The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1902-01-09
Closing Scenes.

Life Las been ore continual round Of
excitement in many a Nevada mining
camp. but probably never reached the
tension attained in Tonoplh on the night
the leases expired the last day of the
year 1901, says the Carson News. At an
hour before midi ight work was shut
down, and Tonopah mines passed into
the hands of the company that bought
them.
When Jim Butler and his colleagues
discovered what a bonanza they had in
Tonopah they at once cut up the avail
able mining ground into strips 100 by
fifty feet and leased them to all who de.
sired to take a chance. Not a scrap OF
paper was passed from Mr.. Butler. He
gave his word and informed all intend.
ing ~leasers that it was sufficient. 1t was.
| When he sold the mines to a Philadel-
phia company he stipulated that the
leasers must not be disturbed until the
beginning of the new year, and 1t was SO
W1ibltu III luS CoHiIdcb pciofS hc "ouiu
sell at any price. The company received
% per cent of the profits of the l~easers,
and although they paid S350,000 for Ton
opah, the payments were NC strung out
that the royal'i s they received mor
than paid for the property until now
they own the group of record-breaking
-. ,.n D.. - - - - m .atalya
A few days before the expiration of
the leases word went around that ore
assaying $1,000 per ton had been dis
covered in the Frank Golden lease, and
almost a panic ensued. Lease holders
had long been working all the men who
could be sent into the workings ard not
be in each Others way, but men were
urged to extra effort, promised substan-
tial bonus. aud for the time being Miners
Union rules were forgotten In the mad
frenzy to get out every pound of ore
possible before the bell tapped which
signified that all work on leases must
cease. There were some exciting scene
efdcJcu anu Iueu hoihtu DIS tho"Bh ~
were a matter of life and death instead
of adding dollars to an employers pile.
The spirit spread to all branches of bus
mess, until the tow of Tenopah to an
outsider would h We been believed to
consist of half .crazed people.
However, IL o'clock finally came, all
work was stopped, nearly every man in
camp was temporarily out Of a job, and
then Tonopah celebrated its first New
Year. Only eight short months
had passed since the first pick was
struck in the groupings that miners had
passed by for years, and yet the first New
Year was celebrated by 1900 people, and
they represented the energy that in this
short time has taken over S5,000,0O0
from the bowels of the earth-something
the Comstock did not do, nor the mines
of South Africa, nor Cripple Creek, nor
Arizona, or any other place, save the lit
tie Nevada camp of Tonopah. 1t is a
glorious showing and the whole State
| Cdu dliDth Il lltLlC iCitDidiiOu ONC II
great news.
1t will probably be some weeks be-
fore T'onopah will be ia smooth running
order again. The new company must
fix its plans, the mines are in a strange
shape. They have been Quilted and the
work so far done will be of little use,
save it be considered as prospect work.
However, things will soon adjust them
selves and work will begin at Touopah
more Systematically. The output will
probably not be so large each month,
but the number of men employed will
continue to be larger and Tonopah will
he one of the largest towns in Nevada if
not the largest.