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

uiedS VINO WOUld never WISH 10 live
elsewhere. A climate unequaled In the
world Tor its continuous sunshine: in
the winter light occasional falls of
snow except on the SUBMITS of its
lottiest mountain peaks, a summer no
hotter than San Francisco, with cool
nights; the clear desert air and the won
derful sunrises and sunsets casting
brilliantly indescribable colors the
mountains give a charm to the country
which imperceptibly enthralls the resi-
dent until he declares the desert to be
his home.
Here in a sandy reach of the San An
tonic Range the Tonopah Railroad
lands the traveller in the town Of Tono-
pan, nesting between the niineralized
mountains now being Invested of their
buried wealth. For few miles he has
seen the smoke stacks and the head
gear OF different mines, but the change
from the solitude and quiet of the
desert to the busy depot is startling.
The freight yards are piled up with all
kinds OF commodities from groceries to
furniture and mining machinery.
Here are vast piles of hay, lumber
and coal, mingled with freight cars
loaded with ore for the smelters I'm
mense wagons with wheels six feet
high and eight inches wide. two and
three hitched together In a line. and
drawn by from twelve to twenty-five
horses and mules, are loaded up with
all kinds of supplies for such distant
camps as Goldfeld, Bullfrog and Ka-
wieh- Watch how the teamster drives
his twenty-five animals with single
line. and directing them by his voice,
passes out Of the crowded freight yards
and turns corner in a style that
causes despair and envy to rise in the
breast Of the ordinary driver.
In establishment the new arrival wen
ders at all this activity, these enormous
piles Of tons of goods, the many teams
and the general unmistakable signs of
busy prosperity. Here within a few
yards of the depot is the Tonepah Ex-
tension miGo, close by is the Tonopah
mill and the Midway mine. and but
short distance away at. the foot of
Mount Oddie is the Montana Tonopah
and the Tonopah mine; and perched
like an eagles nest on the side Of the
mountain is the North Star and a dozen
other mines near by. These are the
cause Of It all, the same cause that
built up San Francisco, the rush for
gold, a prosperous mining camp the
greatest ciyilizing agent throughout the
world
T0E0PAHS MAIN STREET.
The main street of Tonopah, where
FIVE short years ago stood one small
linen tent. runs southwark for half a
mile through the town. The sidewalks
are conereted and the street is lined
with handsome stores and two-s story
buildings, mostly of frame. but there
are also some substantial stone struc-
lures occupied by banks and stores.
with the upper floor as offices. On the
rising ground to the west some hand
some residences of stone. frame and
adobe have been built by the Weather
residents, who are also endeavoring
to cultivate trees.
Tonopah is estimated to have a popu-
lation of between four and FIVE thou
sand people, which will undoubtedly be
greatly Increased in the near future.
1t has two banks-the Nye and Ormsby
County Bank and the agency Of the State
Bank and Trust Company-both financial
ly strong and doing an immense and
rapidly increasing business. And a
National Bank has just been organized.
1t has three churches. one each of the
Presbyterian, Catholic and Episcopalian
denominations, a large schooihouse with a
daily attendance of over $50 pupils, an
opera house. a splendid social club with
a membership of 200, famed for its hos
pitality to visitors; two hotels and a
large number Of comfortable we'll fur
nished rooming houses.
The stores. most OF which are. az are
the private residences, lighted by eiec-
tricity, carry enormous stocks of every
class OF goods, from a pair of overalls
TO diamond rings worth $1,000 each. BY
a recent act of the Legislature Tonopah
has been created the county seat of
Nye County and a contract has just
been let for the building of a stone
Courthouse to cost $4,000. Indeed.
stone quarried one milo from the town
is rapidly replacing the old frame
buildings and on Main street alone four
stone structures are nearing compile
ton. and a new hotel of stone is also
about to be built. In all over 100000
worth OF new buildings are contracted
for.
There are no police in Tonopah. Or
der is kept by the Sheriff, his deputies
and a Constable. who. with Justice of
the Peace. find time hanging heavily
on their hands, so little have they to do.
movement is now on foot among