Letter from Cornucopia. (October 13, 1875)
Letter 11
LETTER FROM CORNUCOPIA.
Cornucopia, October 7th, 1875.
Editor Silver State: I must apologize for my remissness in not writing you before; but there was such a dearth of news that I thought I would not bother your columns with it. Since my last some events have transpired which may be interesting to your readers and the community in general.
THE NEW LEOPARD MILL has started up and is in full blast, running night and day on Leopard ore. They say the mill works splendidly. Dr. Goodfellow retires from the superintendency of the mill and mine, and one Mr. Cassell, formerly of the Golden Chariot mine, Idaho, and latterly from Belmont, Nevada, takes his place as Superintendent. Mr. Cassell is spoken very highly of as a mill and mining superintendent, and under his management of the famous Leopard all hope for better times.
One great drawback to the place is the want of money by the mill and mining companies to pay off at their regular pay days. THE MINERS CONTRACT DEBTS FOR BOARD AND THE LIKE, expecting to pay when the regular monthly wages are due; but when they are put off for two months or more, and cannot pay their bills, they are not only despondent, but also the boarding house keepers, the merchant, and all others to whom they are in debt are likewise despondent, and it makes it hard all around, and money is very scarce. You now scarcely ever see a twenty-dollar piece. Query—when a mill and mining company are paying a monthly dividend of fifty-cents per share on its stock why can it not pay its working men? Who can answer this question? The authorities report now is that the Leopard will not pay, until they have wrought out the bullion from the mine and mill, and that may be sometime yet,—Such a policy cuts hard on this new mining camp. If all Leopards act in such away better have no Leopard at all. I suppose though that is the nature of the animal and we must stand it.
THE MINES. The Hussey Mine is doing well and in a short time, as near as I can learn, will out rival the Leopard. Then the South Leopard will come up as being on the Northern Ledge of the whole concern, although it will take more work to develop it. The Panther I am told is developing splendidly. This ledge is on the same ledge or range with the Leopard and probably will develop as well; it now shows the same character of ore. But what does it avail any of these mining camps, or the citizens generally, if these companies, who are incorporated in San Francisco, who send up mining superintendents who hire men at daily wages and promise to pay them at the end of the month, and then put them off from month to month, and finally collapse; thus ruining the poor laborer and all from whom they have obtained credit on the expectation that they would receive their regular wages from the Mill and Mining Companies. What builds up the successful mining camp is gone. Upon the theory that the Mill and Mining Companies will act fairly they build boarding houses, stores, saloons, etc., and make large mining camps. They dwell in the wilderness of sagebrush in Nevada and TOIL AND SWEAT AND SWEAR to enrich the pampered nabobs of San Francisco, and yet all fails. It is unfair to state that the mines solely makes the town, and that they are the whole source of wealth, for this is not true. To-day, builders in the town of Cornucopia are paying out triple the money of the Leopard. This will eventually be an inland town—a center—Leopard or no Leopard.
Notwithstanding the above, I will state things go quietly along. Charles Cochran sets his table as well as ever, where the hungry and weary can satisfy their longings. Meacham sells as many goods as ever. L. I. Hogle imports us much lumber and clothes the needy. John Barrett does as much blacksmithing. Johnny Turdham [Fordham] sells us much whisky. Eugene Holman (who now has charge of Ty Owens’ saloon) picks the banjo as well as ever. Judge Bassett dispenses the law. Freeman keeps the lodging house. McIntyre and Rodgers make their lager. Reeves sells his goods to all that come. Ringgold keeps his stable and feeds horses barley and hay. Ben Stoner watches his opportunity to get honor. All goes merry as a marriage bell, as though nothing had happened; upon the principle why mourn for what is, and what you cannot help. Ben Reinhardt came here yesterday, and is looking around with a business like eye. The stages run as usual from here to Elko, and we get news by Winnemucca Silver State, one day later than furnished by any other paper. The fare from Elko here is now $2.50, which is very cheap for a ride of seventy-five miles. The Battle Mountain stage has suspended, and—but this letter is getting long enough, will write again in a few days.—S. M. H.
Originally published in the Silver State on October 13, 1875. (link)