Savage Mining Company Office and Mine/Mill
Virginia City, Nevada
This magnificent 21-room Second Empire style building was constructed by the Savage Mining Company in 1861. The ornate building is an excellent example of the architectural elegance associated with the offices and residences of the mining elite. The top two floors of the building served as the mine superintendent’s residence, while the ground floor was the mine office. The building has been restored with attention to its distinctive architectural features, such as the mansard roof, dormer windows and delicate gingerbread trim. The interior boasts 14-foot-high ceilings, a seven-foot copper bathtub, a Lincrista frieze in the main hallway and early Victorian furnishings. Ulysses S. Grant is said to have stayed in the house in 1879 and addressed crowds in a speech from the porch. During this time, a Mrs. Monoghan, whose husband had been killed in one of the mines, The term “mansion” has been liberally applied in the Comstock to include any large and vaguely residential building. This has been done for promotional purposes and is far from being an accurate characterization. Even the most elaborate dwellings in Virginia City would be considered no more than ordinary houses in any urban setting. In the case of the Savage, Gould & Curry and Chollar properties, all referred to as mansions, the term is a complete misnomer, having been applied to buildings that served primarily as offices for major mining companies.
Thanks National Parks Service:
The New Savage Shaft- In 1860 the Savage shaft was located on B street but as of May 19, 1864, the Savage had begun to sink a new shaft, which was the largest in the Territory (Gold Hills Daily News 1864c). Considering that after the year 1866 mention of the old shaft is negligible, it appears that the old shaft, if not abandoned, was probably utilized only minimally once the new shaft was in full use. The new shaft was located on E Street, downhill from the old shaft on B Street. Many other mines had also begun to sink shafts to the east of their originals, and the new Savage shaft, sometimes referred to as the Curtis shaft, was considered a fine example of the newer set of shafts (Lord 1959:222-223). In the late 1860s, the new Savage was the most productive mine on the Comstock (Ansari 1989:19). In 1868, the Savage had produced a total of approximately $2,543,868 in bullion and $1,184,000 in dividends. The next most productive mine, the Kentuck, had $1,259,707 in bullion and $480,000 in dividends (Raymond 1970:57). The Savage, Chollar-Potosi, and Hale & Nor-cross mines sunk the Combination Shaft in 1875, which proved to be very profitable. When the shaft closed in late 1886, it had a total assessment value of $7,000,000 (Smith 1998:90). The year after the Combination Shaft was sunk, the Savage flooded to the 1,800-foot level after it hit hot water 400 feet below. Only when the Savage joined the Combination Shaft in 1879 did the flooding cease (Smith 1998:87)
Sarah E. Cowie and Lisa Machado Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Reno
Note the 3,250 foot deep Combination Shaft Silver mine in the background. The mine at the time was the second deepest mine in the world, a Silver mine in Bulgaria was only 30 feet deeper. Only low value ore was encountered and it was abandoned. It intersects the Sutro Tunnel at the 1,800 foot level to help drain the water it encountered. 
Combination Shaft in Background 
Note Combination Shaft on hill behind V&T Signal flashers The 3,250 foot deep Combination Shaft Silver mine in the background. The mine at the time was the second deepest mine in the world, a Silver mine in Bulgaria was only 30 feet deeper. Only low value ore was encountered and it was abandoned. It intersects the Sutro Tunnel at the 1,800 foot level to help drain the water it encountered.
Photos Copyright-Steve Knight Photo
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