The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-03-25
GODFATHER oF roNopAH
John r. Anderson of Brattleboro To
Be So Honored.

Honor, although belated. is propos-
ed for a wealthy, but unassuming
son of Brattleboro, John F. Anderson
of Philadelphia, whom the Tonopah
Daily Bonanza of Tonopah, Nevada,
says is responsible for the world
wide recognition which that locality
has received through the develop
ment of its rich silver deposits. In
its issue of March s the Bonanza de-
voted page to the story OF Tono-
pah, publishing a two column half
tone picture of Mr. Anderson, an in
teresting sketch of his career, which
occupied over two columns, and a
long story about proposition to
recognize him by naming after him
the new Tonopah high school.
The chronology of Tonopah is CIV
en- as follows: May, 1900, ore found
by Jim Butler; August, 1900, loca-
tons recorded; December, 1900,
crowds begin to arrive; January,
1901, population so; June, 1901, ar
rival of John F. Anderson; July, 1901
frstpayment of $4,000 on the pres
ent Tonopah Mining company; Au-
gust, 1901, Anderson returns to Phil
adelphia. Production of southern
Nevada to date as the result of An
dersons report on Tonopah, $780,
10000. Dividends derived from the
investment of $396,000 in 10 years,
$10,500,000. The proposition to hon
or Mr.. Anderson is then stated, in
part, as follows:
Tonopah has shamefully neglected
the name of the man to whom it is
indebted for worldwide recognition.
So completely has the deed and recol
lection of this man been snuffed out
that teachers and school children en-
gagged in the study of local history
are woefully ignorant of the fact of
his connection with the camp.
Twelve years ago the name OF
John f. Anderson was on the tongue
of every man in Tonopah. The flu
ture of the camp rested on his YER
dict, and a nod or shake of his head
would have carried with it the max
ing or the breaking of the silver
camp which was beginning to spread
radiance over southern Nevada.
John F. Anderson was the financial
father of Tonopah, the godfather and
the ancestor of the wonderful miner
al development of the section that
gave S100,O00,000 to the worlds
treasure vaults in the course OF 10
spectacular years. Skeptics may
sheer at the statement. but the ex-
plotting of the name of John +. An
derson as the man who made Tono-
pah is outside the realms of contro-
vercy. Jim Butler is authority fee
the credit which should have gone
to MIR. Anderson, but which has au-
reoled Others less deserving of credit
than the jackass which kicked up the
first values on the slopes of Mount
Oddie.
Anderson is the man who bought
the mine from me, who consummat-
ed the purchase and whose o. X, af-
ter having made a personal examina-
ton of the ground, resulted in Tono-
pah going to Philadelphia
This was the carefully studied re-
mark of Jim Butler, the granddaddy
OF Tonopah, the other evening to a
select coterie of old-time chums in
the lobby of the Mizpah hotel.
The Bonanza then speaks of the re
liability OF Jim Butler, and of the
fact that II years ago Mr.. Anderson
and his only son and Rev. Father
Butler built stone monument eight
feet high on what was afterwards
christened as Mount Anderson, and
continues:
Today not building, street, alley
or typographical bench mark bears
the name of the man who blazed the
way for millions of dollars to come to
Tonopah. The rising generation
should not be kept in igorance of the
potential force of John f. Andersons
character, and the Bonanza herewith
suggests that the John +. Anderson
High School" would be an acceptable
appellation for what is destined to
be the most perfectly appointed and
handsomest seat of learning in Ne
vada. Such action. while it might
be a tardy recognition of the man
whom Jim Butler says was the real
father of Tonopah, would prove an
acceptable tribute from the people.
A medallion over the entrance or a
statue OF Anderson inside the vesti-
bule would have an educational
value for every boy and girl sharing
the advantages of a public school edu
cation in this camp. Then it would
not be amiss if the Pioneers society
of Tonopah held another reunion of
the old boys and desert rats who
trailed through the sickening dust
from Sodaville. Let them have for
guest Mr.. John F. Anderson, who
although on the shady side of life
is hale and hearty and capable of
telling the story of the accouchment
OF the silver camp. He will come
Moreover he will esteem the invita-
ton an honor, Notwithstanding the
fact that such curtesy is long over
due. One of his closest business
associates with whom the writes has
conversed on the subject vouches for
the prompt acceptance of the invita-
ton and cheerfully pledges $25 tow
am.N NJ. A 4.