White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-10
(By Il. r. N1LIlER.)
PART NINE

The history of Cherry Creek il in
separably bound up with that Of the
star mine and the turbulent and
olieckered career OF that property Is
reflected in the prosperous or dark
days OF the town. Cherry Greek,
populous and almost deserted by
turns, has had more ups and downs
than any of her sister camps and.
outside of the White Pine district.
including Hamilton and Eberhardt,
has mined more wealth than any
camp in the county.
The towns first impetus came rom
the discovery on the Star property OF
a true fisslre vein running high In
both gold and silver. This rich find
attracted capital along in the winter
of 1S71-72 and the discovery OF the
Flagstaff. Mar, Ann and Pacific
mines shortly afterward created the
first stampede for the new Eldorado
The Star mine, which was for sew
eral years the chief producer In the
district, built. | believe, the first mill
at Cherry Greek. Deeper develop
ment of the property uncovered high.
er grade ores and the work was car
ried along until the late '70s, when
the stockholders became involved in
a fight for control and the mine and
mill were temporarily shut down,
leaving an unpaid mine payroll OF
$4,000, in addition 10 $4,000 owing
to business men of the town.
The Star stockholders. mostly San
Francisco residents, were divided into
two factions, one known as the Held
.enfeldt and Bender crowd and the
other led by General Thomas vii.
liams. president of the company.
These quarreling factions. as we'll as
the business men of Cherry Greek
who were creditors of the company
realized that the miners had to be
paid. Arrangements. therefore. were
finally made whereby the property
was TO be mortgaged TO the Wells.
Fargo Company hank at San Fran.
cisco for $4,000, the mQregage bear
ing the personal indorsement of Gen.
erai Williams
Tho Cherry Creek business men.
who had unbounded faith in the fu-
ture of the property. agreed that II
the mine we're kept In operation they
would wait for their money until
such time as IL was realized from op-
Grating income As further pro.
lection the creditors of the company
secured an agreement that IL the
W pot nhHtAtthN ltfChuf
10 liquidate the unpaid claims an as.
sessment of 10 per cent OF the par
value OF the stock should be made at
least once every sixty days. Under
this agreement. as long as these as
sessments were levied and the prop.
erty kept in operation, creditors
could not attach the mine on account
of the old Indebtedness. For years
these 0 per cent assessments on the
dollar par value of the stock came
regularly. In spite of the fact that
heavy bullion shipments were being
made.
The Williams crowd. which was in
complete control of the property and
incidentally of the bullion shipments,
maintained expensive offices which
were occupied by -salaried Of
fieers. all friends of Williams. II l.
an undisputed fact that the Star Min.
ing Company shipped bullion valued
at $500. .0O0 in 1881 and 1852. yet
In spite of this the 10 per cent as.
sessments were levied every sixty
days. thus avoiding payment of the
old Indebtedness TO the merchants
This naturally made the business
men impatient and reused the fears
OF the minority stockholders, the
HeidenfeIdt and Bender crowd. who
refused To pay the assessment levied
February 10, 1888 This action
caused the suspension of all opera.
tions and all checks OF the company
were protested February 30. causing
sthe greatest surprise and excitement
in tho camp No one could imagine
tho reason for the shutdown. since
the mine never looked better nor
were its bullion shipments ever
greater or more regular.
The Star company during all the
years OF it's operations maintained a
monthly payday for its men but nj.