The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1902-01-06
|EXCITING TIMES IN TONOpAH
Population Almost Frenzied the Night Leases
Expired.


Life has been one continual round
of excitement in many Nevada min
ing camp, but probably never reached
the tension attained in Tonopah on the
night the leases expired-the last day
of the year 1901, says the Carson News
At an hour before midnight work was
shut down, and Toponah mines passed
into the hands of the company that
bought them.
discovered what bonanza they had
in Tonopah they at once cut up the
available mining ground into strips l00
by fifty feet and leased them to all who
desired to take chance. Not scrap
of paper was passed from Mr.. I.aItler.
He gave his word and informed III in
tending leasers that 1t was ssuf1io ent.
1t was. When The sold the mines to a
philadelphia company he stipulated
that the leasers must not be disturbed
until the beginning of the new year.
and ii was so written in the con tract
before he would sell at any price. The
company received 25 per cent of the
profits of the leasers, and although
they paid $3.50. 900 for Tonopah. the pay
ments were SO strung out that the roy
alties they received more than paid for
the property until now they own the
group of record breaking mines and
are not out nickel.
A few days before the expiration of
the leases word went around that ore
assaying $4,000 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 and
not be in each others wa, but men
were urged to extra effort, promised
substantial bonus, and for the time be-
ing Minrs' Union rules were forgotten
in the mad frenzy to get out every
pound of ore possible before the bell
leases must cease. There were some
exciting scenes enacted and men work
ed as though 1t were a matter of life
and death instead of adding dollars
TO an employers pile. The spirit
spread to all branches of business, un-
til the town Of Tonopah to an outsider
would have 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 it's 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
ergy that in this short time has taken
over s5000,000 from the bowels of the
earth-something the Comstock did not
do, nor hte mines of South Africa, nor
Cripple Greek. nor Arizona, or any
other place, save the little Nevada
camp OF Tonopah. 1t is a glorious
showing and the whole State can afford
little celebration over the great news.
1t will probably be some weeks be-
fore Tonopah will be in smooth running
order again The new company must
fix It's plans, the mines are in strange
shape. They have been gutted and the
work so far done will be of little use.
save it be considered as prospect work.
However. things will soon adjust
themselves and work will begin at To-
nopah more Systematically. The out
put will probably not be SO large each
month, but the number of men employ
ed will continue to be larger and To-
nopah will be one of the largest towns
in Nevada, if not the largest.
StoDs the COugh