38° 20' 18"N, 118° 11' 51"W - GOLDYKE quad

In 1893 gold and silver veins were discovered and there was considerable activity up until the 1940's- almost half a million dollars worth of ore was extracted. The boom at Tonopah drew many people away from the area. There were several small mills built but most ore was shipped out for processing. (Mines of Churchill and Mineral County)

The site was in Esmeralda County, but later border shifting placed it inside Mineral County. A 1911 USGS map places a town called "Silver Star" in the location of Camp Douglas, however, that was the name of the mining district as-- as far as we know-- the camp was never referred to by that name.. Later USGS maps just label it as "Camp" until you get into the higher resolution (1:24000) maps in 1967 which label it as Camp Douglas.

A new camp is announced.

Esmeralda's New Gold Camp.
The new camp called Douglas, after Wm. Douglass of Soda, Esmeralda county, is promising great things in the way of rich ore production. The camp is about eight miles west of Soda; ore is gold. and a good deal of it to the ton of average rock. About forty men are at work there, and some of them are confident that they will yet have the biggest camp Esmeralda county has ever had.
-Territorial Enterprise, April 17, 1894

There is a Pepper Spring SW of Camp Douglas-- wondering if it's named after poor Ed. There is also a "Tom" Pepper who is mentioned as "one of the founders" of Camp Douglas.

Ed Pepper fell sixty five feet down a shaft at Camp Douglas, in Esmeralda county, on Sunday, and received injuries which resulted in his death the next day. He was going down a ladder and fell to the bottom of the shaft.
-The Silver State, November 30, 1898

By 1908 it's being referred to as "the old Camp of Douglas"

A Strike West of Mina
Herb Towers, one of the pioneers of the county, has struck it rich at the old camp of Douglas, west of Mina. He has been pushing developments on a lease for some time past. Recently, he cut a four-foot ledge which runs in gold values about $100 to the ton.
-Nevada State Journal, August 10, 1908

We can't decide if it's one 's' or two. But gold continues to be mined.

NEW DISTRICT IN THIS COUNTY IS ACTIVE ONE
The camp of Douglass, in the Gold Range mining district, about seven miles southwest of Mina, is taking on new life as a result of the interest now being taken by outsiders, and the coming winter promises more activity for this section than it has ever before experienced, says the Denver Mining Record. A second shipment of bullion, comprising 91 pounds of gold, has just been made from the cyanide mill at Douglass.
-The Goldfield News and Weekly Tribune, September 26, 1908.

OK, so now it's the "new" camp of Douglas.

Working Rich Mines in the New Camp of Douglas
GOLDFIELD, October 17. — Operations on an extensive scale are being inaugurated by the Oriole Mining Co., which was recently incorporated by Pennsylvania capitalists, of whom C. H. Hyde of Ridgway, millionaire, is one of the principal stockholders. The property has been operated for the past few months as the Hyde lease on the Oriole claim of the United Gold Range corporation at Douglass camp. Since the company started operations in the Gold Range district J. A. Hayes has been in charge of affairs as manager. Recently W. E. Ryan, president of the company, and Secretary Wolf arrived and are personally looking after operations and making preparation for the installation of machinery ordered. George H. Hyde and wife, and H. H. Hyde of Ridgway Pa., who are heavily interested in the proposition, visited the camp last week and expressed themselves as very highly pleased with the splendid showings on the property. President W. E. Ryan of the company informs us that a complete plant of machinery, consisting of a hoist air compressor, air drills and a ten-stamp mill, have been ordered from the Allis-Chalmers company, of Detroit, Mich., which is expected to arrive in a short time. Mr. Ryan states that as soon as the hoist is installed the work of sinking to depth will begin and operations on a large scale will be carried on. In the meantime work is being carried on and ore extracted and piled up awaiting the installation of the mill. All of this mining activity certainly looks good for the future outlook and prosperity of Douglass Camp and the Gold Range district, which now gives promise of being the next big star attraction in Nevada mining circles.
-Nevada State Journal, October 19, 1909

We're now in Nevada's Late Cycle of prosperity.
        
SAYS DOUGLASS CAMP IS SOON TO BE A WINNER
Col. Carl Young, who is in from Douglass Camp, seven miles to the southwest of Mina, where he is leasing on the Tennessee ground, adjacent to property which he owns, is enthusiastic over the present outlook in the old camp. Mr. Young says:
"I have pioneered in most of the Nevada camps, and I can honestly say that I have seen no camp in the state where the intelligent and hard-working prospector, who has a few dollars, is offered greater opportunity than Douglass Camp presents. There is a vein series there two miles in extent, embracing over 50 ledges, all of the ledges, practically, at the grassroots giving good milling values. The formation is porphyry and andesite, the veins being contacts between the two, and in many places covered with rhyolite cappings. "Thousands of dollars have been taken from old Douglass camp, and it has practically all been the result of shallow tunnelling and surface gouging. On my lease on the Tennessee, at 60 feet in depth I have a two-foot vein that averages $26, and there are very high grade stringers in it. Some of the work being done in the district now has exposed big veins of free milling ore, and stringers in many places show values of better than $2,000 per ton. "I believe that the camp is destined to be one of the best free milling camps in the state, and that much shipping ore will be sent out. The new railroad from Mono Lake to Tonopah Junction, by the way, will go right through the camp. The Douglass company, the Davenport Independent, the Mammoth Dyke Consolidated, the United Gold Range, the Baltimore and the Tennessee companies are all doing extensive work on company account. Leasers are working on the Tennessee, but some of the companies will not lease their ground. They are all sinking. They have abandoned the tunnelling and "high grading" methods of operations, and now are starting in to develop at depth and actually block out milling ore. When this is in sight, they will go after mills to handle their ore. "The camp looks a whole lot better than Jarbidge to me. We don't claim to have $27,000,000 actually in sight on top of the ground, like Jarbidge, but we have got the gold if a man comes and works for it."
- Gold Hill News, February 19, 1910

Eh, we're back to the "Old Camp of Douglas."

In the old camp of Douglas, there are about thirty men at work and some important developments in the way of investment of large capital are expected. Two mills are now planned for.
-The Goldfield News and Weekly Tribune, August 13, 1910

Improvements are being made at the camp.

DOUGLASS CAMP OUTPUTS BULLION
Davenport-Independent Leasing Company Sends Out First Shipment
Once again after years of hard struggle and persistent work the old gold camp of Douglass, seven miles west of Mina in the Gold Range mining district, enters the lists of bullion producers, the first shipment amounting to over $23,000, being made by Manager Gus Priess of the Davenport-Independent Mining and Leasing Company, says the Western Nevada Miner. For several years past Manager Priess has been carrying on mining operations at Douglass, doing principally development work on company account. A few months ago Mr. Priess and associates of Davenport, Iowa, formed the Davenport-Independent Mining and Leasing company and took over the company's holdings and are operating the property under lease. A few months back some of the members of the company, including Mr. Priess, purchased the Sodaville ten-stamp mill from Bob Stewart and remodeled it, putting in a cyanide plant and other modern equipment. A test run of 100 tons of rock was made with the result of a cleanup of bullion to the value of $3,000. The company has good reserves of ore blocked out in the different workings and besides has several hundred tons of good grade milling ore in the bins and on the dumps, sufficient to keep the mill in steady operation. Through the tenacity and persistent efforts of Manager Priess an-other old mine mining camp has been brought back again into the ranks of Nevada's producers. There are several other good mining properties in Douglass camp that could be made producers if their managements would follow the example set by Manager Gus Priess— put the money legitimately into the ground and keep digging.
-Nevada State Journal, August 28, 1914

Back to "new camp."

Camp Douglass Has Rich Ore, Reported
According to reports Douglas Bros. are opening some very rich ore about 20 miles north of Gilbert and a few miles east of the Simon Silver-Lead. Two properties have been located. One is gold-silver-lead and the other gold. The latter is about one half mile distant from the gold-silver-lead claims. On the gold property assays have been had that run from $100 to $1000 per ton, so it is claimed. On the other property values are said to run from 60 to 1600 ounces per ton in silver and from four to 12 per cent lead. The new camp is known as Camp Douglas and is reached from Mina over a good road. The camp is well supplied with wood and water. Mina is the shipping point.
-Nevada State Journal, June 15, 1925

Back to "old camp"

Old Camp Douglass Is Forging to the Front
The old Douglas camp, which is strictly a gold producer, and which was known as the “bread basket” of Nevada in the days when silver was hit its hard blow, previous to the discovery of Tonopah, is again forging to the front. In that period the camp was operated by leasers, and the late Bob Stewart, mayor of Sodaville, and Billy Douglass, now of Tonopah, were leading characters in the camp. The Nevada Douglass Gold Mines Company, Inc., of which H. E. Springer is manager, has developed large reserves in the old Douglass estate, and arrangements have been completed for the immediate construction of a 100-ton cyanide mill. The Davenport Independent Mining Company, which has been closed for several years, has again resumed operations under the management of Gus Priess, who recently returned from Davenport, Iowa, where he was in consultation with the owners of the property. — Tonopah Bonanza.
-Nevada State Journal, August 10, 1925

The mill is still running

TRIUMPH LEASE IS MONEYMAKER
Foster brothers and Hitt are operating the Triumph mine and five-stamp mill at Camp Douglass, under lease, and are making good money, it was stated in Reno Saturday by Sol Summerfield, of Mina, who is the owner. These men, who are said to be expert California pocket hunters, made a new discovery last week which gives promise of being very important. Close to the mouth of the tunnel, which has been extended into the hill for several hundred feet on a productive vein, they discovered a cross-vein, which carries several inches of exceedingly rich gold ore, it is said. They are down about six feet on it and the showing seems to hold out well. These leasers are experts in searching for gold deposits and have hand augurs and churn drills of their own invention with which they can, and do, prospect with holes sunk to a depth of as much as forty feet, Mr. Summerfield reported.
-Nevada State Journal, July 10, 1928

A new mill is installed.

NEW PLANT AT CAMP DOUGLASS
Harry Springer announced this week that the fifty-ton Lane slow speed mill which he has been erecting in the Douglas gold camp, southeast of Mina, is now completed, and is in operation.
-Nevada State Journal, July 8, 1930

Douglas is declining now, what with the Depression and all.

Bob Stewart and Billy Douglass
“Bob” Stewart, typical frontiersman, six feet two, spare and hard as nails, with a flowing white beard for a mask, owned the hotel, barroom and hot springs at Sodaville, and most of the ore teams. His “buddy” was a wise young man named Douglass, “Billy” to his friends, founder of the camp of Douglass, 10 or 15 miles from Bob Stewart’s domain. To them went Corr, offering his mining claims for $1000. The deal was negotiated between many drinks of potent bourbon and was only closed after much discussion and jockeying.
-Nevada State Journal, August 8, 1932

Declining or not, they're still milling ore.

MILL AT DOUGLASS OPERATING
On a 24-hour run one day last week, 72 tons of ore went through the cyanide mill at Camp Douglass. This is almost up to the average the operators hope to maintain when a regular schedule is put into effect. The rapid advancement in the development of the properties recently taken over by the Mina Gold Mines, Inc., was somewhat marred by unfortunate accidents in which Superintendent Harry Springer and Mill Foreman Pat Bertschy were "put out of commission" for several days.
-Nevada State Journal, November 20, 1933

And they're still looking for it.

SPRINGER MAKING NEW MINE AT DOUGLAS
Harry Springer is developing some claims on the eastern end of the Bounce mine at Camp Douglass, near Mina, which were not included in his deal with the Warrior Company and is getting some remarkable results, according to reports from that section.
Many years ago someone sunk a two hundred-foot shaft on the hanging wall side of the ledge, which is still in good repair. Springer is sending out crosscuts to the south from the hundred-foot level through a mineralized zone as much as 150 feet wide, composed of lenses of ore and waste, but all of the muck from the first one comprises mill ore, it is understood.
-Reno Evening Gazette, November 13, 1935

Old Timer Held Onto His Fortune
HAWTHORNE, Nev., May 22—Edward Brown, accompanied by his grandson, was a visitor in Mineral county last week from his home at Sacramento, coming here for the purpose of arranging a lease on his mining property at Camp Douglass, and also to visit briefly with old-time friends. Brown, one of the pioneers of the Douglass district and other southern Nevada mining camps, owns the Hardscrabble and Osborne claims at Douglass which he recently had patented. Charlie Hammock has held a lease on this property the past two years and his lease was renewed following Brown's visit here last week.
Now eighty-four years old, Brown is still very active and each year endeavors to visit his mining property in Mineral county and, quite naturally, talk over "old times" with those who recall the boom periods of southern Nevada camps. While admitting with some pride that he is one of the few who "held on" to a good part of the modest fortune made in early-day Nevada mining, Brown is nevertheless equally proud that he still holds mining interests in this state and insist that every possible effort be made to develop his holdings, with the hope that he may live to see Camp Douglass enjoy another major boom.
-Reno Gazette Journal, May 22, 1940

Litigation is usually always a bad sign.

MINING CLAIM TITLE IN DOUBT
HAWTHORNE, Dec. 20—A suit to settle disputed title to mining property at Camp Douglas was tried in the district court here, starting last Wednesday afternoon and continuing through Saturday morning, the case being continued pending the completion of survey to determine location of the property involved in relation to adjacent property.
Harry Priess, well-known mining man of Camp Douglas, is plaintiff in the action and the defendant is W. B. Worlock, also a well-known mining man of Mina vicinity, and his wife, Roselyn Worlock. According to the record in the case, Priess contends that Worlock took possession of property upon which required assessment work was performed, while the defendant contends the work was not performed on the property involved and that it was open to location. After the presentation of much evidence to the court, and arguments on points of law, a stipulation was entered into whereby L. B. Spencer is retained to make a complete survey, payment for the services to be taxed against the losing party in the suit. Sid Wilde, another well-known mining man of Mina and Camp Douglas, is retained to point out all the assessment work performed in the disputed area from July 1, 1937, to July 1, 1938.Walter Rowson, Reno attorney, represents Priess in the suit, and Worlock's attorney is Martin G. Evansen.
- Reno Evening Gazette, December 20, 1941

Just about the last newsworthy items to come out of the camp.

Fortuna Mine Is Now Active at Camp Douglas
Extensive development is reportedly planned by John Pantle, California gold dredge operator, at the Fortuna gold mine at Camp Douglas, near Mina, the Mining and Industrial News reported. Pantle acquired the property only recently from Miss Lillia Pepper of Carson City. The Fortuna property produced rich gold ore when operated prior to the war.
Reno Evening Gazette, October 9, 1948

By this time, Camp Douglas was a ghost of its former self, with only sporadic, small mining operations taking place.

Camp Douglas (also known as Douglass and Camp Douglass) is now (2003) owned by Mr. James Pauley, who was kind enough to allow us on the property and show us around. Mr. Pauley and his wife own the Miner's Saloon in Manhattan, Nevada, should you ever find your way over thataway. He is living on the site, just in case you have any ideas.

Mr. Pauley- who, by the way, is selling the site if you're interested- relates that several people have come by and stolen or destroyed various artifacts and equipment. Keep this in mind should you decide to sneak onto the property- there are several choice holes in the ground you might find yourself in.

The good news is that we found an answer to the Mystery Wheel we discovered in Omco. Turns out, it's part of what's called an "Oliver Filter." The glossary over at Hacettepe University School of Mining defines an Oliver filter as:

A continuous-type filter made in the form of a cylindrical drum with filter cloth stretched over the convex surface of the drum. The drum rotates slowly about a horizontal axis, and the lower part is immersed in a tank containing the pulp to be filtered. Arrangement of pressure and suction pipes on the interior of the drum permits the application of suction to the filtering surface. As the filter passes through the tank, it picks up a layer of solid material and emerges carrying a layer of filter cake.

The Oliver Company began, I believe, in Grass Valley California, but now is part of the Canadian firm GLV. They confirm to me by email that "...12F1 is a type of Precoat Drum Filter with V-shaped tank bottom and probably having paddle agitator... "

There are many ruins on the property along with mining equipment old and new- there is mining activity presently. Ruins range from wooden frame buildings to the rock foundations of buildings long gone.