This document had an unreadable name of sender and sendee. Still it is rare and a nice addition to my collection. Then I saw a name referred to in the document. Now I had a story to go with the letterhead.
Before we being this journey, we need to make sure that we understand the geography of the land. The Seven Troughs area was made up of three mining cities running along the same canyon. Seven Troughs was at the top of the canyon, Mazuma at the mouth and Vernon in the plains. The entire distance from Seven Troughs to Vernon was a mere three miles as the crow flies.
This letter head is for Castel Hall of the Knights of Pythias. It is sent to Alex Huneysulter(???) and written by T. B. McNeely. Theodore B. McNeely is listed as a miner from National in Humboldt County in the 1910 census and a compressor man from Rochester in Humboldt County in the 1920 census. It seems quite logical that this itinerant miner would find his way to Seven Troughs in Humboldt County in 1914.
The letter informs that Fred Preston had paid $10.00. $5.00 for dues and $5.00 for the Christmas fund. Which brings us to the real story in this paper.
Before we being this journey, we need to make sure that we understand the geography of the land. The Seven Troughs area was made up of three mining cities running along the same canyon. Seven Troughs was at the top of the canyon, Mazuma at the mouth and Vernon in the plains. The entire distance from Seven Troughs to Vernon was a mere three miles as the crow flies.
This letter head is for Castel Hall of the Knights of Pythias. It is sent to Alex Huneysulter(???) and written by T. B. McNeely. Theodore B. McNeely is listed as a miner from National in Humboldt County in the 1910 census and a compressor man from Rochester in Humboldt County in the 1920 census. It seems quite logical that this itinerant miner would find his way to Seven Troughs in Humboldt County in 1914.
The letter informs that Fred Preston had paid $10.00. $5.00 for dues and $5.00 for the Christmas fund. Which brings us to the real story in this paper.
Mazuma was a happening place in 1908. It was the largest of the cities in the area and had a post office, newspaper, two-story bank, three story hotel, several stores, offices for professional people, stage service to Lovelock, board of trade and a fire department.
In 1909 the Darby Mill was completed. The Mazuma Mill was completed sometime later.
Fred Preston was not immune to the hype of Mazuma. He soon showed up and built a store. He was actively involved in Mazuma's social and business life.
By 1912 Mazuma's population had decreased to less than 100. It was still an active camp, but the ore was playing out and miners and store owners were looking for greener pastures.
Then everything changed for the town and its residents. On July 18, 1912, Thunder clouds were in the area, but seemed far enough away not to worry. Then E. H. Bennett saw the wall of water and it was heading right toward Mazuma.
Bennett rushed to the phone to call Mazuma. He reached Fred Preston at his store. Bennett was yelling into the phone, but the connection was so bad Preston could hardly understand him. The only word he heard was 'Fire.' By the time he figured what it meant it was too late.
The wall of water t the narrow part of the canyon was reported to be twenty feet tall. Although probably not that tall, it was tall enough. It quickly swept away some cabins above the town. People saw Mike Whalen carried away. Next it hit the Darby Coalition cyanide plant and it seemed to dissolve into the water. A huge concrete vault weighing thousands of pounds was swept away and found several miles below the plant.
Then it turned a corner and hit main street. Mrs. Kehoe and her four children and a neighbor boy were playing in the street. They would all be washed away except the 8 year old that found a pole and managed to hang on. The post office was destroyed. The postmistress turned when she reached the door to retrieve the post office's money. She would never make it out of the building.
McLean's store, Banquet Saloon, newspaper office, Bank of Mazuma, Mazuma Hotel, Blue Hen Saloon, Trenchert & Casey Mercantile were all destroyed. When the water had cleared there was a nothing but a mud filled town and Preston's Store (which was on higher ground) left. The mill, also on higher ground, survived.
The Lovelock paper reported that those who lost their lives were practically nude and almost unrecognizable.
Fortunately it is estimated that only 50 people were in town that day. Unfortunately, of those fifty, eight lost their lives including three of the Kehoe Children and young Percy Gillespie—the neighborhood boy.! It is often considered the worst flash flood in Nevada history.
Mazuma never recovered. Many businesses headed out to Rochester - the new Nevada mining sensation. Preston didn’t seem to say too long either.
In 1909 the Darby Mill was completed. The Mazuma Mill was completed sometime later.
Fred Preston was not immune to the hype of Mazuma. He soon showed up and built a store. He was actively involved in Mazuma's social and business life.
By 1912 Mazuma's population had decreased to less than 100. It was still an active camp, but the ore was playing out and miners and store owners were looking for greener pastures.
Then everything changed for the town and its residents. On July 18, 1912, Thunder clouds were in the area, but seemed far enough away not to worry. Then E. H. Bennett saw the wall of water and it was heading right toward Mazuma.
Bennett rushed to the phone to call Mazuma. He reached Fred Preston at his store. Bennett was yelling into the phone, but the connection was so bad Preston could hardly understand him. The only word he heard was 'Fire.' By the time he figured what it meant it was too late.
The wall of water t the narrow part of the canyon was reported to be twenty feet tall. Although probably not that tall, it was tall enough. It quickly swept away some cabins above the town. People saw Mike Whalen carried away. Next it hit the Darby Coalition cyanide plant and it seemed to dissolve into the water. A huge concrete vault weighing thousands of pounds was swept away and found several miles below the plant.
Then it turned a corner and hit main street. Mrs. Kehoe and her four children and a neighbor boy were playing in the street. They would all be washed away except the 8 year old that found a pole and managed to hang on. The post office was destroyed. The postmistress turned when she reached the door to retrieve the post office's money. She would never make it out of the building.
McLean's store, Banquet Saloon, newspaper office, Bank of Mazuma, Mazuma Hotel, Blue Hen Saloon, Trenchert & Casey Mercantile were all destroyed. When the water had cleared there was a nothing but a mud filled town and Preston's Store (which was on higher ground) left. The mill, also on higher ground, survived.
The Lovelock paper reported that those who lost their lives were practically nude and almost unrecognizable.
Fortunately it is estimated that only 50 people were in town that day. Unfortunately, of those fifty, eight lost their lives including three of the Kehoe Children and young Percy Gillespie—the neighborhood boy.! It is often considered the worst flash flood in Nevada history.
Mazuma never recovered. Many businesses headed out to Rochester - the new Nevada mining sensation. Preston didn’t seem to say too long either.