MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2014

GOLDFIELD Long ago, Nevada’s Columbia Mountains hosted a stream of gold infested super-heated

mineral that arrived from far below the ancient volcanic rock that gave form to the

range. A few prospectors who arrived soon after the discovery became very wealthy.

They named it Goldfield.

Crude buildings appeared along bladed streets that defined the town, while mounds of

gold bearing ore peaked at mine entrances awaiting mule-drawn wagons to haul it to

mills in Tonopah.

Unfortunately, some dwellings were built on existing placer claims that made it difficult

for owners to prove what they owned and made it possible for those, so disposed, to

camp on the property claiming squatter-rights. The end of a gun barrel often settled

such disputes.

Tex Richards, a man of good business sense, opened one of the largest saloons in town

investing money that he had made in the Alaskan Gold Rush. The sixty foot bar required

twelve bartenders who served six barrels of whiskey a day. It was named The Northern

featuring faro, blackjack, poker and roulette in what some considered “pretentious”

surroundings.

Billy Murray worked the racetracks before setting out for Goldfield. Tex hired him to

handle the cashier’s wicket at the Northern. The wicket manager was responsible for

holding and dispensing money for the dealers -- keeping their money in a safe behind

the cage.

Billy kept track of the money by writing the name of the dealer and the amount

deposited in a notebook. When the dealer needed cash Billy would simply subtract that

amount from the amount deposited

Customers eventually got in the habit of leaving some of their money at the wicket for

safe keeping All Billy needed was their name and the amount.

The financial panic of 1907 paralyzed the country causing banks to fail as depositors

lined up to withdraw their savings. Those who knew Billy brought their retrieved savings

to the wicket for safe keeping.

In fact, there was so much customer money stacked around behind the cashier’s cage

that one of the dealers agreed to haul it down the alley late at night and deposit it in the

John J Cook Bank. Billy claimed that these night deposits made that bank solvent so

that the doors could open for business the next day. The run on the John J Cook Bank

soon ended thanks to Billy. Old timers claimed that some of that money made at least

three trips down that alley.

Goldfield eventually became the richest and longest producing mining town in the state

of Nevada. And, the Goldfield Consolidate Mining Company became the most successful

operator. By 1910, the population of Goldfield had reach 20,000 making it the largest

city in Nevada at that time.

Those who worked below ground could walk out of the mine with their pockets and

jacket linings filled with high-grade ore that found its way to certain back-street

assayer’s. The mine owners looked the other way as long as profits were high. That

changed however; when the mines went deeper and the cost of recovery went higher.

Confrontation broke out between owners and miners when dressing rooms were

introduced near the mine entrance and miners were required to change their clothes

before their tour under ground. No more easy money. Wages at that time ranged around

four dollars a day.

The confrontation brought union organizers who had succeeded in organizing miners at

Cripple Creek and other camps in Colorado. The American Labor Union had made some

inroads organizing miners in Goldfield. But the real threat to management came from

the communist-inspired International Workers of the World who used strong-arm

tactics to enforce their will.

After some back and forth negotiations between labor and management, a strike took

effect and the mines went idle. The economic conditions were such that the mine owners

could afford the time to renegotiated wages to their benefit. But, the threat that strikers

might resort to the destruction of property led to a call by the governor for United States

Army troops stationed at the federal garrison at San Francisco.

Soon after the troops arrived, the strike ended. The miners went back to work and the

soldiers went back to San Francisco.

Nevada was one of the few states that allowed professional prizefights. The most famous

fight occurred in 1897 -- a fourteen-round fest between James Corbett and Jim

Fitzsimons for the World’s heavyweight title. That fight took place in Reno.

The sports pages of eastern newspapers clamored for a showdown between Joe Gans

and Battling Nelson for the world’s lightweight title. Tex Richards kept his eyes open for

ways to make money without digging holes in the ground. “Why don’t we host the fight

here in Goldfield?” he asked a few of his associates. “Let’s get some of the leading

citizens together to sponsor the fight.”

The Goldfield Athletic Club resulted from Richards’ effort. The club made the necessary

contact with eastern fight promoters, raised the guaranteed prize money for the fighters

and built a ring with bleachers to accommodate the anticipated large number of fight

fans that would attend.

The two fighters arrived in town in the latest automobiles giving rise to celebrations

along Main Street. Trains from all directions brought fight fans including celebrities and

wealthy industrialist, some arriving in their private Pullman cars hungry to be seen and

reported.

As a result of all the hoopla, Goldfield received front page coverage in most newspapers

throughout the country. As Tex Richards predicted, Goldfield had made the big time. [2]

With the temperature nearing one-hundred degrees, the longest fight in the history of

boxing took place on Labor Day 1906. The two fighters traded blows for 43 rounds with

Gans receiving the lightweight title from the referee after Nelson delivered a low punch.

A movie camera followed the fight round-by-round until the cameraman ran out of film.

The production was shown in theaters around the world and can now be seen on

YouTube.

Tex Richards went on to promote a number of famous heavyweight fights during the

1920s and 30s. He, along with John Ringling, founded Madison Square Garden in New

York City dedicated to showcasing prizefights and other sporting events.

Goldfield proved more stubborn than most towns that depended on digging for gold.

After 1910, interest in new discoveries began to draw prospectors and others to nearby

camps such as Gold Reed, Silver Arrow, Blake’s Camp and Bonnie Clark. Profits

decreased as the quality of gold baring ore declined. The major companies, however,

continued operations until the end of World War I.

In 1913 a major flood swept away large section of the town. Ten years later fire destroyed

Main Street and the adjacent twenty-five block business district. It was believed that the

fire got started by a whisky still that exploded in a garage located on Main Street.

A few significant buildings managed to survive flood, fire and the passage of time.

We visited the town a few years ago and took photographs of some of the buildings. For

those interested, Goldfield is an easy drive from Las Vegas up Highway 95.