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Sutro Tunnel Mining Company issued to namesake of Emma Mine on the Comstock

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Stock & Bond - Mining Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 4,000.00 USD
Sutro Tunnel Mining Company issued to namesake of Emma Mine on the Comstock
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Here is a unique Nevada mining stock certificate for the discriminating collector. This Suro signed Sutro Tunnel cert is issued to Miss Emma Sutro. Emma was Adolph's daughter and the Emma Mine on the Comstock was named for here. It is # 94 for 25 shares. Signed by Sutro, but cancelled. Miner and pick vignette by Torsch. (John W Torsch was a wood engraver born in Maryland.) Leave it to Sutro to spend the extra money for a unique vignette. Dateline December 7, 1868. 25c Certificate Revenue stamp.

The Emma was a prospect named after Sutro's daughter. It was near the Sutro Tunnel entrance, located up in the hills near the #1 shaft for the Tunnel.

Although the plainest of the Sutro stocks, it is more important as it the earliest and the only stocks signed by Sutro himself! When money to build his tunnel dried up in Nevada, Sutro headed east to find a revenue source. This is the result of this effort. Sutro first came up with the idea of the tunnel in 1860, got federal and state approval in 1865, and construction began in 1869. He envisioned the tunnel as taking care of the water problem that Comstock mining operations were encountering at depth. As Sutro said in his proposal, "the great obstacle to be encountered in mines is water; this is the fatal agent, which makes it only a question of time, when a mine will have to be abandoned, no matter how rich..." The tunnel was completed in 1878, too late to be of critical importance to the Comstock. Sutro sold his shares and moved to San Francisco, where he eventually became mayor. Prag Collection State: Nevada City: Sutro Date: 1868 HWAC# 85252