Nevada Mining Tales by William Daugherty

Nevada Mining Tales - Page 7

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The Sultana Mine - In the early 1860's the mining excitement in Nevada drew largely upon California , and people crossed the Sierras at many points hastening to the new El Dorado. They came from all sections, for Californians were all accustomed to mining and the farming regions furnished a large contingent. Mining claims were then located without limit as to length, with an additional 300 feet to the locator "by right of discovery, with all the dips, spurs and angles, and 300 feet on each side of the said ledge, lode or lead." In consequence, mining claims usually comprised several thousand feet in length, and as no incorporated companies were then known, sales, when made, were in running feet, extending from the surface to the center of the earth. Sales were frequent, and often for small amounts, and in consequence the recorders and notaries made the most money out of the transfers.

Among the early prospectors to go to Reese River was a farmer nick-named "Pap," who came from the vicinity of Stockton.

Nevada Miners, Lawrence & Houseworth, 1866.

He knew nothing of silver ore and hence located claims rather wildly. He formed a partnership with young Kit Carson, Jr. and in the Big Creek Mining District, south of Austin, they located a bunch of white quartz and named it the Sultana, after a favorite steamboat on the Mississippi that plied between St. Louis and New Orleans. They began running a tunnel on the so-called ledge and had frequent assays made, which resulted in big returns, according to the certificates, and also a demand for feet in the Sultana, that extended as far as Stockton. At that time, J. M. Patrick was publishing the Republican newspaper in San Joaquin, and as it was uphill work for an ultra Democrat in such red hot war times to hold his own against the opposition paper, once edited by Sam Seabough. It was an easy matter for Patrick to get the silver fever, sell the paper, buy Sultana and come to Nevada, all of which was done as rapidly as transfers could be made.

He went direct to Big Creek and found the men at work, and inflated with great expectations. He soon learned that his share, 50 feet, bought at $70 per foot, in a claim of 5,000 feet was an insignificant interest, unless it proved very rich. This checked his ardor not a little, for he had bought without investigation, in the fever of excitement, and in total ignorance of the value of silver mines; however, he consoled himself and determined to find out something of its value. He was doubtful of his richness, now that second sober thoughts returned, and getting choice specimens from various places in the so-called mine, he sent to a distance for an assay. In due time, the certificates were returned to him, showing not a trace of gold or silver in any of the samples sent. It was a cruel blow to Patrick's hopes, as well as to the men who were working it, for it was evident that the local assayers had "salted" the returns to keep up the excitement. Patrick did not stop long nor try his luck in other mines; he simply d----d the Sultana and the Sultan too, returned at once to California and resumed his occupation of a publisher on a scale limited by his losses, but improved by the experience bought so dearly.

Article first appeared in the Reno Evening Gazette, April 2, 1891.

White Headed Bill - A Stalwart Miner - L.P. Tenney was the Mining Recorder on Treasure Hill in the early days of the White Pine excitement during 1868 and '69. Tens of thousands knew him, for Treasure Hill was plastered three feet deep with mining locations on top of each other, and Tenney recorded everything offered, leaving it to the courts and lawyers to settle the title of ownership afterwards. The extent of his patronage was so great that he waxed rich, and after the excitement subsided, he gathered up his golden gains and retired to San Francisco.

Prospector working a Nevada mine, Waldon Fawcet

There, in the midst of a life of leisure, he would occasionally grow communicative and recount his early struggles in California, and one of his cherished reminiscences was to recount his first attempt at placer mining. In 1852, he landed in San Francisco and went at once to the mines, stopping at Grass Valley. Early the next morning, he made his way up the creek and accosted the first miner by asking him how much he would charge to teach him how to mine. The miner put him to work transporting pay dirt in a bucket from an excavation to the rocker on the banks of the creek, and after a three-days' apprenticeship, served without pay, Tenney located a claim for himself, and like all greenhorns, chose a spot that no one else would touch, and all looked on him as a d-----d fool for digging there.

But Tenney was in earnest and was going for pay gravel so eagerly that he soon had a shaft down fifteen feet and out of reach of further depth unless he got assistance. He formed a partnership with two strangers who aided in sinking it to a depth of 30 feet, and then said he could go on and if he struck anything they would divide with him, while they left for other fields. Tenney was discouraged, but learning of two strangers, one of whom was called White Headed Bill, that wanted an opportunity to engage in mining, he made a proposition and with their assistance resumed work, and in running a drift from the bottom of the shaft they struck it rich and began taking out from $200.00 to $300.00 a day.

Two weeks after his first partners departed, they returned, and while Tenney was at work in the drift, and White Headed Bill and his comrade were engaged in hoisting, they came to the shaft, and made a demand for their claim. Tenney heard an angry discussion going on, followed by blows and knock-downs, and as hurriedly as he could, he climbed the rope to the surface and found that the neighboring miners had rushed in and separated the two principle combatants at a time when White Headed Bill was giving one of the returned locators a severe thumping. The miners suggested an immediate trial of the rights of property, and forming a circle and choosing a judge and jury, proceeded at once with the trial, one from each side acting as attorney, and White Headed Bill acting for Tenney's side. It was soon demonstrated that the original locators had abandoned the claim and been absent over ten days, which by the district laws then in force, gave the claim to Tenney and his last partners. They resumed their work, and at the commencement of the rainy season, they divided $15,000.00 as the result of their labors, and sold the claim for $1,500.00, supposing it exhausted. It afterwards proved to be the richest in the district, gained wide renown, known as the celebrated Coyote lead. The fighting attorney and stalwart miner known as White Headed Bill, later became the champion of free coinage, and known as the Honorable William M. Stewart.

Article first appeared in the Reno Evening Gazette, January 29, 1891.

Compiled and edited by Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, updated February, 2010.

About the Author: Written by William Daugherty, for the Reno Evening Gazette in 1891. The Reno Evening Gazette was first published on October 12, 1876 and continued for the next 107 years. In 1977, it was merged with the Nevada State Journal, and continues to exist today as the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Note: The article is not verbatim as spelling errors, minor grammatical changes, and editing have occurred for ease of the modern reader.

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