Letter from Cornucopia. (June 26, 1875)

Letter 2

LETTER FROM CORNUCOPIA.
A Bright Outlook—Business Lively—
The Winnemucca Route to the Mines—What Citizens Say of it.

Cornucopia, June 23th, 1875.

Editor Silver State: Since my last, the influx to this place has ceased a little, and it is well for all that it should be so. Rome was not built in a day, nor do men get rich in that short length of time. After careful examination and close inquiry from the best sources, I am fully of the belief that this will in time make one of the First Mining Camps In The State. But it will take time for development. There are many good mines located and to some extent developed, and all show as far as worked good milling ore.

The Leopard is an exceedingly fine mine. Late workings on it show such prospects that the com-pany have come to the conclusion that they are warranted in putting up immediately a new Twenty-Stamp Mill, which they are proceeding to do. This will give employment to some more of the idle men that are around here now. The Hussey mine is located near the Leopard, at the south end of town, and bids fair to be a valuable property. The Black Diamond Mine, owned by A. D. Meacham and others, is highly spoken of, and will, undoubtedly, in a short time create quite a stir here as one of the rich bonanzas of the place.

The town is Growing Quite Rapidly, sometimes I think almost too fast for the amount of business that is done here. In town there are four stores, seven saloons (with two under way), three restaurants and one lodging house, two butcher shops and one bakery, also there is quite an extensive adobe yard, with plenty of adobes on hand, which sell for twelve dollars per thousand.

The Leopard Mill Started up again to-day, and will continue to run steadily if no accident occurs. There are two blacksmith shops here—one is run by a Chinaman [probably the man referred to as “Sam” in a different letter]. Johnny Barrett, of your place, arrived here the other day with his outfit, and is now busily engaged in putting up his blacksmith and wagon shop.

Judge Ivory and Montana were here a few days since. I understand that they came as a committee from the citizens of Winnemucca to examine the road from that place to this. I did not interview them much, but I apprehend they must report favorable, as many of the citizens here hope they will, and that Winnemuccans will feel it to their interest to make some Improvements On The Road, so that the principal trade of this place will go there. From all that we can learn, that route will be the only way in the winter whereby we can have communication with the outside world. Elko, Carlin and Battle Mountain are straining every nerve to gain the trade of this place and the surrounding country. It ought to be secured to Winnemucca. It is not only the products of the mines that must have outlet, but this country produces vast quantities of beef, and much wool, which must go to the railroad for shipment. So let Winnemuccans be up and doing. More anon.—S. M. H.

Originally published in the Silver State on June 26, 1875. (link)

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Commentary

Did S. M. H. really write that Cornucopia would be "one of the first mining camps in the state"? Of course not. Virginia City was a regular metropolis in 1876, for Pete's sake. No, I think the typesetter back at the Silver State misread S. M. H.'s handwriting, which most likely stated that Corncuopia would become "one of the finest mining camps in the state".