This check has a lot going for it. First it is made out to the Imperial & Empire Shaft Company - not a common Comstock mining venue. But it also is imprinted with “Empire Mill and Mining Company,” has a nice Nevada 2c Revenue Stamp, signed by superintendent Graves, drawn on the Bank of California with a nice “Paid by Gold Hill Agency” stamp.
Imperial & Empire Shaft Company: The Imperial Mine and the Empire Mine were neighbors. As the miners chased the silver and gold to lower and lower depths, it became more and more expensive to get the miners down to the ore and get the ore up to the surface. Hence you find many major mining companies joining together to dig the deepest shafts. The Consolidated Chollar, Gould & Curry, and Savage being the most famous partnership. The Carson & Colorado was another joint effort.
The Imperial and the Empire were two of the major Comstock Mines in Gold Hill. The Imperial was the second leading producer ($5,448,050) and the Empire was the fourth leading producer ($3,645,739). In 1876 these two mines were consolidated under the name of the Consolidated Imperial Mine.
At first these two mines used their own shafts, but later would use the Imperial-Empire Shaft.
The Consolidated Imperial was the consolidation of the Bacon, Bowers, Consolidated, Eclipse, Empire North, Empire South, Imperial North, Imperial South, Piute, Rice, Trench, and Trigone claims. William Sharon, of the Bank Crowd, wanted to consolidate these claims to save money.
These were the original claims made on the Comstock by such men as Henry Comstock and James ‘Old Virginia’ Finney. These two men game the names of Comstock and Virginia City to the world.
Nevada Revenue Stamp: This is a two cent, light orange, perforated (ridges on edges so they could be easily separated) two cent stamp. The Empire M & M Company stamp is applied over the stamp.
R. N. Graves: Graves, although not as well-known as other superintendents, left a mark on Virginia City that still stands today - “The Castle!”
Graves was the superintendent of the Empire Mining Company in 1868 as seen by the check. The 1868-69 Nevada Directory lists him as the superintendent of the Imperial Mine. The 1870-71 Nevada Directory lists him as superintendent of the Imperial and Empire Mines. The 1873-74 V&T Directory lists him as superintendent of the Gould & Curry. He was a true Comstock mining man.
Below from left to right: The Castel, Nevada Directories, and Captain Graves.
The Imperial and the Empire were two of the major Comstock Mines in Gold Hill. The Imperial was the second leading producer ($5,448,050) and the Empire was the fourth leading producer ($3,645,739). In 1876 these two mines were consolidated under the name of the Consolidated Imperial Mine.
At first these two mines used their own shafts, but later would use the Imperial-Empire Shaft.
The Consolidated Imperial was the consolidation of the Bacon, Bowers, Consolidated, Eclipse, Empire North, Empire South, Imperial North, Imperial South, Piute, Rice, Trench, and Trigone claims. William Sharon, of the Bank Crowd, wanted to consolidate these claims to save money.
These were the original claims made on the Comstock by such men as Henry Comstock and James ‘Old Virginia’ Finney. These two men game the names of Comstock and Virginia City to the world.
Nevada Revenue Stamp: This is a two cent, light orange, perforated (ridges on edges so they could be easily separated) two cent stamp. The Empire M & M Company stamp is applied over the stamp.
R. N. Graves: Graves, although not as well-known as other superintendents, left a mark on Virginia City that still stands today - “The Castle!”
Graves was the superintendent of the Empire Mining Company in 1868 as seen by the check. The 1868-69 Nevada Directory lists him as the superintendent of the Imperial Mine. The 1870-71 Nevada Directory lists him as superintendent of the Imperial and Empire Mines. The 1873-74 V&T Directory lists him as superintendent of the Gould & Curry. He was a true Comstock mining man.
Below from left to right: The Castel, Nevada Directories, and Captain Graves.
He made a fortune on Comstock stocks. It was said that at one time he made $80,000 a month. But Comstock mines, like all mines, eventually played out and Graves lost his fortune continuing to speculate on these stocks.
But one thing he did do when he was so flush was build a house on B Street in the neighborhood of Millionaires row.
"The Castle” was one of the finest mansions of the West when it was built in 1868 by Robert N. Graves, a mine superintendent of the Empire Mine. The immense prosperity in the mining towns of the time is apparent in the Castle's rich, elaborate furnishings which were imported from all over the world.
Entering the Castle, once referred to as the "House of Silver Door Knobs," a visitor passes through a front door made of black walnut imported from Germany. The two oval glass panels at the top of the door are monogram etched. Just inside are the butler and footman niches, integral parts of early mansions.
Stepping into the living room and parlor, immediately noticeable are the hand-cut Czechoslovakia rock crystal chandeliers, over 150 years old. Fireplaces, in the living room and in other rooms of the house, are of the ornate Carrara marble of Italy. Large French gold-leaf mirrors hang over the mantels.
It must be remembered that all these furnishings were shipped half way around the world a hundred years ago, under the most difficult conditions. Purchased in Europe, they were shipped around the Horn to San Francisco, and thence by mule and ox teams over the Sierras. To insure the continental flavor, the workmen and artisans were likewise imported from Europe.” [taken from Mrs. Larry Spurgeon, Graves Family Newsletter, Volume 23,Number 137]
Bank of California: William Ralston of San Francisco and William Sharon of Virginia City built the Bank of California into the most prosperous bank imaginable. They owned most of the larger mills and bigger mines and the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. They had a monopoly of finding the ore, processing the ore, and shipping the ore.
Gold Hill Agency: Gold Hill is but a few miles from Virginia City but was a major Comstock mining area on its own. As a consequence Gold Hill had everything the Virginia City had. And if one wanted to monopolize the Comstock, one could not forget Gold Hill.
1. “Virginia City and the Big Bonanza” by James & James
2. “Nevada’s Metal and Mineral Production” by Couch & Carpenter
3. “Mines & Mills of the Comstock Region Western Nevada” by Ansari
4. “From ‘49 to ‘83 in California and Nevada” by Mayre
5. Nevada Directory, 1868-69
6. Nevada Directory, 1870-71
7. V&T Directory, 1873-74
8. In Virginia City, a lode of Comstock lore” by James, Los Angeles Times, August 31, 2003
But one thing he did do when he was so flush was build a house on B Street in the neighborhood of Millionaires row.
"The Castle” was one of the finest mansions of the West when it was built in 1868 by Robert N. Graves, a mine superintendent of the Empire Mine. The immense prosperity in the mining towns of the time is apparent in the Castle's rich, elaborate furnishings which were imported from all over the world.
Entering the Castle, once referred to as the "House of Silver Door Knobs," a visitor passes through a front door made of black walnut imported from Germany. The two oval glass panels at the top of the door are monogram etched. Just inside are the butler and footman niches, integral parts of early mansions.
Stepping into the living room and parlor, immediately noticeable are the hand-cut Czechoslovakia rock crystal chandeliers, over 150 years old. Fireplaces, in the living room and in other rooms of the house, are of the ornate Carrara marble of Italy. Large French gold-leaf mirrors hang over the mantels.
It must be remembered that all these furnishings were shipped half way around the world a hundred years ago, under the most difficult conditions. Purchased in Europe, they were shipped around the Horn to San Francisco, and thence by mule and ox teams over the Sierras. To insure the continental flavor, the workmen and artisans were likewise imported from Europe.” [taken from Mrs. Larry Spurgeon, Graves Family Newsletter, Volume 23,Number 137]
Bank of California: William Ralston of San Francisco and William Sharon of Virginia City built the Bank of California into the most prosperous bank imaginable. They owned most of the larger mills and bigger mines and the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. They had a monopoly of finding the ore, processing the ore, and shipping the ore.
Gold Hill Agency: Gold Hill is but a few miles from Virginia City but was a major Comstock mining area on its own. As a consequence Gold Hill had everything the Virginia City had. And if one wanted to monopolize the Comstock, one could not forget Gold Hill.
1. “Virginia City and the Big Bonanza” by James & James
2. “Nevada’s Metal and Mineral Production” by Couch & Carpenter
3. “Mines & Mills of the Comstock Region Western Nevada” by Ansari
4. “From ‘49 to ‘83 in California and Nevada” by Mayre
5. Nevada Directory, 1868-69
6. Nevada Directory, 1870-71
7. V&T Directory, 1873-74
8. In Virginia City, a lode of Comstock lore” by James, Los Angeles Times, August 31, 2003