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Chafey Camp, Nevada

Elwin S. Chafey, founder of the now famous Chafey Camp, Nevada, has been a prominent mine developer, and a successful one, for several years. But he has recently developed in the rejuvenated Chafey Camp the greatest strike of his career, and no wonder he is enthusiastic, because he has a mine and a valuable and productive property. There is an honorable list of the Chafey Nevada mining properties, gained many years before the desert operators were ever heard of and there is considerably less difficulty in wringing profits from Chafey properties today than there was then. In those days it cost a small fortune to have ores hauled to Winnemucca, where there was a mill, and it cost 25 cents per ton to have it treated, yet much of the rock smelted $800 per ton. Then supplies were high and powder expensive and poor, and the Indians very hostile, many of the miners being killed. Today all that is changed and conditions perfect for the development and production and shipping of ore at a great profit. Experts say that there is not a greater desert camp in Nevada than Chafey, and a wonderful profit is in store for that now famous camp. The early operators at Chafey did not go below 80 feet, and they walked over valuable ore year after year. E. S. Chafey went farther and became the rejuvenator of the camp. He soon developed the famous Black Hole Mine. The ledge followed was very distinct on the surface; and there are more of such ledges, any one of which may lead into as big a proposition as the Black Hole is today.


Chafey Mines, Chafey, Nevada

Milling ores occur at Chafey in big bodies, and the new custom mill recently built will lessen the cost of production greatly. This district is fifteen miles long by four to five in width, and there is not a camp in the country with better surface showings, and no camp in Nevada can show such a record as this district, by virtue of the Black Hole operations and shipments, and Chafey gives every promise of further successes and big increase in population. The town site is perfect, climate great, and many lots are now being sold for investment purposes.

Mr. Chafey has developed the Nevada, the Black Hole and Golden Bell mines, and two other groups owned by the Chafey Mines Company, of which he is president and H. C. Ostler is secretary and treasurer. Mr. Chafey owns 95 per cent, of the stock, and in less than one year the mines produced $250,000, and it is estimated that there is a million dollars' worth of ore in sight. Several shafts have been sunk, and the profitable ore will run a great deal more. The vein on the surface is opened for 2300 feet, every place showing ore of milling value. The ore is siliceous, the values being chiefly in gold, with just a little silver and lead. The Chafey Mines Company was incorporated in 1909 for $1,000,000, with 200,000 shares of treasury stock, making an immediate offering of only 50,000 shares, which offering was guar-anteed.

Elwin S. Chafey was born October 9, 1877, at Winfield, Kansas, a son of M. N. and Elizabeth W. He was married to Miss Ethel M. Cutler, November 25, 1907. He arrived at Chafey, Nevada, in May, 1908, and is the founder of the town. He discovered the Transvaal Camp, Nye County, Nevada, and developed the Diamond Queen Mine. He also started the Skiddoo Camp in California, and many other mines. Mr. Chafey is a resident of Chafey, Humboldt County, Nevada.

Index

Source: Sketches of the Inter-Mountain States, Utah, Idaho and Nevada, Published by The Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1909 

 

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