Frank Williams memoir, page 3

conditions of life altogether new to me. It was a new mining camp consisting of a stove, boarding house and several saloons. The only buildings were tents. There were probably 300 men in camp. There was some drunkeness but I saw nobody armed and all were well disposed and sociable. That afternoon I met several men with whom I became well acquainted in the years that followed.After getting my supper in a boarding house near the Gold Bronze and finding that there was no immediate chance to go to work I concluded that I might as well go back to Ivanpah. It was nearly dark by that time but there was some moon and the huge outline of Clark Mountain served to guide me, even after the moon had set. I did not attempt to follow any road but just struck out across the desert.I arrived in Ivanpah sometime after midnight and as I could see no lights anywhere I just sat around and shivered until daylight came. When I saw a large stone building lighted up, I went over and found it to be Mr. Bidwell's stove and boarding house. After getting my breakfast and talking with some people who knew my uncle, I inquired of Mr. Bidwell the road to Goodsprings. Now there were two ways of reaching Goodsprings from Ivanpah. The shorter way was to go by way of "Ivanpah Point" on the east side of the mountains. By this route it was only 25 miles but there was no water to be had and the road was little traveled and hard to follow. The other way was by trail to Oliver Rose's place in Mesquite Valley and thence through the mountains to Goodsprings. By this route the distance was 35 miles but there was a good road all the way, and water available at several points.