Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1905-04-29
W. c. RALSTON
ON TONOPAH
The WeII-KnOwn Mining En-
gineer Predicts That TOnopah
VIII Become "A Great Silver
and Gold Camp.

The report on Tonopah and Gold
field made by Col. w, c. Ralston, to
the San Francisco Stock and Elk
change Board a short time ago, is
one well worthy of perusal. Col.
Ralston is one of the best posted
mining men on the Pacific Coast and
was for a long time, President of the
California Miners Association. What
he says about this section certainly
carries great weight. The report
in part is as follows:
GENTLEMEN: In accordance with
the request of this Board, ! have re
visited the mining camps Of Tonopah
and Goldfeld, Nevada, and made a
hasty examination of the conditions
in such mines as it Is expected
would be listed and called on the Elk
change. it is proper to state, how
ever, that such examinations as |
was able to make in the brief time at
my disposal, were superficial only, and
should not be otherwise considered.
No mines we're carefully examined,
sampled, ETC., as would be the case
when exported to report extent and
values, which was not the desire Q
the intent of your board. Whatever
views, therefore, are expressed IN
this report, are those gained from
first impressions and from knowledge
Obtain ed only by mere casual exam
nation. To present to you anything
further would require a careful,
sciebt ific examination Of each sepa
ate property named. This, OF
course, was impossible, under the
circumstances.
There are certain considerations
in this connection which occur to
me, and to which | desire to call
your attention. In my humble
opinion of the results, if work near
the surface may be taken as a basis
on which to form a judgment, this is
certainly one of the richest quartz
districts yet discovered. No nan OF
course may see into the ground be
yond the point of a pick, but there is
no apparent reason to suppose that
the rich deposits of ore thus far
found are confined to the surface
only. The metal most certainly did
not come from above, and whatever
and whenever its other source, it Is
natural to suppose that it should be
found at greater depths than have
yet been attained in these districts
when it is found in such abundance
and over so wide an area near the
surface. AT all events, the men are
all working their claims on this
supposition, and when they thus
show their faith, by muscle anC
money, it i'll becomes those with les,
interest or knowledge to throw doubt
upon the continuance in depth OF thu
values.
The Comstock mines were rich OF
the surface, as rich as Tonopah, bu.
there was Il subsequent period of un
profitable work. aud then the iamou.
bonanza was discovered and yieldet
its millions. Even now they ar
again searching for values at mucI
greater depths.
Your attention should be called t
the fact that while Tonopah am
Goldfeld are new mining camps
they are in one OF the oldest mining
regions in the State of Nevada. !
glance at the map will show lying t
the west the mining camps Of Car
delaria ard Aurora; to the east Be
mont and Reveille; to the south, 81
YER Peak and Montezuma. All {
these districts at one time produce
silver in paying quantities, but wor
was mostly abandoned owing pril
cipally to the grade Of the ore havin
lowered.
Today these districts are again a
tracing attention, and with bette
transportation facilities and moder
methods they doubtless will soon t
iourishing. In other words, Tone
pah and Goldfeld districts are in
known mineral region.
Silver is found in the form
chloride, sulphide (argentite) at
ruby silver. Free gold is oftt
visible to the eye. These mines al
~assuredly on the great mineral bel
extending from u upper part
Nevada, through Arizona and f,
into Mexico, on the line where q
prominent mines and districts ha,
thus far been found. This straigl
line is one which any one may find
even a casual examination of q
map.
1t is my belief and conviction thi
Tonopan will prove to be within Il
next two years, one of the large.
silver and gold producing camps {
the Pacific coast. There has bee
thus far a lack OF water and pow,
for milling purposes in this cam
but an ample supply Of water is no
being brought in from Rye Patch,
distance Of twelve miles.
The Tonopah Mining Company
Nevada has recently closed the pu
chase of a large deposit OF coal, son