Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1902-08-16
The TRUTH ABOUT
THUNDER MOUNTAIN
A Former Resident Of TOnOpah Returns
With Some Interesting News Con.
corning That Section.


J. B. Jones, IA former business man
Of this place who left last spring for
Thunder Mountain, Idaho has re-
turned to Tonopah with some reports
Vt that much doomed northern Ell
dorado that are not in the least
hattering Mr.. Jones became inter
ested in the Thunder Mountain coun-
try through the glowing reports that
were sent out concerning that sec
ton, and in April last sold out his
interests in Tonopah and departed
for the northern camp, arriving there
on June 9th, after encountering great
nardships on the trail He engaged
in business at Roosevelt City, re-
naming there until few weeks ago,
when he became Disguised with the
country and decided to return to
Tonopah,
In answer TO n question from IA
BONANZA reporter last night, Mr.
Jones said What do | think of
Thunder Mountain Why, it is the
greatest fake that was ever perpe-
trated upon the mining world There
is nothing to it. The reports about
the great riches of that district we're
base falsehoods.
Il believe it is about the toughest
country | was ever in, said Mr.
Jones. "All supplies have to be
packed over 1870 miles Of the rough
est trail ever saw. There is one
creek that has to be crossed lob
times in the course of day and
man is compelled to travel along the
bed of it for over two miles The
country is so rugged that one can
t"avel 100 miles without seeing a
level piece of ground large enough
for common garden patch. Sup
plies of all kinds are higher than in
Dawson There is but one mine in
the dstrict-the Dewey-and that
has been greatly exaggerated. 1t is
a low-grade proposition with few
stringers of rich ore. When | ar
rived there were six men employed
in the Dewey, and there were prob
ably 100 men working in the whole
district, Everybody is disguised with
the country and people are getting
out the best way they can, poorer
but wiser. Roosevelt, the principal
town, contains six log cabins and
thirty or forty tents. don't believe
over fifty men will winter in the
entire district.
''ronopah is the only camp said
I
back to it. Even il the mines of
Thunder Mountain were all that was
claimed for them. that section could
not begin to compare with this. For
there you have u country that is
snow and ice bound for seven months
of the year, and probably the rough
est and hardest to prospect of any
section of the world. While here we
have a great eXpanse of country
that has never been prospected, and
is easy of access, with climate so
mild that work can be carried on the
year round. II half the men who
spent their money and risked their
lives in getting over the trails to
Thunder Mountain had devoted their
energy to prospec ting this section
there would be different story to
tell.
"The great trouble with this dis
trict is that its vast resources have
not been advertised. Had this camp
been discovered in any other state
the news would have been spread
throughout the west, and ID would
have ten times its present popula-
ton. But Tonopah is beginning to
be heard OF in the outside world and
believe that this fall will see the
greatest influx of mining men and
prospectors that has ever been
known in mining camp of the west,
and southern Nevada will receive a
thorough prospecting, such as it
never had before. Tonopah is the
place for me, and | intend to remain
here and engage in business. -