Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-29

same disheartening face of hard gray . 7or-
phyry. They CROPPED in all directions on
the lowest levels they had reached, but their
search was vain.
Jones Had Unlimited Faith.
All the unlucky stockholders in the
Crown Point mine now lost heart completely
except the plucky and stiff-necSed superin-
tendent, John P. Jones. He had come to
the great mining camp on the Virginia
Range three years before after political
campaign in California in a run for the
lieutenant governorship. He lost his stake
and the prize, but the loss was the turning
point in mis- fortune. He did not lose heart,
but the defeat determined him to cross the
Sierras and seek change of luck In the
silver fields of Nevada His pluck and
ability commended him to the directors OF
the Grown Point Mining Company and
shortly after he reached the camp he was
made superintendent of their mine.
When the last great cross-cut had been
tried in vain, Jones began again to DRIFT
southerly along the line of the lode, start
ing from a point 800 feet east from the
shaft. 1t was wild goose hunt IN the eyes
of the Stock Exchange and almost every
body except himself.
Worked Till His Hair Turned Gray. =
The miners under him fought eight-hour
rounds in three relays daily, and welcomed
the relief that gave them rest. For the
superintendent alone there was no shit and
no relief He snatched sleep when he could
He bore the strain without hlnch1ng, but
his hair grew white. How much longer
could he keep up the fight with the pltlIess
rock?
At the end of the darkest day, for every
day was darker than the days that had gone
before it, a slight change was sighted with
thrill of exultation by the anxious super
intendent. At a point 239 feet from the
opening of the drift sheet of clay covered
the face of the rock. When this was pierced
by the miners a body of soft, whit1sh quartz
was disclosed with scattering pockets OF ore.
1t was the first discovery of the kind IN all
these weary months of search. Was 1t
mere freak of deposition or the fringe OF q
bonanza? On the answer to this enigma the
future. of the Crown Point mine and the
whole Comstock Lode and its owners hung.
As was natural, Jones faith overcrowned
all doubts. His supreme confidence per
suaded some moneyed men in San Francisco
to venture the carrying of some blocks OF
stock for him on his agreement to naive the
profits and bear all losses. What his agree
ment would have been worth in the event
of collapse, except as an acknowledgements
of debt, was not apparent. but MS frlends
relied on the inside information which
would probably enable them to drop their
blocks before the crash came.
The Message From the Sick Child.
For some weeks in the spring of 1871 the
outlook was elpuded. The ore pockets
panned out insignificant punches and the
bonanza was still in the eye of the superin-
tendent and not at the end of his drills. In
the midst OF this cloud he received mes
sage from the East telling him of the danger
Gus illness of one OF his children ana warn
ing him that he might be called away at any
moment to the bedside OF Il dying chllu-
He made up his mind promptly 20 answer
the summons at any cost TO hiinsel @ Lidi anu nc
cided not to carry the rlsK OF MS noIuInSs
when he was no longer present TO WdIcn
every turn of the drills ana stroke OF tne
picks. So he went to sa. tha ,,To6shIa caii
unon him and his conclusion TO ulspose OF
tie stock in their hands He was still san
guine of probable Development put ne
Could not ask them to carry the rlsk Tor his
Tba change in the mine had quickened the
market demand d for stock and It was possible
to disDose of the holdings without loss. So
his partners sold off the stock discreetly and
closed the deal. But they took no stock in
the sick child story which seemed to them
mere fiim-fam to cover a confession OF NOR
tifving failure of Judgment on the part OF
the disappointed Jones. They set down the
Crown Point mine as q fizzle and congratu-
in the lode.
The Turning Point at Last.
Meanwhile Jones returned to the mine
and pressed the work as before. Reassuring
kilograms came from the East in regard to
his child and with them came the opening
up of an ore body that grew in volume with
every stroke of the pick. 1t looked like the
long sought bonanza. Jones wired to agents
in San Francisco to buy largely and his re-
port of Developments sustained his credit.
In a few weeks the Crown Point bonanza
was the talk OF the street, and the keenest
kind of contest was on foot for the control
of the mine. Crown Point, which six
months before was q drug at So share,
touched the boom mark of $40 per share
Every mine on the lode felt the good of the
boom, and their stocks shot up to double
prices.
Every bull in the market was made a rich
man, the great mining center was lifted out
of It's slough OF despond and the tottering
Bank of California was saved. The only
blue faces on the street were the faces OF
men who took no stock in the invalid story.
Jones' fortune was made. 1t has been I'M
made since and remade indefatigably, but
its foundation was the 'sick child OF the
Comstock Lode. ELIOT FoRA