Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1912-10-01


pectors will remember the Common
wealth mine at Tuscarora; they will
also remember the Beard tunnel and
Steve and John Beard. II was John
Beard who lost his feet by freezing
in the terrible winter OF 1SS9-Is9O
and died about a year ago: Steve
Beard died about IL years ago Sen
ator Massey had a one-third interest
in the Beard tunnel, not from the
standpoint of the capitalist. but by
virtue OF his days work against the
days work OF his partners. For
three years he lived in his cabin
near the entrance of this tunnel,
about four miles from Tuscarora,
with one or both of his partners At
times when they were short of grub,
powder and steel. the senator worked
at days wages as a miner in the
Commonwealth mine and for several
months worked upon the Klaine
ranch in the Owyhee valley, near
Tuscarora, milking his share of 40
dairy COWS and doing other work in
cident to dairy ranch.
The Beard tunnel looked good and
at one time they were offered s45,-
900 for the property, but held for a
higher market.
Showed in Alone
In the great storm that closed the
hard winter of 1SS9-lS9o. Senator
Massey was showed in at his cabin
at the Beard tunnel. his partners
having both gone out after grub and
supplies. Fortunately he had flour
and bacon enough TO carry him
through. but for nearly two months
, he saw no human being. He put in
his regular shifts in the tunnel alone.
and during the long nights he read
his Bible completely through. There
are few men in these parts who are
his equal in familiarity with the
scriptures although he does not pa
rade his knowledge of them. II is
one of the treats reserved for his in
Innate friends to hear him quote
from the Bible or to read in his SO.
norous voice some of the poetic pas
sages from job or Isaiah or from the
Book of Psalms.
The force of character and abil-
ity of the senator, while working
with his partners in the Beard tunnel
and in the Tuscarora district were
not long concealed from his com
panions. II is said that you never
know man until you camp with
him or work with him under primal
conditions. He soon became the ad.
wiser and counsellor of his friends
and at times represented them in
the justice court at Tuscarora.
Elected to the Legislature
In 1892 he was elected member
OF the Legislature which convented
in January. 1893, and In March. 1898
he was licensed by the supreme court
of Nevada to practice law in this
state. and in 1894 he was elected
district attorney of Elko county and
has practiced law actively ever since
becoming by common consent one
of the leading. II not the leading tria
lawyers in this state.
Among his old mining friends II
the Tuscarora district were William
Stark, Andy Smith and Dan Coll, nov
of Reno. Rube Battles of Winnemuc
ca, w H. o'Neil of Austin, and tn,
late w. l. Plumb of Tuscarora.
Senator Massey is full fledget
man; he is preeminently a fighte
and his zeal for his clients is vel
known. At the same time he is on,
of the most sympathetic and kindl.
of men. He has kept himself poo
in grub stalking old miners.
No appeal for help from the dis
tressed particularly among his oil
friends and the struggling member
of the bar ever passes unheeded, ant
no poor ltigant with a worthy caus,
and no money appeals to him il
, vain. There has never been a yea
when he has not paid hundreds o
I dollars for grub stalking and for as
{ sessment work in developing thu
I mineral resources of this state.
I Determined in Character
An interesting incident that show
I the bulldog tenacity of the mai
came out in a conversation few
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