Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-02
OUT N THE DESERT
Where Gold Discoveries Have
Caused Cities to Rise.
CONTRAST TO DAYS OF 4s
well-Kept Hotels and the Prevalence
Of Order.
REPARTEE IN A BAR ROOM
Everywhere Is Heard Talk Of Pros
pectings and out-croppings,
but No Disorder.
REPARTEE m A BAR ROOM
Special Correspondence of The Star.


GoLDFIELD, New. July p, 1906
Out here in the desert, not hundred
miles from the edge of Death Valley. has
sprung a cluster of cities that promise to
make Nevada another California.
For yeslrs-fifty of them filed with unrest
for the uneasy prospector-this desert has
been frequently gone over with never a
suspicion that such volumes of wealth lay
beneath the sand and occasional hills.
Now, within three years, a half dozen
camps of large Importance have come to
throbbing existence. The finding of gold
or the mere rumor of 1t always has the
effect of bringing hundreds of tents and
occupants, but it is unparalleled that in
side the space of those years towns and
cities should grow into the form of per-
manency.
Within tfirty-one miles of each other are
the towns of GoIdield and Tonopah rival
ing each other for supremacy and both
crowding Reno. the largest city in the
state, for arst place.
To the newcomer. gold and its existence
or non-exfstence find second place to in
terest in the things more readily visible
To travel across the continent to visit new
ly found mines of wealth which are ex-
pected to enrich our national Golfers be-
yond the POINT of need and to forever set
tie the contracted currency question leaves
much time to speculation as to what Is
ahead. To lie back In Pullman anticipat-
ing hardships is natural and it leaves the
mind wholly unprepared for what happens
at the trips end. Fancy going to California
in richly upholstered Pullman car. back
in 10. That Is how one enters Tonopah and
Goldf1eld In 1906 Compare the wagon trains
of our earlier gold excitement with the
spacious automobiles that are used here to
convey travellers to the smaller and not far
distant camps as yet not reached by rail-
road.
Shafts and Piles of Ore.
The tales of great strikes and sudden
riches are heard on all sides. but to the
man from Missouri who demands ocular
demonstration the great piles of ORE
dumps they call them-and the forty or
fifty shafts which honeycomb the ground
have little significance beyond prompting
the question. Great Scott is that where
they get IT.? But the interest OF viewing
city not yet three years old is never ceas-
ing and the wonder is ever increasing.
Get into the bus at the station and ride
lippity cut-"lppity cut is the gem Of my
boyfood vocabulary that best describes the
pace-to really good and comfortable hotel
that would do credit to any town of 10000
in Pennsylvania. All the hotels out here
are conducted on the European plan and
are without restaurants. Once in the hotel
one walks to beautiful redwood counter
and is met by just as suave and gentleman
ly clerk as was ever boa sted of In any
eastern city. And think of the smoothness
of those bonifaces. European and Euro
pean only. Room No 9 is on the ground
floor and is $3.50 day The clerk explains
that it is cooler than one close to the roof,
that no robberies occur here and 1t Is per-
fectly safe to leave the window open. Verify
this is a disappointing gold camp. No law
lessness and not a gun in sight. The room
is small but is fitted with q stationary
washstand. an iron bed and a good oak
dresser.
A Harvard Graduate.
Back to the Office and friend of 20 min
utes' duration invites US to have drink
What of the new friend? He tells me he is
a graduate OF Harvard, subsequently min
Ing engineer. He is dressed In khaki and
high boots and is picturesque figure. Per-
haps his broad shoulders and fine shock of
dark hair were objects of admiration In a
famous foot ball contest years back How
ever that may be, he Is fine chap and ha.
chosen to cast his lot In this country where
a man Is square either from choice or the
prevailing custom of necessity. In either
event he's square here. Once at the bar the
tenderfoot orders lemonade. and not a pro-
test or comment Is heard. And the wonder
grows, and a feeling akin to regret at the
loss OF our wild and woolly west grows
upon me-
All drinks two for a quarter Is the rule
and the high-ban boys say the quality Is
good. Out on the busy streets-and they
there Is much talk Of outcrcppings. strikes
claims. free gold veins. drifts and cross
cuts-but no trouble. A town ordinance
put forth by the executive committee pro-
hfbits drunken man from frequenting the
streets and 1t seems to have been observed
In some of the larger saloons there are
gambling devices, and the trade seems to
be conducted on peaceable lines. A big
blonde Swede miner stood at the roulette
wheel and won-countless sums in just a
few moments-and in just a few more lost
all again and much more than the original
Bar Room Repartee.
Standing at a bar an old prospector tells
giibly and at length of a discovery; and the
Harvard boy reminds him that ''brevlty
is the soul Of wit" Like a fash he an
swered. And the subterfuge of many q
witless SOUL" In support OF the prospector,
the barkeep remarked. Truth crushed to
earth shall rise again. and the old boys
wit made him say but crippled. Truth
on crutches Is a pitiable sight"
Such things cease to surprise one after
forty eight hours here. The grade of intellf-
gence Is higher than one meets casually in
the smoking compartments Of Pullmans
and in the hotels back east. It Is a great
trip and far more fascinating than q trip
abroad Here we see the new instead Of
the old Here we come into contact with
the $10-per-day bartender the mild-man-
mine operator. the mill superintendent, the
working miner-all equally respected citi-
zens of new but quite orderly cities-all
peaceabiy thronging the undiscovered
streets.
Here Is city two years old. In 1t many
tents. goodly proportion Of half frame
and half canvas shacks, some ali frame,
some adobe houses and about a dozen
stone blocks on the prominent corners
And why Is 1t all here7 Because some fell
low stubbed his toe and kicked out hatful
OF gold. and because other fellows came
afterward with their hats. And! what else
has It done? Think OF a town two years
old with an ice plant Electric lights in
every room, but they're singular lights
they really illuminate. Space forbide 1t
wouldn't be good newspaper style to leave
that out--the telling OF It all Here are
cities and why7 They tell you this ID the
greatest mineral belt ever discovered and
they are certainly going at things as though
they really think So.
Protesting Brazil Coifee lnteresfs.