36.419722, -116.071667

Johnnie—also spelled Johny or Montgomery—emerged around 1890–91 in southeastern Nye County, Nevada, when prospectors searching for the legendary Lost Breyfogle mine discovered gold in the Spring Mountains area. Guided by a Paiute named “Indian Johnnie,” early miners quickly established the Chispa (later renamed Congress) and Johnnie Mines, sparking a boomtown that swelled to about 100 inhabitants by May 1891. Water scarcity proved a logistical challenge; water was carried four miles by donkey in canvas bags. The town briefly supported a post office under the name “Montgomery” in 1891 but dwindled after initial shallow veins led to decline by 1893–94. A revival occurred in 1898 , though legal disputes, including a violent gun battle, led to intermittent closures. A more sustained resurgence began in 1905, coinciding with the regional mining boom near Goldfield and Rhyolite. A new townsite was platted, featuring modern amenities such as fire hydrants, cold water, and tree lined streets. Population peaked at around 300–350 by 1907. A 16-stamp mill and a ten-stamp amalgamation plant processed large quantities of ore through 1914–15. Although mining activity fluctuated—settlement persisted into the 1920s with placer mining, and a smaller camp operated until World War II—the post office finally closed in 1935 (with a brief reopening at the mine until 1942), and Johnnie faded into ghost-town status

This is interesting. This newspaper article says a post office was established in 1872-- 18 years before the camp was formed. Was there another "Montgomery" in Nye county? We have no postal records showing it if there were.

POSTAL CHANGES
A postoffice has been established at Montgomery, Nye county, Nev., Joseph H. Mitchell, Postmaster
-Ely Record, September 1, 1872

Water was lacking in the camp but they found ways around it.

THE PAHRUMP MINES.
Items of Interest from the New Camp.
C. R. Glass, formerly of the United States Surveyor General's Office here, arrived yesterday from the new mines in the Southern part of Nye county. These mines were discovered early last Winter by George Montgomery, who left. San Andreas, California, with a party of five prospectors, fully equipped, to prospect southwestern Nevada and search for the mythical Breyfogle mine. In the northwest end of the Washington Mountains, which skirt one side of the Pahrump Valley, the party discovered gold bearing quartz. They located several leads, some of which contain galena and silver bearing ores, but all rich in gold. A new district, named Montgomery in honor of the discoverer, has been organized, and when Mr. Glass left there were about 100 men and one woman in the camp. Water is carried in canvass bags, packed on donkey's backs, four miles from the nearest spring. Nut pine timber, good for fuel, is abundant within four or five miles of the mines, and white pine, suitable for timber, abounds about twenty miles from Montgomery. The nearest post-office is Ivanpah. California, 80 miles away, but a postoffice will be established at Montgomery in a few weeks. Much of the agricultural land in Pahrump Valley has been taken up by Californians under the land laws of Nevada, but there is plenty of timber land to be had at the Government price, $1 25 per acre. Mr. Glass intends to leave for Montgomery immediately, and will furnish information relative to timber lands to those desiring it. His address will be Montgomery, Nye county, Nevada.
-Nevada State Journal, May 1, 1891

They found some water-- now the camp can begin to grow.

THE MONTGOMERY MINES
The Latest From the Discoveries In Southern Nye.
The Belmont Courier of the 9th inst. publishes a letter from George E. Crowell and Henry Metz, two prospectors from Belmont, who write from Montgomery, Nye county, concerning the new discoveries in that section. In the letter they say: "We went to White's ranch— that made us a day longer on the road; Mr. White is a very nice gentleman, and he made our stay there very pleasant. The fruit trees on his place are heavily loaded with fruit— apricots the size of walnuts and figs larger. The fig trees bear three crops a year. It makes Hank's mouth water to think of the fruit. " Camp Montgomery is a very quiet place. A good many people have been here and gone away. Montgomery himself is in San Francisco yet. Everything is waiting upon him. They have got a big lodge of gold-bearing quartz. The deepest hole they have dug is about 7 or 8 feet deep and 40 or 50 feet long and 6 feet wide, all in solid quartz. They say that the whole ledge assays $25 per ton. Montgomery is expected hack inside of ten days. If he gets capital to back him there will be a big camp here ; if be fails, the place will be something of the past. Everything in the way of quartz and places where there is no quartz have been located for five or six miles along the hills. The mines are in low hill. No placer diggings to be found. There is a spring of water about six miles away; about three miner's inches of water flows from the spring. [A miner's inch was equal to 1.5 cubic feet of water per minute, or 11.25 gallons per minute (GPM) -FN] There is a store here run by a Jew from Calico. His sales are not large. Think he sells flour at $9 per hundred and whisky at $2 per bottle. There are about 25 to 30 men in the camp. People had better stay away from here for a while— until capital comes in and starts things to rolling. There are several mining men at Montgomery trying to bond claims. one of them is Henry Newton, who used to be in Troy District. He came here from Placerville, Cal."
-Eureka Sentinel, May 23, 1891


Montgomery and its mines are making progress.

GOOD REPORTS FROM MONTHGOMERY DISTRICT
Montgomery camps is making good healthy progress. The Chispa mine is down ninety feet with a good strong ledge. Assays along this run from twenty-five to six hundred and fifty dollars. New discoveries are made every week. We expect considerable of a stir here this Winter. At present men are sufficiently plentiful to do all the work at hand. -Correspondent
-Nevada State Journal, September 1, 1891

The late 1890's revival of mining in Johnnie, Nevada, indeed sparked renewed interest—and conflict—over mining claims in the area. As newcomers arrived during the 1898 boom, they sometimes filed over existing or improperly marked claims. These overlapping claims led to lawsuits in Nye County courts, with disputes-- sometimes violent-- often hinging on whether earlier assessment work had been legitimately performed, whether boundaries had been correctly posted and recorded, and whether claim-jumpers were acting in bad faith. The surge in litigation also coincided with increased involvement from Eastern investors, who demanded clearer title and security for their capital. In some cases, conflicting claims were consolidated under emerging mining companies—either through buyouts or quiet title actions—while others dragged on in court, delaying development.

They really didn't take too kindly to claim jumpers at Johnnie.

CLAIM JUNIPERS KILLED
Deadly Conflict in the Southern Part of Nye County. Information has been received at Los Angeles of a terrible fight in the southern part of this State between miners and desperadoes, which resulted in the killing of two of the latter and the fatal shooting of a third. Phil Foote, a gambler, and Chuck Longstreet, a half-breed, were both killed, and another half-breed, whose name is unknown, was badly wounded. George and Robert Montgomery and their friends did the shooting. The tragedy is the result of an attempt to jump a claim belonging to the Montgomerys. The affair occurred in the Montgomery mining district, Nye county, Nevada, about 110 miles north of Vanderbilt. The men killed were holding the mine for John McArthur, who wanted to take it from the Montgomery's. The trouble took place on the Chispa claim and had been brewing for some months past. It appears that the Montgomery boys have two mines in this district, one the Chispa, and the other the Johnnie. They are situated about four miles apart. For the last year the Montgomerys have been working the Chispa and had erected a ten stamp mill on the property. They were in debt for supplies and various other expenses to the extent of $10,800 to McArthur, who is the proprietor of the Pahrump ranch. McArthur has threatened to take the Chispa from them if they did not settle. and it is understood went so far when the mill was being erected as to say he intended to get it as soon as the place was completed. The Montgomery boys went ahead, as they had the promise of backing from F. W. Smith and ex-Congressman Cannon of Utah, but who, it appears, failed to abide by their agreement. As soon as the mill was finished and the line of pipe laid nearly 100 men were put at work and kept there up to within about two weeks ago. For some reason the development of the Chispa was stopped and work began on the Johnnie mine. McArthur was kept well posted as to the movements of the Montgomerys, and almost immediately after they left the Chispa he had monuments put up and staked off the location and claimed it as his own property. The Montgomerys were told that when they liquidated the claim he had against their mine he would give it back to them. No doubt anticipating trouble, MacArthur employed a number of men to stay on the Chispa and guard his interests. Phil Foote, William Myer, Check Longstreet and six other half-breeds were armed and stationed at the Chispa mill. One morning last week as they were seated at breakfast a crowd of men from the Johnnie mine, and it is said led by the Montgomery boys, surprised them and poured a volley into the crowd before they could reach their weapons or escape. Foote and Longstreet were killed and one of the half-breeds hurt. Myer succeeded in getting away. McArthur was absent at the time or he would probably have been one of the first shot.
-Yerington Times, September 14, 1895

A Tough Camp.
It is reported that one Emerson shot at a man named Wilson at Montgomery, Nye county, recently, and at last accounts the former was undergoing a preliminary examination before Justice of the Peace Hays at that place. Harry Ramsey languishes in the county jail of Nye county, awaiting the action of the Grand Jury on a charge of murder, and now Emerson is in a hole. It is said these two were concerned in the killing of Phil Foote in Montgomery some time ago. The mill of God grinds slow, but sure. Who will be the next?--Hawthorne Bulletin.
-Daily Independent, April 8 1897

A not uncommon setback.

The Mill Destroyed by Fire.
The Chispa ten stamp quartz mill, situated in Montgomery mining district, Nye county, was entirely destroyed by fire recently. How the building caught fire is not known, but it is the general belief that the fire was accidental. The mill was owned by the Stelling Mining Company, and was one of the finest reduction works in southern Nevada.
-Eureka Sentinel, December 17, 1898

Transportation options to Johnnie were limited. Here, a roughly 300 mile trip becomes an over 1,300 mile trip.

A Round About Trip
M. B. Bartlett left last Monday to attend to some mining business in Montgomery district, Nye county. To reach that place, which is in the extreme southern part of Nye county, it is necessary to go via Palisade, Sacramento, and Mojave to Manse, Arizona. From the latter place a stage runs into the Montgomery district.
-Eureka Sentinel, December 30, 1899

It's 1905 and about 150 people live here now.

JOHNNIE IS A GREAT DISTRICT
J. L. Butler, Geo. Bartlett and Harry Ramsey, Pioneers of Tonopah are Interested.
The Johnnie mining district, located about fifty miles south of Bullfrog, on the road to Ivanpah, is experiencing a small-sized boom and there is considerable activity in that section. George Bartlett, the well-known attorney, who is associated with James L. Butler, the father of Tonopah, and M. B. Bartlett and Harry Ramsey, both pioneers of this camp, in the old Chispa group a mines, now known as the Congress group, comprising six claims, informed a Bonanza, representative this week that the mines will be re-opened and operated on an extensive scale within the next sixty days. He said: "The Chispa is a mine with a record and we intend to make a record for it again Really, we had only begun to get a mine, when a fire destroyed the mill and put us out of business. That was fifteen years ago. the property at the time being under lease and bond to some Utah people who took out something near $200,000. We will put in $100,000 and sink 1000 feet if necessary, in order to open up the lode, as the Johnnie people have done. They employ twenty men and are now down 600 feet, with values and ore bodies increasing with depth, and we feel assured that we can do equally as well with the old Chispa. "Arrangements have been made for the construction of a mill to treat Johnnie ore upon the ground. The e mill has been ordered. The Johnnie company has also laid a pipe-line four and one-half miles, supplying the camp with fine spring water, the flow being fully two inches under 11 head of 362 feet. The water is piped into every cabin in the camp occupied by the miners. The Johnnie Townsite Company has secured a patent to its holdings and gives warranty deeds to purchasers of lots. The townsite is located three miles from the Johnnie mine and one mile from the Congress. The climate is ideal even in summer. There are at present about 150 people there and more going in. It is expected that the coming fall will witness a big rush to that district. Stage leaves Beatty twice each week for Johnnie and the Santa Fe Railroad.
-Tonopah Bonanza, July 22, 1905

NEWS FROM JOHNNIE.
Arrival of Railroad and Reports of Rich Strikes by Leasers on the Minnie Mae.
JOHNNIE. (Nev.) May 31.— The Salt Lake Railroad is now completed to Johnnie Station and regular passenger and freight trains arrive daily. The steel laying is several miles in advance of the town, reaching on to Rhyolite.
R. A. Atkinson has established an "auto" run from Johnnie town to Johnnie Station, making a daily trip to meet all trains on their arrival at the station.
Several carloads of lumber have arrived as a part of a consignment for Johnnie for building purposes.
Good miners and muckers are very scarce in the camp.
-Los Angeles Times, June 3, 1906

WIRES INTO JOHNNIE
The telephone company is now stringing wires which will give the district telegraph and telephonic communications with the outside world. The Western Union wires only run to Johnnie Siding, which is twelve miles from the principal mines and camp, but it is the intention of the new corporation to give a more direct service. A central office will be established at Johnnie that will take care of the business of the surrounding country.
-Salt Lake Tribune, July 20, 1906

Not uncommon in Nevada, sometimes there is just too much water all at once.

JOHNNIE STRUCK BY CLOUDBURST.
TORRENTS RUSH THROUGH TOWN WRECKING BUILDINGS.
Congress Mine is Flooded and Superintendent's Residence Is Partially Demolished by Boulders Carried Down by Water from Spring Mountains—Forest Fires Put Out.
[BY DIRECT WIRE TO THE TIMES] JOHNNIE (Nev.) July 26.—
[Exclusive Dispatch.] A cloudburst, forest tires and flooded streams are the results of one of the most severe storms in this section of the country In the last ten years. The storm was at its height only about half an hour, but those who have never witnessed Nevada weather in, its fury cannot realize the force of the elements. Luckily the mountainsides were only partly covered with Scrub timber, and for this reason, with the heavy rains, a fire which had gained considerable headway, was extinguished before it reached the settlements. A cloudburst in the Spring Mountain flooded the Congress mine and formed torrents that raced through Johnnie. Cataracts formed in the mountains and some of these were twenty feet high. The stream carried with it huge boulders and one of these wrecked the front of the superintendent's house at the Congress mine. In rushing through Johnnie the water washed away the foundation of the Schader Johnson building. The storm also wrecked the residence of Harry Simmons. Inland lakes and seas formed in the flats at Pahrump and Ash Meadows. T. A. Johnson of Los Angeles witnessed the cloudburst and saw the sheet of water descend the mountain.
-Los Angeles Times, July 27, 1906

The water system is improved.

The Johnnie Townsite company is improving the water works system and for that purpose have imported 5,000 feet of pipe which will be laid in addition to the six and a half miles of pipe line al-ready down. Grape Vine and Horse Shootem springs will he developed and these will furnish an inexhaustible supply for all purposes.
-Goldfield News and Weekly Tribune, July 28, 1906

The remainder of the town is purchased.

JOHNNIE TOWNSITE CHANGES HANDS
Johnnie, Nev., Sept. 4.— A transaction involving $50,000 by which the unsold lots of the Johnnie Townsite company passed from the hands of the Johnnie Consolidated Gold Mining company to some Los Angeles, Cal., parties, was just consummated. Frank E. Bennett, Herbert G. Schader, and the Johnnie Consolidated Gold Mining company each have purchased a block of land and will retain their holdings and a few of the residents have purchased lots here and there but the bulk of the townsite is affected by this deal. James R. Collins, of the North American Trust company, E. K. Foster, a capitalist and A. C. Wagy are the purchasers.
By this deal the treasury of the Johnnie Consolidated Gold Mining company was considerably enriched and the funds thus acquired will be used for the erection of a mill and the completion of the contemplated work on the water system. It is the intention to develop several of the springs and concentrate the flow. There will be a drop of from 1,000 to 1,500 and the force thus generated will he used for power purposes by the means of turbines. The mill will he erected on the Johnnie ground and the old mill building will be used for that purpose. The structure now contains a 40-h.p. gas engine which is being overhauled and will be used. Four Nissen stamps have been purchased and are expected here within thirty days.
-Goldfield News and Weekly Tribune, September 8, 1906

Well, at least it wasn't a claim dispute.

A SHOOTING AFFRAY
At Johnnie Townsite Dave Poet and Frank Gomez Have Shooting Match, All On Account of a Woman.
GOMEZ IS GAME TO THE END
Result, Gomez is Dead and Poet Under Arrest at Rhyolite, Awaiting the Verdict of His Peers.
JURY PLACES RESPONSIBILITY
It was a game fight. Even though it resulted in the death of one of the combatants. And all about a woman. too. It took place Sunday morning at Johnnie Townsite. The participants were Dave Post, who bagged his game, and Frank Gomez, evidently one of the very nervy men of the west. The cause, a modern Eve. The green-eyed monster directed the aim of the gun: the gun was unerring, too. The row started early Sunday morning. The Times could not learn the name of the Senorita, but both Post and Gomez liked it so much that they had to have a gun play over it. Well, whatever it was, according to the dying statement of Gomez, Post followed him and finally. opened fire, on Gomez, twice, mortally wounding the deceased. Gomez stated that he never commenced shooting until he was shot twice, which brought him to his knees. While in this position he drew his gun and opened fire, Post running away from his victim, evidently illustrating "He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day," while Gomez was peppering the bullets. But Gomez's aim was good, with the result that his three shots took effect. Thrice was Post struck with the penetrating missiles. Each time he was hit in the leg. Post was taken to Rhyolite to await the action of the authorities. Gomez was brought to Las Vegas Sunday evening under the care of Dr. Martin. He exhibited remarkable vitality, being clearly conscious up to time of death- 3:45 a. m. Monday. A coroner's Jury was impaneled Las Vegas. The verdict of the jury is that Gomez came to his death by gunshot wounds administered as per ante-mortem statement of Gomez by the said Dave Post. The remains of Gomez were interred at Vegas. From all reports, Gomez was game after shot and game up to the time he breathed his last.
-Las Vegas Times, September 1, 1906

By this time they didn't take kindly to troublemakers, as Mr. Frost found out.

BAD MAN FAILS TO BLUFF DEPUTY
L. C. Frost Arrested at Johnnie After Shooting Up a Saloon.
JOHNNIE (Nev.). January 11.- L. C. Frost was arrested here last night after a fusillade of shots, and taken in Rhyolite, where he will be tried on several charges. The capture was made by Deputy Sheriff Bowler, after Frost had wrecked local saloon with a pistol. Frost poses as a "bad" man, and yesterday morning he terrorized the lower portion of the town. Protection was asked from the local police officers and Bowler went to the rescue, with a posse. When the posse arrived on the scene, Frost leveled his gun, but before he could pull the trigger Bowler jumped on him and a fierce struggle ensued, Frost, however, being overpowered by the combined force of the posse, and take into the County Jail.
-San Francisco Chronicle, January 6, 1907

Things were not going well for the owners of the Johnnie mine-- they coldn't come up with the $270 they owed for taxes.

OLD JOHNNIE MINE SOLD FOB TAXES
New Owners Will Arrange to Resume Work Noted Nye County Property
The Johnnie Mining and Milling company's property at Johnnie, Nye county, which was advertised for delinquent taxes for the year 1914 was sold for taxes this morning at the Nye county courthouse by County! Treasurer Franklin, says the Bonanza. The property was purchased. by M. B. Bartlett, a pioneer mine owner of the district, who was one of the original owners of the Congress mine, which was noted for its high grade specimen rock. The property, it is said, will be redeemed 'by the receivers, as the amount of delinquent taxes and costs was only $270. It is the purpose of the receivers to dissolve the corporation, liquidate the debtness and close its affairs, after which there will be a receivers' sale, to be followed by a reorganization and resumption of work. The Johnnie has produced. about three-quarters of a million dollars and has a good equipment, with a considerable amount of ore blocked out.
-Nevada State Journal, February 14, 1915

An overview of the Johnnie mine-- an old-timer reminisces.

THE STORY OF JOHNNIE MINE
Once Owned by Mormon Church, Scene of Gun Play
Special to The Journal.
TONOPAH, June 12.—The purchase of the old Johnnie mine at the north end of the Pahrump valley a few days ago by William Fahnestock and associates of New York, recalls to Arthur Woods, Tonopah mining man and resident for many years of the southern part of Nye county, the stirring and interesting history of the Johnnie district. "As I remember it now," said Woods, "it was in 1895 that George Montgomery discovered the Johnnie mine through a tip he got from an Indian known as Ash Meadows Johnnie. A year later Montgomery installed a Huntington mill. The mine produced high gold values from the grass roots but the cost of operation was high, as all supplies had to be freighted in by teams a distance of 120 miles and over a rough road. "

SOLD TO MORMON CHURCH

In 1898 Montgomery sold the property to the Mormon church interests, who operated it for a number of years. In the meantime the Mormon interests purchased the Chespa mine, four miles from the Johnnnie. Hugh H. Cannon of Salt Lake was in charge of operations. He equipped the mine with the most expensive of machinery and installed a six mile pipe line to bring water from Horse Shoot Springs. "Shortly after Cannon took charge a dispute arose over the title to the Chespa ground and a rancher by name of Angus McArthur jumped the claims. McArthur hired a well known gun man by the name of Phil Foote to take charge of the property and hold possession by foul means or fair. Foote secured Jack Longstreet and Billy Mayer, two other well known desert characters, as assistants, along with a few Indian sharpshooters. Soon the Utah people shipped in a supply of guns and ammunition and employed George Montgomery and Harry Ramsey to oust the invaders."

THE BEST SHOT WON

"It was just daybreak one morning when Ramsey and his men surprised Foote and his followers. Ramsey told his men: `Pick your man but leave Foote and Mayer to me.' Foote was killed but Mayer jumped over the dump and escaped, but not with-out a bullet wound in his leg. "Ramsey was arrested and taken to Belmont, then Nye county's seat of government. He was never even locked up and when his case came to trial her, was acquitted." For a number of years after this battle royal the Johnnie was operated by leasers. 0. T. Johnson of Los Angeles later bought the property and has operated it for the past ten years taking out several fortunes."

HAS PRODUCED FORTUNES

The mine is credited with a production of $3,500,000. It is equipped with a 20 stamp mill of 35 tons capacity every 24 hours. Johnson gave little attention to the mining of anything but the high grade and according to an engineer, who recently examined the mine, there is enough ore above the 400-foot level to keep the mill running for six months or more. The mine is opened to the 1050-foot level but no lateral work has been done below the 700-foot level. E. R. Mueller, who will direct operations for the new management, plans to take out the amalgamating plates and put in a concentrating process known as matgold, composed of a rubber sponge device that gets rid of the lead which has heretofore prevented the plant from making a high saving of values, caused by the intrusion of one per cent lead which carried off gold in the riffles. Eight men will be employed at the mine and mill.
-Nevada State Journal, June 13, 1927

In the 1920s, the gold processing method known as "mat gold" involved the use of a rubber sponge or matting device to recover fine gold particles from crushed ore. This technique relied on the adhesion of fine gold to the textured surface of the rubber, which was often laid over sluice boxes or tables where gold-bearing slurry passed over it. As the slurry moved across the rubber mat, the gold particles would embed themselves in the sponge-like surface, while lighter waste materials washed away. This method was valued for its simplicity and effectiveness in capturing fine or flour gold that might otherwise escape traditional recovery systems.

They're building a new mill!

NEW MILL BUILT IN JOHNNIE DISTRICT
Frank M. Otto, well-known mining, man of the Johnnie district, was an arrival in Las Vegas last week, the Re-view-Journal reports, and said that the new mill on the Arrow Mining Company's property has been in operation for about two weeks. and at present is running one shift. The mill consists of ten stamps, with induction amalgamation tables, and at present is treating surface ore, which returns a fair milling value. R. E. Mueller and Jack Hall have been operating a lease for some time on a part of the old Johnnie Company's holdings, and are using the company's plant in their operations. When sufficient ore has been taken out to warrant resumption of operations at the mill, the plant will again, be put in commission, it is stated. There are about thirty-five persons in the Johnnie district at present, according to Otto, who says there is a possibility of other properties starting work this year.
-Reno Evening Gazette, August 12, 1933

They're mining again and things are looking up at Johnnie.

LONG IDLE GOLD CAMP WAKES UP
Johnnie (Nev.) Area Given Fresh Stimulus
Arrow Mining Puts New Mill to Grinding Ore
Company Planning Addition to Plant Shortly
JOHNNIE (Nev.) Aug. 13. (Exclusive)—
This long dormant gold camp awakened to new life when the new mill of the Arrow Mining Company swung into operation last week. The new plant is a ten-stamp mill with induction amalgamation tables, and is starting out by treating surface ores, with a fair milling value indicated. The property is controlled by Los Angeles and Whittier interests who have announced that they plan to immediately to enlarge the crushing equipment. With the increased capacity, ore from a ledge on the fifty-foot level will be treated; and crosscutting will be started on the same body at the 100-foot level. All ore will be treated at the mill. They are using some of the original company equipment, and expect to reopen the Johnnie mill when sufficient ore to warrant it, has been taken out.
-Los Angeles Times, August 14, 1933

Don't see why they don't just read the on-line version, but hey.

Miners Wear Gazette Out And Then Kick
Paper Passes from Hand to Hand Until It Is Torn And Tattered
Miners and prospectors at Johnnie, an old gold camp out from Death Valley Junction wear out every issue of the Gazette, it was stated this week by Carles Labbe, who operated in the district for a number of years, but now lives in Goldfield. The latter subscribes for the paper and when he is through with it he wraps it up and mails it to Frank Otto, at the Johnnie mine. Otto peruses it and sends it on to a miner named Schout, who lives at Johnnie Town, three miles away, He reads it from cover to cover, and passes it on to Mr. Smith, at the Congress mine, a mile or two to the west. Finally it goes to Matt Kusick. an old prospector living at Johnnie town. Those who receive the paper last, are quoted as saying that when it reaches them it is tattered and torn and the pages blurred so that it is impossible to read all of the mining news. It should, in their opinion be printed on heavier paper, with the type faces forced more deeply into the pulp.
-Reno Evening Gazette, August 7, 1937

Fixing things up and minnig that ore.

ACTIVITY GREATER IN JOHNNIE DISTRICT
The Las Vegas Review-Journal says that the old Johnnie mine, located at Johnnie, in southwestern Nye county, is being put in shape for a resumption of operation. The work of clearing the main working shaft of debris and retimbering where necessary, is in charge of Ben Rarick, Johnnie mine postmaster, who for the past two year: has been acting as caretaker at the property. The mine, discovered in 1890. reputed to have produced about $1,250,000 under the ownership an management of the Montgomery brothers and later by the Mormon church. It was bought some years ago by the late A. P. Johnson, whose estate is being administered by his son. Parley Johnson. At one time there were 112 miners on the payroll. The company is using water from a two and one-half mile pipe line, a gasoline hoist and other equipment has been installed and, according to the management, work will continue indefinitely. Old-timers recall that under an earlier management the mine produced over $300,000 in 1909, the product being treated in a one-stamp mill.
-Reno Evening Gazette, February 5, 1938

Looks like ol' Ben couldn't cut the mustard.

NEW POSTMASTER NAMED
Frank M. Otto was named acting postmaster at Johnnie Mine, located in Nye county.
-Nevada State Journal, September 24, 1938

Other problems besides claim jumping, floods, and fires.

BITTEN BY SPIDER
Frank M. Buol, who is leasing in the Johnnie Mine in Nye county, has been undergoing treatment for a Black Widow spider bite received while at work recently.
-Nevada State Journal, January 9, 1939

Looks like Frank recovered.

BUOL APPOINTED AS POSTMASTER
The name of Frank. M. Buol yesterday was submitted to the post office department for the position of postmaster at Johnnie Mine, Nye county. Mr. Buol has been serving as acting postmaster since January 1940, having succeeded Frank M. Otto, who resigned from the position.
-Nevada State Journal, May 1, 1940

The Johnnie mine chages hands again.

REOPEN JOHNNIE
The old Johnnie mine in southern Nye county is to be reopened and developed by California men.
-Nevada State Journal, August 11, 1941

Johnnie Camp Is Friendly Place
The small and ancient camp of Johnnie, east of Death Valley Junction in the lower tip of Nye county is one of the most friendly and comfortable desert spots that can be enjoyed by a prospector who has punched his burros or driven his jalopy over the wastes, carpeted with cactus, between the two points. At least it was a few years ago when a Reno prospector saw it. Emerging from the torrid heat of the noonday sun he stopped beneath the dense shade cast by a number of huge cottonwoods, where a stream of cold water emerged from a pipe, which had carried it several miles from the higher hills. It flowed a short distance and was used to refresh an ample garden, in which were growing corn, watermelons and many vegetables, very inviting to one who had been subsisting on bacon, beans and sour-dough hot-cakes. Soon there came from one of the camp dwellings one of the old-timers, who made himself known and informed the prospector: "This is a community garden; you are at liberty to take what you want without cost; we only make a charge to the boys who are on the pay roll at one of the sur-rounding mines. It will be all right if you want to do a little irrigating now and then." There seemed to be little or no jealousy among the inhabitants of the camp and each one had something good to say of the mining prospects of their neighbors. This state of affairs is seldom observed, as miners and prospectors know.
-Reno Evening Gazette, February 11, 1942

The Johnnie Mine changes hands again.

Noted Johnnie Mine Reopened
It is reported at Tonopah that Jack Crowder, Bakersfield (Calif.) , mining man, has purchased the Johnnie mine, 17 miles north of Pahrump, and is planning on re-placing the surface plant and the old mill as quickly as equipment can be acquired. A small force of men is said to be repairing the shaft with facilities on the ground. The shaft is 1,200 feet deep and best ore taken from the mine is said to have come from the 900-foot level to the 1,200 level. Ore on the 1,200 is low grade, it is reported, but there is a lot of it. The Johnnie mine, located about 1892, is credited with a production of three million dollars gold.
-Nevada State Journal, July 17, 1947