Mettacom Mill

Lander County

AKA: Metacom Mill; Metacome Mill

This mill was referred to in newspapers as the "Metacom", "Mettacom" and "Metacome". I'll attempt to refer to it as the article did. The first article that I found on the 'Metacom' appeared in the Reese River Reveille on July 16, 1867. It stated that a man named J. Howell was the Superintendent of the Metacom Mill and Mining Company. An article from the Reveille on October 9, 1867 was titled: "The Metacom Mill". It stated, "Since the opening of this mill a short time ago, it has operated with the finest success." It also stated that the mill had ten, 800+ pound stamps, an amalgamating room with six barrels, and four reverberatory furnaces. The mill was crushing 10 ten tons of ore every twelve hours and was processing ore from the Diana Mine. On November 1, 1867, The Metacom Silver Mining Company applied for further patent to expand the operation. By early 1868, the Reveille reported on the mining decline in the Austin area. One article stated, "In this district the stopping of the Mettacom mill, for want of salt, added to the list of idle men." The shutdown was apparently short-lived. The Reveille reported on June 29, 1868 that 50 tons of ore from a mine near Cortez had arrived at the Mettacom for reduction. It was not until June of 1869 that the Lane and Fuller Company first took control of the Mettacom. *Another source stated that the Lane and Fuller Company built and owned the mill in 1866.* On June 15th, 1869, the Reveille reported: "Good News.- We understand that the Lane and Fuller Company have leased the fine mill of the Mettacom S.M. Co. and will start immediately." The article also stated that Lane and Fuller Company owned the Buel North Star Mine. The Buel North Star was producing large quantities of high-grade ore. The plan of the Lane and Fuller Company was to use the Mettacom mill to process Buel North Star ore. It appears that the Lane and Fuller Company had no long-term interest in the mill. By October of 1869, the Lane and Fuller Company sold all of their mines and mills to English capitalists for $200,000. As soon as these mines and mills were purchased, the English Capitalists laid off most of the employees. They kept only a small crew that was under contract to sink a shaft. They also closed the mill. The Reveille hoped that this English company would bring better days to the area, but they appeared skeptical. An October 16th article stated, "The transfer of the property to the English company may prove to be of great benefit to this district; That, however, remains to be seen. In the meantime we regret that so many workmen have been thrown out of employment." I wasn't able to find another article until August 17, 1871. It was from the Eureka Daily Sentinel. This article listed the Pacific Mining Company as owners of the mine and mill. I believe that the "English Capitalists" and the Pacific Mining Company are the same entity. The article stated that a rich body of ore had been struck on the Buel North Star ledge of the Lane and Fuller shaft. It was believed that this new strike may be enough to justify re-opening the mill. The article stated, "Mr. Henry Sewell is of the opinion that the mine will justify the starting of the company's mill (the Metacom) at an early day, which we are sure, will be as welcome news to our people as it will be to the stockholders in London." From this point forward, I wasn't able to find another article until 1879. The Eureka Daily Sentinel published two articles on August 19th and 20th. The August 19th article stated that S. Slusher and A. Stonebarger purchased the "Metacome Mill" and hired a large crew for the purpose of tearing it down. The building and machinery were to be transported to Northumberland in Nye County (Monitor Valley/ Toquima Range), where the mines were booming. The article from August 20th read in its entirety: "The Metacome mill, situated near Austin, is to be removed to Northumberland, Nye County. It has been idle for several years."

Last Trip/ Road Conditions: June of 2022. I wouldn't even attempt the last stretch in four-wheel drive. It was rough in a side-by-side.

Sources: Reese River Reveille (Newspaper); Gold Hill Daily News (Newspaper); White Pine News (Newspaper); Eureka Daily Sentinel (Newspaper).