Interior view of mine and miners in the Mohawk Mine, Goldfield, Nevada, ca.1900-1905

Photograph of the interior view of mine, miners and $80,000 to the ton in gold sitting on the ledge in the Mohawk Mine, Goldfield, Nevada, ca.1900-1905. 13 men stand, sit or kneel while posing inside the mine. Many of them are holding lit candles. Several are holding their tools either in front of them or over their shoulders. Their clothes are stained with dust and dirt.; "In 1902 gold was discovered in the hills near Tonopah, Nevada. Soon a few tents dotted the barren hills among the Joshua trees, and the boomtown of Goldfield was born. In 1903 only 36 people lived in the new town. By 1908 Goldfield was Nevada's largest city, with over 25,000 inhabitants. Along with the influx of miners and businessmen, came the labor unions. The Western Federation of Miners, the Industrial Workers of the World and the American Federation of Labor all vied for power in the region. During the early years, the unions were able to control wages and working hours. But in November, 1906, the Goldfield Consolidated Mines Company was incorporated by owners George Wingfield and United States Senator George Nixon, signaling the beginning of monopoly control in Goldfield, and the start of an adversarial relationship between mine owners and the unions." -- unknown author