ORE DEPOSITS OF TONOPAH AND NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS, 
NEVADA/ 
By J. E. Spurr. 
LOCATION AND DISCOVERY OP" THE DISTRICT. 
Tonopah is situated in central Nevada, in a range of low, scattered 
volcanic mountains which form the southern continuation of the San 
Antonio Range, and which themselves, on the south, pass into the 
Ralston Desert. It lies about 60 miles east of Sodaville, on the Car- 
son and Colorado Railway, whence it can be reached by stage, and 
also about the same distance from Candelaria, on the same railroad, 
from which point another stage line runs. It can be reached by a 
long carriage drive from Belmont, the county seat of Nye County, 
and roads radiate from it to the other important points in the State. 
This region has been known for a long time and has not been more 
inaccessible to prospectors than other similarly situated districts in 
the desert region. A few years ago ore was discovered in the Tona- 
pah range of hills, some miles south of the present camp. This 
locality was called the Southern Klondike and attracted a considera- 
ble number of prospectors. Among others, Mr. James Butler, a resi- 
dent of Belmont, on his way from that place to the Southern Klondike 
camp, passed over the site of the present Tonapah district. Perceiv- 
ing a great deal of white quartz scattered upon the ground, he picked 
up some pieces and took them to an assayer in the Southern Klon- 
dike; but as they did not look particularly promising they were 
thrown aside and not tested. On his return trip, however, Mr. But- 
ler picked up some more samples and carried them to Belmont, 
where he turned them over to Mr. Oddie, a young lawyer and miner, 
offering him a share of the claims if he would pay for the assay. Mr. 
J Oddie sent the samples to an assayer and promised him half of his 
[share if he would assay them. When the assays came back, as they 
[did after some delay, they were found to be astonishingly rich, and 
|Mr. Butler and his wife started out from Belmont and located their 
iblaims in due form. 
It is known from certain monuments composed of piled-up quartz 
[fragments that Mr. Butler was not the original discoverer, but who 
phis was remains a mystery. The monuments are evidently old. 
" A more detailed report on this area is in preparation. 
Bull. 213—03 6 81 
