The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-03
y HREE hundred miles east Of the
Pacific ocean lies Nevada, a long

Pacific ocean lies Nevada, q long
despised state. Three states and
three territories are larger In size but
every state and every territory in the
union contains more people. The census
Of 1870, six years after her admission
as state, gave Nevada population of
42,49l; the last census gave her almost
the same number; while the largest
number she ever had was 81, 266, which
was the enumeration Of 1880. That is,
Nevada never claimed a larger popula-
tion until within the last two years.
She is growing now and the next census
will certainly contain surprise.
There have been three ,epochs In Ne
vada's history. The first was when the
Comstock mines produced more precious
metal than any other group Of mines
had produced in the worlds history.
The record has not been broken to this
day. The $6OO,o0O,o00 worth found at
that time financed the greatest rail-
roads in the world and put life into a
hundred industries which had broad and
lasting influence upon national affairs.
A Bad Advertisement.
The second epoch was the Corbett-
Fitzsimmons prize fight that took place
at Carson City March ID, 1897. Press,
pulpit and platform voiced protest.
The governor Of Nevada was called
upon to stop the fght-a thing he
scorned to do. recall a cartoon printed
in Puck or Judge, I forget which, about
that time. There was map Of the
United States and Uncle Sam, standing
on it with pair of ice tongs in his
hands, was in the act Of pulling the
state Of Nevada out and casting her,
together with her bunch Of sports and
prize fighters, adrift in the Pacific
ocean. "Good riddancelo There was
always feeling that the state was
worthless and immoral and this car.
toon caught public favor at that time
There has always been resentment that
the state should have two United States
senators and a member Of the lower
house. The population did not entitle
it to the consideration. Oklahoma has
not been, able to get into the union with
nearly ten times Nevada g population
The 1900 '.Find.'' -. s..
The third epoch has been reached. II
is the present gold excitement. It com
menced in 1900 when Jim Buffers mule
kicked q piece of silver-bearing rocl
down the side Of the mountain at tie
foot Of which Jim and his wife were
camping. This rock looked just goct
enough to induce Jim to cart it to Bel
mount, the nearest settlement, many
miles north. The story has been. told
but 1t must be mentioned here. Tht
assayer to whom the sample was giver
thought SO little Of it he threw it out
the back door the moment the Buffers
had gone. Months l.sGer the assayel
came across the piece again and testet
it. It ran 800 to the ton and there
was an immediate stampede to the place
Of discovery. That place Is now calico
Tonopah. It is camp of several thous
and people and mines have been de
veloped there which are paying hun
dreds Of thousands Of dollars In divi
dends. $50! 49,
Old-ti1ners in the state, and Of these
there are some 10000, date everything
from the Comstock days or from thu
prize fight Of 1897. The new arrivals
and of these there are some 10000
| figure history from the Butler discovery
| Buffers find did net create great ex
| citement but it led to the gold dis
covery at Goldfeld and Bull Frog which
have caused excitement surprising any
thing Of the kind in this country sine
40, or possibly Cripple Creek. No
that the silver camp of Tonopah is un
important; it is a wonderful camp bu
it took Tonopah three years to grow t.
| it's present size. Goldfeld and Bull
Frog sprang up in The night and wer
cities Of Importance within a week
time. ~
It is impossible to tell the exact mum
| Der Of people who have gone to Nevada
since the rush began. No one estimate
the number at less than 10000. Abou
| 10000 of these are at Goldfeld, 1000 a
Tonopah, 5000 at Bull Frog and tn
balance have distributed themselve
among a dozen camps.
Mining in Desert.
Nevada is vast desert 1856 mile
wide and 485 miles long, and the gol'
excitement is in the southern part O.
the state where streams of water ar
unknown and even sage brush is scarce
From the car windows in all the grea
west where cars go, the whole countr.
seems covered with the much despiset
sage brush. In the Nevada desert tn
sage brush becomes a novelty an
1 wherever it will grow it is welcome
| Anyhow, it is the only thing, except TIL
Joshua, a small, stumpy tree comparable
to nothing else, which lends relief t.
the wholesale desolation.
Tonopah and Goldfeld are 800 mile
4 down this waste from the main line O
the Southern Pacific railroad whic]
crosses the state on the north. ~
travel for miles and miles down tn
state on a new roadbed and see nothin!
but barren mountains and interminabl
sands is to realize that the trip is al
important event in ones life anda tina
one is going into experiences, the yer,
newness Of which savors of peril an
hardship. A feeling. Of having to cor
tend with elements in this new world
there is a subtle appeal to all that i
brave and manly in one Is makeup, an
4 the sense of it thrills.
The trip also reminds one Of the hard
ships endured by the first arrivals, VIII
went in by stage. The railroad fare Q
1 10 cents q mile is nothing-one ca
cover ground in day which it took tn
stage a week to travel over. And
doesn t matter to you If the road
earning enough money on this desert t
pay for itself every seven months.
The Finding Of Gold.
4 The stearlvD nrospo 1T ors-this has q