The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-12
LEGEND OF THE DESERT
DIsCOvERER OF THE JEFFERSON
I. MINE TRAMPED OVER THE
RICHES OF GOLDFIELD.

Goldfeld, New, May 11.-Most of the
maps of Nevada show blank space to
the south Of the Stone Wall mountains,
and across this they print "Ralston
deS to., lt of the people, WIG to.
Bullfrog IN an automobile, stop to in
quire why the name, yet life story
goes with it, one filed with more than
average interest, not only to the son Of
the desert, but to all, who are today
sharing in the wealth that good old Ne
vada Is. daily yielding up from her
many mines.
Back in the good old Comstock days
name of Ralston, who refused to be-
lieve that all of the wealth Of Nevada
was in the Comstock. After months Of
hard work he secured the backing Of
the Flood-Mackey-Fair people, who
staked him and he started on his pros
pectfng tour. His first trip took him
far to the, south, across to the desert
from his notes and sketches that many
of the landmarks of today take their
name. He was looking for silver and
true assure veins. No one in those
days could have been induced to look at
the kind of rock, from which the miners
of today are getting the highest mill re-
turns, therefore, it Is no wonder that
y.
field, Bullfrog, Tenopah, Ida, Gold
Mountain, all must have been his camp
ing ground, yet he found nothing to his
liking and returned to Virginia City,
only to be jeered at for the suffering
he had endured, in making his long and
perilous trip.
Some months later he again started
late in the fall he discovered the JEFF,
ferson Mine. This property he worked
during the years 1874, Is and 76. The
old mill still stands and around it are
clustered number of old adobe build
ings. In one of them, evidently used
for an office. are still to be found stubs
of old check books showing payments
to the miners and mill hands, receipts,
etc. This mine yielded good produc-
ton, and at one time promised fortunes
almost equal to the Comstock, but later
thru Encouragement and the heavy ex-
pense of the long hauls that were then
necessary, it commenced to go back,
and finally. after the death of Ralston,
was abandoned.
There are many conflicting stories
as to the reason for Ralston g rash act
in taking his own life, but none of
them agrees. Practically all that is
known is that he committed suicide in
the bay Of San Francisco, after
stormy interview with his partners in
| the property. After Ralston s death
| this section Of the country was practi-
| cally abandoned, and no effort was made
to prospect it in any way.
The late discoveries at Round Noun.
tain and Jefferson Canon have revived
interest in that section, and it now
promises to yield greater fortunes in
| gold that it ever did in silver.
| Near the old Jefferson mine is the
Prussian mine, which is now under op-
| tion to Minneapolis people, at price Of
| 100000. About two and a half miles
east is the estate Of the Round Noun
! tain Sphinx company. The property
/ was located only few weeks ago by
] Tabor, Innes and Shively. In the bot
tom Of their shaft at depth of about
18 feet, they have encountered q
vein Of extremely rich ore, from which
they have had assay returns of approx
imately $4,000 Specimens, of course,
can be had running much higher. This
is undoubtedly one Of the dig strikes
of the year, and will mean another
i camp, as they have ample wood and
water. The whole section is now be-
ing prospected and other good finds con-
fdently expected.
The st. Ives people have also come to
the front with a strike on their 250-foot
level, where they have encountered a
strong vein of very rich ore, many as
says running from $500 to $4,000 to
the ton. They have this same rich ore
4 on the 150-foot level, and this strike
practically proves 1t up for 100 feet.