The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-05-23
BY MALCOLM L. MACDONALD.

Nevada, since the year 1858. has occu-
pied the attention, more or less, OF the
mining world. At no period in the his
tory OF the State has that attention been
so vivid and widespread, extending to all
classes as during the past few years.
Statements, apparently extravagant. have
been published of the great riches and
vast extent of the new finds. An intimate
knowledge of the older districts OF the
state, together with a personal examina-
ton Of a great many Of the discoveries
which have been made in the past few
years, would seem to warrant the ex-
travagaRt assertions which have appeared
from time 10 time in the press. The half
has not been told and it needs but the
most cursory inspection of the deposits
already opened I'D to bear out the state
ment that this new FL Dorado will rival
the worlds record in its product.
For the past fifteen years Nevada has
been looked upon and talked Of as
wornout district by men conversant with
mining affairs, its possibilities forgotten
and overlooked-overshado by the al
lurements OF the Klondike and other
fields. Now comes the opening OF this
new vast field of mineral wealth. The
natural inquiry presents itseif-how is it
possible that, in a section reputed to be
the birthplace Of the American prospec-
tor, this immense wealth has remained
undiscovered? And this, too, at a period
when Nevada prospectors were travelling
10 the ends Of the earth in search Of gold
to Alaska, TO South Africa, to South
America enduring hardships and Drawing
dangers hitherto unknown.
COGENT CONSIDERATION.
A study of the geological and topo-
graphical formation Of this section and a
knowledge of the peculiar conditions will
give the best answer. In the map Of the
region there will be noticed two lines
running in a general southerly direction
one commencing at a point to the
north and west Of Austin, the other
just below Wabuska- These lines mark
approximately thoroughly defined and
differing geological formations the
country lying between the lines being
an area in which the rocks are almost
exclusively of volcanic origin, COM
prising a series Of 2ndesites, rhyolites
and basalts. with their accompanying
volcanic ashes. while to the north, east
and west the formations are largely
sedimentary, comprising series of an
cient limestones and ouartzites. 1t is
generally within this area of volcanoes
that the rich finds of recent years have
been made.
Commencing with the discovery Of gold
and silver on the Comstock, in 1858, and
covering the time until about the year
1890, the camps OF Reveille, Phoebe, White
Pine, De Lamar, Austin. Belmont, Typo,
Tuscarora Dull Rum, Candelaria, Auro-
"a, Hamilton, Hike. Pine Grove, Cortez,
Silver Peak, Hawthorne, Silver Star and
many other smaller camps were worked.
producing an enormous sum, estimated
at about $500 900 900 in gold and silver.
To this may be added about $16o, 000, 900
for the lead-silver product of Eureka,
the district which, in its day. controlled
the lead market of the world. Most of
these camps are in the hmestone-Quartz-
ite areas, and are located to the north,
east and west sides Of the section that
has come into prominence more recently.
In the nmestone-Quartzite area nume-
rous springs are found and water is COM
paratlvely plentiful. while in the vol
canic area 1t is very scarce; the result
which quite naturally follows from this
condition has been that the limestones
were extensively prospected and devel
oped in the early days when the above
named silver-lead camps were discov-
cred, while an immense desert area in
the very heart of this volcanic region
has for many years past been bidding
defiance TO our most courageous pio-
neers. Across this section eighty miles
IS not an unusual stage without water.
Distances of sixty miles were of fire.
ouent occurrence, while drives of TWEEN
ty-five and thirty, or even forty, have
been so common as to occasion no sur
prise Add to this the fact that forage
was at all times scarce and over large
areas absolutely unprocurable, it is not
surprising that even the most hardy
prospector should recoil from region