The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-09-26

The White Pine mining district
from which the county of White Pine,
Nevada, derives its name, is situated
near the north end of the White
Pine range, SO miles due west of
Ely, and about 40 miles southeast of
Eureka. The town of Hamilton,
situated about the geographical CEN
ter of the district was for Is years
the county seat of White Pine county.
In 1885 a fire destroyed much of the
town, and all the county buildings,
w%hereupon the county seat was
moved to it's present location, Ely.
Today the impression one receives
on viewing it, is that of a well nigh
deserted habitat of days long past.
Many of the buildings spared by the
fire are dilapidated and rapidly fall
ing into decay, and the skeletons of
mills, big waste dumps,
and its history, are all that is left to
tell of it's once fiourishing condition.
The district was organized in 1865,
A years ago, but did not become
the scene of successful operations
until 1867, when the rich mines on
Treasure Hill were discovered.
Prior to that time a company was OPP
Grating at Monte Cristo on the west
side of White Pine mountain. with
no ~1attering prospect of success.
Albert feathers, a workman at
the Mote Cristo plant was guided to
Treasure Hill by an Indian, and on
September IA, 1867, located the
Hidden Treasure mine. This mine
proved to be SO sensationally rich in
silver that the spring of 1868 witness
sed one of the widest rushes or
stampedes to White Pine since the
Comstock boom. In 1869 Hamilton
had a population of 10000, a min
ing stock exchange, city government
and a water works, the water being
pumped through a 12-inch pipe over
Mokeamoke ridge from Illapah
Creek, three miles east. There were
three newspapers, two of which were
dailies. Treasure City, on the sum-
nit of Treasure Hill, nesting
amongst the mines, claimed a popu-
lation of 1000, two banks, city
water, dance halls, and
all appurtenances of a western min
ing camp. Eberhard, south of Urea
sure City, had a population of 1000;
Shermantown, two miles west of
Treasure City, a population of from
$500 to 5000; and there were
several other smaller communities
scattered at various places through
out the district. In all there were
more than $4,000 people within the
borders of the district.
In 1870 there were 1877 mining
companies operating with a nominal
capital of $~277,564,O00 Omitted
States Mining Statistics West of the
Rocky Mountains, 1870, Raymond,
page 173) besides numerous leases
and private enterprises. At this
time there were 23 mills with 200
stamps dropping on ore. In addition
to this there were nine shelters of
various capacities, reducing the ores
of the lead belts. The ores of Trea-
sure Hill were dry" and were treat
ed by the Washoe, or pan amalga-
process. The lead ores were
rich in lead that the bullion de-
rived from the smelters was little
better than the crude ore, and none
of these smelters We're economically
successful.
By 1887, the decline of the price
of silver and the exhaustion of most
of the easily accessible ore bodies on
Treasure Hill, practically closed the
era of silver mining in the district,
and it had greatly declined in popu-
lation and mining activity. Up to
this time 22,000,0 900 silver had
been produced from Treasure Hill
mines. No mining has been done on
Treasure Hill since that time. The
remaining inhabitants turned their
attention to the lead mines as a
means of livelihood, changed mar
ket conditions making it possible to