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Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad Company Pass Signed by J. Ross Clark (1907)

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Railroadiana, Trains Start Price:150.00 USD Estimated At:300.00 - 500.00 USD
Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad Company Pass Signed by J. Ross Clark (1907)
SOLD
1,450.00USDto V********e+ buyer's premium (304.50)
This item SOLD at 2016 Sep 30 @ 10:56UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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This is a rare and important Nevada railroad pass. Pass No. 169, issued for the 1907 year to M.F. Van Horn (Pennsylvania Lines West). Signed by J. Ross Clark as President. Endorsed on the reverse by Van Horn. Printed on blue cardstock. Some toning around edges, light soiling. The Las Vegas & Tonopah Railroad began when Montana "Copper King" William A. Clark, J. Ross's brother, decided to go back on a promise to "Borax" Smith about building a railroad from Las Vegas to Smith's operation at Lila C. Clark decided that he wanted to use the 12 miles of grade the Smith's men had completed. This led Smith to create a rival railroad, the Tonopah & Tidewater. The Las Vegas & Tonopah RR was incorporated in 1905. It took until November 1907 to complete the 198 mile track from Vegas to Goldfield. The entire line was abandoned by 1919. J. Ross Clark was an important figure in Montana, California and Nevada histories. He followed his brother to Montana where William became one of the three Montana "Copper Kings." For health reasons, Ross left Montana and moved to Los Angeles in 1892. There, he became involved in railroading and sugar beet farming. With his brother (and E.H. Harriman), he formed the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake City Railroad in 1902 in an effort to connect Montana and Los Angeles. The railroad went through the future site of Las Vegas (then a ranch), and tried to control the water rights in the area to curb further development. In 1905, Ross was there to auction off 600 plats of land that would become the future city. One last interesting note: Ross's son, Walter, and daughter-in-law Virginia collided with history when they were on-board the Titanic for its maiden voyage. Virginia survived; Walter perished on the ship. (Prag Collection) City: State: Nevada Date: Inventory# 39079