Take it easy
  Buckingham Camp (Lander Co.)
MAP

40°36'46.7"N 117°04'21.4"W Galena Canyon, NV Quad

VISITED 4/28/2018
Our breakfast: Black Rock Grill, Lovelock
Our dinner: Steaks at the Owl Club, Battle Mountain
Our motel: The Big Chief in Battle Mountain
4/29/2018
Our Breakfast: Eggs at Broadway Colt Inn Casino, Battle Mountain
DIRECTIONS From Battle Mountain, head south on Broad St. (NV 305) for 5 miles; turn west on local road and head generally NW and W for about 4 miles.
WHAT WAS

Active during the 1920's and '30's, Silver was discovered here in 1918. A small camp formed, and in 1926 a 50-ton mill was built, with a 320 HP Bolinder engine and electric generator, which supplied 450 volts to the mine, mill, and camp. In 1929 the mining companies of the district consolidated, and the mill was enlarged to 120 tons. A 4,000 foor tramway was erected to bring ore to the mill. The main mine was the Buckngham mine. Not much ore here, though, and the mill closed in the mid 1930's.
- Shawn Hall, Romancing Nevada's Past

Bolinder was a Swedish large marine engine builder that in the 1920s had 80 percent of the world engine market, says Wikipedia. I don't believe that, but you can if you want. Since Mr. Hall mentioned the engine was 320 HP, I'm guessing it was a Directly reversible Bolinder 'M' type engine with 4-cylinders. This was a "hot bulb" engine,

When steam was king, and gas and diesel engines were still in their infancy, hot bulb engines were all the rage. They could burn any liquid combustible fuel, could run without a battery ignition -- sometimes for days -- and they were efficient, simple and robust. For a farmer, a fisherman or a saw-mill operator, where ruggedness and reliability were keys to survival, a hot bulb engine had it all. But it didn't have everything. It ran in a narrow rpm range, about 50 to 300, and therefore had limited use. It was best as a stationary engine, though there were tractors that used the technology to move -- albeit slowly. The engine was hard to start, and hard to keep going.
- ERIC BAXTER, How a Hot Bulb Engine Works

The Buckingham Mining Company of Nevada has been organized for the operation of the Buckingham group in the basin section, near Battle mountain. A.T. Spencer is President, C.F. Ayer is secretary and treasurer, and C.W. Burge is superintendent. A new hoisting plant has been ordered and the property is to be extensively developed.
-Salt Like Mining Review, August 30, 1919

A large chunk of ore weighing about seventy pounds, on display in the Battle Mountain State Bank, has attracted considerable attention os of late. THe ore is from the Midland Tunnel, on the Buckingham property, at Copper basin. The Midland tunnel is now 500 feet from the portal and the ledge at this point is five feet thick, of a good milling grade. Of the five feet, there are eighteen inches of ledge that will assay better than $100 to the ton.
-Salt Lake Mining review, August 30, 1921

Joe Wilkin's team is hauling ore from the Irish Rose mine to the local depot for shipment to the Toulon smelter, near Lovelock, and Wm. Licking's team is hauling ore from the Buckingham mine to the depot for shipment to the American smelter at Salt Lake. Both these producing mines are located at Copper Flat, eight miles to the south of Battle Mountain, says the Battle Mountain Scout.
-Salt Lake Mining Review, September 15, 1922

It is reported in Battle Mountain on good authority that Bulkeley Wells, the nationally known mine operator of San Francisco, has taken over the Caledonia claims which have for years been held by the Licking family. This silver-gold property immediately adjoins the Buckingham, which is now an active producer and the fact that Bulkeley Wells is boarding his men at the adjoining camp is confirmed by General Manager Whittard of the Buckingham mine. The Caledonia has in the past produced shipping ore and apparently has only needed capital to make a real mine and it can not be doubted that Bulkeley Wells will, with his capital and ability, make a big producer of Caledonia.
-Salt Lake Mining Review, August 15, 1924

BUCKINGHAM MINE IN PRODUCTION IN '26
Claimed Over Two Years' Reserve Ore Exposed For 50-Ton Mill
The Buckingham gold-silver-lead mine will be in production in 1926, according to and official announcmenet by James A. Gray, President of the Buckingham Mina Consolidated Mines Co. The states that a two and one half year's supply of gold-silver-lead ore for the proposed first 50-ton mill unit has now been developed, as have a gravity-flow water supply for the mill. He further states that mill financing is now being provided for and that it is expected the concentrating mill will be completed some time during the summer.
-Nevada State Journal, January 7, 1926



POST OFFICE None
NEWSPAPER None
WHAT IS

Good roads to the site-- some mine ruins in the area to check out. I've only made one album of photos of the entire area so when you click on "photographs" below you'll see photos from Galen as well as Copper, Old Battle Mountain, and Buckingham, and click the "Go Back" button you'll return here.

 
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