The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1911-06-10

ated by the Meadow Valley Minin,
company. Its thirty-stamp mill wa.
where the Washoe process for treat
ing silver ore was first really per
fected, and it treated Meadow VALLEY
ores almost exclusively. Bullionvill,
had many fine mills, and here the
majority of the ore from all Other
mines was treated For about foul
years all ore was hauled to mills BY
mule teams, hut In June, 1873, the mar
row guage railroad was opened be-
tween Phoebe and Bullionville. This
line was 20 miles long by the route
followed. and it passed close by the
Meadow Valley mill, but that com.
parry always adhered to mule service,
probably because of contract with
Han" Light, who ran a train OF ID
nlle teams.
WHAT RAILROAD COST
This railroad was built and eouip.
PEI at cost of over quarter of
9 million dollars II was projected
as part of new transcontinental
system, and started with q double
train schedule, running one passen-
sci train and one mixed. 1t was a
highly important feature Of the so.
$cial conditions here, as well as indus
trial. Bullionville was very lively
place then. 1t had several crack no
teis and restaurants. A mile distant
We're hot springs, fitted up with cab
crate conveniences. 1t was a great
place TO go for dances and other
night frolics, and the train, which
left Bullionyille for Phoebe at Am.
was wei patronized and lent itself
admirably to many gay practices.
But all this changed after the water
appeared
AnctileT feature OF life in the camr
came with the water. The very same
aay that the new time schedule an
peared, cutting out night service te
Bnllionville appeared this advertise.
ment, "A bird In hand Is worth two
in the bush. Speed increased. are re,
duced. One quality, one price, one
bit. Panaca saloon in order to keep
up with the times reduces drinks to
one bit" Mote. They were previously
two bits.) AS was appropriate, an ed.
itoriai notice also appeared, comment
ing on this new departure, and sug-
gesting that it would be duly appre-
ciated these hard times"
INSTALLED THE PUMPS
After some time spent in discussing
and preparing plans, the Raymond and
Ely installed a ponderous Cornish
pump, which started to take out wa
ter April 16, 1876. Activity was resum
ed The camp had absolute confidence
in the existence of good ore below
water level.
In the Raymond and Ely they
did lot OF work on the Sth. 10th
and 18th levels. The eighth was a
daisy" and yielded enormously. The
10th was good and the 11th so good
that 1t was run more than l700 feet
westerly from the Lightner shaft. 1t
was reported to look we'll and still
be in ore when work on it stopped
the latter part of 1876. The 10th was
so very good that they sank winze
on it nearly to the 11th, when they
were drowned out by water, which
doubtless came from water tank on
the surface, although no one seemed
to suspect such thing.
In the Meadow Valley the 18th lev
el seemed to be the most productive
and they worked on this level for sev
eral months in 1876. The R.&E. pump
finally began to lower the water and
winze was sunk in splendid ore
from the 1900 down about 60 feet
when the pump stopped and they
were flooded out.
In 1877 Capt't Day, who had resumed
management of the r. & E. again
started the pump, sank to the 1900,
and prosecuted to the Black ledge,
which he found SO valuable that his
reports to the company about 1t
were extremely enthusiastic. AS win
ter approached In '76 the people seem
ed to be seized with panic to get
away. All advertised that being
about to depart, great advantage woul
be gained by purchasing something
from them before it was forever too
late Even the undertaken offered hi,
services at bargain, if patrons could
manage to anticipate their normal
needs In his line.
Much has been written about why
Meadow Valley Mining company let
go its hold. when 1t had just erected
a magnificent hoist and had already
received nearly all the parts for the
finest pump ever built in the United
States up to that time 1t is a long
story, and complicated with many fea
lures, but my conclusion has been
after careful study Of the conditions
then prevailing that it was the effect
upon the mining world of the steady
decline Of silver then in progress.
This was clearly manifest in the
prices Of Comstock shares at that
time. when Virginia City mines were
IN bonanza. have never, been able