1881 - Pioche

Pioche, the county seat, and chief place of business of Lincoln County, is situated on the northern slope of the mountain, just below the mineral belt, and close to the mines. The mountain is a spur of the Ely range, extending easterly into the valley some eight or ten miles. It is 180 miles southeast from Eureka and 100 miles from Milford, on the Utah Southern. In 1868 Joseph Grange and E. M. Chubard came to this place and built a small furnace, and reduced a small quantity of ore, but financially made a failure. Of its early history we gather the following from the Ely Record: "The city was located in 1869 by P. McCannon, L. Lacour and A. M. Bush, and surveyed by E. L. Mason, Civil Engineer. It was named after F. L. A. Pioche, a citizen of San Francisco, who had invested largely in the mines. The buildings are mostly one-story, and made principally of wood. The town grew rapidly from the start. Business and population increased with the increasing shipments of bullion, so that in the winter of 1870-71 it had become the most active and important mining town in southeastern Nevada. Lots which had originally cost less than $100 were sold for thousands. Schools, churches and benevolent institutions had been established, and a flourishing city had sprung into existence."

Destructive Fires and Floods.

On the night of September 15, 1871, a terrible calamity befel the town. It was the anniversary of Mexican Independence and the citizens of that nation were glorifying the occasion with ball, bonfire, wine and song, when just after midnight flames were seen to issue from the rear of a restaurant on the upper part of Main Street, and though the air was unruffled by a breeze they had got under irresistible headway before the majority of the inhabitants were massed to oppose them. In vain were all attempts to arrest the progress of the fire. Nearly all of the houses being of a dry and resinous material, the furious flames swept them away in quick succession, until only heaps of ashes and smouldering embers marked the site of what two hours earlier was the most flourishing and progressive of mining towns.

From 1,500 to 2,000 men, women and children were without roofs to shelter them, and many were in destitute circumstances. Still these were not the most melancholy incidents of the fearful catastrophy. 300 kegs of powder which were stored in the cellar of a leading mercantile house on Main Street, exploded with a force that shook the mountains to their center, and with it went up one wild wail from all who witnessed the grand yet terrible spectacle. Rocks, timbers and every conceivable missile of death swept across Main and Meadow Valley Streets, and the crowd on the latter street was raked as if by grape and canister. Thirteen men were killed and forty-seven others seriously wounded. The loss in property was over half a million, but a trifle of which was insured.

Undismayed and but momentarily discouraged by this annihilating blow, the sufferers set about rebuilding, and six months later the temporary structures had all disappeared, and Pioche City was again in existence, her limits extended, population increased, and having improvements of a more substantial character.

On the afternoon of Sunday, May 5, 1872, the town was again visited by a destructive fire, resulting in the loss of twelve buildings, and property estimated to be worth $50,000. No lives were lost.

On the twenty-second of August, 1873, a flood occurred which caused damage to the citizens to the amount of $10,000. It was the effect of a terrible rain-storm, which for a time so blackened the sky that it was necessary to light lamps in the houses.

Another rain-storm of less violence occurred in the summer of 1874. Again, in 1876, another destructive fire visited the town. Of it the Pioche Record said: —

On the morning of May 3, 1876, Pioche was again visited by a destructive fire, burning nearly a block of buildings, partially, on the east side of Lacour and the west side of Main Streets. The fire commenced about three o'clock in the old unoccupied hurdy, or dance house, on Lacour Street, adjoining the Journal office, and was discovered by two men in the office who had just completed striking off the paper, and were about to retire. A general alarm was sounded, and the three fire companies were on hand as soon as possible. We noticed one of the boys having on a ruffled night-gown, showing that he did not waste any time going home to put on a red shirt. After an hour of hard struggle they got the best of the flames and extinguished them. Twenty-one buildings were burned, and the loss estimated at $40,000.

The town was most prosperous from the latter part of 1872 to the close of 1873. In the fall of 1874, 1,800 votes were cast, and the town was estimated to have 6,000 people. Although a city in size, containing all the usual city organizations and places of amusement, among which were a fine, large skating rink and three theatres, the citizens declined to be governed by a city charter.

A fire company was organized in June, 1871, with about forty members, but without any apparatus were unable to do much at the fire in September of that year. In October, 1871, the Lightner Hook and Ladder Company was organized, with W. W. Bishop for President. In 1872 this company obtained a cart and hose, and in July, 1875, the Pioche Hose Company was organized, with Thomas Campbell for President. The Protection Hose Company, No. 2, was organized in April, 1875, with George W. Arnold for President; and the same year a Fire Department for the town was organized, with J. J. Halpin for President, and L. V. Loomis. Chief Engineer.

Until 1872 the water used in Pioche was hauled four miles from a well, and from Floral Springs, five miles distant. In 1871 a water company was organized to bring the water to Pioche from Floral Springs in pipes. John H. Wilson was President and Superintendent of the company. The work was completed in 1872, at a cost of $200,000, giving a supply sufficient for a town of 20,000 people. The water has a fall of 112 feet, which gives the town good protection against fire.

Pioche procures its goods and supplies from abroad, principally from Chicago and San Francisco. Much of the flour, and all of the grain and products of the farms are supplied from Utah and the surrounding country in Nevada.

The nearest railroad station, where goods are received or shipped, is Milford, Utah, distant 115 miles. Rates for teaming freight to and from this station is thirty dollars per ton.

The nearest towns to Pioche are Royal City, eighteen miles north-west, Bullionville and Panaca, distant twelve and fourteen miles respectively to the southeast. A narrow-guage railroad was built by Gen. A. L. Page, aided by the Raymond & Ely Mining Company, from Pioche to Bullionville, to transport the ore from the mines to the mills. The road was completed in 1874, at a cost of $400,000, and for about two years trains made regular daily trips and carried passengers.

In January, 1873, the Miners' Union was organized with Michael Cady for President, and had at one time over 250 members. The "Citizens' Protective Union" was organized the same year. The killing of Ryan in the fight between the Raymond and Ely, and the Pioche and Phoenix, and the assassination of Charles Swanson by unknown parties a few days previous, led to this organization. The "Citizens' Union" never took the law into its own hands, but rather aided the lawful authorities in the prompt execution of the laws. No attempts at lynching were ever made in Pioche.

Rapid Decline After 1876.

In 1875 the town commenced going down and fell off rapidly after the principal mines shut down in 1876. The census of 1880 gave the population as 800, of which probably 200 have since left. It had 139 registered voters at the last election. There are now no furnaces in Pioche except the one built in 1868. The one built by Joseph Grange in 1869, and one by John H. Ely about the same time, and the large furnace erected by the Meadow Valley Company have all proved failures. The amount of bullion produced here cannot be definitely ascertained, but $20,000,000 is probably about the aggregate. There are no benevolent associations in operation now except the Masons and Odd Fellows, an account of which is given elsewhere in this work.

The County Jail and Court House, built of stone and brick, which cost $75,000, are located in Pioche. The public cemetery is not inclosed, but the Masons and Odd Fellows, the Catholics and the Hebrews have cemeteries inclosed.

The Deseret Telegraph Company completed its line to Pioche in October, 1871, and the Western Union line was completed in October, 1872. These two companies conducted business separately till January 1, 1878, since which time the two offices have been in one apartment, and conducted by one operator — J. L. Sears. The post-office building is made of stone and was erected in 1869, Wells, Fargo & Co's Express office is in a brick and stone building. The office was established here in 1870. There is an assay office in a wood building. A daily mail is received from the East by way of Milford on the Southern Utah, and a tri-weekly from Eureka. The Pioche Record, once a large and prominent daily paper, is now published weekly. [See chapter on Journalism in Nevada.]

Extracted, 2021 Aug 25 by Norma Hass, from History of Nevada, published in 1881, pages 487-488.