Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-02-06

few records of his activities In this
state. In letter which ne WroDe 70 Lne
st. Louis Republic from Butte IN 1870
and which was published IN that news
paper, Comstock said:
"The quartz in Montana IS very
rich. There is a greater variety o. MN
erals here than in any country l nave
explored. There are tin mines here.
discovered them myself. Ana there are
alabaster mines here"
Passages In the letter would seem 70
indicate that ComStock's mental facul-
ties we're waVering at the time ana also
disclosed to some extent his eccentric
tiles. In the letter he made the claim
that he had discovered the Ophlr mine,
the first paying property developed on
the Comstock lode in Nevada, and that
he had been wronged in many OF his
mining deals.
wrote:
been IN the wilderness since a child;
was bound out to the American Fur
Co., was in the Black Hawk war,
trapped all over Canada, Michigan ana
Indiana, but the Rocky mountains nave
been my home. I was born in Canada
and am now nearly so years OF age"
Showed Way TO the Bonanza
Comstock was among the first Of the
men whose crude mining operations in
Nevada prepared the way for those who
later reaped fabulous fortunes from the
barren hills of that state, and brought
to light the hidden wealth of the bon
anzas of the region. He was the fore
runner of the Mackeys, the Sharons,
the Fairs, the Floods the OBriens and
the others who harvested from the seed
he had sOWn.
During the fifties of the last century,
Comstock was a wandering, visionary
prospector In Nevada's first mining
camps. He was known to the miners OF
the various camps in which he had
worked and lived, as "Old Pancake, be-
cause he was never known to bake
bread as the others did. but always ate
flajacks instead. He said that he was
too busy to fool away his time IN max
ing and baking bread.
In the spring Of 1859, Comstock was
among a number of miners who estab-
lished a camp at what was known as
Gold HILL New, where they staked
claims and started work prospecting.
The results for a time we're discourage
ing. Finally two of them, Pete ORney
and Pat Mclaughlin, just as they were
getting ready to quit their claim ana
leave the camp in search OF more prom
Using ground, struck lead which later
on came to be known as the Ophir
mine. a lead of decomposed quartz,
rich in gold.
strike, Comstock had left his camp not
far from them, and gone over the
mountain looking for his mustang,
which had strayed away. He found the
animal. and Just after ORiley and NC
I,aughlin had made their strike, ne
came riding up to them.
He examined the rock they had taken
from the prospect hole, and then Iolo
them they were working upon ground
which belonged to him.
Possibly BIuffed His Rights
1t has been claimed many times that
Comstock's assertion to ownership OF
the ground was a bluff 1t developed,
however. that he obtained certain water
rights in that vicinity. Titles were not
very clear in Nevada in those days and
everyone was anxious to avoid trouble
that might arise from disputes over
them.
ORiley and Mclaughlin evidently que
not realize as well as ComstocK olq
the value of their find, and this Is
amply demonstrated by the ridiculous
ly low prices for which they sold out.
The property was far more valuable
than even Comstock anticipated.
The three men agreed upon a com
promise by which O'Riley and NC
Laughlin added the names OF Com
stock and a friend and partner OF his,
Penrod, to the location notice. Then
Comstock demanded an additional 100
feet of ground for his water right. This
also, he was given. That 100 feet was
afterwards known as the Mexican mine,
and yielded millions.
Comstock took charge and as soon
as the four men had made and record
ed all the locations they wanted, they
gave the news of their strike to the
world.
Nevada Rush Never Equaled
The first Nevada rush started with
that and was followed by the bonanza
| days of Nevada mining. History records
nothing to equal it. Speculation in the
stock Of so-called bonanza" proper
! ties was wild beyond belief. BY 1874 the
aggregate value Of the mines IN the
Virginia City and Gold Hill districts
whose shares were quoted on the San
Francisco stock exchange, was $175,-
lat 200.
The list included the Consolidated
Virginia, whose stock was quoted at
$54 1000 900; the Belcher, $5,720, 1000; the
Ophir, 5000, 900; the Mexican, So 1885,
600; the California, $4,000, 900; the
Crown Point. $5,200O00, and many
others.
At that time the Ophir had already
yielded S20,OO0,000; the Savage SIS, $780,
600; the Gould g. Curry, $15,550000;
the Belcher, $25, 100000, and the returns
to the stockholders had been stagger-
ing.
But the discoveries of the property
had passed out Of the picture long be-
fore that time.
Partners Sold Out for Song
Mclaughlin had been the first of
them to sell. In September, 1859, before
the mine had been fairly started, he
disposed of his one-sixth interest for
SO 500. What sum Comstock received
for his share in the Ophir is not def
initely known, but it is supposed to
have been $4,000 or $4,000. He, too,
sold during the year 1859. ORiley hung
onto his interest longer than any of
the original locators and eventually
realized $4,000 for his share and an
additional sum from back dividends
Comstock, after selling out, embarked
in the mercantile business at Carson
City, with branch establishments in
ri,rr ~ i