History of the big bonanza

De Quille

• Publisher: Science & Technology Publishing
• Year: 2025
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• eBook ISBN:
  9782528123256
• Subtopic: Literary Biographies
• Index: Technology & Engineering

History of the Big Bonanza by Dan De Quille is a vivid and comprehensive chronicle of one of the most extraordinary mining booms in American history—the discovery and development of the Comstock Lode in Nevada. First published in 1876, this book offers a firsthand account of the rise of Virginia City and the surrounding region, capturing the excitement, drama, and larger-than-life personalities that defined the era. De Quille, the pen name of William Wright, was a journalist for the Territorial Enterprise and a close associate of Mark Twain, and his narrative is infused with wit, humor, and a keen eye for detail. The book delves into the origins of the Comstock Lode, tracing the initial gold and silver discoveries that transformed a remote desert into a bustling metropolis almost overnight. De Quille describes the feverish rush of prospectors, the rapid construction of towns, and the evolution of mining technology that enabled the extraction of vast fortunes from the earth. He provides colorful portraits of miners, entrepreneurs, gamblers, and adventurers who flocked to the region, as well as the social, economic, and political upheavals that accompanied the boom. History of the Big Bonanza is not just a tale of riches and ambition; it is also a detailed exploration of the geology of the Comstock, the engineering marvels of the mines, and the challenges faced by those who sought their fortunes underground. De Quille explains the intricacies of mining operations, the dangers of cave-ins and fires, and the innovations that made the Comstock Lode one of the most productive mining districts in the world. Throughout the book, De Quille's lively storytelling brings to life the wild, often lawless atmosphere of the mining camps, the rise and fall of fortunes, and the enduring spirit of the people who shaped the American West. Richly illustrated with engravings and filled with anecdotes, legends, and historical insights, History of the Big Bonanza remains an essential work for anyone interested in the history of mining, the American frontier, or the colorful tapestry of the Old West.

Table of contents

• HISTORY OF THE BIG BONANZA:
• INTRODUCTORY.
• PREFACE.
• List of Illustrations.[A]
• CHAPTER I. HE FIRST SETTLERS IN NEVADA.
• CHAPTER II. THE SEARCH FOR GOLD.
• CHAPTER III. ADVENTURES OF EARLY PROSPECTORS.
• CHAPTER IV. WHAT THEY DISCOVERED.
• CHAPTER V. DISCOVERY OF THE GREAT COMSTOCK MINE.
• CHAPTER VI. THE DISCOVERY OF SILVER.
• CHAPTER VII. REMINISCENCES OF EARLY MINING DAYS.
• CHAPTER VIII. THE FATE OF THE DISCOVERERS.
• CHAPTER IX. COMSTOCK’S MATRIMONIAL VENTURE.
• CHAPTER X. A LETTER FROM COMSTOCK.
• CHAPTER XI. OLD VIRGINIA AND HIS STORIES.
• CHAPTER XII. MISLED BY THE “SPIRITS.”
• CHAPTER XIII. EARLY MINING.
• CHAPTER XIV. MIGRATION ON A LARGE SCALE.
• CHAPTER XV. TROUBLE WITH THE INDIANS.
• CHAPTER XVI. STATE OF SOCIETY.
• CHAPTER XVII. EARLY COMSTOCK MINING OPERATIONS.
• CHAPTER XVIII. LOSS OF THE PRECIOUS METALS.
• CHAPTER XIX. THE SOCIAL ASPECT OF THE TERRITORY.
• CHAPTER XX. THE MOUNTAIN REGION OF NEVADA.
• CHAPTER XXI. THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS.
• CHAPTER XXII. BONANZA AND BORRASCA.
• CHAPTER XXIII. HOW THE MINES ARE WORKED.
• CHAPTER XXIV. FIREDAMP.—A MINE IN FLAMES.
• CHAPTER XXV. DEATH IN THE MINE.
• CHAPTER XXVI. DESTRUCTION OF THE BELCHER SHAFT.
• CHAPTER XXVII. WAR IN THE MINE.
• CHAPTER XXVIII. A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS.
• CHAPTER XXIX. MINING FATALITIES.
• CHAPTER XXX. HE TOWNS OF THE BIG BONANZA.
• CHAPTER XXXI. CONSTRUCTION OF RAILROAD LINES.
• CHAPTER XXXII. AN ENGINEERING TRIUMPH.
• CHAPTER XXXIII. HOW WOOD IS CUT IN THE SIERRAS.
• CHAPTER XXXIV. THE “SIX HUNDRED AND ONE.”
• CHAPTER XXXV. THE WASHOE “ZEPHYR.”
• CHAPTER XXXVI. THE RED PROPRIETORS.
• CHAPTER XXXVII. WINNEMUCCA AND HIS BRAVES.
• CHAPTER XXXVIII. SKETCHES OF INDIAN LIFE.
• CHAPTER XXXIX. CONCERNING “LO” AND HIS FAMILY.
• CHAPTER XL. A VISIT TO THE MINES.
• CHAPTER XLI. DESCENDING IN THE SAFETY-CAGE.
• CHAPTER XLII. BELOW THE SURFACE.
• CHAPTER XLIII. CURIOSITIES OF VENTILATION.
• CHAPTER XLIV. UNDERGROUND BUSINESS ARRANGEMENTS.
• CHAPTER XLV. GHOST-HAUNTED SHAFTS.
• CHAPTER XLVI. EXTRACTING SILVER FROM THE ORE.
• CHAPTER XLVII. ASSAYS OF THE SILVER BULLION.
• CHAPTER XLVIII. SALOON BIRDS.
• CHAPTER XLIX. SOME VERY QUEER CUSTOMERS.
• CHAPTER L. ORIGINAL CHARACTERS.
• CHAPTER LI. THE “HEATHEN CHINEE.”
• CHAPTER LII. CHINESE OPIUM-DENS.
• CHAPTER LIII. HOW FORTUNES ARE MADE AND LOST.
• CHAPTER LIV. CURIOUS SPECULATIONS IN STOCK.
• CHAPTER LV. HOLIDAYS AND FUN.
• CHAPTER LVI. TERRIBLE STORY OF THE DONNERS.
• CHAPTER LVII. TRACES OF THE TRICKSY MINER.
• CHAPTER LVIII. THE PARADISE OF BOGUS MINERS.
• CHAPTER LIX. PAY-DAY AT THE MINES.
• CHAPTER LX. THE HOTTEST PLACE IN THE MINE.
• CHAPTER LXI. UNDERGROUND BATTLES
• CHAPTER LXII. THE WEALTH OF THE WORLD.
• CHAPTER LXIII. FLUCTUATIONS OF FORTUNE.
• CHAPTER LXIV. THE RICHEST SPOT IN THE WORLD.
• CHAPTER LXV. AGGREGATED WEALTH.
• CHAPTER LXVI. CONCERNING VENTILATION.
• CHAPTER LXVII. BELOW THE WATER-DEPOSITS.
• CHAPTER LXVIII. SOME INTERESTING CREATURES.
• CHAPTER LXIX. MILLIONAIRE PROPRIETORS.
• CHAPTER LXX. FUN AND FROLIC.
• CHAPTER LXXI. THE BRIGHT SIDE OF PROSPECTING.
• CHAPTER LXXII. THE COMICAL STORY OF PIKE.
• APPENDIX. MEXICAN MINING TERMS.