Atchison & Savage Mills
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I assume the mills were just waiting for enough water coming off of the mountain so they could start working again. The Atchison will remedy that and others are sure to follow.
The 1863 Nevada Directory - a primary source from that era - says the Atchison Mill was owned by J. H., S. M. and S. S. Atchison. It was first built in 1861, remodeled in 1862 and was now complete. The building is 120 x 60'. There are 16 stamps capable of crushing 25 tons of rock per day. Water is provided by Brown's Ravine and Steamboat Creek. The water arrives via a 3 1/2 mile long aqueduct.
By 1865 it was reported to be driven by steam and water power with 126 stamps, 16 Wheeler pans, and 8 settlers. It was running Potosi- Chollar ore.
In 1866 the Savage Mining Company purchased the mill for $50,000
In 1871 it was reported that the mill was idle for two years but was being overhauled and put back into operation. But I can find no reference to this mill after the 1860's.
* [I did find reference to a different Atchison Mill. It was located at Dutch Nick's (south of Carson City and nowhere near the mill at Washoe City). The Carson Silver Age newspaper in April of 1862 says the Theodore Winters, in conjunction with the Mexican Mine, has purchased the Atchison Mill after their mill was destroyed by fire. That Atchison Mill was most probably completed in 1861 and hence some confusion.]
Savage Mill:
In 1866 the Savage Mine purchased the mill, but the mill was always referred to as the Atchison Mill. At least to the historians, if not to the Savage Mining Company! This makes the Savage Mill letterhead more desirable.
But we will make a strong case for the Savage Mill being a separate mill from the Atchison.
In 1866 the Savage Mine purchased the Atchison Mill. It is generally assumed that the Savage Mill (which is hardly ever seen in history books) became another name for the Atchison Mill that was just purchased.
But if that is so, why the two different notices of bullion sent from two different mines on the same day?
Where there indeed two mills and the Savage Mill has been lost to history. Ansari in her authoritative work on Comstock mills and mines does not even mention a Savage Mill. But this letterhead indicates that there might have been such a mill.
The Daily Alta California on September 14, 1867 gives credence to two different mills producing bullion for the Savage Mine. This chart gives the bullion production for both mills for the Savage Mine. The Atchison can be noted as starting in August of 1866. That might give us a date when this mill was purchased by the Savage Mine.
On August 28, 1867 the Daily Alta credits the Savage Mill with crushing 35 tons of rock a day.
According to the Daily Alta reports that the Savage Mill was running on August 3, 1872. That is roughly three years after the Atchison was closed down.
"The Report of the Commissioners and Evidence Taken by the Committee on Mines and Mining by the United States Sutro Tunnel Commission" in 1872 heard this testimony from Adolph Sutro, "A small portion of the ore has been reduced at the company's mills at Washoe. It has been running but six months out of the twelve. The Savage mill can be run at some profit during the summer months, but it is questionable whether a profit can be shown for the whole year on account of the necessity of retaining watchmen and paying insurance on half of the year while it is idle." Once again this refers to the problem with water during the winter months when the creeks dry up.
"History of Nevada" by Thompson and West
Daily Alta California
Washoe Times
Carson Silver Age
The Newspapers of Nevada" by Lingenfelter & Rix Gash
"Mines and Mills of the Comstock Region" by Ansari
Holabird Western American Collections by Grant Peterson
"1863 Nevada Directory" by Kelley
" The Report of the Commissioners and Evidence Taken by the Committee on Mines and Mining by the United States Sutro Tunnel Commission"
The 1863 Nevada Directory - a primary source from that era - says the Atchison Mill was owned by J. H., S. M. and S. S. Atchison. It was first built in 1861, remodeled in 1862 and was now complete. The building is 120 x 60'. There are 16 stamps capable of crushing 25 tons of rock per day. Water is provided by Brown's Ravine and Steamboat Creek. The water arrives via a 3 1/2 mile long aqueduct.
By 1865 it was reported to be driven by steam and water power with 126 stamps, 16 Wheeler pans, and 8 settlers. It was running Potosi- Chollar ore.
In 1866 the Savage Mining Company purchased the mill for $50,000
In 1871 it was reported that the mill was idle for two years but was being overhauled and put back into operation. But I can find no reference to this mill after the 1860's.
* [I did find reference to a different Atchison Mill. It was located at Dutch Nick's (south of Carson City and nowhere near the mill at Washoe City). The Carson Silver Age newspaper in April of 1862 says the Theodore Winters, in conjunction with the Mexican Mine, has purchased the Atchison Mill after their mill was destroyed by fire. That Atchison Mill was most probably completed in 1861 and hence some confusion.]
Savage Mill:
In 1866 the Savage Mine purchased the mill, but the mill was always referred to as the Atchison Mill. At least to the historians, if not to the Savage Mining Company! This makes the Savage Mill letterhead more desirable.
But we will make a strong case for the Savage Mill being a separate mill from the Atchison.
In 1866 the Savage Mine purchased the Atchison Mill. It is generally assumed that the Savage Mill (which is hardly ever seen in history books) became another name for the Atchison Mill that was just purchased.
But if that is so, why the two different notices of bullion sent from two different mines on the same day?
Where there indeed two mills and the Savage Mill has been lost to history. Ansari in her authoritative work on Comstock mills and mines does not even mention a Savage Mill. But this letterhead indicates that there might have been such a mill.
The Daily Alta California on September 14, 1867 gives credence to two different mills producing bullion for the Savage Mine. This chart gives the bullion production for both mills for the Savage Mine. The Atchison can be noted as starting in August of 1866. That might give us a date when this mill was purchased by the Savage Mine.
On August 28, 1867 the Daily Alta credits the Savage Mill with crushing 35 tons of rock a day.
According to the Daily Alta reports that the Savage Mill was running on August 3, 1872. That is roughly three years after the Atchison was closed down.
"The Report of the Commissioners and Evidence Taken by the Committee on Mines and Mining by the United States Sutro Tunnel Commission" in 1872 heard this testimony from Adolph Sutro, "A small portion of the ore has been reduced at the company's mills at Washoe. It has been running but six months out of the twelve. The Savage mill can be run at some profit during the summer months, but it is questionable whether a profit can be shown for the whole year on account of the necessity of retaining watchmen and paying insurance on half of the year while it is idle." Once again this refers to the problem with water during the winter months when the creeks dry up.
"History of Nevada" by Thompson and West
Daily Alta California
Washoe Times
Carson Silver Age
The Newspapers of Nevada" by Lingenfelter & Rix Gash
"Mines and Mills of the Comstock Region" by Ansari
Holabird Western American Collections by Grant Peterson
"1863 Nevada Directory" by Kelley
" The Report of the Commissioners and Evidence Taken by the Committee on Mines and Mining by the United States Sutro Tunnel Commission"