The Comstock Lode - Creating Nevada History

Comstock Lode - Page 2

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Before the railroad, which broke ground in February, 1869, all ore, freight, and passengers were transported by "bull teams” of from 10 to 16 horses or mules. All the supplies, machinery, merchandise and goods were required to haul everything over the Sierra Nevada Mountain range in large wagon loads, some of which lined up as far as three miles. Transportation improved when the Central Pacific Railroad line was completed to Reno, at which time the wagons had a far shorter and easier road to follow.

The bank’s Virginia and Truckee Railroad completed the most difficult section from Virginia City to Carson City by October, 1869. The rails were soon extended across the Washoe Valley, from Carson City to Reno, where it then connected to the Central Pacific Railroad.

During this time, however, the bank was unable to buy out one man named John William Mackay, who had arrived in the area in 1859 from the California goldfields.

Pioneer Stage in Virginia City, Nevada, 1866,

Lawrence & Houseworth.

This image available for photographic prints and downloads HERE!

MacKay formed a business partnership with fellow Irishmen, James Graham Fair, James C. Flood, and William S. O'Brien, whose business dealt in mining stocks and operated silver mines on the Comstock Lode. In 1873, they discovered the richest ore body in the Comstock Lode, which was known as the "Big Bonanza" of the Consolidated Virginia and California Mine.

Over the next few years, Mackay imitated the Bank of California's policies, parlaying their investments into a fortune. Between 1873 and 1882 the Comstock Lode and its "Big Bonanza," yielded more than $100,000,000 and during the same time, two adjacent mines of the Bonanza Group produced the same amount. In all, the group produced nearly 400 million dollars in ore by 1882 -- half of the silver in the United States during the period. Though the ores of the "Big Bonanza” began to decline after 1878, it continued to produce ore until the 1940s.

During its heyday years, the entire mining region was a melting pot of various ethnic groups, including Chinese, Irish, English, Welsh, Canadians, Germans, and Italians. Though this was typical throughout the mining camps of the American West, in Nevada, many of these men of European descent were able to reach "nobility,” unlike other mining regions. In many other areas, anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic attitudes were prevalent. But this was not the case on the Comstock Lode, with the exception of the Chinese, who were discriminated against intensely. In fact, many of the most important Comstock leaders and politicians were European by birth, including Adolph Sutro, who was born in Prussia, John P. Jones from Wales, and three of the four leaders of the Bonanza Group were born in Ireland.

From the beginning, there were no "social elite” of American-born citizens in Nevada, which provided foreigners with opportunities little seen in the East and South. The Chinese; however, suffered from universal racism from both American-born and European-born citizens.

Like other mining regions, the area also had a large imbalance between the sexes, with males far outnumbering the females, many of whom worked in "less than desirable” occupations.

Though the Comstock Lode took out more than 700 million dollars in gold and silver between 1859 and 1919, it couldn’t last. Inevitably, the mines began to play out and by 1880, all of Nevada's mines, with the exception of Delamar, were beginning to decline. Storey County, which encompassed the Comstock Lode and boasted as many as 25,000 people at its height, would fall to only some 3,500 people by the turn of the century.

Silver City, Jas. H. Crockwell, 1890.

This image available for photographic prints

and downloads HERE!

When the ore was gone, the owners and leaders of the mines left the area, almost none of whom remained in Nevada.

Silver determined the economy and development of the State of Nevada, nicknamed the "Silver State” until exhaustion of the mines and the demonetization of silver started a decline in the 1870s. Though several men were incredible wealth, the vast majority of the companies in the area did not prove profitable for the owners. In fact, out of more than 100 mining companies, only 14 were responsible for the large payouts.

The Comstock Lode has a glamorous and romantic history, however, its mines were criticized for stock manipulation in San Francisco, skimming of profits by owners and insiders, and poor accounting, all resulting in losses to the common shareholders.

In addition to its rich history, immense fortunes it generated and the large role those fortunes had in the growth of Nevada and San Francisco, the Comstock Lode is also noted for the advances in mining technology that it spurred, including the Sutro Tunnel, a brilliantly conceived scheme for draining the excess water found in the mines.

Since those lucrative heydays, Nevada has been a relatively minor silver producer, but later mining activities have produced gold.

The rich history of the Comstock Lode can still be found at the historic community of Virginia City, Nevada, designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1961. Though a shadow of its former self, it draws more than two million visitors per year, flocking to see its historic buildings, museums, and enjoy the specialty shops, restaurants, bed and breakfast inns, and casinos.

Also See:

Early Mining Discoveries in Nevada

Silver City and Gold Hill

Virginia City and the Comstock Lode

Virginia City's Main Street today is lined with historic

buildings, Kathy Weiser, July, 2009.

Gold Hill, Nevada, 1867, Timothy H. O'Sullivan.

This image available for photographic prints

and downloads HERE!

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