Blind Spring Hill & Partzwick

Now an obscure ghost town, Blind Spring Hill was once a major producer in Mono County. At one time, 1,000 miners lived on their claims or in boarding houses.

Early mining in the White Mountains

The short-lived mining camp of Montgomery City started in the early 1860s when prospectors found rich silver float along the western slope of the White Mountains. The finds attracted miners from the region and soon a town develped. Sitting at the mouth of the steep White Mountains, Montgomery City was subject to flash floods. Millions of gallons of water and rocks slid down the mountains in one case and the town faded into history.

Mining on Blind Spring Hill

Miners carried ore in 5-gallon kerosene cans to wagons. Ore from Blind Spring Hill contained silver, copper, and iron valued at $1,500 per ton. The freight line ran to Bridgeport and Sacramento, where it was shipped to Whales for smelting. During the Civil War period, Blind Spring Hill mines produced $9M.

Blind Spring Hill was a mining camp, but Benton was the primary supply and service center. Up to 1,000 men lived at their claims or in boarding houses owned by the mines. The district had no water, so it was imported from the springs at Benton.

Many miners were Chinese or Native Americans. Blind Spring Hill was progressive for the times. In 1876, white miners refused to eat at the same table as the Chinese workers. The foreman told the miners if they didn’t like it, they could collect their pay and leave.

Through 1879, considerable activity occurred in Blind Spring Hill mines, including Comanche, Diana, Kerrick, Cornucopia, and Boraska. Diana had a 4-stamp mill and a reduction furnace next to the mine. Soon, more mines had a smelter. As with many mines, the district had multiple legal issues.

The Carson and Colorado Railroad line reached Benton station in 1883 and soon extended to the base of Blind Spring Hill, significantly lowering transportation costs.

PARTZWICK

Dr. Partz, a mineralogist from New York, discovered ore on Blind Spring Hill in 1865. He named the mine Elmira and planned a town north of the hot springs named Partzwick. Within a few months, the town had a store, hotel, saloons, a brewery and a 10-stamp mill. Bullion from Blind Spring Hill was shipped to Partzwick in leather bags. Unfortunately, Partzwick lacked water, so settlers moved to Benton.

The Roaring 20’s

People thought that with the roaring 20s, Blind Spring Hill would become a major producer. In 1921, Comanche Mining and Reduction Company purchased 240 acres of Blind Spring Hill along the railroad right of way. They constructed a 100-ton mill near the portal of the Ross tunnel.

Due to low silver prices and the Great Depression, mining on Blind Spring Hill closed in 1930. Miners abandoned their rock cabins. One wood cabin was relocated to Benton Hot Springs.

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References

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References

• Desert USA: Montgomery City, California
• The Diggings: Blind Springs
• Mitchell, Roger. Inyo-Mono SUV Trails. Track and Trail Publications, 2003.
• Mono Herald and Bridgeport Chronicle, November 24, 1920
• Mono Herald and Bridgeport Chronicle May 1963
• Mono Herald and Bridgeport Chronicle, May 31, 1979
• Mono Herald and Bridgeport Chronicle, December 10, 1981
• The Ventura Free Press, December 16, 1876

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