The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1904-01-28

a number of things have served as con
contributing factors. Among these may
be mentioned the discovery of new ore
bodies of great extent and unusual rich
ness; improvements in metallurgy where.
by ores of lower grade and more refrac.
tory nature can be profitably treated, a
general revival of business both in
Europe and America, with the result
that more capital is available for invest
ment in mining enterprises, and last but
by no means least, the Inauguration
through the "Newlands Act" OF general
system of irrigation for the reclamation
Of our arid lands upon n extensive
SCALE
In so large and sparsely settled State
as ours whether the business situation
be generally good or generally bad, it
must necessarily vary greatly, because
each considerable center of population
depends greatly upon local conditions.
Ii for example, the mines of Austin are
idle either because of depressed silver
market or because capital is not available
to work them, it follows as of course,
that Austin must be under something of
a cloud, however brightly the sun of
prosperity may shine elsewhere. And so
Of other places.
These varying conditions were present
ed to me ia strong contrast during my
recent trip through large part OF the
State as Tax Examiner. While | could
not fail to note that the State, as whole,
was moving forward with fair strides, it
was also evident that some localities
we're either at a standstill or upon the
down grade. Among these we may men
ton Belmont, Austin and Eureka, the
county seats Of Nye, Lander and Eureka
counties respectively. OF Belmont once
large and flourishing town but little
remains. While Austin and Eureka
both full OF historic interest to Neyadans.
have been nearly stationary for several
years. As To the future of Belmont |
could hardly form an opinion, as it was
impossible for me to learn anything OF
the real value OF the mineral deposits in
that vicinity. For Austin and Eureka,
in my judgment. there is good ground for
hope, provided always that the price of
silver can be maintained at reasonable
figures. At the first named town not a
mine is working, but | was assured that
there were large deposits OF low grade
ores in the district which could be treat
ed at a profit with silver worth few
cents more per ounce. The same un-
doubtedly is true Of Eureka, and there
is good reason to believe that even at the
present range of silver prices some OF the
most famous properties in that camp,
will resume operations in the not very
distant future.
Hamilton once the center OF mining
excitement probably never surpassed
anywhere, and. it is said, having at one
time with its outlying camps, a popula-
tion OF thirty-five thousand, is now like
Belmont, almost deserted village"
But its situation is by no means hopeless.
There can be no question that 1t lies in
the midst OF a rich mineral region, and
within a few miles there are even now
several mines, including the Rocco
Homesiake,s which are being contin
.,a,,,I,, o,,ar.tad in a sua II mav aud are
paying well. The whole country 10 fact
from Hamilton to Ely, distance Of
about 46 miles, | believe, appears to be
strongly mineralized. Nowhere have |
ever seen better surface indications Of
copper deposits than through Robinson
canyon extending from Ely eight or ten
miles to the westward. Several promls
ing developments have been made, and
many, rich prospects are reported in the
immediate vicinity OF Ely.
The great need of that section is rail-
road communication with the outside
world. The isolation of the district,
which is about ninety miles from Eureka
and one hundred and fifty from Wells.
the nearest railroad points, makes the
work OF developing mines and treating
ores a difficult one. Under such circum-
stances it takes much greater outlay OF
money to bring mine to paying basis,
which makes it correspondingly harder
to secure the necessary capital to begin
with.
1t follows necessarily that the agricnl
tural and stock raising interests of Ian
der, Eureka, White Pine, and portions OF
Nye and Lincoln must feel the effects OF
the depressed mining conditions. Those
counties are mostly off the line of devel'
opments Immediately in prospect under
the new policy of irrigation, and must,
perforce of their situation, depend
largely upon local mining conditions.
Still the farmers and stock raisers OF
those counties seem to be doing well, and
the burden of their complaint is that
they are not doing so well as they would
be il local mining conditions were more
.av rable-which unq uestionably is true.