A 1957 letter from a former mining employee to a friend in Trona, California, describing memories of working in Goldfield, Nevada.

Transcript:

Anderson, Ind. Jan. 15, 1957

Mr. Bill Myers

Trona, Calif. Box 4

Dear Friend:

Your letter received and you will find enclosed another bunch of prints. Some of these are different from the ones I sent you. You can trade if there is anything in this bunch you would rather have.

We had planned to be on way to Florida by this time but my wife received word from Calif that her Bro. was in hospital with severe heart attack and would have to be in hospital for three weeks.

We are having a severe touch of winter here. Two days ago it was down to 10 below Zero. Now have about three inches of snow. I knew several assayers in Goldfield. Can't remember their names now. I done a little business with one of them in Hy-Grade ore. Had him smelt me two gold buttons that I brought back home and had rings made. I worked in office of MacMaster and MacMaster (two brothers) as stenographer for about one year. They floated the Rochester-Goldfield Mining Co., and had a Supt. at diggins called Tom Short. They never hit anything. I later worked for Davis and Shoemaker who operated a lease on the Mohawk and they did get considerable high grade ore. This was not Diamondfield Jack Davis but Lincoln Davis from Chicago. Diamond Field Jack Davis had his office directly across the street from MacMaster and MacMaster in Goldfield. Jack would always ride his horse inside the office before he dismounted. Usually carried two rifles and two six shooters. I also saw a shooting scrape between an assayer near our office and another man. The assayer jumped back in his office after both shot several times and came back out with a sawed off shot gun and got the other fellow. I would sure like to see that book of Frank Crampton's. Do you know where he is located? I do not remember Al Anderson "Big Swede" but may have bumped into him at Goldfield. I don't remember many of the names now. The next time my daughter comes thru your part of country, will have her stop to see you. She has promised Seldom Seen Slim a colored picture of him she took while at your place. It was good. She was out in Death Valley again last Fall at the Flap Jack contest.

CAE Rinker

Sent 20 Prints.