THE BULLFROG AND IT'S ASSOCIATED MINING DISTRICTS:

CHAPTER I, TIMELINE

"As no man is an island", any attempt to study a single

mining district or area is sure to fail without looking at the

scope of events that effected and shaped that district. For as

a stone dropped into a pond will cause interrelated movement,

so did the various events that shaped the history of the Bullfrog

and it's associated mining districts, cities, towns, camps and

counties have a definite cause and effect relationship.

This timeline is provided to aid the reader in keeping

the events that shaped the destinies of these mining areas in

their proper correlation.

Prehistory:

Native American "Indian" Tribes, mostly Shoshone,

Paiute, Kawaiisu or their ancestors, the "Clovis

People", had been living in the region for about

eleven thousand years.

Late 1840'S:

Gold, silver and other mineral deposits were found

in this region by incoming American and European

immigrants.

1848:

Feb. 2, Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo between the United

States and Mexico transfered the area that would

later become Arizona, California, Nevada, New

Mexico, Utah and sections of Colorado and

Wyoming to the United States.

1856:

Jan. 8, Dr. John A. Veatch locates first known U.S. borax

deposit in a mineral spring east of Red Bluff, CA.

1859: Comstock mining boom begins.

1861:

Mar. 2, Territory of Nevada (N.T.) created.

Mar. 4, James W. Nye appointed as the first Territorial

Governor of Nevada.

1864:

Feb. 15, Nye County, Nevada Territory was created with Ione,

N.T. as it's county seat.
 
 
 
 

1864 (Cont.):

Oct. 31, Nevada became the 36th State.

Wildrose Spring Mining District formed.(District

was later renamed the "Wildrose Mining District)

1865:

Nov. 20, The Gold Mountain Mining District was formed.(This

area was later split to become the Hornsilver and

Tokap Mining Districts)

1866:

Feb. 20, Lincoln County created out of a eastern section

of Nye County. Pioche became the County Seat

of Lincoln County.

Feb. 25, The State of Nevada was enlarged to it's present

size.

Apr. Palmetto Mining District formed.

1867:

Feb. 6, The Nye County Seat was moved to Belmont, NV from

Ione, NV.

1871:

William Troup refines from samples taken near Salt

Wells, Churchill County, NV the first borax to be

produced in Nevada.

Jul. Alida Valley Mining District formed.(District

was later renamed the "Lida" Mining District)

Aug. 14, The "Cloride Cliff" Mine was located by August J.

Franklin, Eugene Lander and Hanson.

1872:

Francis Marion Smith, then a wood cutter with his

camp near Columbus Marsh, NV, locates borax at

Teels Marsh, NV. He and his brother, Julius,

establish their own borax company with financial

aid from William T. Coleman of San Francisco, CA.

1875:

Feb. Nye County was enlarged to it's present size.

1878: Comstock mining production begins to decline.(This

lead to a general decline in Nevada's mining

production and a loss of population)

Bland-Allison Silver Purchase Act passed.
 
 
 
 

1879:

Nov. Eugene Lander located the "Blue Monster" Mine on

what is presently known as Bare Mt. Lander and

his partners formed the "Bromide Mining District".

The ore was found in small pockets and was difficult

to work. This mine was worked until 1886 then

abandoned. While he was working on this mine Lander

started a small ranch on the Amargosa River located

near the present site of Beatty, NV.

1881:

Aaron Winters locates cottonball borax ("Ulexite")

on the floor of Death Valley. Winters sells the

deposits to William T. Coleman.

1882:

Sep. 22, William M. Stockton acquired Lander's Ranch after

Lander's death.

Oct. R. Neuschwander acting for Coleman's company locates

a new type of borax ("Colemanite") on the east

side of Death Valley.

1883:

Winter Hugh B. Stevens locates rich borax ("Colemanite")

deposits in the Calico Mountains.(These deposits

were purchased by William T. Coleman. Coleman

established a "company town" at Borate as a base

to work these deposits)(Calico Mining District)

Mid-1880's:

Laws were enacted to prohibit Chinese from working

in the mines.

1888:

May 7, William T. Coleman's empire goes bankrupt due to

overextended credit.

1890:

Sherman Silver Purchase Act passed.

Mar. 12, Francis M. Smith purchases borax holdings of bank-

rupt Coleman empire.(This included borax deposits

in the Calico Mountains at Borate, as well as in

the Amargosa Valley and Death Valley)

Sep. 5, Francis M. Smith incorporates the Pacific Coast Borax

Company.
 
 
 
 

1891:

Jan. George Montgomery located the "Chispa" Mine about

fifty miles south of the future Bullfrog Mining

district in what was to become the "Montgomery"

Mining District.

"Johnnie", a Native American "Indian", locates the

"Johnnie" Mine near the "Chispa" Mine.

1893:

Jun. 24, Los Vegas, NV Post Office opened on Steward's "Las

Vegas Ranch".

1896:

Montillion M. "Old Man" Beatty took possession of

the Lander Ranch after Stockton's death.

Jun. 11, F.M. Smith with English partners forms Pacific Borax

And Redwood's Chemical Works Ltd.(The Pacific Coast

Borax Company became a subsidiary of the new corporation

with Smith as its largest stockholder and American

Director)

1899:

Jan. 11, F.M. Smith, his partners along with some English and

French borax producers incorporate their holdings

to form Borax Consolidated Ltd.(Smith was the largest

stockholder and American Director)

Development began at "Lila C" Mine, Death Valley.

1900:

May 19, James L. Butler collects ore samples near the future

site of Tonopah, NV.

Aug. San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake (SP, LA & SL)

Railroad incorporated.

Aug. 27, Butler, his wife and associates, including Tasker

L. Oddie, locate claim(s) that began the mining

boom in what was to become the Tonopah Mining

District.

Nov. 6, Tasker L. Oddie elected as District Attorney of

Nye County to succeed James L. Butler.

1901:

Apr. 10, Butler, NV Post Office opened.(Tonopah Mining

District)

1902:

Sum. Senator William A. Clark purchases Mrs. Helen J.
 
 
 
 

1902 (Cont.)

Steward's "Las Vegas Ranch" and its water rights

for the SP, LA & SL Railroad.

Dec. 2, Gold was located by Harry Stimler and William Marsh

near what would become Goldfield, NV.(These pros-

pectors had been "grubstaked" by James L. Butler.

This began the first rush to what would become

the Goldfield Mining District)

Dec. 31, Tonopah Mining Stock Exchange opened.

1903:

Sep. 1, Tonopah Railroad reorganized, John Brock of

Philadelphia becomes President.(Tonopah Mining

District)

Oct. 20, Goldfield, NV named.(Goldfield Mining District)

Dec. 5, Goldfield, NV Post Office opened.(Goldfield

Mining District)

Dec. 9, Los Vegas, Lincoln Co., NV Post Office renamed

"Las Vegas".

1904:

Tasker L. Oddie became a Senator for Nye County in

the Nevada State Legislature.

George S. Nixon was elected as the U.S. Senator

from Nevada to replace William M. Stewart.

Apr. 4, "Keane Wonder" Mine located by Jack Keane & Domingo

Etcharren on the eastern edge of Death Valley.

(The area around this mine later became part of

the South Bullfrog Mining District)

Jul. 19, Tonopah & Tidewater (T & T) Railroad Company of

Francis M. Smith incorporated.(This company was

a subsidiary of Borax Consolidated Ltd.)

Jul. 23, Tonopah Railroad completed as a narrow-gauge Rail-

road.(Tonopah Mining District)

Aug. 9, Ernest "Ed" Cross and Frank "Shorty" Harris

find gold at what they name the "Bullfrog Mine".

Aug. 10, Cross and Harris "locate", officially stake

out the boundaries of their claim. Harris and

Cross tell others of their find. The Bullfrog

rush began.(Two camps were quickly formed, the

first Bullfrog Townsite, (directly below the original

Bullfrog Claim) and Amargosa (first called "Aurum"

or "Orion") about a quarter of a mile to the east.

Aug. Benny Hazeltine locates "Gold Bar" Mine.

Aug. 30, Bullfrog Mining District formed.

Sep./Oct. First businesses open in Bullfrog and Amargosa

Townsites.

Oct. 9, Goldfield Railroad incorporated.
 
 
 
 

1904 (Cont.)

Oct. 20, "McWilliamsville", an eighty acre townsite, was

officially located by J.T. McWilliams.(This first

Las Vegas Townsite was situated just west of the

"Las Vegas Ranch". It became a main supply point

for the new Bullfrog Mining District. This camp

was also referred to as "Las Vegas", "West Las Vegas",

"Westside" and "Rag Town")

Nov. Richard & Gus Lee locate the Hayseed & Stateline

Mines near what was to become Lee, CA.(These

mines were the beginning of the Lee Mining

District)

Nov. Bonanza Townsite established by Carl Stoddard.

Nov. Rhyolite Townsite staked out.(Most of the early

promotional work for this new townsite was done

by George Graham Rice of the L.M. Sullivan Trust

Company of Goldfield, NV.)

Nov. Lots were given free to miners by the Amargosa,

Bullfrog & Rhyolite Townsite Companies to promote

these rival townsites.

Dec. 3, Amargosa, NV Post Office opened. It's first Post-

master was George Ladd.

Dec. The Beatty and Gold Center Townsites were laid out.

1905:

Jan. Chet Leavitt and Moroni Hicks locate gold in what

was to become the Echo Mining District.

Jan. 15, Rhyolite Townsite Platted by Booker, Philbrick &

Fenner.

Jan. 19, Beatty, NV Post Office opened. It's first Post-

master was M.M. Beatty.(This was in spite of the

fact he could not read or write anything except

his own name)

Jan. 21, Gold Center, NV Post Office opened. Its first

Postmaster was M.K. Bennett.

Jan. 30, The San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad

(SP, LA & SL) of Senator William A. Clark was

completed.(Regular service was begun in May of

1905. This railroad is now part of the Union

Pacific (UP) Railroad)

Feb. 10, Amargosa, NV Townsite connected to Goldfield, NV

by telephone.(This was the first such line into

the Bullfrog Mining District)

Feb. 13, First mail delivery to Rhyolite Townsite.

Feb. 15, The First town lots were sold in the Rhyolite Townsite.

Feb. 15, L.P. McGarry succeeded George Ladd as Postmaster of

Amargosa, NV.

Feb. First Rhyolite Town Meeting was held.(The Rhyolite

School Committee and School Board were appointed

and given authority to act)
 
 
 
 

1905 (Cont.)

Feb. 25, William A. Clark of the SP, LA & SL Railroad had

a railroad survey done from Las Vegas, NV to

Butler, NV.(now Tonopah, NV)

Mar. Lee Mining District was formed with financial

backing from businessmen in the Bullfrog Mining

District.

Mar. Because of water supply problems, the original

Townsites of Amargosa and Bullfrog were set for

abandonment and a new Townsite named "Bullfrog"

was plotted about one mile south of the Rhyolite

Townsite.

Mar. Bonanza Townsite purchased by H.H. Clark of the

Amargosa Townsite Co.(Most of the Bonanza Town-

site became part of the new Bullfrog Townsite)

Mar. The original Bullfrog Townsite and Amargosa, NV

were abandoned by most of their residents in

favor of the new Bullfrog Townsite.

Mar. 3, Butler, NV Post Office in the Tonopah Mining

District renamed "Tonopah".

Mar. 21, The new Bullfrog Townsite became "official".

The Amargosa Post Office was moved to the new

Townsite and renamed "Bullfrog". L.P. McGarry

became the first Postmaster of Bullfrog, NV.

Mar. 31, The "Bullfrog Miner", a weekly newspaper located

at Bullfrog, NV printed it's first issue.

Apr. 8, The "Bullfrog Miner", a weekly newspaper located

at Beatty, NV began publication.(This newspaper's

name was changed on May 13, 1905 to the "Beatty

Bullfrog Miner")

Apr. Auto stages began operating to the Bullfrog Mining

District from Goldfield and "McWilliamsville".

Apr. The Montgomery Shoshone Mining Company was formed.

Apr. The Porter Brothers open their first store in the

Bullfrog Mining District at Beatty, NV.

Apr. 14, "Lida Enterprise" prints first issue.(Lida Mining

District)

May 1, Tonopah, NV became the Nye County Seat.(Tonopah

Mining District)

May Telephone service completed to Rhyolite, NV.

May The Gold Exchange Bank, Rhyolite, NV opened.

May 5, "Rhyolite Herald" began publication.

May 15, Lot auction for W.A. Clark's "Las Vegas" Townsite

held.

May 19, Rhyolite, NV Post Office opened. It's first

Postmaster was Mrs. Ann B. Moore.

May 29, T & T Railroad began grading operations from

Las Vegas, NV.

Jun. The Porter Brothers opened their Main St. Store in

Rhyolite, NV.

Jun. 12, Charles E. Bryson became Postmaster of Bullfrog,

NV.
 
 
 
 

1905 (Cont.)

Jun. 15, Thorp, NV Post Office opened.(Hornsilver Mining

District)

Jun. 26, The Indian Springs Water Company completed the first

water line to Rhyolite, NV.

Jul. 10, Jean Pierre "Pete" Aguereberry and Frank "Shorty" Harris

find gold in the old Wildrose Spring Mining District.

Jul. The Wild Rose Mining District was formed out of

the old Wildrose Spring Mining District.

Aug. 19, Francis M. Smith's T & T Railroad was denied a

connection to the SP, LA & SL Railroad at

Las Vegas, NV.(All T & T operations around Las

Vegas were halted)

Aug. Rhyolite School District was formed by the Nye

County Commissioners.

Aug. Miner's Union Hospital at Rhyolite, NV opened.

Aug. 15, Tonopah Railroad completes conversion to standard-

gauge.(Tonopah Mining District)

Aug. 30, Bullfrog Goldfield (BG) Railroad Company incorporated

with John Brock as President.

Sep. T & T Railroad work crews shifted to Ludlow, CA.

Sep. 5, Major fire at "McWilliamsville".(After this fire

of suspicious orgin, Clark's Las Vegas Townsite

became the only townsite at Las Vegas)

Sep. Goldfield Railroad completed to Tonopah, NV.(Tonopah

and Goldfield Mining Districts)

Sep. 22, Las Vegas & Tonopah (LV & T) Railroad Co. of

William A. & J. Ross Clark was incorporated.

Oct. LV & T Railroad purchased the T & T Railroad's

proposed Las Vegas Depot site and about nine

miles of completed roadbed in the area of "Buol's

Addition".

Oct. 2, Goldfield Mining Stock Exchange opened.

Oct. 25, The Montgomery Hotel at Beatty, NV had it's Grand

Opening.

Nov. 1, Tonopah Railroad combined with the Goldfield

Railroad to form the Tonopah & Goldfield (T & G)

Railroad.(Tonopah and Goldfield Mining Districts)

Nov. 19, T & T Railroad began laying track northward from

Ludlow, CA.

Nov. 29, Rhyolite Town Board of Trade was formed.

Dec. Gold Exchange Bank, Rhyolite, NV closed.

Dec. Nels Linn located marble claims on Bare Mountain.

1906:

Jan. John L. Ramsey & John L. "One-eye" Thompson find

gold in the Panamint Mountains west of Death

Valley.(Wild Rose Mining District)

Jan. Rhyolite, NV fire bell installed.
 
 
 
 

1906 (Cont.)

Jan. 4, LV & T Railroad began laying track towards the

Bullfrog Mining District from Las Vegas, NV.

Jan. 29, First School House at Rhyolite, NV opened.

Feb. The Montgomery Shoshone Mining Co. was sold to

Charles M. Schwab by E.A. Montgomery and Malcolm

MacDonald.(The company was renamed the Montgomery

Shoshone Consolidated Mining Company. Montgomery

then began to develop his holdings in the Wild

Rose Mining District)

Feb. E.A. Montgomery sold most of his Beatty, NV

holdings to Charles M. Schwab.

Feb. Greenwater, CA copper boom began in what was to

become the Greenwater Mining District.

Feb. "Palmetto Herald" began publication.(Palmetto Mining

District)

Mar. "Bullfrog Miner" moved from Bullfrog, NV to Rhyolite,

NV.

Mar. Francis M. Smith purchased 100,000 shares in the

"Yankee Girl" Mine near Rhyolite. He also purchases

stock in the West End Mining Company in the Tonopah

Mining District.

Mar. 24, M.M. Beatty sells ranch and resigns as Beatty, NV

Postmaster.

Apr. 14, "Transvaal Miner" printed it's first issue.

Apr. 18, San Francisco, CA major earthquake and fire.(Many

stock brokers and transfer companies lost their

records. The San Francisco Stock Exchange was

closed for over two months. Many Nevada and

California Banks closed for the same period. All

funds from this major source necessary for mining

investment and development are cut off)

Apr. The "Transvaal Tribune" began publication.

May 8, The BG Railroad began laying track from Goldfield,

NV toward the Bullfrog Mining District.

Spr. The Rhyolite Symphony Orchestra was formed.

Jun. 25, Bullfrog Hotel, Bullfrog, NV burned down.

Jul. "Hoveck" Post Office opened.(Wild Rose Mining

District)

Jul. "Palmetto Herald" closed.(Palmetto Mining District)

Jul. "Greenwater Miner" began publication.

Jul. 29, Greenwater Mining District formed.

Greenwater, CA and Furnace, CA Post Offices opened.

(Greenwater Mining District)

Aug. County Hospital, Rhyolite, NV opened.

Miner's Union Hall, Rhyolite, NV opened.

Sum. "Transvaal Miner" & "Transvaal Tribune" closed.

Sep. Gorrill Building, Rhyolite, NV opened.

Sep. 3, Gans-Nelson Championship Fight held at Goldfield,

NV.
 
 
 
 

1906 (Cont.)

Sep. 29, "Gold Center News" began publication.

Fall An Attempt to pass a bill in the Nevada State

legislature to form a "Bullfrog" County with

Rhyolite, NV as it's County Seat failed.

Oct. Charles M. Schwab sold Beatty, NV interests to

"Dr." William S. Phillips, an eastern promoter.

Oct. "Lida Enterprise" ceases publication.(Lida Mining

District)

Oct. 7, First LV & T Construction Train reached Gold Center,

NV.

Oct. 12, The First regular passenger train (LV & T) to

the Bullfrog Mining District reached Gold Center,

NV.(This train was then allowed to proceed to

Beatty, NV over the unfinished tracks)

Oct. 18, First regular passenger train (LV & T) to Beatty, NV.

Oct. 22-23, First Railroad Days Celebration, Beatty, NV.

Oct. 26, "Greenwater Times" began publication.(Greenwater

Mining District)

Oct.-Dec. Beatty, NV and Gold Center, NV serve as railheads

for Rhyolite, NV.

Nov. Town Plat for "Skidoo", CA was filed by E.A. Montgomery.

(Wild Rose Mining District)

Nov. Porter Brothers open Golden St., Rhyolite, NV Store.

Dec. "Greenwater Miner" prints first issue.(Greenwater

Mining District)

Dec. 15, First regular passenger train (LV & T) reached

Rhyolite, NV.

Dec. LV & T Freight Yards at Rhyolite, NV opened.

Dec. 21, "Skidoo News" began publication.(Wild Rose Mining

District)

Dec. 25, St. Mary's Catholic Church, Rhyolite, NV was

Dedicated.

1907:

Jan. 1, The "Death Valley Chuck-Walla" published it's first

issue. (Greenwater Mining District)

Jan. 5, L.M. Sullivan Trust Co. of Goldfield, NV forced into

bankruptcy.(The decline in value of Goldfield

Mining District stocks began about this time.

The decline of the Goldfield mining stocks adversely

affected the value and credibility of other Nevada

mining stocks)

Jan. 15, The Greenwater Brokerage Co. prints the first issue

of "Copper Talk".(Greenwater Mining District)

E.A. "Bob" Montgomery incorporated his Skidoo Mines

Company.(Wild Rose Mining District)

Jan. Ernest L. "Ed" Cross sold his share of the original

Bullfrog Mine.(He moved to near Escondido, CA

where he purchased a ranch)

Jan. Schwab, CA Post Office opened.(Echo Mining District)
 
 
 
 

1907 (Cont.)

Jan. Rhyolite, NV became the fourth largest city in

the State of Nevada with a reported population

of 6000 residents.

Jan. "Gold Center News" ceases publication.

Feb. Hayseed Mining Co. formed by Rhyolite promoters.

(Lee Mining District)

Feb. 19, Springdale, NV Post Office opened, with A.L. Lidwell

as it's first Postmaster.

Mar. Rhyolite, NV Post Office became the seventh largest

post office by volume in the State of Nevada.

Mar. Rhyolite, NV Jail opened.

Mar. LV & T Railroad completed it's spur track to the

Montgomery Shoshone Mine.

Mar. Lee, CA Post Office opened.(Lee Mining District)

Mar. Furnace, CA Post Office closed.(Greenwater Mining

District)

Mar. 12, Nevada's Corporation Act passed to help curb "Wild

Cat" speculators and promoters.

Mar. 21, First regular through Pullman service from Los

Angeles, CA via the (SP, LA & SL) & (LV & T)

Railroads to the Bullfrog Mining District.

Mar. 25, Rhyolite Mining Stock Exchange opened.

Mar. 29, Nevada's State Industrial and Publicity Commission

established.

Apr. 1, Hoveck Post Office renamed "Skidoo".(Wild Rose

Mining District)

Apr. 25, First Bullfrog Goldfield (BG) Train to reach

the central Bullfrog Mining District entered

Beatty, NV.(The golden spike was driven by

M.M. Beatty)

Apr. 25, The Rhyolite, NV Business District was illuminated

with electric lights for the first time.

May 1, County Seat of Esmeralda County moved from Hawthorne,

NV to Goldfield, NV.(Goldfield Mining District)

May Rhyolite, NV Opera House had it's grand opening.

May 20, Gold Bar, NV Post Office opened. David Coleman

was it's first Postmaster.

Spr. LV & T built spur line to Bonnie Clare Mill.(Horn-

silver Mining District)

Jun. "Lila C" Mine, Death Valley began production.

Jun. John T. Overbury Building, Rhyolite, NV opened.

Jun. "Dr." William S. Phillips promotes Beatty, NV, as

the "Chicago of the West". Phillips sells many

town lots at inflated prices then skips town with

the proceeds.

Jun. 2, First National Bank of Rhyolite, NV opened after

absorbing the Nevada Bank & Trust Co. of Bull-

frog, NV.

Jun. 18, First regular BG Train service to Rhyolite, NV.

Jun. 22, Major fire destroyed an entire city block at Greenwater,

CA.(Greenwater Mining District)
 
 
 
 

1907 (Cont.)

Sum. Schwab, CA Post Office closed.(Echo Mining District)

Aug. "Greenwater Times" closed.(Greenwater Mining District)

Aug. 16, T & T Railroad begins shipping borax ore from the

Pacific Coast Borax Company's "Lila C" Mine.(Both

companies were subsidiaries of Borax Consolidated

Ltd. of London, Eng.)

Sep. 7, The "Rhyolite Daily Bulletin" began publication.

Sep. 23, $20,000 school bond passed for the second Rhyolite,

NV School House.

Fall The First Presbyterian Church of Rhyolite, NV was

dedicated.

Oct. 15, "Lee Herald" began operation.(Lee Mining District)

Oct. 17, F. Augustus Heinze Investment Co. of New York failed.

Oct. 23, The Knickerbocker Trust Co. of New York closed

it's doors.(The Financial Panic of 1907 began)

Oct. 24, Thomas B. Rickey's State Bank & Trust Co. closed,

the Nye & Ormsby County Bank failed shortly there-

after.(Over six million dollars was lost by the

investors and depositors of these banks)

Oct. 24, Nevada Governor John Sparks declared three day "Bank

Holiday" to halt the run on the banks.

Oct. 26, LV & T completed it's tracks to Goldfield, NV, the

first LV & T Passenger Train entered Goldfield

from the Bullfrog Mining District.(The LV & T

built its own mainline to Goldfield because

F.M. Smith had leased the BG Railroad for the

use of the T & T Railroad)

Oct. The Pacific Coast Borax Company began to close out

it's Calico Mining District holdings and move its

equipment over the T & T Railroad via Death Valley

Junction to (Old) Ryan at the "Lila C" Mine.

Oct. 30, First Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad Train into

the central Bullfrog Mining District reached Gold

Center, NV. Due to severe reservations on the part

of its English board of directors, the T & T made Gold

Center its northern terminus. The T & T would access

all points north of Gold Center via BG Tracks.

Nov. The "Death Valley Prospector", an illustrated

monthly magazine, began publication.

Nov. 25, First through merchandise car service from Goldfield,

NV to Los Angeles, CA via the (BG), (T & T) and

(ATSF) Railroads.

Dec. 5, T & T Railroad began through Pullman service from

the Bullfrog Mining District to Los Angeles, CA

via it's connection with the (ATSF).
 
 
 
 

1908:

"Dr." William S. Phillips receives 3 year sentence

for Mail Fraud.

Greenwater, CA Post Office closed.(Greenwater

Mining District)

Jan. The "Death Valley Prospector" changed it's name

to the "Death Valley Magazine".

Jan. The three story concrete and stone J.S. Cook & Co.

Building, Rhyolite, NV opened.

Mar. 21, First car in the New York to Paris Automobile

Race, a Thomas Flyer, reached Rhyolite, NV.

Apr. "Greenwater Miner" closed.(Greenwater Mining

District)

May Retired Senator William M. Stewart left the Bullfrog

District and returned to Washington D.C.

May 1, First issue of "Hornsilver Herald" printed.(Hornsilver

Mining District)

May 16, Hornsilver, NV Post Office opened.(Hornsilver

Mining District)

May 26, Fluorine, NV Post Office opened.(Fluorine Mining

District)

Spr. The second Rhyolite school house, a two story concrete

building, opened.

Jun. Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad Depot, Rhyolite,

NV was completed and opened.

Jun. 15, T & T took over operational control of the BG.

Jul. 19, T & T began through train operations from Ludlow,

CA to Goldfield, NV.

Aug. LV & T's Company restaurant at Beatty, NV burned

down.

Aug. A fire on Amargosa St., Rhyolite, NV destroyed six

cribs, a dance hall and a parlor house worth

about $40,000.

Aug. "Skidoo News" closed.(Wild Rose Mining District)

Oct. 8, The "Death Valley Magazine" closed.

Nov. 1, J.R. Bryan's opening of a rich ore vein in the

Bi-Metallic #3 near Pioneer, NV caused a new

rush to that section of the Bullfrog Mining

District.

Nov. Clay Tallman, a Rhyolite Attorney, was elected to

the Nevada State Senate.

Dec. 14, M.M. Beatty died after falling off a wagon near

Bare Mountain the previous day.

1909:

The Montgomery Hotel, Beatty NV was moved to Pioneer,

NV and renamed the "Holland House".

Feb. 17, "Pioneer Topics" began publication.

Feb. 18, "Pioneer Press" printed first issue.

Feb. First issue of the "Pioneer Market Letter" was

printed.

Mar. 2, Pioneer, NV Post Office opened.
 
 
 
 

1909 (Cont.)

Mar. Patrick "Patsy" Clark halted work on his last Greenwater

mine at 800 feet.(Greenwater Mining District)

Apr. 15, Nevada's "Anti-Wildcat" Law enacted.

Apr. 23, Retired Senator Steward died in Washington D.C.

Spr. Bullfrog Bank & Trust Co., Rhyolite, NV closed.

May 7, Major fire at Pioneer, NV caused $80,000 in damages.

(The Holland House was one of the structures burned)

May 15, Bullfrog, NV Post Office closed.

Jun. 8, "Rhyolite Daily Bulletin" ceased publication.

Sum. "Lee Herald" closed.(Lee Mining District)

Jul. 1, Clark County formed out of the southern section

of Lincoln County.(Las Vegas became the County

Seat of the newly formed county)

Jul. 4, The "Pioneer Daily Times" began publication.

Jul. "Beatty Bullfrog Miner" ceased publication.

Jul. 13, Thorp, NV Post Office renamed "Bonnie Clare".(Hornsilver

Mining District)

Jul. 15, Fluorine, NV (Fluorine Mining District) and Gold Bar,

NV Post Offices closed.

Jul. 24, The Bullfrog Pioneer Leasing & Milling Company stopped

by injunction from paying the only dividend to be

declared within the Bullfrog Mining District.(This

and additional litigation effectively closed down

mining operations in the area around Pioneer, NV

until 1912)

Sep. 1, Charles M. Schwab stops work on his Greenwater Copper

Queen Mine at 1404 feet.(This marked the end of

mining operations in the Greenwater Mining District)

Sep. "Hornsilver Herald" ceased operations.(Hornsilver

Mining District)

Sep. 25, "Bullfrog Miner" closed.

Fall Ralph J. "Dad" Fairbanks moved remaining Greenwater

Mining District buildings to Shoshone, CA.

Fall The "Pioneer Daily Times", "Pioneer Press", "Pioneer

Topics" and "Pioneer Market Letter" cease publication.

Fall An attempt in the Nevada State Legislature to form

a "Bullfrog County" with Rhyolite, NV as its County

Seat failed.

1910:

Jan. 23, LV & T discontinued Pullman Sleeper Car service.

Mar. 21, First National Bank of Rhyolite, NV closed.

May 14, Porter Brothers close stores in Bullfrog Mining

District.

Sep. Patrick "Patsy" Clark and Charles M. Schwab let

their Greenwater properties go to Inyo Co., CA for

back taxes of $21.36.(Greenwater Mining District)

Nov. 30, Gold Center, NV Post Office closed.

Nevada Legislature enacted anti-gambling laws.

Dec. 31, J.S. Cook & Co. Building closed.
 
 
 
 

1911:

Tasker L. Oddie became the 12th Governor of the

State of Nevada.

Miner's Union Hospital, Rhyolite, NV sold and

moved to Las Vegas, NV.

Mar. 14, Montgomery Shoshone Mine closed.(Mine had produced

almost $1.5 million)

Nov. 23, Leeland, NV Post Office opened.(Lee Mining District)

1912:

Keane Wonder Mine Post Office opened.(South Bullfrog

Mining District)

Jan. 15, Springdale, NV Post Office closed.

Apr. 15, J. Ross Clark, President of the LV & T, lost his

son in the RMS Titanic disaster.

Jun. 5, U.S. Senator George S. Nixon died. Key Pittman

was elected to complete Nixon's term.

Jun. 22, The "Rhyolite Herald" closed.

The American Carrara Marble Co. was formed.

Carrara Mining District formed.

Lee, CA Post Office closed.(Lee Mining District)

1913:

First Nevada automobile licenses issued.

May Buildings from Beatty & Rhyolite moved to Carrara

Townsite.

May 5, Due to overextended credit, Francis M. "Borax" Smith

signed over his assets to trustees.(Due to British

Laws regarding bankruptcy, Smith had to resign his

positions within Borax Consolidated Ltd. He did

so on July 17, 1914. This corporation which had been

largely owned and jointly controlled by an American

(Smith), then became a British owned and operated

corporation)

May 8, Carrara Townsite Day.(Carrara Mining District)

May 8, The "Carrara Obelisk" began publication.(Carrara

Mining District)

May 24, Carrara, NV Post Office opened. Carrara's first

Postmaster was Fred Bovberg.(Carrara Mining

District)

Jul. 9, Peter A. Busch dies of dehydration after his car

broke down in Death Valley.

Fall The Nevada Legislature passed Resolution 1, which

amended Article 21 of the Nevada State Constitution,

thereby granting women statewide suffrage.

1914:

Apr. The "Carrara Pacific", a three mile long Lidger-
 
 
 
 
 
 

1914 (Cont.)

Wood Cable Tram System from the American Carrara

Marble Co. Quarry on Bare Mountain to the LV & T

Railroad Tracks at the Carrara, NV Townsite was

completed.(Carrara Mining District)

Apr. 7, First shipment of marble from American Carrara

Marble Co. Quarry, Carrara, NV.(Carrara Mining

District)

Spr. Keane Wonder Mine Post Office closed.(South Bullfrog

Mining District)

Pacific Coast Borax Company closes out it's operations

at the "Lila C" Mine and (Old) Ryan.(It's operations

were moved to (New) Ryan a few miles away)

Jul. 1, LV & T took over operational control of the BG.

(The LV & T and the BG combined the best sections

of their tracks from Gold Center, NV to Goldfield,

NV under the BG Railroad Co. name. The remaining

sections of their Gold Center to Goldfield tracks

were then abandoned)

Jul. 1, The last LV & T Train left Rhyolite, NV.(Train service

to Rhyolite was maintained by BG "Stub Trains" via

Beatty, NV)

Jul. 31, BG Trains to Rhyolite are reduced to a Tuesday

and Friday only, schedule.

Aug. 1, World War I began.

Nov. 14, Leeland, NV Post Office closed.(Lee Mining District)

1916:

Keane Wonder Mine closed. Mine had produced almost

$1 million in gold.(South Bullfrog Mining District)

Dec. Nevada-California Power Company closed it's "Rhyolite

Division" (Palmetto to Rhyolite).

Dec. "Carrara Obelisk" closed.(Carrara Mining District)

Dec. 30, BG regular train service to Rhyolite, NV was dis-

continued.

1917:

Feb. 1, LV & T daily service to Beatty, NV from Las Vegas,

NV changed to a tri-weekly schedule.

Bill Kennedy located "Daisy" Mine.

Apr. 6, The United States of America declared war on Germany.

Sep. Skidoo Mine Company & Mine closed.(Wild Rose Mining

District)

Sep. Skidoo, CA Post Office closed.(Wild Rose Mining

District)
 
 
 
 

1917 (Cont.):

Dec. 26, United States Railroad Administration took over

control of all U.S. Railroads.

1918:

Mar. LV & T removed from U.S. Railroad Administration

control because it was "not considered essential

or necessary to the uses of the government".

LV & T was denied the use of the SP, LA & SL Railroad

repair shops at Las Vegas, NV by order of the

U.S. Railroad Administration Regional Director

located at San Francisco, CA.(This left the

LV & T without the means to repair any of it's

equipment)

Apr. 23, Pittman Silver Purchase Act signed into law by

President Wilson.

Aug. 17, Last BG special freight train left Rhyolite, NV.

Sep. T & T assumed operational control of BG.

Oct. 3, Last BG work train departed Rhyolite, NV.

Oct. 31, Las Vegas & Tonopah (LV & T) Railroad Co. ceased

operations.

Nov. 11, World War I ended.

1919:

Spr. LV & T Tracks taken up.

Sep. 15, Rhyolite, NV Post Office closed.

Fall American Carrara Marble Company and Quarry closed.

(Carrara Mining District)

Fall Nevada Department of Highways designated part of

the old LV & T right-of-way from Beatty, NV to

Las Vegas, NV as part of the state highway system.

(U.S. Route 95 from Beatty, NV to Las Vegas, NV now

follows most of what was the old LV & T roadbed.)

1920:

Tasker L. Oddie elected U.S. Senator from the

State of Nevada.

St. Mary's Catholic Church, Rhyolite, NV was moved

to (New) Ryan, CA where it became the camp's re-

creation hall and movie theater.

Feb. 7, Nevada State Legislature passed the 19th Amendment

to the United States Bill of Rights granting

woman's suffrage.

Pacific Coast Borax Company reopened "Lila C" Mine

after a new borax deposit was located.

Sep. 20, T & T acquired majority of BG Railroad Company Stock

from W.A. Clark's Estate.
 
 
 
 

1923:

"The man who started Nevada's Twentieth Century

Mining Boom", James L. Butler, rancher, lawyer,

prospector and businessman, died.

Pittman Silver Purchase Act subsidy ended.

1924:

Original Bullfrog Mine briefly reopened by leasors.

Sep. 15, Carrara, NV Post Office closed.(Carrara Mining

District)

Mid-1920's:

Laws prohibiting children under 18 years of age

from working underground were enacted.

1926:

William J. Tobin sold Pioneer Mine to J. Ruben Bryan.

Mar. C.C. Julian began his promotion of the Western Lead

Mines Company and its associated holdings at Leadfield,

CA.

The Leadfield Mining District was formed.

Mar. "Leadfield Chronicle" printed first issue.(Lead-

field Mining District)

May 27, Western Lead Mines Company and its assocated stocks

were removed by order of the State of California

from the Los Angeles Stock Exchange.(Leadfield

Mining District)

Aug. Leadfield, CA Post Office opened.(Leadfield Mining

District)

1927:

Jan. Leadfield, CA Post Office closed.(Leadfield Mining

District)

T & T Railroad built spur to Carrara, NV.(Carrara

Mining District)

Oct. Borax Consolidated Ltd., which controlled the T & T

Railroad, closed it's Death Valley area mines.

1928:

Jan. 7, Last BG Train from Goldfield, NV to Beatty, NV.(The

Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad ceased operations

the same day)

May Bull Moose Mine leased by G. Ray Boggs.(Mine was

renamed the "Gold Ace" by Boggs. The Gold Ace

Mining Company was formed.(Carrara Mining District)
 
 
 
 

1929:

Apr. Arista Mining Company formed. Arista, NV Townsite

laid out one mile north of old Carrara, NV Townsite.

(Carrara Mining District)

May Pocket of high quality ore struck in Gold Ace Mine.

(Carrara Mining District)

Jun. 16, The "Carrara Miner" opened.(Carrara Mining District)

Jun. 22, "Barbeque Day" Promotion held at Arista Townsite.

(Carrara Mining District)

Jul. "Carrara Miner" closed after a total of 10,000

promotional issues were printed.

Sep. Ore pinched out in Gold Ace, mine closed.(Carrara

Mining District)

Oct. 24, "Black Thursday", the New York Stock Market Crash.

Nov. Mining operations around Gold Ace Mine in the Bare

Mountain area closed out.(Carrara Mining District)

1931:

Jan. 26, Pioneer, NV Post Office closed.

Fred Kuenzel attempts to reopen Gold Ace Mine

using a self-designed oven to separate the ore.

(Kuenzel renamed Arista, "Hollywood" to attract

tourist trade. Both mine and "Hollywood" failed)

Nevada legalizes gambling.

Aug. 27, Francis Marion "Borax" Smith, prospector, founder

of the Pacific Coast Borax Company, mine owner,

railroad and transporation system builder, civil

philanthropist and entrepreneur died at Fabiola

Hospital, Oakland, CA.

Dec. 3, Bonnie Clare, NV Post Office closed.(Hornsilver

Mining District)

1932:

T & T removed Carrara, NV spur track.

George Wingfield's banking empire fails.

Oct. 16, Hornsilver, NV Post Office renamed "Gold Point".

(Hornsilver Mining District)

1933:

Pat McCarran, formally of the Tonopah-Goldfield

area during their boom years, was elected U.S.

Senator for Nevada.(He succeeded Tasker L. Oddie)

Jun. 5, United States went off the gold standard.

Pacific Coast Borax Company began its "Death

Valley Days" radio program.

C.C. Julian flees to Shanghai, China to avoid

prosecution.
 
 
 
 

1934:

Jun. 6, Federal Securities and Exchange Commission formed.

Nov. 10, Frank "Shorty" Harris died at Lone Pine, CA. He

was buried, at his own request, next to a former

friend of his, James Dayton, on the floor of Death

Valley. His epitaph reads, "Here lies Shorty

Harris, a single blanket, jackass prospector".

In debt, C.C. Julian committed suicide in Shanghai,

China.

Late 1930's:

Elizalde Cement Company abandoned.(Carrara Mining

District)

1940:

Jun. 14, Tonopah & Tidewater (T & T) Railroad ceased operations.

(This ended all railroad service to the Bullfrog

Mining District)

Nov. 10, U.S. Senator Key Pittman of Nevada died five days

after being elected to his fifth consecutive term.

1942:

Jul. 18, Sharp & Fellows, contractors, began removing the

T & T's tracks from Beatty, NV to Ludlow, CA.

1943:

Jul. 25, The last of the T & T's rails were removed.

1944:

The Pacific Coast Borax Company's "Death Valley

Days" premiered on television.

1945:

Nov. 21, Jean Pierre "Pete" Aguereberry died at Tecopa Hot

Springs, CA.(He was buried in the Mount Whitney

Cemetery at Lone Pine, CA)

1946: Pacific Coast Borax Company of Nevada, a subsidiary

of Borax Consolidated Ltd. became the Pacific

Coast Borax Company, a division of Borax Consolidated

Ltd. of London, England.

1947:

Apr. 25, "Beatty Bulletin" supplement to "Goldfield News"

began.

Oct. 15, Tonopah & Goldfield (T & G) Railroad ceased operations.
 
 
 
 

1950:

Feb. 17, Tasker L. Oddie died, the former lawyer, prospector,

mine owner, U.S. Senator and Governor of Nevada was

buried at Carson City, NV.

1953:

"Shoshone Johnnie", locator of the "Montgomery

Shoshone" Mine died at his home village near

Death Valley.

1955:

Aug. 15, Ernest Alexander "Bob" Montgomery died at Clovis,

New Mexico while developing a new mining

operation.

1956:

May 31, United States Borax & Chemical Corporation formed.

Dec. 28, "Beatty Bulletin" supplement dropped.

1958:

Ernest L. Cross, co-discoverer of the Bullfrog

Mining District dies at his ranch in San Diego

County.

1968:

Jan. 12, Gold Point, NV Post Office closed.(Hornsilver

Mining District)

1987:

The Nevada State Legislature designated an 144 square

mile section of Southern Nye County near the proposed

nuclear waste depository at Yucca Mt., southeast of

Beatty, NV, as Bullfrog County. In late 1987, this

action was declared unconstitutional.

1989:

"Daisy" Mine Group closed.

Large scale strip mining operations began near Beatty,

NV.

1998:

Strip mining operations closed near Beatty, NV.

Has the Bullfrog croaked his last?

Maybe?...

Maybe not?...

Only time will tell...
 
 
 
 

Courtesy Alan Baltazar