“superannuated”: “Letter from the Washoe Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 28, 1859.
“bob-tail horse”: “The New Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 9, 1859.
“divers bottles of”: Henry de Groot, “Comstock Papers, No. 2,” Mining & Scientific Press, July 29, 1876
“a fact which”: Ibid.
No matter the exact: Some of the details in the two accounts attributed to Penrod don’t agree: on p. 133 of “A Life of Fifty Years in Nevada: The Memoirs of Penrod of the Comstock Lode,” Nevada State Historical Society, Vol. I, No. 3, Winter 1958, Penrod says that Comstock got the signatures of three of the four others on the bill of sale for $35, but in the October 1880 letter he wrote for Myron Angel’s History of Nevada (pp. 56–57), Penrod says that he personally acquired the signatures and paid $50, with Comstock contributing “an old blind horse” to the deal; hoary mining legend often include bottles of ardent fluids in the transaction, such as in Henry de Groot, “Comstock Papers, No. 2,” Mining & Scientific Press, July 29, 1876, which says that “Finney received some bottles in consideration for his part of the claim”; “Letter from the Washoe Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 28, 1859, says that Finny “sold out his interest for $45, taking his pay in superannuated horseflesh and lightning whisky”; S. H. Marlette, Annual Report of the Surveyor-General of the State of Nevada for the Year 1865, p. 20, also mentions Comstock purchasing the claim of “Kirby and others.”
“a continuation of”: Letter from Emanuel Penrod, October 1880, in Angel, ed., History of Nevada, p. 56.
“The troublesome black stuff”: “Not So Very Strange,” Mining & Scientific Press, February 9, 1863. This is the closest-to-contemporary source I have found that describes the original discoverers using this term. The last paragraph of the story says that the person who wrote it was “the same gentleman who first assayed the Comstock silver ore,” presumably Melville Atwood.
forty-five degrees: “The New Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 9, 1859, reported the vein dipping downward to the west at forty-eight degrees; also, “Mining Education,” Mining & Scientific Press, February 23, 1863, quoting from a November 2, 1859, letter written to Sacramento Daily Union by Melville Atwood (likely the letter sourced in the November 9 article cited above).
“only a crevice”: Ibid., p. 57.
“a horse and $20 in coin”: De Quille, History of the Big Bonanza, p. 29.
four feet wide: “Rich Discovery Near Washoe Valley,” Sacramento Daily Union, July 2, 1859.
awarded Comstock and Penrod: Penrod’s two accounts say that he and Comstock were given the 100 feet because they’d taken the time to stake out the claim as a quartz mine; however, F. J. Hughes, who bought a 50-foot interest later in 1859 (25 feet from J. Cora and 25 feet from Comstock), asserts that Comstock and Penrod traded their spring water to the whole company in exchange for the segregated 100 feet: “Statement as to the Mexican, Ophir, and Atchison Mines,” Virginia Evening Bulletin, January 29, 1864, photostat in the Grant Smith Collection, UCB; also, “The Mexican Mine,” Daily Alta California, September 27, 1863, which claims the members of the original Ophir Company traded 100 feet of their ground “to a company of Spaniards” for the water rights to a small spring higher up Spanish Ravine. If true, “the Ophir gave over one million dollars for the piece of moist ground.” See also Austin E. Hutcheson, ed., “A Life of Fifty Years in Nevada: The Memoirs of Penrod of the Comstock Lode,” Nevada State Historical Society, Vol. I, No. 3, Winter 1958, pp. 132–38; Hutcheson, ed., Before the Comstock, pp. 38–39; Emanuel Penrod letter, October 1880, in Angel, ed., History of Nevada, pp. 56–57; Lord, Comstock Mining and Miners, pp. 37–55; De Quille, History of the Big Bonanza, pp. 24–29; Grant Smith Collection, “The Ophir Discovery,” UCB, Box 1, Folder 19, pp. 42–49.
“a drink all”: Henry de Groot, “Comstock Papers, No. 2,” Mining & Scientific Press, July 29, 1876.
Amid the claiming: A copy of the notice is published in Angel, ed., History of Nevada, p. 57, but as is noted, the original contains several irregularities and erasures and is likely backdated—typical of the “location notices” from this period in Comstock Lode mining history.
Go to Washoe: The Stone-Harrison-Walsh-Ott-Atwood assay chain; original Comstock assay date; assay value; advice of the other assayists: Melville Atwood to Donald Davidson, June 30, 1859, and Melville Atwood letter, July 15, 1859, both printed in Sam Davis, History of Nevada, 388–89; “Rich Discovery Near Washoe Valley,” Sacramento Daily Union, July 2, 1859, reprinting from Nevada Journal, July 1, 1859; “Personal,” Mining & Scientific Press, February 9, 1867; Henry de Groot, “Comstock Papers, No. 3,” Mining & Scientific Press, August 12, 1876; Almarin B. Paul, “Early History of the Comstock,” Mining & Scientific Press, December 16, 1882; also, Lord, Comstock Mining and Miners, p. 55; De Quille, History of the Big Bonanza, p. 33.
“united the usual vice”: “The New Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 9, 1859.
“injure the sale”: Hutcheson, ed., “A Life of Fifty Years in Nevada,” p. 136.
“kiting” the mine: Hints of Comstock’s state of mind can be found in a letter he wrote to San Francisco Bulletin published on October 29, 1859, and reprinted in Sacramento Daily Union, October 31, 1859. “By far the richest mines are quartz leads,” he wrote, “and of course they require machinery to work them, which requires capital.” And capital, he did not have.
“the Ophir mine”: The “village of Ophir” is referred to in Walsh’s agreement with Comstock: De Quille, History of the Big Bonanza, p. 42.
“turn out to”: Henry de Groot, “Comstock Papers, No. 3,” Mining & Scientific Press, August 12, 1876.
sales on August 12: Henry de Groot, “Comstock Papers No. 8,” Mining & Scientific Press, November 4, 1876, says the sale was agreed upon on August 10; De Quille, History of the Big Bonanza, p. 42, says the sale took place on August 12.
“blue stuff”: “The New Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 9, 1859.
“ranche on the”: De Quille, History of the Big Bonanza, p. 42; $11,000 and $6,200: various sources cite different sums, generally in this neighborhood: De Quille, History of the Big Bonanza, p. 42, quotes the original agreement written into the records of the Virginia Mining District, and Henry de Groot, “Comstock Papers, No. 3,” Mining & Scientific Press, August 12, 1876, written in consultation with Judge James Walsh. Note: they do not agree. Penrod says he received $5,500. Walsh told Henry de Groot he paid $6,200. The initial sales: It is difficult to sort out the precise timing and the dollar amounts: Henry de Groot, “Comstock Papers, No. 3,” Mining & Scientific Press, August 12, 1876; letter from Manny Penrod published in Angel, History of Nevada, pp. 56–57; De Quille, History of the Big Bonanza, pp. 42–43; Lord, Comstock Mining and Miners, pp. 58-62; Ronald M. James, “Drunks, Fools, and Lunatics: History and Folklore of the Early Comstock,” Nevada Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. 35, No. 4, Winter 1992, pp. 224–26; Hearst, The Way It Was; “Early Ophir Sales,” the Grant Smith Collection, UCB, Box 1, Folder 7; “The Discoverers Soon Sell Out,” Grant Smith Collection, UCB, Box 1, Folder 16; “Nevada,” Sacramento Daily Union, August 2, 1859.
“the California Rock”: Henry de Groot, “Comstock Papers, No. 2,” Mining & Scientific Press, July 29, 1876.
Nobody knew: “The New Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 9, 1859.
“I’ve fooled the”: Lord, Comstock Mining and Miners, p. 60, citing an interview with Henry de Groot; although, de Groot said that Curry received “not over six or seven thousand dollars and Gould still less” in Comstock Papers No. 13, Mining & Scientific Press, December 23, 1876.
Walsh’s mule train started: “The New Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 9, 1859; Lord, Comstock Mining and Miners, p. 59, says that Walsh sent a sample sack ahead at an earlier date.
On the three thousand pounds: “Ore from the Virginia Lead,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 18, 1859; G.
Kustel, “Remarks on the reduction of silver ores,” Daily Alta California, March 30, 1860; “Mossheimer’s Smelting Works”: “Pecksniff Paper No. 1—On Washoe,” Daily Alta California, March 17, 1860; “Mosheimer & Kustel”: Henry de Groot, “Comstock Papers No. 3,” Mining & Scientific Press, August 12, 1876.
he’d profited $4,871: The profits on Walsh’s first trip to San Francisco; Walsh and Woodworth’s purchase: Henry DeGroot, “Comstock Papers No. 3,” Mining & Scientific Press, August 12, 1876, which de Groot wrote in consultation with Judge Walsh; “Washoe Diggings,” Sacramento Daily Union, August 29, 1859, says that Walsh and Woodworth had purchased by this date, but may refer to their option to purchase; “The New Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 9, 1859.
September 23, 1859: De Quille, History of the Big Bonanza, p. 42.
John “Kentuck” Osborne: Housworth and Osborne sales, O’Reilly sold for $40,000 on October 20: “The New Washoe Diggings,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 21, 1859; “The Carson Valley Discoveries,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 5, 1859, says Housworth sold for $3,500; Tennessee letter to San Francisco Herald, November 6, 1859, David Thompson, ed., The Tennessee Letters: From Carson Valley, 1857–1860 (Reno: Grace Dangberg Foundation, 1983), p. 93.
“wild enthusiast”: Lord, Comstock Mining and Miners p. 60.
Ophir Mining Company: The exact dates, sums, and parties are difficult to precisely ascertain; the data vary between sources, but the figures given are likely reasonably accurate: “Gold Hill and Ophir Diggings,” Sacramento Daily Union, September 21, 1859, quoting Territorial Enterprise; “The New Washoe Diggings,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 21, 1859; “The Washoe Diggings,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 31, 1859, reprinting a letter from H. T. P. Comstock published in San Francisco Bulletin on October 29; “The Washoe Diggings,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 5, 1859; “The New Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 9, 1859; “Notes and Sketches of the Washoe Country,” Hutchings’ California Magazine, Vol. IV, No. 10, April 1860, p. 434; Henry de Groot’s Comstock Papers, No.1 through No. 14, published in Mining & Scientific Press between July 22, 1876, and December 30, 1876; Lord, Comstock Mining and Miners, pp. 58–62; Angel, History of Nevada, p. 56; De Quille, History of the Big Bonanza, pp. 42–43; “Early Ophir Sales,” Grant Smith Collection, UCB, Box 1, Folder 7; “The Discoverers Soon Sell Out,” Grant Smith Collection, UCB, Box 1, Folder 16.
Comstock and Penrod also sold: Sale of the segregated hundred feet, which became the Mexican or Spanish Mine: “Statement as to the Mexican, Ophir, and Atchison Mines,” Virginia Evening Bulletin, January 29, 1864, photostat copy in the Grant Smith Collection, UCB; “The New Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 9, 1859, gives the sales figures as $7,000 and $8,000.
Comstock’s intended to open: “The Washoe Diggings,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 5, 1859.
“The miners at”: “Carson Valley,” Daily Alta California, September 28, 1859, quoting Territorial Enterprise, September 24, 1859.
“indicative of his”: “Letter from the Washoe Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 28, 1859; “Notes and Sketches of the Washoe Country,” Hutchings’ California Magazine, Vol. IV, No. 10, April 1860, p. 435, also credits the camp as named for Old Virginny.
“Virginia City is”: “The New Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 9, 1859.
“savage and dirty”: “The Washoe Country,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 30, 1859, reprinting from North San Juan Press.
“Washoe zephyrs”: Mark Twain, Roughing It, p. 156.
“often blew the”: Henry de Groot, “Comstock Papers No. 5,” Mining & Scientific Press, September 2, 1876.
fifteen arastras: “The Washoe Country,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 25, 1859, reprinting from Placerville Observer, October 22, 1859.
“at which six”: Ibid.
“Rum mills are”: “Virginia Silver Mines,” Daily Alta California, October 25, 1859.
The camp boasted: “Gold Hill and Ophir Diggings,” Sacramento Daily Union, September 21, 1859, reprinting from Territorial Enterprise; “The New Carson Valley Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 20, 1859, reprinting from Placerville Observer; “The Washoe Country,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 25, 1859, reprinting from Placerville Observer, October 22, 1859, and from North San Juan Press; “Virginia Silver Mines,” Daily Alta California, October 25, 1859; A General Business and Mining Directory of Storey, Lyon, Ormsby, and Washoe Counties, Nevada, 1875, Virginia City: John D. Bethel & Co., 1875, transcribed in the Ellin Berlin Collection, UNR, 90-87/II/8, p. 9.
the mayor of Placerville: “The New Carson Valley Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 20, 1859; also, “Virginia Silver Mines,” Daily Alta California, October 25, 1859; “Political Bearings,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 26, 1859.
$5 to $600: “Big Stories from Carson Valley and Vicinity,” Daily Alta California, October 23, 1859.
foundries tooled up: “State Summary,” The California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences, November 11, 1859.
steamship Uncle Sam: “News of the Morning,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 21, 1859.
On Gold Hill, the miners: “The Washoe Diggings,” Sacramento Daily Union, September 13, 1859, reprinting from Butte Record; “The Washoe Country,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 25, 1859, reprinting from Mountain Messenger, October 22, 1859; “Letter from the Washoe Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 28, 1859; “The New Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 9, 1859; Grant Smith Collection, UCB, Box 1, Folder 1.
center of everybody’s obsession: Summary of sentiment in late 1859, additional sources: “The New Carson Valley Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 20, 1859; “The Washoe Country,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 25, 1859, reprinting from North San Juan Press; Henry de Groot, Sketches of the Washoe Silver Mines, p. 20.
“far richer than”: “Carson Valley Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 18, 1859.
“It is the universal”: “Letter from Virginia City, November 26,1859,” Daily Alta California, December 28, 1859, reprinted from Marysville Express.
tried a different approach: Tennessee letter to San Francisco Herald, October 22, 1859, including information from a recent issue of Territorial Enterprise, David Thompson, ed., The Tennessee Letter: From Carson Valley, 1857–1860, p. 91.
Mexican patio process “saved”: A detailed description of the “Mexican method” or “Patio Process” is found in James Napier, “The Mexican Method of Amalgamation,” Mining & Scientific Press, March 2, 1863, March 9, 1863, March 16, 1863, March 23, 1863, and March 30, 1863.
ten days to three months: G. Kustel, “Remarks on the Reduction of Silver Ores,” Daily Alta California, March 30, 1860.
“probably surpasses in richness”: “Letter from the Washoe Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 28, 1859.
Virginia city mining conditions in September, October, and early November: “The Washoe Diggings,” Sacramento Daily Union, September 13, 1859, reprinting from The Butte Record; “Interior Items,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 3, 1859; “Placer—The Courier,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 4, 1859; “The Washoe Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 7, 1859; “The Washoe Country,” Sacramento Daily Union, October 25, 1859, reprinting from The Mountain Messenger and The North San Juan Press; “The Carson Valley Discoveries,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 5, 1859; “The New Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 9, 1859; “From California,” New York Times, February 27, 1860.
“commanded little faith”: Hittell, Mining in the Pacific States of North America, p. 35.
bars of resultant bullion: Henry de Groot, “Comstock Papers No. 3,” Mining & Scientific Press, August 12, 1876; Lord, Comstock Mining and Miners p. 65. Both sources written years after the fact. I have not been able to locate a contemporary source describing the Alsop display.
Fraser River–related recession: San Francisco Call, April 17, 18
63, quoted in Grant Smith Collection, UCB, Box 1, Folder 16; “The Discovery of Silver Revives California,” p. 12; Joseph T. Goodman, “What We Owe Nevada,” San Francisco Chronicle, January 31, 1892.
“Washoe [was] all”: San Francisco Bulletin, December 1, 1859, transcribed in the Grant Smith Collection, UCB, Box 1, Folder: “Comstock Notes 1858–1863”; “Letter From Nevada,” Daily Alta California, December 2, 1859.
“without intermission”: “Late From Carson Valley,” Sacramento Daily Union, December 10, 1859, quoting Territorial Enterprise of December 3, 1859; foul weather in late November, “Matters in the Mountains,” San Francisco Bulletin, December 2, 1859, Grant Smith Collection, UCB, Box 1, Folder “Comstock Notes, 1858–1863”; “Letter From Nevada,” Daily Alta California, December 2, 1859; “Snow at Washoe,” Daily Alta California, December 7, 1859; Henry de Groot, “Comstock Papers No. 5,” Mining & Scientific Press, September 2, 1876.
Mackay excavated a dugout: “Early Days on the Comstock: How John W. Mackay and His Mates Roughed It in 1860,” New York Times, July 4, 1884, reprinting from Territorial Enterprise, June 25, 1884 (the article has Patrick S. Corbett in place of Kinney Said); Grant Smith Collection, UCB, Box 4, Folder 1, p. 37 (which includes Kinney Said as one of the original four companions).
renamed “Mount Davidson”: “From Carson to the Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 18, 1859. Donald Davidson bought most of the Ophir Company’s ore in San Francisco and also owned an interest in the mine.
“prospecting gentry”: “The New Silver Mines,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 10, 1859 (the second part of a two-part letter); also, “Letter from Carson City,” Daily Alta California, December 29, 1859.
the California Company struck: “From Carson Valley,” Sacramento Daily Union, November 29, 1859; “By Magnetic Telegraph,” Daily Alta California, December 12, 1859, quoting Territorial Enterprise of December 10, 1859; Henry de Groot, Sketches of the Washoe Silver Mines, p. 20.
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