January 2004 Issue Explore Historic California - Magazine for Enthusiasts
 

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The Big Hole Mine vs The Bullion Brick

by Cecile Page Vargo as told by Jim Townsend

In my research on Lying Jim Townsend, I found this little gem of a story taken from an 1890 Carson Appeal column reprinted in Hawthorne Nevada ’s Walker Lake Bulletin.  Thanks to Michael H. Piatt and his wonderful book:  Bodie “The Mines Are Looking Well..” published by North  Bay Books El Sobrante, California .

          While Jim Townsend was (in Carson City) a few weeks ago, he was sitting by the Arlington House stove talking in his usual exaggerated vein. 

          “If you want to see mining on a big scale, go to Mono county.”

          “How big?” said a little man close by.

          “Why the Big Hole Mine, that I am connected with, has the deepest shaft and the biggest workings in the world.”

          “How deep?”  said the little man. 

          “You can’t measure it, because if we stopped work long enough to see how deep the shaft was, it would interfere with bullion production. We dropped a line down once and reeled it out until it broke with its own weight.  When a boy falls down the shaft, he strikes the bottom a grandfather.”

          “Must have a big payroll?”

          “We used to send the money down to the hands in cages until the workings got so deep that we didn’t get the winter account settled until a way along in the spring.  So we started a bank and telegraphed the money orders.  That system saved us an awful wear and tear on the cages.  The miners live down there and rear there families.  They got an underground city bigger’n Carson, with a regular charter and municipal elections twice a year. They publish two daily papers and a literary magazine.”

          “I never heard of the magazine,’ said the stranger. 

          “Of course not, it would be a year before it got to you.  Besides they hold a fair there annually and racing every Saturday.  Finest four mile track in the world, lit with electric light.  No mud, no dust, always in the same condition.  Perfect paradise for sports.  What do you think of that for a mine?”  

          Here the stranger, who was a Californian, threw his leg carelessly over the arm of the chair, and lighting a cigar, replied in a deep earnest tone:  “I don’t think much  of your mine.  You work too much for small results.  When your mine plays out you have a lot of old truck on your hands, and where are you?  You mine after primitive methods, like all new countries.  It takes experience and hard work to tackle the industry in the proper shape.  With your mine you must be on the ground in person and have any amount of men to look after this department or that.  Now I have a bigger mine than yours.  It is located in Storey county, somewhere in the northern part I believe, and I run it quite up to the handle with one or two assistants.”

          “How deep might the shaft be?”

          “It might be pretty deep if I allowed the men to rush forward and overdo the thing, but at present there is no shaft at all.”

          “Hoisting works up?"
          “No, no hoisting works – not if I know it.  You can fool away a great deal of hard coin on hoisting works.”

          “How in thunder do you run your mine?”

          “On the assessment plan, sir.  That’s the latest and most improved method.  We have a big map of the mine hung up in the company’s office, made by one of the most competent artists on the Coast.  Now when I have a good map of the lower workings we don’t need any works to speak of.  We photographed the Savage hoisting works from the top of the Hale & Norcross trestleworks an entirely new view-and call it by our name; the Bullion Brick.  I keep a man in Virginia (City) at $60 a month to superintend the location and write weekly letters, and I stay in San Francisco in my office on Pine street and levy the assessments every 60 days; that’s as often as the law allows.  I’m the president, board of trustees, secretary, treasurer and everything-more especially the treasurer.  Of course, I draw the salary for all the officers, and when I get through drawing salaries, I turn the rest over to the agent in Virginia to pay off the hands.  By not employing any hands he saves enough to pay himself.  My regular income from the mine is $200,000 a year, and never a pick struck the ground.  This is what I consider scientific mining, sir.  You get the silver out of the pockets of the stock holders and leave the vast argentiferous and auriferous deposits in your claim for your children, who can go right ahead and develop the mine just as soon as the people quit putting up, which isn’t at all likely to occur.  As soon as a man drops on the game he dies, and the newcomers have to learn for themselves.  As long has people are being born in Nevada and California , my mine will run on like a chronometer clock.”

          “But,” said Townsend, “my style of mining keeps a lot of men at work.”

          “So does mine, quoth the Golden Gate chap.  “Thousands of men are working night and day to pay the assessments.  It keeps the country as busy as a beehive,” and the speaker sauntered to the telegraph office to order assessment No. 36.

      


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