A desert stage going through a canyon heading towards Goldfield, Nevada, ca.1900

Photograph of a desert stage going through a canyon heading towards Goldfield, Nevada, ca.1900. The stagecoach, pulled by four horses, is carrying a load of equipment and three men on top. Two men appear to be climbing onto the stage. Several horsemen and a few more horses are waiting(?) a few yards behind the stagecoach. Large boulders form the canyon walls. Cacti or desert vegetation are visible in the distance. "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.