Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-12-06
Goldfleld in the Grip Of Winter.
GoLDFIELp, NEVADA.

DEAR REGIsTER-"It is the unex-
pected that happens - 1--WE know not
what a day NAV bring forth"-such ex-
pressions describe human experience in
every section and in every condition OF
life. Goldfield now is in the grip OF
winter in earnest, and snow such as
has never been experienced has covered
the ground and is still coming down.
The railroad, which has been taxed to
its capacity to keep up the supplies OF
the town under favorable circumstances,
must now fall far short. Food already
is out of the reach of many, and almost
impossible to get at any price. flity
dollars a cord for wood and little 10 De
had at that, aud no coal to be had at
all, not very pleasing prospect to the
jewellers in the city on the desert. They
have been accustomed to light Tails OF
snow and cold snaps, which would pass
with the lulling of the wind, and the
snow disappear with the first brightness
of the sun. But you will not hnd
more wintry scene even in the noun
tains of West Virginia than at this
writing has come TO visit the people OF
Goldfeld. Should this continue Tor only
a short time, there is bound to be much
suffering here, not so much from the
lack of food as famine OF fuel. But II
is not philosophical. to look uHon the
dark side of the pictures or cross the
bridges before we come to them, but in
contradiction to those adages is the
homely statement of the man who SAID
that if his fore sight had been as good
as his hind-sight things would have
been very different.
But the whole scene has been changed,
except the busy chasers OF their dreams
Of wealth and gold. The dry and dusty
plain is now white robed in snow, the
air IS clear and pure as crystal. The
snnburnt mountains stand In oeautllul
array in their white garments cast
down upon them from the skies, and
but that poor human flesh and blood re-
ouires the less aesthetic things of earth
to feed upon, this would be welcome
and a more than fair exchange.
wish you and your readers who are
interested in how other people live
could look down upon this mining camp
to-day. In many respects you would
read the same story that is being told in
other and older places, but there are SO
many respects in which life here is oil
| ferent and unique, that 1t would be
most interesting. | can, however, easl-
| ly imagine with what reluctance most
| of my Shepherdstown friends would ex-
change the comforts which they enjoy
| for a home in Goldfeld, when the sun
burns you up in summer, the alkall
dust sutfOcates you most of the year,
and when in winter you are liable to
.,,L Ia al of
Only those who have the money making
propensity highly developed are likely
TO find this place attractive. The op-
portunities TO such are SO inviting That
| they seem TO take little notice oil Inc
unpleasant features of their surround
ingS.
The excitement over the great pros
poets In the mines and on the gamble
| in mining stocks is still at high pitch
here. The blizzard does not seem TO
have effected that in the least. | was
| in q brokers' office last night and
| watched the game and heard the dis
cussions of this and that mine and the
various stocks, by people familiar with
these matters. One OF the most sue
cessful and best known gentlemen Of
| the camp came in under the genial In
| fluence of numerous cups. He began
| TO unload his pockets on the counter
with the offer OF 80 for any part OF
fifty Thousand shares of Daisy. The
| broker, an old-time friend, gave me a
short history of this man in Goldheld
First the owner of gambling establish
ment, he put his money into the stocks
of well located mines here, and now
owns the controlling interest OF one OF
| the best here, and at the time Of which
| speak, the broker who arranged his
| papers in secure package tor him, told
me he had fifty thousand shares of Mo-
hawk on his person, worn about $3.50,
| 600. He was celebrating proposed
start for San Francisco in the early
morning and is not likely to run short
OF funds on the trip. | could fill your
| paper with incidents of this inflated
| town, but fear they might disturb the
| equilibrium of the Shepherdstown eX-
change therefore | will not impose
further upon your readers.
Very Truly,
A. S. REYNOLDS.
|