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marvel in silver discoveries had transpired。 If the mine was a
〃developed〃 one； and had no pay ore to show （and of course it hadn't）； we
praised the tunnel； said it was one of the most infatuating tunnels in
the land； driveled and driveled about the tunnel till we ran entirely out
of ecstasiesbut never said a word about the rock。 We would squander
half a column of adulation on a shaft； or a new wire rope； or a dressed
pine windlass； or a fascinating force pump； and close with a burst of
admiration of the 〃gentlemanly and efficient Superintendent〃 of the mine
but never utter a whisper about the rock。 And those people were always
pleased； always satisfied。 Occasionally we patched up and varnished our
reputation for discrimination and stern； undeviating accuracy； by giving
some old abandoned claim a blast that ought to have made its dry bones
rattleand then somebody would seize it and sell it on the fleeting
notoriety thus conferred upon it。
There was nothing in the shape of a mining claim that was not salable。
We received presents of 〃feet〃 every day。 If we needed a hundred dollars
or so； we sold some； if not； we hoarded it away； satisfied that it would
ultimately be worth a thousand dollars a foot。 I had a trunk about half
full of 〃stock。〃 When a claim made a stir in the market and went up to a
high figure； I searched through my pile to see if I had any of its stock
and generally found it。
The prices rose and fell constantly； but still a fall disturbed us
little； because a thousand dollars a foot was our figure； and so we were
content to let it fluctuate as much as it pleased till it reached it。
My pile of stock was not all given to me by people who wished their
claims 〃noticed。〃 At least half of it was given me by persons who had no
thought of such a thing； and looked for nothing more than a simple verbal
〃thank you；〃 and you were not even obliged by law to furnish that。
If you are coming up the street with a couple of baskets of apples in
your hands； and you meet a friend； you naturally invite him to take a
few。 That describes the condition of things in Virginia in the 〃flush
times。〃 Every man had his pockets full of stock； and it was the actual
custom of the country to part with small quantities of it to friends
without the asking。
Very often it was a good idea to close the transaction instantly； when a
man offered a stock present to a friend； for the offer was only good and
binding at that moment； and if the price went to a high figure shortly
afterward the procrastination was a thing to be regretted。 Mr。 Stewart
（Senator； now； from Nevada） one day told me he would give me twenty feet
of 〃Justis〃 stock if I would walk over to his office。 It was worth five
or ten dollars a foot。 I asked him to make the offer good for next day；
as I was just going to dinner。 He said he would not be in town； so I
risked it and took my dinner instead of the stock。 Within the week the
price went up to seventy dollars and afterward to a hundred and fifty；
but nothing could make that man yield。 I suppose he sold that stock of
mine and placed the guilty proceeds in his own pocket。 ＇My revenge will
be found in the accompanying portrait。＇ I met three friends one
afternoon； who said they had been buying 〃Overman〃 stock at auction at
eight dollars a foot。 One said if I would come up to his office he would
give me fifteen feet； another said he would add fifteen； the third said
he would do the same。 But I was going after an inquest and could not
stop。 A few weeks afterward they sold all their 〃Overman〃 at six hundred
dollars a foot and generously came around to tell me about itand also
to urge me to accept of the next forty…five feet of it that people tried
to force on me。
These are actual facts； and I could make the list a long one and still
confine myself strictly to the truth。 Many a time friends gave us as
much as twenty…five feet of stock that was selling at twenty…five dollars
a foot； and they thought no more of it than they would of offering a
guest a cigar。 These were 〃flush times〃 indeed！ I thought they were
going to last always； but somehow I never was much of a prophet。
To show what a wild spirit possessed the mining brain of the community；
I will remark that 〃claims〃 were actually 〃located〃 in excavations for
cellars； where the pick had exposed what seemed to be quartz veinsand
not cellars in the suburbs； either； but in the very heart of the city；
and forthwith stock would be issued and thrown on the market。 It was
small matter who the cellar belonged tothe 〃ledge〃 belonged to the
finder； and unless the United States government interfered （inasmuch as
the government holds the primary right to mines of the noble metals in
Nevadaor at least did then）； it was considered to be his privilege to
work it。 Imagine a stranger staking out a mining claim among the costly
shrubbery in your front yard and calmly proceeding to lay waste the
ground with pick and shovel and blasting powder！ It has been often done
in California。 In the middle of one of the principal business streets of
Virginia； a man 〃located〃 a mining claim and began a shaft on it。 He
gave me a hundred feet of the stock and I sold it for a fine suit of
clothes because I was afraid somebody would fall down the shaft and sue
for damages。 I owned in another claim that was located in the middle of
another street； and to show how absurd people can be； that 〃East India〃
stock （as it was called） sold briskly although there was an ancient
tunnel running directly under the claim and any man could go into it and
see that it did not cut a quartz ledge or anything that remotely
resembled one。
One plan of acquiring sudden wealth was to 〃salt〃 a wild cat claim and
sell out while the excitement was up。 The process was simple。
The schemer located a worthless ledge； sunk a shaft on it； bought a wagon
load of rich 〃Comstock〃 ore； dumped a portion of it into the shaft and
piled the rest by its side； above ground。 Then he showed the property to
a simpleton and sold it to him at a high figure。 Of course the wagon
load of rich ore was all that the victim ever got out of his purchase。
A most remarkable case of 〃salting〃 was that of the 〃North Ophir。〃
It was claimed that this vein was a remote extension〃 of the original
〃Ophir；〃 a valuable mine on the 〃Comstock。〃 For a few days everybody was
talking about the rich developments in the North Ophir。 It was said that
it yielded perfectly pure silver in small； solid lumps。 I went to the
place with the owners； and found a shaft six or eight feet deep； in the
bottom of which was a badly shattered vein of dull； yellowish；
unpromising rock。 One would as soon expect to find silver in a
grindstone。 We got out a pan of the rubbish and washed it in a puddle；
and sure enough； among the sediment we found half a dozen black； bullet…
looking pellets of unimpeachable 〃native〃 silver。 Nobody had ever heard
of such a thing before； science could not account for such a queer
novelty。 The stock rose to sixty…five dollars a foot； and at this figure
the world…renowned tragedian； McKean Buchanan； bought a commanding
interest and prepared