Eureka, Nevada (image from http://www.westernmininghistory.com)
In my previous post about the 1874 Eureka, Nevada flood, the article mentioned the death of Mrs. Charles L. Broy. I did a little searching to see what became of Charles, and this is what I found:
This first news clip was actually before the flood.
The Carson Register fears that the dreaded epizootic horse disease has arrived and is attacking the horses in that vicinity. It says: “Chas. Broy lost one of his dray horses Thursday night, and a day or two since one died in Douglas county, and another in the same locality was not expected to recover.
Nevada State Journal (Reno, Nevada) Nov 30, 1872
C.L. Broy, a well-known citizen and teamster of Eureka, fell from his quartz wagon Wednesday and the wheels passed over his legs. It is feared both legs will have to be amputated.
Reno Evening Gazette (Reno, Nevada) Jun 25, 1887
C.L. Broy of Eureka, Nevada, came up from San Francisco this morning on his way home, and stopped over in Reno to-day to take a look at our progressive town. Charlie is in love with our climate and thinks Reno has the most promising future of any Nevada town.
Reno Evening Gazette (Reno, Nevada) Jul 27, 1888
The Eureka Sentinel says. Last Monday afternoon Billy Powell’s team of 16 horses and 5 wagons, engineered by Orr Moore, passed through Main street with 81,480 pounds of ore from the Dunderberg mine. A little later Charley Broy’s team passed through with 14 animals and 3 wagons, loaded with some 60,000 pounds of ore from the Diamond mine. The load hauled by Billy Powell’s team was the largest amount of ore ever hauled by one team through Eureka.
Reno Evening Gazette (Reno, Nevada) Nov 23, 1891
In From the Base Range.
C.L. Broy, postmaster of Eureka, came in from the Base Range a few days ago and went to San Francisco from which place he returned last evening. He reports Eureka as holding its own. The people are by no means discouraged over the outlook of the camp.
Reno Evening Gazette (Reno, Nevada) Aug 30, 1903
(Excerpt from)
How Demand of All the World for Precious Metal Is Calling Ghost Towns of West Back to Real Life
Another mine that is pursuing development work and preparing to reopen on a large scale is the Windfall on the Hamburg ledge. His was a bonanza mine. Its discoverer, C.L. Broy, did not find the “pay streak,” but lessees representing San Francisco interests took out over $3,000,000. The big flood of 1910 cause this mine to close down and it has not reopened, but under the coming system of miilling at Eureka it will produce large quantities of milling ore.
Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Sep 28, 1919
Charles Broy, Politician and Postmaster at Eureka, Has Disappeared
SAN FRANCISCO, April 18. After a three days’ search for Charles L. Broy, a well known Nevada politician, for 16 years postmaster of Eureka, Nev., who disappeared from his son’s home here Monday, the police are without a clue as to his whereabouts.
Mr. Broy is a member of the grand army. He came to San Francisco several months ago for an operation on his throat and has been under treatment.
Mr. Broy is well known in this city. He is an old timer in the state and was known to all the “base rangers.”
Although he now is not possessed of sufficient money to tempt any attack upon him for the purposes of loot, at one time he was heavily interested in mines and could have cleaned up a fortune.
Recently he was reappointed as postmaster. He had no worries that would have caused him to take his life, and his health was restored after the recent operation. He had no bad habits, such as over-indulgence in drink.
Mr. Broy has a wife and son, the latter being R.A. Broy, a very successful young man.
It is understood that his Reno and Eureka friends will put forth efforts to supplement those of the San Francisco police force to discover his whereabouts.
Reno Evening Gazette (Reno, Nevada) Apr 18, 1912
EUREKA POSTMASTER FOUND IN SAN JOSE
By Associated Press to the JournalSAN JOSE, Cal., April 19. Chas. L. Broy, the retired postmaster of Eureka, Nev., who disappeared Monday from the home of his son in San Francisco, was discovered here yesterday wandering in the streets suffering from loss of memory. Broy is 70 years old and formerly was prominent in Nevada politics.
Nevada State Journal (Reno, Nevada) Apr 20, 1912
C.L. BROY, EUREKA PIONEER, DIES AT HIS HOME IN RENO
Was Prominent During Nearly Half a Century’s Residence In Famous Old Camp; Served As Postmaster for Seventeen Years; Civil War Veteran
One of the pioneers of the famous old town of Eureka died in Reno this morning when C.L. Broy passed away, following an illness of several weeks from heart trouble. During the boom days of Eureka and during the period of decline of the old camp, Mr. Broy was one of its most prominent citizens and hundreds of former Eureka residents residing in Reno enjoyed discussing old times of the camp with Mr. Broy since he arrived in Reno about three years ago with the intention of making this city his home.
Mr. Broy was born in West Virginia and was seventy-six years old. He resided in West Virginia during his early youth and joined Company X, Second Regiment of the West Virginia Volunteers on July 1, 1861 and served in the army for nearly five years, taking part in the battle of Cheat Mountain and other engagements. At the close of the Civil War his regiment was sent to fight Indians and when Mr. Broy left the service following his second enlistment he was presented with a medal by the state of West Virginia for meritorious service.
In 1866 he decided to come West and removed to Montana where he was engaged in mining and the hotel business. He erected the Tremont hotel in Radersburg, Mont., which he conducted for two years, selling out to go to Salt Lake City to engage in the restaurant business.
About this time White Pine and Eureka district was attracting considerable attention and in 1869 Mr. Broy reached Eureka, after spending a few months in White Pine, and opened the New York chop house, one of the first restaurants in the camp which at that time consisted of a few tents and a stockade.
In those days the man who owned a twenty horse team and two or three ore wagons was on the direct road to wealth and Mr. Broy soon sold out his restaurant to go into teaming and he was owner and manager of one of the largest teaming enterprises in the district for several years. He also engaged in mining with some success and took a very prominent part in the development of properties in and around Eureka.
At the time of his death he owned considerable mining property in the district and only a few months ago made preparations to incorporate a company to work some of his holdings. He had an interest at one time, during the best days of Eureka, in the Oriental and Belmont mines and in several properties on Ruby Hill.
He always took an active part in public affairs and in 1892 was elected county commissioner of the county on the Republican ticket. He served as commissioner for eight years resigning the position to accept the position of postmaster of Eureka, having received from President McKinley. He served in this capacity for seventeen years probably establishing a record in Nevada for continuous service in one postoffice.
Mr. Broy was married in the spring of 1874 to Miss Anna E. Owens of Eureka. On July 24 of the same year Eureka was swept by a great cloudburst that destroyed the greater part of the town and caused the death of sixteen people, among them being Mrs. Broy. Mr. and Mrs. Broy were in their home when the deluge came and a large building swept by the flood, crashed into their house and they were carried on the flood for half a mile. Mrs. Broy failed to survive the ordeal but her husband luckily escaped with his life. Later he was married to Miss Sarah Mathews, who survives him. He also leaves four children, all natives of Eureka. They are Mrs. Edna Gorman of Elko; R.A. and D.M. Broy of San Francisco and G.L. Broy of Fort Worth, Tex. All the children except G.L. Broy are in Reno, having been called by Mr. Broy’s illness.
Mr. Broy was very prominent in fraternal circles being a member of Eureka Lodge No. 22, I.O.O.F. Eureka Lodge No. 16., F. & A.M.; Peapific Lodge No. 7, K. of P. of Eureka and was at one time commander of Upton Post, No. 29, G.A.R., of Eureka.
With the death of Mr. Broy, Upton Post, G.A.R., of Eureka ceased to exist in its entirety as he was the last surviving member at the time of his death. When he was commander of the post back in the day when Eureka’s fame was nation wide the post had a large membership and was one of the prominent organizations of the state.
Funeral services for Mr. Broy will probably be held Sunday afternoon under the auspices of the I.O.O.F. lodge but no definite arrangements have been made.
Reno Evening Gazette (Reno, Nevada) Jan 30, 1920
YesterYear Once More 