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Show I New Life Imparted to TflT T A T A TH A I A 7" A TIVTIVIY Magic IfcriK Heacflt Ar 5cc6fw h y a I a ix A W Anr IIT Every portion o Sagebrush State. 1 1 J-J ilin IkJ 1 1 H i i.1 kiLJl 111 U o Commonwealk H f GENERAL VIEW OF ELY, NEVADA, LOOKING SOUTH. I By W. E. DUVALL. Gpecial to The Tribuna ELY, Nov., Sept. 29. Nevada is awakening. Of that there is no doubt. The now life is not confined to one or at most a few isolated sections of the Slate, as was the case in her palmy days of old, when the great Comslocl-' lode poured forth its wealth to build the splendid citv bv the Golden Gate. Oi tho contrary, "tho magic thrill now reaches ever- portion oflho State from the northern to tho southern and from the easiorn to the western boundary. From tho barren hills about Goldficld and Tonopah. from tho newly-watered and now fertile plains of Lyon and Churchill counties, from tho valley of tho Humboldt with its wealth of mineral min-eral lands on either side, from tho sunbaked sun-baked Amargosa desert and tho sandy wastes of Lincoln county, from the rock-ribbed hills of old Pioche and Ely, and even from tho scat of departed glorv, tho region of the old Comstock itsel'f, como evidences of increased activity, ac-tivity, of renewed prosperity of great mineral discoveries or growing agricultural agricul-tural developments, and of increasing population. That the Stale has more than doubled in wealth and -population in 1 ho last three years is undoubted. In tho twelve years previous it had actually declined in both. Three years ago the ground on which now stands tho city doing tho largest postofiicc business in tho Stale was a barren waste and the country about it for a hundred miles in overy direction was practically without population. popu-lation. The pall of silence and decay that overspread tho State for twenty vcars has been dispelled, and Nevada, battle-born and glorious in her early day, but long neglected and despised, is coming into ner own. If you have believed that, the greatest great-est recent mineral discoveries were in the new gold camps of the southwest and that there would gather tho largest community of new population, you need , to rcviso that opinion. Tho greatest mineral discoveries aro in "White Pine county, and in a few years from now j tho largeat city in Nevada will be Tight here at old Ely. True, it will liavo to flow out of its present comprint- j tively small site over the benches on either sido and down the canyon into tho valley, but it will still bo Ely and it will bo a hummer. Direct Line of Railroad. Then this region will get what it ought to have now, a direct lino of railroad rail-road from Salt Lake City which would securo to that city practically tho en-tiro en-tiro trade oE all ihis part of Nevada, While tho recent astonishing copper development de-velopment of the Robinson Canyon district, dis-trict, in which Ely is situated, "is what is now turning tho eyes of the country in this direction, it must be remembered that the gold and silvor workings which built populous camps-all through this part of Nevada in tho carl- days aro not by any means exhausted. Under the stimulus of better general conditions condi-tions and improved methods or; mining, transporting and reducing ores, these old mines are now ready to pour forth untold hundreds of thousands of tons of ore. most of which would find its way either as virgin ore or as eoneenj tratcs to tho Salt Lake valley for reduction re-duction if there was a reasonably direct line of road and a correspondingly low freight rate. Such a road through tho Deep Creek country to Ely would, for iiiobI of the distance, penetrato a very rich mineral district now remote from I' W. S, M'COEl-nOK, "There is no doubt that Ely will bo a great low-jjrade copper camp. Tho great deposits of low-grade oro , means wholesalo mining and smelting. smelt-ing. The miners of ore will have to erect some large concentrating plants for ore treatment, and as there is an abundance of water along Duck creek, I tike it that at this point thoEe mills will be erected. Geographically, and in every othor way, the business of that part of Nevada belongs to Salt Lake." railroad communication t'nd not near the lino of any road now- projected. Jt is naturally tributary to Salt Lake, but in order that its business shall not bo diverted it is necessary that some m'oro direct way of getting to tho mining, smelting and business center of tho iutGrmountain country be provided. Such a road would meet this rcquirc-nent, rcquirc-nent, would prove of incalculable beno-it beno-it to Salt Lake and would be a God-em! God-em! to the country penetrated by making mak-ing possible the enormous mineral development de-velopment of which tho country is capable, capa-ble, but. which, without such a road, can be at best but partially realized. Such a road would be tho best feeder Salt Lako City has or probably oyer will have. If 'extended 150 miles west or southwest of Ely it, would bring to Salt Lako all the business of eastern, central and sontheastem Nevada as naturally nat-urally as wafer llows down hill. It is not necessary' to dwell on the details, but tho Commercial club and business men of Salt Lako can find no other subject just now more worthy. of their consideration than that, of securing tho construction of this road cither as an independent lino or as a branch of an if " " '" ' ' ! JMJW? .'rj ! Jupiter shaft of the Cumbarland-Ely. j . i i existing road or of one now under construction. con-struction. If it can be accomplished it will be tho greatest thing that has been done for Salt. Lako for many a day. Story of Ely. Tho story of Ely that is, of Ely of the past, before tho dawn of tho cooper era was that of a. hundred othcrold minincr towns throughout the Western country, except that in the case of Ely placer 'mining was not an important factor fac-tor and tho silver ores were not so phenomenally rich, hence tho rush of the boom days was less pronounced and the succeeding collapse less complete than in many other places. "While Ely was dend for many years previous to tho discover' of the copper sulphides it did not go wholjy out of existence as did many other once prosperous towns. It early became the county seat of Whito Pine county, and when the collapse col-lapse came following the reduction in the price of silver, Ely, because of that fact aud because of its better location loca-tion and tho more permanent character of its ores, held out better than any othor place in tho county. But that is not saying much when places liko Hamilton, Ham-ilton, forty miles west, aud "Ward, fifteen fif-teen or twenty miles south, each at ouo time containing nevcral thousand people, peo-ple, practically went out of existence. Ely declined until tho census of 1900 showed a population of but 203. There was, of course, mining carried on all tho time, largely in a. desultory way, the chief dependence being in the gold production, although thero were occasional occa-sional finds of bunches of high-grado silver and silver-lead ore sufficiently H t . . f , . "Iron Arch," Bobinson canyon, Ely, Nev. rich to stand the long haul and heavy freight charges to Salt Lake, nnd still pa' a profit. But tho charges were enormous aud tho oro had to be pretty good to stand it. A pioneer in tho camp informed tho writer that on ono occasion it cost him $468 for wagon haul and railroad faro on a car of oro from Ely to Salt Lake via Wells and I the Southern Pacific. IVJosfc of those who remained divided their timo between be-tween trying to earn a living for their families ana prospecting in other parts of Nevada, and in adjoining States. As no new inhabitants camo tho places made vacant by death or "by removals to other localities remained unfilled. The ashen pall of decay, neglect and hopelessness enveloped everything. Streets once bustling willh life were deserted and desolate. Most of the houses that remained stun ding were vacant, grim, silent and ghostliko reminders re-minders of a busy past. A system of holding claims by common courtesy grew up and prevailed for years. Some of tho "old-timers" hold on through every discouragement. "With some it was because they had faith in the district, and with others because all the; possessed of this world's goods was here and they could not sell it because thoro was nohody to buy. An instance illustrating tho latter condition condi-tion is that, of a bachelor assayor andf prospector here, who some years ago endeavored to trado his cabin and lot on tho main street of Ely for the light team and old wagon of a wandering OHABLES S. SCHETJ. "I was in Ely twelve years ago, and though struck at that timo by tho undoubted resources of tho dis-I dis-I trict, I felt that it was practically ; useless to make an effort to develop i them. Conditions for copper at that time were very unfavorable. I am going to Ely for Railroad day to become" acquainted anew with this great region." I miner who happened along. The outfit was worth perhaps $S0, but the owner refused to trade. Tho bachelor has now been offered $1500 for his lor, but does not want to sell, and the story goes that he lias been put on oasy street by the sale of eopppr claims. Most of the old-timers who held on through all the period of depression had claims in tho hills, and whero these wero located lo-cated in the area now covered by the copper development they have boeonie worth "all kinds of money." Most of theso persistent people who retained their holdings in tho old camp are now reaping their reward. A few aro weal thy, soioj; aro well-to-do, and many have a "few thousand dollars to their credit, while an occasional one has retained an interest in his holdings and is developing devel-oping them with outsido capital, with every promise of success and nu ample fortune for himself. Hoblnson Canyon. llobinson canyon, in tho mouth of which Ely is located, takes it name from Thomas Robinson, who camo hero in tho late sixties, prospecting for gold, of which thero were many surface showings show-ings in tho canyon. IJo located just below Ely and worked here for a considerable con-siderable period. Tn April, 1S67, ho filed tho first claim iu what. ha3 since beon known as the Tdobinsou mining district. Along about that time thero were three !Robiusons, not related, operating op-erating in White Pine county. Eugeno located at Scligmnn and "Johnny" held forth in liobinson canyon and elsewhere else-where at various times. Later camo that character of tho early days, "'Buckskin" Watson, also in quest of gold. Ifo located the Joanna, Joan-na, a gold producer, about two and a half miles up the caiiyon, whero tho hillsido has caved just oast of the Chainman canyon, "aud built a small stamp mill, the first in tho district. The Joanna was prosperous and Watson spread out in all directions. He located somo of tho ground now owned by the Cumberland-Ely. tho Eureka on Copper flat, now belonging to tho Nevada Consolidated, Con-solidated, and the Pilot Knob and Brooks mines, now among tho holdings hold-ings of the Giroux Consolidated. Ho became involved in litigation over tho Joanna mine and died poor, about the time he had won tho suit. Contemporary Contem-porary with and followiug these coino man- others, the remains of whoso work dot nearly every hillside from the mouth of tho canyon to Copper lint, u dibtauce of seven" miles or more. Shallow Shal-low workings, characteristic of tho methods then pursued, are to be seen on every hand, while here and thero may be ae.cn tho remains of a cabin or a primitive mill, silent but eloquent witnesses of tho toil and activities of u generation of hnrdy men, most of whom have now crossed the great divide, di-vide, and have been engulfed in tho CAPT. DUNCAN M'VICHIE. "xroni a personal inspection of Ely, I think that tho camp will mako a very lino copper producer. It seems to me, however, that the ground has beon covered pretty thoroughly." gathering shadows among tho pines on tho further slope. Theso activities brought in their wnko other pcoplo than those engaged in tho actual work of delving in tho earth for gold and silver, and thus grow up the many thriving camps throughout through-out this region. Somo of them aro now but a momory and tho very mention of the name comes as a voice from the past. Others long dead havo t.akeu on new lif o and hope and now face tho fuluro- with confidence. Originally a Gold Camp. Among all these the position of Ely is unique. Originally a gold camp, in a region of silvor and silver-lead mines, it has remained for tho development of its vast copper deposits to bring it to its present prominence and un-, un-, doubled future greatness. Tho early prospector in this country was looking for silver and gold. Ho did not caro a rap for copper and paid no attention to it except as an indication of mineralization miner-alization that might lead to what ho was looking for. Even those who recognized recog-nized the copper croppiugs and general surface ' showings in evidence everywhere every-where all over the district did not at- fef lifcitSillt ww ; M,m Veteran tunnel, Cumberland-Ely. tack much importanco to it because of tho generally evident low grade of tho ore, tho remoteness of tho district and tho consequent inability to handle tho oro in suuicient quantities to produce a, profit. But tho copper clement would not down and kept intruding itself to tho detriment ot operations for the more precious metals. Tho first attempt; at copper smelting I in this district was mudo by A. D. I Compton on a small scale. IIo had no fuel but wood and was unsuccessful. I Whilo tho presence of copper in tho district must bavo been known throughout through-out most of its history it was not until a few years ago that its extent, v.iluo and possibilities began to bo realized, and it required tho extensive development develop-ment work of tho Giroux. and tho Nevada Ne-vada Consolidated to open tho eyes oven of pcoplo who considered themselves familiar with tho district to tho stu- Ccndous magnitude of its copper oro odics and tho untold millions they will yield tho men who havo tho foresight, tho moans and tho energy to possess the ground and wrest them from the bosom of mother- earth. The Chairman inino at Lane, thrco miles up the canyon from Ely, was ouo of the first to got into tho copper sulphides. sul-phides. It had been worked for gold by C. D. Lane, a noted California mining min-ing man, but had not been successful owing to tho failuro to recover tho values of tho ore. by tho cyanide process. pro-cess. Later the Chairman Mining company com-pany purchased tho property and erected a large mill, but at a depth of 180 feet tho copper sulphides wero encountered en-countered and tho mill and other gold equipment was a veritable white elo-phant. elo-phant. liecontly tho entire Chairman property, including a mill-sito and electric elec-tric licrnt and power plant in tho town of FJv, with a valuable right to tho waters of Murrav creek, was purchased bv the Nevada Consolidated at a price said to have been $100,000, which was but a fraction of its cost. Water is water in Nevada and tho principal value of tho Chairman property prop-erty to tho Nevada Consolidated is probably in tho Murray creek water ri"ht. Murray creek heads in tho mountains off to tho southwest and conies into liobinson canyon at Ely. It is fed by springs and carries a strong flow of water even in tho drj'cst season when the stream bed in Kobinson can-3'on can-3'on is dry as a powder horn. Salt Lakers Invest. The exporionco of the Chairman people peo-ple was repeated on tho opposite sido of the canyon, and a littlo nearer" Ely, on tho Robust group of the Ely Mining and Milling company, whero a fino j milling plant using the cyanido process has bpon erected. Here also tho copper sulphides were encouutered and the mill I was shut down three or four years ago. Recently, however, this group was combined com-bined with the Uiaceo group adioining it on tho east and owned by D. C. McDonald of Ely. Salt Lako men headed head-ed by Senator Learns and David Keith, becamo interested in tho combined group, which is now called tho McDonald Mc-Donald Ely. and two shafts aro being put down, neither of which, however, lias yet. reached a depth of 100 feet. Both porphyry and limo crop heavily in this property. Superintendent McDonald Mc-Donald has unbounded confidenco in tho value of tho ground as a copper proposition, believing tho great body of copper Bulphidcs which is now well demonstrated a short distance west will bo encounterod hero at a depth easily workable. There aro several big copper companies compan-ies at work in the copper zone and it is chietly duo to tho activo development work or two of them, the Giroux and tho Nevada Consolidated, that the present pres-ent prominence of tho district is due. They wero tho pioneers in extensive development and both own largo areas of very desirable ground. Tho Nevada Consolidated alono owns over 1000 acres of ground, including tho famous Ruth aud Copper Flat groups. Both havo ox-tensive ox-tensive workings. It was officially stated somo time since that t lie amount of ore then blocked out and measured and awaiting extraction in tho Ruth alone was 21!,000,000 tons, and it is said hero now that this amount has been increased to 24,000,000 tons. Can you comprehend that and grasp what it means? At a price of eighteen cents for copper, with tho oro going two and a half per ceut (which is probably rather under than over tho mark), there is now measured up in the Ruth oro iiggrcpating $210,000,000. On the dump at the Ruth is 30,000 tons of oro all taken out in tho course of development work. This is said to be tho largest; oro dump in Nevada at this time. Tho Ruth mine was located bv D. C. McDonald Mc-Donald of Ely when his daughter Ruth, now nine years old. was vory young, and was named in honor of the littlo COL. N. TREWEEK. "I do not believe that my personal per-sonal iutoroats in the Ely district havo biased my opinion in regard thereto. In my opinion Ely will make tho banner copper camp of tho world. Tho resources alroady developed de-veloped there are wonderful in extent, ex-tent, and a brilliant future is ahead of that portion of Nevada." maiden. The Ruth claim was sold by Mr. McDonald for a small sum. Tho poslofiico at Copper Flat is Ruth, called so after the mino. Over the summit. 2000 feet from tho Ruth, tho Nevada Consolidated is sinking sink-ing the Star Pointer shaft, a very largo shaft containing four compartments and a maiiway. This shaft will be connected connect-ed with "tho Ruth by a tunnel on tho 400-foot level, and through it will bo taken out tho 24,000,000 tons of ore from tho Ruth. This is tho largest shaft in tho district, being five and one-half one-half by twenty-six feet inside. It is now down 170 feet and is being sunk at the rato of seventy feet per month. A United States geological Guryev monument monu-ment near tho mouth of the shaf i. shows the elevation above sea level at that point to bo 713S feet. Iu Development Period. Iu the matter of copper every company com-pany or individual operating iu the district is now going through tho development de-velopment period when of necessity, as a mattor of busyiess, tho progress of tho underground work, and especially tho character of tho ground explored, is kept' secret to a great extent. This rule seems to havo been departed from iu the case of tiic Ruth more than with auv other mino in tho district. 6n the Copper Plat group of the Nevada Ne-vada Consolidated there are two principal princi-pal shafts, ono of which is down GOO feet, practicallv tho entire distance iu oro and the bottom of tho body has not vot been reached. The shafts are S00 "feet apnrt. It is said that drifting and crosscuttiug have doveloped tho oro bodv at this poiut to a width of 2400 feet and tho breasts of all the workings aro still iu ore. It eortainly looks like a fit compauipn for the Ruth. In developing devel-oping and proving its great area of ground th6 company is employing six shafts equipped with hoists, and many smaller workings. m ... The Nevada Northern railroad, .i"st completed from Cobrc to Ely. a distance of 141 miles, has been built by tho Nevada Ne-vada Consolidated, and will be oxtended on up the canyon west of Ely to Copoor Flat and probably still further. The plans of the Nevada Consolidated aro on a gigantic scale, as they must of neeedsity bo to handlo tho stupendous oro bodies already developed in tho holdings of tho company. Theso plans have several times been enlarged and their scope extended as tho exploration of the original ground and the acquirement acquire-ment of additional territory mado certain cer-tain a volume of ores at first undrcamod of. It is now the plan to build a smclt-, smclt-, or with a capacity of 10.000 tons a day I at McGill's ranch, on the opposite sido of the valley and about fifteen miles northeast of Ely. In fact, the work of grading for tho great plant is now in progress, in charge of Corey Bros, of Ogden, and sixty carloads of machinery and material for it aro now standing on tho side tracks at Cobro or unloaded in temporary yards, thero. awaiting tho completion of tho tracks of the Nevada Northern to tho smelter site. Tho smeller silo is on an SOO-acre tract of land purchased of W. N. McGill, ou which thoro is a spring flowing S00 inches, or sixteen cubic foot of water per second. An additional and abundant supply of water has been secured from Duck creek, which flows to tho north out of tho rugged Labell Creek range , ST control with tho Nevada Co"! A prominent mining man wl close to tho management ofyf recently quoted as saving:fflf: llvo years' the Nevada OonsoljJ tho Cumberland-Ely will hW: 10.000 tons of oro daily, itW. intention of tho Guggenheim!' a 10,000-tou plant. On a lai is possiblo to mako small pfcf per cent copper, aud big moP inade ou oro going as muchi? cent in its copper contcntsjj tho mines aro productive otM per cent copper, but tho grc ore, from 1000 'to 3000 feet' and several miles in lengthjijl! copper belt, goes within a 3 per cent, with payable present." Great Copper Conrpaift One of the largest oompaiwi' ing in tho copper belt is ,t-Consolidatcd ,t-Consolidatcd Mines companj holdings approximating lOOOig solid block in tho heart of thfl end of tho zone. The GiroijM Chaismann mill and offices of the Nevada Consolidated. "Sj and through a narrow valley between it and tho Duck Creek range. Tho late magnificent sulphide showing in tho copper zone has led to the suggestion that tho capacitv of tho smelter might bo increased to 50,000 tons, and the excellent ex-cellent lead-silver developments in the Success and other Duck creek properties prop-erties has suggested an auxiliary plant for tho reduction of those ores, but no official statement has been mado with reference to either of these. All tho Novada Consolidated onlorpriscsa.ro under un-der tho general management of M. L. Requa, a noted mining engineer, an able and energetic manager and a very pleasant pleas-ant gentleman. As to Cumberland-Ely. The Cumborland-Ely. under tho management man-agement of Georgo Gunu, is engaged iu very extensive development work. Ou tho Jupiter group, southwest of Lane, the Jupiter shaft is down 300 foot and drifting is in progress on what is said to be a fino oro body. On the 'Veteran group of tho Cumborland-Ely, nine miles west of Ely and almost at the western extremity of the proven zono, tho Veteran tunnel is into the mountain 1000 feet, most of the distauco in ore, and tho breast of the tunnel is now in laic that fairly bristles with native copper. Here has beon found tho rich-ost rich-ost ore on tho belt, some of it going 35 per cent copper and even higher. A shaft has been sunk iu tho tunnel. While details aro not given, the showing hero is said to be vorv fine. The Cumberland-Ely is exploring through a half dozen or more shafts hi addition to thoso mentioned, and it is intimated bv thoso in closo touch with tho affairs of the company that the results re-sults are more than satisfactory. The Cumberland-Ely hns large holdings in the heart of the territory and is reputed re-puted to bo closely associated m its pioneer in extensive copper dif work, and now has the deMi and probably tho most extern ings in the belt. Thero arejE forty shafts on tho properttCJ tive underground work is big cuted through ton of them wfj. in depth from 375 to 1000 fdL of theso aro connected by iimj workings, most of which ao oro bodies of vast but as y tained exteut and running1 al. cent and moro in copper .in3E carrying gold values ranginejC to $2.50 per ton. In endeijj. deal with such bodies of qro-A encountered figures seem ina'ff he totals 'are so vast as to"4l comprehension. It is statetl - WILLAED F. SNYD "Ely will make tho grei mo3t prominent copper caa West. Its resources are u; and acknowledged by all i seon the recent devolopmer carau. I am spending m; thero, and believe that chosen as choice a portloi district as anyone." that tho explorations of tht have disclosed in this groui most unbelievable total of Ions of oro which can boi a handsome profit. Over a g of tho Giroux grouud tho h capping which in somo partsii overlies tho porphyry cont? sulphide oro,. is absent. Thii with tho fact that the ore U soft and friable and couseqTI to work, will render the um 3 View of Lane City, Nov. S mUfe Imparted to TJ m tn a iSt T 7"F1A TIl TH ' Magic Thrill Reaches I WaU Sections H A ! ) A A W A A H VU Every Portion Sagdrush State- nij riUiL .IkJ rl 1 V ril VJ- 1 II 1 VJ 0 Commonwealth. ' BrfTt- ind tlms greatly fr the work. Tho StfSSSix erected a 500-?6lS 500-?6lS Slot .Knob mine, ils actinircd large Bftfbc plintof the moiin-fat moiin-fat "fto the northeast of frfndiitood, a smelter m.il of " 10.000 tons of ore ftffiks-of this region. bra Jlissounan from StpA resendblance to the Bbiiin of the saino name, Erii to early prospectors Ve Pilot Knob mine HL early locations in the EL At this point there Kled EIiflbcrlej pother Companies. development of tho H,fcas been tlono by tho ELnfcs mentioned, thero Etr companies and indi- jHR&. FTLEB-Etolon, FTLEB-Etolon, Ely will bo the Scamp in Nevada, and Kfcltea to being as great HL on development "work Htjjnsidercd extensive and in its scope and iu the Kfred were it not dwarfed Bj operations of the giants Tub grocD. a mile south -Kg, tie workings consist of is down 150 feet and tamel, much of which is Kre of paying quality, and Ht'ttcadily prosecuted. The ftcn and is entirely sur-neucd sur-neucd belonging to tho Elated and the Cumber- BikUuth group of the Ne-Nited Ne-Nited on the south aud Kl &cd the Jupiter group thud-Ely for a mile and Tlinerican group, owned docs of Ely and W. F. ChM d"cCornick and W. Kelt Like. On this ground Kt being sunk, which are fto 170 to 245 feet. The Bull three f.o far are said Kid the Brilliaut aud Amer-BffMch Amer-BffMch are down. 170 feet Kit on American group, owned lay "W. F. Snyder, Clarence Mc-Kljriler Mc-Kljriler and Claus Joldness. Ehowing whim and hoist. Kapectively, are stated to rromising. As this is ! tomes that the American Mk4 from the hard lime K&'i lime and into the free-Won free-Won containing mixed ore eating the proximity of Hm i to the shafts devolop-swiadone devolop-swiadone on this ground d drilling outfit. In the hine a small cono of Pfa from its resting place Kironnd it, and brought to MP tie eamo order and- con-V con-V the strata from which smiring for inspection F-timen of evorv inch of "pawed through from tho J1' It u necessary in tho Kri5 with any other rock KvT cutting face supplied Ma somo trouble has becu AVO KEITH. no doubt of tho mfl W s r. copper-pro-When the district is t0 r.call:!0 uPa its purees it will be a pro-ry pro-ry few, if any, of of tno United f enough in that Ki"ua Pino county to rous mining interests. ' Ife1' penetrating crev. gfjs in the rock which al Mind, however, to obviate RSuy!10 Wrk 15 pro K extent of tin Ccf tensive holdings oJ Hrks ,i?ppeJ company ar ST rfHiV" the managemeni KiThis compam FEEIGHTIN3 SCENE IN AN ELY STREET. ownsscveral hundred acres in the heart of the copper belt and lying in part between the Ruth and Copper Plat groups of the Isovada Consolidated. The Pheby Bros, arc interested in other gronps in tho zone and if tho churu drills arc successful it is probable they will be extensively employed in preliminary pre-liminary work, as "the outht costs but ! $2000, and it is claimed tho cost of sinking with them is only about $1 per foot. Many other companies and individuals, indi-viduals, many of them with substantial and in some instances very strong backing, back-ing, are either now engaged in mora or less extensive development york on the copper belt, or are preparing to inaugurate such work at an early day. Copper Boom Eclipses All. The copper boom has, of course, eclipsed ihc gold and silver properties of the Robinson district, and will practically prac-tically extinguish those lying within the well-defined copper belt, as the copper cop-per values with depth tar exceed the values to be expected in the shallower deposits of gold and silver. One of the gold mines still operated is tho Revenue, just cast of the Chainmau mill, where development work now goj ing on shows- a good volume of $13 cold ore. This mine is ownod by Ed Millard and son of EI3'. It is equipped with a fine hoist and a reduction plant is in contomplation. There are many other gold, silver-lead and lead-silver prospects, most of which can hardly bo said to approach tho dignity of mines, . scattered for the most part around the ' edges of the copper zone. Nearly all tho claims within the known sulpliido territory have passed into the hands of the copper companies, and finis has been written in their career as gold, eilvcr or lead producers. The confidence that, is felt by those who are on the inside and who are pourincr their money into the development develop-ment of this copper deposit is reflected in tho price of tho stocks of the principal prin-cipal companies. Not a single ton of this copper ore has yot been marketed and there will be no revenues from any of the mines for at least a year or more, vet the $5 par stock or the Ne-. Ne-. vadn Consolidated is selling on the ! I LAFAYETTE HANCHETT. 4 'Ono cannot help being optimistic rogarding tho future of the Ely district dis-trict as a copper producer vhen ho 5 witnesses tho impression prevailing f aboat this territory in mining cir- cles, Undoubtedly it will mako a t J fine copper camp.' market at $1$, and tho Cumberland-Ely Cumberland-Ely around $9. Vast sums have becu expended by tho priucipal companies in acquiring and developing property, and betoro any , revenue can bo received from tho mines millions more must be expended in their equipment and in tho construction of great reduction works, tramways, and the hundred accessories necessary to the prosecution of the work on such a gigantic acale. With a deposit so vast as is known to exist hero it will take 3-ears to reach the zenith of production, but when that is attainod tho rod stream of wealth that will How from this old camp will return at least a dozen fold every dollar dol-lar spent in its development. Great Eruptive Swell. The now generally accepted theory of the great Ely copper deposit is that it is a great eruptive swell or "hogback," "hog-back," pushed up from below through the overlying lime along a fault, cutting cut-ting entirely across tho Egan rnug?, west of Ely, tho general shape of tho intrusion being somewhat that of a rick of hay or the comb roof of a house. Tho country rock here is lime, generally hundreds of feet in thickness where not eroded, and the theory is that this was tilted and thrown back around the edges of the eruptive area and broken and shattered over its top, so that it has since been eroded and carried awuv leaving the top of tho eruptive swell practically free from lime over an arc-j seven miles long and averaging more than half a rrile in width. .The material of this intrusion ih what is commonly called porphyry, but seems, to be more specific, a volcanic product derived from tho fusion of syenite and known as monzonite. Its original form and that, in which it in still found at depth is that of a yellowish yellow-ish white, or whitish gray, silicious rock, shading at times into green, through which the coppor values are disseminated with uniformity in very line grains and minute seams. In this eruptive material the copper is, as is usually the case, associated with iron. The copper in this form is soluble, but :' :': ' :" ' ' ' -111 Chaismann mill, Nevada Consolidated. the iron is not. and the elements operating operat-ing through the ages have blocked the copper from tho surface and upper portions por-tions of the mass and rcdeposited it at greater depth, leaving tho iron and a amall part or tho coppor in tho less soluble form of a carbonate on tho surface. sur-face. This "weathering" proeoss gives to the surface that red or rusty iron color characteristic of all iron and copper-bearing ore outcrops, and which is in evidence over most of the country about Ely and covering an aroa of twelve or fourteen miles cast aud west and nearly half that distance north and south. The summit of tho highest point of the mountain knot between Ely and Hcrculos gap affords a far-reaching viow that covers all tho general surface of the frent porphyrv intrusion that has been laid baro. The view also covers the overlapping ridges and hills of lime, and trom his elevated perch tho interested spectator has the whole of this particular wonderful work of nature na-ture spread out before him, and can stud' its general featureu at his leisure. leis-ure. The Tine of lime fracture can be traced with tho eye in a general way around jthc entire copper zone, the dil-erencc dil-erencc between tho deep red of the copper cop-per belt and the whitish gray of tho iiino being aa distinct at tho west end of tho zone, a distance of eight or nine miles, as it is in the low hills at his feet." From this point hundreds ot Workings can be occn and every shaft in the coppor zone which has reached the sulphides cau be distinguished by its dump. Located 011 Exposed Serfaccs. All tho first copper purchases aud locations by tho big copper companies here wera on the cxuoscu surfaco of tho porphyry, inside the lime boundaries, on Prospecting with diamond drill. American group. the theory that the porphyry was a perpendicular per-pendicular dike or scries" of dikes, and consequently did not extend out under the lime. The theory now generally accepted, however, involves the extension exten-sion of the 3ult)hidc rone under the "me in all directions at generally increasing depths to unknown distanci?. ii sue j r''e casr-, mining men look for tho I richest copper ore to be found under the iin.o .jM'.n . the edecs of the exposed area, on the theory that tho contraction 'uiisunuent u, on tltc cooling of the vast body of intrusive volcanic matter would open passage in tho lime contact for tho How ot surface water carryiug in solutiou tho copper values to be deposited de-posited at or near tho water level, which might be in many instances far back under the limo. "If this theory proves the correct ono (and it appears to bo strengthened by the latest developments) de-velopments) the copi)prbcaring zone will be greatly enlarged aud its limits no man can toll until the who'o re r:o'i has been thoroughly explored by deep SENATOF- THOMAS KEAENS. "I am positively of tho opinion "int wit.Mr 0 co"in? five ycar3 the camp of Ely will bo second to 1.W..0 in -Jo United btates as a cop-oor cop-oor producor. Every Indication uoints to tho fact, In addition, that this portion of Nevada will bo a !"rgo producor of load and silvor. I think that my faith in this portion of tho country has been Illustrated by making large expoudltui-cs in acquiring ac-quiring Sly and Duck Creek mining interests." shafts or by drilling. Acting unon this theory, locations havo now been made on the lime all around the known copper area. Many of these claims have a speculative value only, but others are in the hands of the big coppor companies com-panies or of companies or individuals who have money for exploration and development work, and enough of this will be done within the next few months to throw a good deal of light 011 the situation. This relates only to tho prob able extension of the vast district now known and partially provdu. Enough is already known of" tho Ely copper deposit de-posit to make certain that upon it within with-in the next ton 3'cars will be developed tho most stupendous mines tho world has ever seen. Its possibiltiea are so vast that when expressed in figures they are beyond both comprehension and belief. be-lief. , In tho property of one company alone, with not more than o per cent of its grouud explored, thero is known to bo enough ore to keep smelters with tho capacity of those at Garfield running 3Cu days in the year for eighteen years. But what of the Ely of the present and tho Ely that is to be' The location of Ely is very pretty, with something of tho picturesque. There is ample room where tho town now is for all the people that havo ever been hero or that arc hero now, but room for tho expansion expan-sion that is coming iu limited in all directions di-rections except down the canyon, which widens rapidly tmtil it opens into tho broad valley about a mile cast of the present town. Ely has been gradually waking up for the past two or three years or since the work of the big copper cop-per companies began to reveal" her heretofore here-tofore unknown, or at least unrealized, mineral wealth. The latest stimulation b the coming of tho railroad, and Ely is thoroughly awake to her possibilities. If you don t believe it, try to buy a corner lot in the business portion of the town. Lots elsewhere arc reasonable in price. But, aside from tho high prices asked for property in tho business busi-ness section, there is less of the frothy boom than one would expect to see when tho assured future of the town is considered. Ely is engaged in actual mine development and the building of ?. town on business lines, and not in tho sale of more or less doubtful mining -docks and the creation by -boom methods meth-ods of fictitious values in real 03tato. " mi Temporary hoist at Star Pointor :haft, Nevada Consolidated. More than 20,000,000 tons of ore will come out through this shaft. Tnio, tho coming of tho copper mag-iates mag-iates with their apparcntl" unlimited .loans for purchase and development, aid the advent of tho hundreds of now .'itizons who followed in thoir wako, !mvo put money in generous quantities into many local purses that were previously previ-ously loan, and have produced an activity activ-ity that in comnarison with tho repose to which the old camp had become ao- The "Tex" Rickard building, Ely, Nov. II customed must seem liko eome'thiiig of a scramble. Ely Not Booming, Ely 13 not booming; that is, not in tho extravagant nonsc In which the word is generally used. The condition in rather that of the car!- stages of a healthy, natural growth consistent with her situation, present business and known resources. Up to less thun two- years ago tho-morchandiac tho-morchandiac business of this purt of the country was done bv tho two genera! stores of AV. B. Gvaha'm and Miss Haves, both in Ely. Now there aro ton or a dozen stores, including an exclusive furniture store, a clothing store, a men 's furnishing store and a millinery, store. There arc two banks, both started this year; two newspapers, the White l''in.- News, now semi-weekly, founded in 1S6S and originally published at Hamilton, and (ho Mining Record, weekly, started in 1903; thrco lumber yards; two brick yards ncro aud 0110 at Lane; hnlf a dozen livery and feed stables, and the usual generous allowance of restaurants aud saloons. Thero aro seveml dealers in real cs-tato cs-tato and mines, several firms of lawyers, law-yers, enough doctors to provide tho modical staff for a big hospital, but not a single resident preacher. One church, tho Catholic, points its gilded cross skyward. It is the only church building in tho town. There is a frame (school house and tho .recent enumeration showed a school population approximating approximat-ing 2;"0. Including the people living in tents, those hero temporarily, those scattered iu the hills but who make. Elv their headquartera, and thono living within two miles of tho town, the population pop-ulation is estimated' at nearly, if not quilc.t 2000. Ely ia not au iucorpor-poratcd iucorpor-poratcd town. That there will bo a population in this district within the next four years of 20,000 Kcems a reasonable prediction. predic-tion. Thill the bulk of that population popula-tion will bo jn the mouth of Robinson can3-on and extending down from tho present town of Elv lo the new town-Bito town-Bito and the old Mormon Georgetown Hccms equally certain. Several nddi-1 nddi-1 tions to tho present town of Eby havo I this: All' the copper mining will bo done in 11 comparatively narrow district beginning nt or near Ely and extending niuo or ten milos west; in this district there may also be some concentrating 1 plants, possibly a little rmclting; and a few gold mines and mills. The big Nevada Consolidated smelter iu to be H built at McGiM's ranch, fifteen miles uorthcant. and when the -Giroux buildH IB a big smelter it ia expected that it will 1 lJ Hoist and old gold mill at Euth mine. W go on the fiat al tho point of tho moun- tain, a mile and a half northcaat of jB Ely. v.'hero a Kite has already been hc- cu'vctl. Ely lies between ' the mining and the smolting points in the oulv gateway availab'j for cither road? or railroads. Thai there will be good town- at Lane aud Copper Flat and at tho 80,000 tons of ore on Euth oro dump, tho largest in Novadrr. been laid out and the lot? put on tho market. A new town has been laid out a milo and a half below Ely called the Ely towasile and tho usual antagonism between it and the present town of j Ely has sprung up, aroused largely by the fact that the railroad has made I extensive arrangements there for sidetracks, side-tracks, yards, a freight depot, etc. These ; necessities could not bo placed in tho present town of Ely because there is not room enough and because the grade is too heavy if there was room. Tt seems to the writer that the strife between the two places is a waste of energy ! that inicU be expended to bettor pur-1 pur-1 pose. Most of the land between tho I two is already surveyed into town lots I and in a fow years the town will bo , continuous undrit will be called Ely. j Outlook for Future. I Tho situation as it now appears is big smelters may be conceded, but at Ely will be tin- city of the diBtric HJ and it will be a big. a busv and a rich one. W. R. DUVALL. PETER POSTER. jH "In forming an iinpressicn of tho Sly co-.ntrv and is sarroand!ng3, I am norfectly willing to tako tho word of the n'jorots fa.ned mining englr.eors wro have givou tho di trict thoir careful attention. For - (J rn: self, I have tho utmost faith in Ely as a. copper district." Wall paper, painti, picture ..frame;, paner hanging, painting, framing. Chas. II.' Bodel. 33-:S5 K. 1st So. |