Newspaper List
Beatty Bullfrog Miner – Beatty, Nevada [was called the Bullfrog Miner during first two months of publication – not to be confused with the Bullfrog Miner, of Rhyolite, Nevada]
Inyo Independent – Independence, California
Inyo Register – Bishop, California
Rhyolite Herald – Rhyolite, Nevada

All new additions to this page will be noted by this symbol --

Silver Peak, Nevada
Including the community of Blair

Newspaper Articles
1871
Inyo Independent, August 19, 1871
"TOM SHAW AND PARTY."
Our readers will recollect that week before last a statement was extensively circulated in all the newspapers of the State to the effect that Tom Shaw, who works an arrastra on Gold Mountain, south of Silver Peak, had been killed by Indians, together with eight other white men. The news came from Hot Creek, and the names of reliable parties were mentioned as having brought it there. From information which we had obtained from Mr. Stansbury, who had just arrived here from the Silver Peak country, we pronounced the rumor false. We are happy to state that a Mr. Meyers, who arrived in Austin from Silver Peak on Saturday last, says that there is not a word of truth in the report, that no Indian troubles have occurred there, and that Tom Shaw and all the other miners of that region are at work and enjoy good health. -- Austin Reveille, Aug. 7.

1899
Inyo Register, March 16, 1899
Summary: Active work at Silver Peak has halted, awaiting outcome of a trial. The trial is held in Carson City, with P. Reddy as attorney in the case. It is the opinion of the Reno Gazette that if the plaintiff wins, the mines will resume working. If the plaintiff looses, then the property will be held for speculative purposes.

Inyo Register, March 30, 1899
Summary: Silver Peak lawsuit settled in Carson City. The company owning the mines won their suit.

1905
Inyo Register, January 19, 1905
"BODY TORN BY COYOTES."
Scattered over an area of 100 yards the bones and fragmentary remains of a human body were found Saturday this side of Red mountain, in the Silver Peak country. The body had been eaten, torn and scattered by coyotes. The bones of one leg in a leg of the trousers was found, and after a little search the coat enclosing some other bones quite a distance away. In the pocket was a piece of paper which proved to be a time check made payable to H. Goodshaw, and signed by T.L. Oddie. Another name was on the paper, but it could not be made out. Under a glass it appears to be Warbly. The check was dated December 31, 1903. About a year ago a letter was received in Tonopah from a California woman named Goodshaw asking about her son, and he is supposed to be the one found dead. - Tonopah Sun.

1908

Inyo Register, May 28, 1908
Summary: An Indian is to be hanged at Goldfield for the murder of a man near Silver Peak.

1909
Inyo Register, February 4, 1909
"SILVER PEAK LITIGATION"
Summary: Mining lawsuit brought on by B.A. Gamble and F.S. Chadbourne against L.J. Hanchett. Wrangle over the Pittsburgh-Silver Peak Mines. To be decided in Reno. Litigation has been going on since 1896.

Inyo Register, April 15, 1909
"BIG PINE ITEMS"
Summary: James Franklin Smith died in Silver Peak, Nevada, Wednesday morning, April 7 and buried in Big Pine Thursday afternoon. He leaves a wife, four daughters and three sons, a brother and sister. His sister is Mrs. G.A. McAfee. He was born in Canada August 13, 1842. Having lived in Big Pine at one time.

Inyo Register, May 20, 1909
Summary: Judge Pike rules in favor of B.A. Gamble in the Gamble vs Pittsburgh-Silver Peak Company suit involving the Blair mines at Silver Peak.

Inyo Register, July 29, 1909
“THE PROSPECTOR'S REVENGE”
The conversation drifting to Indian warfare, the Fat Citizen contributed this tale:
“Did you know Joaquin, the Indian sage of Saline Valley? He and I were great friends during a summer which I spent there, and he used to tell me many things about the natives. One evening, after he had been supplied with the makings for a smoke, he gave me the Indian version of an affair that happened in southern Nevada in '63. Before I tell that part, you had better have the history of it from the white man's side.
“Saline and the country around there used to be the headquarters for Indian renegades. It was not uncommon for them to waylay lone prospectors in those days, killing them and taking all they had.
“At the time I mention, four men left Silver Peak to prospect out southerly. They had crossed the Red mountain summit. One of the party left his comrades and went up on a hillside, and while he was there a party of Indians came on and three on the trail. The man above saw them all killed, and as he had nothing to gain by making his appearance he kept hidden. When the coast was clear he went back to the Peak, and told his story. The miners there were anxious to set out on the trail at once, but he stopped them. 'No,' he said, 'I have a scheme that beats that. Give me a supply of canned peaches, a horse and outfit, a gun, and some strychnine, and I'll even things up.'
“In those days canned fruit was a novelty to the Indians, and what they had taken from their victims made them anxious for more. This man was supplied as he asked, and started out alone. He got to a hot spring on the east side of Saline Valley, and made camp. The canned fruit had been doctored before he started, by punching holes in the tops, putting in some strychnine and soldering the cans again.
“The man opened his box of fruit and scattered it around; picked out a good place for a bed and made it up, with a log covered over with a blanket. When everything was ready for departure, he set up a big camp fire, and lit out.
“The Indians were camped at a cold spring on the west side of the valley. Seeing the big fire, they scented a prospector and more supplies, and made a bee-line for the place. The log under the blanket answered to make them come up cautiously – and get fooled, by which time the prospector was miles away. The canned fruit was eagerly taken. Being a luxury, it was reserved for the warriors in the camp.
“Now comes in Joaquin's story:
“Long time go, I little boy, so big, my father big chief. Bad Injun here then, rob um, kill um, any time. One time they kill um one man over there, hetchum heap hogadie. Great Spirit he mad – no likum. Forty Injuns he die!”

Law & Order, Life & Death Nevada Site List

Law & Order, Life & Death Other States List

©2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 D.A. Wright
All Rights Reserved

Page Revised: 05/04/2007