New Mexico

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LAKE VALLEY NEW MEXICO MINING MATERIAL.

In August, 1878, George W. Lufkin and Chris Watson discovered silver ore around the area of Lake Valley. Their discovery started a silver mining rush as prospectors settled in the area to continue the mining. Lufkin sold his claim to George Daly, and with Whitaker Wright (who came to Lake Valley in April 1881) bought or made 8 more claims away from the outcrop. They then went to New York and with George D. Roberts formed four mining companies each with four claims. The Sierra Grande Silver Mining Company of Lake Valley ran the mines for all four companies. In 1882, John Leavitt, a blacksmith, leased a claim that George Lufkin had been working. Just 40 feet away from the surface, Leavitt discovered a huge cavern lined with solid silver. This incredibly rich cavern was later named "The Bridal Chamber" because of the sparkle from its crystal encrusted walls. George Daly was killed by Apaches the day of the discovery. A settlement, first called Daly but later renamed Lake Valley, moved to its present location after this discovery. Two and a half million ounces of silver were eventually removed from the Bridal Chamber, some of it so pure it required no smelting. In fact, the silver was so easy to remove that a railroad spur was built into the chamber and silver was loaded directly onto the cars. In 1893, silver was devalued, and the prosperity Lake Valley had known took a down turn. In 1895, most of Main Street burned to the ground.

Several of the letters are directed to D.H. Jackson, Superintendent of the Sierra Grande Mines.

 

w694.jpg (92278 bytes)DEMING,NM LETTERHEAD. 1882 Letterhead of G.P. Armstrong, Dealer in Wines, Liquors, Cigars, Tobacco, Miners Outfits and Supplies. Deming New Mexico. 8 1/4" x 11". Letter written to D.H. Jackson at Sierra City. Though the town was originally called Daly, and changed to Lake Valley, there must have been a short period of time in the interim it was called Sierra City . Some wear, soiling, and dampstaining, (though not as pronounced as the illustration suggests, overall VG. (W.694)$65.

 

w749.jpg (124588 bytes)EL PASO SMELTING CO. RECEIPT. Lake Valley NM Silver Mining Co Smelting Receipt. 8 1/2" x 12" 1897 El Paso Smelting Co Invoice for ore from Silver Mining Co, Lake Valley New Mexico. These lists gross weights, amount of metals, net proceeds. I have a small number of these receipts, illustration is representative, ca. 1897, overall Gd cond., with original fold lines, and small punch hole. (W. 749); $16.99 

 

nm027.jpg (209311 bytes)A.T. & S.F. RR CO. LETTERHEAD- NUTT STATION. 11” x 8 Ό” letter , July 12th, 1882 . Nutt Station was the station on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, stagecoach ran the distance of 14 miles to Lake Valley for $2.00. Later a branch of the railroad was extended to Lake Valley. Fair to good only, exhibits age toning,  damp staining along left edge, some discoloration along edges, b/r corner has damage (NM. 27); $45. 

 

nm028.jpg (282617 bytes)A.T. & S.F. RR CO. LETTERHEAD- SAN MARCIAL. 11” x 8 Ό” letter to D.H. Jackson, July 7th, 1882, from Train Master's Office,San Marcial. Fair to good only,   b/r corner has damage, , fold lines, (NM.28); $SOLD

 

w742.jpg (133505 bytes)1882 GIANT POWDER CO., S.F. LETTERHEAD. 10 Ό” x 7 Ύ” , 2 pages, Blue paper. Bandmann, Nielsen & Co., Agents for the Giant Powder Co. Two page ink manuscript letter to D.H. Jackson, regarding shipment of high explosives, along with pricing for shipments. Some minor discoloration along bottom of pages, overall Gd. (W.742); $150.

 

nm035.jpg (472726 bytes)1882 CANADA SOUTHERN LINE BILL OF LADING. 11” x 8 1//2” bill of lading for tubing received at Nutt Station. Nice graphic of box car, edges are somewhat rough though, still displays well.  (NM35); $50.

 

w743.jpg (101199 bytes)1882 LETTER REGARDING STOCK FOR THE LAKE VALLEY MINES. 11” x 8 Ό” , Pacific Bank , San Francisco, directed to D.H. Jackson, regarding stock availability of stock for the Sierrra Grande as “some friends of mine have a little money to invest . Please give me your opinion as to the value of the property …”. Light discoloration along left edge, age toning to rt bottom section, o/w Gd. (W.743)$65.

 

w744.jpg (119260 bytes)1882 SAN FRANCISCO LETTER REGARDING FRAUDULENT SHIPPING WITH RAILROADS. 11” x 8 ½” 1882 Letter from the Office of Prescott, Scott & Co. Union Iron Works , to D. H. Jackson. Somewhat amusing letter to D.H. Jackson about a man caught by the railroad on trying to circumvent shipping charges by mislabeling the boxes, and cautioning Jackson not to try the same. (W744); $100.

 

w741.jpg (104024 bytes)1882 SIERRA GRANDE MINING CO. LETTERHEAD. Philadelphia, to D. H. Jackson, at Daly, notifying him of the purchase of stock and asking to acknowledge receipt of same. Signed by George Smedley, Secty. 7 5/8” x 10 1/8”. Minor discoloration b/r corner, overall VG. (W.741); $85.

 

w734.jpg (127077 bytes)LOT OF (2) A.T. & S. F. RR BILL OF LADING. (W. 734);$46.

 

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BROWNE & MANZANARES COMMISSION HOUSE

Several of the following lots are in connection with the Browne & Manzanares Commission House (1879-1899), which was one of the great commission houses of the Plains, first following the Kansas-Pacific R.R.to Kit Carson Co. then following the A.T. & S.F. R.R. to Las Vegas. This trading house resided in all of the end-of-track towns, their path being Leavenworth KS., Junction City, Ellsworth, Sheridan, Fort Wallace, Kit Carson CO., Granada, Las Animas, La Junta, El Moro, Trinidad, Otero NM., then Las Vegas.

 

w685.jpg (47763 bytes)1890 LAS VEGAS,NM CHECK. Las Vegas, New Mexico Check. 8 3/8" x 3 3/8" check from the firm of Browne & Manzanares. Vignette of young child's face "Lucia". I have a few of these checks, payee might be different than one illustrated. (W.685); $14.

 

w733.jpg (67312 bytes)BROWNE, MANZANARES & CO. LETTERHEAD. Forwarding and Commission Merchants, Socorro, NM.  9'  x 6 one page.  Scarcer with Socorro imprint. .  Addresses To D.H. Jackson, Sierra City, NM. A bit of age toning, o/w VG. (W.733); $100.

 

w704.jpg (75770 bytes)WAGON MOUND, NM LETTERHEAD. 1883 Schmidt & Reinken General Merchandise, Cattle and Sheep. Letter to Browne and Manzanares regarding order. 7" x 7 1/2" . Some (insect or rodent) damage to tope center edge, light fold lines, a few random small holes. (W.704); $55.

 

w698.jpg (72833 bytes)1884 FORT SUMNER, NM LETTER. J. H. Teats (The owner of a General Merchandise Store). One page of articles for delivery. 10 " x 7 1/2", Feb 20, 1884 . Sold as is, some (insect or rodent) damage in rt center, fold lines, o/w G. (W.698); $45.

 

w685.jpg (93664 bytes)PORTER & CLOUTHIER , SPRINGER NM ILL. LETTERHEAD.  Porter  & Clouthier, Forwarding and Commission Agents, Springer, NM letterhead. 9 1/2" x 6 one page, illustrated with a good graphic engraving of their building.  Scarce.  Repaired horizontal tear along top left edge, fold lines, o/w VG. (W.685); $155.

 

 

 

w739.jpg (110812 bytes)1882 SANTA FE JEWELER LETTERHEAD. 1882 Letterhead of S. H. Lucas & Co. Mexican Filigree in Gold and Silver. 8 1/4” x 11”. Handsome letterhead, small illustration left side. Letter regards order of clocks. Small loss of paper bottom right corner, o/w Gd. (W. 739); $145.

 

w738.jpg (108251 bytes)1882 SILVER CITY, NM THE NEW SOUTHWEST NEWSPAPER LETTERHEAD. 1882, The New Southwest and Grant County Herald. Letter regards possible subscriptions. 8” x 10”, a very appealing letterheads, exhibits rough right edge along w/ some light discoloration along edge, o/w VG.(W.738); $165.

 

w746.jpg (182499 bytes)1882 THE MONTEZUMA HOTEL ILLUSTRATED LETTERHEAD. Strong graphic letterhead, 8 1/2” x 11”. Letter regards cost of lodging. Though the letterhead exhibits edge roughness along the right side, with the b/r corner having some damage with a small loss of paper ( along with some discoloration), the main subject is so strong graphically the flaws are somewhat overlooked. (W.746); $195.
The Montezuma Hotel, as it was originally called, was built in 1882 as a hot springs resort by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, along a spur line from Las Vegas. The Queen Anne Style hotel was the first building in New Mexico with electric lights. After a fire in 1884, the hotel was rebuilt, only to burn again in 1885. In 1886 the third and final Montezuma “Castle” opened. The resort hotel, with its proximity to the Montezuma Hot Springs, was a popular destination for travelers making the crossing from east to west and back. The Castle closed in 1903, and eventually fell into disrepair.

 

nm026.jpg (161354 bytes)1888 FIRST NATIONAL BANK, LAS VEGAS  ILLUSTRATED LETTERHEAD. Letterhead, 9 1/2” x 6”. Illustrated with engraving of bank building. Original fold lines, two spindle holes on top, overall VG (NM.026); $75.

 

 

 

w530.jpg (106715 bytes)1899 LINCOLN COUNTY BRAND REGISTRATION. 1899 Lincoln County New Mexico. Cattle Sanitary Board Certificate for Re-Recorded Brand. 7 1/8" x 8 1/2". Certificate for James Cree of Fort Stanton, showing the placement and design of brands on cattle and horses. Scarce and desirable cattle ephemera. Original horizontal fold line, a few small light edge creases, o/w VG (W.530); $275.

 

w440.jpg (575024 bytes)WESTERN - LETTER- LINCOLN COUNTY WAR NEW MEXICO . Undated, ca. 1880 pen manuscript letter from C.W. Irish. 5 sheets, one sided, 10 ½” x 8 ½”. The sheets are tissue thin, and unfortunately has corresponding bleeding of ink. It resembles a carbon copy (or some similar 19th c. copy process). Though in some places hard to read, a historically interesting letter involving the life in New Mexico and touching upon the Lincoln County War  (W.440); $550. 

In part:
…When in New Mexico a year ago, I enquires after Charley, as being a great friend. At Silver City I was told that only a short time after I came there he had been there very drunk and that while in that condition some gamblers and the saloon keeper together with the sheriff of the county had taken all the money and property he had, in part robbed him and terrified him by a threat of prosecuting for alledged swindling so he was glad to leave they gave him $200. to get away, that is the substance of what I was told by reliable parties at Silver City and I could see they all well meaning men who spoke of it considered it robbery.

Goes on to state that information was given to going onto Georgetown, via Albuquerque. He further writes:
I was on my way back from New Mexico when I heard of the severe fights in Lincoln Co. N.M a man by the name of McSween had been elected sheriff of that co. The territorial officers did not like him and sought to depose him. He with his friends resisted the attempts several fights _____grew out of this in which US troops were ____.

Goes on to talk more of Charley :

He bought a boat there and started to float down the river (Rio Grande) to Texas. At Mesilla , or Messilla, he left the river and joined(?) the bands of arrived men against McSween. Now if he ia alive he will be found either at Lincoln Co. NM or else in some part of Texas.

Goes on to recommended addition sources to aid in the location of Charley. Signed C.W. Irish.

The Lincoln County War was a 19th century range war between two factions in America's western frontier. The "war" was notable for the large number of figures from 19th century America, including legendary outlaw Billy the Kid and lawyer and businessman Alexander McSween. The conflict involved two factions of the control of dry goods trade in the county. The older, established faction was led by Murphy and his business partner James Dolan who had a dry goods monopoly run through Murphy's general store. Young newcomers to the county, English-born John Tunstall and his business partner Alexander McSween, with backing from established cattleman John Chisum, opened a competing store in 1876. The two sides gathered lawmen, businessmen, and criminal gangs to their sides. The Murphy-Dolan faction were allied with the Lincoln County Sheriff, William J. Brady, and supported by the Jessie Evans Gang. The Tunstall-McSween faction organized their own posse of armed men, known as the Lincoln County Regulators, to defend their position, and had their own lawman, town constable Dick Brewer.

The "war" was marked by back-and-forth revenge killings, starting with the killing of Tunstall by members of the Jessie Evans Gang. In revenge for this and other killings, Sheriff Brady was killed by the Regulators. Further killings continued unabated for several months, climaxing in the Battle of Lincoln, a four day gunfight and siege which resulted in the death of McSween and the scattering of the Regulators. It would finally be brought to an end when Pat Garrett was named County Sheriff in 1880.

Charles Wood Irish was born in New York City on February 11, 1834, was raised and educated in Iowa.  As an engineer and surveyor, Irish was involved with the first attempt to build a railroad across Iowa in the 1850s. Later he worked as a surveyor in the West during the construction of such railroad lines as the Chicago-Northwestern and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe. He was appointed United States Surveyor General for Nevada by President Cleveland in 1886 and in 1893 was called to Washington to head the Bureau of Irrigation and Inquiry. At the time of his death in 1904, he was serving as the Deputy Mining Surveyor of Nevada.  In addition to being both an engineer and surveyor, Irish was a noted botanist, geologist, and astronomer. His observations of the total eclipse of the sun in 1869 at Iowa City and Nevada in 1889 resulted in international recognition. Charles Wood Irish died September 27, 1904, at Gold Creek, Nevada.

 

 

wfb025.jpg (330637 bytes)SANTA FE THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP Boudoir card, 5" x 8".  View of the famed Gold's Old Q-Rosity Shop. Imprinted information on back of card. W. E. Hook, Photographer, Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs, Colorado. Some minor mount soiling and wear, overall Fine cond.  (Wfb.25); $1000.

 

wfb007.jpg (127584 bytes)SANTA FE - ARMY HEADQUARTERS.  Boudoir card, 5" x 8".  View of "Group of Burros at Army Headquarters ".  Imprinted information on back of card. D.B. Chase, Santa Fe, N.M.  Photographer's imprint. Exhibits light use, overall Fine cond.  (Wfb.07); $650.

 

wfb017.jpg (112447 bytes)SANTA FE - SAN MIGUEL STREET .  Boudoir card, 5" x 8".  View of  San Miguel Street.   Imprinted information on back of card. D.B. Chase, Santa Fe, N.M.  Photographer's imprint. Scarcer image, however mount has soiling and wear, most noticeably b/; corner, images has small loss of emulsion t/l corner.  (Wfb.17); $695.

 

wfb018.jpg (108656 bytes)SANTA FE - SAN FRANCISCO ST STREET .  Boudoir card, 5" x 8".  View of  San Francisco Street.   Imprinted information on back of card, along with period pen id and date 1891. No photographer's imprint. A bit of foxing in background, due to the shadows and sunlight areas, image somewhat light in the background left side of image, overall VG+ (Wfb.18); $795.

 

wfb016.jpg (114684 bytes)SANTA FE - SAN MIGUEL CHURCH . Cabinet Card 4 1/2" x 7".  View of  San Miguel Church. Paste on label on back with information regarding Santa Fe.W.H. Jackson, Denver Colorado photographer's backmark; along with rubber stamp of Walter Hayt, Bookseller, Santa Fe. Closed 1" tear in image top center , small amount of foxing rt top side, o/w Fine.  (Wfb.16); $725.

 

wfb026.jpg (146717 bytes)SANTA FE - OVERVIEW..  Boudoir card, 5" x 8".  View of  Santa Fe. Hook, Colorado Springs, Colorado blindstamped photographer's imprint. Nice clean example, Fine cond.  (Wfb.26); $950.

 

wfb006.jpg (90743 bytes)SANTA FE - OVERVIEW . Cabinet Card 4 1/4" x 7".  View of  Santa Fe. Information regarding Santa Fe on back. Henry Bown, Santa Fe, N.M.. Fine.  (Wfb.06); $975.

 

w183.jpg (140337 bytes)OLDEST HOUSE IN U.S. -SANTA FE - OVERVIEW..  Boudoir card, 5" x 8".  View of "The Oldest House in the U.S. Santa Fe , NM" imprinted in negative. No photographer's imprint, Santa Fe Route marked on vack along wit paste on label with description. Exhibits light wear small wormhole in border rt side, overall Fine cond.  (W. 183); $250.

 

 

 

wfb011.jpg (326657 bytes)LAS VEGAS STREET SCENE..  Boudoir card, 5" x 8".  View of several  people on Las Vegas Street. Wonderful vintage pen inscription on back with some details of the image, including " picture taken on account of the crippled Mexican".. Nophotographer's imprint. a bit of wear to mount, image Vg+.  (Wfb.11); $700.

 

 

wfb013.jpg (145255 bytes)GALLUP TOWN VIEW..  Boudoir card, 5" x 8".  View of "Gallup  New Mexico 1889" pen id on bottom of mount. W.Cal Brown, Albuquerque, NM backmark. Mount exhibits light wear, image Vg. Old pen inscription on back has been blotted out on back of card.  (Wfb.13); $950.

 

 

wfb009.jpg (117053 bytes)OJO CALIENTE . Cabinet Card 4 1/4" x 7".  View of  Ojo Caliente . In 1880, Antonio Joseph, New Mexico's first territorial representative to congress opened the first health spa with overnight lodging. Joseph's Ojo included a post office and general store and was a center of activity. W.H. Jackson & Co. , Denver Photographer's imprint.  Fine.  (Wfb.09); $675.

 

 

wfb029.jpg (161866 bytes)RATON RAILROAD TUNNEL.  Boudoir card, 5" x 8".  View of "Entrance Raton Tunnel New Mexico" period pen id on verso. No photographer's backmark. Mount exhibits wear along border, Culver Picture Archive rubber stamping on back,  image Fine.  (Wfb.13); $950.

 

 

wfb015.jpg (130860 bytes)LORDSBURG STREET SCENE.  Boudoir card, 5" x 8".  View of man with burro and steers. Charles App, Lordsburg, New Mexico photographer's imprint.. Fine  (Wfb.15); $300.

 

 

wfb064.jpg (127311 bytes)LAS VEGAS HOT SPRINGS HOTEL . Cabinet Card 4" x 7".  View of  the Hot Springs Hotel. Light period pencil id on back. Milton College ex library stamp on back. No Photographer's imprint. Exhibits soiling and wear, overall VG  (Wfb.09); $375.

 

w182.jpg (103661 bytes)PHOENIX HOTEL -SPRINGS HOTEL . Boudoir card, 5" x 8".  View of  the "Phoenix Hotel Springs Hotel, N.M." imprinted in negative.  No Photographer's imprint. Small bubble in image, overall fine cond. (W.182); $425..

 

 

 

 

 

 

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