 Over
a century of mining...
As the story goes, Jim Butler was camping around Tonopah Springs,
the spring of 1900 when his burro wandered off. While chasing it,
Jim picked up a rock to throw at it & discovered some promising
looking ore. He continued his journey and showed the samples to
others, who showed little interest. After returning to his home in
Belmont, Butler told a young attorney named Tasker Oddie about his
discovery. Tasker had a friend who taught chemistry in Austin, and
he enlisted the teacher's help in assaying the sample. The ore
valued at over $200 a ton. Jim's wife, Belle urged him to travel
once again to the site of the original find and filed eight claims
and removed several tons of ore. For a one quarter share, Wilse
Brougher hauled the ore by horse and wagon to Austin, then by rail
to Salt Lake City for smelting.
That first shipment netted the partners $500.00, which was used to
buy equipment needed for further development. As venture capital was
difficult to obtain, Jim, Belle and their partners implemented the
unusual concept of mine claim leasing by the foot. These leases,
which were sealed by a handshake, gave the lessor 75% of all profits
from his claim and greatly speeded the development of the district.
Many of the miners got rich under this arrangement. The practice
then quickly spread to other mining districts.
The Butlers eventually sold their interests in the properties to a
Philadelphia financier, who formed the Tonopah Mining Co. The assets
of this new company exceeded one million dollars. Tasker Oddie
subsequently formed the Tonopah Belmont Development Company with
production between the two totaling more than half of the precious
metals from the mining district.
History tells us that the mines in this district produced in excess
of five million tons of ore. At today's market the precious metals
produced would be valued in excess of $1,200,000,000.
And
there were no taxes!
For more information please contact:
Tonopah Historic Mining Park
P.O. Box 965
Tonopah, Nevada 89049-0965
(775) 482-9274
The Tonopah Historic Mining Park is a
non-profit organization
History of the Tonopah Historic Mining Park
Become a Member of the Tonopah Historic Mining Park
Nevada State Mining Championships Page
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