The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1907-02-15
THE TONOPAH Mines
SHORT ACCOUNT OF DISCOV-
cry OF GREAT region.
MAN WHO MADE FIND TOO POOR
TO HAVE ORE AssAYED.
NOW 100000, 900 Is IN SIGHT
Locator Had Much Difficulty in In
teresting Anyone in a Great
Property.

An account Of the discovery of a
great mine is always interesting read
ing. These finds are usually made by
poor men and in many instances by
mere accident. There is generally a
story of vicissitude and suffering, a
struggle with poverty and other draw
backs connected with the discovery
and subsequent development Of a rich
mine, no matter the variety of the
metal that it contains.
Following is a brief history of the
Mispah mine at Tonopah, Nevada. This
property was discovered in May 1900,
by James l.. Butler, then a resident of
Belmont, New, he having previously
seer the ~outcroppings of the vein in
1870.
Butler took samples of the ore is
miles south to Klondyke, which was
then producing high grade silver ore.
The assayer there thought the dock or
little or no value, and as Butler was
without mone did not bother to assay
it. On his return trip Butler took
! several samples back to Belmont and
: | SuOWS GU llShl L = IL. SouiSt "Ao ooAS
them to Austin to be %assayed, the re
turns from one of the samples being
$40 in silver and $206 in gold to the
n ton.
Locate Eight Claims in September.
In September, 1900, Butler, accom-
panied by Mrs. Butler, returned to the
u property and together they located the
e eight claims now owned by the Tono-
pah Mining company of Nevada Mrs.
i Butler named one claim the Mizpah
and also named the camp Tonopah,
from a small spring four miles north
a which had been given that name by
f. the Indians, the word meaning water
brush"
In October, 1900, Butler returned tc
q the property with w. Brougher and
s T. L. Oddie, to whom he had giver
Z an interest, and commenced work OF
S the property, their sole possessions be
z ing a small tent, a meager camp out
fit, a wagon, two horses and SIS il
cash. These three men took out
ty ton of ore which was hauled 120 mile
to Austin and shipped to San Fran
on cisco, realizing a lutte owe $500. Thi
hit return and a series of high assays sc
all cured from other parts of the surface
induced a big rush to the camp an
many leases were granted by Butte
nd to the end of the year 1901.
led Total Production Is $4,500,00o.
The total production of this perio
ust was "a, 500, 900. 1t was in June, 1870
nf ,fr,, ,orD,, ,tha- n n ,it a lipIC had a
or tempted TO buy the properly and e.
are perts Tor others had condemned l
OBJ. that Oscar A. Turner of Philadelphi
the took an option on the mine for $3.50
YER 900, drawing at sight on his frien'
John w. Woodside OF that city, for tn
II, payment of $4,000, which was promp
m ly paid. The property was bougf
b, subject to the leases, and the royal,
from shipments made by the leasel
were more than sufficient to provit
the balance of the purchase money b
fore it became due
l " On January /, 1902, the origin
eight claims located by Mr.. and Mr.
Butler passed into the hands of tt
nth, Tonopah Mining company of Nevada,
ans corporation having a total capitaliz
'urt ton of $1,360,000 comprising LOO
lpe- 600 ordinary shares of 81 each al
{ a $50, 900 preferred shares bearing i
do terest at s per cent per annum. Su
,ase scribers to this latter stock at p
UGH were given two shares of ordina
liam stock for each share of PREFER
rty. stock, making three shares for 81.
uch Property a Steady Producer.
nce' The property continued to be
INST steady producer of large quantiti
q a of high grade ore, the proceeds fro
!, Is which were devoted to the develt
ong- ment and equipment of the mine.
s a In January, 1905, the preferred sto
s to was paid off and in April of thai ye
UNI the first dividend of % cent a sha
ned. was paid and regular quarterly di
,and dends of that amount were continu
one until October, 1906, when it was
1ron creased to 35 cents-the total amol
70 a Of dividends paid being $~2,450,0OO.
hua 1t is estimated that the undergrou
,aIa workings of this great mine, OIL
,uon opened up to a depth OF 700 fe
amount to over 10 miles, while
~ value of the ore blocked out is CO
~ puted at over 500, 000, 900.
ue The company is now operating
100 stamp mill and owns many OF
valuable properties in the state.