White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-24
EARLY DAYS AND
the STAR ROUTE
osceola, New, April IA, 1921.

To the Editor OF the news.
I have read with interest a few of
Ben F. Miller's articles in the News
pertaining to White Pine county n
the state Of Nevada at large. With
out DEPRESSING from Friend Ben ac-
count of the star route days of the
early '7Os, I will say few are now
living-unless In their late teens, az
he and / were then-who were ac-
quainted with the conditions in Nye
and White Pine counties.
The year ] came to Nevada-lS12
Hamilton was yet lively and Phoebe
was booming. j. T. Gilmer and Jot
Travis were carrying the mail from
the former to the latter camp at q
contract price of S52 ,000-one thou
sand dollars a week-instead of $48,-
600, as Mr.. Miller says. Their line
was equipped with Concord coaches.
six horses to the rig, and carried from
twelve to sixteen passengers each
way, to say nothing OF the bullion
carried in the boot on the trips back
from Phoebe.
Travis had charge of the lines in
Nevada and Arizona. Gilmer resid-
ed in Salt Lake City and looked after
their lines from Montana, Idaho and
Otdn oauloDulJ q PCt
established at Washington, ID. c., and
looked after the lobbying. Senator
Dorsey of Texas of course had the
subsidy,
Being in reconstruction times fol
lowing the civil war, with the pony
express vanishing on account of the
advent OF the transcontinental rail-
road; with careptbaggers from the
month fnEin0 IN fhnjr Fnci6nnRn in
the south and in several instances
elected to congress-, little was known
as to the actual conditions in the
west. The little that was known was
pictured by the Indian agents and
mail contractors who were grabbing
for all they could while the grabbing
was yet good.
J. T. Gilmer complained to the
writer that the Indians were not SO
much of a menace as were the road
agents, who frequently helped them.
selves to the Wells-Fargo strong box
on the south-bound trips from Mon
tana. Jack said these stage robbers
got peeved and wrote him to send
them up "A set of gold scales, as they
were put to a great deal of trouble in
measuring out gold dust by the
melHOu.
The Crescent and Golden Eagle
mines at Osceola were patented by
J T. Gilmer, Jot Travis and Dan
Ex-senator George e. Spefl-
,er had a bond on these mines dur
ing 1S79-S1. The writer was en-
ployed by Spencer during the sum
mer and autumn of 1879, but the
Crescent has never been worked since
until last winter, and now the elder
Marriott brothers are taking out fine
IRE.
Jack Gilmer in the early sos
his one-third interest to
he Wells-Fargo company for funds
o run a tunnel on the Eagle mine.
This tunnel extends about 1900 feet
nto the mountain.
Senator Spencer was absent from
)sceola after 1879, except for occa-
trips back. His wife and son
81 3 or 4 years of age, with q aegress
servant, remained mere for about twc
Years. Mrs. Spencer wrote Ann
Eliza and another book the title OF
which have now forgotten. The
characters in this book were taken
from people living in Osceola. which
mountain town the author designated
Is lcWhy |
Mrs. Spencer after leaving Osceola
lad assessments kept up on several
claims her husband had acquired
rom Captain d. B. Akez. After the
senator's death in the late sos. fol-
owed a year or two later by the death
OF her son George, Mrs. Spencer
wrote me that she was heartbroken
and would relinquish her holdings in
Osceola. Myself and others had
after her interests In the
camp.
j. T. Gilmer died in Salt Lake City
May IL, 1892. Judge c. c. Goodwin.
Uncle Charley" paid a tribute to
In a word picture in the Trib-
une the following day, a memorial
the judge knew so well how to
l was we'll acquainted with most
of the people Mr.. Miller has sketched
In his articles. Much remains to be
said in a biographical sense OF the
pioneer men and ONE OF the EARL.
years OF Nevada's history.
T. B. TILFORD.