The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-05-23
GIVES
SOLID
FACTS
REVIEWS TONOPAH
SHELTERS IRE
CHOKED BY
OUTPUT.
STONEHAM DEPICTS
STONEHAM DEPICTS
BYE D. ST0KERAM

Copyright Applied for by ". J. Stone
ham, Tonopah, New
q INCE the discovery OF Tonopah in
the summer Of 1900. the progress Of
~ the camp has been gradual, but
IA every respect highly satisfactory,
and its condition to-day warrants the
prediction that it will ere long take
rank as the greatest gold and silver
mining camp in America. The critic
who refers to the age of the camp and
asks why a greater number OF mines
are not paying dividends must remem-
Der that Tonopah more than any other
new discoveries Of recent years labored
under great Disadvantages which took
time. perseverance and capital to over
come These disadvantages may be
enumerated IS follows:
Firstly-The deep rooted prejudice
against Nevada, which. since the de-
cline Of the Comstock. has staggered
under the damaged reputation OF a sill
Yer State, whose once great and only
mining camp was exhausted.
Secondly-The lack OF water and fuel
and the consequent difficulty in the
profitable mining OF its ores. added to
this the fact that il was separated by
sixty miles of desert from The nearest
payable shipping ore should be OF the
minimum value OF s1G0 per ton.
Thircly-Apssrt from the original dis
coYeTies now owned by the Touopah
Mining Company of Nevada. covering
but limited area no veins outcropped
on the surface thus enabling the de-
tractors Of the district 10 procl-Im for
two years that ii was but a one-mine
camp
CONDITIONS ARE CONQUERED.
The indomitable perseverance OF tie
pioneers of the camp, whose faith in
its future never wGVered, has overcome
its natural adverse conditions, and
broken down the barrier OF prejudice
which eEcircled the State, demonstrat-
ing 10 capital that here ia Tonopah,
and generally in Southwestern Nevada
are the greatest opportunities for the
profitable Investment OF money THAI can
be found in America to-day.
When il is considered that the men
TO whom credit for this must be given
came TO Tonopah absolutely without
money and dragged from the desert
what they now possess, II is wonder
full that IL has taken so short a time
for Tonopah TO attain the position it
now holds in the mining world
To one who has never visited west
ern mining camp and whose ideas of
such q place have been formed by read
ing popular romances. Tonopah must
be somewhat of a disappointment
There is a total absence of the dirty
bearded miner. who is generally de-
Eeribed as picturcsquely attired in TOP
boots, coIored shirt and siouch haf
with Colts "a" sticking cut of each
hip pocket, and who Is generally sup
posed TO be either half drunk and pass
Ing the hours away by shooting I'D the
town or nonchalantly finging $50 gold
pieces on the gambling table while aar-
ing dance halls and -au-dy-gurdy'.
houses cater TO his amusement at night
In place OF this. although the town
IS run wide Open" II is as quiet and
as orderly as any uP to dato city. There
IS nothing attractive about the country
through which the Tonopah railroad
passes on its way TO the camp. II
crosses long stretches of sandy desert.
bare OF all vegetation but a scanty
growth of the sagebrush which gave
Nevada the title of the ''SagebrDsh
State" The desert is bordered hv
ranges OF bare, rugged. forbidding look
ing mountains, In many places curiously
and brilliantly stained with mineral OF.
Of dark brown hue. betraying their
volcanic formation OF lava 1t is a
treeleez, waterless region; and naturally
and almost unconsciously the traveller
says. surely II this country is not good
for mining. is IL good for anythingY'
Yet here at certain seasons sheep have
been pastured for years. growing IA
on some varieties OF sage and the occa-
sional Juicy bunch grass which sprtn gs
Up after the winter snow has melted
away. And beneath these desert sands
plentiful supply OF water can be
found. while many a clear spring Of
purest water lows in the canyons OF
those cesolate looking mountains.
ATTRACTIONS OF DESERT.
With all its drawbacks this vast
desert has Its great attractions to hun