East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-06-22

"a Journey across the desert valleys
Of southwestern Nevada and eastern
California can not even now be look
ed forward tc as likely to afford the
traveller much pleasure; but that the
hardy explorer and prospector may
derive much profit from II has been
known since the late sixties, when
1t was discovered that the bare. unin-
yiting mountain ranges of that region
contained valuable deposits of pre-
cious metals.
The wave of mining activity and
prospecting that Immediately swept
over that section reached n maxi
mum In the seventies and died out
before the end of the next decade. In
1900, however. the discovery of phe-
nomenally rich veins at the site of
Tonopah gave new interest to the
development of the district and led
thousands of men to brave the dis
comforts OF this hot and arid land.
An aid to the mirer and prospector
of the present day unknown to the
pioneer explorers Is the United states
geological survey, through whose
systematic Investigations the desert
regions of the country have lost
many of their terrors Southwestern
Nevada in particular has been and
is being carefully explored, and the
mountains and valleys OF that section
are sact yielding their secrets at the
tap of the geologists hammer.
The report on "a geological recon-
naissancp lin southwestern Nevada
and eastern California" by Sidney H.
Rail, Just issued by the Survey Bulle-
tin No. sos, is the result of seven
months field work, from June to De-
cembcr, 1905, inclusive. During this
period geologic mapping, under the
general supervision of f. j.. Ransome,
was carried on simultaneously with
topographic mapping by r. c, Chap
man and b. d. Stewart the area sur
veyed embracing more than $3.50
square miles, including portions of
Esmeralda and Nye counties, Ne
vada, and Inyo county, Calf.
Practically the only Industries In
the region are prospecting and min
ing, and the towns Of this desert min
ing territory typify both the push and
energy of the western frontier and
the unstable conditions of new gold
fields.
Tonorah lies four miles north of
the aree mapped. Goldfield. by far
the largest city in southwestern Ne
vada, Builfrog and Beatty (popula-
ton about $500 each) are provided
tnIn
water systems, newspapers, and most
of the essentials of city life, though
the first tent was pitched at Goldfield
in January. 1904, and Rhyolite and
Bulfrom were not started until year
later. A number OF other camps
within the area range in population
from so to 400.
Few countries so sparsely settled
arc SO accessible. The various camps
are connected by wagon roads, most
of them surprisingly good consider
ing that they are less than veal
lod.
The Tonopah and Goldfield railroad
connects with the Union Pacific a
Hazen, New. The Carson and Colo
RADIO railroad In Owens valley is from
25 to As miles west OF the western
border of the area, and the San Pc
dro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake rail
road, is from 40 to rs miles to thu
east.
A railroad has been surveyed from
Goldtield to Bullfrog, and tw'
branches are projected from th'
Clark road to the same point. Dali.
or scmi-daily automobiles make tn
run from Goldfield to Bullfrog II
four or six hours, and stages rul
daily from Goldfield and Las Vega
swift streams of the Sierras.
Some of the mines have smal
hut sufficient water supply near a
hand; other camps are compelled t