The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-07-16
NOTES OF INTER.
EST FROM WHITE
PINE DISTRICT
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW Gov
FIRING A PERIOD OF
SEVERAL YEARS.
HAMILTON, TREASURE HILL, ETC
The District Contained n Population
of $4,000 as Far Back
as 1860.

is twelve miles square, within which
the towns of Hamilton, Treasure
Hill, Shermantown, Swansea, Selig-
man and Eberhart were located in
the summer and fall of 1868, on top
and around the base of Treasure
Hill and the eastern spur of White
Pine mountain. The first discovery
of mineral was made October 8,
1865, by Al. ]. feathers, Thomas
Murphy and others. and the district
was organized the next day. The
principal locations of that year were
organized and known as the Monte
Cristo Mining company by Thomas
Murphy and T. w. Anstill of San
Francisco and the group of claims
was sold to Philadelphia parties,
erected mill that cost 100000
and the mill was later taken to Cher
ry creek and the remains of an old
anthony furnace is all that is left
to tell the story. The superintend-
cnt was Edward Marchand, although
Murphy was chief in charge and
feathers was the blacksmith.
happened that lead to the. discovery
of metal and the excitement that fol-
lowed. One night the blacksmith
was sleeping in his rude cabin when
he was awakened by a noise in his
culinary department, and looking up
he saw in the darkness an Indian
eating his pot of beans. WHO'S
there demanded Leathers.
Jim" replied the bean thief.
feathers, whose scanty fare and
toll had not particularly sweetened
his disposition, arose and with kicks
cuffs and cuss words drove the dusky
forager out into the black night and
onto the desert to ponder over the
bad disposition of his white-faced
friend. A few days after Jim again
appeared, this time with a peace-of-
fering for feathers in the shape of
a sample of horn silver.
Murphy, hearing the story, en-
gagged Jim to show them the locality
where he found the ore. Murphy,
feathers. Marchand and Jim after
wards called "Napias JIM" went in
search of the locality. Snow had
fallen and the journey was one of
toll and great hardship. The Indian
led them around the southern end of
White Pine mountain, via Cathedral
canyon, up the narrow valley in
which Shermantown was afterwards
built. After a hard struggle through
the snow up the west slope to neal
the summit of the bold and wind.
driven Treasure peak, Jim" showed
them rich free silver ore in album
dance. They located the mine and
named it the Hidden Treasure, il
being the first location in what q
year later became the famous Treas
ure City on Treasure hill. Surely
it was treasure to that hardy band
of prospectors. During the winter
there was but very little work done
but within year the property thus
found was sold for $250,000. This
discovery led to others and shortly
afterwards Eberhart found the claim
bearing his name which proved the
richest mass of silver ore found up
TO that date.
This property fell into the hands
of Captain Frank Drake. DR.. Hill
lard, Ed. Applegarth, Crawford
Sproul and Turner, who took many
tons of the ore to Austin for reduc-
ton, the net proceeds of which were
several thousand dollars to the ton
and the great White Pine mining ex-
element of 1868 and 1869 was on.
drawing the mad throng of treasure
seekers from all parts of the world
Treasure City on the hill, Hamilton
at the north base, Shermantown in
the narrow valley or canyon to the
southwest and Eberhart in a similar
canyon to the southeast.
All the towns in the district are
said to have contained an aggregate
population of about $4,000. The
principal business street in Hamil-
ton was lined with buildings for a
distance of mile or more and build
ings dotted the landscape for another
mile south to Treasure hill. Sher-
mantown had nearly as many people
as did Treasure hill and Eberhart
about one-third as many. The tax
roll of the district was about $4,000
900 in 1869. Mills and smelters to
the number of about 80 was scatter
ed through the district in 1870.
The town of Hamilton began its
decline early in the '70's and con-
tinued on downward to 1885, both
in the production of lead and silver
and in population, until there were
but few left That few, however,
has stayed by the camp which has al
ways been self-sustaining, and has
been quite prosperous for the past
five years.
Hamilton and Treasure hill had
the reputation of having the bright
est men on the whole Pacific coast in
the legal profession. Such bright
minds as Judge w. II. Beatty, now
chief justice of the California SUI
preme court, was the district judge,
Hon. Charles E. De Long, one of the
most genial and brightest men in the
practice of law, and well known to
every oldtimer in the state, was
here. Hon. Thomas P. Hawley was
practicing young attorney in Ham,
ilton and on Treasure hill. Judge
HaWley was at one time district at
torney of White Pine county, and in
1872 was elected to the state SUI
preme bench, and gave the state
faithful service for eighteen years,
then was appointed United States
Judge for the district of Nevada, a
seat that he filled with distinction
for seventeen years and resigned
last year. White Pine district out
ranked San Francisco in brains in
the legal profession in 1867-6S.
In 1868 Hamilton had two
large school, dealers in
merchandise of every description, sa-
looms, almost without number, no.
tells, hardware stores, harness shops,
meat markets and in short every
branch of business was represented
Perhaps I can mention a few of
those most prominent in business