White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-03-06
(By II. r. MILLER. }
PART FOUR

While Captain Frank Drake can
scarcely be called the father or
Fbernards that camp being a thriv-
ing community in the early '70s when
no went to work there as a machinist
for the North Aurora Mining Com
nauy At Treasure City, he should at
least GO down in history as its fairy
godfather, for due solely TO his initia-
live and ability the camp was saved
from being entirely deserted when
the North Aurora Company decided
TO suspend operations.
To begin at the beginning, as all
proper stories should. one must first
introduce the character of an Indian,
Napias Jim, as he was later known.
whose lucky find of a valuable ore
ontcrop first set the feet of Captain
Drake toward fortune and inciden-
tally insured freedom from want for
the redskin for the balance of his life.
II was just after the completion of
a wonderful and costly tramway
built by the North Aurora to connect
its mine on Treasure hill with the
big mill at Eberhardt that the ore
vein pipched out and the mill burned
almost at the same time, making a
total loss OF 100000. The North
Aurora Company. owned by British
eapitalists. was discouraged and or
dered all work stopped.
Just before the order was received
from London BY Mr.. Filrotts. man
ager for the English interests. Napias
Jim lnapias being the Indian word
Tor money! brought sample OF ore
10. Frank Drake with the remark.
Nebbe So napias Drake al once
realized the value of the ore and took
his partner who Nas a teafnster en-
gagged in bauling freight 10 the
mines.
Taken by the Indian 10 the place
where he had found the ore, the men
filed on the claim. which Was south OF
the properly of the North Aurora ana
was first called the South Aurora but
later incorporated with the former
company IA the Eberherdt and Au-
rora Mining Company, Limited
Applegarth left at once for London
with a view 10 consolidating the new
mines with the North Aurora prop
erty and had little difficulty in ef-
fecting the combination. but the En-
glish owners. having pncketed one
big loss. wers a'lamant when II came
tu advancing a nickel for develop
Inent of the new property. Apple
Ia sell stock in the new corporation.
provided the original owners were
not levied on or held liable In any
way.
While Appiegarth was in London
shaping plans To sell stock Drake was
no less busy at Eberhardt. On the
strength of his known honesty he
was able 20 keep up a little develop
ment work. and IL was at this time
he uncovered the largest and richest
body of free milling ore ever diseoy-
cred in the district. Needless to say.
with this showing he was soon able
Ia seedrc ample capital 10 finance
a new thirty stamp mill on the site
of the burned STRUCTURE at Eberhardt.
The result WAS unparalleled prosper.
iiy for the entire White Pine district.
which was rapidly being depopulated
The strike gave new lease of life
TO Hamilton. the large monthly pay
rolls helping 10 keep that town on the
map.
In less than five years from the
time that Drake assumed charge OF
affairs he had repaid to the English
stockholders of the original North
Aurora company the $30o,oO they
Lad lost through the destruction OF
the mill and had paid To himself and
Applegarth $500 in dividends. In
addition To this he had in the com
pany's treasury 81 100000 when the
ore vein pinched ou. In the spring OF
1876
Being then OF the opinion that the
mines resources were exhausted.
Drake cabled TO London saying that
he did not feel justified in doing
further development work and ask
ing what disposal should be made OF
the money In the treasury as we'll as
tho company's other interests. In re-
ply came cable summoning Drake
to London. where company officials
proposed 10 hin that he expend the
money In exploration work on Treas
ure Hill. Drake replied that he did
not feel like assuming this responsi-
bility unless the company sent one
of It's own engineers to make re-
port on the property and to advise
the work
The London stockholders OF the
North Aurora at this time were the
largest mine operators on the Euro
pcan and Asiatic continents. The
board had no difficulty in selecting
an engineer, man of many years
experience who later submitted n re-
port favoring the development work
outlined by the board OF directors
These details come vivfdly 10
mind from the fact that at this time
the writer was supplying wood and
coal TO the Eberhardt and Aurora
company and. like everyone else. was
on the qui vive to learn the latest
news from London and to know II
he would have to hunt new fields
This period of uncertainty preceded
the bright days that were to follow.
The first news that development
would probably be pushed came when
Captain Drake reached New York
late In June, 1875 and on July
following. when the anniversary of
the country's natal day and the re-
birth Of Eberhardt were fittingly
celebrated. honors were equally
divided hv George Washington and
Captain Frank Drake--and many
would have mentioned Drake first