Above is a high contrast real photo postcard of Seven Troughs. One can actually read some of the signs on the buildings. With the help of the 1912 panorama (the date that the postcard was sent) and the readable signs on the postcard itself, we know that the buildings on the left side from close to far are the Springer & Bangs Saloon, the Preston Store which shares the same building with the saloon, Coney Island Club and the Seven Troughs Hotel. On the right side the only business that is easily seen would have been the bakery - at least according to the panorama. The thing that amazes me is how narrow the level land is where the city was platted!
This post card was sent by Edward H. Fallon. I have seen three cards sent by Fallon to L. J. Banks of Folsom. They are all mailed on the same day, April 17, 1912 and they are all street sense from Lovelocks and surrounding mining camps. The messages on these postcards are not too enthusiastic about Nevada. The Lovelocks postcard says, “Out in the cold world.” A Mazuma main street postcard says “ Out in the desert is not like on Market Street.” There could be several explanations for these postcards. Perhaps Fallon is vacationing? If so, I don’t think he is too happy judging by his comments. Perhaps he is going to work? Maybe, but doubtful. I think he is on his way back east on the transcontinental railroad. At the stop in Lovelocks, he picked up some postcards to send to an old friend. |
Great postcards and great photos. But we are going to focus on the third building up the street on the left side of the Seven Troughs card. The Seven Trough Hotel! The Vance brothers quite literally built this hotel on a gold mine!
While digging a basement for the Seven Troughs Hotel, a large, rich vein was discovered. This discovery was made after trenching through 4 ft of wash. Pannings from the softer vein matter indicate values running up to $50 a ton. The Seven Troughs Merger Company was created to work this find. It was incorporated on May 25, 1908. Many important San Franciscans took an interest in this mine included Judge C.K. Bonestell. The plan was to sell enough stock to insure extensive development efforts on the company's claims an be completed. The Goldfield Chronicle reported that this should be done no be later than June 1st - one week! Work will begin with the Therrien lease. The find will not be prospected considerably until after the company has completed its trench across its 500 ft lease which it is believed will expose a series of parallel veins trending from the domain of the Mazuma Hills Mining Co to the estate of the Kindergarten Mining Co. Although the Kindergarten was a major mine it did not produce well. The Mazuma Hills was the sixth largest producer at Seven Troughs. [Couch & Carpenter] The trench is about 300 ft from the Kindergarten workings and about 500 ft from those of the Mazuma Hills mine workings. The trenching operation quickly discovered two more gold bearing veins that were 20 and 60 ft west of the first vein. On the strength of these strikes the company intended to sink a 2 compartment shaft to explore the veins. 1. Goldfield Chronicle, May 25, 1908 2. Mining & Engineering World, Volume 29 1908 3. “Nevada’s Metal and Mineral Production” by Couch & Carpenter |