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Subject: OLD DAYS IN KINGSTON MINE AREA
CLAY W. VADEN, IRITER
On American Guide, Interviews
Old Ox -Team Ireighter
e /e-
'OLD DAYS IN KINGJTON MINE AREA
Writer on American teuide interviere
old ox -team Yrei hter
'x teams were not so fast as the trucks used now to haul ore
from the mines," observed Cob. Goine, ninety year -old pioneer freighter,
but they got the ore out."
Coins drove ten yokes of oxen to freight wagons of seven tons
capacity and with tires four inches wide. He later replaced the oxen
with 12 teams of mules to each wagon. Coins hauled ore from the paying
mines in Kingston district, among them the Brush Heap, 4psy, Blackie,
Lady Franklin, Bullion, thb Cumberland,Dalamity Jane, Keystone, and
numbers of °there.
When a 41530 nucget was picked up at Blackie mine, seven miles
north of Kingston, a rush to that district followed. The Bridal Chamber
mine at Lake Valley was one of the best payine in this section of the
State. Blocks one yard tuare of almost pure native silver were often
taken from this mine, and it has been roughly estimated that it produced
ore worth betreen five and seven mi lions of dollLrs.
"There was danger in freighting such rich shipments," said Going,
"and I elys ha,f, a guard armed with a double barreled shotgun and two
six shooters on my wagons, until the ore was placed on the care in Lake
Valley."
4oins recails how the knowledge of ores was responsible fr the
amassing of a small fortune oy- jenniefinley, now a resident of Denver.
i,ccording to uoints story, a Judge Holt had a lease on and was
foreman of the Virginia mine, while Finley was one of the 30 workmen,
although he had been foreman of another mine and was a practical mining
man. One day iinley picked up a rich piece of ore and said to Judge Holt,
"This is worth saving."
Judge Holt, replied, in effect, that if he wanted any information
he would as for it, and continued to throw $800 -a -ton rock over the
dump. Finley was given his 'time' in a few days. He obtained a lease from
the Virginia line company and hauled 18 carloads of high grade ore from
the dump. He now owns a chain of stores in Denver but before he made his
stake at Kinston he had not seen his family in five years.
uoins came to Sierra county about 1885, living first at Percha,
north of Kingston. lihile several fortunes vere taken out of the Kingston
mines, he says that the big cbmpanies never found official veins, only
ores in pockets and chimneys. The Virginia mine is still being worked.
Clay 'ii. Vaden