Nevada Mining Companies Collection: Finding Aid mssNevadam
Brooke M. Black
The Huntington Library
July 2022
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Business Number: (626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Nevada Mining Companies collection
Identifier/Call Number: mssNevadam
Physical Description:
20.90 Linear Feet
(24 boxes and 27 volumes)
Date (inclusive): 1862-1901
Abstract: Collection of business papers of several mining companies including Savage Mining Company and the Hale and Norcross Mining
Company.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more
information.
Conditions Governing Use
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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from William P. Wreden, August 1961 and June 1962.
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.
Scope and Contents
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.
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).
General
Former call number: mssNevada Mining Companies.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Mines and mineral resources -- Nevada -- Comstock Lode
Mining corporations -- Nevada
Silver mines and mining -- Nevada
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
Account books -- Nevada -- 19th century
Business records -- Nevada -- 19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- Nevada -- 19th century
Payrolls -- Nevada -- 19th century
Receipts -- Nevada -- 19th century
Reports -- Nevada -- 19th century
Hale and Norcross Silver Mining Company -- Archives
Savage Mining Company (Virginia City, Nev.) -- Archives
United States Mint
Box 4
Accounts-Joint supplies on hand
1863-1901
Scope and Contents
Contains accounts, annual reports, assessments, assignments, bills of sale, board meetings, contracts, indentures, insurance,
internal revenue, and joint supplies on hand.
Box 6
Receipts and disbursements
1883-1900
Box 7
Statement of tons of ore, store stock and expense summary, and bank books
1871-1900
Box 10
Bullion shipments, men employed reports
1866-1894
Box 11
Men employed reports, operation reports
1877-1897
Box 12
Ore extracted reports
1866-1897
Box 13
Statements of lumber shipped, storehouse reports
1866-1897
Box 14a
Supplies on hand, time reports
1882-1893
Box 14b
Correspondence from U.S. Mint, Carson City to R.P. Keating
1888-1896
Box 15, Box 16
Statements, miscellaneous
1860-1898
Box 22
Ore shipped, shift operations, timber; and time books
1871-1892
Box 23
Memoranda of deposits and statements of fine silver bars manufactured from ore
1888-1896
Business papers (bound volumes)
Volume 1
Letterbook: Hale & Norcross Silver Mining Company
1867 March-September
Volume 2
Letterbook: Hale & Norcross Silver Mining Company
1867-1868
Volume 3
Letterbook: Hale & Norcross Silver Mining Company
1872-1873
Volume 4
Letterbook: Hale & Norcross Silver Mining Company
1876-1882
Volume 5
Letterbook: Savage Mining Company
1867-1868
Volume 6
Letterbook: Savage Mining Company
1872-1872
Volume 7
Letterbook: Savage Mining Company
1872-1873
Volume 8
Letterbook: Savage Mining Company
1878-1881
Volume 9
Letterbook: Savage Mining Company
1887-1889
Volume 10
Letterbook: Savage Mining Company
1895-1898
Volume 11
Time book: Savage Mining Company
1863-1864
Volume 12
Time book: Savage Mining Company
1888
Volume 13
Time book: Savage Mining Company
1891
Volume 14
Time book: Savage Mining Company
1892
Volume 15
Time book: Hale & Norcross Silver Mining Company
1882
Volume 16
Inventory: Savage Mining Company
1886-1887
Volume 19
Bullion production: Hale & Norcross Silver Mining Company
1866-1875
Volume 20
Pay ore: Savage Mining Company; Car samples: Hale & Norcross Silver Mining Company
1886-1890
Volume 21
Pay roll: Savage Mining Company
1876-1877
Volume 22
Store house account: Savage Mining Company
1875-1876
Volume 25-27
Pay roll: Hale & Norcross Silver Mining Company and Savage Mining Company
1876-1892
