BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE 675 tion into the United States, 1820-1903 (Bureau of Statistics, Treasury Dept., 1903). For Independent Reading Burton, John Sherman (1906); McCulloch, Men and Measures (1888); Williams, Anson Burlinghame, and the First Chinese Mission (1912); Foster, A Century of American Diplomacy (1900); and The Harriman Alaska Expedition, Alaska, 2 vols. (1901). Physical Characteristics. CHAPTER XXXII THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FAR WEST THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION IN 1860 civilization had marked out for its own all the domain of the United States from the Atlantic to a line running with the western borders of Minnesota and Iowa, across the center of Nebraska and Kansas, along the western limits of Arkansas and across Texas at nearly its middle points. It had also established itself on the Pacific coast, holding in a thin line most of California and a great deal of the Columbia valley in Oregon and Washington; and there were a few settlements of Spanish origin in New Mexico. All the rest of the Far West, plain, mountain, and desert, was uninhabited by white men, save for the Mormon settlement in northern Utah and for some hardy fur traders who had founded stations among the Indians chiefly in the upper Missouri valley. It was a vast region, a thousand miles from east to west, and nearly as much from north to south. Its rivers were not numerous, its rainfall was less than that of the central Mississippi valley, and it did not attract the agriculturalist as much as the region to the east. It was inhabited by powerful Indian tribes, suspicious of the encroachments of the whites, and capable, in case of necessity, of making a determined stand against invasion from either east or west. They had been driven before the advancing frontier for many decades, and as they saw a new rim of settlements planted on the Pacific border they realized that they were caught between two movements which threatened to close on them in final destruction. The years between 1860 and 1880 were destined to realize all their fears. Their game, their homes, their very tribal organization were to go step, by step, until at last their hunting grounds were theirs no more and they themselves were fain to accept American citizenship. It was the last struggle of barbarism and hard nature on the one hand against civilization and the will of the white man on the other; for this vast region, with its ramparts of stone, its stretches of alkali plain, and its area of stunted grass interlaced by river valleys, had riches which the world demanded, and which nature must at last give up. The first notable invasion of the white man was made by the GOLD AND SILVER MINING of the 677 hunters of gold and silver. The discovery of the former metal in California created the supposition that more could be found in the Rockies, and an army of prospectors explored The Advent the country. Though many left their bones in forgotten Miners. valleys, others found precious hordes, opened fields of industry, settled towns, and established regular roads of approach. They made the region a white man's country, rolled back the veil of mystery which hung over the Far West, and cleared the way for herdsmen and farmers who discovered the favored spots in which could be planted farm and hamlet. The Origin of Nevada. The first notable mining success in this region was in "the Washoe Country," then a portion of Utah. In 1859 a rich silver deposit was discovered high up on the side of Mount Davidson, 6000 feet above the sea. A throng of miners flocked thither at once, shafts were sunk, and much ore was extracted. The veins were rich, but "dipped" downward and made deep shafts necessary, and into these came water faster then the pump could draw it off. Then a wonderful engineering feat was performed. Sutro, an inventive genius, constructed a great tunnel to which his contemporaries gave his name. It came in from the side of the mountain 2000 feet before the opening of the mines, and by a network of branches carried the water in the flooded shafts into the plain at the foot of the mountain. The destruction of the mines was averted, the region continued to prosper, and out of the mining camps grew a definite community which took the name, Virginia City. It was a long way from Sacramento, the seat of authority, and the settlers desired a more regular government than California could give. In 1861 the people asked for a territorial form of government, and the request was granted. Three years later came other honors: congress admitted it into the union as the state of Nevada, chiefly because two more free-state members were desired in the senate. At that time the state was thought to have a bright future. But most of its area was hopelessly arid, and later growth was extremely slow. It is only in the most recent years that the growth of population has been enough to warrant the gift of statehood in 1864. Gold as well as silver was mined in the region of Virginia City, called sometimes the Comstock region, from the name of its chief lode, and the two metals taken out of the earth in the first twenty-five years were worth $300,000,000. Other mining ventures resulted in the founding of Colorado. In 1858 gold was discovered at Idaho Springs, 750 miles east of Virginia City and in the eastern spurs of the Rocky Mountains. Colorado. A stream of adventurers soon turned thither, and the surrounding country was explored. Other finds resulted in the settlements at Boulder, Denver, and Leadville. At the last-named place the lead deposits in connection with silver yielded much the greater profit. In 1861 congress created the territory of Colorado, to embrace these several communities, and in 1876 the territory became a state. Six hundred miles to the northwest, on the eastern slope of the Rockies, in 1861, there was another rich discovery of gold. An immense number of miners went into the country, and many Montana. profitable mines were worked. From one, the Alder Gulch, they took in three years $25,000,000 in gold. In the midst of this rich region grew up the town of Helena, at a place first called "Last Chance Gulch." The surrounding country yielded fast to the miners, and in 1864 it was organized into the territory of Montana. But it was far away in the northwest, and agriculture and grazing developed slowly. It was not until 1889 that it became a state. The first gold mined was washed out of the earth in basins, or 'cradles," and this was called placer mining. It was slow and Mining Conditions and Laws. wasteful, and was only possible when the dust was found in gravel. But much of the deposit was in quartz veins, and it was necessary to crush the stone and remove the metal by chemical process. Placer mining was practiced by individuals working singly or in small partnerships, and it required little capital. Quartz mining, however, required large enterprises. Companies were formed, machinery was installed, and the industry went into the stage of capitalistic production. The policy of the government toward the miners was very liberal. Mines were given to those who discovered or first claimed them on the same principle that homesteads were given free to farmers. A prospector might stake off any unclaimed surface and begin to dig. There were many such claims on every stream which seemed likely to yield gold, and the large majority were abandoned and lapsed. The country was wild, the miners were reckless, and the ownership of many claims was disputed. Most of the paying claims were eventually purchased by the mining companies. No part of the wealth taken from the earth was reserved by the government. No other nation has given away its rich gold and silver mines so recklessly. Idaho and Hundreds of the adventurers in this broad country failed to find the precious metals, and becoming discouraged settled down as farmers, herdsmen, or hunters where the locality pleased them. Sometimes, also, members of the caravans that toiled westward to California lost heart and turned settlers. As the mining country developed, such agricultural communities found a market for food and cattle. Thus came into existence New Mexico the communities organized as Idaho Territory in 1863 and Wyoming Territory in 1868. The region of the old Spanish settlements was also explored by the searchers for gold. Thus New Mexico received a share of the immigration, although its stores of gold and silver were not so great as those in the and Arizona. |