Friday, March 14, 2025
Ashford Mine and Mill in Death Valley
In January 1907, Harold Ashford wandered into the Death Valley region and, attracted by the gold strikes at the Desert Hound Mine, prospected in that vicinity. Within a few months, he discovered that the Keys Gold Mining Company had failed to do the necessary assessment work on several of its claims, and Ashford relocated them and started to work on his own. It took the Keys Gold Mining Company almost two years to discover that someone else was working their former claims. When Ashford refused to vacate, the company took him to court In January 1910; however, the judge found in favor of Ashford, and he retained title to his claims. He might have been better off if he had lost.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Honestly I don't know anything about mining except for what I've read or seen in movies, tv series and programs...It seems a lot more money was lost than was made in mining..
ReplyDeleteJD
A lot of get rich dreams crushed by reality. You would've thought after the first bust no one would've bothered. I'm fascinated by these old mines and how they hauled huge machines into rugged hills.
ReplyDeleteThe book, Death Valley And The Armagosa; Land Of Illusion, by Richard Lingenfelter is a very worthy read.
ReplyDeleteThere are explanations of some quite ingenious get rich quick schemes and the perpetrators and patsies alike.
The videos I've seen inside some of those mines have some pretty impressive woodwork supporting the tunnels and everything that makes them safe to work as well...
DeleteJD
I've been inside mineshafts with the timbers still doing their job after 125 years. I've also been in shafts that deadended because the timbering failed after 50 years and the shafts collapsed.
DeleteIf you really want to see some outstanding timbering techniques, check out the square sets that were invented and used extensively in the Comstock mines.
https://gregcrouch.com/2018/square-set-timbering-diagrams
Cool, I'll check it out. Thanks
DeleteJD