Up for consideration is a Hayseed Mining Company stock certificate from 1907:

 

#282

Issued to A. C. Broderick for 100 shares on October 4, 1907

Signed by Sam T. Lindsay as president and S. J. Hernstadt as secretary

Incorporated in South Dakota

Capital stock of $1,250,000

Datelined Rhyolite, Nevada

Uncancelled

Certificate in very good condition

Black print on cream colored paper

 

 

The Hayseed Mine was located within the Echo-Lee Mining District in Inyo County, California, within what is now Death Valley National Park. The district is in the southern part of the Funeral Range near Echo Canyon and the former mining town of Lee. The Hayseed Mining Company owned the patented Hayseed and State Line claims, where they began mining in the spring of 1907 (the company was organized in March of 1907 and was the first mine in the district). Mining on the two claims showed very encouraging early results, when at a depth of 25 feet they struck an 18-inch gold vein which assayed from $8,600 to $123,600 of gold per ton of ore. Mining continued on and off for several years without much success while the company owners attempted to find a lessee for the mining property, which by that time had a 100-ton ore house, 25-horsepower gasoline hoist, a blacksmith shop and a horse stable. Company owners were also negotiating with J. P. Nelson, the vice-president and general manager of the company and S. J. Hernstadt, the secretary, to lease the mine, with the financial backing of Hernstadt's brother, W. L. Hernstadt of New York City. However, the company was not successful, and went out of business in 1911. (S. J. Hernstadt and J. P. Nelson also had other business interests in the district – Hernstadt was a principal owner of the Hidden Treasure Mining Company, including mining claims, real estate and water rights at the neighboring mining camp of Lee, and Nelson also was a real estate owner and promoter who had announced plans to build a hotel at Lee, before the boom ended in 1911.)