The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1906-08-09
A BIG MINING CAMP.
Judge H. G. Ewart Tells of His
Observation in the West
ern Country.

west, said:
Southern Nevada is destined to be-
come the greatest mining camp of the
world. l spent three weeks at Gold
field, Tonopah, Rhyolite, Bull-Frog, and
other great mining camps. | went
there prepared to discount the wonder
full stories had read of this section,
but do not now hesitate to say that
there has been no exaggeration. Two
years ago Goldfeld was a desert; the
abode of the coyote, and venomous
''side-wheelers;" today it is modern,
up-to-date city of 10, 900 population.
Bull Frog, or Rhyolite as it is now
called, is the greatest of all the mining
camps. 1t sprang into existence two
years ago, and now has population of
nearly 5000. In two more years it will
have population of 10000 and will be.
known as the metropolis of southern Ne
vada. Three different lines of railway
are being built into Rhyolite as fast as
men and money can do it. This will
greatly reduce the cost of living, now
exceedingly high, and will place the
city in II hours of Los Angeles, Cal,
making it possible for it's residents to
have upon their tables fresh figs and
strawberries, and the choicest sea-food
every day in the year. Rhyolite is To-
Gated in a horseshoe, and for miles
around it are found many of the great
est producing gold mines in the world
Here is found the Montgomery Shok
shone," which sold three years ago as
prospect for $500, and less than four
months ago was bought by Charles M.
Schwab. the Pittsburg steel magnate,
and his associates for four million dol
lars. Mining experts declare that it
will rival the famous Virginia Comstock
lode, which has produced over six
hund red million of the precious metal.
Its stock has advanced from 15c tn SIS
per share. In close proximity are
scores of other great mines, all in active
operation. All night long the blastin G
goes on, sounding as if a great artillery
duel was in progress. | met many mtn-
ing engineers and miners from Alaska,
South Africa and other great gold
camps, and all, without exception, de-
clare the Bull Frog, or Rhyolite, camp
to be the greatest in the world. The
camp is called Bull Frog" because of
the notified appearance of the surface
rock found in this locality. 1t was first
discovered by 'Sholty Hains," pros
pecter who sold his half interest in his
claim for SIS, 200, blowing in Sl2, 900 in
three nights in the gambling saloons
and dance halls which abound in all
these mining camps.
The state licenses gambling establish
ments. These with the saloons, dance
halls and vaudeville theaters, never
close, day or night, and at three or four
O'Clock in the early morning you will
find them crowded to the limit. But it
Is jolly, good-natured crowd, and of
all the hundreds that 1 saw l never
noticed once an intoxicated man, gun
or policeman. Goldfield has only had
one homicide in 18 months.
None of the mining towns are incor-
porated, their affairs being controlled
by the board of county commissioners.
For 200 miles rich strikes are being
made every day, and it is conservative
estimate to make when it is said that
southern Nevada will, in the next two
years, add eight hundred millions to
the worlds supply of gold!
crossed the Amargosen desert. from
whose barren and arid wastes can be
seen with the naked eye, 30 miles away,
the snow-capped peaks of the Charles
ton range, IA, 900 feet above sea level.
1 vas also in the Funeral range, where
is located the "Bull-Frog Comstock
mine, declared by experts to be exactly
the same formation as the famous
Observation-Disclosures" only eight
miles away, and where surface speci-
mems show high values in both gold and
silver. This valuable property is owned
by Kansas City capitalists, and limited
amount of its stock is to be put upon the
market.
Directly south of the Funeral range,
stretch for 125 miles the terrible Death
Valley, 44O feet below sea level, and
where lie the bleached bones of scores
of adventurous prospectors who have
perished from the awful ''desert thirst"
in their search for the yellow metal.
On my.trip visited Frisco and Los
Angeles To my mind Frisco is a
doomed city. The earthquake must
have been terrific. In many parts of
the city there are great depressions,
and on one street six story frame hotel
sank into the ground, barely leaving
two stories above the street. Forty two
Thousand homeless people are still Hv-