Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-08
A WRECKED coMMUNlTY.
TIE Story of the Prosperity and Decade
Of Virginia CITY, Ner.

TIE Story Of thu Prosperity and Deeedenee
Of Virssnta CSsg, Nee.
1t is not often that en- American town is
doomed to defamation, but Virginia City,
New, affords one instance. Eight years
ago Virginia City and Gold Hill, adjoining
each other and practically one town, had
81, 1000 population. It was the largest COM
munisy between Denver and San Francisco
There were merchants doing business
with 100000 capital There
were privave houses that cost 100000 to
build and furnish. There were stamp mills
and mining structures that cost $500 600
each. There were three daily newspapers,
and a hotel that cost 100000. Il was a
fleming, busy and money making popula-
| ton, and among the people we're a score
or more of men worth form $4,000 to
$30,G00,000. Mackey and Fair both lived
there. There were three banks, gas com
pany, a water company, splendid thea
ter and costly court house.
Eight years have passed and the tovn is
wreck. The 81, 600 people have dwind-
led TO 5000. The banks have retired from
business. The merchants have closed up
and left; the hotel is abandoned; the gas
company is bankrupt, and scores Of costly
residences have either been taken to
pieces and moved away or given up to
bats. Real estate cannot be given away
for taxes. Nothing can be sold that will
cost Its worth to move away. The rich
men have all gone. Those who remain
are the miners, their superintendent and
the saloon men and the gamblers. The
latter are usually the first to come to a
mining town and the last to leave.
The cause of this decadence. which has
swallowed up millions of capital and
wrecked the worthy ambition of thou
sands OF persons, is the failure OF the Com
stock N me to turn out additional wealth
The mines are worked out, and the cues
on of their total abandonment is but de-
ferred for brief time. They are now de-
veloped to depth Of about $500 feet. and
nothing further of velue has been found.
They are down to as great depth as hu-
man nerve and muscle and lungs can labor
in the bowels of the earth. At that depth
the cost Of operation is greater than the
yield of average gold and silver ore would
repay even if it were found, and the time
is near at hand when even the bonanza
kings. if not the public, will tire of
further fruitless and costly search. But
the Comstock mineral lode has q great
history, and one that will always take high
rank in the history OF the precious metals
Since its discovery in 1860 there have been
taken from that single veIn, in space of
less than 5000 lineal feet, no less than
S135,000,OG0 of gold and silver, and of this
something like S1lO,OOO,OOO came from
the Bonanza mines aloue-the last to be
discovered. 1t does seem strange that the
last deposit should have been found the
largest and richest, and that then the end
should come; but that is one of the mystic
ries of mining which lend such fascination
to the pursuit.
Or those who found and brought to the
worlds wealth the increase of 1926, OOO,-
900, how many are there who have retained
their proportion, or have now q com
petence? Exclude Flood, Mackey, Fair and
Sharon from the list, aud those who have
preserved the fortunes made on the
Coms.ock may be counted on cne's fingers.
But the millions upon millions that have
been sunk In the Whirlpool of speculation
are almost incalcuIable. San Fran
cisco is to-day full of financial,
physical and moral wrecks, thrown
upon tbs shores of fate by the treachery OF
the great Comstock, and the iIluslve hopes
of the gambling multitude. Where, eight
years ago, mining millionairs we're counted
by scores, scarce half a dozen exist to-day
Some are reduced to bare competence;
others have had to go to work for living;
others have lost all and gone to ruin,
few Eli suicides graves, and at least one is
a drunkard in the gutter. So much for
wealth that comes suddenly from the
ground and enriches those who are fitted
neither by nature, education nor habit to
make rational use Of it.