The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1920-04-30
HISTORY OF LEADING
MINE IN THE COMET DISTRICT

BRIEF HISTORY OF LEADING
MINE IN THE COMET DISTRICT
The story of the mine is the story
of miner and illustrates what may be
accomplished by an Industrious man In
this mining district. The propert,
was located in September. 1918. by f.
D. Smiley and the necessary work per-
formed by him to perfect the pos
sessory title. Good ore was exposed
in one of the shallow openings made
by tho previous owners and Mr.. Smiley
took opt carload, which he shipped
to the smelter In spite of the prevail
ing prices of metals. silver being sc
cents an ounce and lead quoted al
si.50 per hundred, satisfactory returns
We're received, but Mr.. Smiley realized
the need of additional capital to prop
erly open the property and early in
the following year he visited the east
and enlisted the support of capitalists.
Putting aside the pick and shovel
and going to the directors tables In
eastern offices Is quite journey for the
ordinary man, but only a step in the
impossible life OF the true pioneer.
In April of 1914 Mr.. Smiley acrive6
in Phoebe with the first motor trick to
be brought into the country md in
December of that year the mill, While
not completed, was an actuaiity In
May, 1915, he secured the four -drill
compressor, equipped the mine and
practically completed the mill. In the
following year he was ready for orer-
alton. Then came the dry years. not
only drying the springs upon which
the mill depended for it's life, but also
- frnv he
east These were the hard, lean year 3
during which the small-town locust
fiourishes with it's cheap chirrup -
criticism. These were the years dur =.
ing which Mr.. Smiley, bravely assisted
by Mrs. Smiley, perfected a detail here
and a detail there until the mine was
changed from a rocky patch of dessert
into modern business enterprise.
Another trip was necessary and
again he visited the east. where he
convinced the stockholders that water
might be obtained I. by sinking the
shaft, since the big springs supplying
Phoebe with water were located upon
the same mountain and at a greater
elevation Successful again, he re-
turned and the shaft work was start
ed. Water has not as yet been devel'
oped nor was it expected at this depth
but the work is progressing and the
last results are shown in the splendit
body of ore going down in the bottom
of the shaft.
NINE COMPLETELY EQUIPPED
FOR ECONOMICAL PRODUCTION
The mine Is completely although
most economically equipped. AT tn
main working shaft there is sub
stantial headframe, one of the few II
the district which has been intelligent
iy designed for it's purpose. The shaf
Is we'll timbered in complete accord
ance with state requirements and wit
due regard for the safety and con
venience of the miners. A bell core
manufactured for the purpose. con
trasts with the wires and castoff cable
used in some other mines. Compresse
air pipes, ventilating conduits, waite
pipes and electric cables for min
lights are taken down the shat
through the manway.
The engine room houses four-dri
Ingersoll-Rand compressor. driven
an eighty horsepower Fairbanks
Morse gasoline engine. furnishing a
abundance Of cheap power by the us
of cheap fuel OIL A small gasolir
hoist is used for the lighter work {
the mine and for the regular opers
ton a sturdy compressed air hoist