Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1916-04-08
Tenderfoot's Impressions Of Tonopah
3Y GEO. L. CARLISLE


THE author of the following Mr.. Car
Isle, New York lawyer, was asked
by us to give his Impressions OF 10
uopah. He has kindly obliged. our
readers. we think, viii be interested.
Beine an extensive traveller ana the
author of "Around the World in a
Year" gives his Impressions weight.
Ed
To see ourselves as others see us Is
often of interest, but those others-iin
less masters of their subject are
sometimes made to regret their temer
uy. Having lived and moved among
YOU for the past -four months, ! am
inclined to brave the chances and res
pond to the request for my impress
sions-crude as they must be. At the
outset let il be known that only once
before was | west of Chicago, and then
only to pass through. This you Will
allow sufficiently qualities me as a
tenderfoot, Having, though, Travelled
the four continents and seven seas
spent years of my life in foreign ira
possibly my glance has become
quickened and deepened.
AS | view this great Tonopah min
inc camp, in the middle of the Nevada
desert, on an elevation over six thou
sand feet. guarded On three sides by
mountains lin the hollow Of which il
nestles-it has an unique and superb
situation Its inaccesslbllily- TO
say solation-was the first thing
about il that called my attention. Com
ing in here from the south and east
we found ourselves drlfted clear TO
Barstow hundreds of miles out OF the
way--before the Way opened 10 get
here al all. Tonopah is Topographic
cally and otherwise inaccessible, cur.
tained as il is from California and the
Pacific BY the Sierras and by impas-
sable Death Valley. and because the
only railroad which approaches ii
moves but one train a day each way
Surely the madding crowd OF the great
outside world liz as far away as the
most hermii-like could wish. With
Goldfield, its nearest neighbor, twenty.
six miles TO the south and Manhattan
reached only by stage, the nearest to
the north. forty-fiye long miles away
And east and west of here for hund-
reds of miles unbroken country ex-
cept for few ranches and an occasion
al little mining camp. These things
are so well known to you that they
have probably lost their significance
But do YOU wonder that my first i'm
preston of Tonopah was related to
its inaccessibility2
The next impression was the appear
ance OF the camp itself Considering
that some of the greatest silver mines
In the world are here. and scores OF
millions In dividends have been drain
ed through their shafts, was surprised
at its almost utter impermanence; as
IL waiting for a great volcanic shake
down surprised also at the scat
tering, and in a way, disorderly
location OF the cabins, shacks
and little houses. This latter IL
brought about probably by the fac
that the place has been built III
aroD as mine shafts and the CONSTANT,
Increasing waste dumps those, now
Rage piles. eyidencine the two hund
red miles OF tunnels which have beer
blasted out beneath.
One other thing which attracted M,
eastern vision was that eNerybod.
works here--there is no leisure elias
and very few, II any. old men. ina
the mines and mills work three shift
and close down only on two certali
days in the year. that FOR the thou
sands of miners, every day, including
Sunday, is working day, and tina
not only the mines and mills. but ais
the saloons and gambling places neve
close. Labor is honorable and shout
a q. .ea 1..l. I'M fly 4 =
cessant labor is practical slavery. Tn
manufacturing centers OF this eoui
try and Europe all shut down on SUI
day. Why not these mines, by fore
of law-if necessary. Is capital |
these days willing TO stand sue
odium? But this Is depressing.
Passing now to more detailed III
pressions of things which to me seen
ed more or less distinctive of Tonopal
My mind reverts to the court-hous
your only public building of any In
portance. venture TO say it Is bad
placed -on a hill and on the outskirt
resulting in II being but little use
except by those for the time coneer
ed in the proceedings there. II
were in the center of things whel
citizens could happen In without {
fort its educational value--a court
greatest possibility would be enha
ced. 1t would also give those prom
tiers and claim jumpers who wear o
the window seats at the hotel choi'
of loafing place.
| have had the honor OF becomli
pleasantly acquainted with your Judl
Averill and also with the practisil
Iawypra-and have been a freQue
visitor at the courthouse.