The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1917-06-16
DOC O'TOOLE'S
MINE A FAILURE
FINDS ORE IN SOUTH
DECEPTIVE
b. James + .O'Brien)

Comstock who is spending a few
from a trip to Death Valley, where
he went to examine a copper pros
pect in which he became interested
some years ago. Although he has
spent practically all his life in Ne
vada, and is known to all the old
times of Virginia City, Tonopah
and Goldfield. Mr.. OToole has liv-
ed in Butte, Montana, for the past
two years and was accompanied on
the Death Valley trip by j. l.. Luz
cier of that city.
O'Toole and Lucier went to the
southern country in the firm be-
lief hat they were going to open
up one of the bonanza copper mines
of the world, but they came back
disappointed, though not discour-
aged. When Doc first found this
prospect. copper was at a low price
and even ore than ran high in the
red metal was not attractive in
those days when located in such
an isolated and inhospitable region.
With 30-cent copper, however. the
proposition was very alluring If
the ore was as high grade as it
looked.
After doing a little work on the
claim. O'Toole and Lucier found
ore that looked even richer than
any found by Doc" when he orig
inally became interested in the
prospect. They and other good
per cent copper, but the assays
showed that it carries but six
tenths of one per cent-which was
not enough to sustain hope with
the thermometer above 100 in the
shade, and no shade-hence the
disappointment and their return.
While the weather in Death Val
ley is very hot at this time, the
winter and spring were unusually
cold and stormy. On May Is there
was a storm which covered Tin
Mountain and Grapevine Peak with
snow, an occurrence which old
timers never heard of before.
At Steniker's-better known as
Grapevine ranch-O'Toole and Lu-
cier were told of the finding of
the graves of three men who died
at Stove Pipe spring last fall. Two
of the men were named Ryan, but
the name of the third was not
learned. 1t is presumed that the
men were unacquainted with the
character of Stove Pipe spring and
died from the effects of drinking
the water at the top, which is very
salty and poisonous. The water at
the bottom, however. is said to be
pure and sweet and it is possible
that the contamination m from
poisons found in the surface stra-
tum and not below.
The experienced prospector who
knowns the Death Valley section,
Doc says, either balls the water
from the top before drinking. or
else puts a rock in his bucket and
sinks it to the bottom of the spring,
whence he brings it up with water
that is good and palatable.
1t was in the vicinity of Stove
Pipe spring where one of the we'll
known Busch boys. of Rhyolite,
lost his life a few years ago. He
was supposed to be well acquainted
with Death Valley and to know how
to guard against it's treacheries,
but he persisted miserably while
making a trip he had no fear of.
While at the Steniker ranch the
men met Billy Ball, who is hauling
freight from Bonnie Clare to the
Lost Burro mine in the Ubehebe
mountains. The Lost BurrO is own
ed by the Montana-TonOpah Mining
company, of which Chas. F.. Knox,
formerly of Butte. is president, and
from what Doc" was told it is
likely to be a good producer. The
gold occurs in a red jasper and is
visible to the naked eye 1t is said
to be absolutely free milling and
hence a high saving should be
made in the mill which has been
erected and is about ready to start.
In hauling the freight to the Lost
Burro, Mr.. Ball has to cross Death
Valley and then climb for a dis
lance of 35 miles to the mine.
which is located at IN altitude of
nearly 5000 feet. Not only does
that mean steady climbing. but the
road is very sandy most of the dis
lance. Notwithstanding the unto
ward conditions, Ball hauls two
tons tt the load, using an ordinary
Ford car made over into a truck.
lie has been on the job for some
time and has had no breakdowns
or delays of any moment.
To avoid the overheating of the
engine and the water in the radia-
tor on the long uphill climb. Ball
has rugged up a homemade ar
rangement whereby water from a
tank at the drivers side is kept
-..r~- @b~or0h tho radiation