Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1901-12-28
"TONOPAH A FAILURE"

in the Colorado Telegram, published
at Colorado Springs, Colo:
Mr.. T.. II. DeVore, representing a
large Cripple Creek syndicate in the
new Tonopah mining fields of Nevada.
was in this city Saturday and corob.
crates in detail the dispatch which
he sent to this paper ten days ago
regarding the failure of the new
fields. This paper was the first in
the west to give correct report on
Tonopah, the information being first
received through Mr.. De Wore. In
speaking of the prospects, which are
very discouragng, he said
" My impressions are not at all
favorable, and feel that some word
of warning should be uttered for the
benefit of those who are contempla-
ting going into the district. In the
first place, it is most difficult Jour
ney. One has to go to Reno on the
Union Pacific, and from that point a
narrow-gauge train runs every other
day to Sodaville From there it is a
journey of 60 miles by a stage, which
also runs only every other day, and
the stage part of the trip alone takes
four days.
"All this would not be so bad il the
district itself were worth going to.
But there is really only one mine
there now That is owned by the
Tonopah Mining company, in which
Philadelphia capitalists are inter
ested. There is good ore showing
here but it goes no further than the
companys ground. This a charac-
teristic of Nevada copper districts
there is only one big mne in the
place, and there seems to be no pros
pect that there will be any more
than this one mine in the Tonopah
district.
Living and all expenses are
are extremely high in the dis
district, and there were 300 miners
out work when ] was there. Many
miners have left Cripple Creek to go
there and have found themselves
much straitened in circumstances be-
cause of the absence Of employment
and the high prices which reign there.
The fact that all ore must be
frieghted for 60 miles to even mar
row gauge railroad is in itself a dis
enlargement, but even the prospects
of the district have been greatly over
estimated so far as / have been able
to observe, and ! would not advise
anyone to 90 to the district. "
Liars may be divided into two
classes the simple liar and the mali
cious liar, The liars who have lied
about Tonopah from time to time
have belonged to both classes. The
simple liar lies because of ignorance
concerning the subject upon which he
essays to furnish information. The
malicious liar lies, not for lack of
knowledge, but because of innate ma
levolence.
Mr.. De Wore seems to combine in
his personality something Of both
classes to which reference is above
made, His stay in this camp was
limited, and his information must Of
necessity be meager, but added to
his ignorance of the subject upon
which he attempts to express an
opinion he displays yindictiNe NAL
ice which must have a personal dis
appointment as its foundation.
Mr.. De Wore was Disappointed in
not finding the Tonopah mines to be
located on a double track, broad
gauge railroad so that impecunious
experts might step from Pullman
cars onto the ground. Mr.. De Wore
haggled with the driver who brought
him from the railrosd to the camp
about the price, He found when he
arrived on the ground that the ex-
tensions to the Tonopah lodges were
all located, and that it would take
more money than he could raise to
get in" He stayed in the camp
Just long enough to discover that
there was nothing here of his size,
and then proceeded to negotiate for
reduced rates to the railroad and
Colorado.
Mr., De Wore, in his impressions Of
Tonopah, not only exaggerated what
few drawbacks there are to the
camp, but he failed to mention any OF
the good points. He is silent as to
the phenomenal and unparalleled pro
duction of high grade ore during the
few months since the discovery OF the
mines was made, prOduc ton