Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1910-10-07
THE GLORY OF THE CoMsI0Ck

unearthed at the Office of the
county clerk and treasurer, an old
journal showing the amount of
bullion tax paid in this city alone
during the interval between the
years 1875 and 1880. The infor-
nation contained in the book is of
intense inter s. and Importance, as
il gives official facts and figures of
the output of the leading produc-
ing mines of that period and
furnishes historical data that is of
immense value. AS far as known
these figures have ~ been
published and we Gull therefrom a
few of the totals that will revive
the tagging memories Of the
veterans of those days, and furnish
to those of later generations an
impressive statement of the
maryeln.e production of one period
alone of the Comstock mines.
At the close of the quarter end
ing June 80. 1875, to the quarter
ending December 81. 1880, there
was paid in to the Virginia City
treasury bullion taxes amounting
to S397,797.59 The two heaviest
years wer 1877 and '7S and the
largest single quarter was that
ending March 81, 1873. when the
total tax paid was S44,649.39. In
one quarter in 1877 there was paid
in bullion tax in a lump sum
$669,86 representing a back tax
which had not ben paid on account
of a misunderstanding as 20 the law.
AS this money was recovered by
suit, and the district attorney re-
ceived a commission on the same,
it will be seen that he was at once
put on "easy street" The states
proportion of this sum was Sl33,-
973, which made the present bullion
tax collector sit up and rub his
eyes.
During the period when this big
bullion tax was being paid every
three months the leading producing
mines were California and Con-
solidatcd Virginia, under the
superintendancy Of James G. Fair,
and it will be of interest to learn
that for the quarter ending March
81, 1878, these two mines produced
an output of 1852 tons ore, the
gross value of which was $40, 048,-
$40, and yielded a net return ,to
the company Of $7.426.4 400, show.
ing an expense account of 1922.
O20. The record book shows that
the biggest production of any one
mine during the years named was
from the Consolidated Virginia
mine for the quarter ending March
81, 1876, when the net returns for
the three months was Sc, $50, 279. 95
on a total of 63,l18 tons extracted.
1t can be stated in the way of ex.
PLANTATION for this huge output that
the mine sought to make a record
it being centennial year, and there
are many who will rem ember the
famous shipment Of bullion in that
year.
From April /, 1875, to September
30. 1873, the Con. Virginia and
California mines produced a total
sum of money in excess of $l03,-
$40, 600, which is of course only
a small part of the total yield OF
these two mines. Recalling tn,
greatest period of activity at thu
northend offers a most satisfactor,
explanation of the confidence that
is felt at the present time by the
mangemt ~ of these mines in the
POSSIBILITY n that exist in these
same properties at depth and the
determination to get below the
present water level to explore the
new ground to the east. The
ground being opened up now has
exposed Jan entirely new easterly
vein system. and experts believe
that as depth is acquired a big new
ore deposit will be found. In the
Consolidated Virginia much work
is now being done in the vicinity of
the old slopes, it being possible
now for the first time to get into
that territory since the big fire.
1t is not necessary to review the
operations of the past two years in
the newly unwatered country at
the northerd except to a that
ophir lis making good, Mexican
is getting good ore for the first