White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-10
NEVADA STATE IN THE MAKING; I.
. CHERRY CREEKS UPS AND DOWNS

ways held back one months pay,
claiming that this enabled 1t to hold
It's bullion longer and to thus obtain
a better price for the metal. With
rich orebodies uncovered and. with
regular bullion shipments being
made all creditors had felt perfectly
safe, but the sudden suspension,
coupled with rumors OF serious fric-
tion between the San Francisco stock
holders, caused immediate attach
ments to be issued against the prop
erty for $4,000 owed to Cherry
Creek business men, about one-fourth
OF this amount being due the writer.
in addition to some $4,000 due the
miners and mill laborers.
Suits in court following these at
tachments disclosed the fact that the
old $4,000 Wells-Fargo mortgage had
a cumulative clause. fayorite trick
OF General Williams, so that the
$4,000 Indebtedness had grown to
$4,000. Cherry Creek merchants
also learned TO their sorrow that this
mortgage took precedence not only
over the $45. 900 debt due the bust.
ness men. but even the $4,000 lien
for wages due miners and mill la
borers, who were also unable TO re-
NONtTs Ills was HdId
blow to what was known at that time
as the best and liyliest town in the
state.
For the following six years the
Star property lay idle. until after the
death of General Williams. In 1889
a lease on the property was secured
| by Charles Kenny. who was manager
or the mine and mill during the
camps infancy and up to the time
OF the first shutdown. Mr.. Kenny,
who was backed by Z. NJ Ellsworth
conducted operations about the 300
foot level. the four lower levels being
under water. and shipped out thous-
ands of dollars worth of bullion be-
fore the next collapse of the prop
erty. This shutdown, caused by the
mismanagement OF Kenny. coupled
with his over-fondness for liquor,
/ left the business men and miners to
shoulder their third loss through the
suspension of the mines operations.
Mr.. Kenny was at one time consid-
cred one Of Nevada's foremost min
| ing experts. but II Is an open secret
that in his declining years he was
unable TO Withstand the temptation
OF liquor. A. c. Cleveland In a talk
with the writer once aptly and wit
tiiy described Mr.. Kenny's habits.
When everything was running
smoothly at the mine and mill. Ken.
ny was sure to get full, said Mr.
Cleveland. When they struck an
extra pocket of ore In the mine he
got drunk, and when the ore pinched
cut he got damned drunk"
Some years after the suspension of
operations by Mr.. Kenny the Star
| n.
t, tate TO the Glasgow and Western Ex.
lploration Company. and Thomas Da.
Wis was named mine superintendent
A new mill was erected OF in the
valley six miles from the mine. but
for some reason this mill never
proved TO be a success rhe explo.
ration company. under the general
management OF Joe Farron and Otto
Stahlman. spent hundreds OF thous.
ands of dollars advanced by Coates
Brothers. the well-known thread
makers. throughout Nevada and
Utah, all bills being paid promptly
For sixteen years the company kept
pumps running at a heavy annual
expense TO unwater the lower work.
ings of the Star mine, meanwhile
leaving bodies of high-grade ore un.
touched.
The Star ores carried high values
in gold and silver. with occasional
streaks of galena The value of the
property and it's bullion producing
capacity has never been questioned,
and while IL was undoubtedly one of
the greatest mines in White Pine
county IL was given an unsavory
name due to the fact that IL was al.
WAYS manipulated for the beneht of
n few rather than developed for the
good OF all the stockholders.