The Sutro Tunnel is a engineering master piece. I had the chance to visit the old town site of Sutro and the Sutro Tunnel entrance in 2016.It was the first time in well over a decade that this area had been open to visitors. To stand at the tunnel, look at the mountain behind it, and just imagine how they could arrive exactly where the Savage Mine was at 1,650 feet on the other side of the mountian - I was awed!
But the tunnel almost was never started let alone completed! When Sutro proposed his original tunnel, the mine owners and political leaders were all behind it. Draining water from the mines on the Comstock had become a never ending struggle.
Together Sutro and the other influential men of the Comstock convinced the state of Nevada to grant Sutro an exclusive franchise in 1864. In 1865 he had arrived at an agreement with the major mine owners on a royalty of $2 a ton to help repay the debt that would be incurred by building the tunnel.
Darius Mills gave Sutro a letter of introduction to the Oriental Bank in London. William Ralston receive a letter of support from William Sharon, John P. Jones, John Mackay and Isaac Requa when he went to the United States Congress for financial support. The gave him permission to purchase 4, 375 feet of land at the entrance to the tunnel and any mine found within 2,000 feet of the tunnel belonged to Sutro.
But the tunnel almost was never started let alone completed! When Sutro proposed his original tunnel, the mine owners and political leaders were all behind it. Draining water from the mines on the Comstock had become a never ending struggle.
Together Sutro and the other influential men of the Comstock convinced the state of Nevada to grant Sutro an exclusive franchise in 1864. In 1865 he had arrived at an agreement with the major mine owners on a royalty of $2 a ton to help repay the debt that would be incurred by building the tunnel.
Darius Mills gave Sutro a letter of introduction to the Oriental Bank in London. William Ralston receive a letter of support from William Sharon, John P. Jones, John Mackay and Isaac Requa when he went to the United States Congress for financial support. The gave him permission to purchase 4, 375 feet of land at the entrance to the tunnel and any mine found within 2,000 feet of the tunnel belonged to Sutro.
Sutro opened an office in San Francisco. Eastern capitalist told him they could raise $3,000,000 if he could raise a few thousand on the Pacific Coast. He had a promise of $600,000 in subscriptions and looked to be well on his way to raise million on the West Coast.
Every thing was falling into place.
And just like that everything fell apart. All of a sudden the all-powerful Bank of California not only pulled their support but actively fought to destroy the completion of a tunnel. All the major mines (but the Savage) withdrew their financial and public support. The money promised on the West Coast disappeared. The money back east dried up. Congress withdrew its support.
It seems that besides draining the water from the mines on the Comstock, Sutro planned to build a large mill at the base of the tunnel. How much cheaper would it be to bring the silver laden ore out of the lower levels at 1,650 below the surface than raise the tons and tons of ore all the way to the top!
It seems the Bank of California had a financial reason to stop the tunnel. They owned all the major mills. Sutro’s mill would be a major competitor. The Bank Crowd owned the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. The tunnel (if ore came out this way) would dramatically negate the need for the railroad.
Newspapers (bought and paid for) tried to poison the populace. Property values would drop $13,000,000 to $14,000,000 if the mill was built. Men would be out of work.
Every thing was falling into place.
And just like that everything fell apart. All of a sudden the all-powerful Bank of California not only pulled their support but actively fought to destroy the completion of a tunnel. All the major mines (but the Savage) withdrew their financial and public support. The money promised on the West Coast disappeared. The money back east dried up. Congress withdrew its support.
It seems that besides draining the water from the mines on the Comstock, Sutro planned to build a large mill at the base of the tunnel. How much cheaper would it be to bring the silver laden ore out of the lower levels at 1,650 below the surface than raise the tons and tons of ore all the way to the top!
It seems the Bank of California had a financial reason to stop the tunnel. They owned all the major mills. Sutro’s mill would be a major competitor. The Bank Crowd owned the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. The tunnel (if ore came out this way) would dramatically negate the need for the railroad.
Newspapers (bought and paid for) tried to poison the populace. Property values would drop $13,000,000 to $14,000,000 if the mill was built. Men would be out of work.
So, the money had dried up. What was Sutro to do. Then, out of the blue, came an offer from the McCalmont Brothers. They owned a major English Bank. Sutro went overseas to raise the money he needed for his tunnel. They were Scottish and had a bank in London. He was able to raise a sizable amount in Germany and England. The McCalmont Brothers were the largest contributors pledging $750,00 a year to help complete the tunnel. (Ironically Sutro would sell his shares of the tunnel to the McCalmont Brothers the year after the tunnel was completed. One year later the tunnel was indire straights as the gold and silver of the Comstock had dried up!)
So what would Sutro do once he arrived. Well, he had to present himself as the owner of a high finance, high profit business. First he had to have a proper photograph. On the next page was one take at the London Portrait Company of 68 Cheapside E. C. The owner was F. Gilling.
Next one would need a business card. That with appropriately fancy script.
Then one would need writing paper and envelopes to impress prospective investors. What better way to do this than use a silver foil seal to represent the silver that made the Comstock so famous. And in London in 1873 you would go to Joseph Wyon to design the seal. He studied die-engraving under his father, also studied at the Royal Academy, where he gained two silver medals. Appointed Chief Engraver of the Seals in 1858, as successor to his father. He died in 1874.
1. http://www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/
2. "Jews and the Making of San Francisco" web site
3. Hardly paid attention to in the 1881 History of Nevada by Thompson & West. Were ther still hard feelings?
4. "History of Nevada" by Thompson & West
5. "Jews in Nevada" by Marschall
6. The British Museum website taken from "The Directory of Gold & Silvermsiths" by Woodbridge
7. "History of Nevada" by Davis
8. "Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco"
9. wikipedia
So what would Sutro do once he arrived. Well, he had to present himself as the owner of a high finance, high profit business. First he had to have a proper photograph. On the next page was one take at the London Portrait Company of 68 Cheapside E. C. The owner was F. Gilling.
Next one would need a business card. That with appropriately fancy script.
Then one would need writing paper and envelopes to impress prospective investors. What better way to do this than use a silver foil seal to represent the silver that made the Comstock so famous. And in London in 1873 you would go to Joseph Wyon to design the seal. He studied die-engraving under his father, also studied at the Royal Academy, where he gained two silver medals. Appointed Chief Engraver of the Seals in 1858, as successor to his father. He died in 1874.
1. http://www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/
2. "Jews and the Making of San Francisco" web site
3. Hardly paid attention to in the 1881 History of Nevada by Thompson & West. Were ther still hard feelings?
4. "History of Nevada" by Thompson & West
5. "Jews in Nevada" by Marschall
6. The British Museum website taken from "The Directory of Gold & Silvermsiths" by Woodbridge
7. "History of Nevada" by Davis
8. "Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco"
9. wikipedia
Notice the Photoshop work done on the photograph above. Since this was done 135 years before Photoshop, it really was probably state-of-the-art!
Also notice that it is definitely the photo from which the seal on the paper and envelope were made. Just reversed! The blow up below the envelope shows it was the stationary and envelope were English. THe figurines are made of Silver. Of course this would be very impressive ont eh COntinent. |