The Yellow Aster, which made millionaires of a number of men, was found by men who knew little of mining, but who finally found a way for its development and the establishment of gold’ production. For years the country below it had yielded placer gold and the whole surrounding country was worked over with dry placer machines. The mine was composed of a mass of veinlet’s covering a small butte, a large part of the vein and country material being milled. The surrounding country for miles was worked for its gold and eventually the miners began panning out tungsten and another industry was added to the industry of that country. Silver was unknown until last week, when the new find was made. – Mohave County Miner and Our Mineral Wealth

August 4, 1919:  “70 TONS OF RANDSBURG ORE WORTH $70,000 –KELLY’S MINE SHIPS ROCK OF ASTOUNDING SILVER VALUE—Two Cars of “High-Grade” Pass Through Here En Route to Smelter –Assays Average $1000 Per Ton – Richness of Ore Increases With Depth; Company Will Incorporate—Four additional carloads of ore from the Kelly  mine at Randsburg passed through Bakersfield Saturday, en route to Selby’s smelter, and two of these cars were filled with high grade ore of fabulous value, some of the assays running as high as $5000 and $6000 a ton, with an estimated average value of $1000 a ton.  A guard in the person of Constable Dave Thompson accompanied the shipment, and J. W. Kelly arrived here yesterday on his way to the smelter where he will receive the ore and turn it over for reduction.

The seventy tons were mined at a depth of from 30 to 35 feet, and the ore was sacked in exactly eight days. 

From the shaft, which is in reality a pit, about 21 feet square, 17 cars have now been shipped, the total value of which, according to actual smelter returns and estimates based on assays at the mine is in excess of $125,000.

These 17 cars have been shipped since June 15, the mining all being done without modern machinery of any kind.

INSTALLING COMPRESSOR—An air compressor is now being installed to facilitate the work of drilling and other modern equipment will be added.  Superintendent Kelly is expecting to arrange for a shipment of two carloads per day shortly, and until it is determined whether or not a mill will be erected to treat the ore on the ground.

Ore mined outside the high grade ledge is now averaging about $100 a ton, the value steadily increasing with the depth.  The returns from the firs car showed a value of $44 to the ton.  From the seventy cars the value was $118 per ton, the values of the successive cars steadily climbing.

EXTENT OF LEDGE UNKNOWN—Seemingly there is no waste in the output of the mine, every pound of ore from the grass roots down proving to be of shipping value.  So far, the extent of the ledge is unknown, neither the foot of the hanging wall having been located.  When the shaft is down 50 feet, an effort will be made to determine, by crosscutting, the extent of the ore deposit.

MANY LEASES MADE—Some fifteen different leases have been made and the flat upon which the mine is located, and the adjacent ridge are now the scenes of much activity.

Among those interested in leases are a number of Nevada mining men, and all of them declare that there is no silver property in Nevada that is comparable with the Kelly mine.

WILL INCORPORATE—At a meeting of the major number of the owners of the mine, held in Randsburg last week, it was decided to incorporate the company under the title of the “Californian Rand Silver, Incorporated,” and Anderson & Barton are not taking the necessary steps to that end.

There are some fourteen or fifteen owners in all, forming a closed corporation and with no stock to sell.

KELLY ENTHUSIASTIC—John Kelly, who with Mrs. Kelly, left for the smelter last evening, said:  “I try not to be overly enthusiastic, but we have progressed far enough now to demonstrate that the mine is one of the richest yet discovered.  Every pound of rock is worth milling, and the values have increased to astonishing proportions.  A gratifying thing to me is that the mine is owned entirely by Kern County people to whom will go the profits.”

A sample of the ore was left yesterday at Hughes’ drug store and is on exhibition there.  It weighs 21 pounds and contains $160 in silver.” – Bakersfield Californian

August 20, 1919:  “$175,000 FOR AN EIGHTH OF KELLY MINE IS REFUSED—Wired Offer From San Francisco Not Attractive to Any Owner – Blanc and Thomas To Syndicate Leases—New Town of Hampton Is Laid Out:  Daily Train Service Soon (Special to the Californian) Randsburg, Aug. 20—The latest item of interest in this fast –reviving mining town, in connection with the Kelly mine, is the offer of $175,000 cash for a one-eighth interest in the property.  The offer came from mining men in San Francisco to E. T. Grady by wife, but no one of the owners of the mine found the amount attractive enough to enter into negotiation for a sale.

The main shaft is now down 48 feet, and drifting and cross-cutting will be begun at 50-foot level, when it will be ascertained how wide the ledge is, the present shaft,  despite its size, not yet having disclosed that information.  The ore still continues to show fabulous values.  Cars 26, 27, and 28 will be shipped out tomorrow, the new machinery greatly facilitating the production.  The last returns received were on Car 17, which netted $9,000.

More than 20 leases have been made by the company, or agreed upon, and the main dyke and the flat below, are scenes of busy activity.  Wally & Nixon on the dyke to the south, have uncovered ore of good quality, the rock increasing in richness from day to day.  This is the lease for a half interest of which E. L. Blanck and Harry W. Thomas pain $1500.

Messrs. Thomas and Blanck have now acquired, by lease and purchase, 1587 feet on the dyke and flat, one of these properties being but 300 feet north of the big shaft.  They propose to syndicate their claims and a number of well-known citizens of the county will associate themselves with the organization to develop the properties.

THE TOWN OF HAMPTON—The early erection of a boarding house, rooming house and residences for the force employed on the big mine, has made it necessary to create a townsite so as to insure some regularity in locating new buildings as are sure to be erected around the mine.  The site chosen is on the sloping flat between the mine and the railway track and about five minutes’ walk from either.  The proposed town has been christened Hampton, in honor of Wade Hampton Williams who discovered the silver values in the located ledge.  Surveyor Dickinson is now laying out the streets and the greasewood is being cleared away.

The company has purchased a number of buildings, including a hotel, work shop and residences at Atolia, and has contracted for their removal to the new town.

Randsburg will continue to be headquarters, it being the wish of the mine owners not to disturb those engaged in business there, but it is considered certain that there will be buildings erected about the quarters of the men employed at the mine, probably 100 or more within the next few months, and the town has been laid out as a regulatory precaution.  The site is just over the line in San Bernardino county.

DAILY TRAIN SOON—Mining operations are now handicapped by the poor train service, only three trains a week now reaching Johannesburg, but the railway company, under the stimulus of a rapidly increasing business has appealed to the Railroad Commission for the privilege of establishing a daily train service, and such service is promised by September first.”—Bakersfield Californian

October 23, 1919:  “THE KELLY MINE NOW A FIXTURE,, and to date the producing marvel of the past fifty years, started prospecting on a scale hitherto undreamed of on the Mojave Desert sections of San Bernardino, Kern, and Inyo counties.  Prospecting and development work is actively in progress in every direction in within a radius of 100 miles of the old camp (Randsburg), and rumors of finds are of daily occurrence.  The deeper is goes. The richer in values is the true story of the Kelly mine, as the smelter returns bear eloquent testimony.

The Kelly mine, down 129 feet in working shaft, is better than ever as regards ore body and values.  It is no longer a question of making a mine, but how much richer it will grow as depth is made.  So patent is this fact that the Tonopah money is in evidence in large juicy chunks.  The Tonopah capital, dubious, if not actually disbelieving when the Kelly mine was struck, is not satisfied that development work on an extensive scale will warrant the securing of options on ground in the vicinity of proven ground, and the Tonopah Company is putting money in, and starting work on an extensive scale.  The Bakersfield syndicate, operating five leases and owning interest in several others, are working overtime and express confidence in the future, as every indication points to the fact that they are on or in the ore zone.  Optimism is the ruling tone, and development work is being pushed to the limit on every lease.”–Barstow Printer 

November 22, 1919:  “MR. AND MRS J. W. KELLY AND MISS EDITH COONS are now in the new house at the mine, constructed especially for them.”  Bakersfield Californian

December 21, 1919:  “THE KELLY SILVER MINE, AT RANDSBURG, CALIFORNIA – Rich Silver Oreshoot Outcropping on Surface in Well-Known Mining Camp Making Important Production –Property Yet to be Developed – Many Leases Working Adjacent Ground (By Jay A. Carpenter, Mining Engineer)

A mine that paid $9(5+1),000 in dividends from the sage-brush roots, that to the 50-ft. depth had no dump, everything mined being shipped to the smelters and yielding $9(5+1),000 in dividends to the owners, is a discovery of interest to the mining industry.  This unusual development occurs in a district noted for its  gold production from 1895 to 1915 and for its output of tungsten from 1915 to 1918, and now probably distined to become known for its silver production.

The Kelly silver mine is situated one and one-half miles east and south of Randsburg, Cal.  Though Randsburg is in Kern County, and the principal owners of the mine are from Bakersfield, the county seat, the mine itself is just over the line in San Bernardino County.  A branch line of the Santa Fe railroad runs past the mine to its terminal at Johannesburg, which is only a mile to the northwest.  The station  of Searles, on the Southern Pacific R. R., from which a branch goes to the potash fields at Trona, is only twelve miles away and connected by a good auto road.  Not only is the rich Kelly Mines fortunate as to its location near railroads, but its proximity to other advantages makes it like unto the mine upon with the prospector builds his fairy castles of sudden wealth, and like the mine that the engineer travels incessantly to find, but seldom sees.

Just a quarter of a mile below where, since the day’s of 49, the rich horn-silver ore  of the Kelly mine has been trampled over but lay unnoticed, the  Santa Fe road put in a siding years ago; and a half-mile away the Sierras Power Co. strung its high tension line from the Sierras to Los Angeles.  An eighth of a mile away the water company that supplies Randsburg had laid its pipeline leading from the pumps at Squaw Springs.  Kern County had brought its paved roads around Randsburg to within a half mile of this spot.  Two miles away by road is Randsburg, with abundant labor to work a mine and stores at which to supply materials.  Though the region is a mountainous sage-brush covered country of 3,700 ft. elevation, less than 200 miles away by quick train of good auto road are the orange groves and Los Angeles, the promised land of the successful Southern California prospectors.

At this spot, about the first of April of the present  year, two prospectors, Hamp Williams and John Nosser, sat down to rest on their way back to Randsburg, little thinking how soon they or their backers J. W. Kelly and Miss Edith Coons, would read the rewards of two years’ patient search for a mine.  A chance piece of rock  broken off by one of them led to a  discussion as to whether it contained antimony or silver.  Two samples of the croppings were mailed to Mr. Kelly at Bakersfield.  The returns showed $ (5+1)0 in gold and 43(5+1) oz. of silver in one and $30 in gold and 32(5+1) oz. silver per ton in the second.  As the cropping proved to be on the end of an old claim worked years before because of a gold vein on it, but  on which exemption of labor had been filed during the war years, Mr. Kelly obtained an option to buy the claim, known as the Juanita, for $5000, and Williams and Nosser located all the  open ground available, giving them over a  dozen claims.  To make the first shipments Williams and Nosser each sold a half of his quarter interest to compensate for his share of expense.  Alfred Harold, editor of the “Bakersfield Californian,: was one of the fortunate purchasers of an eighth interest for $1,000.

PHENOMENAL PRELIMINARY SHIPMENTS –The first two cars shipped from the surface netted over $40 per ton.  By August 19, twenty-eight cars had been shipped from a hole 18 by 20 by 50 ft. deep.  As yet it was a mine without a dump.  The 1,180 tons shipped contained 405 oz. of gold and 174,722 oz. of silver.  Estimating gold at $20 and silver at $1.10 per oz. the gross value of the ore was over $200,000, of which over one-half was clear gain to the owners.  Two small cars had returned $(5+1)0 per ton net, one 50-ton car had brought a $21,000 check, and the average value per ton shipped had been over $168.  The daily assay sheet for July 30 is remarkable in that the eight samples taken that day did not vary widely and averaged $1,528 per sample.

While this remarkable record  was being made, Hamp Williams and John Nosser again sold one-half of their remaining interest in the mine to Bakersfield people, but this time for $50,000 each.  Mr. Kelly sold three-eighths of his interest for $100,000 and Miss Coons one-quarter of her interest for $(5+1)(5+1),000.  Thus in the space of six months the two prospectors, the ex-sheriff and the ex-assessor of Kern County have amassed comfortable fortunes.

The mine is locally known as the Kelly mine.  The first name chosen was the Rand Divide, as the mine is in the Rand district on the dividing line between Kern and San Bernardino counties.  However, as another company of the same name was operating in the Divide district in Nevada, the incorporated name was changed to the California Rand Mines Co.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT—The country rock surrounding Randsburg is principally granite or granite schist.  The Yellow Aster mine, discovered in 1895, operated first a 30-stamp mill, then a 100-stamp mill for over twenty years in the treatment of the ore from a wide zone of enrichment in the granite schists that constituted a low-grade amalgamable gold ore, but contained also, some rich stringers.  The immense glory hole of this mine is one of the  sights of the  district, and its production of millions bespeaks its importance in the history of California gold mines.  Today a small crew is working under the direction of Rose L. Burcham, one of the original owners, and seeking to get under another favorable surface showing in the  large acerage held by the company.

About three miles way from the Yellow Aster, in the unaltered granite, are the tungsten mines of Atolia, noted for their pure scheelite ores.  During the high price of tungsten from 1914 to 1919, Randsburg was filled to overflowing with prospectors, miners, and speculators.  The old-time miners of Randsburg saw the “heavy spar” that had troubled them in their stamp batteries and on their plated for years make quick fortunes for those who first realized the  value of the mineral.  With this example still before them, 1919 found Randsburg without a custom assay office, and the miners depending on the gold pay for prospecting and assaying.  Anyone traveling from Randsburg to Atolia could not fail to observe on the left-hand side of the road a prominent quartz reef with lay unprospected except for gold.  It was on this reef that Willams and Nosser made their discovery of rich silver ore, at a low point on the reef which had been a trail and road for  years.

CHARACTER OF DEPOSIT—The quartz reef is on the foot-wall  side of  a rhyolite dike, about 200 ft. wide, which outcrops through the granite schist  on a N.40 degrees E. course for nearly a mile.  Dikes of white, fine grained rhyolite are rather common in the district, but the others do not show as great width or as great silicification  as does the one that led to the discovery of the Kelly mine.  The cockscomb reef that shows up so plainly in the accompanying photograph is nearly all quartz.  It is a red color, due to iron oxidess , but the clean quartz is very dense, hard and blue in color with considerable fine pyrites.  This quartz is in sharp contrast to the great amount of white quartz found as float or in innumerable veins cutting through the granite schist in all directions.  The white quartz veins are as a rule barren, but many of them have been worked for free gold.

The country around Randsburg and Johannesburg is dotted with head frames and small custom mills.  The vein on the Juanita claim was of the free –gold variety.  It strikes N.55 degrees W., and its projected point of intersection  with the N.40 degrees E. quartz reef is just where the  Kelly mine opened up  its ore body.

KELLY MINE THOUGHT TO BE ON JUANITA VEIN.—Many of the miners and engineers who have looked over the ground believe that the Kelly orebody is on the Juanita vein, and have taken leases or purchased claims along the strike of this vein.  Other miners and engineers are as confident that it is on the reef vein, and as quartz containing a few ounces of silver has been found along the  reef in a couple of places, these men have taken leases all along the reef both to the north and south of the ore body.  Both sets of lessees have the unspoken fear that the main orebody may be a local enrichement at the intersection of the two veins; however, twenty-five sets of lessees are all sinking to depths of from 50 to 100 ft.  and then crosscutting, each with the gread hope that quick wealth lids just ahead.

January 15, 1920:  “SHIPMENTS OF HIGH GRADE continue from the Kelly Mine and values show steady increase as depth is made.

Pending the results of the core drilling work (see Osdick Mine), lease work on the Kelly and contiguous ground is slowing down, as the core drilling will determine the mooted question of depth, aside for the Kelly mine workings, which at 177 feet are in pay ore, most of it high grade.”–Barstow Printer

January 29, 1920:  “Reports from the Kelly silver mine carry the same old story, “greater values are depth is made.”  The shaft at 180 feet developed the highest grade as yet struck, and the sulphide deposits are not in evidence yet.  During the last ten days exhaustive examination of the mine proper, and the surrounding property has been made by experts representing a syndicate of capitalists, who desire to purchase all the available ground, and, if possible, the mine as part of the proposed deal.

In conversation with a member of this party, or syndicate, the writer was told the mine, so far developed, is “beyond doubt” the silver producing wonder that has discovered within the last 50 years and that “in his judgment, within five years the camp will be one of the largest on the coast.”  This means that deep mining will be prosecuted and that a smelter or other reduction process will be installed on an extensive scale. 

That an offer has been made for the property, as is now under consideration by some of the owners is exact fact, but so far as being made public, no information has been given out to the general public.

J. W. Kelly and confreres have ordered a fifty-ton electric hoist to meet present demands, and it is somewhere on the road under transit.  Three full shifts are working and as rapidly as is made additional men are being added to the working force.  The mine, at this writing, is down 210 feet, and still in ore, mostly high grade, with all ore, and no waste below mill grade.

A dividend, said to be $140,000, will be divided prior to February 1st, and old Jack Nosser is en-route to Bakersfield to get his.  J. W. Kelly left for Los Angeles on Sunday on a business trip, and to visit Mrs. Kelly, and Miss Edith Coons, who visiting the beach at Santa Monica.”–Barstow Printer

April 24, 1920:  “HIGH-GRADE ORE AT 200 FEET AT RANDSBURG—The California Rand Silver Mining Company has uncovered high-grade ore on its fourth level at 200 feet, on its east cross cut at 110 feet from the shaft, according to J. M. Jameson, who is in Randsburg today.  The ore assays as high as $294 to the ton, and the new strike is presumed to be a continuation of the rich ledge found on the third level at 150 feet.

Shipping at the rate of four and five cars a week is continuing from the mine, and new machinery is being installed to facilitate the work of exploration and development.” – Bakersfield Californian

Mineral Survey 5480, Independence Land District, Claim Amended November 25, 1919, Known as “Juanita”, “Uranium No. 8”, “Uranium No. 3”, “Uranium No. 2”, “Uranium No. 1”, “Uranium Fraction”, “Uranium No. 6”, “Uranium No. 5”, “Uranium No. 4”, “Uranium No. 7”, “Uranium No. 10”,Lodes, owned by California Rand Silver, Inc., Improvements consist of 18 shafts, 29 shafts and drifts, 1 Trench, 1 cut, 4 cuts and tunnels, 1 cut tunnel and drift, 1 incline, and 1 incline, drifts, crosscuts, winzes and upraise, Valued at $149,485.

Mineral Survey 5531, Independence Land District, Claim Surveyed March 10, 1921, Known as” K. C. N. NO. 1”, “K.C.N. NO.2”, “J. W.”, “W. H.”, “W. H. No. One”, “W. H. No. 2”, “W.H. No. 3”, ‘Wade”, Wade H. No. 1”, and “Wade H. No. 2” Lodes, owned by California Rand Silver, Inc., Improvements consist of 48 shafts, 5 trenches and  5 shafts and drifts, Valued at $22,325.

January 21, 1921: “NEWSPAPER MAN STRIKES BIG RICHES—John C. Wray, one time newspaper man of Ventura, and once the editor of the Free Press there, has been visiting his old time friend, C. B. Elwell in this city.  Wray yesterday refused an offer of $125,000 for his interest in the Kelly mine at Randsburg on the division line between Kern and San Bernardino counties, form which he has an income of something lie $750 a month.

This change of fortune came to him only recently, as only a short time ago what he now draws a month would have looked like a fortune to him.  He is holding his interest for $300,000 and may get it at that.

Wray gave Harry Chandler, editor of the Los Angeles Times, his first job as carrier boy, and hence may be said to have given him his start  in life.

After leaving Ventura and going to other fields, Wray located in San Pedro, where he took hold of the Daily News.  This he sold out in 1915 on account of his health, and went to Inyo County to recuperate.  There he remained 14  months  and during that time spent his time roaming  around the country, with the result that he located several mining claims, sold later to D. Bisbee.

In 1917 Wray wandered into Randsburg.  In October, 1918, he met John W. Kelly, formerly sheriff of Kern County, W. Hampton Williams a prospector, and Capt. Jack Nosser, an old time miner.  In December 1918, Williams discovered a small silver ledge on the Atolia road, two miles northeast of Randsburg, and worked it long enough to determine the fact that a silver mine of  value was buried somewhere in the vicinity of the cropping first discovered.

Intensive prospecting resulted in uncovering and developing of the now  famous Kelly mine on the division line of Kern and San Bernardino Counties.  The Kelly  mine ground consisting of three full 20-acre claims, was  located and  recorded on March 4, 1919.

“When the Kelly mine was located Wray located the Coyote claim of 20 acres, which adjoins the Kelly mine ground or claim from which the big money has been taken during the past 16 months and has leased it on a fifty-fifty basis to John W. Kelly and E. L. Blanck a ———oil producer of Bakersfield, asking a substantial cash bonus when the papers were signed. ” – Oxnard Daily Courier

May 4, 1921:  “CALIFORNIA RAND SILVER INC., reports development work for last month as follows: Cross cuts advanced, 188 feet; raises, 258; drifts, 340; shaft, 25; ore pocket on the tenth level, 23 feet; also made 45 feet in the new two compartment shaft, a total of 890 feet.  Ore shipments to the smelter for the month were 32 cars.” – Bakersfield Californian

May 18, 1921:  “RANDSBURG SILVER ORE MAY CAUSE 5 YEAR LITIGATION TO FIX RIGHTS—Possible Development Is Likely to Result in Testing Apex Law –Litigation

in which the “Apex Law” may be an important factor, and involving the ownership of silver ore deposits  at Randsburg, is likely to arise between a newly-organized mining concern known as the Randsburg Silver  Mining Company Incorporated, and the California Rand Silver Incorporated, if the former company, on an adjoining claim, known as the Coyote claim, discovers an ore body beneath a certain “mud” wall which the California Rand Silver holds to be the hanging wall in its mine, or if such possible ore body can be connected up with the ledges being mined by the latter  corporation.  Anticipating such litigation, the California Rand Silver has already addressed a letter to the new company suggesting than any ore that will be in dispute, or any money arising from its sale be impounded by agreement pending a decision, it is thought, can be had, under favorable circumstances, within a period of five years.

The new corporation, styled the Randsburg Silver Mining Company, was promoted by former Sheriff J. W. Kelly and E. L. Blanck.  Mr. Kelly was one of the original stockholders in the California Rand Silver Mine, discovered by J. J. Nosser and Hamp Williams, but he has sold more than half of his stock, and the other half is under option to Mr. Blanck at a dollar a share.  The latter has lately been selling the Kelly stock very rapidly, 40,000 shares having been transferred within a few weeks.

Development on the Coyote claim, the property of the new Kelly Company has been begun, it being the purpose to finance the work by selling stock to the public at 20 cents a share.  The letter addressed to the new company by the California Rand Silver, in view of the long litigation which may arise, is as follows;

“As you have heretofore been advised by the directors of the California Rand Silver Incorporated, the directors of said company will, in its behalf and for its benefit, claim ownership to any ore that you may discover beneath that certain so-called mud wall, which we claim to be our hanging wall.  As you hold a contrary opinion as to the law and your rights thereunder, we beg to submit to you this proposition for your consideration.

   “That your interests and the California Rand Silver Incorporated enter into agreement that all moneys resulting from the sale of ore that may be taken by you from said Coyote claim, beneath said wall, be impounded pending litigation  that will determine their ownership.

   “Such course will result in a more speedy determination of the issues involved, rendering it probable that a decision by the United States Supreme Court may be reached within three, and certainly not more than five years.

   “Should this proposal meet with your approval, our respective attorneys could prepare a form of agreement that without doubt would be mutually satisfactory.

   By this agreement it would be unnecessary to waste valuable time on proceedings that, at best, would be preliminary and whereby the litigation might be extended for an indefinite period.” – Bakersfield Californian

May 20, 1921:  “Tim Walsh is now engineer for the California Rand Inc. at Randsburg California. This company is shipping high grade silver ore. – Mojave County Miner and Our Mineral Wealth” -- Mohave County Miner and Our Mineral Wealth

JUNE 6, 1921:  “NOSSER VICTOR BY FIRST COURT RULING – J. J. Nosser, Randsburg mining man, one of the discoverers of the California Rand Silver mine and heavy stockholder therein, won the first round in his fight for his stock with E. L. Blanck, well known Fellows merchant, when, on Friday afternoon, Judge Peairs quashed the injunction suit whereby Blanck sought to prevent Nosser from receiving his dividends on 40,000 shares of stock.  Blanck will move again for an injunction on June 13, to affect the June dividend, but in the meantime the old prospector went down to the Security Trust bank, the mine’s depository, and under Judge Peairs’ ruling, received his dividend check for May.  C. V. Anderson and Fred E. Borton represent the Randsburg man, while E. J. Emmons and C. D. Fenton have been employed by Blanck.” – Bakersfield Californian

June 28, 1921:  “RANDSBURG MINE CASE HEARING ON JULY 11 –Whether J. J. Nossor (sic), one of the discoverers of the Randsburg silver mine, shall receive his dividend on 40,000 shares of stock, claimed by E. L. Blanck, and to determine ownership of which the suit is pending, will be determined by Judge Peairs on July 11, argument, having been heard late yesterday afternoon on Blanck’s petition for permanent injunction to keep Nosser from drawing the dividend. “  Bakersfield Californian

JULY 1, 1921:  “NOSSER ANSWERS IN COURT ACTION INVOLVING STOCK IN FAMOUS MINE – Cites Deception of Claimant to Shares: Pathetic Story of Option Deal—J. J. Nosser, aged prospector and Kern County pioneer, one of the discoverers of the Rand silver mine, today filed an answer in department two of the Kern county superior court to the complaint of E. L. Blanch, wealthy broker and promoter, who is seeking to obtain control of 40,000 shares of stock in the California Rand Silver Incorporated, which shares are owned by Nosser.

Nosser’s answer specifically denied that Blanck has “performed the terms and conditions,” or “any part thereof” of an option of which the plaintiff alleges he is the holder, or of an alleged extension of such option, which the broker avers had been granted him.

CITES DECEPTION—The answer, which describes Blanck as a “manipulator of mines and mining properties,” alleges that in certain transactions, the time and place of which Nosser specifically describes, which the broker had with the prospector in connection with the alleged option, Blanck had “deceived” the defendant, and had “knowingly, falsely and fraudulently” represented to the aged man a condition in the mine that did not exist and a method of operation that was untrue, with the “intent to deceive and alarm” Nosser.

The answer then goes to relate the circumstances under which the alleged option was signed, and even the cold legal verbiage of the document is powerless to suppress revelation of the pathos of it.

DESCRIBE CIRCUMSTANCES—On or about July 31, 1920, the answer alleges, the miner acquiesced to the urgings and pleadings of the broker to sell an option on “40,000 shares” of the capital stock, and was induced to meet Blanck in Randsburg in the office of E. B. Maginnis, at which time the promoter had the contract prepared and ready for signature.  The light in the room was insufficient, and the prospector was unable to read the document.  Blanck told Nosser; the answer alleges, that the former soon had to leave for Los Angeles, and that the business of executing the contract must be hurried.  Blanck then took the old man out on the porch of the building and outside the range of hearing of McGinnis (sic), and according to  the answer, “insisted on reading the said agreement” to the defendant, “instead of  permitting” Nosser himself to read the document.  Nosser then stated to Blanck that his understanding of the agreement as read was that it called for an option on 40,000 shares of 80,000 owned by the old pioneer, and to this he alleges, the mining promoter assented and “assured” Nosser that the contract read by Blanck covered only 40,000 shares.

The aged miner, the answer relates, relying upon the “said representations” and “trusting to the plaintiff’s good faith,” signed the agreement, which proved to be an option for the entire 80,000 shares.

Nosser, a man of advanced years, who been a prospector for 44 years since 1875, disclaims familiarity with business methods and legal documents.” – Bakersfield Californian

July 8, 1921:  “FELL 175 FEET IN RANDSBURG SHAFT BUT WILL RECOVER—Falling sheer from the landing on the ninth level to the bottom of the shaft, a distance of 175 feet, A. Herqueia, a miner in the employ of the California Rand Silver Incorporated, was picked up for dead early Thursday morning, but from investigation it appeared that his, most serious injury is a broken leg, and barring internal injuries, he will recover.

There were no eye-witnesses to the accident, but it is thought that Herqueia was overcome by the heavy air and that in seeking to signal the hoist man, he fainted on the landing and crumpled beneath the safety bar into the shaft.  He is at the hospital at Randsburg and his condition today is reported to be favorable.”  — Bakersfield Californian

August 21, 1921:  “CLARENCE G. TALLIEUR, connected with the California Rand Silver, arrived here Wednesday for a few weeks’ visit before going to Randsburg to resume his duties as assayer for that concern.” – Bakersfield Californian

October 3, 1921:  “For the California Rand Silver Mines Superintendent Fox reports development work for the week ending September 26 amounted to a total of 256. 5 feet, as follows:  In the number one shaft, drifting, 81 feet; crosscutting, 95.5; raising, 25+1.  The main crosscut on the eleventh level was advanced 42 feet; the face showing finely laminated gray schist.  South drift 913 was advanced 35 on mill grade ore.  The last two rounds show an improvement in the grade.  South drift 450 encountered a small cross vein during the week and the drift has been turned somewhat to follow it, the values sufficient to warrant its development.  Number two shaft was sunk 20 feet, making the total depth 415.  The low footage was due to the fact that considerable work was done on the first and second level stations toward the completion of the pockets at those levels.  Connection between the main shaft and the number two is being pushed on these levels, so that on completion of the mill facilities will be available for serving it with ore from the main shaft, sixth level up.

INSTALLING MACHINERY—Mill construction has reached the point of machinery installation.  The ball mill has been received and is being installed.  A second carload of machinery is expected daily.  Plans for the new headframe at the number two shaft are being detailed.  This headframe will be of steel.  Provisions for dumping at two elevations will be made.  The lower point of dumping will be for mill ore, the upper for shipping ore and waste.  The shipping ore will be discharged over grizzlies and the lump ore will be hand-sorted, the cull going to the mill ore bin.

By this means an appreciable tonnage of relatively low grade ore will be removed from the shipping tonnage, thereby saving greatly on freight and treatment charges.

Production of the week remained the same as usual, 440 tons to the smelter.” – Bakersfield Californian

October 8, 1921:  “Californian Rand Silver Incorporated, Superintendent John M. Fox reports for the week ending October 3, development work of a total 2 (5+1)1 feet, segregated as follows:  In the No. 1 shaft; drifting 82, cross-cutting 89, raising 22; the main crosscut on the eleventh level was advanced 40 feet; raise No. 1017 from the tenth level is now in shipping ore of good grade.  A new raise is being started from the tenth level to follow the same streak as that being developed by raise No. 1017.  South Drift, No. 912 is still following mill ore, as is also drift No. 450.  A winze will be sunk from the north drift ninth level to trace out a streak of high grade ore exposed at that point.  No. 2 shaft was not sunk during the past week us lateral work on the first, second and third level prevented work in the bottom.  The third level station was completed, and the first and second level pockets were holed through to their respective levels.

Mill construction is continuing steadily with a normal crew at work. The water shaft at Indian spring has reached a depth of 207 feet; an east crosscut is now being driven at a depth of 107 feet to cut the water thought to exist in that direction.

Production of shipping ore was maintained at the customary rate of 440 tons for the week, all of it being sent to the Selby smelter.’ – Bakersfield Californian

October 19, 1921:  “FRACTURES SKULL IN FALL AT RANDSBURG—Randsburg, Oct. 19.—M. Trousdale a carpenter employed on the big 100-ton mill of the California Rand Silver, fell off a 12-foot tank and sustained a bad fracture in his skull.  If no hemorrhage occurs there is a chance for his quick recovery.  He came here from San Francisco.” – Bakersfield Californian

December 3, 1921:  “CALIF. RAND MILL WHEELS TURNING—Completed in 3 ½ Months; Has Capacity of 100 Ton in 24 Hours.—Randsburg, Dec. 3,–The mill of the California Rand Silver Incorporated at Randsburg is completed.  The machinery has been tested and the rock crusher is at work on one of the bins, and ore reduction will be in process here next week.

The mill has a capacity of 100 tons of ore each 24 hours, and it will recover the silver values by the flotation process, which means that oil is utilized.  Its affinity for silver resulting in the gathering of the metal in the oil film on top of the water.

The work of mill construction did not begin until the middle of August.  At that time Superintendent Murray N. Coleman, having selected his machinery, broke ground and the work has been rushed with all speed.

The cost of construction was in the neighborhood of $85,000, and with the water tankage and pipe lines and other equipment the investment is easily $100,000.

It is estimated that the company has in sight enough ore to run the mill 24 hours per day for a period of three years, and additional bodies of mill ore are being developed upon the ninth and tenth levels.  It is the purpose of the company to mill ore of a less value than $40, the policy being to continue shipments of the higher grade ores.” – Bakersfield Californian

December 14, 1921:  “JACK NOSSER TELLS STORY OF FINDING FAMOUS MINE – BY J.J. NOSSER –I came to Randsburg in November of 1895, and have ever since made the old camp my headquarters.  It would make a very big book worth reading to put down half the events of this 26 years that led up to the finding of the big mine, thus putting Randsburg on the map as one of the greatest silver camps in history.

During these years I have divided my time between prospecting, leasing and working for wages. Search of color has taken me over most of Goler, Argus, Panamint and the Death Valley ranges of mountains.

The first event which led to the finding of the silver happened while I was in charge of a small tungsten property in the Stringer district, in November, 1897 (1917).  Patrick Byrne, an old friend of mine, was working there at the time, and told me of some claims that he was interested in.  The assessment work had not been done for two years, and Mr. Byrne requested me to relocate them and take him in as a partner, which I decided to do.

Sunday was a day off for us, so we made out plans to relocate this property the following Sunday.  In the meantime, Mr. Byrne was fearfully hurt, and died the day we expected to do this work, November 6, 1917.  Two weeks later, I wrote out notices and located the claims, placing John Kelly’s name on the location with mine.  Mr. Kelly was not in camp at the time, having been away for several years.  My hopes were that Mr. Kelly could raise enough money in hopes of uncovering “pay.” I knew that some good ore had been mined on the property in the early days of the Stringer and my hopes were high.

WENT OVER PROPERTY—February 6 Mr. Kelly came to Randsburg and I informed him of the property and my plans, and together we went over to the property.  Kelly informed me that Miss Edith Coons of Bakersfield had been interested with him and W. H. Williams for several years prospecting without success.  Consequently the old location notices were destroyed and new ones made out, putting Miss Coons name on as an equal partner.

This is how the first discovery received its name, the K. C. N. group, after Kelly, Miss Coons and Nosser.

Some six weeks later Kelly returned from Bakersfield with Mr. Williams, who, so Kelly said, wished to examine the property for Miss Coons and take samples.  Several samples of the outcrop were taken, some of these samples assaying over $60.00 in silver.  Mr. Williams immediately made the offer to sink a 50-foot shaft for an interest.  This was agreed to, so work started at once.

At this time I was working for Val Schmitz, but at Mr. Kelly’s request quit his employ and started to work with Williams to speed the new shaft.

In these first few days of the silver, Mr. Williams took care of the windlass, sharpened tools, and while I drilled in the shaft, was away prospecting and locating ground adjoining, together with Kelly’s help.

Being in need of funds to continue the work, it was arranger that Kelly was to go to Bakersfield for the purpose of securing the necessary money.  Meanwhile a letter was received by Kelly from a friend in Los Angeles inquiring about the Red Ochre deposits on Red Mountain.  The letter requested Kelly to locate this ground if vacant, and to send in a 100-pound sample as soon as possible, and if pure enough, it could be mined and a royalty paid the locators.  The next morning saw Kelly on his way to Bakersfield while Williams and I walked across to Red Mountain to locate the new claim.  Mr. Kelly expected to be away four or five days, so Williams and I volunteered to do this work, and send in the samples.  Six claims were located that day, and, tired out; we started on the return to Randsburg.

DECIDED TO RETURN—Several times in the past few weeks I had told Williams of a blowout that had showing similar to that found on the K. C. N.  This deposit of rock was very little out of our way returning home, so we decided to go that way.

Years ago, someone had put in a small blast there, making a pit approximately three feet long, two feet wide and eight inches deep.  I sat down in one end of the pit, and in a couple of minutes Williams came up and took his seat in the other end.  Both of us sat there fully five minutes, too tired to make much of an examination, too tired even to talk.

Williams picked up several pieces of the rock and tossed them aside, and looked away toward town, as if the long walk was more on his mind that a new find.  “Nosser,” he said, “this is the biggest and richest thing that I have ever seen.  The ore from this pit will assay $1000 a ton or better.”

Together we built the first monument and located it, and carried three samples home from where the gallows frame of the California Rand Silver shaft number one stands today.

Knowing the ground well, I knew that the new find was vacant, except for a cross leas on the end ling of the Juanita claim, owned by Judge McCormick of Los Angeles, and open for location.

The next morning Williams and myself started in and located the now well-known Uranium group of claims.  Scarcely were we through with this work before Mr. Kelly returned, wild over the assays.  In the meantime we had found out that the Juanita claim owned by McCormick was going to conflict with our ground and to such an extent that its possession was necessary.  Kelly immediately left for Los Angeles and secured a bond and lease on this ground which we eventually bought for $15.000.

HAD GREAT FAITH—I have been familiar with the Juanita claim for over 20 years, and helped Mr. McCormick extract gold ore from it on several occasions.  McCormick always had great faith in this ground, and at one time offered to give it to me, but as all the gold in sight had been worked out it was worthless to me.  I knew the big blowout but as there was a large ledge of antimony running parallel with it, I naturally jumped to the conclusion that it was all one and the same but in a slightly different form, and of no value to a poor man.

I became more convinced that it was worthless when in the summer and fall of 1911 one William Swift of Randsburg and two silver miners from Nevada procured an option on the Juanita and drove a tunnel into the dike 100 feet, and only 80 feet from this big deposit of ore.  Their camp was situated some 40 feet south of this outcrop and in going back and forth to work at the tunnel walked over and around it for months.

Like many other prospectors, both Williams and myself were hard put for money at the time and it was necessary to raise money to carry out our end.  Through the late Mr. J. M. Jameson, who had been county assessor for many years, we arranged to dispose of a small part of our interest, and we were thus provided with funds for carrying on the work.

I had general charge of the management of men, and developing work, while Williams took samples and watched the ores.  Mr. Kelly meanwhile devoted his time to general affairs of the enterprise.

Kelly, Williams and myself followed this schedule until the shaft was  down 50 feet and thoroughly timbered, gallows frame, viaduct and ore bins installed, and what is more to the point, $200,000 in read money in the bank from this great mine.

The subsequent history of the California Rand Silver Mine is common knowledge in the mining world, and I am writing only of its discovery.  There has never been a moment from the beginning of the actual work, until the present time, when the mine did not continue to show bigger and I certainly consider it an honor to have been one of the discoverers.

The big new mill will be finished and operating by the time this appears in print, and then the California Rand Silver will begin to show what a truly big property it is, and will continue to ship ore from the rich veins that the horn silver blowout led Williams and myself to discover.” – Bakersfield Californian

February 13, 1922:  “PRIZE SILVER ORE CAR FROM RANDSBURG:  “Randsburg, Feb. 13.—Tonopah papers are boasting of a shipment of silver ore from Royston of 52 tons for which the smelter returns were $297 per to in silver and $8.(5+1)0 in gold, the owners receiving $1(5+1),231 for the car, and one paper there says that established a record for silver ore shipments.

But speaking of records, the California Rand Silver has just had returns from a shipment of 1(5+1) tons of silver ore that assayed $2934 per ton in silver and $1.80 in gold, the company receiving net for the 1(5+1) tons the sum of $44,744.9(5+1).

If Tonopah is offering a blue ribbon for prize shipments, Randsburg submits these figures for consideration.” – Bakersfield Californian

Mineral Survey 5691, Independence Land District, Claim Located May 28, 1922, Known as Uranium 11 and Uranium 12, owned by California Rand Silver, Inc.  Improvements consist of 1 shaft, cross cuts and drift, valued at $12, 741.

July 28, 1922:  “A suit involving 80,000 shares of stock in California Rand Silver, Inc., instituted last September by E. L. Blanck and J. J. Noser (sic), owner of the stock, has been settled out of court, Noser (sic) and Blanck will each receive 40,000 shares.”–Engineering and Mining Journal

August 19, 1922:  “CALIFORNIA’S GOLD-MINING INDUSTRY RECOVERING– …During the first six months of 1922 the U. S. Mint at San Francisco and local smelters and refiners received …….silver during the first half of 1922 by the mint and local smelters and refiners, amounted to $1,440,842 valued at $1 an ounce, or $157,147 less than in the first half of 1921, when silver was valued at $1.09 per ounce,  This decrease is due to the continued idleness of most of the large copper and lead producing mines, from which much of the silver mined in California is derived.  The silver mines in San Bernardino County are increasing their output somewhat, but not sufficiently to counteract the loss in the output of copper and lead ores.  The mines that now produce the most silver are the California Rand, Inc., the Grady Lease on the same mine, in San Bernardino County, and the Engles copper mine in Plumas County.”–Engineering and Mining Journal

August 26, 1922:  “THE RANDSBURG DISTRICT continues to attract attention in consequence of the output from the California Rand, the premier silver producer of California.  The Ben Hur, Belcher Extension, and other companies are active, and numerous corporations are developing ore.”–Engineering and Mining Journal

September 30, 1922:  “AT THE ANNUAL MEETIING of the stockholders of the California Rand Silver Co. Inc., the following directors were elected:  B. H. Sill, J. J. Nosser, W. H. Williams, J. A. Hughes, Alfred Harrell, E. T. Grady, F. B. Chapin, W. H. Coons, and Alex Ward.  At the director’s meeting following the stockholders’ meeting officers were elected as follows;  Alfred Harrell, president; Dwight L. Clarke, Secretary;  J. A. Hughes, W. H. Williams, J. J. Nosser, vice-presidents; Security Trust Company treasurer.  Production for the last year is reported to have been 14,000 tons of ore shipped; 33,000 tons milled; and net production $1, 327,623 for the year ending Sept. 1.  The total net production of the property in three years was $3,305,540.  The mill was constructed in 112 days at a cost of $110,000 and it produced concentrates of a gross value of $458,953 during the first nine months of operation.”–Engineering and Mining Journal 

October 11, 1922:  “BIG SILVER PAYS $25,000 In Dividends During September—Report To Stockholders Shows Camp’s Biggest Producer In Fine Shape—The following statement to stockholders outlining activities during the month of September, was issued by the California Rand Silver Corporation, known locally as the, “Big Silver” and on the outside as the “Kelly Mine”.

                                                                                                Bakersfield, Oct. 4, 1922

To the Stockholders of California Rand Silver Incorporated;

Herewith please find check for two cents per share covering regular dividend No. 33 totaling $25,600. With this dividend the total disbursement to stockholders since January of this year is seventy cents per share, or $896,000; and since organization $1.53 ½ per share, or a grand total of $1, 964,800.

ORE EXTRACTION AND ADVANCEMENT

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