Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-12-17

- HE story OF Tonopah has been
often told and yet the present
sketch would be incomplete If
a resume Of It's early history and
growth were not given, In brief It Is
as follows
The first discovery Of Tonopah was
made by JAMES !. Butler on the 18th
day Of May 1900 Mr. Butler had for
IS years kept these hills In mind, feel
ug confident that they were thorough.
~ mIneralzed, and on the 10Th day Of
May left Belmont to prospect them. He
had a hard rough trip, reaching what
is now Tonopah on the afternoon OF the
18th. on the following morning he
started to climb Mt. Odde but had
proceeded only a short distance when
he discovered the outcropplngs Of a
ledge. He secured several samples and
took them to Klondike Messrs IIggs
& Brougher the assayers Of that place,
thought but little Of them, and threw
them aside as not worth assaying, Mr..
fuller stlll had faith, however and ie-
turned TO his camp Securing more
@mpI 3, he took them TO Austin. He
arrived there on May 2S. and after
leaving Instructions to have assays
made returned to Belmont to attend
to business and harvest his crops
About this time Messrs. Hlggs &
Brougher, the Klondlke assayers, con-
Guided to test the samples they had
thrown aside, and they were surprised
at the results obtained the best assay
being 100 ounces Of gold and 1900
ounces OF silver. The results from
Austin we're equally startling and Mr..
Butler was notified. He arranged his
business affairs and IN company with
Ms wife left Belmont on Aug 20 for
The new dlRgings,' They reached their
destination on the 26th and on that
Gay made the locations covering the
great Mspah ledge. They remained
SIX days, perfectlng their locations and
making trails. Their corner monuments
were made Of rich ore taken from the
Nlzpah ledge, for they had 10 stakes,
and timber was conspicuous by It's abb
Nnce. Water was another scarce arr
tlcle the nearest spring being three
and half miles distant. Mr.. Buffers
plucky wife, however, proved equal to
the occasion, and driving the team over
the rough hills every other day hauled
the water to the camp, She was
great help to her husband and he was
proud OF her. Concluding their location
work, Mr. and Mrs. Butler returned
to Belmont and consulted T. L. Odde
ana Wilson Brougher whom they took
in as partners More assays were
made with the following results The
first $40 ounces Of silver and S206 In
gold the second, 395 ounces OF silver
tnd 1851 IN gold, the third Gao ounces
IN silver and $3.50 IN gold, The next IS
assays averaged $i13, and 10 more went
Nl,
BEGINNING OF THE CITY.
As the assays proved the richness OF
me 'hnd,' i was decided to stake the
claims and make the title to same alb
soutely perfect. With this end In view,
Nesss, Butler, Odde and Brougher
started for the new camp on oct s,
with two teams loaded with provisions
ana supplies and AKA stakes, The three
men went 20 work with a win aud
started tho nucleus OF what is today
me great city of TOnopah They sank n
smart o few feet and extracted two
wagon loads Of ore from the Mizpah.
ms they hauled 10 Belmont, and from
mere 100 miles to the railroad from
which point Il was shipped TO San
Francisco The returns from the two
IONS was $500 With that money, min.
eIs were hired and active development
work was commenced. From that time
'he mines paid for themselves without
any outside financial assistance, Mr.,
ua1le was given the business manage /
Ueht by Mr. Butler, and when the |
property was sold to the Tonopah Min !
ing company he was made general !
manager In addition TO the original |
eight claims, Messrs Butler Brougher |
ana Oddie located the rich Gold Hin |
group and the Campfire claim, which |
showed well defined lodges.
NEWS OF THE DISCOVERY.
News Of the rich discovery had now
reached the outside world, and there |
was Wild rush Of fortune hunters to |
me new nj Dorado, Most OF them
were 'tenderfeet," who rIsked hunger
,nd thirst, and even death, IN their
.tantic efforts 10 reach the gold fields,
.oT wood and water were at that time