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Possible Spanish Mining in Eldorado Canyon
The existence of Spanish mining activity in Nevada is an intriguing question. If such development did, in fact, take place, then it would expectedly occur in Southern Nevada. Many of the historical and technical publications concerning early mining in the State positively mention El Dorado Canyon as the locality.
Pilot Mountain - Eldorado Canyon - Rudolph D'Heureuse photo - 1863
On the debit side of the question, no account of any authorized Spanish or Mexican mining activity has been found to date. However, this negative rationalization does not preclude such enterprise. At best, it means that such records have not yet been located.
Entrance of Spanish and Mexican slave traders into the Southern Nevada area is commonly supposed. The Paiute and Shoshone an Indian groups then resident in the area were often raided for women and children captives. These raids were conducted both by Europeans and the Ute groups living in southwestern Utah.]S The time scale for this type of European intrusion into the Great Basin would be the period between 1750 and 1850. Thus if one were to define a period for Spanish mining in Nevada, it should commence at some point in that century. However, it should be stated that no dates for such activity are given in any of the sources making a case for Spanish mining.
Opinion in favor of Hispanic intrusion and later mining within Nevada,14 from the professional mining community, is epitomized by Francis Church Lincoln, former Dean of the Mackay School of Mines (1914-24). Lincoln positively states:
ll Eldred Ray Harrington, "America's First Miners," Nell' Mexico Professional Engineer Magazine, II (March 1950), 7. 12Sam P. Davis (ed.), The History of Nevada, Vol. I, (Reno: The Elms Publishing Company, 1913), pp. 214-222. Mrs. Helen J. Stewart wrote Chapter V, "Early Knowledge of Nevada." She was an early resident of Las Vegas and observed local mining for over forty years (1880-1920). No documentation supports her statements, but they should be grounded in experience and perceptive observation.
'"Warren L. d'Azevedo, Wilbur A. Davis, Don D. Fowler, and Wayne Suttles (eds.), The Current Status of Anthropological Research in the Great Basin: 1964, Desert Research Institute Technical Report Series S-H, Social Sciences and Humanities Publications No.1, (Reno: Publications Office, DRI, 1966), p. 11. "Francis Church Lincoln, "An Outline of the Mining History of the State of Nevada (1855-1923)", Nevada Newsletter, Vol. 19, No.3, (Apri11924), 1-2. 10 El Dorado Canyon and Searchlight Mining Districts
"Mining operations in Nevada were conducted on a small scale by the Indians and by the Franciscan Fathers prior to the advent of the argonauts." And later,
"With the assistance of their Mexican converts, the Franciscan Fathers worked gold placer mines, silver lode mines, and turquoise deposits in what is now Clark County, Nevada; and left interesting relics in some of the mines."
The interesting relics referred to by Lincoln, are described by Mrs. Stewart. 10
"Many interesting relics of these early expeditions have been found at the old Vegas ranch and at the mines. Silver coins have been unearthed having a date of 1770. In one of the mines was discovered a rosary of the period of a century and a half ago, and strung on this rosary were coins, identified as from the Island of Luzon, whence the Franciscan Fathers came to California, and brass or copper coins said to have been coined by the Spanish government especially for the pious fund. Attached to the rosary was also a silver figure of the Saviour outstretched upon the cross."
Subsequent discovery of relics of supposed Spanish or Mexican 'origin has occurred repeatedly since then. They are, however, only suggestive of Spanish occupation. Proof of occupation can only come from records of such activities kept in private or official collections by contemporaries. As yet, such proof has not been forthcoming.
Belief in Spanish activity in Southern Nevada is widespread. Many individuals maintain that they know of mine workings dating from such activity. There seems to be a truism in the folklore surrounding alleged mining by the Spaniards, i.e., efforts to obtain positive evidence are doomed to certain failure. This tradition is dominant in Southern Nevada. Although relics of the supposed activity are described in the literature, none of the items are now available to the researcher. Likewise, the environment in which the material was found is unknown.
The most impressive evidence for Spanish mining in El Dorado Canyon comes from an account of a visit to the area by a party 'of Mexicans about 1882. The story is secondhand but the source, John Powers, was a well-known and respected mining man who resided in El Dorado Canyon beginning in the 1870's:
"Mr. John Powers, who is still living and who at one time owned the Wall Street mine, told me one evening about 1882 that an outfit of Mexicans of the better class rode up to his camp at (the) Wall Street and asked him if he owned the mine. He replied that he did. They then said that they had a very old map of this country and that the Wall Street was marked on this map. The map was evidently correct, as they had come straight to the mine. They stated that the map had been made very long ago, probably by the early Spaniards. "16
Obviously, this account is only as valid as the man who made it. In this case, both the author of the above referenced statement, and his recorder were men of high standing in the El Dorado Mining District. Powers is used by several authorities to establish the veracity to mining claims and production figures. Also, Powers was noted as being an unusually taciturn individual. Powers' reputation lends credence to his statement.
Admitting the authenticity of the statement leads to the conclusion that mining was done in El Dorado Canyon by Europeans prior to the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. This is as much as can be established at the present. The date of such activity is unknown. Positive documentation through discovery of pene-contemporaneous records alone will settle this question which has been disquieting historiography in Southern Nevada for some time.
