Show TRIBUTE TO CHAS M SPENCE in recounting the death on the of last month of charles M spence the veteran mining operator of sprucemont Spruce mont mining district nevada and who for many years previous to 1887 was associated with marcus daly and other noted montana operators the nevada state herald says charles M spence was one of the most widely known mining operators of the intermountain ter mountain country and was conceded to be an authority upon many subjects especially those of smelting smelling sm elting geological formation assaying an and d mineralogy in 1887 he first came to sprucemont Spruce mont being associated associate with H T gowan in the operation of the black F orest forest mine three years later he purchased the interest of mr gowan and since that time has ope arted the property himself during the past few years lie he has not been in the best of health and has spent his winters at los angeles where two young daughters reside in the early days of mining operations in montana the deceased was associated with marcus daly and augustus heinze at butte and managed some of the best r properties rop owned by these magnates tiring birin g of life in butte he went to mexico and later came to spruce under his guidance an immense amount of work was done at spruce and portions of the mountain are literally 1 Ite rally honeycombed with tunnels drifts and shafts made during development and exploration work year after year he stayed there never abandoning the idea that the district is on the mining map today one of the greatest producers in the state and it is due almost wholly to his efforts that the district is on the mining map today he operated the first successful smelter in the district even when noted smelt ermen stated it could not be done and turned thousands of tons of the lead silver ores into bullion in the early days of ely when that section was looked upon as a gold pro camp mr spencer made the prediction that the great future for the place would be in copper mining for this he was ridiculed but he lived to see the time when his predictions should be verified icharles charles M spence was born at carson city and was aged about sixty years his father still lives at carson having attained the remarkable age of 99 years among the other relatives left to mourn him are two daughters miss marie spence aged 16 and miss helen spence aged 13 residents of los angeles and mrs bertha collins of san francisco there are also a 4 number of nieces and nephews to all of those left the sympathy of the people of this community is extended charles M spence was wag a man possessing a very great sense of honor he was a man very steadfast in his opinions and views and once having formed an idea he rarely ra rely relinquished it it is doubtful if a more honest man ever lived and for him to give his word was for him to fulfill the promise no matter what might happen and at no time during his more than thirty years residence here has anyone ever questioned his integrity and his honor in every sense of the word he was an honorable upright man and there can be truthfully placed upon his grave this sign here lies an honest man |