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Register of the Haskin-Tonopah Gold Mine Collection,
1929
Mss91
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Table of contents
Title: Haskin-Tonopah Gold Mine Collection,
Date (inclusive): 1929
Collection number: Mss91
Creator:
Extent: 0.25 linear ft.
Repository:
University of the Pacific. Library. Holt-Atherton Department of
Special Collections
Stockton, CA 95211
Shelf location: For current information on the location of
these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Language: English.
Collection is open for research.
[Identification of item], Haskin-Tonopah Gold Mine Collection, Mss91,
Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the Pacific
Library
To virtually "every living Nevadan more than forty years of age,
observes the WPA Nevada guide book, "Tonopah stands for modern Nevada, for
youth, excitement, hope and the great adventure of a lifetime." A major gold
rush began there in 1902, following the accidental discovery of a rich vein of
silver. By 1913, production had reached its zenith at $9.5 million, and, by
1921, it had fallen to half that figure. Gradually, one mine after another was
turned over to lessors. By 1930 the population of the town had fallen to 2000,
but Tonopah survived as a gasoline, machinery and food distribution center. As
late as 1940, notes the WPA guide, "residents are strong in the belief that
explorations will soon find new wealth."
It was apparently with that hope in view that Western Pacific Railroad
locomotive engineer, Joseph J. Haskin and his wife, Veda, of Oakland, Calif.,
acquired shares in the Electric Gold Mining Co. of Tonopah. When the president
of that entity, F.E. Horton, created a new holding company, Weepah-Horton Gold
Mining Co., many small investors like the Haskins were unable to pay the two
cents per share exchange fee Horton required to convert their holdings from
Electric Gold to Weepah-Horton stock.
Joseph Haskin may have been a friend of Horton's. His correspondence
suggests that he and his wife had helped Horton to sell Electric Gold stock in
the San Francisco Bay Area. His cus-tomers expressed concerns about the new
arrangements, while Haskin repeatedly reassured them. In June, Haskin paid his
assessment after complaining to Horton about being short of cash.
Joseph Haskin also invested in various Bay Area companies through his
union--the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers--which held a controlling
interest in the Pacific Brotherhood Investment Corp. In June 1929 this group
was investigated for financial malpractice.
The Haskin/Tonopah Gold Mine Papers consist chiefly of correspondence
and clippings pertaining to stock acquisition and ownership change at a
particular gold mine near Tonopah, Nevada. The Papers also contain a small file
of materials relating to the malpractice investigation of the Pacific
Brotherhood Investment Corp.