hOuA hlOu al
that time living in Hamilton, hearing
rumors of fresh discoveries in Eureka
district, till then almost an unknown
locality, determined to come to Eure-
ka, and, II there was sny merit in the
place, endeavor to share the gains;
they could make no losses, for they
had nothing to lose. They were all
pioneer Nevadans, having crossed the
SIerras from California between $50 and
'62, participated in the Comstock ex.
element, gone to Reese River at the
time of the rush, at which latter place
they had become acquainted with each
other, and left together for White Pine,
finally, as above stated, bringing up in
Eureka. Their financial successes
had been neither large nor numerous.
Like thousands of others they had
owned feet and shares, made miles Of
promising locations, but had always
failed to realize at reasonable figures,
and found themselves al the end of
ten years rich in experience but just
as pool in purse as when they first
started out They had not lost a bit of
hope, and felt sanguine that some
rock bound barren mountain that
they had nc yet stumbled across con.
tanned the fortune that they were in
search of. Eureka in 1869 differed ma.
terially from the Eureka of to day.
The town, or rather the nucleus of
one, consisted of half a dozen tents,
two or three log houses, and a few
dug and rudely constructed
cabins on the hillsides. Those that
were here had made a number of
promising locations, and assays re-
vealed the richness Of the lodges, but
the ores were base, and i~ntractable,
and while the fact was known that
smelling was the only process by
which they could be worked, still no.
body knew anything about the
method. Experiments were being
made which eventually proved sue
cessful, but as the matter stood
then, everybody was going it blind.
Our four friends took In the Sit
u~ation, and also decided to take
the chances. A few weeks vigorous
prospecting found them in possession
of a number Of good lodges, and in
their spare time they constructed a
first class cabin, built up in the side of
the mountain, large, roony, and capa-
BILE OF withstanding the most violent of
winter storms. They traded OFT their
animals, and laid in the winters pro-
visions, selecting bacon, flour and
beans as the most substantial delira-
cles, and likely to do the most good in
filling any impending vacuum. Life
for the next two years in Eureka was a
strange medley. As the reputation of
| tho HI4trirt tnsraagnI MANY hardu
miners came from all quarters. A few
merchants brought in stocks of goods,
the town grew, and communication
was opened up with the outside world.
Our heroes lived through the winter
on the proceeds of their horses, and
waxed fat in enforced idleness. No
work was done of any importance, ok
| cept the continuance of the smelling
experiments, and they had been car
| ried far enough TO demonstrate that it
was the needed process, which was
quite an encouragement. To attempt
to give a history of the many shifts
and devices by which the quartette OBJ
tanned credit, and kept up their larder.
would be An im~possibility. Eureka,
during its early history, was essentially
a broken community. The merchant
sold his stock Of goods on credit, and
waited patiently for the development
of the mines TO get his pay, Ieplenish.
ing, in the meantime, on the strength
of his credit below, il he had any.
The al.burner sold his coal on time,
and took the chances OF payment when
the bullion commenced to flow. The
miners worked on their claims getting
out ore in anticipation of the time
| when furnaces would be ready to re-
duce it. The time came at last when
the smelters got down to their work.
Capitalists commenced to look at the
mines, and several sales were made at
high figures. Our friends were among
the lucky ones, and bonded their
claims for sixty thousand dollars
Two months later the money was paid
and they divided the proceeds, and
all agreed to quit mining and 60 into
some legitimate business. One con-
cluded to go East and buy a farm in
Illinois, and the other three ST.. rted for
the Bay. We don't propose to follow
up their various speculations, pursuits
and business careers for the past six
years, but sim ply mention the fact that
this summer all four met at Deadwood
City, in the Black Hills, each M hav.
ing come to that Ell Dorado in hopes of
lettering his fortune in the new gold
neluS. oH COMPARING nOteS, IL was
found that each one had made a fail
ure. The man that went East could
not adapt himself TO the ways Of the
country, and five years let him out
his last crop was to raise money on a
mortgage. Another had tried Vir-
| ginia City and made q failure. Faro
settled his hash. Il third %speculated
in orange groves in Los Angeles, but
as he spent more time in the city
among the saloons than he did ON his
ranch, the orange crop failed to sustain
him and he finally sold his tropical
possessions, or his creditors did for
him, and he gathered enough together
to get to the Black Hills. Passing
through San Francisco he fell in with
number four of his former partners,
who had just closed a long and bril-
liant career on California street, where
he had been operating since his de.
parture from Eureka. He had failed
to short the market, and in conse-
quence was a little short himself and
very much disguised, and in conse-
quence was ready for the Black Hills
or any other place. AS above stated,