Unable to Identify

[srd1941]

This Item was recovered this summer from a ghost town in eastern Washington. We have not been able to Identify it. It is made of cast iron, stand about 18 inches high, and was manufactured in New York by E.G.Blakslee Mfg. The name was cast into the base. It obviously held something in the ring at the top. Half of the ring is missing.
The cast is ornately decorated so it was probably not a tool. Any guesses ? This is my first try at posting a picture so if it turns out to be a picture of my truck then I screwed up.
Stan

 

[Dave~UT]

n/t

 

[srd1941]

Could be Dave. There is no indication there was ever a town here. It is totally overgrown with timber and brush. It has been logged twice and the owner runs cattle in the summer. We found some large stones that might be the remains of a foundation and that is where this atricle was recovered. We know there were several business along with private residences here. The buildings were all torn down for the lumber shortly after the town died. If we can identify this thing it may give a clue at what part of the town we are in. We have a copy of the original plat but it was never tied to anything. I have performed the normal research with the county and have toured the site with one of the owners but all who may have remembered are no longer around. I have not yet checked with the title co. as they can be quite spendy. As an old retired surveyor I love the search and mystery of it all. It's an inherent trait of surveyors. I can see it in tabdog, he really likes the search and is a very tenatious bugger. He's also a fun read.
Thanks for your reply.
Stan

 

[tabdog]

n/t

 

[srd1941]

Tabdog
Thanks for the information. In researching Blakslee I found that he bought out another company in 1892 and changed the name of his company to Monitor something or other. I didn't go beyond that. Yes the plat was done on a drafting table. Everything 90 degrees, north, south, east and west. It sits in the mountains of eastern Washington in an area of silver mines. Thats where I'm from and the state I'm licensed in. I also have a copy of a hand drawn map of the town showing such things as "Comstock Saloon, Ma's Eats etc..Scribbled on the bottom of the page is a note "drawn in 1892". I have no idea if this is real or just a cartoon. The owners of the property have no information beyond a deed from their grandfather for several thousand acres which tells nothing about the townsite. The county personell were hospitable but were little help. Sometimes the title companys have information the county doesn't have. We know we are in the right area as we have found other things indicating the presence of a settlement. This phoney little map we have came out of a book about ghost towns. We have no idea where he got his information and although we have written the author we have received no response. Some of the local historians claim that particular author doesn't always tell it like it is and as you know one can become quite suspicious of undocumented information after a few years of surveying. We feel that if we were to identify this Item as to its use then we would have an idea as to which part of the town we are in and can go from there. Could have come out of a hotel or saloon or maybe an assay office.
Like you, metal detecting fulfills some of the things I enjoyed while working. I used to love to search for lost corners. What a thrill it was to find a corner stone or a withered up corner post that was set over a hundered years ago. You're right, best way to find your way home, just drive a stake in the ground and a piece of equipment will surley plow in and run over it.
Have a great day.
Stan

 

[tabdog]

n/t

 

[srd1941]

Dave
Is that true or is it a ledgend? Hey I like the picture of the peace pipe.
Stan

 

[tabdog]

n/t