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