Virginia City & The Fabulous Comstock Lode
By Chic Di Francia

To tell the tale of Virginia City in terms of wealth only, is to ignore the greater story of the famed Comstock Lode, for wealth like autumn leaves in a Washoe Zephyr can quickly vanish, and vanish it did.

By 1879 Virginia City was 20 years old and most mining operations were working below the 2000 foot level, and in some cases below 3000 feet. Blistering heat and scalding water had always been in great abundance, but as the mines went deeper, these two insufferable conditions were really making their presence known. This coupled with the fact that no new major ore bodies were found signaled the beginning of the end of the great Comstock Lode.

For sure mining continued in Virginia City right up until America entered World War II, and even beyond into the 1950's. But the days of the Great Bonanzas were only a distant memory, for the mines had played out decades earlier. What a ride it had been! From 1859 to 1879, the Comstock mines produced 400 million dollars, or 5 1/2 billion at today's prices.

At the height of the boom in the mid 1870's, 45% of Nevada's population (22,000) people resided in Virginia City and Gold Hill.

It's the accomplishments of some of those 22,000 people and the impact they had on the rest of the country is what constitutes Virginia City's history and legacy. Remember that water problem in the mines? Well, there was another water problem on the surface, namely there wasn't any to quench the thirst of a fast growing population. Both problems were solved by two Prussian born engineers who arrived on the Comstock at about the same time. First came Adolph Sutro to drain the mines through an adit that became known as The Sutro Tunnel. Work began on the project in 1869 and was finally completed in 1878 at a cost of 3 1/2 million dollars. Sutro relocated to San Francisco in 1880 and went on a construction crusade to erect The Cliff House, The Sutro Baths, Sutro Heights and The Sutro Railroad. He was elected mayor of San Francisco in 184 and died there in 1898 at the age of 68.

The other water problem on the surface was quickly quaffed with the arrival of Mr. Hermann Schussler, Chief Engineer of the Spring Valley Water System in San Francisco. In the summer of 1873, Mr. Schussler and his crew undertook a very ambitious project to tap the pure Sierra waters of Marlette Lake located some 30 miles to the west of Virginia City. Over 7 miles of specially constructed 12" pipe connected to a 25 mile wooden flume propelled the water all the way to Virginia City via an inverted siphon and the whole business was assembled and completed in the summer of 1873. You should know that any water you consume today in Virginia City still comes from the same source.

The real heroes who made Virginia City a reality were the 3000 miners who toiled under some unbelievable conditions. Working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week in temperatures often hovering at 130 degrees for $4.00 per day. As the ore bodies were removed from the stopes, the caverns they created would sometimes collapse crushing the men instantly under tons of rock. This problem was solved quickly by mine superintendent, Philipp Deidesheimer with his invention of square set timbering. Not another miner ever lost his life due to a cave-in, if this method of timbering was employed.

Another danger the miners faced daily was death due to a snapped hempen rope on the hoisting cages. A cage falling 2000 feet down a shaft left little chance anyone would survive such an accident. Enter Andrew Hallidie from San Francisco. In 1864 Mr. Hallidie devised a flat woven wire cable about 4" wide and 1/2 " thick that was attached to the cages, it was the same invention he had used in the San Francisco cable car system. The installation of this cable, along with safety clutches, virtually insured a safe ride up and down the shafts.

Virginia City contributed more than just mining technology to this country. Sagebrush Journalists who had cut their literary teeth with the "Territorial Enterprise", then the greatest voice in Nevada, would later go on to become world renown writers. Men like Dan Dequille, author of "The Big Bonanza", Territorial Enterprise owner Joseph Goodman and writers such as Wells Drury, Rollin Daggett and a young upstart by the name of Samuel L. Clemens, who was hired in 1862 at $25.00 a week, and when he left Virginia city 22 months later was known as Mark Twain.

Virginia City's political roots also go deep into Nevada's history. Four of the first 5 U.S. Senators from Nevada all had their origins in Virginia City before their election to office. William Stewart, author of the Federal Mining Laws of 1866, was elected 5 times to the U.S. Senate. He took his seat for the first time in Dec of 1864, just 2 months after Nevada statehood and left the U.S. Senate 40 years later when his 5th term expired in March of 1905.

As for those millionaires, Virginia City had its share of those too. The most respected of the lot was a pick and shovel ex 49er who arrived in Virginia City in the spring of 1860 penniless. When John Mackay died 42 years later in London, his wealth was estimated to be in excess of 70 million dollars. John Mackay was one of a quartet of Irishmen that became known as the Bonanza Kings.

When the Big Bonanza was finally struck in the Consolidated Virginia mine in 1873 John Mackay, Jim Fair, James Flood and William O'Brien became instant millionaires, for the Con-Virginia produced 61 million dollars making it the all time leading producer in the history of the Comstock Lode. There were some other fellows who didn't fare too badly either. George Hearst, the father of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst also got his start in Virginia City. In 1860 ole' George purchased a 1/6th share of the original Ophir diggings for $3000 and turned a net profit of $91,000. Not a great fortune then, but enough to get George to South Dakota and Montana where he eventually took over ownership of Homestake Gold Mine and Anaconda copper respectively in those states.

Then there was E.J. (Lucky) Baldwin who had purchased some Hale & Norcross mining stock at $800 a share. Lucky was on his way to India to engage in the then manly sport of big game hunting, and left instructions with his broker if the stock ever fell below the $800 mark, he was to sell it. The stock did drop below the mark but the frantic broker could not open the vault for Lucky had taken the key with him all the way to India. Baldwin's luck held for when he arrive back home, Hale & Norcross went through the roof at $12,000 a share! Baldwin pocketed a cool 5 million.

the triumvirate of William Ralston, William Sharon and Darius Ogden Mills, then with The Bank of California in San Francisco, also did quite well for themselves. The trio opened a branch office in Virginia City in 1864 and proceeded to carve up a large slice of the Comstock pie by gutting the Comstock from one end to the other. Through questionable banking practices and a little chicanery, the bank barons became exceedingly wealthy as one property after another fell into their hands. But the real jewel in the crown for this threesome didn't take place until 1869 when they built the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. Their stranglehold on the Comstock was now complete and one wonders how long this death grip might have prevailed had the bank not suspended operations in San Francisco in August of 1875.

For sure the bank reopened under new leadership a few weeks later, but depositor confidence was no where near the numbers prior to the bank's suspension. The Bank of California had finally relinquished its death grip on Virginia City, but Ralston, Sharon and Mills all became multi-millionaires in the process. Virginia City produced scores of millionaires and hundreds of others who became unbelievably wealthy, way too many to enumerate is this short bio.

The question that is probably uppermost on your mind is: What happened to all that wealth? Because even a cursory glance around Virginia City today gives no hint of its amazing past. The answer lies in the one city you have read about repeatedly in this story. San Francisco! Virginia City is the town that built the city by the bay!

Virginia City could never hold the wealthy people once the mines played out by the 1880's. All that Comstock wealth went on to build some of the most magnificent architecture in the history of San Francisco.

The Palace, Baldwin and Fairmont Hotels, as well as the Flood building and the Nevada Bank of San Francisco were all built and financed by Comstock wealth. Yes! Virginia City gave birth to San Francisco, just as sure as a mother gives birth to a brand new bawling baby.

Virginia City today is known as the liveliest ghost town in the American West. In truth, Virginia City never was a ghost town, never even came close. And with all the annual events held in Virginia City the action on the Comstock today rivals that of the Bonanza Kings of long ago.

A resurgence of tourism took hold in a big way on September 12, 1959 when NBC premiered the television series "Bonanza". For almost 14 years the Cartwright's would saddle up every Sunday night and ride into Virginia City. Today over 1.5 million people a year visit the grand old mining camp.

Virginia City today is a lot of the old and some of the new. Mines, mansions, museums and a ride on the Virginia & Truckee railroad will take you back to the founding days of the fabulous Comstock Lode. It will be a fun filled and educational experience you and your family won't soon forget.

Virginia City is open all year long. For a schedule of up=coming events and attractions, call the Chamber of Commerce, 775-847-0311.

If you want to know more about Virginia City and the Comstock Lode, the following books are recommended: