Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-02-18
THE LAUNCH OF THE DREDGE.
1t is Witnessed by . Large Number
Of People, who Afterwards Partake
Of Fine Lunch at the Union Hotel.

" SIhOhSlS Tic l0uhIhtbk VI SSS"
"Dayton," and to preserve in the history Of
Lyon county the particulars Of an event
which it is confidently expected will be fol-
lowed by the increased prosperity Of our
people. Only the most thoughtful among
US have conceived any just idea of the la
bors, trials, annoyances and discouragements
which have been met and overcome by DR..
Rae and his associates in order to advance
this enterprise thus far, and we sincerely
hope that all these are now left behind them;
that the sneers and shrugs Of the envious,
and the crokings OF the moss backs, whom
an enterprise Of this kind never costs cent,
will hereafter be heard no more.
The morning of the 18th was cloudy and
threatening, Notwithstanding which. almost
our entire community was on the ground to
witness the novel sight of launch on the
Carson river. Owing to the non arrival OF
some of the invited guests Mr.. J. H. Rae, Jr.
delayed the ceremony until about o'clock,
P. M, at which time slight shower Of rain
was falling, Notwithstanding which, large
crowd gathered around the scow and upon
the banks of the river. many fair ladies Of
Carson, Virginia City and our own town be-
ing present to add beauty and grace to the
scene. Al o'clock the braces were knocked
out, the screws applied and with a hurrah
and buzz of excitement the boat glided
gracefully into the stream. Mr.. Rae then
extended an invitation to all present to re-
pair TO the Union Hotel where a bountiful
lunch had been spread. Among the invited
guests we find the names Of Governor Stew
enson, Lieut. Gov. Davis. Supt. Garrard, OF
the Carson Mint; DR.. futile, Supt. Yering
ten, Of the V. & T., and c. K c., r. r.,
S. P. Davis, Cole Anterior and many others
OF Carson; Frank Fielding, D. H. Bisbee,
F. NJ. Huttaker, George Warren. D. B. Ly
man, Bob Logan, John Gillg. Richard Rising
Alex McCone, Sheppard Brickell. J. M.
Douglass and others of Virginia City. The
mills along the river were represented by
their Superintendents. among whom are
Evan Williams, w. H. Armstrong, J. P.
Woodbury., w. J. Wester6eld, Geo. E. Jaqua
William Shirley, C. H. Rulson, George w.
Llkens, John Briggs, A. J. Taylor, W. A.
Rulison, W. J. Douglass and Others; while
Dayton was represented by J. r. Shaw, T.
r. Hawkins, J. L. Campbell, VIM. Kean, J.
A. Bonham, T. J. A. Flaws, DR.. J. c. Hazlett
Sheriff Brann, Assessor CARING. County
Clerk Harris, Robert Levers and the citizens
generally inc luding the LYON COUNTY TIMES.
Several ladies were also in attendance.
In the absence of DR.. Rae, which was very
much regretted, B. l. Truman, Secretary of
the Company, was appointed chairman, and
seine good speeches followed, Mr.. S. P.
Davis, of the Carson Appeal, being the first
speaker introduced. Mr. Davis after paying
a high tribute to the ability and energy DIS
played by DR.. Rae in this enterprise, allud
ed TO the vast wealth which we all know to
have been dumped into the Carson river, and
related to a scrap of his own experience.
Mr. Davis said that he happened to be pres
ent when one miner was showing to another
several pounds of amalgam which he had
taken from hole in the bed of the Carson
river, by means Of long rod, to which was
attached kind Of copper dipper or scoop
which he forced down through the sand to
the bedrock. This man proposed to his com.
panion that they should devise some plan to
reclaim this bullion known to be in the river,
but the other declared him insane and walk
ed of. Mr.. Davis being favorably impressed
then made the same statement and PROPOSE
ton to personal friends of his own, aRd en-
deavored to induce them to join him IN an
attempt to possess themselves Of this wealth,
but his friends promptly pronounced him
insane and would have nothing to DO with
the scheme, and he doubling his own ability
and realizing his want Of scientific knowl.
edge, abandoned the undertaking. He be-
lieved that DIR. Rae had solved the problem,
and would doubtless succeed. Prof. F. E.
Fielding, Chief Of the Assay department Of
the Con. Cal. Virginia, being called upon,
said that, being great lover Of science, and
recognizing this to be a new departure in
scientific mining, he had given the Doctors
methods careful attention and scrutiny, and
believed his means well adapted to the end
viewed. He also set forth his personal knowl
edge of the great wealth which had been
deposited in the Carson, and expressed his
faith in DR.. Rae's ability to devise means for
retaining the same. DR.. J. C. Hazlett en-.
dersed what was said, and stated that ten
years ago, he had had assays of the muddy
water running past his Office, from the mills
in Gold Crnyon, and found that this water
assayed eight dollars per ton. DR.. Hazlett
paid high tribute to the integrity and abll-
ity of DR.. Rae. DR.. Hazlett has resided in
Dayton about twenty-five years. Mr.. Fish
said he had seen the small dredge working
-. f. r