The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1905-09-29
MINING REVIVAL IN NEVADA.
Brings to Light Interesting History of
Old Discoveries.

oku Ol3C0Nckkcos
The great interest in Nevada min
ing property and the revival of pros
pecting and development in all parts
of that, at one time, deserted state,
has brought to light a good deal of in
teresting history, much of which could
properly be termed ancient in con
sideration of the wonderful develop
ment of mining in the west since the
beginning of the mining era in ls4s,
says the Mining World. Most of the
new bonanza camps have a history,
many of them were extensively oper-
ated in the early sos, and later at
the time of the Comstocx boom. Most
of them were Improbable because of
the excessive cost of transportation in
those early days, and the difficulties
of operation in such remote districts.
A fall in the price of silver and of
copper forced the abandonment of
many camps, and later discoveries in
other parts of the west where nature
had not been so stern, attracted men
and money from these Nevada dis
tricts. The bonanza gold discoveries
at Tonopah and Goldfeld and some
other points were probably discoveries
in fact, and these were so important
that they revived an interest in all of
the older and abandoned districts of
Nevada. An interesting story illus
trating the course of events is told
from Wyoming. A former prospector,
now 20 years old, who had been
through Nevada more than - years
ago, interested by the recent develop
ments, recalled a promising ledge, which
he had prospected, but had abandoned
because of the natural obstacles to OPP
GRAFTON. His story interested some
younger men and a trip was made into
Nevada this last summer. The old
%prospector was able to locate the ledge
and it was found just as he had left it
more than a generation ago, probably
in all that time unvisited by any white
man. The property was relocated and
will now be developed. Probably
many of the recent Nevada discoveries
would have much the same history If
new camps have a more extensive his
tory, and wrecks of former operations
are the indications which lead to the
new developments. Ida is one of the
former extensive camps which is now
being rehabilitated. Phoebe also has
a history. In 1868 the discoveries
were made here and extensive opera
tions were carried on in the early sew
entities, but for more than a century
everything has been absolutely de-
serted. One of the old properties
produced three-quarters of a million
of dollars. The town was practically
deserted and its former 1000 or 5000
inhabitants dwindled down to about
300. Buildings stand deserted, one
elaborate church building has been
unused Tor more IMAM ~ years. NoW
with the new life infused by a prospec-
tive railroad connection .yith the new
San Pedro route at Caliente and un-
der the impulse of the new interest in
Nevada properties the district is ac-
tive and most of the older properties
have been relocated or purchased and
extensive developments are assured.
This revival is not confined to southern
Nevada but extends to the northern
part of the state and it has also
reached into California along the
eastern slopes of the Sierras and has
extended into southern Utah. The rail
road and the automobile have solved
the transportation problem in Nevada
and the trend of capital has made it
possible to develop many of these
abandoned properties.