books - Desert Magazine of the Southwest

Cradled by the slopes of ore-laden mountains, Pioche is a picturesque town of resolute,
self-reliant people. As the Lincoln County Seat, it is the hub for many activities.
build a 10-mile stretch of road between
Pioche and the millsite that later became
Bullionville. They were promised
payment only if the mill proved
successful.
By January 1870, the mill was ready
and the initial ore run tested out at $300
a ton. This little five-stamp mill proved
to be the catalyst for Pioche's big boom.
There was plenty of high-grade ore and
when news spread of nearly a thousand
dollars a day profit being recovered by
the mill — the rush was on! Within 60
days, the partners paid for the claims
and reimbursed the miners for their
help. Raymond and Ely developed the
Burke claims on Treasure Hill into the
greatest silver producer in southern
Nevada.
Pioche's population rapidly increased
to 6,000. Accommodations became
scarce but plenty of entertainment could
be found in the town's 72 saloons, three
dance halls and 32 houses of ill repute.
With money flowing freely and the law
lax, it was only natural that Pioche would
attract the lawless.
Disputes among the miners were often
settled by gunplay and caused the Daily
Record to state, "Some people here do
not hesitate to fire a pistol or gun any
time of the day or night." The Record
22
also remarked, "Murderers who shoot a
man in the back get off Scott free, but
the unfortunate devil who steals a bottle
of whiskey or a couple of boxes of cigars,
has to pay for his small crime." Reportedly,
Pioche had over 70 violent deaths
before anyone died of natural causes.
In 1871, Pioche became the seat of
Lincoln County. That same year a devastating
fire raced through town. It caused
13 deaths and left nearly 2,000 homeless.
Spirits undaunted — rebuilding
started immediately.
Mining continued at a feverish pace
and a year later the boom reached its
peak. A total production of over five
million dollars for the year made Pioche,
except for Virginia City, the largest
silver producer west of the Rocky
Mountains. As a result of this, Bullionville
had become a sizable milling center
with a population of around 500. Its
seven mills, with a total of 120 stamps,
roared day and night.
It had also become obvious that the
cost of hauling ore by wagon to Bullionville
was cutting well into the profits. A
railroad seemed to be the answer; thus
incorporation of the Nevada Central occurred
in 1872 and grading began the
following year. The job was fraught with
problems — illness of animals and bad
weather that included a small hurricane.
The latter swept through camp and uprooted
everything not bolted down. After
overcoming these and other obstacles,
the Nevada Central Narrowgauge Railroad
was placed in operation on June 8,
1873.
All seemed well at Pioche but when a
"peak" is reached the next move is
usually down. During 1874, the rich
silver ore began to play out and excessive
water was encountered in the mine
shafts at the 1,200-foot level. The Meadow
Valley and Raymond-Ely Mines
closed down a few years later and the
"Chloriders" (leasers) took over. Like
rats on a sinking ship, people deserted
Pioche by the hundreds.
Small ore shipments kept the railroad
running on a reduced schedule and
the mills operated spasmodically. When
these shipments further declined in
1883, railroad operations ceased and
most of the rolling stock was sold to
W.T. Codbe, a Salt Lake mining man.
Only the faithful remained and big, bad,
bawdy Pioche took on a new look.
In 1890, Godbe merged the Meadow
Valley, Raymond-Ely and Yuba Mining
and Reduction Company to form the
Pioche Consolidated Mining and Reduction
Company. He promptly announced
his new company would build a smelter a
mile north of Pioche and extend the
tramway an additional three miles.
Important silver discoveries had been
made in the Bristol Range, 15 miles
north, and Godbe undertook the construction
of a railroad to bring the ores to
his mill. It was completed the following
year and dubbed "The Jackrabbit Line."
Godbe's confidence in the Pioche
mines was undaunted, even though the
price of silver continued to steadily decline.
In spite of more flash floods, fires
and numerous derailments, his mines,
railroad and smelter kept Pioche's fires
of hope burning. Unfortunately, these
fires were mere embers five years later.
Pioche's fortunes waned and prospered
during the next three decades. A
railroad was completed from Caliente to
Pioche. On the west side of the Pioche
Hills, the Prince and Virginia Mines
were developed. They shut down in 1927
after producing over eight million dollars
of argentiferous manganese for use in
fluxing.
In 1940, the Prince Mine was reactivated
and the Caselton Mill completed a
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