Collection context
Summary
- Abstract:
- Collection of business papers of several mining companies including Savage Mining Company and the Hale and Norcross Mining Company.
- Extent:
- 20.90 Linear Feet (24 boxes and 27 volumes)
- Language:
- Materials are in English.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item]. Nevada Mining Companies collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The collection consists of letters, documents, and bound volumes documenting the legal and business affairs of the Savage Mining Company and the Hale and Norcross Mining Company. It includes receipts and disbursements, payrolls, bank books, time books, stockholders' statements and accounts, reports on ore extracted, and assays, vouchers, etc. The collection also includes letters to mining superintendents, a few pertaining to the mining town of Bodie, California, and some material concerning operations of the U.S. Mint in Carson City, Nevada, from 1888 to 1889.
- Biographical / historical:
-
One of the earlier successful mines at the Comstock Lode in Nevada was the Savage, which commenced producing in 1863 and yielded almost $8 million at its peak from 1865 to 1869. John P. Jones and Alvinza Hayward gained control of the Savage Mining Company in 1871, but the boom collapsed when Hayward manipulated the stock of the mine. The Hale and Norcross Mine, controlled by the Bank of California combine, was producing $2 million worth of ore in 1866 to 1867, but its stock fell rapidly in 1868. The future Bonanza Kings (Fair, Flood, Mackay, and O'Brien) succeeded in buying up the stock and in taking control of the Hale and Norcross in 1869, and the mine prospered until 1872. Many of the Comstock mines continued to operate for several years, but never again produced the wealth that flowed during the boom from 1860 to 1880.
- Acquisition information:
- Purchased from William P. Wreden, August 1961 and June 1962.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by H. Noya in 1962. In 2022, Brooke M. Black created a finding aid.
- Arrangement:
-
Arranged in the following series: 1. Business papers (loose); 2. Business papers (bound volumes).
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Mines and mineral resources -- Nevada -- Comstock Lode
Mining corporations -- Nevada
Silver mines and mining -- Nevada
Payrolls -- Nevada -- 19th century
Account books -- Nevada -- 19th century
Business records -- Nevada -- 19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- Nevada -- 19th century
Receipts -- Nevada -- 19th century
Reports -- Nevada -- 19th century - Names:
- Hale and Norcross Silver Mining Company -- Archives
Savage Mining Company (Virginia City, Nev.) -- Archives
United States Mint - Places:
- Bodie (Calif.) -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Carson City (Nev.) -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Comstock Lode (Nev.) -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Nevada -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.
- Terms of access:
-
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item]. Nevada Mining Companies collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
1151 Oxford RoadSan Marino, CA 91108, US
- Contact:
- (626) 405-2191