Lincoln County
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The earliest maps of the American common schools displayed the great region embraced between the Rocky Mountains and a narrow coast line on the Pacific as "unexplored," and as they are traced down to later times a few lines are evolved, among the first of which is one designated "The Spanish Trail." This leads by a winding course from Santa Fe, in Nuevo Mejico, to El Pueblo de Los Angeles, in Alta California, and by the trail are marked Rio Virgen and Las Vegas. Spanish history records that between the years 1527 and 1537 a party of four persons, the survivors of 100, under the leadership of Count Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, crossed from the Florida Coast to the Pacific, via Santa Fe, consuming ten years in the journey. Whether they passed over the Spanish Trail or not is not related, but for many years this route was traveled by the Spanish, as well as American trappers, stock-dealers and explorers. This southern extreme of the State, therefore, if now the last developed, has the honor of being the first to witness the people of civilization, and to have its features delineated on the maps. But with the mythical past we will leave this ancient history.
The first white people in our modern period who
traversed the region now embraced in Lincoln County, were Mormons from
Salt Lake. As early as 1849 a company, in quest of a shorter route into
southern California, crossed the lower part of this county through the
then unknown desert. They wandered about over this dreary, desolate
waste of land for several weeks in search of water and forage for their
animals, and finally perished of thirst and hunger in Death Valley. In
the winter of 1865-66 the tire and other irons from the wagons supposed
to have belonged to them were found and brought to Pahranagat, and used
by the miners there. In 1852 the Mormons obtained the contract for
carrying the mail over the route which Congress had that year
established from Salt Lake to San Bernardino. A station was established
at Las Vegas, and Brigham Young located a settlement at that point,
partly for protection to the route, and partly for smelting lead from
the Potosi mines near by. The Mormons occupied this place till the time
of the Mountain Meadow massacre in 1857, after which they sold out to
parties from El Dorado Canon, and returned to Utah. However, as Montana
and Utah received their early spring supplies from southern California,
this route to Los Angeles was used for commercial purposes about five
months in the year, till the completion of the Central Pacific Railroad.
In 1858, while the United States troops under Colonel Johnston,
were encamped at Ham's Fork, Brigham Young started up several
exploration parties from the southern Mormon settlements, with
instructions to search out certain places farther to the north, where
the "saints" might find a safe retreat in case of necessity. One of
these parties followed the emigrant route and encamped in Meadow Valley.
While there they broke up the ground and planted several acres in grain.
They constructed irrigating ditches, made some other improvements, and
then returned to their old settlements, leaving the crop in charge of
the Indians. Brigham Young having become satisfied that the United
States troops were there to enforce the laws, and that the new Federal
Judges proposed to act only through courts of law, withdrew the brethren
from Meadow Valley, and abandoned for the time being the further
exploration of this part of the country. However, in 1863, the Mormons
at St. George sent out small colonies to occupy this valley, as well as
Eagle and Spring valleys, as herding grounds.
It was in the winter of 1863-64,
when the Indians were cold and hungry, that an Indian went to Wm.
Hamlin, at Meadow Valley, and offered to show him mines for a
consideration. In this way the famous Panaca Ledge was found. Hamlin,
although he had worked in placer diggings years before, knew nothing
about silver ores, so he went to Salt Lake City with his specimens and
showed them to Governor Reed. They were examined and approved by General
Connor and others, and then expeditions were fitted out and sent to the
Meadow Valley mines. The first, headed by J. M. Vandermark and Stephen
Sherwood, reached the mines in April, 1864, and after making some
locations proceeded to form "Meadow Valley Mining District." Up to this
time Brigham Young had resisted all attempts to prospect in Utah for the
precious metals, and generally with success. This time, however, he and
the Mormons were taken by surprise, and in order to get the balance of
power in the district they suddenly turned miners, and Erastus Snow, the
Mormon High Priest of southern Utah, came from St. George, accompanied
by a host of "saints," and proceeded immediately upon their arrival to
locate the country. As Sherwood, who was the Recorder of the District,
had returned to Salt Lake, taking with him the records, Snow formed a
new mining district, and the second expedition, under C. W. Wandell,
having arrived, they united with each other in locating mines and making
laws for the new district. Snow and his party made their locations in
square lots, so as to cover as much ground as possible, and thus crowd
out the Gentiles. They left their records in the district and returned
home. When Sherwood returned to the mines with the original records, a
question was raised as to the legality of the "square locations," and
they were finally declared irregular, and were dropped. In due time the
third party, composed of soldiers from Camp Douglas, arrived and made
their locations. Some work was done on the Panaca and Mammoth locations,
but at that time there could be no profitable mining in this district
for various reasons. The fear of the Mormons, who were opposed to mining
and might at any time create another "Mountain Meadow" affair in this
district, was the chief. The district was however never entirely
abandoned, as a few bona fide claim holders were always in that region
till the organization of the now district, although they probably had no
idea of the true value of the mines at that time.
In 1865
exploring parties went into the Pahranagat Valley, and, finding what
they supposed to be valuable mines, Eastern capitalists were induced to
invest largely in them. The surface show of rich ores was well
calculated to mislead even experienced miners, and in less than a year's
time the Pahranagat Mining District was organized and hundreds of
locations made. In the fall Wm. H. Raymond made his appearance, and
after looking over the mines, located and purchased about 1,000,000 feet
of ground. The district at that time was thought to be a paying one. It
was believed that a large population would be at once attracted there,
and that a great amount of business would be done, requiring county seat
facilities. Steps were therefore at once taken towards the organization
of a new county.
The county
of Lincoln was created by a Legislative Act approved February 26, 1866,
and its boundaries were fixed as follows: —
Beginning at the
intersection of the thirty-ninth degree of longitude west from
Washington with the thirty-eighth parallel of north latitude; thence
east to the State line; thence south to the southerly State boundary
line; thence along said line to its intersection with the thirty-ninth
degree of longitude; thence along that line to the place of beginning.
It was also provided that any addition which may be made to the
State on the east, south of the thirty-eighth parallel of north
latitude; and any addition which may be made on the south, east of the
thirty-ninth degree of longitude west from Washington, shall become a
portion of Lincoln County, By an Act approved March 18, 1867, along the
entire western boundary of the county a strip about ten miles in width
was ceded to Nye. By an Act approved February 20, 1875, a considerable
portion of Nye was added to Lincoln on the north, consisting of a tract
about forty-six miles north and south, and about fifty-four miles east
and west, lying along the western boundary of Utah. By the provisions of
the firstnamed Act Crystal Springs was made the county seat.
Early in the spring of 1866, Governor Blasdel left Carson City,
accompanied by numerous friends, with the view of organizing the new
county. The party in endeavoring to reach Pahranagat by a route
diflerent from the ordinary one, journeyed by way of Death Valley,
California. They crossed the valley without serious difficulty, but
after passing Ash Meadows, found themselves reduced to very short
allowances of food and water. Realizing the perils of the situation, the
Governor and State Geologist White, hastened on to Logan, where they
loaded a wagon with supplies, and dispatched it under guard to their
suffering friends. The latter were met at Summit Spring. For several
days they had been subsisting on lizards, one man of the party had died,
and all were more or less exhausted with unusual hardships. Contrary to
the Governor's expectations, the county lacked the number of legal
voters necessary to fill the legislative requirements, and its
organization was postponed for one year.
By the provisions of
the Act of March 18, 1867, the county seat was changed to Hiko; H. H.
Day, Charles Wilson, and .M. Fuller, were appointed County
Commissioners. The county was constituted the Ninth Judicial District,
and its legislative representation was fixed at one Senator and one
Member of the Assembly. On February 21, 1871, an Act was approved
providing for an election concerning the removal of the county seat from
Hiko to any other point the citizens of the county might prefer.
On February 24, 1871, an Act was approved making Pioche the seat of
Lincoln County for three months, and providing for the immediate removal
of the public archives to that point. On April 22d following, the county
seat election took place, and Pioche received a majority of 168 votes
over the town of Hiko, and became and has since remained the county
seat.
On the sixteenth of April, 1867, Messrs. Day, Wilson, and
Fuller, met at Logan Springs, took the required oath and legally
constituted themselves a Board of County Commissioners, electing H. H.
Day their Chairman. The Board then adjourned to meet at Hiko on April
22d. John D. Gorin acted as Clerk. In accordance with the Act approved
on the eighteenth of March preceding, the Commissioners, as soon as
practicable, selected and appointed the first county officers. At a
meeting of the Commissioners held April 6, 1868, the first school
district was organized. This district was three miles long and one mile
wide, and included the town of Hiko. In October of this year the whole
county was divided into school districts, and Trustees of each were
appointed.
The first
Commissioners of Lincoln County were named in the Act of organization,
March 18, 1867. The balance of the county officers were appointed by the
Executive, and held their positions till the election, November 3, 1868.
Below will be found a complete list of county officers from its
organization down to the present time, together with the date of
appointment or election of each. The vacancies in office by death,
resignation or removal, if any have occurred, are also noted, with the
names of the persons selected to fill the same.
Senators.
E. B. Hazard, elected November 3, 1868; R. S. Clapp and J. R.
Wilson, elected November 5, 1872; N. Wescoatt, elected November 3, 1874;
A. J. Blair, elected November 7, 1876; R. P. Dayton, elected November 5,
1878; W. H. Henderson, elected November 2, 1880.
Assemblymen.
F. W. Randall, elected November 3, 1868; M. B. Garrahan, elected
November 8, 1870; P. L. Shoaff, Thos. Wallace and P. A. Craig, elected
November 5, 1872; A. J. Blair, J. B. Van Hagan and H. Bergstein, elected
November 3, 1874; A. T. Moore, John Bowman and George Goldthwaite,
elected November 7, 1876; U. E. Allen, Geo. Paton and R. L. Wash,
elected November 5, 1878; Milton Barrett, C. H. Penton and John Shier,
elected November 2, 1880.
County Commissioners.
H. H.
Day, Charles Wilson and M. Fuller, appointed March 18, 1867; Henry
Raymond, appointed August 20, 1867; James Mee, Chas. P. Ely and J.
Gilbert, elected November 3, 1868; W. C. Glisson, Wm. S. Ferguson and P.
McCannon, elected November 8, 1870. August 4th Wm. S. Ferguson resigned
and Michael McClusky appointed. D. A. Fulks, T. J. Jones and C. R. Dann,
elected November 5, 1872; J. C. Lynch and J. Hoffman, elected November
3, 1874, E. F. Morton and J. N. Craig, elected November 7, 1876; D. C.
Clark and J. Eisenmann, elected November 5, 1878; A. Veitch and J. V.
Keeley, elected November 2, 1880.
District Attorneys.
William H. Clipperton, appointed May 27, 1867; Chas. S. Colton, elected
Nov. 3, 1868, did not qualify; C. W. Wandell. appointed January 16,
1869; G. S. Sawyer, elected November 8, 1870, resigned August 22, 1871;
George Goldthwaite appointed to fill vacancy. George Goldthwaite,
elected November 5, 1872, re-elected November 3, 1874; Thompson
Campbell, elected November 7, 1876, C. H. Patchen, elected November 5,
1878, re-elected November 2, 1880.
County Sheriffs.
J.
E. Matthews, appointed May 27, 1867, resigned July 27, 1868, G. W. List
appointed to fill vacancy; Wm. Ritter, elected November 3, 1868,
resigned November 21, 1868. G. W. List appointed to fill vacancy; John
Kane, elected November 8, 1870; W. S. Travis, elected November 5, 1872;
A. Fife, elected November 3, 1874; W. L. McKee, elected November 7,
1876, re-elected November 5, 1878, re-elected November 2, 1880.
County Clerks.
John D. Gorin, appointed April 22, 1867, elected
November 3, 1868, resigned September 5, 1870; P. B. Miller, appointed to
fill vacancy, and elected November 8, 1870, re-elected November 5, 1872,
reelected November 3, 1874; J. M. Hanford, elected November 7, 1876;
re-elected November 5, 1878; George T. Gorman, elected November 2, 1880.
County Treasurers.
Charles R. Hoppin, appointed April
22, 1867, resigned January 8, 1868, Chas. Schmuck appointed to fill
vacancy; William M. Wilson, elected November 3, 1868, did not qualify;
A. Barber, appointed January 16, 1869; Henry Phillips, elected November
8, 1870; John Roeder, elected November 5, 1872; M. Quillen, elected
November 3, 1874; D. A. Fulks, elected November 7, 1876, re-elected
November 5, 1878; R. H. Elam, elected November 2, 1880.
County
Assessors.
George Ernest, appointed April 22, 1867; N. H.
Carlow, elected November 3, 1868; J. A. Curtis, elected November 8,
1870; K. J. Hanley, elected November 5, 1872, being a defaulter in the
sum of $9,812, and failing to give additional bonds, many of his
sureties being insolvent, he was removed September 26, 1873, and O. P.
Sherwood appointed to fill vacancy; O. P. Sherwood and Henry Rives were
allowed to pay $6,135.50 in settlement, and the claim was canceled. R.
P. Dayton, elected November 3, 1874; N. Wescoatt, elected November 7,
1876; W. H. Henderson, elected November 5, 1878, did not qualify; G. W.
Arnold, appointed June 26, 1879; T. Hoffman, elected November 2, 1880.
County Recorders.
N. E. Allan, appointed April 22, 1867;
Henry Raymond, elected November 3, 1868; W. H. Henderson, elected,
November 8, 1870, re elected November 5, 1872, re-elected November 3,
1874; J. C. ilenderson, elected November 7, 1876, re-elected November 5,
1878, re-elected November 2, 1880.
County Superintendents of
Schools.
B. S. Fullington, appointed July 1, 1867, resigned June
8, 1868, W. H. Clipperton, appointed to fill vacancy; George W. McLane,
elected November 3, 1868, resigned January 4, 1870; Charles P. Ely,
appointed to fill vacancy; D. J. Wilmans, elected November 8, 1870;
Lewis Sultan, elected November 5, 1872; G. W. Hill, elected November 3,
1874, died; W. Dolman, appointed December 6, 1875, who resigned May 26,
1876, and G. E. Alexander was appointed to fill vacancy; E. R. Wilmarth,
elected November 7, 1876, failed to qualify; G. R. Alexander, appointed
January 11, 1877; G. R. Alexander, elected November 5, 1878, re-elected
November 2, 1880.
County Surveyors.
Charles Schenk,
appointed April 22, 1867; S. R. Nichols, elected November 3, 1868, did
not qualify; C. W. Wandell, appointed April 5, 1869; E. Schoppman,
elected November 5, 1872; O. K. Wescoatt, elected November 3, 1874,
removed for absence October 14, 1875, N. Wescoatt, appointed to fill
vacancy; N. Wescoatt, elected November 7, 1876; O. K. Wescoatt, elected
November 5, 1878, did not qualify; G. W. Arnold, appointed June 26,
1879; L. V. Wertheimer, elected November 2, 1880.
Public
Administrators.
John H. Ely, appointed April 6, 1868; Charles
Cook, elected November 3, 1868; C. F. Philson, elected November 8, 1870;
D. L. Deal, elected November 5, 1872, re-elected November 3, 1874; C. F.
Philson, elected November 7, 1876, failed to qualify; S. L. Lee,
appointed January 23, 1877; John Shier, elected November 5, 1878, did
not qualify; James Pierson, appointed January 5, 1880; M. J. Cortells,
elected November 2, 1880.
A
good deal of difficulty was experienced in collecting the taxes levied
against the property of the Mormon settlers in the eastern portion of
the State. By an Act of Congress, passed in 1866, one degree had been
taken from Utah and added to Nevada; still the boundary line had never
been determined, and though their property was assessed in Lincoln
County the Mormon settlers refused to pay their taxes, and there was not
sufficient power in the county at that time to force collection.
Assessments were made in 1868 and 1869; suits were brought and levies
made for the purpose of securing the taxes, but to no purpose — the
Mormons would not pay. In 1870 the boundary line was surveyed and
established by Isaac James and Captain Monroe. Since then there has been
no trouble about taxes, but there has been a great exodus of Mormons
from Lincoln County. However, their place has been more than supplied by
succeeding Mormons, and these latter make the better citizens.
A
great change has come over these settlements. The dug-outs and sod
shanties have given way to comfortable dwellings; the scantily-dressed
and halffed population now go well clothed and have an abundance to eat;
the rude farm tools are supplanted by the most approved implements of
husbandry; the few old broken down wagons are no more, their places
being supplied by those of the best Eastern manufacture — the ponderous
quartz wagon and the buggy; and the small store whose entire contents
could have been packed on a mule has grown to be a large and very
respectable mercantile establishment, all the result of the influx of
the "Gentile" population and the opening of rich mines by American
enterprise.
The Court House of Lincoln County is a two-story brick building, 40x60, and was built in 1871, at a cost, including the jail, of $75,000. The jail is a two-story stone building, 20x30 feet, and joins the Court House in the rear. The history of the construction of these buildings is sufficiently remarkable to justify a relation of it here. The contract was let in August, 1871, to build the Court House for $16,400, and the jail for $10,000. Up to this time the finances of the county were in good condition. The revenue from bullion tax, quarterly license tax, etc., kept a fund continually on hand to meet current expenses, and it was thought at the time that with the increasing wealth of the county this sum could be spared for county buildings, and, after a year or two, would not be felt. But schemers, who saw their way to profit, determined to absorb this increasing revenue. By some unaccountable plan, after the work of building commenced, the contract was broken, and the work completed by the piece at the most extravagant price for each. Rude stone stops, leading from the Court House to the jail, cost several hundred dollars each; $8,000 were allowed for water-closets, and the whole work was done in this extravagant way, till the Court House and jail complete cost $75,000; both of which could, under proper management, have been built of the same material, and quite as substantial, for at least $30,000.
Upon the heels of the Court House and County Jail swindle, came the purchase, by the County Treasurer, of property sold for taxes and costs, the county paying the costs only. Under an Act of the Legislature of 1871, the passage of which was procured by the combined influence of the Sheriffs of the different counties of the State, property, the tax upon which could not be collected, and for which there were no bidders because of its worthlessness, was "bid in" to the State, and the fees or costs were paid by the county to the Sheriff, the same as though he had collected the tax. The object of this law was to enable the collectors of taxes to get fees from all property assessed in the county, whether the tax was collected or not. The fees paid by the county the first year under this infamous law was $16,000. These and other extravagances created a debt of $70,000 more than there was any necessity for, and this, too, in the infancy of the county. This afforded an opportunity to speculate in the securities of the county, and so great was the distrust in them that the scrip, instead of being taken at par for supplies, commanded but about thirty cents on the dollar. As an illustration of its value, or rather its want of value, it is only necessary to state the fact that the Commissioners, after the Court House was built, allowed $180 in scrip for four student lamps for the use of the county offices. Prices in this ratio had to be paid for hospital, jail, Court House, and all other county supplies, from that time forward, with exceptional instances. After the bonding of the county debt, for awhile, the credit of the county was better, but the great wonder is that the county is not more in debt from this cause alone, aside from the great expense attending the trial of so many criminals.
The bullion product of the county continued
to increase, and it was thought the revenue therefrom would soon
liquidate this great indebtedness. Indeed, there was a prospect that
there might sometime be a surplus after paying the county debt, and the
schemers laid their plans again to absorb whatever there might be. The
same innocent and unsuspecting Board of County Commissioners, who had
been led into building the Court House by the piece, were induced to do
something in the way of subsidies for a railroad from Pioche to
Bullionville, that had already been partly built by a mining company for
the express purpose of freighting their ores to their mill. So, on the
twenty-second of July 1872, the Board mot at the call of the Chairman.
M. McClusky, a member of the Board, and William C. Glisson, Chairman,
were present, and the following business was transacted: —
After
reciting that a large portion of the tax-payers of Lincoln County had
petitioned the Board of County Commissioners of said county to issue
bonds to the amount of 8200,000 to aid in the construction of the Pioche
and Bullionville Railroad, the bonds were ordered to be issued to the
Railroad Company. They were made payable in ten years from January 1,
1873, with annual interest at ten percent, interest and principal
payable in gold coin. They were to be signed by the Chairman,
countersigned by the Clerk of the Board, and authenticated by the seal
of the county, to be numbered and registered when issued, and to bo
delivered to the Treasurer of the Railroad Company upon the approval by
the Board of a bond from the company agreeing to expend the moneys
received on the bonds in the construction of the proposed railroad. This
action was made subject to the ratification of the Legislature of the
State of Nevada. The resolution further set forth the duty of the County
Auditor in providing the necessary funds to pay the interest on these
bonds, also a sinking fund to meet the principal. The Clerk of the Board
was instructed to procure 200 blank bonds of the form to be approved by
the Commissioners; and the Board adjourned.
Here was legislation
for the people by two men acting as County Commissioners. The bonds had
already been printed in San Francisco, and were expected to arrive by
that evening's mail. They were to be signed that night and taken back to
San Francisco, and negotiated to innocent parties (?) by Gen. A. L.
Page, then Superintendent of Construction of the Railroad. This much
having been done it was thought the Legislature would ratify the
proceedings of the Board, as these innocent parties would have good
cause of action in court against the county. For some reason the mail,
which was expected to bring the blank bonds did not arrive that night.
The next morning the District Judge, being curious to know for what the
special meeting of the Commissioners had been called, went to the
Clerk's office and asked to see the proceedings of the Board of the day
before. Upon reading the same he hastened to the office of the District
Attorney, George W. Goldthwaite, to request him to commence action at
once to restrain the issuance of these bonds. The District Attorney,
never before distrustful of his own ability, now in a state of
trepidation confessed his want of ability to do the work. The Judge then
applied to another attorney, J. C. Foster, who, with John P. Kelley, now
connected with the firm of Garber, Thornton & Bishop, of San Francisco,
drew the complaint, Kelley being plaintiff in the case. When the time
set for hearing arrived, the attorney, W. W. Bishop (not of the firm
just mentioned), for the Railroad Company, did not appear, and default
was entered and an injunction ordered.
This, however, only paved
the way for a still more magnificent scheme to get at the increasing
revenue from the then wonderful products of the mines about Pioche; and
another railroad project was devised.
On the fifteenth of
February, 1873, a meeting of the citizens was held at the Court House to
consider the matter of "railroad communication with the Central
Pacific." Judge Fuller was elected President, and a large number of
persons named for VicePresidents. D. Carson, H. A. Thompson, J. S.
Crosman, O. P. Sherwood and D. B. Hunt were appointed a committee to
draft resolutions. After considerable discussion in which the sense of
the meeting was fully expressed, the following resolutions, reported by
the committee, and adopted: —
Resolved, That the large and
constantly increasing business of Lincoln County, and the full and
successful development of our mineral resources imperatively demand the
speedy construction of a railroad connecting Pioche, in said County,
with Eureka and Palisade.
Resolved, That in the opinion of this
meeting the increase in the value of property and in the production of
bullion, which would be caused by the construction of the railroad above
mentioned, would be more than sufficient to enable us to pay the
interest on $350,000 of bonds without increasing the burden of taxation.
Resolved, That we are in favor of the County subscribing for
stock in some well organized company for building a road between the
points aforesaid, and issuing its bonds in payment for the same.
Resolved. That our Senators and Assemblymen be, and they are hereby
requested, to secure the passage of a law requiring the County
Commissioners of this County to subscribe for the amount of stock above
mentioned, and to issue bonds to the amount of $350,000, bearing
interest at the rate of seven per cent, per annum, payable in not less
than ten and not more than twenty years,
Resolved, That
provision should be made in any law that may be passed for one or more
directors to be selected by the County to act in its behalf.
Copies of the above resolutions were published in the Record, and also
sent to the Lincoln County delegation in the Legislature. The feeling
was strongly in favor of a speedy railroad communication with the
"outside world,'' and at the close of the meeting three cheers were
given for "the success of this great enterprise." The meeting was a
small one in point of numbers, and though the Vice-Presidents
represented a large amount of tax-payers, only a part of them were
present, some being out of the State, and those who were present, aside
from those connected with the scheme, had not suspected anything wrong.
The President of the meeting, Judge Fuller, and E. W. Fleming, one of
the Vice-Presidents, after learning the object of the resolutions,
opposed their adoption, and pronounced them "monstrous."
From this on Judge Fuller became
the champion opponent of county subsidies to railroads. He made several
unsuccessful attempts, soon after, to get a meeting called to rescind
the action of the meeting of the 15th. Finally, on the twenty-seventh of
February, he succeeded in getting a notice published in the Record for a
meeting that night, a full account of which was published the following
day in the Record, from the columns of which the following is gleaned:
Judge Thompson was called to the Chair, and E. Schopmann appointed
Secretary. Judge Fuller came to his feet, and made a lengthy speech.
He said his position was misrepresented at the previous meeting, and
he would avail himself of this occasion to set himself right. He thought
the railroad would come just as soon without a subsidy, but the first
road would probably come from Utah; that he did not believe in the
county being swindled by issuing bonds to rings.
Mr. Hunt and
Louis Felsenthal spoke in favor of the proposition to aid the
construction of a railroad. The latter said his house had paid $34,000
for freight the past year, and he was anxious for railroad facilities.
John Pattie opposed the issue of $350,000 in bonds, and endorsed the
sentiments of Judge Fuller.
Judge Bishop took sides most
emphatically for the railroad. In his opinion it was clearly in the
interest of Lincoln County to issue the bonds. The county, he said, had
already spent thousands in building a Court House, that was sinking at
every corner, and a worthless jail, and other improvements, and,
hereafter, he wanted money spent to some purpose. Judge Fuller replied
that he did not wish to be understood as opposing railroads. He was in
favor of them; but it would be mockery to issue bonds; he spoke of the
Bullionville Railroad, and said that corporation would have got away
with $200,000 of the people's money, if Mr. Kelley and other taxpayers
had not interfered. Colonel Sabin favored aid to the railroad, and gave
figures showing that it would be the greatest benefit to that section of
the country; no railroad would or could come there, he said, unless the
citizens and tax-payers put in capital. In five years the bonds given by
the county would be wiped out, and the wealth of Lincoln would be
quadrupled. Mr. Hunt thought if the citizens would help the Palisade &
Eureka Railroad Company, the road would be built in eighteen months.
Then, he said, Californians and other people would come and invest in
their mines; the mining stock now selling at fifty and seventy-five
cents, would bring five dollars and ten dollars; also the way would be
open for other roads. At this juncture, Judge Fuller introduced the
following resolution: —
Resolved, That it is the sense of this
meeting that our Representatives in the State Legislature be, and are
hereby instructed to disregard any resolutions heretofore passed with
reference to Lincoln County subscribing stock or giving a subsidy to any
railroad.
Judge Bishop spoke long and vigorously against the
resolution - also Mr. Wheeler and others advocated giving aid to the
road, attempting to show how much the cost of living would be reduced,
and the immense saving to the business men of the county in the way of
reduced rates of freight. Judge Fuller again arose and made a masterly
speech against issuing the bonds. He argued that the Company would fix
their stock at five times the cost of building the road; that this stock
would be given at par for county bonds worth at least ninety-five cents;
that the stock would need to be assessed but twenty cents to complete
the road, and the ring would exchange this twenty-cent stock for ninety
five-cent bonds, and thereby make seventy-five cents for themselves, and
the railroad would be benefited but twenty cents on the dollar by the
bonds.
The facts were that the Railroad Company had already
fixed their capital stock at $30,000,000, while their estimate for
building the road was $4,500,000. This would make the stock in the
railroad cost a little over fourteen cents when the road should be
completed. To make an exchange of county bonds for this stock would
indeed be mockery. On motion of Judge Fuller the meeting adjourned to
the following night, when the numbers and interest were greatly
increased. The people of the county were thoroughly aroused to the
importance of the issue. The meeting was organized by the election of J.
C. Foster as Chairman, who on assuming the chair, defined his position
on the subsidy question. He favored a gratuity of $100,000 in county
bonds to the road that should be first built. Judge Fuller offered a
resolution to that effect, which was approved by Bishop, Holland,
Wheeler, Hunt and others. Questions of order were raised as to the
admissibility of the resolution in place of the one offered at the
meeting before, and which was claimed by some to be first in order.
Motions to appoint tellers, to exclude all but tax-payers from voting,
to adjourn and to lay on the table, were made with much confusion. A
motion was also made by Judge Fuller to have ex-Lieutenant Governor
Crosman take the chair, as he was a good parliamentarian, provided
Foster was willing.
The Chairman made an appeal for order and
free discussion, and finally the meeting came to order, and Judge Fuller
took the floor, and spoke to the resolution of the first meeting. He
favored railroads, but not subsidies, and he wanted the people of
Lincoln County to dictate any law passed on the subject. He said he held
in his hand a copy of a bill which proposed to rob the people of their
substance. It came to him to-day, he said, from the Capitol. He read and
explained its provisions, claiming that they were ambiguous, and showing
the cost to the county to be $450,000, and that the road might not come
nearer than ten miles of Pioche; commercial rivalry would insure the
completion of the Palisade road as soon as the Utah road was
constructed, and it was wholly unnecessary to impoverish the county for
a generation to come with the provisions of this law. Judge Bishop
opposed these views, and thought Judge Fuller had misconstrued the bill;
there was not the danger apprehended; the proposed road would cross a
rich mineral belt almost every ten miles, and, viewed merely as a wise
investment, he was in favor of extending substantial aid to it.
Ex-Governor Crosman spoke in favor of the subsidy, and argued at some
length. Messrs. Holland, Hunt and Judge Pitzer also favored the subsidy.
They wanted the railroad, and did not believe they could get it without
the proposed aid. The motion, to allow none but tax-payers to vote, was
called for, and, when the meeting showed a disposition not to allow it
to be put, Judge Bishop, Mr. Holland, and others withdrew from the
meeting. Judge Fuller then made a few remarks, explaining that the bill
would come up for final action on the following day, and he wanted the
people to vote understandingly. The resolution of the former meeting was
then read, and a vote taken by tellers. The resolution was carried by a
unanimous vote. The regular Secretary having withdrawn, N. H. Maguire
was appointed to act for the balance of the evening. A motion was
adopted requiring the officers of the meeting to sign this resolution as
adopted, and telegraph it to the Representatives in the Legislature.
Thus the citizens, in mass meeting assembled, declared that their
Representatives in the Legislature should disregard the action of all
previous railroad meetings in Lincoln County. The proceedings of the
meeting were telegraphed to the State Legislature, but, notwithstanding
the unanimous action of the meeting, the bill passed, owing to a
combination having been made between the friends of the bill and the
friends of the Elko and Hamilton charter for a railroad. The Record, it
seems, published the telegraphic news of the passage of the bill by the
Senate, but suppressed the news of its passage by the House, and, for
three days, the people of Pioche were congratulating each other on the
supposed defeat of the bill in the House. On the fourth day after the
adjournment, Judge Fuller telegraphed Governor Bradley that the bill was
a fraud upon the people of Lincoln, and to await his letter. That night
the letter was written, and placed in the express office, and nothing
was heard from it till Judge Fuller received the following letter from
Governor Bradley:
State of Nevada, Executive Department,
Carson City, March 18, 1873.
Hon. Mortimer Fuller, Pioche,
Lincoln County, Nevada — My Dear Sir: Yours of the eleventh instant came
to hand to-day. I have to thank you for the valuable information as to
the stale of public- feeling on the railroad question in your county. I
vetoed the Lincoln and Nye Railroad Bill this morning, using
substantially the argument contained in your letter. I hope that my
course will meet the approval of the good people of Lincoln County.
Allow me to assure you of my sincere thanks for your honorable and
friendly course in this matter.
I remain yours, very truly, L. R.
Bradley.
The Governor called this the "Lincoln and Nye Railroad
Bill," for the reason, likely, that it provided for both counties taking
stock in the company. Nye then owned a strip of country about twenty
miles wide, extending across what is now the northern part of Lincoln
County. There was a provision in the Bill that Nye's subscription to the
stock should be submitted to a vote of the people of that county, while
it contained no such provision in regard to Lincoln. The subsidy was
made absolute as regards Lincoln, if the road was built.
Judge
Fuller contended in the debate that the bill was drawn so ambiguously
that the railroad company could force another $100,000 from Lincoln
County for the last ten miles, or else not allow the road to come to
Pioche, but allow it to go north of that place into Utah. Here was a
chance, he thought, to blackmail the county to the extent of several
hundred thousand dollars.
These
schemes to get at the then expected great revenue of Lincoln County,
together with the very bad management of the mines at the most critical
moment (at water level) when the best management was required, have
contributed largely to the downfall and prostration of what is no doubt
one of the best mining sections on the Pacific Coast.
In April,
1878, the debt of the county was bonded to the amount of $181,000, the
bonds bearing ten per cent, interest, and payable in ten years. Ninety
thousand and five hundred dollars have been paid for interest, and none
of the bonds redeemed. The county is now in debt over $300,000, which
sum equals about half its present taxable property value. The present
population is 2,110, a decrease of nearly one-third in five years.
For a full statement of the products of the county from 1867 to
1880, the number of acres under cultivation, the stock and grain raised
and the fruit-trees and vines growing, the reader is referred to pages
135, 136, 140 and 189 of the general history. For the bullion product of
the county, see bullion table in this book.
Extracted, 2021 Aug 25 by Norma Hass, from History of Nevada, published in 1881, pages 476-492.
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