PHENOMENAL GOLDFIELD.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10638, 14 April 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

PHENOMENAL GOLDFIELD.

o ;o "The greatest surface showing in the history of mining," is the way the new camp at Manhattan, Nevada, is described by Volney T.. Hoggatt, who with his partner, C. F. Kapp, was in San Francisco lately in connection with the incorporation of an electric lighting and water supply plant- for the town. "It is essentially a poor man's camp," he added, in conversation. "You get rich ore from the grass roots down, and it is all freemilling rock." Of all the Nevada mining towns that have sprung into existence with mushroom rapidity, Manhattan has had the most astonishing rise, according to the story told by Messrs Hoggatt and Kapp. On January 1 there were not more than 50 souls oh the site of what .to-day is a bustling settlement of close on 4000 people. More are crowding in every day. From other Nevada camps, from California, and from the East, newcomers are flocking to the latest El Dorada. , Within less than 90 days ,says Mr Hoggatt, tliere will be at the very least 10,000 people at Manhattan. Notwithstanding that abnormally rich rock has been found practically" on the surface, these two men, who own large interests . in the new field, are convinced that the veins will live to a great depth, and that Manhattan will prove a permanent camp. "They are already down to 80ft on one claim,'.'! said Mr Kapp, "and have installed a whim. The ore from the bottom of the shaft is better and richer than that taken from the surface. The vein is stronger, and more j pronounced, .and has all the signs of permanency, not being 'stringy' as at the surface. Moreover, the leases on the north-west of the town are on a hill, and at the foot of the hill the ore is even richer than at the apex. This is practically equivalent to a test of the vein at a depth of 70ft. The richness of the ore taken out is phenomenal, as some glittering specimens show. The gentlemen mentioned that no ore that is not worth at least £20 a ton is considered ; if it goes less than that it is simply thrown on the dump. From some of the claims not a piece can be taken that goes lower than £60 a ton, and the specimen ore assays anything from £4000 ijrp. To show how great wealth is sometimes lost because of ignorance," said Hoggatt, "the experience of the cowboys on Mustang Hill is interesting. Three cowpunchers some months ago acquired the top of that hill, but did nothing except place monuments of rock on the boundaries. A few weeks ago Bert Kopenhaver happened along, and in looking over the ground thought he saw gold in the rocks from which the monuments were made. He was suspicious that it was 'fool's gold,' but he sacked np some of it, and it actually went better than £60 to the ton. iWithin 6ft he uncovered a ledge that averages over that value, with immensely rich specimens. Miners are walking into the camp every day and taking up leases, wliich it is the commonest thing for them to sell within a day or two for from £100 to £200 per foot. These leases run for a year, and the lessees give the owners 25 per cent, net of all the -go^d taken out."