38°08'12.7"N 116°28'41.1"W

Helena, or Clifford as it was also known, came into being through a bit of deceit and treachery. In 1905, Edward Clifford and J. W. Clifford went on a prospecting tour with a Shoshone Indian named Johnnie Peavine and his wife. Johnnie claimed to know where there was a rich ledge, and they agreed that each of the four would share equally with each other all the property located. Peavine said that when they reached what is now called Clifford he located and pointed out the Clifford Mine ledge, which was located in the names of the Cliffords. He maintained that he insisted for many weeks afterward that he be given a deed to the one-half interest held by himself and his mate, and was finally given a note executed by the Cliffords in which they agreed to pay him $6,666, under the pretense of being a deed. When the Cliffords later tried to sell the property for $250,000, Johnnie appeared like a bad dream and sued them in court for his share. The outcome of that case is unknown, but one result was that it was ruled an Indian could file his own claims and didn't need the white man's help in doing so. Some weeks after the Cliffords dumped the property, word got out, prospectors began to arrive and the town began to grow.

CLIFFORD IS A CAMP OF GREAT MERIT
Charley Wallace came in from Clifford this week to buy equipment for a meat market which he and Cahill will establish at the new camp. Mrs. Nay is doing a rushing business with her boarding house at Stone Cabin [about 8 and half miles SW of Clifford - FN] Three new saloons have thrown open their doors as Clifford. One is conducted by O'Farrell, another by Breize and the third by to pioneer Nevadans from the eastern part of the state. A hotel is also ready for business, Phillip Meyers and wife conducting it.
-Tonopah Bonanza, December 16, 1905

I don't think this would be considered a mining accident.

CLIFFORD While celebrating the strike on the Meyers lease a well known mining man, Jack McCormick, attempted to ride a vicious burro, but the animal wouldn't stand for it and threw Mr. McCormick to the ground. He landed on his back on a pile of rock and sustained painful injuries. He was carried to his tent on a stretcher and a physician who happened to be present said he was badly hurt and might he laid up for some time. W. A. Coyne and Pete Wyneken left for Clifford Tuesday morning. Mr. Coyne is one of the big owners of the townsite and Pete has a most promising lease that he is operating and which he believes will make him rich. Mr. Coyne says the future of the camp is assured and that nearly all of the lots in the original townsite have been disposed of. Milo Caine and W. M. Miller have purchased a lot in Clifford and will open a barber shop and barroom in the new camp. They will leave for there in a few days. Pete Samuelson was in town this week from Clifford and is full of enthusiasm over the splendid mineral showing of the district. Mr. Samuelson has purchased some more lots on the main street and says he will stick to Clifford until Hades freezes over. C. R. Scott, who came in from Clifford Sunday, says the new camp is taking on a prosperous air. The leasers are working with a will and a shipment will be made by the Cliffords within the next two weeks. The road between Tonopah and Clifford is one of the best desert roads in Nevada and by taking the five-mile springs cutoff, the distance between the two places is only 45 miles. Water and wood are plentiful and wood is only $5 a cord delivered in Clifford. Much development is promised in the camp during the coming spring months and many shafts will be sunk to tap the rich ledges that are known to exist beneath the wash and capping.
-Tonopah Bonanza, January 13, 1906

No mention of Johnnie's cut, of course.

PAYMENT MADE ON CLIFFORD MINE
At exactly twenty minutes past three o'clock yesterday afternoon an express wagon drove up to the Brougher-Govan building. There were two men armed with rifles on it and they were guarding several sacks of the coin of the realm. No time was lost in carrying the sacks to the office of Campbell, Metson and Brown, where D. F. McCarthy, the Cliffords and Attorney Brown were assembled. The sacks contained $25,000 in twenty dollar gold pieces and constituted the first payment on the great Clifford property, forty-five miles east of Tonopah, that Mr. McCarthy is buying for $250,000 for Pittsburg parties. He gave the sacks with their precious contents to the Cliffords. Although the terms of the sale specified Feb. 21 as the date on which the first payment should be made, the purchasers are so well pleased with the property that they concluded to pay the coin yesterday. Mr. James McCambridge, who will have the management of the mine, is buying supplies, hiring men and making every preparation for the opening up of what promises to be one of the greatest mines in the State of Nevada.
Tonopah Bonanza , February 10, 1906

Prospecting, mining, and commercial activities continue

NEWS FROM CLIFFORD
E. Norris, of Clifford, spent the forepart of the week in Tonopah. He reports a strike of $100 ore on lease owned by Ed. Critchfield and himself on Clifford hill. The ledge which runs a little south of west is two and a half feet wide and has good walls. The O'Brien boys and Richard Nagle have uncovered a well defined ledge on their property north of town, from which assay values of $400 to the ton were secured this week. A general merchandise store and two more saloons will open for business in a few days. Charles Meyer has opened a blacksmith shop on his lot adjoining Caine & Miller's saloon and is doing a thriving business. Mr. Meyer was a "smithy" in Tonopah in the early days of the camp. The Lawrence lease on the north side of Clifford hill is looking extra good, and a strike is anticipated in the near future. Jack Mayer is still sinking on his lease just east of No. 89. He has great faith in it. The Meyers boys, Charley and Clay, have the shaft on their lease down 30 feet and are obtaining good pannings.
-Tonopah Bonanza, March 3, 1906

I think there may still be some lots available-- but only if you hurry.

We have sold over Two Hundred lots at prices ranging from $35 up. Many of these lots are already worth three and four times the original cost. Helena Real Estate is certain to advance by leaps and bounds and we advise the immediate purchase of property in this camp.
TOM G. MURPHY & Co., Agents, Helena Townsite
-Tonopah Daily Bonanza, January 10, 1909

Holy cow, we got ourselves a telephone line heading this way!

FIRST MESSAGE SENT OVER NEW TELEPHONE LINE
Line Will Be Completed To Helena Within Three Weeks-- Town of Helena Booming
The first message over the new telephone line, being constructed between the new camp of Helena and Tonopah, was received in this city yesterday afternoon from T. G. Murphy, agent of the Helena Townsite company, and transmitted to Goldfield. The message was sent from McKinney's Tanks [roughly 26 road miles west- FN] and the line will be completed into Helena within three weeks.
-Tonopah Daily Bonanza, January 30, 1909

BROKEN HILLS TO RESUME SHIPPING
The First Shipment Will Leave Helena Tomorrow and Will be Continued Regularly Until The Mill is Erected
The Broken Hills mine at Helena will resume the shipment of ore Thursday, and the shipments will be continued regularly until the completion of the mill, pans for which have been perfected by the company, and work on which will begin shortly.
-Tonopah Daily Bonanza, February 24, 1909

What goes around comes around, they say.

The story is best told by the San Francisco Bulletin, which contains the following interesting account of the manner in which our most respectable citizens are fleeced from their hard-earned gold. By the arrest of Harry Furey in San Jose and his brother, George Furey, alias George Williams, in this city this morning, rated two of the cleverest swindlers in America, Detectives Frank McConnell and George McLaughlin have In the toils the pair who robbed Edward Clifford, the millionaire mining man of Nevada, of $14,000, and they are now seeking two other bunko men, who, when captured, will make, with the Fureys, a quartet that every police force in the United States would like to get possession of. For 40 years Edward Clifford worked at his mines in Nevada, and in that time never ventured out of the state. Recently he took his two daughters to place them in a convent in Los Angeles, and one of the first men he met on the streets of the southern city was Joseph Furey, alias George Williams, whose picture graces every rogues' gallery in the country. Clifford could not recall ever having met Furey before, and he probably never did. But the skilled thief addressed him by his name, spoke glibly of his mining properties in Nevada and soon had Clifford convinced that he knew more about the operations of the aged millionaire than Clifford did himself. The pair started down Spring street together. Not a block from where the meeting took place they came upon a man standing at the corner, who was "peeling" $20 bills from a roll that would fill a carpet sack. "That," said Joe Furey, to the mining man, "is F. Miles, the greatest plunger [gambler] probably, in the world." Clifford was eager for the introduction, Harry Furey, Joseph Furey's brother, was introduced. From Los Angeles Clifford accompanied the Furey brothers to Pasadena. There he ventured his first wager on the races. The bookmakers Is had evidently recuperated their bank rolls and were ready to do business again. Clifford's share of the winnings that day was $1500. That is, he was told he had won that much and was given that much in real money. The next day Clifford dropped $3000. Then the trio came to San Jose. Last Thursday Mr. "Miles" told Clifford and Joe Furey that he was ready for the greatest coup of his life, but didn't have quite enough money to put it over. It would take $11,000 with what he had to make the cleanup complete. Clifford came to San Francisco with Joe Furey, telegraphed for $11,000, returned to San Jose and put it in the hands of the plunger. Meanwhile two other bunkomen, whose names are unknown to the police, were taken in on the play. Clifford was advised that they, too, had put a sum equal to his draft in the pool. Clifford waited for the returns of the races, likewise he waited for the at return of the Fureys. But he never saw them again. The Furey brothers are a local product purely, but since taking their first plunge into crime in this city they have been a thorn in the side of every detective chief in the United States.
Tonopah Daily Bonanza, February 17, 1913

I don't think these were the mills they were envisioning, but at least they were something.

SOUTH TO HAVE TWO MORE MILLS
The Cliffords are putting in two of the little Tetrault mills, furnished by Campbell and Kelly, of this city, and the owners have no hesitation in saying that the mills will more than make good, says the Bonanza. Before buying the Cliffords paid close attention to the demonstration at the local foundry, and concluded it was just what they required in their business. The mills are being erected at Clifford.
-Nevada State Journal, February 18, 1914

In case you wondered what a Tetrault mill was.

While living at Millers, NV, Alxis Tetrault designed the 2-stamp Tetrault Mill. It could process from 4 to 6 tons of ore in 24 hours and was powered by a 5- to 7-horsepower motor. The mill was manufactured by Campbell and Kelly, Incorporated, at Tonopah
History of Smoky Valley, Nevada, Robert McCracken

Here come the Eastern Capitalists

FAMOUS CLIFFORD MINE SOLD
The famous Clifford mine, situated 40 miles in a northeasterly direction from Tonopah, has passed into the possession of a syndicate of New York bankers. The transfer was consummated late yesterday afternoon at Nevada First National Bank.
-Tonopah Daily Bonanza, January 4, 1921

The mill at Bellehelen resumed, but not for long. It was purchased and hauled off in 1933.

BELLEHELEN MILL IS TO RESUME, REPORT
Negotiations Under Way to Handle Clifford Ore With Bellehelen
According to advices from W. F. Gray it is quite possible that the Bellehelen mill will be put into commission at an early date. The Clifford mine which is distant about 11 miles has a very large tonnage of good grade milling ore on the dump and in addition is mining a considerable amount of ore that is said to run between $18 and $20 per ton. Negotiations are now in progress as shown by the following wire to W. F. Gray, manager of the Bellehelen property from James W. Oldham, president of the company. The wire reads, "We are working out a plan which will be satisfactory both to Clifford and Bellehelen. Just as soon as we have decided on a plan will submit I same to you. In the meantime the Clifford people are foolish to haul ore to Tonopah as I am sure that any plan we agree upon will make them more money than they are now getting." It is said that ore may be hauled from the Clifford mine to the Bellehelen mill at a cost for truckage of only $2.50 per ton. 'The ore from the dump may be loaded into the trucks at very low cost by steam shovel. It is estimated that between the ore on the dump and the mine output about 25 tons a day can be delivered to the Bellehelen mill for the Clifford. The capacity of the Bellehelen mill is about 60 tons daily. A considerable tonnage is already blocked out in the Bellehelen and between the two mines, the Bellehelen and the Clifford, the mill may be run at full capacity. The mill was built under the supervision of W. F. Gray at a cost of $250,000. The Bellehelen mine and mill were shut down at the time of the slump in price of silver following the ending of the Pittmann act. It is estimated that there is about $380,000 of ore blocked out in the Bellehelen mine. The Clifford mine has started underground work at three faces. The main or working shaft of the Clifford is equipped with compressor. At other points the work is being done by whim at one point and by windlass at another.
-Nevada State Journal, July 10, 1925

History of Clifford
The Clifford mine has an interesting history since its discovered about 18 years ago by the father of Jim Clifford, and has a record of producing several hundred thousand dollars worth of "jewelry" ore, all of which came from shallow workings and mined without adequate machinery and by the crudest methods. Many old timers believe the Clifford to be the famous "Lost Breyfogle" mine. The soft and yellowish color of the Clifford highgrade and its richness would seem to give some basis to this belief. During the years the Clifford was worked in haphazard fashion by Jim Clifford it became known as the "Clifford Dank." When the Clifford family needed a little money a few hours work with a pick and shovel would supply the need. Since the property was taken over by the present owners about 18 months ago 36 shipments have been made to the West End mill at Tonopah.
-Nevada State Journal, November 1, 1926

After the mining company folded in 1929, Helena quickly became a ghost.