Las Vegas age. [volume] (Las Vegas, Nev.) 1905-1947, 1927-06-18
THE STORY OF THE
JOHNNIE MINE
Once Owned by Mormon
Church, Scene of Gun
Play.
Nevada State Journal)

TONOPAH, June 12.-The pur-
chase OF the old Johnnie mine at
the north end of the Pahrump
Valley u few days ago by William
Fahnestock and associates of New
York, recalls to Arthur Woods,
Tonopah mining man and resident
tor many years OF the southern
part OF Nye county, the stirring
and interesting history of the
johnnie district.
AS | remember it now," said
Woods, 1T was in 1895 that
George Montgomery discovered
the johnnie mIne through a tip he
got from an Indian known as Ash
~adows Johnnie. A year late.
Montgomery installed a Hunting
ton mill The mine produced
high gold values from the grass
roots but the cost of operation
was high, as all supplies had to
be freighted in by teams a dist
ance OF 12O miles and over a
rough road.
In 1898 Montgomery sold the
property to the Mormon Church
interest, who operated it for a
number of years. In the mean
time the Mormon interests pur-
chased the Chespa mine, four
miles from the Johnnie. Hugh
H. Cannon of Salt Lake was in
charge of operations. He equip
ped the mine with the most eX-
pensive of machinery and install
ed a six mile pipe line to bring
water from Horse Shoot Springs.
Shortly after Cannon took
charge a dispute arose over the
title to the Chespa ground and q
rancher by name of Angus Nc
Arthur jumped the claims. Nc
Arthur hired a we'll known gun
man by the name of Phil Foote
TO take charge OF the property
and hold possession by foul means
or fair. Foote secured Jack Long
street and Billy Mayer, two other
well known desert characters, as
assistants, along with a few In
dian sharpshoOters. Soon the Utah
people shipped in supply of
guns and ammunition and employ
ed George Montgomery and Harry
Ramsey to Oust the invaders.
1T was just daybreak one morn.
ing when Ramsey and his men
surprised Foote and his followers.
Ramsey told his men: Pick your
man but leave Foote and Mayer
to me Foote was killed but
Mayer jumped over the dump and
escaped, but not without a bullet
wound in his leg.
Ramsey was arrested and TAX
en- to Belmont, then Nye county's
seat of government. He was new
er even locked up and when his
case came TO trial he was acquit-
ted"
For a number of years after
tlis battle royal the Johnnie was
operated by leasers. o. r. John
son OF LOS Angeles later bought
the property and has operated it
Tor the past ten years taking out
several fortunes.
The mine is credited with a pro
Iuctlon OF $4,000 900. 1t is equip
ped with a 20 stamp mill of 80
IONS capacity every "a hours.
Johnson gave little attention to
he mining of anything but the
lighgrade and according to an en-.
5Meer, who recently examined the
nine, there is enough ore above
ne 400-foOt level to keep the
mill running for six months or
more. The mine is opened to the
-050-level but no lateral work has
zen done below the 700-foot level. !
D. r. Mueller, who will direct
operations for the new manege-
nent, plans to take out the ANAL I
5amatiag plates and put in a con
process known as mat /
,old, composed of a rubber sponge ,
lsvice that gets rid of the lead (
which has heretofore prevented /
he Plant from making a high I
aving OF values, caused by the /
intrusion of one per cent lead /
which carried off gold in TIE
iffles. Eight men win be employ
Z at the mine and mill. !