roughing it-第43章

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marvel　in　silver　discoveries　had　transpired。　　If　the　mine　was　a
〃developed〃　one；　and　had　no　pay　ore　to　show　（and　of　course　it　hadn't）；　we
praised　the　tunnel；　said　it　was　one　of　the　most　infatuating　tunnels　in
the　land；　driveled　and　driveled　about　the　tunnel　till　we　ran　entirely　out
of　ecstasiesbut　never　said　a　word　about　the　rock。　　We　would　squander
half　a　column　of　adulation　on　a　shaft；　or　a　new　wire　rope；　or　a　dressed
pine　windlass；　or　a　fascinating　force　pump；　and　close　with　a　burst　of
admiration　of　the　〃gentlemanly　and　efficient　Superintendent〃　of　the　mine
but　never　utter　a　whisper　about　the　rock。　　And　those　people　were　always
pleased；　always　satisfied。　　Occasionally　we　patched　up　and　varnished　our
reputation　for　discrimination　and　stern；　undeviating　accuracy；　by　giving
some　old　abandoned　claim　a　blast　that　ought　to　have　made　its　dry　bones
rattleand　then　somebody　would　seize　it　and　sell　it　on　the　fleeting
notoriety　thus　conferred　upon　it。

There　was　nothing　in　the　shape　of　a　mining　claim　that　was　not　salable。
We　received　presents　of　〃feet〃　every　day。　　If　we　needed　a　hundred　dollars
or　so；　we　sold　some；　if　not；　we　hoarded　it　away；　satisfied　that　it　would
ultimately　be　worth　a　thousand　dollars　a　foot。　　I　had　a　trunk　about　half
full　of　〃stock。〃　　When　a　claim　made　a　stir　in　the　market　and　went　up　to　a
high　figure；　I　searched　through　my　pile　to　see　if　I　had　any　of　its　stock
and　generally　found　it。

The　prices　rose　and　fell　constantly；　but　still　a　fall　disturbed　us
little；　because　a　thousand　dollars　a　foot　was　our　figure；　and　so　we　were
content　to　let　it　fluctuate　as　much　as　it　pleased　till　it　reached　it。
My　pile　of　stock　was　not　all　given　to　me　by　people　who　wished　their
claims　〃noticed。〃　　At　least　half　of　it　was　given　me　by　persons　who　had　no
thought　of　such　a　thing；　and　looked　for　nothing　more　than　a　simple　verbal
〃thank　you；〃　and　you　were　not　even　obliged　by　law　to　furnish　that。
If　you　are　coming　up　the　street　with　a　couple　of　baskets　of　apples　in
your　hands；　and　you　meet　a　friend；　you　naturally　invite　him　to　take　a
few。　　That　describes　the　condition　of　things　in　Virginia　in　the　〃flush
times。〃　　Every　man　had　his　pockets　full　of　stock；　and　it　was　the　actual
custom　of　the　country　to　part　with　small　quantities　of　it　to　friends
without　the　asking。

Very　often　it　was　a　good　idea　to　close　the　transaction　instantly；　when　a
man　offered　a　stock　present　to　a　friend；　for　the　offer　was　only　good　and
binding　at　that　moment；　and　if　the　price　went　to　a　high　figure　shortly
afterward　the　procrastination　was　a　thing　to　be　regretted。　　Mr。　Stewart
（Senator；　now；　from　Nevada）　one　day　told　me　he　would　give　me　twenty　feet
of　〃Justis〃　stock　if　I　would　walk　over　to　his　office。　　It　was　worth　five
or　ten　dollars　a　foot。　　I　asked　him　to　make　the　offer　good　for　next　day；
as　I　was　just　going　to　dinner。　　He　said　he　would　not　be　in　town；　so　I
risked　it　and　took　my　dinner　instead　of　the　stock。　　Within　the　week　the
price　went　up　to　seventy　dollars　and　afterward　to　a　hundred　and　fifty；
but　nothing　could　make　that　man　yield。　　I　suppose　he　sold　that　stock　of
mine　and　placed　the　guilty　proceeds　in　his　own　pocket。　　＇My　revenge　will
be　found　in　the　accompanying　portrait。＇　　I　met　three　friends　one
afternoon；　who　said　they　had　been　buying　〃Overman〃　stock　at　auction　at
eight　dollars　a　foot。　　One　said　if　I　would　come　up　to　his　office　he　would
give　me　fifteen　feet；　another　said　he　would　add　fifteen；　the　third　said
he　would　do　the　same。　　But　I　was　going　after　an　inquest　and　could　not
stop。　　A　few　weeks　afterward　they　sold　all　their　〃Overman〃　at　six　hundred
dollars　a　foot　and　generously　came　around　to　tell　me　about　itand　also
to　urge　me　to　accept　of　the　next　forty…five　feet　of　it　that　people　tried
to　force　on　me。

These　are　actual　facts；　and　I　could　make　the　list　a　long　one　and　still
confine　myself　strictly　to　the　truth。　　Many　a　time　friends　gave　us　as
much　as　twenty…five　feet　of　stock　that　was　selling　at　twenty…five　dollars
a　foot；　and　they　thought　no　more　of　it　than　they　would　of　offering　a
guest　a　cigar。　　These　were　〃flush　times〃　indeed！　　I　thought　they　were
going　to　last　always；　but　somehow　I　never　was　much　of　a　prophet。

To　show　what　a　wild　spirit　possessed　the　mining　brain　of　the　community；
I　will　remark　that　〃claims〃　were　actually　〃located〃　in　excavations　for
cellars；　where　the　pick　had　exposed　what　seemed　to　be　quartz　veinsand
not　cellars　in　the　suburbs；　either；　but　in　the　very　heart　of　the　city；
and　forthwith　stock　would　be　issued　and　thrown　on　the　market。　　It　was
small　matter　who　the　cellar　belonged　tothe　〃ledge〃　belonged　to　the
finder；　and　unless　the　United　States　government　interfered　（inasmuch　as
the　government　holds　the　primary　right　to　mines　of　the　noble　metals　in
Nevadaor　at　least　did　then）；　it　was　considered　to　be　his　privilege　to
work　it。　　Imagine　a　stranger　staking　out　a　mining　claim　among　the　costly
shrubbery　in　your　front　yard　and　calmly　proceeding　to　lay　waste　the
ground　with　pick　and　shovel　and　blasting　powder！　　It　has　been　often　done
in　California。　　In　the　middle　of　one　of　the　principal　business　streets　of
Virginia；　a　man　〃located〃　a　mining　claim　and　began　a　shaft　on　it。　　He
gave　me　a　hundred　feet　of　the　stock　and　I　sold　it　for　a　fine　suit　of
clothes　because　I　was　afraid　somebody　would　fall　down　the　shaft　and　sue
for　damages。　　I　owned　in　another　claim　that　was　located　in　the　middle　of
another　street；　and　to　show　how　absurd　people　can　be；　that　〃East　India〃
stock　（as　it　was　called）　sold　briskly　although　there　was　an　ancient
tunnel　running　directly　under　the　claim　and　any　man　could　go　into　it　and
see　that　it　did　not　cut　a　quartz　ledge　or　anything　that　remotely
resembled　one。

One　plan　of　acquiring　sudden　wealth　was　to　〃salt〃　a　wild　cat　claim　and
sell　out　while　the　excitement　was　up。　　The　process　was　simple。

The　schemer　located　a　worthless　ledge；　sunk　a　shaft　on　it；　bought　a　wagon
load　of　rich　〃Comstock〃　ore；　dumped　a　portion　of　it　into　the　shaft　and
piled　the　rest　by　its　side；　above　ground。　　Then　he　showed　the　property　to
a　simpleton　and　sold　it　to　him　at　a　high　figure。　　Of　course　the　wagon
load　of　rich　ore　was　all　that　the　victim　ever　got　out　of　his　purchase。
A　most　remarkable　case　of　〃salting〃　was　that　of　the　〃North　Ophir。〃
It　was　claimed　that　this　vein　was　a　remote　extension〃　of　the　original
〃Ophir；〃　a　valuable　mine　on　the　〃Comstock。〃　　For　a　few　days　everybody　was
talking　about　the　rich　developments　in　the　North　Ophir。　　It　was　said　that
it　yielded　perfectly　pure　silver　in　small；　solid　lumps。　　I　went　to　the
place　with　the　owners；　and　found　a　shaft　six　or　eight　feet　deep；　in　the
bottom　of　which　was　a　badly　shattered　vein　of　dull；　yellowish；
unpromising　rock。　　One　would　as　soon　expect　to　find　silver　in　a
grindstone。　　We　got　out　a　pan　of　the　rubbish　and　washed　it　in　a　puddle；
and　sure　enough；　among　the　sediment　we　found　half　a　dozen　black；　bullet…
looking　pellets　of　unimpeachable　〃native〃　silver。　　Nobody　had　ever　heard
of　such　a　thing　before；　science　could　not　account　for　such　a　queer
novelty。　　The　stock　rose　to　sixty…five　dollars　a　foot；　and　at　this　figure
the　world…renowned　tragedian；　McKean　Buchanan；　bought　a　commanding
interest　and　prepared　to　quit　the　stage　once　morehe　was　always　doing
that。　　And　then　it　transpired　that　the　mine　had　been　〃salted〃and　not　in
any　hackneyed　way；　either；　but　in　a　singularly　bold；　barefaced　and
peculiarly　original　and　outrageous　fashion。　　On　one　of　the　lumps　of
〃native〃　silver　was　discovered　the　minted　legend；　〃TED　STATES　OF；〃　and
then　it　was　plainly　apparent　that　the　mine　had　been　〃salted〃　with　melted
half…dollars！　　The　lumps　thus　obtained　had　been　blackened　till　they
resembled　native　silver；　and　were　then　mixed　with　the　shattered　rock　in
the　bottom　of　the　shaft。　　It　is　literally　true。　　Of　course　the　price　of
the　stock　at　once　fell　to　nothing；　and　the　tragedian　was　ruined。　　But　for
this　calamity　we　might　have　lost　McKean　Buchanan　from　the　stage。




CHAPTER　XLV。

The　〃flush　times〃　held　bravely　on。　　Something　over　two　years　before；　Mr。
Goodman　and　another　journeyman　printer；　had　borrowed　forty　dollars　and
set　out　from　San　Francisco　to　try　their　fortunes　in　the　new　city　of
Virginia。　　They　found　the　Territorial　Enterprise；　a　poverty…stricken
weekly　journal；　gasping　for　breath　and　likely　to　die。　　They　bought　it；
type；　fixtures；　good…will　and　all；　for　a　thousand　dollars；　on　long　time。
The　editorial　sanctum；　news…room；　press…room；　publication　office；　bed…
chamber；　parlor；　and　kitchen　were　all　compressed　into　one　apartment　and
it　was　a　small　one；　too。　　The　editors　and　printers　slept　on　the　floor；　a
Chinaman　did　their　cooking；　and　the　〃imposing…stone〃　was　the　general
dinner　table。　　But　now　things　were　changed。　　The　paper　was　a　great　daily；
printed　by　steam；　there　were　five　editors　and　twenty…three　compositors；
the　subscription　price　was　sixteen　dollars　a　year；　the　advertising　rates
were　exorbitant；　and　the　columns　crowded。　　The　paper　was　clearing　from
six　to　ten　thousand　dollars　a　month；　and　the　〃Enterprise　Building〃　was
finished　and　ready　for　occupationa　stately　fireproof　brick。　　Every　day
from　five　all　the　way　up　to　eleven　columns　of　〃live〃　advertisements　were
left　out　or　crowded　into　spasmodic　and　irregular　〃supplements。〃

The　〃Gould　&　Curry〃　company　were　erecting　a　monster　hundred…stamp　mill　at
a　cost　that　ultimately　fell　little　short　of　a　million　dollars。　　Gould　&
Curry　stock　paid　heavy　dividendsa　rare　thing；　and　an　experience
confined　to　the　dozen　or　fifteen　claims　located　on　the　〃main　lead；〃　the
〃Comstock。〃　　The　Superintendent　of　the　Gould　&　Curry　lived；　rent　free；　in
a　fine　house　built　and　furnished　by　the　company。　　He　drove　a　fine　pair　of
horses　which　were　a　present　from　the　company；　and　his　salary　was　twelve
thousand　dollars　a　year。　　The　superintendent　of　another　of　the　great
mines　traveled　in　grand　state；　had　a　salary　of　twenty…eight　thousand
dollars　a　year；　and　in　a　law　suit　in　after　days　claimed　that　he　was　to
have　had　one　per　cent。　on　the　gross　yield　of　the　bullion　likewise。

Money　was　wonderfully　plenty。　　The　trouble　was；　not　how　to　get　it；but
how　to　spend　it；　how　to　lavish　it；　get　rid　of　it；　squander　it。　　And　so　it
was　a　happy　thing　that　just　at　this　juncture　the　news　came　over　the　wires
that　a　great　United　States　Sanitary　Commission　had　been　formed　and　money
was　wanted　for　the　relief　of　the　wounded　sailors　and　soldiers　of　the
Union　languishing　in　the　Eastern　hospitals。　　Right　on　the　heels　of　it
came　word　that　San　Francisco　had　responded　superbly　before　the　telegram
was　half　a　day　old。　　Virginia　rose　as　one　man！　　A　Sanitary　Committee　was
hurriedly　organized；　and　its　chairman　mounted　a　vacant　cart　in　C　street
and　tried　to　make　the　clamorous　multitude　understand　that　the　rest　of　the
committee　were　flying　hither　and　thither　and　working　with　all　their　might
and　main；　and　that　if　the　town　would　only　wait　an　hour；　an　office　would
be　ready；　books　opened；　and　the　Commission　prepared　to　receive
contributions。　　His　voice　was　drowned　and　his　information　lost　in　a
ceaseless　roar　of　cheers；　and　demands　that　the　money　be　received　now
they　swore　they　would　not　wait。　　The　chairman　pleaded　and　argued；　but；
deaf　to　all　entreaty；　men　plowed　their　way　through　the　throng　and　ra