The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-01-05
PROSPECTING WAS
INTERESTING GAME

My partner and | arrived in Tono-
pah in the spring of 1901, too late to
get in on the leases, so there was
nothing left for us but to go to work
for wages or go prospecting. We had
some money left from sale we had
made, of a prospect just prior TO
starting for Tonopah, so we chose the
latter. We left camp in June, 1901,
for Cactus Peak, where there were
tales of rich float We found but very
little sign of ore, but found some tur-
quoise of fairly good grade. We
made some locations on it, which we
later sold to a Los Angeles party.
Just about that time we heard of a
strike fourteen miles north of Tono-
pah, now called Ray, and packed our
junk and were off for the new strike.
When we arrived on the scene they
had begun leasing the ground in
blocks of 100X100 and we secured
blocks 12 and IA. and after working
our lease for about a week, sold out
for $1,000, $500 down. the remainder
in thirty days, but we never saw the
remainder We left Ray about March
l. 1902, going into the low range west
of Smoky Valley. and on March II
we located what is now known as the
0riZiba mine, and about month later
located what is known as the Copper
Contact mine. which lies about ten
miles west and in the Cedar Summit
range. AS | understand, both proper
ties are working now.
In the same year we located a tur-
quoise property twenty-five miles
northwest of Tonopah, which we af-
terwards sold. This property has the
record of furnishing the largest per
feet stone ever found. weighing over
800 karats after cutting. and was sold
to E. X Woods of New York for $6.
900. | understand that Tiffany owns
this mine now.
1t took us the most of 1908 and
1904 to handle the properties we had
on hand. but by 1905 we were in the
hills again. This time our first strike
was what is known as Goldyke, we
sold out to Reno parties. who after
wards put up a mill on this property.
In 1906 we found and located the Gin
nabar mine at lone and we sold this
prospect to some Salt Lake parties.
and | understand the mine is still
producing. In 1907 we located what
is now known as National. the history
of which is too well known to nee1
any comment, other than the main
mine is closed down at present
through lack of management. We did
no prospecting except on our claims
which we had from 1907 until 1914.
when we located Divide. and in 1915
and 1916 we were looking over the
shale beds of Elko county with
view as to the possibilities of drill
ing for oil and as a result of our
work we have located some ground
WHICH looks very favorable. The
shale being the same as those around
Elko only that these shales have been
distilled to a certain degree and have
been tilted to an angle of almost 35
degrees. There are also several
streaks of oil sand showing the
such as in Wyoming and the Los An
geles oil fields We have also located
this year a large body of manganese
of a commercial grade about nineteen
miles south of Golconda. which we ex-
pect to have in operation the coming
spring.
Different Characters As Prospectors
| have met men of almost every trade
out prospecting, ranging from Kan
sas farmer TO a man-of-war sailor.
They may be divided into three
classes viz: No. l is the man that
lowing up where another man of
class | has made strike, but goes
on looking for a strike of his own.
No. 2. the man that is always ready
to go at the first news of a strike
and take his chances of something
being overlooked by No. l. No. Is
what is known as the boomer. He is
usually a big-hearted fellow willing to
do his utmost for the success of the
camp. No. is a fellow that hangs
around some town, posing as a pro-
moter or mine manager usually
his mine is closed) arms himself with
a copy of 'Copps mining laws, rule
pencil and a pair of field glasses, and
advertises himself around town as a
gas eater and an all-around bad man.
After Nos. l and have made their
locations and everything is looking as
though there were going to be some
mines developed No. appears in the
field with his Copps, pocket rule and
pencil. He measures the work, takes
the diameter and heighths of the
monuments to see if they come up TO
the standard. If they do, he will use
his field glasses looking in at the
wrong end then he will say to him
self: "They measure all right bu
don't look large enough" and for fea
OF the rule being short he takes n
chances. but jumps the claim If tn