Hale & Norcross Mining Co.

Hale and Norcross Mining Co.. Comstock Historical Marker No. 11. Founded in 1859, the Hale and Norcross contained about 400 feet of original Comstock Lode located between the Savage and Chollar Mines. In 1868, a fierce stock battle was waged for ownership over this property. At the time, the mine was thought to be barren and was in the hands of William Sharon and the Bank of California (Wm. Ralston). Local miners John Mackay and James Fair were convinced the mine had been poorly managed, but would produce good ore if properly worked. The two formed an alliance with former San Francisco saloon owners James Flood and William O’Brien, and with $50,000 of borrowed money secretly began buying Hale and Norcross stock. Sharon, known as the “King of the Comstock” was rarely bested in mining matters, but was caught napping when the stock raid took place. At the annual stockholders meeting on March 10, 1869, the four men now known as the Bonanza Firm, holding a majority of the stock elected themselves trustees of the Hale and Norcross Company. The gamble had paid off and the four netted over $500,000 from this deal alone., Their biggest victory however, came four years later with the discovery of the Big Bonanza in 1873. In 1875, the Hale and Norcross in conjunction with the Savage and Chollar-Potosi mines sank a large four compartment shaft known as the Combination Shaft, to explore the Comstock Lode at a greater depth, but the operation proved to be of little value. Today remnants of the Combination Shaft can be seen to the east of Virginia City. Total production from the Hale and Norcross from the years of 1875 to 1826 yielded $10.1 million ($17,600,000.00 in today’s dollars.