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ng  "bjrWT.B  ath  er.  NY 


The 


History  of  Nevada 


EDITED 

BY 

SAM    P.    DAVIS 


VOLUME  II. 
ILLUSTRATED 


PUBLISHED  BY 

THE    ELMS    PUBLISHING    CO. 

INC. 

RENO,    NEV. LOS    ANGELES,    CAL. 

1918 


u.  c. 

AOEMY    OF 
;IFIC  COAST 
•<ISTORY 


HORTICULTURE  647 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

HORTICULTURE. 

BY  P.  BEVERIDGE  KENNEDY. 

We  can  hardly  state  that  Nevada  has  had  a  large  share  in  the  raising 
of  horticultural  products  on  a  commercial  scale  up  to  the  present  time. 
As  a  consumer,  however,  her  nearest  neighbor  on  the  west  has  benefited 
very  materially  from  the  large  quantities  of  fruits,  and  particularly  small 
fruits,  shipped  in  and  well  paid  for  by  Nevada's  generous  purchasers  and 
good  livers. 

That  she  has  not  reached  the  limit  of  her  possibilities  for  fruit-growing 
is  very  certain,  and  much  progress  is  being  made  along  horticultural  lines. 
The  early  settlers  with  the  gold  fever  excitement  could  not  be  expected 
to  have  the  temperament  necessary  for  the  careful  planting,  pruning  and 
cultivating  of  trees.  Then  again  they  found  the  native  grass  growing 
abundantly  everywhere  and  with  it  made  money  easily,  so  why  risk  the 
unknown  and  untried.  But  as  in  all  aggregations  of  people  there  were 
a  few  with  the  experimental  or  investigational  type  of  mind  and  it  is  to 
these  that  we  must  look  for  the  beginnings  of  things  in  a  horticultural 
way. 

In  the  Truckee  Valley  the  names  of  Walts,  Snare,  Plumb,  Ferris,  Sul- 
livan, Gault,  Ross,  Peckham,  McCarran,  Mullins,  Ferris,  Wheeler  and 
Lonkey,  have  been  associated  with  the  growing  of  fruit  to  a  greater  or 
less  extent  for  many  years.  In  no  case,  however,  does  the  amount  of 
land  devoted  to  fruit  exceed  ten  acres,  and  in  every  instance  the  crop  is 
raised  as  a  subsidiary  product  of  the  farm.  As  would  naturally  be  ex- 
pected the  orchards  located  on  the  foothills  have  more  success  in  escap- 
ing the  numerous  and  severe  spring  frosts  of  the  region.  In  the  foothill 
country  a  full  crop  may  be  relied  upon  without  "smudging"  about  once  in 
three  years  while  in  the  lower  parts  of  the  valley  a  good  crop  is  secured 
about  one  out  of  every  five  years.  Although  smudging  by  means  of  old 
manure  piles,  wood  and  rubbish  had  been  carried  on  for  a  number  of 


648  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

years  with  more  or  less  success,  it  was  not  until  orchard-heating  experi- 
ments were  carried  on  by  the  Nevada  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  in 
1910  that  much  attention  was  given  to  the  possibility  of  saving  the  crop 
of  fruit  annually  by  means  of  oil-heaters.  The  Walt  Bros,  took  up  the 
matter  in  a  practical  way  and  demonstrated  that  they  could  save  their 
crop  and  still  leave  a  fair  profit  after  all  expenses  of  heating  the  orchard 
had  been  deducted.  The  market  has  been  a  local  one  and  little  or  no 
grading  or  wrapping  or  packing  of  apples  has  been  done.  Buyers  have 
not  been  in  the  habit  of  coming  to  Nevada  because  of  the  uncertainty  of 
the  crop  and  the  small  acreage.  In  seasons  of  abundant  crops  the  local 
market  has  been  glutted  from  lack  of  storage  facilities  and  it  has  been 
found  necessary  to  turn  everything  into  cider  and  vinegar  or  feed  to 
stock.  In  a  few  favored  localities  in  regard  to  soil,  elevation  and  exposure 
strawberries  have  done  well,  but  the  high  price  for  the  labor  of  picking 
has  prevented  the  raising  of  this  crop  commercially.  Ten  acres  grown  at 
one  time  by  Mr.  Mullins  in  the  Wedekind  District,  is  the  largest  area 
devoted  to  this  crop.  Raspberries  are  grown  to  a  considerable  extent 
and  find  a  ready  local  market.  Usually,  however,  the  patches  do  not 
exceed  an  acre,  though  it  can  be  relied  upon  as  a  sure  and  profitable  crop. 
Peaches,  plums,  pears,  blackberries  and  cherries  are  grown  to  some 
extent  but  not  extensively  enough  to  be  considered  commercially.  It  is 
of  interest  in  this  connection  to  mention  the  status  of  the  nursery  busi- 
ness. Some  twenty  years  ago  there  were  two  well  established  nurseries. 
One  was  located  at  what  is  now  one  of  the  principal  residence  districts 
of  Reno,  and  occupies  the  land  lying  between  Sierra  and  Ralston  Streets 
and  Walnut  and  Maple  Streets.  The  trees  on  the  north  side  of  Maple 
Street  and  the  coniferous  trees  in  the  lots  have  grown  up  from  the  orig- 
inal specimens  in  the  nursery  rows.  This  nursery  was  owned  by  a  man 
named  Connor  who,  though,  a  good  gardener,  lacked  business  ability. 
The  other,  then  known  as  the  Arlington  nursery  was  located  on  the  out- 
skirts of  the  city  on  the  south  side  of  what  is  now  the  Patrick  ranch. 

Owing  to  the  great  diversity  of  the  climate,  ranging  from  a  few  degrees 
of  frost  toward  the  southern  boundary  near  the  Colorado  River  to  forty 
degrees  below  zero  in  the  extreme  north  and  on  some  of  the  central 
desert  plains,  the  State  must  be  divided  into  more  or  less  distinct  horti- 
cultural sections.  These  sections  we  will  designate  as:  (i)  the  Sierra 
Nevada  section;  (2)  the  Humboldt  River  section;  (3)  the  Southern  or 


HORTICULTURE  649 

Semi-tropical  section.  In  addition  to  these  there  will  be  found  numerous 
ranches  fifty  or  more  miles  from  the  railroad  and  scattered  throughout  the 
mountains  in  almost  every  part  of  the  State.  Many  of  these  produce 
most  excellent  fruit  in  small  quantities  for  local  consumption.  Indeed  it 
could  not  be  otherwise  as  even  the  apples  would  have  to  be  of  a  cast  iron 
variety  to  withstand  the  transit  over  the  mountain  roads,  not  to  speak 
of  the  more  perishable  fruits  like  peaches. 

The  Eastern  Sierra  Nevada  Section. — This  section  includes  the  country 
lying  along  the  east  side  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  and 
ranging  from  Verdi  and  Reno  through  the  rich  fertile  Truckee 
Valley  southwards  to  Pleasant,  Washoe,  Eagle  and  Carson  Valleys.  For 
convenience,  although  further  inland,  we  will  include  the  land  under  the 
government  reclamation  project  at  Fallen  and  Mason  and  Smith  Valleys 
further  south.  The  section  receives  its  water  supply  from  the  Truckee, 
Carson  and  Walker  Rivers  and  from  numerous  smaller  local  mountain 
streams.  From  that  time  until  recently  there  were  no  nurseries  in  the 
State.  The  Reno  nursery  has  several  thousand  young  Carolina  poplar 
trees,  but  aside  from  this,  all  orchard  trees,  small  fruits  and  ornamental 
trees  and  shrubs  are  brought  in  from  other  States.  We  must  here  include 
the  interesting  career  of  the  old  hermit,  Laurent  Bennyton.  He  escaped 
from  the  French  army  with  his  uniform  and  muskets  and  landed  in  Phil- 
adelphia. It  is  also  reported  that  he  was  an  exiled  priest.  He  was  a  man 
of  considerable  education  and  a  member  of  a  wealthy  and  well-known 
family,  the  Bennytons  of  Paris.  Working  his  way  west  he  landed  in 
Virginia  City  in  the  early  days.  From  there  he  became  a  man  of  the 
hills  and  a  hermit  evidently  prospecting  in  the  Virginia  range  of  moun- 
tains but  finally  locating  in  a  barren  nook  with  no  visible  spring,  two 
miles  south  over  the  ridge  from  Vista,  the  entrance  of  the  Truckee  River, 
through  the  mountains  on  its  course  to  Pyramid  Lake.  Here  he  remained 
for  forty-two  years  and  produced  a  horticultural  oasis,  the  like  of  which  is 
perhaps  unique  in  the  world's  history.  Surrounding  this  man  of  solitude 
and  few  words,  we  find  evidences  of  a  successful  battle  with  the  soil  and 
meagre  water  facilities  of  the  desert.  Living  in  a  hovel,  the  entrance 
consisting  of  a  hole  to  crawl  through,  a  goat  for  milk,  and  a  few  chickens, 
he  has  surrounded  himself  with  apple,  pear,  peach,  apricot  and  almond 
trees  as  well  as  a  few  grapes.  The  striking  horticultural  feature  is  that 
the  almond  trees  predominate,  there  being  over  a  thousand  trees,  old  and 


650  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

young,  which  bear  well  every  year.  When  we  consider  that  these  are 
the  only  almond  trees  anywhere  in  the  Truckee  Valley  or  the  northern  or 
central  parts  of  Nevada  we  must  give  great  credit  to  the  old  hermit  who 
has  opened  our  eyes  to  the  possibilities  of  similar  locations.  The  water 
from  the  melting  snow  was  conserved  in  miniature  reservoirs  which 
caused  a  gradual  seepage  to  the  groves  of  trees.  Here  we  find  little  wells 
four  feet  deep  and  two  feet  wide  from  which  he  dipped  the  water  into 
buckets  and  packed  it  on  his  shoulders  on  ingenious  water  carriers  to 
each  tree,  naming  it,  and  talking  to  it  with  such  remarks  as  the  following : 
"This  is  all  I  can  give  you  today,  perhaps  I  can  spare  you  a  little  more 
tomorrow,"  or  "You  were  very  good  to  me  last  year,  I  will  give  you  all 
I  can."  His  trees  undoubtedly  received  a  very  small  amount  of  water  and 
the  secret  of  his  success  is  a  great  object  lesson  in  dry  farming  methods. 
The  holes  for  the  trees  were  dug  five  feet  deep  and  nearly  as  wide,  and  in 
them  he  placed  rotten  sagebrush  and  grass  and  everything  that  would 
tend  to  hold  moisture  and  give  it  up  to  the  tree  gradually.  His  surplus 
crop  was  taken  on  his  back  over  a  trail  sixteen  miles  long  to  Virginia 
City.  This  long  trail  he  constructed  himself  with  only  a  pick  and 
shovel.  Other  evidences  of  his  mania  for  hard  labor  are  to  be  seen  in  the 
building  of  a  road  over  two  miles  long  down  a  canyon  to  the  Truckee 
River  and  a  fence  about  four  miles  long  built  of  sagebrush  and  rocks 
cleared  from  the  enclosed  territory. 

When  we  consider  that  all  this  and  much  more  has  been  accomplished 
with  the  sole  labor  of  a  pair  of  hands  we  are  obliged  to  marvel  at  the 
man's  fortitude. 

His  load  to  and  from  the  city  was  often  100  pounds,  consisting  chiefly 
of  flour  on  the  return  journey.  He  scorned  a  lift,  preferring  the  inde- 
pendence and  the  solitude.  The  bulk  of  the  fruit,  however,  was  dried  and 
this,  with  almonds  and  a  sort  of  wine  from  his  grapes,  formed  his  chief 
sustenance.  One  morning  in  the  spring  of  1912  he  was  found  lying  out- 
side the  hovel  very  sick,  and  was  taken  to  the  County  Hospital  in  Reno, 
Nev.,  where  he  died  a  month  later  at  the  age  of  87  years. 

In  his  effects  were  found  his  old  soldier  clothes  still  in  good  condition, 
for  he  is  said  only  to  have  put  them  on  on  rare  occasions.  His  old  flint- 
lock muskets  are  in  the  hands  of  a  neighboring  farmer.  We  must  give 
much  credit  to  this  noble  and  religious  character  for  having  demonstrated 
perhaps  unconsciously,  one  of  the  best  experiments  on  the  conservation  of 


HORTICULTURE  651 

moisture  and  the  possibilities  of  Nevada  for  the  growing  of  fruits,  espe- 
cially almonds,  under  apparently  almost  desert  conditions. 

The  Nevada  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  has  also  played  a  part  in 
the  horticulture  of  the  State.  It  was  organized  in  1887  and  the  first  appro- 
priation, fifteen  thousand  ($15,000)  dollars,  was  received  from  the  Fed- 
eral Government  in  April,  1888.  For  a  short  time  the  experiments,  chiefly 
in  meteorology,  were  conducted  on  the  University  Campus,  but  soon  a 
farm  was  secured  near  the  present  State  Asylum  and  an  orchard  planted. 
The  work  consisted  merely  of  growing  the  trees  and  identifying  the  varie- 
ties of  apples  and  no  records  were  kept.  In  1900  the  experiment  station 
farm  was  removed  to  its  present  site  adjoining  the  State  Fair  Grounds  in 
Reno.  The  farm  was  given  to  the  State  by  Washoe  County  and  the  old 
farm  was  turned  over  to  the  asylum  for  the  growing  of  vegetables  and 
fruit  for  the  inmates. 

From  1900  to  1903  no  horticultural  work  was  carried  on.  In  1903  the, 
writer  planted  out  an  orchard  and  many  trees  and  shrubs,  the  record 
of  which  can  be  found  in  the  Reports  and  Bulletins,  published  by  the 
station.  Leaving  the  Truckee  Valley  and  passing  along  the  Eastern 
Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  to  the  south  we  pass  through  Pleasant  Valley 
to  Washoe  Valley  which  has  upheld  the  reputation  of  Nevada  as  a  pos- 
sible fruit  growing  State  at  all  the  expositions  and  fairs  for  many  years. 
The  names  of  Lewers,  Winters,  Howard,  Cliff  and  Neidenriech  are  asso- 
ciated in  this  valley  with  the  raising  of  fruit  but  we  have  only  space 
enough  to  consider  the  ranch  of  Mr.  Lewers.  Mr.  Ross  Lewers,  a  well 
educated  Irishman,  after  coming  round  Cape  Horn,  landed  on  the  Coast 
in  1850,  and  engaged  in  mining  and  lumbering  in  California.  In  1860 
he  came  down  with  his  sawmill  to  Franktown  from  Honey  Lake  Valley. 
When  sufficient  high  land  was  cleared  he  planted  fruit  trees  in  1864. 
These  trees  are  still  bearing  well.  His  first  order  of  300  trees  given  to  a 
California  nurseryman,  landed  in  Virginia  by  mistake.  No  owner  being 
found  they  were  sold  for  the  freight  and  planted  in  Six  Mile  Canyon,  near 
Dayton. 

The  next  order  was  given  to  the  well  known  firm  of  Thomas  Meehan, 
at  Philadelphia  and  Paul's  nursery  at  Washington,  D.  C.  He  also  started 
a  small  nursery  and  raised  his  own  trees  from  seedlings.  After  estab- 
lishing a  picturesque  home  overlooking  Lake  Washoe  and  surrounded 
by  pine  trees,  he  returned  to  Ireland  for  a  companion.  His  wife  was  an 


652  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

ardent  lover  of  flowers  and  a  keen  observer  and  reader  and  surrounded 
herself  with  the  largest  assortment  of  perennial  flowering  plants  grown 
in  the  State. 

There  are  about  forty  acres  of  orchard  containing  some  seventy  vari- 
eties of  apples,  a  dozen  of  pears,  a  few  peach,  plum,  cherry  trees  and 
strawberries,  raspberries  and  loganberries  among  the  small  fruits.  A 
unique  feature  of  the  place  is  a  very  large  English  walnut  tree  which 
bears  some  fruit  every  year  and  sometimes  a  fair  crop.  There  are  also 
two  fine  white  oaks  now  twenty  years  old  with  trunks  nine  inches  in 
diameter.  All  the  fruit  raised  is  of  excellent  quality  and  superb  in  color- 
ing. The  soil  is  a  rich  black  granitic  loam  abundantly  supplied  with 
potash.  His  market  for  many  years  was  at  Virginia  City  and  Washoe, 
the  highest  price  received  being  $2.50  to  $3.00  per  box  of  apples.  After 
the  Virginia  and  Truckee  Railroad  was  built  Mr.  Lewers  shipped  to  Cali- 
fornia and  was  able  to  compete  successfully  on  the  San  Francisco  market 
often  receiving  25  cents  a  box  more  for  his  apples  than  the  California 
product.  It  is  the  only  orchard  in  the  State  known  to  the  writer  where 
fruit  has  been  scientifically  stored  and  packed  before  being  placed  on  the 
market.  Still  further  south  in  Eagle  Valley  in  the  vicinity  of  Carson  and 
in  the  Carson  Valley,  near  Gardnerville  and  Genoa,  there  are  a  number 
of  old  orchards  which  raise  considerable  fruit  for  home  consumption  or 
the  local  market.  Mr.  Dangberg  at  Minden  has  also  set  out  a  consider- 
able acreage  to  young  trees.  Fifty  miles  inland  from  the  Truckee  Valley 
in  the  Carson  Sink  Valley  where  the  Truckee  Carson  Government  recla- 
mation Project  has  been  established  there  are  a  number  of  old  ranches 
nearly  all  of  which  have  more  or  less  land  planted  out  to  fruit.  The 
names  of  Thommey,  Brown,  Harriman,  Douglas,  Allen,  Ferguson,  are 
associated  with  small  orchards.  Large  numbers  of  young  trees  have  been 
planted  out  by  the  new  settlers  as  the  possibilities  of  profitable  fruit  grow- 
ing are  excellent.  Still  further  south,  in  Mason  and  Smith  Valleys,  we 
find  a  large  number  of  ranches  growing  considerable  fruit. 

The  Humboldt  River  Section. — This  includes  the  ranches  watered  by 
the  Humboldt  River  and  her  tributaries  and  extends  for  hundreds  of 
miles  from  the  Ruby  or  East  Humboldt  Mountains  to  Lovelock. 

In  Star  Valley  we  have  the  names  of  Cazier,  Smiley,  Riddell,  Hardy, 
Wells,  Lane  and  Gray,  and  in  Clover  Valley,  those  of  Conway,  Weeks, 
Johnson,  Wiseman,  Schoer  and  Gibbs.  None  of  these  orchards  exceed 


HORTICULTURE  653 

four  acres  in  extent.  Some  bear  every  year,  but  the  majority  are  so  situ- 
ated that  the  spring  frosts  have  to  be  contended  with.  At  Toynes  in 
Mound  Valley  we  find  apples,  pears,  peaches,  plums  and  small  fruits,  in 
abundance  for  home  use. 

The  Southern  and  Semi-tropical  Section. — In  this  section  we  in- 
clude the  southern  part  of  the  State  as  represented  in  Nye,  Lincoln 
and  Clark  Counties.  The  truly  semi-tropical  part  of  the  section 
is  situated  in  Clark  County,  which  is  the  southern  half  of  what  was  once 
Lincoln  County.  The  chief  horticultural  districts  are  in  the  Muddy  or 
Moapa  Valley  and  the  Las  Vegas,  Pahrump  and  Pahranagat  Valleys. 

The  lower  part  of  the  Moapa  Valley  at  St.  Thomas  was  settled  as  early 
as  1851  by  Mormons,  who  came  from  Utah.  Thinking  they  were  still 
within  the  Utah  boundary  they  paid  their  taxes  to  Utah  officials.  When 
the  Nevada  tax  collector  discovered  them  he  demanded  that  they  pay 
three  years'  back  taxes.  This  they  refused  to  do,  burnt  their  houses,  and 
abandoning  their  ripening  crops,  departed  for  Salt  Lake  City.  In  about 
1870  a  new  lot  of  settlers,  both  Gentile  and  Mormon,  came  into  the 
valley  and  located  at  Logan  (then  called  St.  Joe),  Overton  and  St. 
Thomas.  To  them  must  be  attributed  the  discovery  of  the  wonderful 
fertility  of  the  soil  of  the  region  for  the  production  of  alfalfa,  grains, 
vegetables  and  fruits.  Associated  with  its  early  history  are  the  names 
of  Belding  and  Seabright,  Bonelli,  Syphus  Mills,  Church,  Thomas,  Jones, 
Cobb,  Gibson,  Gans,  Willow,  Lund  and  Judd  and  Major  Holt  For  a  long 
time  the  nearest  railroad  was  over  a  hundred  miles  away,  so  that  almost 
everything  grown  was  disposed  of  in  the  valley  or  to  the  miners  in  south- 
ern Nevada  and  northern  Arizona,  Bonelli,  the  keeper  of  the  ferry  across 
the  Colorado  River,  then  at  Rioville,  was  an  all-round  naturalist.  Cotton 
was  grown  quite  extensively  in  the  early  days  and  made  into  clothing. 
Apples,  pears,  peaches,  plums,  prunes,  cherries,  apricots,  almonds,  nectar- 
ines, pomegranates,  figs,  grapes  and  peanuts.  Sugar  cane  was  found  to 
grow  exceedingly  well,  but  there  was  then  no  market  for  perishable 
crops.  All  kinds  of  vegetables  grew  profusely  and  in  many  cases  were 
harvested  even  before  the  same  crops  were  sown  in  the  north.  In  1905 
the  San  Pedro,  Los  Angeles  and  Salt  Lake  Railroad,  extended  a  branch 
of  the  Oregon  Short  Line  so  as  to  pass  through  southern  Nevada  en  route 
to  Los  Angeles.  The  prospect  of  a  good  market  for  their  crops  brought 
new  hope  to  the  old  settlers  and  made  the  valley  accessible  to  seekers 


654  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

after  land  who  soon  began  to  come  in  considerable  numbers.  Some  of 
the  old  settlers  seeing  a  good  chance  to  sell  out  at  a  favorable  price  gave 
up  the  hard  struggle  and  retired  to  spend  the  few  remaining  years  of 
their  life  under  easier  and  more  sociable  surroundings. 

On  March  2,  1905,  the  Twenty-second  Session  of  the  Nevada  State 
Legislature  approved  an  act  to  select  a  site  for  the  Establishment  of  a 
Branch  Experiment  Farm  in  the  Tropical  Regions  of  Nevada.  The 
Commissioners  appointed  by  the  Governor  to  select  the  site  were  Col. 
H.  B.  Maxson,  P.  S.  Triplett  and  Professor  Gordon  H.  True.  They  se- 
lected eight  acres  of  land  at  Logan  in  the  Moapa  Valley.  A  report  cover- 
ing the  details  of  the  Commission's  work  was  published  by  the 'State  in 
1906.  Experiments  on  the  adaptability  and  the  best  methods  of  growing 
grain,  hay,  vegetable  and  fruit  crops  and  with  live  stock  have  been  car- 
ried on.  The  history  of  this  work  of  the  Experiment  Farm  is  to  be  found 
in  the  Reports  of  the  Board  of  Control  for  1907-1908,  and  1909-1910. 
These  are  also  published  by  the  State.  At  the  Stewart  ranch  adjacent  to 
the  town  of  Las  Vegas,  in  the  Las  Vegas  Valley,  we  have  one  of  the 
oldest  ranches  in  the  State  of  Nevada.  There  are  old  trees  and  vines, 
planted  about  fifty-five  years  ago,  that  are  still  bearing  profusely.  A 
single  apricot  tree  sometimes  bears  a  ton  of  fruit.  The  ranch  is  watered 
by  means  of  an  immense  spring  of  tepid  water  coming  directly  out  of  the 
desert.  Within  the  last  few  years  artesian  wells  have  been  established 
and  new  land  is  being  put  under  cultivation.  In  the  Pahranagat  Valley 
in  Lincoln  County,  and  the  Pahrump  Valley  in  Nye  County,  fruit  has 
been  grown  on  isolated  ranches  for  many  years,  but  little  is  known  of 
the  possibilities  of  the  region. 

A  few  ranches  near  the  foothills  of  the  Charleston  Mountains  produce 
considerable  fruit  and  vegetables,  particularly  the  old  White  ranch  at 
Manso,  and  the  MacFarland  ranch  at  Indian  Springs. 

Horticultural  Legislation. — An  act  to  encourage  the  growth  of  trees 
was  approved  March  7,  1873.  Ten  dollars  a  year  for  twenty  years,  was 
paid  by  the  county  for  each  acre  or  half  mile  of  forest  or  ornamental 
trees  planted  a  rod  apart  and  kept  alive  in  growing  condition,  willows  and 
cottonwoods  planted  above  ditches  and  canals  were  not  included.  The 
planting  was  to  in  no  manner  increase  the  taxable  value  of  the  land.  This 
law  is  no  longer  in  force. 


HORTICULTURE  655 

Horticulture  is  also  included  in  the  work  of  the  State  Agricultural 
Society  by  an  act  approved  in  the  same  year. 

On  March  13,  1903,  an  act  was  approved  to  protect  and  promote  the 
horticultural  interests  of  the  State  and  to  destroy  insect  pests  in  orchards 
and  elsewhere.  Whenever  a  petition  is  presented  to  the  Board  of  County 
Commissioners  of  any  county,  and  signed  by  twenty  or  more  persons  who 
are  resident  freeholders  and  possessors  of  an  orchard  or  both  stating 
that  certain  or  all  orchards  or  nurseries  or  trees  of  any  variety,  are  in- 
fested with  scale  insect  of  any  kind  injurious  to  fruit,  fruit  trees  or  vines, 
or  are  infested  with  codling  moth  or  other  insects  or  pests  that  are  destruc- 
tive to  trees  or  vines,  and  praying  that  a  Commissioner  be  appointed  by 
them  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  supervise  the  destruction  of  such  insects 
or  trees  as  herein  provided,  the  Board  of  County  Commissioners  shall 
within  twenty  days  after  the  presentation  of  such  a  petition,  select  and 
appoint  a  Commissioner  for  the  county,  who  shall  be  known  as  the 
County  Horticultural  Commissioner,  the  said  Commissioner  shall  serve 
for  a  period  of  two  years  from  and  after  the  date  of  his  appointment  and 
qualification  or  unless  he  shall  be  sooner  removed  by  order  of  said  Board 
of  County  Commissioners.  There  are  eight  sections  to  the  act  providing 
the  duties,  districts  and  compensation  of  the  Commissioners.  An  act  con- 
cerning the  shipping  of  nursery  stock  into  the  State  was  approved  March 
25,  1909. 

Section  I.  All  nursery  stock  shipped  from  other  States  to  points  within 
the  State  of  Nevada,  whether  fruit  trees,  ornamental  trees,  shrubs,  vines, 
cuttings,  or  other  nursery  stock  of  any  description  whatever  shall  bear 
on  the  outside  of  each  car,  crate,  bale,  bundle  or  package  a  label  giving 
the  names  of  the  consignor  and  consignee,  together  with  a  copy  of  an 
inspection  certificate  of  recent  date.  Such  certificate  of  inspection  must 
certify  that  said  stock  has  been  inspected  and  found  free  from  insect 
pests  or  plant  diseases  of  any  kind.  It  must  bear  the  signature  of  the 
State  Entomologist  or  Plant  Pathologist  or  other  duly  qualified  person 
in  authority  in  the  State  in  which  said  nursery  stock  was  grown. 

Section  2.  No  corporation,  company,  or  individual  engaged  in  the  trans- 
portation of  freight  or  express  shall  make  delivery  of  any  nursery  stock 
lacking  such  official  certificate  of  inspection  to  the  consignee  or  his  agent 
within  the  State  of  Nevada ;  and  any  agent  of  any  such  corporation,  com- 
pany or  individual  who  does  make  delivery  of  any  uncertified  nursery 


656  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

stock  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor  and  upon  conviction  thereof 
shall  be  fined  in  any  sum  not  less  than  twenty-five  ($25)  dollars  nor 
more  than  one  hundred  ($100)  dollars,  or  by  imprisonment  in  the  County 
Jail  for  not  less  than  five  nor  more  than  thirty  days,  or  by  both  such  fine 
and  imprisonment  at  the  discretion  of  the  Court,  and  any  fines  collected 
under  the  provisions  of  this  act  shall  be  paid  to  the  State  Treasurer. 


THE    NEVADA    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY  657 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 
THE  NEVADA  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY. 

JUSTICE  G.  F.  TALBOT,  President Carson  City 

DR.   H.   E.   REID,  Vice-President Reno 

DR.   A.   E.   HERSHISER,  Treasurer Reno 

JEANNE  ELIZABETH  WIER,  Secretary  and  Curator Reno 

Senator  H.  H.  CORYELL,  Member  at  Large , Wells 

Senator  A.  'W.  HOLMES,  Member  at  Large Reno 

The  first  attempt  to  preserve  information  concerning  the  early  history 
of  Nevada  was  made  by  the  Society  of  Pacific  Coast  Pioneers  in  Virginia 
City  in  1872.  Much  valuable  work  had  been  accomplished  when,  in  1875, 
the  great  fire  on  the  Comstock  destroyed  the  society  building  with  all  its 
contents.  A  new  hall  was  soon  erected  and  another  collection  made,  but 
with  the  decline  of  the  Comstock  and  the  scattering  of  the  pioneers,  the 
society  was  after  a  time  disbanded;  its  museum  collection  was  donated 
to  the  State,  and  but  little  of  this  contribution  remains  intact  at  the  present 
time.  A  similar  organization  obtained  for  a  time  at  Austin  and  was 
known  as  the  Reese  River  Pioneers. 

Creation  of  the  Nevada  Historical  Society. — Not  until  thirty-two  years 
later  was  the  interest  in  this  historical  work  revived,  and  then  on  the 
basis  of  a  State-wide  organization.  In  1904  the  Nevada  Historical  So- 
ciety came  into  being  as  a  private  organization.  It  enrolled  among  its 
charter  members  many  of  the  most  prominent  men  and  women  of  the 
State,  some  of  whom  have  since  crossed  the  Great  Divide.  General  E.  D. 
Kelley  was  its  first  vice-president  and  its  second  president.  Orvis  Ring, 
Chauncey  N.  Noteware  and  Hannah  K.  Clapp  were  among  the  first  to 
give  support  to  the  undertaking.  Mr.  R.  L.  Fulton  was  the  first  president 
and  Mr.  Clarence  H.  Mackay  its  first  honorary  member. 

In  1907  by  act  of  the  legislature,  signed  by  Governor  Sparks,  the  so- 
ciety became  a  State  institution  with  a  small  appropriation  for  maintenance 
of  the  work  during  the  biennium.  Since  that  time  the  society,  as  the 
trustee  of  the  State,  has  labored  diligently  to  collect  and  preserve 
the  records  and  other  historical  materials  pertaining  to  the 


658 

early  history  of  the  commonwealth  of  Nevada,  and  at  the  same  time  has 
not  neglected  to  gather  in  the  current  newspapers  and  broadside  issues 
which  in  turn  will  soon  become  historic. 

General  Character  of  the  Collection. — The  library  now  contains  over 
three  thousand  books  and  pamphlets  besides  many  files  of  newspapers. 
In  the  museum  are  about  one  thousand  exhibits,  some  of  which  are  of 
rare  value.  Anthropological  specimens  tell  of  the  Indian  occupancy  of 
the  country  before  the  days  of  the  paleface ;  souvenirs  from  the  old  mines 
and  mills  of  the  bonanza  days  recall  the  memories  of  the  years  when  the 
state  was  in  its  formative  period  politically  and  industrially.  The  trophies 
of  the  Wheelmen's  club  belong  to  another  and  a  later  era,  but  when  an- 
other half  century  shall  have  passed  over  our  heads  these  modern  things 
will  also  have  become  ancient  history. 

A  Mark  Twain  Pipe. — Nevada  failed  to  obtain  a  Mark  Twain  statue, 
but  she  possesses  a  genuine  Clemens'  pipe — such  a  one  as  Mark  loved, 
such  a  one  as  he  pictures  in  "Roughing  It."  "Ham  and  eggs,  and  after 
these  a  pipe — ham  and  eggs  and  scenery,  a  'down  grade,'  a  flying  coach, 
a  fragrant  pipe  and  a  contented  heart — these  make  happiness.  It  is  what 
all  the  ages  have  struggled  for."  And  with  the  pipe  there  is  a  letter  from 
his  daughter,  the  Countess  Gabrilowitsch,  in  which  she  speaks  of  her 
father's  regard  for  the  work  of  the  Nevada  Historical  Society,  of  which 
he  was  an  honorary  member. 

The  Hawkins  Collection. — Of  more  than  usual  interest  is  the  collection 
of  souvenirs  pertaining  to  the  old  Mormon  station  at  Genoa,  and  to  its 
founders.  Through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  D.  R.  Hawkins,  of  Genoa,  these 
things  have  found  a  place  in  the  State  Museum. 

Pictures  of  the  old  log  cabin  which  was  destroyed  by  fire  two  years 
since ;  pieces  of  the  old  logs ;  hand-made  nails  used  in  its  construction ; 
the  andirons  and  crane  from  its  fire  place;  the  pans  in  which  the  gold 
was  separated  from  the  refuse  ere  it  was  received  in  payment  for  goods 
at  the  trading  station ;  the  old  inkwell  and  cancelling  stamp  from  the  first 
postoffice  in  the  State  kept  at  this  same  Mormon  station — all  serve  to 
recall  to  the  pioneers  those  days  of  the  'SQ'S  when  the  life  of  western 
Utah  centered  around  the  little  old  log  cabin  on  the  banks  of  the  Carson 
River.  Then  there  is  the  old  Swiss  watch  given  by  Stephen  Kinsey  to 
his  wife  when  they  were  married  in  Washoe  City  in  1855 ;  the  old  Kinsey 
bible  with  its  family  record;  the  Philopena  book  brought  by  Snowshoe 


THE    NEVADA    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY  659 

Thompson  on  his  snowshoes  from  Sacramento  to  Genoa  in  1857  and  pre- 
sented by  him  to  Mrs.  Kinsey  with  his  autograph.  But  space  fails  to 
allow  the  whole  record  of  this  collection. 

Souvenirs  of  Governors  and  Legislatures. — Of  governors'  souvenirs 
there  is  a  nucleus ;  Territorial  Governor  Nye's  sword  and  "Broad-horn" ; 
Bradley's  hard  wood  cane ;  and  some  day  in  the  not  far  distant  future  the 
Blaisdell  piano  will  come  to  keep  these  company,  while  on  the  walls  above 
will  hang  the  pictures  of  the  legislatures  which  since  1861  have  recorded 
in  statute  the  growth  of  the  commonwealth  of  Nevada. 

Historic  Weapons — Reminiscent  of  another  type  of  history-making  is 
the  collection  of  old  weapons  ranging  from  swords  and  guns  which  did 
service  in  the  great  American  wars  to  flint-locks  which  protected  the 
Mormons  on  their  west  bound  trek  to  Great  Salt  Lake  and  beyond,  and 
the  tiny  derringers  which  saw  service  on  the  Comstock  in  the  days  when 
justice  was  measured  out  by  a  vigilance  committee.  Of  still  older  pedi- 
gree is  the  Spanish  lance-head  brought  from  southern  Nevada  and  which, 
with  other  relics  not  yet  gathered  into  the  fold  of  the  museum,  points  to 
the  days  of  the  occupancy  of  the  Vegas  Valley  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers. 
Slight  reminder  this  of  the  place  the  now  Nevada  held  in  the  "Mexican 
Cession,"  and  the  Spanish  flag,  blood-stained  and  bullet-scarred,  which 
hangs  in  another  corner,  bears  evidence  that  as  Nevada  was  at  one  time 
rescued  by  the  United  States  from  the  Spanish-American  or  Mexican 
influence,  so  a  Nevada  boy  just  fifty  years  later,  wrested  from  the  flagstaff 
in  Cuba  the  flag  which  stands  for  the  exertion  of  the  same  kind  of  influ- 
ence in  another  part  of  the  American  continent. 

The  Fremont  Pistol. — Of  somewhat  doubtful  authenticity  is  the  so- 
called  Fremont  pistol,  but  if  not  the  companion  of  the  illustrious  path- 
finder, it  at  least  helped  to  mark  the  trail  by  which  others  followed  in  his 
footsteps  from  Nevada  into  the  promised  land  of  California. 

Broderick-Terry  Duelling  Pistol. — This  weapon  recalls  the  memory  of 
the  influence  exerted  by  the  killing  of  Senator  Broderick  of  California, 
in  1859,  upon  the  Constitution  of  Nevada  for  the  feeling  of  horror  which 
swept  over  the  Pacific  Coast  was  only  comparable  to  that  occasioned  by 
the  Hamilton-Burr  duel  of  the  early  part  of  the  same  century.  Nevada, 
therefore,  in  framing  her  organic  law  inserted  the  famous  and  now  obso- 
lete "duelling  clause." 

Curious  Maps  and  Manuscripts. — In  the  collection  of  old  maps  and  man- 


660  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

uscripts  of  especial  interest  to  Renoites  is  the  first  map  of  Reno,  when  the 
city  was  only  "the  end  of  the  track,"  and  when  the  first  town  lots  were 
carved  out  of  the  lake  property.  Then  there  are  the  first  maps  of  Vir- 
ginia City,  the  Ely  District,  Humboldt  and  Reese  River,  while  the  most 
curious  of  all  is  the  map  of  the  Washoe  Mining  Region  of  1860  showing, 
though  sometimes  erroneously,  the  relative  distances  of  Washoe  from 
the  principal  places  in  California  and  the  stage  routes  connecting  these 
places.  As  one  traces  the  old  trails  on  this  map  there  arises  in  imagina- 
tion a  picture  of  the  long  procession  of  emigrant  wagons,  of  pack  mules 
and  nondescript  caravans  that  covered  these  roads  in  the  early  days.  Suf- 
fice it  to  say  that  the  organization  will  not  rest  content  until  one  of  these 
old  stage  coaches  is  safely  housed  in  the  new  building.  Here  also  are 
mining  certificates  bearing  the  autograph  signatures  of  the  giant  miners 
of  the  early  days  and  of  the  bonanza  period.  Here  are  manuscripts  written 
by  the  pioneers  and  of  only  slightly  less  importance  are  the  stories  dic- 
tated by  them  and  recorded  by  the  secretary  of  the  society. 

Rare  Newspapers  and  Magazines. — Of  old  newspapers  the  society  has 
some  rare  numbers,  such  as  the  Daily  Morning  Post  of  Carson  City, 
draped  in  mourning  for  Lincoln  and  bearing  on  one  page  a  copy  of  the 
new  constitution  of  Nevada,  truly  a  veritable  birth  certificate  of  the 
"Battle-born"  State.  From  the  standpoint  of  utility  in  the  field  of  historical 
writing  the  magazine  acquisitions  form  one  of  the  best  features  of  the 
work.  The  Overland  and  Sunset,  nearly  complete,  as  also  the  Pacific 
Monthly  and  Out  West  and  a  part  of  the  Land  of  Sunshine,  are  supple- 
mented by  at  least  a  part  of  nearly  every  magazine  which  has  been  pub- 
lished on  or  about  the  Pacific  Coast,  even  to  the  Pioneer  in  1854  and  1855 
bound  in  the  original  wrappers,  and  California  Magazine  for  1857  and 
1858. 

Pamphlets  and  Broadsides — The  ephemeral  literature  of  a  mining 
region  always  exceeds  by  far  the  output  of  the  more  stable  forms  of 
production ;  and  fortunately  many  of  the  posters,  dodgers  and  invitation 
cards  have  been  preserved.  Nevada  and  California  are  alike  represented 
in  pamphlet  literature.  In  the  contemporary  accounts  of  the  Vigilance 
Committee  of  1856  and  in  the  many  other  descriptions  of  California  life 
in  the  '505  we  have  the  evidence  of  eye-witnesses  to  the  stirring  events 
which,  from  the  standpoint  of  Nevada,  were  but  introductory  to  the  great 
drama  of  the  6o's.  Supplementing  Fitch's  Manual  of  the  City  'of  San 


THE     NEVADA     HISTORICAL     SOCIETY  66 1 

Francisco  (1852)  is  the  old  picture  of  that  city  in  1857,  while  the  several 
old-time  drawings  of  the  missions  visualize  the  history  of  the  Spanish 
period  with  its  more  indirect  influence  upon  the  Cis-Sierra  Mexican 
Cession. 

Marshall  and  Burke. — In  the  "Life  and  Adventures  of  James  W.  Mar- 
shall, the  Discoverer  of  Gold  in  California,1'  which  was  published  by 
Marshall  and  William  Burke  in  Sacramento  in  1870,  we  have  a  direct 
and  forcible  illustration  of  the  intimate  relationship  between  the  two 
States  of  California  and  Nevada.  For  William  Burke  lived  his  life  and 
died  in  eastern  Nevada — a  valued  charter  member  of  the  Nevada  His- 
torical Society.  He  was  prominent  in  the  formative  days  of  this  State,  not 
only  in  the  mining  camps,  but  in  the  political  life  of  the  commonwealth 
also,  and  was  nominated  at  one  time  for  Lieutenant-Governor.  His 
brother,  the  late  James  Burke,  of  Steamboat  Springs,  was  a  mining  part- 
ner of  James  W.  Marshall  in  the  early  days  of  California  and  until  1868, 
and  to  him  Mr.  Marshall  pointed  out  the  spot  where  gold  was  discovered. 
James  Burke  was  doubtless  the  last  man  who  could  have  absolutely 
identified  the  place,  and  he  failed  to  do  it  before  his  lamented  death  in 
1912.  When  Mr.  Burke  came  to  Reno  in  1868  he  brought  Marshall  with 
him  and  kept  him  here  at  his  home  for  a  year.  Together  they  erected  the 
first  brick  building  in  Reno,  the  one  which  stands  at  the  northwest  corner 
of  Second  and  Virginia  Streets.  To  Mr.  Burke's  wife  Marshall  gave  as 
a  wedding  gift  a  piece  of  the  first  gold  taken  out  in  California. 

Mining  Literature. — In  the  field  of  more  technical  mining  literature 
California  and  Nevada  are  again  linked  together,  for  side  by  side  with 
the  report  on  the  Lower  Comstock  Mining  Company's  claims,  1873,  and 
the  rare  collection  known  as  "Views  of  the  Gould  and  Curry  Silver  Min- 
ing Company,  Virginia  City,  N.  T."  (ca.  1861),  stands  the  Compilation 
of  the  Statutes  of  California,  the  Territory  of  Nevada,  and  Ordinances 
of  Mexico,  1864,  known  as  "Congdon's  Mining  Laws  and  Forms" ;  also 
Justice  Field's  "Construction  of  the  United  States  Mining  Statutes  of 
1866  and  1872  in  the  Case  of  Eureka  Con.  Mining  Co.  v.  Richmond  Min. 
Co.,  Aug.  22,  1877." 

Literary  Products. — Some  few  but  rare  items  of  native  production 
have  come  to  take  their  place  beside  the  "Comstock  Club"  and  "Sagebrush 
Leaves,"  of  which  Harte's  "Sazerac  Lying  Club"  (1878)  is  illustrative  of 
the  early  period,  and  Judge  Goodwin's  "Pioneers"  of  this  our  own  time. 


662  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Of  slightly  different  cast  is  the  "Morning  Report  Book  of  the  8th  Caval- 
ry at  Camp  McDermitt  in  1868,"  recalling  the  days  when  the  Government 
still  retained  its  troops  within  Nevada. 

General  Collection  of  Rare  Antiquities. — No  historical  society  can  afford 
to  neglect  to  accumulate  as  opportunity  offers  mementoes  of  other 
historic  areas  than  its  own,  for  the  present  is  the  child  of  the  past  and 
the  world  is  but  small  after  all.  The  Nevada  Historical  Society  has 
fared  well  in  this  respect  during  the  last  biennium.  Of  the  Eighteenth 
Century  is  Rogers's  "Cruising  Voyage  Around  the  World,"  published 
in  1712,  Motley's  "Life  of  Peter,  Emperor  of  Russia,"  (1739),  and 
Guthrie's  Geography  of  1794.  Of  the  first  item  mentioned  above,  that 
of  Capt.  Woodes  Rogers's  Cruising  Voyage,  begun  in  1708  and  finished 
in  1711,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  author  landed  on  the  coast  of 
California  and  writes  of  the  natives  and  of  the  discovery  of  a  "bright 
metal."  This  is  one  of  the  earliest  references  to  California  in  English 
and  is  a  work  of  excessive  rarity. 

Of  the  early  Nineteenth  Century,  Clarkson's  History  of  the  Slave  Trade 
bears  the  date  of  1808,  Murphy's  Interesting  Documents,  1819,  Huish's 
Voyages,  1836,  and  Mitchell's  Geography,  1852,  while  a  little  volume 
of  1828  portrays  the  work  of  Sir  Francis  Drake  in  the  exploration  of 
the  Pacific  Slope — a  pioneer  Westerner,  by  the  way,  who  has  received 
recognition  in  California  by  the  erection  of  the  Prayer-Book  Cross  in 
Golden  Gate  Park  overlooking  the  spot  of  his  landfall  in  Alta,  California. 
The  volume  has  additional  value  because  it  was  formerly  the  property  of 
Sir  Francis  Drake,  Bart.,  descended  from  the  famous  navigator. 

But  rarest  of  all  in  this  century  is  Greenleaf's  Law  of  Evidence,  1854, 
which  once  formed  a  part  of  the  library  of  President  Andrew  Johnson, 
and  every  volume  of  which  now  bears  his  autograph.  For  these  three 
volumes  Southern  historical  societies  have  offered  a  large  sum  of  money, 
but  they  came  to  our  organization  "without  money  and  without  price." 

The  Stewart  Collection. — But  in  the  library  the  most  notable  addition  is 
that  of  the  Stewart  collection,  both  as  to  books  and  manuscripts.  When 
Senator  Stewart,  shortly  before  his  death,  gave  to  the  Historical  Society 
his  scrap-books  and  private  letter-books  together  with  a  mass  of  other 
highly  valuable  material,  he  not  only  contributed  data  which  will  some 
day  be  of  immeasurable  value  for  the  writing  of  our  history,  but  he  set 
an  example  worthy  of  imitation  by  other  of  our  statesmen.  The  Stewart 


THE    NEVADA    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY  663 

collection  but  points  the  way  in  one  of  the  most  important  fields  of  his- 
torical archiving. 

First  Steps  in  a  Great  Movement. — So  also  in  all  departments  of  the 
work,  only  the  veriest  beginning  has  been  made  in  the  different  fields. 
The  treasures  now  at  hand  are  but  the  nuclei  which  will  attract  to  them- 
selves other  things  of  equal  or  greater  importance  as  the  years  go  by 
until  there  shall  be  gathered  under  one  roof  an  abundance  of  historical 
materials  concerning  this  western  State.  For  the  present,  the  possibilities 
of  profitable  activity  are  limited  only  by  the  financial  situation.  Hitherto 
the  society  has  been  greatly  handicapped  by  lack  of  funds  and  even  at 
present  necessity  presses  hard  upon  the  treasury  and  compels  the  elimin- 
ation of  much  endeavor  which  in  the  future  would  bring  rich  reward  in 
the  way  of  historical  data.  For  it  must  be  remembered  that  as  the  area 
of  our  State  is  larger  and  our  population  more  scattered  than  in  the 
Eastern  States,  so  the  work  is  more  expensive  and  more  difficult.  As  to 
the  location  of  historical  materials,  the  east  has  passed  into  the  era  of 
domestication;  its  historical  food  is  close  at  hand;  its  task  is  merely  to 
absorb.  The  west,  including  Nevada,  is  still  in  the  hunting  stage ;  it  must 
run  down  its  game  before  it  can  feast.  In  the  east  are  States,  several  of 
which  could  be  set  down  side  by  side  within  the  boundaries  of  one  of  our 
great  western  counties.  In  those  States  there  is  always  at  least  one  nu- 
cleus where  for  long  ages  historical  materials  have  been  collected;  many 
times  there  are  several  such  places  in  one  State,  each  locality  having  a 
collection  of  its  own,  and  the  student  has  no  very  difficult  task  before 
him  when  he  seeks  to  utilize  such  records.  But  in  States  like  Nevada  the 
materials  are  still  scattered  far  afield  and  until  they  are  gathered  up 
through  infinite  effort  no  real  history  of  the  state  can  ever  be  written,  no 
critical  work  can  be  accomplished. 

Historic  Consciousness  Is  Evolving. — By  acts  of  three  legislatures  the 
people  of  this  commonwealth  have  signified  their  definite  intention  of 
preserving  this  history  of  the  State,  and  there  is  now  needed  but  a  period 
of  renewed  financial  prosperity  to  enable  the  representatives  of  our  gov- 
ernment to  appropriate  in  such  goodly  measure  as  will  make  possible  the 
saving  of  the  historic  materials  while  yet  there  is  opportunity. 

Private  Benefactors. — And  while  State  sentiment  has  been  forming, 
and  historic  consciousness  evolving,  there  have  come  to  the  aid 
of  the  work  individually  men  who  not  only  helped  to  make  history,  but 


664 


THE     HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 


have  realized  more  keenly  than  others  the  need  for  quick  action  in  its 
preservation  and  who  have  contributed  generously  to  the  support  of  the 
work  when  State  aid  was  lacking.  A  trio  of  such  loyal  Nevadans  are  Mr. 
Clarence  H.  Mackay,  Mr.  F.  M.  Smith,  and  the  late  Senator  Geo.  S. 
Nixon,  who  for  years  was  the  vice-president  of  the  organization.  In 
lesser  measure  many  other  citizens  have  aided  in  a  financial  way  and  to 
the  publishers  of  the  newspapers  especially  is  the  society  indebted  for 
their  uniform  kindness  in  furnishing  current  numbers  and  even  older 
files.  To  one  such  editor,  Mr.  W.  W.  Booher,  the  society  is  doubly 
indebted  because  of  his  long  and  efficient  service  upon  the  executive 
council. 

In  the  matter  of  safely  housing  its  collection,  the  society  has  faced  un- 
usual obstacles  now  happily  overcome,  at  least  for  a  few  years,  through 
the  erection  by  the  State  of  a  temporary  brick  structure  near  the  uni- 
versity gates  in  Reno.  With  the  opening  of  the  building  in  the  not  dis- 
tant future  the  collection  will  be  made  available  to  the  public  and  through 
the  deeper,  more  intelligent  interest  awakened,  let  us  hope,  may  be  made 
possible  a  greater  era  of  achievement  in  publication,  in  public  archiving, 
in  the  preservation  of  historic  buildings  and  marking  of  historic  sites  as 
well  as  in  the  collection  of  historical  data. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  SOCIETY  SEAL. 


In  the  foreground  is  the  figure  of  the  Muse  of  History,  "Clio,"  with  the 
laurel  wreath  on  her  head.  In  one  hand  she  holds  the  book  of  history,  in 
the  other  a  pen.  Behind  her  loom  the  snow  white  peaks  of  the  Sierras. 


THE    NEVADA    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY  665 

The  mountains  and  the  deep  canyons  carrying  streams  to  the  broad  valley 
below  are  suggestive  of  the  natural  resources  awaiting  exploration  and 
development,  which  are  the  basis  of  mining  and  agriculture,  the  para- 
mount industries  upon  which  depend  the  growth  and  welfare  of  the  State. 
On  her  right  are  the  immigrant  wagons  indicative  of  our  pioneer  life. 
The  tepee  to  the  side  and  to  the  rear  of  these  vehicles  advancing  with  the 
argonauts  reminds  us  of  the  progress  of  civilization  and  the  passing  of  the 
Indian,  whose  history  should  be  chronicled  as  well  as  that  of  the  white 
man.  All  around  her  is  the  desert  with  clumps  of  sagebrush  and  the  ox  • 
head  skeleton  typical  of  the  waste  of  animal  life  and  of  the  hardships  and 
perils  on  the  early  overland  trail.  Beneath  the  Muse's  feet  is  the  Society 
motto:  Servare  et  Conservare,  pointing  on  the* one  hand  to  the  labors  of 
the  Society  as  the  servant  of  the  people,  on  the  other  hand  to  its  equally 
great  work  of  preserving  and  conserving  the  records  of  the  past  and  the 
present.  On  the  margin  is  the  name  and  date  of  organization. 


666  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 


CHAPTER  XXX. 
MOUNT  ROSE  OBSERVATORY. 

1906-1912. 
BY  J.  E.  CHURCH,  JR. 

Mount  Rose  Observatory,  although  the  youngest  of  the  meteorological 
observatories  in  America,  has  an  environment  so  unique  that  its  staff  has 
not  only  acquired  a  series  of  problems  of  prime  importance  to  pure  science 
and  to  agriculture  but  has  also  found  such  abundant  material  that  rapid 
progress  has  been  possible  in  their  solution.  A  brief  statement  of  plans 
and  progress  at  this  observatory  may,  therefore,  not  be  without  interest  to 
workers  in  the  meteorological  field.  Mount  Rose  is  a  peak  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada  Mountains  at  the  western  edge  of  the  Great  Plateau.  The  observ- 
atory on  the  summit,  which  is  3,292  meters  (10,800  feet)  above  sea 
level,  at  present  is  the  highest  meteorological  station  in  the  United  States, 
and  was  established  privately  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  winter 
minimum  temperatures  at  the  summit  of  the  Sierra.  Later  it  was  made  a 
department  of  the  University  of  Nevada  and  the  Agricultural  Experiment 
Station  and  through  these  institutions  has  received  financial  aid  from  the 
State  and  from  the  Adams  Fund  of  the  Office  of  Experiment  Stations. 
The  observatory  is  very  favorably  situated  for  the  study  of  mountain  and 
desert  meteorology,  the  relation  of  topography  to  the  occurrence  of  frost, 
and  the  influence  of  mountains  and  forests  upon  the  conservation  of  snow. 
Most  of  the  instruments  and  methods  employed  in  the  work  of  the  observa- 
tory have  been  devised  by  its  staff. 

In  the  study  of  mountain  meteorology,  the  observatory  has  the  advantage 
of  occupying  a  virgin  field,  and  thus  being  placed  in  a  position  to  supple- 
ment the  work  done  at  Mount  Royal  by  McGill  Observatory,  in  the  Ap- 
palachians by  the  Mount  Washington,  Blue  Hill  and  Mount  Weather 
Observatories,  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  at  Pike's  Peak,  and  in  the  Coast 
Range  at  Mount  Tamalpais.  Mount  Rose  Observatory  is  unlike  its  pre- 


MOUNT    ROSE    OBSERVATORY  667 

decessors  in  that  no  observer  is  maintained  continuously  on  the  summit, 
and  most  of  the  instruments  in  use  have  been  constructed  to  work  without 
attention  for  long  periods  of  time.    After  much  experimenting  there  has 
been  devised  a  meteorograph  that  is  impervious  to  the  wild  storms  that 
rage  in  winter  on  mountain  summits,  and  a  shelter  has  been  constructed 
for  it  that  clears  itself  of  accumulated  snow.    Six  elements  are  recorded, 
viz.:  pressure,  temperature,  direction  and  velocity  of  the  wind,  humidity 
and  sunshine.    The  records  are  made  upon  a  band  of  metric  cross-section 
paper  270  mm.  wide,  which  moves  2.5  mm.  an  hour  or  1.8  metres  a  month. 
The  recording  mechanisms  are  adjusted  to  the  ruling  of  the  paper  so  that 
one  millimetre  equals  one  degree  of  temperature,  2  per  cent,  relative  hu- 
midity, and  one  millimetre  of  atmospheric  pressure.    The  meteorograph  is 
actuated  by  springs  placed  within  a  motor  drum.     Two  auxiliary  drums 
serve  to  hold  and  receive  the  paper  as  it  passes  over  the  motor-drum 
against  which  the  recording  pens  rest.    This  instrument  will  run  for  at 
least  two  months  with  one  winding  of  the  clock.     The  resetting  of  the 
meteorograph  is  readily  accomplished  by  disconnecting  it  from  the  shelter 
and  removing  it  to  the  observatory  building.    Some  defects  that  occasion- 
ally cause  failure  to  obtain  satisfactory  records  have  been  partially  cor- 
rected in  the  following  manner:  To  prevent  slipping  of  the  record  sheet, 
a  double  series  of  tiny  needle  points  has  been  fitted  into  the  motor  drum 
with  V-edged  pressure-wheels  running  astride  of  them  to  force  the  sheet 
close  to  the  drum.     To  detect  possible  inaccuracy  in  the  motor-clock,  a 
standard  pendulum  clock  actuated  by  weights  has  been  installed  in  the 
observatory  building  and  connected  by  electric  cable  with  a  pen  in  the 
meteorograph  to  record  the  twelve  o'clock  hours  each  day.    Excessive 
vibration  has  been  eliminated  in  the  shelter  by  the  use  of  heavy  braces  and 
rock  on  the  sills.    Mechanical  registration  is  employed  in  all  elements  ex- 
cept sunshine,  and  the  performance  of  electrical  devices  tried  thus  far  has 
been  so  unsatisfactory  that  probably  a  mechanical  sunshine-recorder  will 
eventually  replace  the  electrical  one.    Dry  batteries  have  been  made  worth- 
less by  freezing  and  the  efficiency  of  wet  batteries  is  so  reduced  in  cold 
weather  that  it  seems  improbable  that  any  system  depending  on  electricity 
will  be  successful.    The  great  problem  is  the  prevention  of  the  formation 
of  fins  of  ice  and  frost  upon  the  instruments.    The  sunshine-recorder  has 
been  safeguarded  by  a  heavy  bell-jar.    The  tail  of  the  anemograph  vane 
has  been  made  of  wood  and  the  arrow  so  shortened  that  the  vane  will 


668 

swing  into  the  eye  of  the  wind  irrespective  of  ice  accumulations  on  the 
arrow.  The  masts  have  been  enlarged  in  size  and  made  self-sustaining 
without  guy-rods,  which  invite  the  formation  of  festoons  of  heavy  ice 
with  consequent  wrecking  of  the  masts.  The  only  serious  problem  of 
equipment  still  unsolved  is  the  protection  of  the  cups  of  the  anemometer 
from  ice.  This  can  be  accomplished  in  part  by  removing  the  portion  of  the 
supporting  arms  that  pass  through  the  cups  and  thus  expedite  the  dropping 
of  the  accumulated  slugs  when  the  cups  are  warmed  by  the  returning  sun. 
However,  there  may  be  some  material  such  as  vulcanized  rubber  of  papier 
mache,  of  which  cups  can  be  made,  which  will  be  less  attractive  to  frost 
and  ice  than  the  metals  used  at  present.  The  wind  record  has  usually  been 
complete  between  the  months  of  May  and  October.  This  meteorograph  on 
the  summit  (elevation  3,292  metres,  or  10,800  feet)  is  flanked  by  two 
similar  instruments,  one  on  the  west  at  Truckee  (elevation  1,798  metres, 
or  5,900  feet),  thirty  miles  distant,  and  the  other  on  the  east  at  Fallen 
(elevation  1,208  metres,  or  3,965  feet),  fifty  miles  distant,  thus  affording 
a  base  line  eighty  miles  long  and  an  apex  approximately  one  mile  high. 
Kite  flights  have  been  inaugurated  to  determine  the  meteorological  error 
of  the  summit  station.  By  means  of  this  vertical  triangle  of  stations,  data 
are  now  being  actively  gathered  on  the  changing  phases  of  passing  storms, 
and  their  possible  relation  to  the  weather  of  the  valleys  beneath.  A  station 
with  instruments  of  great  precision  is  being  established  on  the  University 
Campus.  The  study  of  the  movements  of  air  currents  will  be  made  by 
pilot  balloons,  for  the  plateau  is  too  sparsely  settled  to  permit  the  use  of 
ballons-sondes.  A  share  will  also  be  taken  in  the  international  kite-flights. 

In  the  realm  of  applied  science,  the  forecasting  of  frost  from  mountain 
tops  is  one  of  the  two  main  problems  through  which  it  is  desired  to  make 
the  observatory  of  practical  service.  This  problem  is  still  in  the  stage  of 
data-gathering ;  however,  some  relationship  is  evident  between  the  passing 
of  storms  and  the  occurrence  of  frost. 

This  problem  has  given  rise  to  two  others :  The  Relation  of  Topography 
to  the  Occurrence  of  Frost,  and  a  Temperature  Survey  of  the  Agricultural 
Lands  of  the  State  of  Nevada.  For  the  study  of  the  first  problem,  two 
stations  with  delicate  apparatus  for  detecting  minute  changes  of  humidity, 
temperature  and  air  movement  are  under  preparation  to  be  placed  near  the 
surface  on  typical  slopes  in  conjunction  with  a  free  air  station  at  the 
University. 


MOUNT    ROSE    OBSERVATORY  669 

The  Temperature  Survey  has  now  been  in  progress  for  two  seasons. 
The  purpose  of  the  survey  is  the  delimiting  of  large  areas  suitable  for 
fruit-raising  under  all  forms  of  economic  frost  prevention,  and  the  fur- 
ther division  of  these  areas  into  thermal  belts  according  to  the  following 
classification : 

(a)  Belts  where  the  minimum  temperature  never  falls  below  28°  F.  and 
fruit-raising  would  be  highly  profitable;  (b)  Belts  where  the  minimum 
temperature  is  between  24°  and  27°  and  frost  can  be  combated  at  reason- 
able expense;  (c)  Belts  where  the  temperature  falls  between  18°  and  23° 
and  fruit-raising  as  an  industry  would  not  be  profitable.  In  belts  where 
temperatures  of  17°  or  lower  are  encountered  fruit-raising  is  not  advisable. 

Twenty  stations  equipped  with  thermographs  and  standard  thermome- 
ters are  now  being  employed  in  the  work.  The  number  may  finally  be 
increased  to  twenty-five.  These  stations  are  distributed  at  strategic  points 
from  the  highest  land  under  irrigation  canals  to  the  lowest  parts  of  the 
valley.  It  is  planned  to  obtain  continuous  records  at  each  station  for 
three  years  before  removing  the  station  to  a  new  point.  The  survey  at 
present  covers  the  basin  of  the  Truckee  River  on  which  is  situated  the 
metropolis  of  the  State.  Owing  to  the  hearty  co-operation  of  ranchers, 
who  act  as  voluntary  observers,  the  expense  of  the  maintenance  of  the 
survey  is  slight. 

In  the  spring  of  1911,  when  frosts  were  heavy  and  frequent,  the  observa- 
tory staff,  in  conjunction  with  others,  demonstrated  the  feasibility  of 
orchard-heating  even  under  strenuous  conditions,  with  the  result  that 
where  only  one  farm  corporation  was  heating  its  orchard  that  season, 
the  present  year  between  fifteen  and  twenty  owners  of  fruit  trees  were  en- 
gaged in  the  work.  To  give  the  orchardists  assurance  of  support  in  their 
effort,  a  night  telephone  service  was  maintained  for  emergency  frost-warn- 
ing and  two  automatic  frost  alarms  installed.  To  further  aid  the  isolated 
orchardists  in  making  their  own  forecasts  of  frost,  an  analysis  of  the 
fluctuation  of  temperature  under  semi-arid  conditions  is  now  being  made. 
To  this  will  soon  be  added  the  determination  of  the  quantitative  effect  of 
cloudiness  and  wind  on  the  retardation  of  falling  temperatures. 

The  second  problem  to  which  special  attention  is  being  devoted  is  the 
influence  of  Mountains  and  Forests  on  the  Conservation  of  Snow.  This 
problem  is  of  vital  importance  to  irrigationists  and  power  companies 
wherever  streams  are  fed  by  snow.  The  data  for  the  study  of  this  prob- 


670  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

lem  are  very  abundant.  Mount  Rose  is  situated  between  the  heavily 
forested  main  chain  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  the  scantily  forested  ranges 
of  the  semi-arid  Great  Basin,  and  forms  the  natural  headquarters  for  the 
study  of  both.  On  the  flanks  of  Mount  Rose  and  its  subjacent  range  are 
also  wide  areas  long  since  deforested  and  now  in  various  stages  of  re- 
forestation, while  the  apex  of  the  mountain  furnishes  abundant  oppor- 
tunity for  studying  the  snow  where  it  falls  deepest  and  longest.  The 
observatory  building  on  the  summit  has  now  been  supplemented  by  a 
headquarters  camp,  made  of  sandbags,  at  Contact  Pass  (elevation  2,900 
metres,  or  9,000  feet),  and  another  camp  at  the  base  of  the  mountain.  By 
means  of  this  chain  of  stations,  measurements  of  snow  depth  and  density, 
the  evaporation  of  snow,  and  temperatures  within  the  snow  have  been 
conducted  on  the  mountain  for  limited  periods.  Adjacent  to  Mount  Rose 
is  the  Basin  of  Lake  Tahoe,  where  a  coast  line  seventy  miles  long  has 
furnished  ready  access  throughout  the  winter,  by  means  of  motor  boat 
and  explorer's  camp,  to  forests  of  various  types  and  densities,  and  to  all 
the  typical  slopes  and  elevations  found  in  the  Sierra  Nevada. 

The  study  of  the  conservation  of  snow  was  begun  with  camera  in  the 
winter  of  1906,  and  in  the  spring  of  1908  there  was  designed  a  snow 
sampler  by  means  of  which  cores  can  be  obtained  from  snow-fields  of  all 
depths  and  densities,  the  water  content  of  the  sample  being  determined 
by  weight.  Soon  after  a  spring  balance  was  devised  that  would  indicate 
without  any  computation  the  equivalent  water  in  the  sample  irrespective 
of  variation  in  the  length  or  weight  of  sampler  used.  By  means  of  these 
instruments  thousands  of  measurements  have  been  made,  and  the  quan- 
titative value  of  forested  areas  over  open  spaces  was  early  established. 
The  minute  investigation  of  the  various  phases  of  the  problem  has  pro- 
ceeded more  slowly,  but  considerable  progress  has  now  been  made  toward 
their  solution.  The  general  principle  underlying  the  conservation  of 
snow  is  that  of  protection  against  evaporation  and  melting  by  wind  and 
sun.  Snow  lies  longest  where  it  falls  deepest.  Cliffs  and  ice  slopes  are 
large  gatherers  of  snow.  Yet,  wherever  forests  crown  such  slopes  the 
capacity  of  these  slopes  to  gather  and  conserve  snow  is  increased.  In 
wind-swept  regions,  timber  screens  have  a  snow  gathering  capacity  vary- 
ing according  to  their  height  and  imperviousness  to  the  wind.  They  also, 
by  checking  the  wind,  reduce  the  evaporation  of  snow,  which  under  the 
influence  of  a  wind  movement  of  thirty-three  miles  per  hour,  despite  the 


MOUNT    ROSE    OBSERVATORY  671 

fact  that  the  snow  was  frozen,  has  reached  in  a  single  night  the  total  of 
.10  in.  moisture  content,  or  one-one-hundred-twentieth  of  the  total  snow 
on  the  ground.  The  action  of  unbroken  forests  upon  the  snow  is  some- 
what unlike  that  of  timber  screens,  particularly  so  on  the  lower  slopes 
where  the  wind  is  less  violent.  These  forests  catch  the  falling  snow 
directly  in  proportion  to  their  openness,  but  conserve  it,  after  it  has 
fallen  directly  in  proportion  to  their  density.  This  phenomenon  is  due  to 
the  crowns  of  the  trees,  which  catch  the  falling  snow  and  expose  it  to 
rapid  evaporation  in  the  open  air  but  likewise  shut  out  the  sun  and  wind 
form  the  snow  that  has  succeeded  in  passing  through  the  forest  crowns 
to  the  ground.  The  most  efficient  forest,  therefore,  from  the  point  of 
view  of  conservation  is  the  one  that  conserves  a  maximum  amount  of 
snow  to  the  latest  possible  time  in  the  spring.  This  has  been  found  by 
measurements  to  be  the  forest  with  a  maximum  number  of  glades,  which 
serve  as  storage  pits  into  which  the  snow  can  readily  fall  but  the  wind  and 
the  sun  cannot  easily  follow.  One  such  forest  was  found  to  have  con- 
served at  the  close  of  the  season  of  melting  three  and  one-half  times  as 
much  snow  as  a  very  dense  forest  adjacent  to  it. 

The  most  efficient  type  of  forest  found  at  levels  below  8,000  feet  is 
the  fir,  whose  foliage  is  much  more  impervious  to  the  rays  of  the  sun 
than  that  of  the  cedar  or  pine.  At  8,000  feet  or  higher,  the  mountain 
hemlock  is  most  efficient,  for  not  only  is  its  foliage  dense  but  its  tapering 
spire-like  crown  offers  but  little  resistance  to  falling  snow. 

In  the  light  of  the  above  facts  forests  may  be  too  dense  as  well  as  too 
thin  for  the  maximum  conservation  of  snow.  The  ideal  forest  seems  to 
be  one  filled  with  glades  whose  width  bears  such  proportion  to  the  height 
of  the  trees  that  the  wind  and  the  sun  cannot  reach  the  bottom.  These 
glades  can  be  produced  by  the  forester  by  judicious  pruning  and  cutting 
as  well  as  by  proper  planting.  In  the  field  of  hydrology,  surveys  of  snow 
on  the  Mount  Rose  and  Lake  Tahoe  water-sheds  have  been  made  since 
the  beginning  of  1910  to  indicate  to  ranchers  and  power  companies  in  the 
basin  below  the  amount  of  water  to  be  expected  during  the  season,  and 
the  better  control  of  the  reservoirs.  This  work  will  be  extended  to  in- 
clude a  study  of  the  behavior  of  snow  on  typical  slopes  during  rising 
temperature  and  wind  with  the  view  of  forecasting  the  probability  and 
extent  of  floods.  For  the  purpose  of  offering  foresters  in  the  National 
Forests  and  others  the  advantage  of  the  investigations  in  snow  a  course 


672  THE     HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

is  now  planned  at  the  University  of  Nevada  on  the  Relation  of  Mountains 
and  Forests  to  the  Conservation  of  Snow :  a  Study  in  the  Improvement  of 
the  Storage  of  Snow  by  the  Planting  and  Pruning  of  Forests  with  a 
View  to  Stream  Control  and  the  Improvement  of  Irrigation  and  Power 
Resources.  Other  courses  in  General  Meteorology  have  already  been  pro- 
vided. The  staff  of  the  observatory  consists  of  Professor  S.  P.  Fergusson, 
formerly  First  Assistant  at  Blue  Hill  Observatory,  who  is  Associate 
Meteorologist,  Mr.  Arthur  L.  Smith,  Observer  in  Lake  Tahoe  Basin, 
and  the  writer,  who  is  in  charge. 

Besides  annual  reports  and  news  bulletins,  the  more  important  recent 
publications  are  Experiment  Station  Bulletin  No.  79 — The  Avoidance 
and  Prevention  of  Frost  in  the  Fruit  Belts  of  Nevada  and  an  article  on 
the  Conservation  of  Snow;  Its  Dependence  on  Forests  and  Mountains  in 
Scientific  American  Supplement,  Vol.  LXXIV.,  No.  1914,  September  7, 
1912.  A  bulletin  containing  an  elaborate  presentation  of  the  Relation  of 
Mountains  and  Forests  to  the  Conservation  of  Snow  is  now  being 
prepared. 


FRATERNAL    SOCIETIES  673 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 
FRATERNAL  SOCIETIES. 

FREE  MASONRY. 
BY  ROBERT  LEWERS,  PAST  GRAND  MASTER. 

Carson  Lodge  No.  i. — The  first  Masonic  Lodge  in  Nevada  was  organ- 
ized in  Carson  City,  Nevada,  under  a  dispensation  from  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  of  California.  February  3,  1863,  by  the 
following  residents  of  that  city,  viz. :  Philip  Stoner,  R.  B.  Ellis,  F.  A. 
Tritle,  F.  W.  Peters,  J.  W.  Wayman,  W.  C.  Phillips,  Seymour  Pixley, 
D.  L.  Britton,  Herman  Armer,  Wellington  Stewart,  W.  B.  King,  H.  F. 
Rice,  Abraham  Curry  and  Henry  Grice.  On  the  I5th  of  May  a. charter 
was  granted  and  it  was  given  the  number  154  on  the  California  roster, 
and  in  the  charter  the  following  officers  appear :  M.  D.  Larrowe,  W.  M. ; 
Edward  J.  Smith,  S.  W. ;  Henry  Rice,  J.  W.  In  January,  1865,  it  was 
granted  a  charter  by  the  newly  organized  Grand  Lodge  of  Nevada,  with 
John  S.  Van  Dyke  as  Master,  and  Jacob  Tobriner,  Secretary.  The  mem- 
bership at  that  time  was  54.  But  two  of  these  names  appear  on  the  roll 
now — E.  D.  L.  Cutts  and  D.  W.  Cutts.  Carson  Lodge  has  never  had  a 
hall  of  tis  own,  but  has  always  been  financially  able  to  take  care  of  its 
share  of  the  charitable  work  that  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  order.  It  has 
been  honored  by  having  many  of  its  members  in  the  Grand  East,  viz: 
Horatio  S.  Mason,  R.  W.  Bollem,  P.  A.  Doyle,  Tremmor  Coffin,  George 
Gillson  and  Charles  L.  Fulstone.  Its  maximum  membership  was  138  in 
1876  and  its  present  roster  shows  101  names.  The  1913  officers  are:  Alex- 
ander MacDonald,  W.  M. ;  Edgar  H.  Walker,  S.  W. ;  Thomas  A.  Lotz, 
J.  W. ;  Charles  H.  Peters,  Treasurer  and  E.  D.  Vanderlieth,  Secretary 
(i8th  term.) 

Washoe  Lodge  No.  2. — This  lodge  was  organized  in  July,  1862,  at 
Washoe  City,  under  dispensation  from  California,  as  No.  157,  with  Geo. 
W.  Brown,  W.  M.;  R.  R.  Johnson,  S.  W.;  Thomas  B.  Prince,  J.  W. 


674  THE     HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

January  16,  1865,  it  was  chartered  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Nevada  as 
Washoe  No.  2,  with  Henry  W.  Brady,  W.  M. ;  Ezekiel  Morton,  S.  W. ; 
George  C.  Cabot,  J.  W.,  and  Orvis  Ring,  Secretary.  Its  maximum  mem- 
bership was  in  1868  when  it  had  fifty-eight  members.  The  membership 
dwindled  until  it  reached  twenty-three  in  1888,  when  it  surrendered  its 
charter. 

Virginia  No.  j. — Virginia  Lodge  was  organized  January  15,  1863,  as 
Virginia  Lodge  No.  162,  on  the  roll  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  California 
with  William  H.  Howard,  P.  G.  M.,  California,  as  W.  M. ;  Joseph  De- 
Bell,  S.  W.,  and  James  S.  Kelly,  J.  W.  In  1865  it  was  chartered  by  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Nevada,  as  Virginia  No.  3,  with  Charles  H.  Fish,  W.  M. 
Its  maximum  membership  was  attained  in  1878  with  213  members  and  its 
present  membership  is  52.  In  1875  fire  destroyed  the  hall  of  the  lodge 
and  its  members  met  on  top  of  Mount  Davidson  and  opened  a  regular 
lodge  with  351  Masons  present.  Albert  Hires,  W.  M.,  presided  and  in 
addition  to  the  regular  officers  many  sentinels  were  stationed  around  the 
mountain.  The  altar  was  of  rough  ashlar  and  the  stations  of  the  officers 
were  formed  of  granite  blocks.  The  Masonic  flag  floated  at  the  top  of 
the  famous  flagpole  on  Mt.  Davidson,  and  the  jewels  were  the  ones  be- 
longing to  the  lodge,  reclaimed  from  the  ashes  of  the  building,  and  show- 
ing by  their  half-melted  condition,  the  fiery  ordeal  through  which  they 
had  passed.  The  lodge  was  opened  without  form,  a  petition  was  received 
and  referred  to  a  committee,  and  some  routine  business  was  transacted. 
Addresses  were  made  by  Hon.  Charles  E.  DeLong, -Maj.  E.  A.  Sherman, 
Gen.  Thos.  H.  Williams,  Hon.  Rollin  M.  Daggett,  J.  C.  Currie,  Geo.  W 
Hopkins,  and  Col.  Robert  H.  Taylor,  Melville  E.  Lamb,  W.  M. ;  John  C. 
Harry,  Secretary. 

Amity  Lodge  No.  4. — Amity  Lodge  was  organized  under  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  California,  as  Silver  City  Lodge  No.  163,  March  20,  1863,  with 
J.  C.  Currie,  W.  M. ;  M.  J.  Henley,  S.  W.,  and  W.  B.  Hickok,  J.  W.  In 
1865  it  took  the  name  it  now  bears  and  the  following  officers  were  in 
charge:  Richard  T.  Mullard,  W.  M.;  James  M.  Kennedy,  S.  W.,  and 
M.  J.  Burke,  J.  W.  This  lodge  attained  its  maximum  membership  in 
1877  with  76  on  the  roll,  and  its  present  membership  is  21.  The  present 
officers,  1913,  are:  Thomas  Mayne,  W.  M. ;  Adolph  Indermuhl,  S.  W. ; 
S.  J.  Pedroli,  J.  W. ;  Chas.  Hamilton,  Treasurer;  Amos  K.  Pollard,  Sec- 
retary. 


FRATERNAL    SOCIETIES  675 

I 

Silver  Star  No.  5. — This  lodge  was  organized  at  Gold  Hill,  Nevada,  by 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  California  as  Silver  Star  Lodge  No.  165,  with  Charles 
E.  Olney,  W.  M. ;  L.  W.  Lee,  S.  W.,  and  Duane  L.  Bliss,  J.  W.  It  reached 
its  maximum  membership  in  1877,  when  the  mining  activity  was  at  its 
height,  with  194  members;  and  its  present  roll  shows  21.  The  1913  offi- 
cers are :  George  F.  Harris,  W.  M. ;  Alfred  S.  Harris,  S.  W. ;  John  A. 
McKenzie,  J.  W. ;  Edward  Symons.  Treasurer  and  Fred  L.  Clark, 
Secretary. 

Esmeralda  No.  6. — Located  at  Aurora,  Nevada.  Organized  September 
28,  1863,  under  the  Grand  Lodge  of  California  as  Esmeralda  Lodge  No. 
170,  with  the  following  officers:  J.  H.  Richardson,  W.  M. ;  John  L. 
Carter,  S.  W. ;  Alfred  A.  Green,  J.  W.  In  1865  when  it  passed  under 
the  charter  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Nevada,  the  officers  were:  J.  H. 
Richardson,  W.  M. ;  Charles  H.  Dodd,  S.  W.  Its  maximum  membership 
shows  as  57  in  1867.  This  dwindled  to  13  in  1901,  when  its  charter  was 
surrendered  to  the  Grand  Lodge. 

Escurial  Lodge  No.  7. — Escurial  Lodge  was  organized  in  Virginia  City, 
in  January,  1864,  as  No.  171,  under  the  Grand  Lodge  of  California.  The 
first  officers, were:  Geo.  W.  Hopkins,  W.  M. ;  W.  A.  M.  Van  Bokkelen, 
S.  W. ;  Columbus  Walker,  J.  W.,  and  it  passed  under  the  control  cf  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Nevada  in  1865,  with  the  same  officers.  Its  maximum 
membership  was  154,  in  1869,  and  its  present  roll  shows  87  members. 
The  1913  officers  are  as  follows:  James  W.  Black,  W.  M. ;  Wm.  J.  Mc- 
Quarrie,  S.  W. ;  John  W.  Mahood,  J.  W. ;  R.  A.  Bulmer,  Treasurer  and 
Geo.  A.  Morgan,  Secretary. 

Lander  Lodge  No.  8. — Lander  Lodge  No.  8  was  chartered  by  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  California,  October  14,  1864,  and  given  the  number  172.  The 
Grand  Lodge  of  Nevada,  chartered  it  as  known  at  present,  and  its  first 
officers  were:  William  W.  Wixom,  father  of  Emma  Nevada,  the  great 
opera  singer,  W.  M. ;  George  J.  Love,  S.  W. ;  Jeff.  J.  Work,  J.  W.  The 
lodge  attained  its  maximum  membership  in  1869,  with  106  on  the  roll ;  and 
its  present  list  shows  32  names.  The  1913  officers  are:  A.  J.  Maestretti, 
W.  M. ;  L.  J.  J.  Judd,  S.  W. ;  W.  J.  Williams,  J.  W.,  and  Jacob  H.  Trol- 
son,  Secretary. 

Valley  Lodge  No.  9.— This  lodge  was  started  at  Dayton,  Nevada,  Feb- 
ruary 20,  1865,  and  was  the  first  organized  under  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Nevada.  Its  first  officers  are:  Charles  F.  Brant,  W.  M,;  Henry  Sweet- 


676  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

apple,  S.  W.,  and  Albert  Gallatin,  J.  W.  Its  maximum  membership,  39, 
was  attained  in  1874,  and  its  present  roll  shows  26  members.  The  1913 
officers  are :  M.  J.  King,  W.  M. ;  T.  P.  Mack,  S.  W. ;  Jos.  Greiler,  J.  W. ; 
W.  H.  Scott,  Secretary. 

Austin  Lodge  No^  10. — This  lodge  was  organized  at  Austin,  Nevada, 
April  12,  1865,  with  Thomas  Wren,  W.  M.;  William  S.  Thomas,  S.  W., 
and  Marcus  A.  Sawtelle,  J.  W.  It  attained  its  maximum  membership  in 
1868,  57,  and  surrendered  its  charter  in  1871,  being  the  first  lodge  to  pass 
out  of  existence  in  Nevada. 

Oasis  Lodge  No.  n. — Organized  at  Belmont,  Nevada,  December  18, 
1867,  by  J.  G.  Riddle,  A.  W.  Stowe,  G.  R.  Alexander,  M.  D.  Fairchild, 
D.  C.  Turner,  Geo.  W.  Merrill,  Jas.  M.  Kennedy,  Daniel  W.  Cutts,  S. 
Goldstein,  E.  A.  Pullen,  E.  Pettit,  John  Sharp,  J.  A.  Ball,  Peter  Conroy 
and  Jas.  O'Brien.  The  first  officers  under  the  charter  granted  September 
17,  1868,  were:  Jas.  M.  Kennedy,  Master;  Daniel  W.  Cutts,  S.  W. ;  S. 
Goldstein,  J.  W.,  and  John  Sharp,  Secretary.  Oasis  Lodge  started  with 
28  members;  reached  its  highest  number,  53,  in  1877,  and  had  28  members 
when  its  charter  was  surrendered  in  1885. 

Douglas  Lodge  No.  12. — Organized  February  22,  1868,  at  Genoa, 
Nevada,  with  the  following  officers :  Robert  W.  Bollen,  W.  M. ;  Silas  E. 
Tuttle,  S.  W.,  and  Hiram  Doyle,  J.  W.  It  started  with  a  membership  of 
31,  reached  its  maximum,  66,  in  1876,  and  has  averaged  close  to  forty 
members  ever  since.  It  is  located  in  a  substantial  country  and  will  doubt- 
less show  a  material  increase  as  the  years  go  on.  The  members  own 
their  own  hall  and  have  it  furnished  in  a  fitting  manner.  Robert  W. 
Bollen,  the  first  Master,  became  Grand  Master  and  D.  W.  Virgin,  one 
of  the  mainstays  of  the  lodge,  was  at  one  time  Senior  Grand  Warden  of 
the  Grand  Lodge.  The  1913  officers  are:  Geo.  F.  Hussman,  S.  W. ; 
F.  W.  Cook,  J.  W. ;  Frank  Fettic,  Treasurer  and  Fred  Klotz,  Secretary. 

Ren'o  Lodge  No.  13. — Organized  January  4,  1869  in  Reno,  with  James 
Z.  Kelley,  W.  M. ;  M.  Borowsky,  S.  W.,  and  George  Geisen,  J.  W.  Its 
membership  has  grown  from  thirty-four  to  ten  times  that  number.  The 
first  meetings  were  held  in  a  frame  building  on  Virginia  street  near  the 
river,  then  it  moved  to  Alhambra  Hall,  and  finally  in  1872,  it  built  its  own 
hall  at  the  corner  of  Commercial  Row  and  Sierra  street.  It  occupied  the 
hall  until  1906  when  it  moved  into  the  new  Temple  on  Virginia  street, 
opposite  its  first  home.  The  Masonic  Temple  was  built  by  a  corporation 


FRATERNAL    SOCIETIES  677 

at  a  cost  of  $120,000,  and  is  well  equipped  for  Masonic  work.  Reno 
Lodge  owns  a  little  over  one-fourth  of  the  capital  stock,  the  remainder 
being  in  the  hands  of  other  Masonic  bodies,  and  members.  The  oldest 
officer  of  Reno  Lodge  was  Thomas  K.  Hymers,  who  served  as  Treasurer 
for  thirty-three  years.  S.  L.  Jamison  was  Secretary  for  twenty-three 
years  and  Henry  L.  Fish  served  six  years  as  Master.  The  present  officers, 
^913,  are:  John  W.  Blum,  Master;  Sidney  C.  Foster,  S.  W. ;  Robert  H. 
Parker,  J.  W. ;  John  W.  Wright,  Treasurer  and  John  H.  Sutherland, 
Secretary. 

White  Pine  Lodge  No.  14. — Organized  in  Hamilton,  Nevada,  April  5, 
1869,  with  S.  D.  Ferguson,  W.  M.;  W.  W.  Hobart,  S.  W.;  and  M.  J. 
Henley,  J.  W.  Its  greatest  membership  was  84  in  1872.  The  member- 
ship dwindled  with  the  decline  of  mining  activity  and  the  charter  was 
surrendered  on  May  29,  1901,  when  it  had  only  eleven  members. 

Elko  Lodge  No.  15. — This  lodge  was  organized  in  Elko,  Nevada,  Janu- 
ary 21,  1869,  with  John  D.  Treat,  W.  M. ;  Herman  Armer,  S.  W.,  and 
Elijah  S.  Yeates,  J.  W.  The  lodge  has  grown  slowly  but  surely  and  its 
present  membership,  the  largest  so  far,  is  121.  Its  1913  officers  are: 
Elmer  A.  Frissell,  W.  M. ;  John  D.  MacFarland,  S.  W. ;  A.  L.  McGinty, 
J.  W. ;  John  Henderson,  Treasurer,  and  J.  F.  Triplett,  Secretary. 

Eureka  Lodge  No.  16. — This  lodge  was  organized  at  Eureka,  Nevada, 
April  5,  1872,  with  Daniel  B.  Immel,  W.  M. ;  David  E.  Bailey,  S.  W. 
and  James  Riley,  J.  W.  In  1883  its  maximum  membership  was  116,  and 
its  present  roll  shows  53.  It  has  been  a  very  active  lodge  and  its  mem- 
bership roll  shows  the  names  of  many  distinguished  Masons.  The  officers 
for  1913  are :  Francis  J.  Brossmer,  W.  M. ;  Daniel  Morrison,  S.  W. ; 
Peter  Loh,  J.  W.,  and  M.  J.  Foster,  Secretary. 

Humboldt  Lodge  No.  17. — November  7,  1871,  this  lodge  was  organized 
at  Unionville,  Nevada,  with  William  L.  French,  W.  M. ;  George  F.  Fuller, 
S.  W.,  and  O.  K.  Stampley,  J.  W.  The  greatest  membership  was  25,  and 
it  surrendered  its  charter  in  1880  with  eighteen  members. 

St.  John  Lodge  No.  18. — This  lodge  was  organized  at  Pioche,  Nevada, 
August  10,  1872,  with  John  F.  Gray,  W.  M. ;  Daniel  E.  Mitchell,  S.  W. 
and  Daniel  K.  Dickinson,  J.  W.  Its  greatest  membership  was  attained  in 
1874  with  84  members.  Then  the  membership  declined  until  the  lodge 
was  moved  to  Delamar  in  1896,  where  it  held  forth  for  eleven  years.  On 
the  decline  of  Delamar,  the  lodge  was  moved  back  to  Pioche,  and  now 


678  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

shows  a  healthy  growth.  The  present  officers  are:  Lewis  H.  Beason, 
W.  M. ;  Alton  A.  Carman,  S.  W. ;  D.  P.  Sullivan,  J.  W.,  and  John  H. 
Deck,  Secretary. 

Winnemucca,  No.  ip. — Organized,  November  18,  1874,  at  Winnemucca, 
Nevada,  with  P.  W.  Johnson,  W.  M. ;  A.  J.  Shepard,  S.  W.,  and  Thomas 
Shone,  J.  W.  It  has  shown  a  steady  growth  and  its  present  and  maxi- 
mum membership  is  74.  The  1913  officers  are  Henry  W.  Duncan,  W.  M.  ; 
Thos.  H.  Guyon,  S.  W. ;  Chas.  P.  Hoskins,  J.  W.,  and  Chris.  Wolf, 
Secretary. 

Palisade  No.  20. — This  lodge  was  organized  at  Palisade,  Nevada,  June 
3,  1876,  with  T.  F.  Lawler,  W.  M. ;  George  Rogul,  S.  W.,  and  James 
Marshall,  J.  W.  Its  charter  was  surrendered  in  1885  and  its  greatest 
membership  was  twenty-one. 

Tuscarora  Lodge  No.  21 . — Organized  in  Tuscarora,  February  7,  1878, 
with  James  Z.  Kelley,  W.  M. ;  W.  T.  Smith,  S.  W.,  and  W.  J.  Hamilton, 
J.  W.  Bro.  James  Z.  Kelley  was  a  veteran  organizer  as  his  name  appears 
as  the  first  Junior  Warden,  of  Virginia  No.  3,  and  the  first  Master  of 
Reno  No.  13.  Tuscarora's  greatest  membership  was  41  in  1894,  and  its 
present  roll  shows  23  members.  The  present  officers  are:  Chester  L. 
Wioodward,  W.  M. ;  Rutledge  M.  Woodward,  S.  W.,  Philo  S.  White, 
J.  W.,  and  Charles  E.  Secor,  Secretary. 

Hope  Lodge  No.  22. — Hope  Lodge,  located  in  Yerington,  Nevada,  was 
organized  July  17,  1880,  with  Sylvester  B.  Hinds,  W.  M. ;  John  E.  Hart, 
S.  W.,  and  Ben  M.  Hague,  J.  W.  For  many  years  the  membership  was 
small,  but  in  late  years  the  lodge  has  shown  a  vigorous  growth  and  its 
present  membership  is  71.  The  present  officers  are:  Geo.  W.  Plummer, 
W.  M. ;  Edward  A.  West,  S.  W. ;  S.  L.  Netherton,  J.  W.,  and  Wm.  F. 
Powers,  Secretary. 

Battle  Mountain  Lodge  No.  23. — Organized  at  Battle  Mountain,  March 
8,  1881,  with  O.  B.  Vincent,  W.  M.;  F.  W.  Dunn,  S.  W.,  and  A.  B.  Has- 
tings, J.  W.  It  started  with  13  members,  declined  to  eight,  and  now  shows 
renewed  life  with  26.  E.  T.  George,  P.  M.,  is  one  of  its  vigorous  workers. 
The  present  officers  are :  Edw.  T.  George,  W.  M. ;  Wm.  C.  Hancock, 
S.  W. ;  L.  E.  Kendrick,  J.  W.,  and  Louis  A.  Lemaire,  Secretary. 

Steptoe  Lodge  No.  24. — Steptoe  Lodge  was  organized  at  Cherry  Creek, 
Nevada,  April  n,  1882,  with  Evan  Harris,  W.  M. ;  Henry  A.  Comins, 
S.  W.,  and  Fred  J.  Griswold,  J.  W.  Its  maximum,  30,  was  attained  in 


FRATERNAL    SOCIETIES  679 

1890,  and  its  present  membership  is  22.  The  1913  officers  are:  Murdock 
McAulay,  W.  M. ;  Wm.  Clark,  S.  W. ;  John  A.  Carlson,  J.  W.,  and  Jos. 
H.  Leishman,  Secretary. 

Wadsivorth  Lodge  No.  25. — This  lodge  was  organized  at  Wadsworth, 
December  2,  1895,  with  Thomas  L.  Bellam,  W.  M. ;  Martin  Kline,  S.  W., 
and  Frank  C.  Hampton,  J.  W.  In  1904  the  railroad  shops  were  moved 
from  Wadsworth  to  Sparks,  and  the  lodge  was  transferred,  but  retained 
its  former  name.  The  lodge  is  located  in  a  prosperous  town  and  shows  a 
steady  growth.  Its  present  membership  is  103.  Its  present  officers  are: 
Herbert  F.  McDonald,  W.  M.,  and  Thos.  L.  Bellam,  Secretary. 

Churchill  No.  26. — Churchill  Lodge  was  organized  at  Fallen,  Nevada, 
March  8,  1901,  with  Wm.  H.  Sifford,  W.  M. ;  Ira  H.  Kent,  S.  W.  and 
A.  S.  Williams,  J.  W.  This  lodge  promises  to  be  one  of  the  large  lodges 
of  Nevada  as  it  is  situated  in  a  rich  agricultural  section.  Its  present  and 
largest  membership  is  92.  The  1912  officers  are:  Jas.  L.  Smith,  W.  M. ; 
Thos.  Williamson,  S.  W. ;  Jas.  G.  Gault,  J.  W. ;  Frank  G.  Hough, 
Secretary. 

Humboldt  No.  27. — This  lodge,  the  name,  but  not  the  number  of  the 
lodge  organized  at  Unionville  in  Humboldt  County,  and  was  organized 
in  March,  1901,  with  J.  A.  Ascher,  W.  M. ;  Robert  Fulstone,  S.  W..  and 
Ben  C.  Maris,  J.  W.  Its  present  and  largest  membership  is  55.  The 
present  officers  are:  George  Kennedy,  W.  M. ;  A.  Jahn,  S.  W. ;  J.  R. 
McCrodan,  J.  W.  and  B.  E.  Wyley,  Secretary. 

Tonopah  Lodge  No.  28. — This  lodge  was  organized  February  7,  1902, 
with  Alfred  L.  Smith,  W.  M. ;  Henry  N.  Stevens,  S.  W.,  and  Joseph 
Lazarevich,  J.  W.  This  lodge  has  prospered  from  the  beginning  and  its 
present  membership  is  132.  The  1913  officers  are:  Sanford  Galvin, 
W.  M. ;  Basil  E.  Elford,  S.  W. ;  James  A.  Fraser,  J.  W.,  and  Ralph  H. 
Burdick,  Secretary. 

Ely  Lodge  No.  29. — Ely  Lodge  was  organized  August  15,  1905,  at  Ely, 
Nevada,  with  Wm.  D.  Campbell,  W.  M. ;  James  B.  Orr,  S.  W..  and 
Geo.  M.  Campbell,  J.  W.  Its  growth  has  been  steady  and  its  present 
membership  is  87.  The  1912  officers  are:  Chas.  D.  Gallagher,  W.  M. ; 
Chas.  W.  Dickenson,  S.  W. ;  Jos.  H.  Lewis,  J.  W.;  Wm.  B.  Graham, 
Treasurer  and  Wm.  C.  Gallagher,  Secretary. 

Montezuma  Lodge  No.  50.— Montezuma  Lodge,  located  at  Goldfield, 
Nevada,  was  organized  in  1906,  with  Chas.  H.  Beesley,  W.  M. ;  Wm.  P. 


680  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

Wood,  S.  Wl.,  and  Milton  C.  Ish,  J.  W.  It  started  with  50  members  and 
attained  a  maximum  of  139  in  1911.  The  present  membership  is  136. 
The  present  officers  are:  David  Aspland,  W.  M. ;  John  H.  Greenough, 
S.  W. ;  Chas.  E.  Magee,  J.  W. ;  Jas.  O.  Walther,  Treasurer,  and  Chas.  H. 
Beesley,  Secretary. 

Searchlight  Lodge  No.  51. — Organized  at  Searchlight,  in  the  extreme 
southern  part  of  Nevada,  May  6,  1907,  with  Ben  W.  Smith,  W.  M. ; 
Charles  W.  Lund,  S.  W.,  and  Walter  M.  Brown,  J.  W.  The  present 
membership  is  35.  The  1912  officers  are:  Charles  A.  Jenson,  W.  M. ; 
Chas.  W.  Lund,  S.  W. ;  Austin  H.  Smith,  J.  W.,  and  Walter  M.  Brown, 
Secretary. 

Vegas  Lodge  No.  32. — This  lodge  was  organized  at  Las  Vegas,  Nevada, 
in  1907,  with  John  S.  Park,  W.  M. ;  E.  W.  Griffith,  S.  W.,  and  W.  R. 
Thomas,  J.  W.  This  lodge  is  destined  to  grow  as  it  is  located  in  an  agri- 
cultural section  and  has  important  railroad  interests.  Its  present  and 
largest  membership  is  56.  The  1913  officers  are:  E.  W.  Griffith,  W.  M. ; 
Henry  W.  Lillis,  S.  W. ;  Chas.  P.  Squires,  J.  W.,  and  Frank  A.  Buol, 
Secretary. 

GRAND   LODGE. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  of  Nevada 
was  organized  in  Virginia  City,  January  16,  1865,  by  the  six 
Masonic  lodges  then  existing  in  Nevada.  Joseph  DeBell  was  elected 
Grand  Master  and  Charles  H.  Fish,  Grand  Secretary.  The  six  lodges 
in  Nevada  were  granted  charters  and  given  new  members. 

During  Grand  Master  DeBell's  term  a  number  of  Masons  residing  in 
Salt  Lake  City,  applied  for  a  dispensation  to  organize  a  lodge  in  that  city. 
The  dispensation  was  granted  and  Mount  Moriah  Lodge  was  organized 
with  J.  W.  Ellis,  W.  M. ;  W.  G.  Higbee,  S.  W.,  and  W.  L.  Halsey,  J.  W. 
The  dispensation  was  granted  on  condition  that  no  Mormons  be  admitted 
into  the  order.  The  Utah  brethren  tried  in  vain  to  have  the  condition 
removed,  and  upon  refusal  to  accede  to  their  request,  the  organization 
was  abandoned.  When  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Utah  was  finally  established, 
the  edict  against  the  admission  of  Mormons  was  enforced. 

The  first'  Grand  Communication  of  the  Grand  Lodge  was  held  in  Vir- 
ginia, October  10,  1865.  A  uniform  code  of  by-laws  was  adopted,  and 
definite  policy  established  requiring  but  one  ballot  for  the  three  degrees. 


FRATERNAL    SOCIETIES  681 

The  following  table  shows  the  places,  dates  and  Grand  Masters  elected  at 
the  various  sessions  held  since  that  time : 

Date.  Place.  Grand    Master. 

1  Oct.   10,   1865 Virginia  Jos.  DeBell. 

2  Sept.    18,    1866 Virginia   Jos.  DeBell. 

3  Sept.,   1867 Virginia  John  C.  Currie. 

4  Sept.    15,    1868 Virginia  Geo.  W.  Hopkins. 

5  Sept.  21,    1869 Virginia   Geo.  W.  Hopkins. 

6  Sept.  20,    1870 Virginia  George  Robinson. 

7  Sept.    19,   1871   Virginia  George  Robinson. 

8  Sept.   17.   1872 Virginia  W.  A.  M.  Van  Bokkelen 

9  Nov.    18,    1873 Virginia  Horatio  S.  Mason. 

10  Nov.    17,    1874 Virginia  Robert  W.  Bollen. 

1 1  No   session 

12  Nov.   21,    1876 Virginia  George  Robinson. 

13  June    12,    1877 Virginia   Merrill  P.  Freeman. 

14  June    1 1,    1878 Virginia  Henry  L.  Fish. 

15  June,    1879 Virginia  DeWitt   C.   McKenney. 

16  June     8,    1880 Virginia  DeWitt  C.   McKenney. 

17  June    14,    1881 Virginia  Horatio  S.  Mason. 

18  June    13,    1882 Virginia  Horatio  S.  Mason. 

19  June    12,    1883 Virginia  Andrew  Nichols. 

20  June   20,    1884 Virginia  David  E.  Bailey. 

21  June     9,    1885 Reno   Michael  A.   Murphy. 

22  June     8,    1886 .Reno  Henry  Rolfe. 

23  June    14,    1887 Reno  A.  L.  Fitzgerald. 

24  June    12,    1888 Virginia    William  McMillan. 

25  June    n,    1889 Virginia    C.  W.  Hinchcliffe. 

26  June    10,    1890 Carson  City John  W.  Eckley. 

27  June     9,    1891   Reno  Frank  Bell. 

28  June    14,    1892 Reno  John  H.  Hubbs. 

29  June    13,    1893 Reno  John  E.  Jones. 

30  June    12,    1894 Virginia  Philip  A.  Doyle. 

31  June    n,    1895 Reno  John  C.  Hazlett. 

32  June     9,    1896 Winnemucca   Enoch  Strother. 

33  June     8,    1897 Elko    Albert  Lackey. 

34  June   14,    1898 Carson   City Matthew  Kyle 

35  June   13,    1899 Virginia  John  M.  McCormack. 

36  June    12,    1900 Virginia   Jos.  A.  Miller. 

37  June    n,    1901 Carson  City George  A.  Morgan. 

38  June    10,    1902 Carson  City Alex.  O.  Percy. 

39  June     9,    1903 Virginia  Trenmor  Coffin. 

40  June    14,    1904 Virginia   George  Gill  son. 

41  June    13,    1905 Carson  City Chas.  A.  Beemer. 

42  June    12,    1906 Reno  Walter  J.  Harris. 

43  June    n,    1907 Reno  Robert  Lewers. 

44  June     9,    1908 Reno  Chas.  L.  Fulstone. 

45  June,    1909 Carson   City Frank  H.  Norcross. 

46  June,    1910 Reno  James  C.  Doughty. 

47  June,    1911 Reno  Herman  Davis. 

48  June    n,    1912 Reno  Henry  W.  Miles. 


682  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

The  present  officers  of  the  Grand  Lodge  are  as  follows :  Grand  Master, 
Henry  W.  Miles,  of  Montezuma  Lodge  No.  30,  Goldfield ;  Deputy  Grand 
Master,  William  M.  David,  of  Carson  Lodge  No.  i ;  Senior  Grand  War- 
den, Theo.  J.  Steinmetz,  of  Reno  No.  13;  Junior  Grand  Warden,  Ben- 
jamin W,  Coleman,  of  Ely  No.  29 ;  Treasurer,  Walter  J.  Harris,  of  Reno 
No.  13;  Grand  Secretary,  Edward  D.  Vanderlieth,  of  Carson  No.  i; 
Grand  Chaplain,  Rev.  Thomas  L.  .Bellam,  of  Wadsworth  No.  25 ;  Grand 
Orator,  Rev.  Lloyd  B.  Thomas,  of  Carson  No.  i ;  Grand  Marshal,  Thos. 
Lindsay,  of  Tonopah  No.  28;  Grand  Standard  Bearer,  Walter  M.  Brown, 
of  Searchlight  No.  31 ;  Grand  Sword  Bearer,  Wm.  B.  S.  Park,  of  Vegas 
No.  32 ;  Grand  Bible  Bearer,  Henry  W.  Duncan,  of  Winnemucca  No.  19 ; 
Senior  Grand  Deacon,  Alfred  W.  Holmes,  of  Reno  No.  13;  Junior 
Grand  Deacon,  Walter  E.  Pratt,  of  Montezuma  No.  30;  Grand  Stewards, 
Philip  Anker  of  Humboldt  No.  27,  and  William  F.  Powers,  of  Hope  No. 
22;  Grand  Pursuivant,  Elmer  A.  Frissell,  of  Elko  No.  15;  Grand  Organ- 
ist, Edward  Hancock,  of  Silver  Star  No.  5 ;  Grand  Tiler,  Adolph  Jacobs, 
of  Carson  No.  i. 

Charles  H.  Fish  was  the  first  Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
and  served  one  term,  1865.  W.  A.  M.  Van  Bokkelen  was  Grand  Secre- 
tary in  1865,  '67,  '68,  '69,  and  '70.  Robert  Taylor  filled  the  office  in 
1866  and  1872.  John  C.  Currie  served  one  year,  1871.  Samuel  W.  Chub- 
buck  was  Grand  Secretary  from  1873  to  1876. .  He  was  followed  by 
John  D.  Hammond,  who  filled  the  office  from  1876  to  1886.  His  suc- 
cessor was  Chauncey  N.  Noteware,  who  filled  the  office  with  great  credit 
for  over  twenty-three  years.  He  was  born  in  Owego,  New  York.  Janu- 
ary 13,  1825 ;  emigrated  to  Illinois  in  1844,  and  to  California  in  1850. 
He  moved  to  Nevada  in  1857,  and  was  elected  the  first  Secretary  of  State 
of  Nevada,  after  serving  as  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  convention. 
He  was  made  a  Mason  in  Knoxville  Lodge  in  Illinois  June  7,  1849,  and 
all  his  life  long  kept  up  an  active  interest  in  the  work.  At  the  time  of 
his  death,  October  29,  1910,  he  was  the  second  oldest  Grand  Secretary 
in  the  United  States  in  point  of  service.  Edward  D.  Vanderlieth  suc- 
ceeded as  Grand  Secretary,  and  his  long  experience  in  writing  the  cor- 
respondence reports  for  the  Grand  Lodge,  eminently  qualified  him  for 
the  position. 

ROYAL  ARCH   MASONRY. 

Lewis  Chapter  No.  i,  R.  A.  M.,  was  organized  in  May,  1863,  and  was 


FRATERNAL    SOCIETIES  683 

named  in  honor  of  the  General  Grand  High  Priest  of  the  Grand  Chapter 
of  the  United  States,  John  L.  Lewis.  The  first  officers  were  George 
Wi.  Hopkins,  High  Priest ;  John  H.  Wayman,  King,  and  Joseph  Stewart, 
Scribe. 

Virginia  Chapter  No.  2,  was  organized  September  8,  1865,  with  Geo. 
W.  Hopkins,  High  Priest;  Samuel  W.  Chubbuck,  King,  and  Samuel 
Owen,  Scribe. 

Austin  Chapter  No.  3,  was  started  in  1866  and  the  following  officers 
appear  on  the  roll:  DeWitt  C.  McKenney,  High  Priest;  William  W. 
Wixom,  King,  and  Henry  Mayenbaum,  Scribe. 

White  Pine  Chapter  No.  4,  was  organized  at  Hamilton,  January  10, 
1871,  with  Thomas  P.  Hawley,  High  Priest;  William  Timson,  King,  and 
Joseph  Tyson,  Scribe.  It  continued  in  existence  until  the  decline  of 
mining  caused  it  to  surrender  its  charter,  June  10,  1884. 

St.  John's  Chapter  No.  5,  was  organized  at  Eureka,  April  26,  1873. 
with  Samuel  P.  Kelley,  High  Priest;  G.  C.  Robinson,  King,  and  F.  A. 
Belknap,  Scribe. 

These  five  chapters  united  in  forming  the  Grand  Chapter  of  Royal 
Arch  Masons  in  Nevada,  on  November  18,  1873,  at  Virginia  City.  George 
Robinson  was  appointed  Grand  High  Priest. 

Keystone  Chapter  No.  6,  was  organized  at  Pioche,  Nevada,  June  12, 
1873,  with  Martin  W.  Kales,  High  Priest;  A.  A.  Young,  King,  and  G. 
R.  Alexander,  Scribe. 

March  i,  1875,  Reno  Chapter  No.  7  was  granted  a  dispensation  and 
the  first  officers  were:  Frank  Bell,  High  Priest;  Charles  Knust,  King, 
and  Levi  W.  Lee,  Scribe. 

Gold  Hill  Chapter  No.  8,  was  organized  November  23,  1876,  with  the 
following  officers:  Samuel  W.  Chubbuck,  High  Priest;  George  Robin- 
son, King,  and  Ben.  H.  Carrick,  Scribe.  This  chapter  was  very  active 
for  many  years,  but  in  June,  1899,  its  membership  had  decreased  in  num- 
bers to  such  an  extent  that  it  surrendered  its  charter. 

Humboldt  Chapter  No.  9,  was  organized  September  19,  1822,  with  the 
following  officers:  George  R.  Walker,  High  Priest;  Thomas  Shone, 
King,  and  Charles  Duncan,  Scribe. 

Goldfield  Chapter  No.  10  was  organized  February  16,  1907,  with  Wil- 
liam P.  Woods,  High  Priest;  Charles  H.  Beesley,  King,  and  Henry  W. 
Miles  Scribe. 


684  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Tonopah  Chapter  No.  10  was  organized  June  14,  1910,  with  Alfred 
L.  Smith,  High  Priest;  Pearl  E.  Keeler,  King,  and  Wm.  I.  Bray,  Scribe. 

Elko  Chapter  No.  n  was  organized  in  June,  1910.  with  James  C. 
Doughty,  High  Priest;  F.  S.  Gedney,  King,  and  Charles  B.  Henderson, 
Scribe. 

The  present  Grand  High  Priest  is  Fred  M.  Schadler,  of  Reno ;  Grand 
King,  Walter  E.  Pratt,  of  Goldfield,  and  Grand  Secretary,  Edward  D. 
Vanderlieth,  of  Carson. 

The  following  companions  have  filled  the  office  of  Grand  High  Priest 
of  the  Grand  Chapter  during  its  existence  in  Nevada :  George  Robin- 
son, 1873;  Samuel  C.  Wright,  1874;  John  C.  Currie,  1875;  D.  C.  Mc- 
Kenney,  1876-77;  Philip  Seldner.  1878;  George  E.  Bailey,  1879;  Frank 
Bell,  1880;  William  Timson,  1881 ;  Chauncey  M.  Noteware,  1882;  Adol- 
phus  L.  Fitzgerald,  1883;  Thomas  A.  Menary,  1884;  George  R.  Walker, 
1885;  Robert  L.  Fulton,  1886;  Enoch  Strother,  1887;  Philip  A.  Doyle, 
1888;  John  H.  Hubbs,  1889;  C.  W.  Hinchcliffe,  1890;  Albert  Lackey, 
1892;  John  W.  Eckley,  1893;  Rufus  H.  Kinney,  1894;  Trenmor  Coffin, 
1895;  J.  S.  Burlingame,  1896;  Matthew  Kyle,  1897;  John  M.  McCor- 
mack,  1898;  Alex  O.  Percy,  1899;  Michael  A.  Murphy,  1900;  William 
Sutherland,  1901 ;  Frank  D.  King,  1902 ;  Joseph  A.  Miller,  1903 ;  Her- 
man Levy,  1904;  George  Gillson,  1905;  Charles  L.  Fulstone,  1906;  Wil- 
liam L.  Cox,  1907 ;  Pearis  B.  Ellis,  1908 ;  James  C.  Doughty,  1909 ;  Theo. 
J.  Steinmetz,  1910;  Henry  W.  Miles,  1911;  Fred  M.  Schadler,  1912. 

ROYAL  AND  SELECT    MASTERS. 

Nevada  Council  No.  i,  of  the  Royal  and  Select  Masters,  was  organ- 
ized in  Goldfield,  June  I,  1907,  with  Adams  F.  Brown,  Master;  Charles 
H.  Beesley,  R.  I.  Master,  and  Joseph  Hamilton,  Principal  Conductor.  A 
charter  was  granted  the  council  by  the  Grand  Council,  September  10, 
1912,  and  the  council  was  duly  constituted  by  Adams  F.  Brown,  special 
deputy  of  Grand  Master  Graff  M.  Acklin.  The  present  membership  is 
about  eighty. 

There  have  been  several  councils  of  Royal  and  Select  Masters  estab- 
lished in  Nevada,  but  no  records  have  been  kept  and  it  is  almost  impos- 
sible to  get  a  definite  history  of  their  work.  One  was  established  in  Vir- 
ginia City,  another  at  Reno,  and  still  another  in  Eureka. 

KNIGHTS   TEMPLAR. 

In  September,  1866.  a  number  of  Knights  Templar  hailing  from  Cali- 


FRATERNAL    SOCIETIES  685 

fornia  Commanderies  assisted  in  laying  the  cornerstone  of  the  State 
Capitol,  and  immediately  after  determined  to  organize  a  Commandery  in 
Virginia  City.  Jacob  L.  Van  Bokkelen  was  appointed  to  take  the  neces- 
sary steps  and  in  a  short  time  Henry  L.  Palmer,  Grand  Master  of 
Knights  Templar  in  the  United  States,  granted  a  dispensation  to  the 
following  Sir  Knights  to  form  a  commandery  in  Nevada,  viz. :  Jacob 
L.  Van  Bokkelen,  John  S.  Kaneen,  Nathaniel  A.  H.  Ball,  John  P.  Smith, 
John  C.  Hampton,  Daniel  S.  Stevens,  Charles  Forman,  Leonard  N.  Fer- 
ris, Jonah  D.  Treat,  Horace  M.  Vesey,  Henry  G.  Blasdel,  John  C.  Rus- 
sell, George  W.  Hopkins,  Charles  N.  Cook,  Ansel  S.  Olin,  and  Milton 
Mygatt.  The  commandery  was  christened  DeWitt  Clinton  Commandery, 
in  honor  of  the  first  Grand  Master  of  the  order  in  the  United  States. 
The  Eminent  Commanders  since  its  organization  have  been :  Jacob  L. 
Van  Bokkelen,  John  P.  Smith,  Frederick  A.  Tritle,  Frederick  C.  Lord, 
Charles  Forman,  John  W.  Eckley,  John  C.  Hampton,  Henry  Rolfe,  John 
H.  Hubbs,  George  A.  Morgan,  Enoch  Strother,  Walter  J.  Harris,  Wm. 
Sutherland,  Henry  Patey,  Robert  S.  Meachem,  James  B.  McCullough, 
Absalom  Spencer,  Matthew  Kyle,  and  the  present  Commander  is  Edward 
D.  Brown.  All  the  records  of  the  commandery  were  destroyed  in  the 
great  fire  of  1875.  In  April,  1905,  it  was  resolved  to  move  the  com- 
mandery to  Reno,  inasmuch  as  a  fine  new  Temple  was  in  course  of  erec- 
tion there.  This  step  was  taken  to  avoid  surrendering  the  charter,  and 
thereby  losing  the  right  to  wear  the  mounted  uniform.  The  members 
did  not  desire  to  lose  this  distinction  as  there  are  now  only  a  few  com- 
manderies  in  the  United  States  that  have  as  fine  a  uniform.  The  uni- 
forms owned  by  the  members  of  DeWitt  Clinton  Commandery  are  valued 
at  $22,000,  as  there  as  no  members,  and  each  uniform  is  worth  $200.  The 
present  officers  are  Edward  D.  Brown,  Eminent  Commander;  Harry  J. 
Gosse,  Generalissimo ;  Edward  Barber,  Captain  General ;  Hosea  E.  Reid, 
Senior  Warden;  Robert  Lewers,  Junior  Warden;  Samuel  Unsworth, 
Prelate;  Wm.  Sutherland,  Recorder;  Wm.  A.  Fogg,  Standard  Bearer; 
B.  J.  Genesy,  Sword  Bearer;  Arthur  A.  Codd,  Warder. 

Eureka  Commandery  No.  2. — This  commandery  was  organized  at  Eu- 
reka, Nevada,  under  dispensation  granted  by  Vincent  L.  Hurlbut,  Grand 
Master  of  Knights  Templar,  in  July,  1880.  The  charter  members  in  part 
were:  H.  H.  Conklin,  first  Eminent  Commander:  W.  H.  Remington. 
W.  W.  Hobart,  Adolphus  L.  Fitzgerald,  Matthew  Kyle,  Reinhold  Sadler 


686  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

A.  Boungard  and  F.  E.  Baker.  This  commandery  was  very  active  for 
many  years,  but  with  the  decline  in  mining,  many  members  moved  away 
and  it  was  difficult  to  get  a  quorum  to  transact  business,  and  finally  in 
September,  1912,  the  charter  was  taken  up  by  W'm.  B.  Melish,  Grand 
Master  of  Knights  Templar  in  the  United  States. 

Malta  Commandery  No.  3,  K.  T. — Was  organized  at  Goldfield 
in  the  fall  of  1908,  with  Adams  F.  Brown,  Eminent  Com- 
mander; Henry  W.  Miles,  Generalissimo,  and  William  W.  Ashley, 
Captain  General.  At  the  Triennial  Conclave  of  Knights  Templar,  in 
Chicago,  August  n,  1910,  Sir  William  B.  Melish,  Grand  Master,  this 
commandery  was  granted  a  charter.  It  was  constituted  a  regular  com- 
mandery September  16,  1910,  by  Absalom  Spencer,  P.  E.  C,  of  DeWitt 
Clinton  Commandery  of  Reno,  acting  as  the  special  representative  of  the 
Grand  Master.  Adams  F.  Brown  was  the  first  Eminent  Commander. 
Joseph  P.  Stampher  was  elected  in  1911;  Joseph  Hamilton  in  1912,  and 
MjcKay  B.  Aston  is  the  Eminent  Commander  for  1913.  Its  present 
membership  numbers  forty-two. 

ANCIENT  AND  ACCEPTED  SCOTTISH   RITE  OF  FREE   MASONRY. 

The  first  Scottish  Rite  lodge  to  be  instituted  in  Nevada  was  organized 
at  Hamilton,  White  Pine  County,  and  was  known  as  Adoniram  Lodge 
of  Perfection.  It  was  started  September  9,  1871,  by  Edwin  A.  Sherman, 
Deputy  Inspector  General  for  the  Territories  under  the  Supreme  Council 
of  the  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite  for  the  Southern  Jurisdiction 
of  the  United  States.  The  charter  members  were :  Thomas  N.  Browne, 
Samuel  P.  Kelly,  Edward  Johnson,  E.  S.  Gabbs,  G.  R.  Alexander,  Joseph 
Potts,  Wm.  B.  Morse,  Thos.  M.  Martin  and  Peter  A.  Wagner.  Thos. 
N.  Browne  was  elected  Venerable  Master;  Samuel  P.  Kelly,  S.  W.,  and 
Edward  Johnson,  J.  W.  Several  candidates  were  elected  and  advanced 
to  the  14°  during  the  two  years  the  lodge  was  in  existence,  but  so  many 
of  the  members  left  Hamilton,  that  the  lodge  disbanded  March  3,  1873. 

The  second  lodge  was  organized  in  Virginia  City,  April  23,  1874,  and 
was  known  as  Silver  Lodge  of  Perfection.  Its  first  officers  were :  George 
S.  Hopkins,  Ven.  Master;  Philip  Seldner,  S.  W.;  Stephen  H.  Goddard, 
J.  W.,  and  the  rest  of  the  charter  members  were  John  W.  Van  Zandt, 
M.  J.  Henley,  J.  C.  Hampton,  Charles  E.  Davis,  J.  B.  Pichford,  and 
James  A.  Maynard.  It  continued  its  work  for  about  six  years  and  had 
altogether  about  one  hundred  members. 


FRATERNAL    SOCIETIES  687 

October  16,  1874,  Edwin  A.  Sherman,  who  is  still  living  and  resides 
in  Oakland,  Cal.,  instituted  Nevada  Lodge  of  Perfection  at  Carson  City, 
with  the  following  officers:  Edwin  A.  Sherman,  Ven.  Master;  Eugene 
B.  Rail,  S.  W.;  Levi  D.  Butts,  J.  W.;  Geo.  B.  Hill,  Secretary;  David 
H.  Lentz,  Treasurer.  The  meeting  was  held  in  the  Senate  Chamber  in 
the  Capitol,  and  the  following  members  appear  on  the  charter  list: 
Charles  E.  Laughton,  George  Flemming,  George  B.  Hill,  David  H.  Lentz, 
J.  M.  Hetrick,  John  H.  King,  Alex  M.  Ardery,  Thos.  J.  Hodgkinson, 
Henry  F.  Clouette,  Eugene  B.  Rail  and  Levi  D.  Butts.  The  lodge  was 
in  existence  from  October  16,  1874,  to  December  7,  1879,  and  the  com- 
plete membership  list  shows  the  following  names,  in  addition  to  those 
named  in  the  charter:  Wm.  H.  Corbett,  Edmund  M.  Howe,  Morris  D. 
Hatch,  Fred  D.  Stadtmuller,  Robert  R.  LaVallierre,  Wm.  M.  Havener, 
Wm.  E.  Price,  George  Tufly,  Chas.  F.  Bicknell,  Robert  W.  Bollen,  Daniel 
Haugh,  A.  D.  Chamberlain,  E.  Benus,  George  Robinson,  Charles  Martin, 
Thomas  Sheehan,  Olin  W.  Ward,  J.  J.  Beaman,  B.  F.  Foster,  A.  C.  Tevis, 
Trenmor  Coffin,  Hubbard  G.  Parker,  Thomas  Howe,  Geo.  H.  Hayward, 
John  S.  Dixon,  James  H.  McQuade,  Wm.  P.  Mclntosh,  M.  B.  Ames, 
M.  C.  Gardner,  Wm.  Klink,  J.  L.  Beam,  Fred  H.  Phelps,  O.  London, 
M.  E.  Spooner,  Isaac  Clouette,  Elijah  Walker,  John  A.  Johnson  and  Jos. 
Robinson.  The  Grand  Commander,  Albert  Pike,  33°,  of  Washington,  D. 
C.,  visited  the  Carson  bodies  July  12,  1876.  For  many  years  there  was 
no  attempt  to  organize  another  Scottish  Rite  body  in  Nevada,  owing  to 
the  vast  amount  of  work  and  expense  necessary  to  keep  up  the  organiza- 
tion, but  in  1901,  Adolphus  L.  Fitzgerald,  33°,  Inspector  General  for 
Nevada,  and  Matthew  Kyle,  now  33°  Hon.,  succeeded  in  getting  a  scat- 
tered membership  to  unite  in  forming  Nevada  Lodge  of  Perfection  at 
Reno,  with  the  following  officers:  Thos.  Wren,  Ven.  Master;  Reinhold 
Sadler,  S.  W.;  Richard  Ryland,  J.  W.;  E.  D.  Kelley,  Secretary;  Matthew 
Kyle,  Treasurer.  Forty-two  members  signed  the  call,  and  twenty-nine 
candidates  were  elected  and  received  the  degrees  from  the  4°  to  the  32° 
in  the  next  six  months.  The  four  bodies  constituting  the  Scottish  Rite 
in  Nevada,  Nevada  Lodge  of  Perfection,  Washoe  Chapter  of  Rose  Croix, 
Pyramid  Council  of  Kadosh  and  Reno  Consistory,  have  a  membership 
otf  461,  own  a  quarter  of  the  Masonic  Temple  in  Reno,  and  are  in  pos- 
session of  about  $8,000  worth  of  paraphernalia.  The  former  lodges  or- 
ganized in  Nevada  had  a  hard  financial  struggle  to  keep  going,  but  the 


688  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

present  organization  has  no  such  trouble.  The  present  officers  are  as 
follows : 

Nevada  Lodge  of  Perfection,  4°  to  14° — Geo.  W.  Robinson,  Ven.  Mas- 
ter; Sidney  C.  Foster,  S.  W.;  Jesse  M.  Rhodes,  J.  W.;  Henry  W.  Miles, 
Master  Ceremonies. 

Washoe  Chapter  of  Rose  Croix — Silas  E.  Ross,  Wise  Master ;  Robert 
H.  Parker,  S.  W.;  John  W.  Blum,  J.  W. ;  Wm.  H.  Goodwin,  Master 
Ceremonies. 

Pyramid  Council  of  Kadosh — Sanf ord  C.  Dinsmore,  Preceptor ;  James 
Fife,  S.  W. ;  Charles  F.  Jackson,  J.  W. ;  Charles  H.  Gorman,  Master 
Ceremonies. 

Reno  Consistory — Sidney  C.  Foster,  Master ;  Henry  W.  Miles,  S.  W. ; 
Jesse  M.  Rhodes,  J.  W. ;  Fred  B.  Corle.  Master  Ceremonies.  Matthew 
Kyle  is  Treasurer  of  all  the  bodies,  and  Robert  Lewers,  Secretary.  The 
following  members  have  been  honored  by  the  Supreme  Council  of  the 
Southern  Jurisdiction  in  Washington  with  the  highest  degree  given,  the 
33°.  Adolphus  L.  Fitzgerald,  33°  Active;  Matthew  Kyle,  John  N.  Hill, 
Frank  H.  Norcross,  William  F.  Robinson,  Alfred  W.  Holmes  and 
Robert  Lewers,  33°  Hon. 

ANCIENT  ARABIC  ORDER   OF   THE    MYSTIC   SHRINE. 

Nevada  territory  belonged  at  one  time  to  the  jurisdiction  of  Islam 
Temple  of  San  Francisco,  and  that  Temple  initiated  a  great  many  can- 
didates from  Nevada.  In  the  fall  of  1906,  quite  a  number  of  Nevada 
Shriners  interested  themselves  in  the  organization  of  a  Shrine  in  Nevada. 
On  December  10,  1906,  Imperial  Potentate  Alvah  P.  Clayton  granted  a 
dispensation  to  organize  Kerak  Temple  at  Reno.  All  Shrine  Temples 
are  required  to  choose  an  Arabic  name,  and  this  one  chose  the  name  of 
a  city  and  province  in  Asia  Minor.  The  first  officers  of  Kerak  Temple 
were:  Robert  Lewers,  Potentate;  Walter  J.  Harris,  Chief  Rabban; 
Theodore  J.  Steinmetz,  Assistant  Rabban ;  Samuel  Unsworth,  High 
Priest;  Harry  J.  Gosse,  Oriental  Guide;  M.  C.  McMillan,  Treasurer,  and 
Frank  D.  King,  Recorder.  Three  ceremonials  were  held,  two  at  Reno, 
and  one  at  Tonopah,  where  a  class  of  sixty-four  was  initiated.  The  Im- 
perial Council  at  Los  Angeles  in  May,  1907.  granted  a  charter  to  Kerak, 
and  the  Temple  was  regularly  constituted  with  Walter  J.  Harris,  Poten- 
tate. Robert  Lewers  was  elected  Potentate  in  1908  and  1909;  Absalom 
Spencer  in  1910;  Alfred  Warren  Holmes  in  1911;  Hosea  E.  Reid  in 


FRATERNAL    SOCIETIES  689 

1912,  and  the  present  Potentate  is  William  F.  Robinson.  The  other  offi- 
cers for  1913  are:  Sanford  C.  Dinsmore,  Chief  Rabban;  Robert  H. 
Parker,  Assistant  Rabban;  Samuel  Unsworth,  High  Priest;  Arthur  A. 
Codd,  Oriental  Guide ;  Milo  C.  McMillan,  Treasurer,  and  Frank  D.  King, 
Recorder.  Kerak  Temple  has  prospered  and  now  has  nearly  four  hun- 
dred members. 

KNIGHTS  OF  PYTHIAS. 
BY  S.  H.  ROSENTHAL,  G.  K.  R.  S. 

The  Order  of  Knights  of  Pythias  was  founded  February  19,  1864,  at 
Washington,  D.  C.,  by  Justus  H.  Rathbone.  At  a  time  when  "war  was 
in  the  heart  of  man,  and  sorrow  in  the  home,"  when  from  ocean  to  ocean, 
from  lake  to  gulf,  our  glorious  land  was  engaged  in  scenes  of  carnage 
and  death,  Mr.  Rathbone  saw  in  Grecian  history  the  germ  of  an  order 
that  should  prove  a  power  in  dispelling  the  warmth  of  sectional  strife 
and  restoring  the  hearts  of  men  to  a  basis  of  universal  brotherhood,  and 
taking  the  story  of  Damon  and  Pythias  as  a  foundation  from  which  to 
work,  evolved  the  first  ritual  of  the  Order  of  Knights  of  Pythias.  This 
bright}  spot  upon  the  pages  of  the  past  was  the  cornerstone  upon  which 
Brother  Rathbone  builded  wiser  than  he  knew.  For  years  the  fires  burned 
low  upon  the  altars  of  the  young  and  struggling  brotherhood,  but  in  its 
present  high  noon,  when  from  every  hilltop  the  shields  of  brave  and 
gallant  Knights  make  bright  the  day  of  promise,  the  founder  of  the 
order  may  rest  assured  that  its  ascendant  star  will  never  wane.  The 
marvelous  growth  of  the  organization  has  been  almost  miraculous,  going 
ahead  by  leaps  and  bounds  until  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  1913  its 
membership  numbered  716,000.  On  January  i,  1913,  there  were  7,716 
subordinate  lodges,  with  a  total  membership  of  716,000,  an  average  of 
more  than  14,600  each  year  during  its  short  existence. 

THE  ORDER  IN   NEVADA. 

The  first  lodge  instituted  in  the  State  of  Nevada  was  Nevada  Lodge 
No.  i,  located  at  Virginia  City,  and  instituted  March  23,  1873.  On  March 
31,  1874,  the  Grand  Lodge  was  instituted  at  Carson  City,  when  repre- 
sentatives from  six  lodges  were  in  attendance.  At  this  session  the  fol- 
lowing named  were  chosen  as  the  first  officers  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 


690  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Nevada:  E.  L.  Stern,  Past  Grand  Chancellor;  S.  H.  Goddard,  Grand 
Chancellor;  Geo.  Gilson,  Grand  Vice  Chancellor;  Charles  E.  Laughton, 
Grand  Keeper  of  Records  and  Seal;  George  Tufly,  Grand  Master  of 
Exchequer ;  A.  Livingston,  Grand  Master-at-Arms ;  Caesar  Corris,  Grand 
Inner  Guard;  Lyman  A.  Frisbie,  Grand  Outer  Guard.  Of  these  named 
all  have  passed  to  the  great  beyond  with  the  one  exception  of  the  Grand 
Inner  Guard,  Caesar  Corris,  who  still  retains  his  membership  in  the 
Order,  being  an  active  and  enthusiastic  member  of  Amity  Lodge  of  Reno. 
The  Grand  Lodge  holds  annual  sessions  at  such  places  as  is  selected  at 
each  session,  but  when  not  otherwise  designated,  Reno  is  the  place  of 
meeting. 

A  majority  of  those  who  have  acted  as  Grand  Chancellor  in  this  Do- 
main have  passed  away.  Of  those  who  are  entitled  to  the  honor  of  Past 
Grand  Chancellor,  who  are  still  active  in  their  Pythian  work,  the  fol- 
lowing is  a  list:  J.  E.  Bray,  W.  S.  Beard,  W.  W.  Booth,  Caesar  Corris, 
H.  H.  Coryell,  O.  J.  Clifford,  T.  R.  Hofer,  Sr.,  S.  J.  Hodgkinson,  W.  D. 
Jones,  Geo.  J.  D.  King,  P.  H.  Mulcahy,  C.  D.  Zeigler,  G.  A.  Macpherson, 
W.  U.  M&ckey,  M.  C.  McMillan,  W.  C.  Pitt,  Benj.  Rosenthal,  A.  B. 
Stoddard,  W.  L.  Samuels,  W.  R.  Shaber,  E.  E.  Winfrey,  N.  E.  Wilson, 
F.  P.  Dann. 

Subordinate  Lodges. — The  Grand  Lodge  controls  twenty-four  sub- 
ordinate lodges,  with  a  total  membership  in  the  State  of  1,672  January 
i,  1913,  these  subordinate  lodges  showed  total  assets  of  $76,496.61. 

ODDFELLOWSHIP. 
BY  WM.  SUTHERLAND,  GRAND  SECRETARY. 

Oddfellowship  in  the  State  of  Nevada  dates  from  1861,  and  had  its 
birth  on  what  is  familiarly  called  "the  Comstock,"  at  the  base  of 
Mount  Davidson.  In  Gold  Hill  and  Virginia  City  arose  a  call  for 
organization  and  relief  in  1861-62,  and  from  this  situation  came  assem- 
blages of  Odd  Fellows,  operating  in  accordance  with  the  teachings  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  by  "visiting  the  sick,  reliev- 
ing the  distressed,  burying  the  dead,  or  caring  for  the  orphan." 

The  territory  having  been  placed  under  the  jurisdicton  of  California 
in  April,  1862,  four  lodges  were  instituted  under  dispensations  from 


FRATERNAL    SOCIETIES  691 

that  Grand  Lodge  during  that  year,  viz.:  Wildey  No.  i,  at  Gold  Hill, 
April  ist;  Silver  City  No.  2,  at  Silver  City,  April  I4th;  Mount  David- 
son No.  3,  at  Virginia  City,  April  23rd,  and  Carson  No.  4,  at  Carson 
City,  April  25th.  Six  other  lodges  were  subsequently  instituted  under 
the  same  authority,  to-wit:  Dayton  No.  5,  at  Dayton,  June  2,  1863; 
Esmeralda  No.  6,  at  Aurora,  September  16,  1863;  Nevada  No.  7,  at 
Virginia  City,  January  15,  1864;  Washoe  No.  8,  at  Washoe,  January 
18,  1864;  Austin  No.  9,  at  Austin,  January  23,  1864,  and  Virginia  No. 
10,  at  Virginia  City,  May  18,  1865. 

In  a  little  more  than  three  years'  time  these  ten  lodges  had  been 
instituted,  and  they  formed  the  nucleus  from  which  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Nevada  was  organized.  At  the  session  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
United  States  in  1866,  a  charter  was  granted  for  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Nevada,  and  on  the  2ist  of  January,  1867,  the  past  grands  of  the  ten 
lodges  before  mentioned  assembled  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  in  Virginia 
City,  and  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
of  the  State  of  Nevada,  was  duly  instituted  by  District  Deputy  Grand 
Sire  Daniel  Norcross,  of  San  Francisco,  California.  The  Grand  Lodge 
was  organized  by  electing  John  S.  Van  Dyke,  Past  Grand  of  Carson 
Lodge  No.  4,  Grand  Master;  J.  W.  Tyler,  P.  G.  of  Esmeralda  Lodge 
No.  6,  Deputy  Grand  Master;  P.  J.  H.  Smith,  P.  G.,  of  Silver  City 
Lodge  No.  2,  Grand  Warden ;  R.  H.  Taylor,  P.  G.,  of  Mount  Davidson 
Lodge  No.  3,  Grand  Secretary;  R.  M.  Black,  P.  G.,  of  Nevada  Lodge 
No.  7,  Grand  Treasurer,  and  J.  E.  Sabine,  P.  G.,  of  Dayton  Lodge  No. 
5,  Grand  Representative,  and  the  promise  of  that  day  that  through  it 
would  the  principles  of  the  Order  be  advanced  and  given  a  wider 
dissemination,  the  superstructure  of  Odd  Fellowship  strengthened  and 
permanently  established  within  the  State,  has  been  fulfilled,  as  shown 
by  its  present  active  and  progressive  membership. 

Since  the  organization  of  the  Grand  Lodge  in  1867,  thirty-one 
lodges  have  been  instituted,  making  a  total  of  forty-one,  of  which  two 
have  surrendered  their  charters  and  fourteen  consolidated  with  other 
lodges,  leaving  at  the  present  writing  (1913)  twenty-five  working 
lodges,  with  a  membership  of  over  1,700.  The  largest  membership 
attained  by  the  Order  in  this  State  was  in  the  year  1876,  when  it 
numbered  2,045,  which  gradually  declined  to  1,255  in  1899,  but  again, 
with  the  improvement  of  times,  progressed  until  the  1,700  mark  has 


692  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

been  passed.  While  this  membership  seems  small,  still,  when  you 
compare  it  with  States  of  much  larger  population  we  outrank,  as  to 
percentage  of  membership  of  population,  it  being  over  two  per  cent, 
of  the  present  population  of  this  State.  Since  the  year  1867  the  Order 
in  this  State  has  expended  in  relief  and  charity  the  munificent  sum  of 
$478,746.  Grand  Lodge  officers  for  1912-13:  David  McLean,  Grand 
Master;  C.  R.  Carter,  Deputy  Grand  Master;  W.  M.  Christian,  Grand 
Warden;  Wm.  Sutherland,  Grand  Secretary;  C.  Novacovich,  Grand 
Treasurer;  H.  P.  Gifford,  Grand  Representative;  F.  P.  Langan,  Grand 
Representative;  Rev.  H.  B.  Adams,  Grand  Chaplain;  Chas.  B.  Kapp- 
ler,  Grand  Marshal;  N.  Curnow,  Grand  Conductor;  W.  H.  Martin, 
Grand  Guardian;  W.  C.  Neasham,  Grand  Herald. 

Encampment  Branch. — The  introduction  of  the  Patriarchal  branch 
of  the  Order  into  this  State  is  also  due  to  California.  As  early  as 
September,  1862,  Grand  Representative  H.  H.  Hayden,  of  California, 
introduced  a  resolution  in  the  body  that  is  now  styled  the  Sovereign 
Grand  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  asking  "that  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Grand 
Encampment  of  California  be  extended  over  the  territory  of  Nevada." 
The  request  was  not  granted  until  the  session  of  1863.  On  July  17, 
1864,  Pioneer  Encampment  No.  i  was  instituted  at  Virginia  City  by 
T.  Rodgers  Johnson,  Grand  Secretary  of  California.  This  encamp- 
ment is  to-day  the  first  on  the  roll  of  Patriarchal  Oddfellowship  in 
Nevada. 

Carson  Encampment  No.  2,  at  Carson  City,  was  instituted  by  John 
S.  Kaneen,  District  Deputy  Grand  Patriarch,  November  18,  1867;  Piute 
No.  3  was  instituted  at  Virginia  City,  February  20,  1868,  but  later  on 
was  moved  to  Gold  Hill ;  Reese  River  No.  4  was  instituted  November 
19,  1869,  at  Austin;  Reno  No.  5  was  instituted  at  Reno^,  January  8, 
1872;  Garden  Valley  No.  6  was  instituted  December  13,  1873,  at 
Dayton,  and  Silver  State  No.  7  was  instituted  at  Virginia  City,  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1874.  In  1876  this  encampment  was  merged  with  Pioneer 
No.  i. 

The  Grand  Encampment,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Nevada,  was  instituted  at 
Carson  City,  March  2,  1875,  by  Special  Deputy  Grand  Sire  D.  O.  Ad- 
kinson,  Past  Grand  Representative  of  Nevada,  assisted  by  Patriarchs 
Jacob  Young,  A.  Prescott,  E.  L.  Stern,  John  S.  Kaneen,  A.  Hires  and 
J.  C.  Smith.  The  latter  was  elected  Grand  Patriarch.  Since  institution 


FRATERNAL    SOCIETIES  693 

of  Grand  Encampment  eight  more  subordinate  encampments  have 
been  organized,  making  a  total  of  fifteen  subordinate  encampments,  of 
which  nine  are  now  in  active  operation — three  having  surrendered 
their  charters  and  three  consolidating  with  other  encampments.  The 
membership  in  1912  is  357.  Following  are  the  Grand  officers  for  1912- 
13:  John  Johnson,  Grand  Patriarch;  W.  M.  Christian,  Grand  High 
Priest;  M.  G.  Edwards,  Grand  Senior  Warden;  Wm.  Sutherland, 
Grand  Scribe;  C.  Novacovich,  Grand  Treasurer;  John  Dunbar,  Grand 
Representative ;  E.  P.  McLean,  Grand  Junior  Warden ;  Geo.  R.  Emery, 
Grand  Marshal ;  Spencer  Reynolds,  Grand  Sentinel,  and  Alfred  Tam- 
blyn,  Deputy  Grand  Sentinel. 

Rebekah  Degree  Branch. — The  first  Rebekah  Lodge  organized  in 
Nevada  was  Colfax  Degree  of  Rebekah  Lodge  No.  i,  instituted  at 
Virginia  City,  March  4th,  1869,  by  John  S.  Kaneen,  Grand  Master — on 
the  same  date  that  the  author  of  the  degree  (Schuyler  Colfax)  was 
inaugurated  Vice-president  of  the  United  States,  and  it  is  claimed  it 
was  the  first  lodge  of  the  kind  instituted  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Sovereign  Grand  Lodge.  The  title  "Degree  of  Rebekah  Lodge"  was 
retained  until  session  of  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge  in  1891,  when  it  was 

changed  to  ....  Rebekah  Lodge,  No I.  O.  O.  F.  Twenty 

nine  Rebekah  Lodges  have  been  instituted  in  this  State  since  Colfax 
No.  i,  twenty-two  of  which,  including  Colfax  No.  I,  are  in  active 
operation  to-day,  the  other  eight  having  surrendered  their  charters. 

On  June  16,  1896,  representatives  from  seven  Rebekah  Lodges  met 
in  Reno  and  organized  the  Rebekah  Assembly,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Nevada, 
Sister  Emma  B.  Coffin,  of  Harmony,  Rebekah  Lodge  No.  5,  of  Dayton, 
being  elected  its  first  President.  On  June  15,  1912,  the  Rebekah  As- 
sembly had  cash  in  hands  of  Treasurer,  $881.84;  in  hands  of  Trustees, 
$1,650.97;  bonds  amounting  to  $2,000,  and  $3,000  invested  in  I.  O.  O.  F. 
Building  Association  stock,  making  a  total  of  $7,032.81.  Assembly 
officers  for  1912-13:  Alys  Johnson,  President;  Julia  P.  Smith,  Vice- 
president;  Lizzie  R.  Mudd,  Secretary;  Angeline  Day,  Treasurer;  Adah 
Updike,  Marshal ;  Florence  Swasey,  Conductor ;  Margaret  Jack,  Chap- 
lain; Emma  King,  Inside  Guardian,  and  Mary  J.  Mack,  Emma  B. 
Holmes  and  Delia  Spinney,  Trustees. 


694  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

BENEVOLENT  AND  PROTECTIVE  ORDER  OF  ELKS. 
BY  ROBERT  LEWERS. 

The  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  was  organized  in  New 
York  City,  February  16,  1868,  by  Charles  Vivian  and  his  associates.  The 
original  ritual  contained  two  degrees,  but  the  present  ritual  has  but  one. 
It  was  composed  at  first  of  those  engaged  in  the  theatrical,  musical  or 
literary  professions,  and  its  object  was  defined  as  that  of  promoting 
and  enhancing  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  each  other.  In  1871  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  the  Order  was  founded  with  a  small  membership.  In 
1876,  San  Francisco  founded  No.  3 ;  Chicago,  No.  4,  and  Cincinnati,  No. 
5.  The  growth  for  some  years  was  slow,  but  along  about.  1895  the  Order 
commenced  to  grow  by  leaps  and  bounds.  The  list  of  Grand  Exalted 
Rulers  contains  the  names  of  many  distinguished  men,  such  as  Judge 
Henry  A.  Melvin,  of  California,  who  held  that  office  in  1906,  and  the 
present  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  John  K.  Tener,  who  succeeded  Judge 
Melvin.  The  present  Grand  Exalted  Ruler  is  Thomas  B.  Mills,  of  Su- 
perior, Wisconsin.  The  membership  of  the  Order  April  I,  1912,  was 
384,742,  and  the  number  of  lodges,  1,287.  The  largest  lodge  at  that  date 
was  Brooklyn  No.  22,  with  3,693  members.  The  property  held  by  all 
the  lodges  footed  up  $20,391,832,  and  the  amount  expended  for  charity 
was  $467,698.53  for  the  year  ending  April  i,  1912. 

Reno  Lodge  No.  597. —  Was  organized  June  30,  1900,  with 
the  following  charter  members,  viz. :  Harry  J.  Gosse,  W.  E. 
Sharon,  William  L.  Cox,  Henry  C.  Cutting,  Henry  P.  Kraus,  W.  B.  Lob- 
ner,  Ed.  F.  Smith,  John  A.  Lewis,  Fred  P.  Dann,  W.  G.  Doane,  Jos.  H. 
McCormack,  Phil  J.  McGrath,  Samuel  H.  Wheeler,  Geo.  H.  Wilson, 
James  F.  Stewart,  Chas.  S.  Hallifax.  H.  F.  Dangberg,  Frank  M.  Lee, 
Albert  W.  Cahlan,  L.  O.  Henderson,  Frank  P.  Langan,  Nelson  Coffin, 
David  W.  Rulison,  Sidney  P.  Reaves,  R.  B.  Hawcroft,  F.  D.  Duncan, 
E.  B.  Yerington,  George  T.  Mills,  Thos.  J.  Birmingham,  David  M.  Ryan, 
H.  J.  Darling,  J.  M.  Benton,  Jr.,  H.  E.  Epstine,  Roy  J.  Reese,  J.  A.  Yer- 
ington, J.  F.  Aitken,  F.  D.  Torryson,  T.  R.  Hofer,  Wm.  H.  Kirk,  J.  K. 
Mayberry,  Jay  H.  demons,  Eugene  Howell,  W.  A.  Phillips,  A.  E.  Che- 
ney, Harry  M.  Martin,  Camille  Lonkey,  Herman  A.  Grant,  Kyle  Kinney, 
Samuel  J.  Hodgkinson  and  Wm.  D.  Jones.  Harry  J.  Gosse  was  the  first 


FRATERNAL    SOCIETIES  695 

Exalted  Ruler  and  his  successors  are  as  follows :,  viz. :  William  L.  Cox, 
J.  F.  Stewart,  A.  E.  Cheney,  Jos.  H.  McCormack,  R.  B.  Hawcroft,  Oscar 
J.  Smith,  Frank  M.  Lee, .Harry  E.  Stewart,  Sidney  P  Reaves,  S.  M. 
Sample,  Fred  P.  Dann,  Wm.  Woodburn,  Jr.,  and  the  present  Exalted 
Ruler  is  Frank  J.  Byington. 

In  1904,  Reno  Lodge  commenced  the  erection  of  its  present  magnificent 
home,  and  finished  it  in  1905  at  a  cost  of  over  $40,000.  The  present 
membership  is  611.  Since  1902  fifty-six  members  have  died  and  the  first 
death  was  that  of  Henry  P.  Kraus,  'Nasby'  who  was  the  postmaster  of 
Reno  and  treasurer  of  the  lodge  at  the  time  of  his  death.  On  the 
memorial  tablet  are  found  the  names  of  John  Sparks,  Ex-Governor  of 
Nevada;  Orvis  Ring,  for  many  years  State  Superintendent  of  Public 
Instruction;  James  D.  Torreyson,  at  one  time  Attorney  General  of 
Nevada;  Joseph  R.  Ryan,  a  prominent  Comstock  mining  man;  George 
F.  Turrittin,  at  one  time  Mayor  of  Reno;  Nate  W.  Roff,  State  Senator; 
W.  H.  A.  Pike,  District  Judge ;  John  N.  Evans,  James  H.  Kinkead,  John 
B.  Overton,  William  Way,  pioneers  of  Nevada ;  George  S.  Nixon,  former 
United  States  Senator. 

Tonopah  Lodge  No.  1062.  —  Was  organized  April  26,  1907, 
and  has  shown  a  healthy  growth  ever  since.  Its  present  member- 
ship is  305,  and  it  has  a  pleasant  home  of  its  own.  Its  property  is  valued 
at  $15,300.  Its  first  Exalted  Ruler  was  L.  A.  Gibbons,  who  was  succeeded 
by  George  B.  Thatcher,  present  Attorney  General  of  Nevada;  Henry  C. 
Schmidt,  Frank  P.  Mannix,  P.  E.  Keeler,  J.  T.  Garner,  and  the  present 
chief  officer  is  Ed.  Malley. 

Goldfield  Lodge  No.  1072.  —  Was  organized  in  May,  1907, 
and  became  a  very  active  lodge.  Its  first  Exalted  Ruler  was  Mil- 
ton M;.  Detch,  and  his  successors  were  E.  R.  Collins,  Delos  A.  Turner, 
Charles  H.  Beesley,  W.  H.  Weishar,  T.  F.  Dunn.  The  present  Exalted 
Ruler  is  J.  Emmett  Walsh.  Arthur  E.  Barnes  has  been  Secretary  of 
the  lodge  since  its  organization.  The  present  membership  of  Goldfield 
Lodge  is  357,  and  the  lodge  owns  nearly  $30,000  worth  of  property. 

THE  FRATERNAL  ORDER  OF  EAGLES. 

was  organized  in  the  city  of  Seattle,  on  the  6th  of  Febru- 
ary, 1898,  by  John  Cort,  Thomas  Considine,  John  Considine, 
H.  L.  Leavitt,  and  Mose  Goldsmith,  in  the  spirit  of  levity, 


696  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

and  called  the  "Seattle  Order  of  Goods  Things,"  and  on  the  I3th  of  May, 
1898,  was  duly  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Washington 
as  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles,  which  name  was  proposed  by  John 
Cort.  The  first  Aerie  organized  in  the  State  of  Nevada  was  on  the  2Oth 
of  February,  1902,  when  Reno  Aerie  No.  207  of  Reno,  was  organized  by 
Alex  S.  Fowler,  there  being  63  charter  members.  The  principal  officers 
were:  Joseph  Brearley,  Past  Worthy  President;  Dr.  P.  Harold  Foss, 
Worthy  President ;  F.  G.  Folsom,  Secretary.  The  present  membership  of 
Reno  Aerie  No.  207  is  328,  and  the  officers  are:  Pete  Kinney,  Worthy 
President ;  Frank  H.  Hartung,  Secretary.  Carlin  Aerie  No.  229,  was  in- 
stituted on  the  nth  of  May,  1902,  by  A.  S.  Fowler,  there  being  53  charter 
members.  The  principal  officers  were:  Dean  Durham,  Past  Worthy 
President;  J.  C.  Fuller,  Worthy  President;  W.  H.  Nolan,  Secretary.  The 
present  membership  of  Carlin  Aerie,  No.  229  is  73,  and  the  officers  are : 
C.  B.  Kuppler,  Worthy  President ;  W.  S.  McKinsey,  Secretary.  Tonopah 
Aeria,  No.  271,  was  instituted  on  the  9th  of  October,  1902,  by  D.  Leish- 
man,  there  being  74  charter  members.  The  principal  officers  were :  Ken- 
neth M.  Jackson,  Past  Worthy  President;  Thomas  Fleming,  Worthy 
President ;  George  A.  Cole,  Secretary.  The  present  membership  of  Tono- 
pah Aerie  NJo.  271  is  209,  and  the  officers  are:  William  Hawke,  Worthy 
President ;  L.  H.  Conley,  Secretary.  Winnemucca  Aerie  No.  487  was  in- 
stituted on  the  25th  of  August,  1903,  by  Joseph  Brearley,  there  being  54 
charter  members.  The  principal  officers  were :  J.  D.  Vargas,  Past  Worthy 
President;  R.  E.  L.  Windle,  Worthy  President;  C.  E.  Robins,  Secretary. 
The  present  membership  of  Winnemucca  Aerie  No.  487  is  106,  and  the 
officers  are:  F.  C.  Krenkel,  Worthy  President;  C.  B.  Smith,  Secretary. 
Comstock  Aerie  No.  523,  of  Virginia  City,  was  instituted  on  the  26th  of 
September,  1903,  by  Joseph  Brearley,  there  being  78  charter  members. 
The  principal  officers' were  :  Con  A.  Ahern,  Past  Worthy  President ;  Joseph 
Farnsworth,  Worthy  President ;  John  C.  Dewar,  Secretary.  The  present 
membership  of  Comstock  Aerie  No.  523  is  162,  and  the  officers  are: 
M.  W.  Dandurand,  Worthy  President;  James  Ennis,  Secretary.  Es- 
meralda  Aerie  No.  946,  of  Goldfield,  was  instituted  on  the  ist  of  Janu- 
ary, 1905,  by  Joseph  Brearley,  there  being  160  charter  members.  The 
principal  officers  were :  M.  M.  Detch,  Past  Worthy  President ;  D.  A. 
Turner,  Worthy  President;  F.  H.  Maxwell,  Secretary.  The  present 
membership  of  Esmeralda  Aerie  No.  946  is  200,  and  the  officers  are: 


FRATERNAL    SOCIETIES  697 

J.  G.  Thompson,  Worthy  President;  Clyde  P.  Johnson,  Secretary.  Car- 
son City  Aerie  No.  1006,  was  instituted  on  the  5th  of  March,  1905,  by 
Con  A.  Ahern,  there  being  92  charter  members.  The  principal  officers 
were:  Will  U.  Mackey,  Past  Worthy  President;  Samuel  Platt,  Worthy 
President ;  H.  B.  Van  Etten,  Secretary.  The  present  membership  of  Car- 
son City  Aerie  No.  1006  is  134,  and  the  officers  are:  John  Sanger,  Worthy 
President;  F.  A.  Gushing,  Secretary.  Las  Vegas  Aerie  No.  1213,  was 
instituted  on  the  I5th  of  September,  1905,  by  C.  A.  Ahern,  there  being 
62  charter  members.  The  principal  officers  were:  Dr.  E.  C.  Keyes, 
Past  Worthy  President ;  D.  V.  Noland,  Worthy  President ;  I.  W.  Botkin, 
Secretary.  The  present  membership  of  Las  Vegas  Aerie  No.  1213,  is  76, 
and  the  officers  are :  L.  A.  Wynaught,  Worthy  President ;  I.  W.  Botkin, 
Secretary.  Toquima  Aerie  No.  1422,  of  Manhattan,  was  instituted  on 
the  27th  of  May,  1906,  by  Con  A.  Ahern,  there  being  64  charter  mem- 
bers. The  principal  officers  were :  Charles  Fancher,  Past  Worthy  Pres- 
ident; W.  G.  Doane,  Worthy  President;  William  A.  Boyle,  Secretary. 
The  present  membership  of  Toquima  Aerie  No.  1422,  is  90,  and  the 
officers  are :  Peter  Bleede,  Worthy  President ;  L.  M.  Richards,  Secretary. 
Fallen  Aerie  No.  1447  was  instituted  on  the  25th  of  June,  1906,  by  C.  A. 
Ahern,  there  being  92  charter  members.  The  principal  officers  were: 
E.  W.  Black,  Past  Worthy  President;  Frank  W'oodliff,  Worthy  Presi- 
dent; Paul  C.  Groth,  Secretary.  The  present  membership  of  Fallon 
Aerie  No.  1447  *s  IO3>  and  tne  officers  are:  William  S.  Wall,  Worthy 
President;  F.  F.  Franke,  Secretary.  Lovelock  Aerie  No.  1557,  was 
instituted  on  the  3Oth  of  December,  1906,  by  C.  A.  Schartzer,  there  being 
100  charter  members.  The  principal  officers  were :  F.  A.  Preston.  Past 
Worthy  President;  James  M.  Hunter,  Worthy  President;  E.  E.  Cozzens, 
Secretary.  The  present  membership  of  Lovelock  Aerie  No.  1557  is  87, 
and  the  officers  are:  E.  T.  Torrey,  Worthy  President;  W.  H.  Davis, 
Secretary.  Yerington  Aerie  No.  1696  was  instituted  on  the  nth  of 
August,  1907,  by  C.  A.  Schartzer,  there  being  80  charter  members.  The 
principal  officers  were:  Lawson  King,  Past  Worthy  President:  C.  B. 
Wiseman,  Worthy  President ;  Harry  F.  Holland,  Secretary.  The  present 
membership  of  Yerington  Aerie  No.  1696,  is  102,  and  the  officers  are: 
W.  J.  McKenzie,  Worthy  President;  J.  F.  Barton,  Secretary.  White 
Pine  Aerie  No.  1705,  of  Ely,  was  instituted  on  the  22nd  of  October,  1907, 
by  M.  J.  Mahoney,  there  being  130  charter  members.  The  principal 


698 

officers  were :  W.  E.  Dean,  Past  Worthy  President ;  A.  G.  Cunningham, 
Worthy  President;  H.  E.  Stebbins,  Secretary.  The  present  membership 
of  White  Pine  Aerie,  No.  1705,  is  195,  and  the  officers  are:  J.  E.  Rob- 
bins,  Worthy  President;  A.  L.  Haight,  Secretary.  Round  Mountain 
Aerie,  No.  1799,  was  instituted  on  the  i6th  of  July,  1908,  by  Con  A. 
Ahern,  there  being  54  charter  members.  The  principal  officers  were: 
Andrew  Atchison,  Past  Worthy  President;  Earl  Clair,  Worthy  Presi- 
dent; Archie  T.  Cook,  Secretary.  The  present  membership  of  Round 
Mountain  Aerie,  No.  1799,  is  83,  and  the  officers  are:  John  Leary, 
Worthy  President;  J.  D.  Harrington,  Secretary.  Steptoe  Aerie,  No. 
1876,  of  McGill,  was  instituted  on  the  9th  of  June,  1909,  by  A.  J.  Cun- 
ningham, there  being  122  charter  members.  The  principal  officers  were : 
Roy  J.  Tilton,  Past  Worthy  President ;  J.  J.  Decker,  Worthy  President ; 
Joseph  S.  Darke,  Secretary.  The  present  membership  of  Steptoe  Aerie 
No.  1876,  is  96,  and  the  officers  are:  Floyd  E.  Walk,  Worthy  President; 
J.  McD.  Brown,  Secretary.  At  the  present  time  there  are  fifteen  Sub- 
ordinate Aeries,  with  a  total  membership  of  2,044  in  the  State  of  Nevada. 

KNIGHTS  OF  COLUMBUS. 

On  March  29,  1882,  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Connecticut 
passed  an  Act  approving  of  the  incorporation  of  the  Knights  of  Colum- 
bus. Since  that  time  it  has  grown  to  become  one  of  the  most  powerful 
fraternal  orders  of  the  United  States. 

There  are  four  councils  in  the  State  of  Nevada,  located  at  Ely,  Gold- 
field,  Reno  and  Tonopah.  Prior  to  April,  1911,  the  Nevada  membership 
was  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Utah,  with  P.  A.  McCarran  as  the  Terri- 
torial Deputy,  who  was  authorized  to  direct  the  affairs  of  the  order  in  the 
State  of  Nevada.  In  1911,  the  required  membership  having  been  at- 
tained, a  State  convention  was  called  and  a  State  Council  was  established, 
and  P.  A.  McCarran  was  chosen  State  Deputy.  At  the  convention  of 
1912,  Leonard  B.  Fowler  was  chosen  to  succeed  Mr.  McCarran  as  State 
Deputy.  The  order  now  has  a  membership  in  Nevada  of  five  hundred. 
Mr.  McCarran  represented  Nevada  as  a  delegate  to  the  Supreme  Council 
at  the  conventions  held  at  Mobile,  Detroit  and  Quebec.  In  1912  he  was 
again  a  delegate  but  for  business  reasons  was  unable  to  attend,  and  C.  J. 
Leonesio,  of  Reno,  was  chosen  in  his  place.  State  Deputy  Leonard  B. 


FRATERNAL  SOCIETIES  699 

Fowler,  by  virtue  of  his  office,  was  also  a  delegate  to  this  convention, 
which  was  held  at  Colorado  Springs,  in  August,  1912. 

The  first  lodge  to  be  organized  in  Nevada  was  Reno  Lodge  No.  569, 
which  came  into  existence  April  19,  1911.  Its  charter  closed  with  a  mem- 
bership of  569. 

Since  that  time  lodges  have  been  organized  in  Fallon,  Virginia  City, 
Goldfield  and  Tonopah,  and  further  work  of  organizing  is  going  rapidly 
on.  A  lodge  has  been  also  organized  in  the  neighboring  California  City 
of  Portola. 

Reno  Lodge  was  represented  at  the  Indianapolis  Convention  and 
through  the  efforts  of  the  Reno  delegation  the  Supreme  Dictator  of  the 
Moose  Lodge  included  Reno  later,  on  his  western  itinerary,  and  his  pres- 
ence and  address  did  much  for  the  Order  in  Nevada. 

UNITED  ANCIENT  ORDER  DRUIDS. 

The  Druids  were  organized  in  Reno,  May  4,  1901.  Roma  Grove  No.  i, 
Wm.  Semenza,  First  Noble  Arch ;  L.  Lagomarsino,  First  Past  Noble 
Arch,  working  in  the  Italian  language.  Bayton  Grove,  No.  2,  was  or- 
ganized at  Dayton,  also  Italian.  Reno  Grove,  No.  3,  was  organized  in 
Reno,  February  15,  1903,  English.  Sparks  Grove,  No.  4,  Italian,  at 

Sparks.    Then  permission  was  granted  to  organize  Grand  Grove, 

organized  July  2,  1905 ;  C.  E.  Mooser,  First  Noble  Grand  Arch ;  Wm. 
Semenza,  First  Past  Noble  Grand  Arch.  Amis-Reunis,  No.  5,  organized 
in  Reno,  French  language.  Galileo-Galilei,  No.  6,  at  Sparks,  Italian.  Wm. 
Semenza,  Noble  Grand  Arch ;  L.  Lagomarsino.  Past  Noble  Grand  Arch ; 
C.  E.  Mooser,  Grand  Secretary ;  B.  Duque,  Grand  Treasurer ;  Present 
officers  of  the  Grand  Grove  of  Nevada. 

THE  BROTHERHOOD  OF  AMERICAN  YEOMEN. 

The  Brotherhood  of  American  Yeomen  was  organized  in  Iowa 
February  25,  1897,  is  now  sixteen  years  old  and  has  a  membership  of 
183,771.  It  has  paid  in  death  and  accident  claims  $9,165,454.65.  The 
first  Homestead  in  Nevada  was  organized  in  Reno  in  June,  1910;  in 
Goldfield,  November,  1910;  Tonopah,  May,  1911;  McGill,  October, 
1911,  and  in  Ely,  June,  1912.  In  Nevada  it  now  has  a  membership 
of  nearly  six  hundred.  David  Reedy  is  State  Manager. 


700  THE    HISTORY   OF    NEVADA 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

METEOROLOGICAL  WORK. 

BY  H.  S.  COLE. 

The  Signal  Corps  of  the  United  States  Army  took  meteorological 
observations  and  made  weather  reports  and  weather  forecasts  from  1870 
to  1890.  This  work  was  transferred  to  the  Department  of  Agriculture 
in  1891,  and  the  Weather  Bureau  was  organized  to  take  charge  of  it. 

The  first  Signal  Station  for  meteorological  observations  in  Nevada 
was  established  by  Corporal  John  Healey,  of  the  Signal  Service,  at 
Winnemucca.  He  began  the  work  of  establishing  a  station  June  12, 
1887,  and  was  ready  to  begin  taking  observations  by  July  i5th  of  the 
same  year.  A  continuous  record,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  short 
intervals,  has  been  kept  at  this  station  to  the  present  time,  a  period  of 
thirty-five  years. 

This  record  covers  the  longest  period  of  any  government  record  in 
the  State,  although  precipitation  records  were  kept  by  the  Central  Pacific 
Railroad  agents,  and  their  successors,  the  Southern  Pacific  agents,  at 
Battle  Mountain,  Beowawe,  Browns,  Elko,  Humboldt  and  Reno,  extend- 
ing back  to  1870.  The  temperature  records  at  Reno  extend  back  to  the 
same  date,  but  at  the  other  five  stations  the  temperature  record  only 
extends  back  to  1878.  Very  careful  and  complete  records,  kept  by  Mr. 
Charles  W.  Friend,  at  Carson  City,  extend  back  to  1875.  The  above 
mentioned  are  the  oldest  meteorological  records  in  the  State. 

The  Nevada  State  Weather  Service  was  extended  in  February,  1887, 
and  Mr.  C.  W.  Friend  was  appointed  director.  He  erected  an  observa- 
tory at  Carson  City  and  furnished  all  meteorological  instruments  at  his 
own  expense. 

The  purposes  of  the  State  Weather  Service,  as  set  forth  by  Mr. 
Friend,  were,  "To  collect  a  fund  of  knowledge,  as  complete  as  possible, 
of  the  climatic  features  of  every  portion  of  the  State,  from  which  reliable 
data  can  be  furnished  to  actual  and  prospective  settlers;  to  incite  an 


METEOROLOGICAL    WORK  701 

interest  in  our  people  in  the  study  of  our  climate  and  to  aid  in  making 
possible  a  practical  application  of  the  knowledge  thus  acquired ;  to  assist 
in  developing  our  agricultural  interests  by  discussion  of  problems  of 
irrigation,  storage  of  water,  economy  of  water  supply  and  adaptation  of 
soils  and  climate  to  specific  crops,  and,  by  cooperation  with  the  Signal 
Service,  to  secure  to  our  people  the  benefits  of  the  indications  (fore- 
casts) of  that  service." 

The  above  was  written  in  1888,  and  it  is  gratifying  to  note  how  fully 
these  ends  are  being  realized.  Director  Friend  lived  to  see  the  attain- 
ment of  nearly  all  of  them,  and  the  attainments  of  the  past  few  years 
are  exceeding  his  most  sanguine  hopes.  He  spent  the  greater  portion  of 
the  year  of  1887  in  securing  the  instruments  and  making  the  necessary 
plans  and  preparations  for  the  work. 

Sergeant  Charles  A.  Read  was  detailed  by  the  Signal  Service  to  assist 
Director  Friend,  and  arrived  in  Carson  City,  August  2,  1887.  By  Octo- 
ber i  they  had  fourteen  stations  equipped  and  observations  were  begun. 

Great  difficulty  was  experienced  in  obtaining  observers  in  all  portions 
of  the  State,  and  a  law  was  passed  making  it  one  of  the  duties  of  the 
county  auditors  to  take  observations  and  render  reports  at  the  end  of 
the  month.  Even  with  this  assistance,  Director  Friend  became  greatly 
discouraged.  He  saw  how  great  were  the  difficulties  before  him.  The 
State  was  sparsely  settled  and  the  people  were  constantly  moving.  The 
apparently  simple  processes  of  reading  thermometers,  measuring  rainfall, 
and  keeping  a  record  without  any  contradictory  statements  on  the  form, 
requires  considerable  care.  The  reports  for  the  first  month  showed  so 
many  inaccuracies  that  no  use  could  be  made  of  them.  As  these  reports 
were  not  used,  interest  lagged  and  some  criticisms  were  offered. 

Director  Friend  and  Sergeant  Read  continued  the  work  of  instructing 
the  observers  and  establishing  new  stations,  and  by  February,  1888,  they 
received  fairly  accurate  reports  from  thirty-seven  stations.  From  these 
were  prepared  the  data  for  the  first  report  of  the  Nevada  State  Weather 
Service. 

In  the  meantime  Sergeant  Read,  in  addition  to  his  work  with  Director 
Friend,  established  a  Signal  Service  Station  in  the  State  Printing  Build- 
ing in  Carson  City,  and  began  taking  observations,  December  i,  1887. 

This  office  was  maintained  by  the  Signal  Service  until  the  Weather 
Bureau  was  established,  and  was  continued  by  that  bureau  until  Novem- 


702  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

ber  n,  1905,  when  it  was  moved  to  Reno  by  Section  Director  H.  F. 
Alps.  The  office  has  remained  in  Reno  to  the  present  time  and  now 
occupies  rooms  in  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows'  Building,  at 
the  corner  of  Center  and  Second  streets. 

A  third  station  was  established  in  the  State  at  Tonopah,  in  1906,  where 
a  continuous  record  has  been  kept  from  that  date  to  the  present  time. 

Sergeant  Read,  in  addition  to  taking  observations  and  making  reports 
for  the  Signal  Service,  assisted  Director  Friend  in  the  State  Weather 
Service  work,  and  some  of  the  old  reports  show  that  Mr.  Friend  gave 
him  a  great  deal  of  credit  for  his  careful,  conscientious  work.  The  State 
Weather  Service  and  the  Signal  Service,  and  later  the  State  Weather 
Service  and  the  Weather  Bureau,  seem  to  have  worked  together  from 
the  beginning  to  the  time  of  Director  Friend's  death  without  the  least 
discord.  The  correspondence  of  both  offices,  now  on  file  at  the  local 
office  of  the  Weather  Bureau,  in  Reno,  does  not  show  any  jealousy  or 
friction. 

By  the  year  1896  the  work  of  preparing  the  forms  and  overseeing  the 
observers  at  the  sub-stations  had  nearly  all  been  turned  over  to  the 
Weather  Bureau.  The  State  continued  to  furnish  the  equipment  for  the 
sub-stations  until  1899,  when  that  also  was  turned  over  to  the  Weather 
Bureau,  and  it  continued  printing  the  monthly  weather  reports  until  the 
bureau  discontinued  them  in  all  the  States,  in  June,  1909. 

Director  Friend  received  a  salary  from  the  State  for  his  services,  and 
his  name  was  printed  on  the  monthly  weather  reports  until  his  death, 
January  10,  1997,  a  period  of  twenty  years,  showing  in  what  high  esteem 
his  services  were  held  by  the  State  and  by  the  Weather  Bureau.  He  was 
the  pioneer  in  State  Weather  Service  work  west  of  the  Rockies,  and 
was  so  recognized  by  the  Weather  Bureau,  by  the  Association  of  Weather 
Services,  and  by  such  scientists  as  J.  P.  Findlay,  of  the  Army,  and  C.  H. 
Sinclair,  of  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  the  two  latter  being  his 
warm  personal  friends. 

The  work  of  recording  and  compiling  data  has  gone  on  now  for 
twenty-four  years,  and  at  a  few  stations  for  over  forty-two  years,  without 
cessation.  At  a  large  number  of  the  sub-stations  the  record  is  continuous, 
the  railroads  insisting  that  their  agents  take  observations  at  certain  sta- 
tions. Some  of  the  sub-stations  have  been  closed  and  others  established, 
and  in  this  way  there  are,  at  present,  over  one  hundred  and  twenty  places 


METEOROLOGICAL    WORK  703 

in  the  State  where  records  have  been  kept,  some  for  long  periods,  others 
for  a  short  time  only.  Information  concerning  climatic  conditions  of  any 
portion  of  the  State  may  be  obtained,  free  of  charge,  by  applying  to  the 
Local  Office,  Weather  Bureau,  Reno,  Nevada.  If  there  has  been  a  station 
in  the  exact  locality  for  which  information  is  desired,  data  may  be  obtained 
from  a  station  near  by. 

The  Water  Resources  Service  of  the  Weather  Bureau  was  organized 
in  1908  for  the  purpose  of  making  careful  observations  of  snow  and  rain- 
fall at  high  altitudes.  Snow  surveys  are  made  each  year  in  order  to 
obtain  accurate  information  regarding  the  amount  of  snow  in  the  moun- 
tains, and  the  water  content  of  the  same.  These  measurements  are  used 
in  estimating  the  amount  of  water  available  for  irrigation  during  the  next 
summer,  and  the  probably  time  of  run-off.  The  Forest  Service,  the 
Water  Resources  Branch  of  the  Geological  Survey,  the  Indian  Service, 
the  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry  and  the  Reclamation  Service  are  intimately 
associated  with  the  Weather  Bureau  in  this  work. 

Professors  J.  E.  Church  and  S.  P.  Ferguson,  of  the  University  of 
Nevada,  are  making  quite  extensive  investigations  on  Mt.  Rose  and  in 
the  Truckee  Meadows  along  meteorological  lines,  especially  on  frost 
temperatures.  They  are  also  investigating  snowfall  and  water  supply 
for  irrigation  in  the  Truckee  Drainage  Basin. 

The  forecasts  are  used  to  quite  an  extent,  especially  by  the  railroads, 
stock  men,  handlers  of  perishable  goods,  and  fruit  and  truck  farmers. 

This  article  would  not  be  quite  complete  without  the  following  climat- 
ological  tables,  which  were  compiled  by  the  Weather  Bureau  for  the 
Nevada  Section.  These  averages  are  from  records  of  from  ten  to  forty 
years. 


704 


THE     HISTORY     OF     NEVADA 


AVERAGE    MONTHLY    AND    ANNUAL    PRECIPITATION 


Stations. 


NORTHERN     SECTION. 

Beowawe     

0.77 

0.75 

0.65 

0.67 

0.69 

0.41 

0.21 

0.15 

0.28 

0.43 

0.63 

0.84 

6.48 

Lovelocks     

0.43 

0.51 

0.31 

0.19 

0.31 

0.21 

0.10 

0.03 

0.24 

0.29 

0.23 

0.25 

3.10 

Quinn  River  Ranch 

1.36 

0.78 

0.94 

0.40 

0.44 

0.44 

0.18 

.014 

0.39 

0.39 

0.51 

0.73 

6.70 

Tecoma     

0.64 

0.54 

0.43 

0.63 

0.69 

0.54 

0.18 

0.23 

0.37 

0.41 

0.40 

0.60 

5.66 

Wells     

1.44 

1.24 

1.25 

0.67 

0.92 

0.47 

0.38 

0.20 

0.12 

0.59 

0.44 

1.25 

8.97 

Winnemucca    .... 

1.04 

0.93 

0.95 

0.88 

1.03 

0.64 

0.17 

0.17 

0.34 

0.52 

0.74 

0.99 

8.40 

CENTRAL    SECTION. 

Austin     

1.21 

1.33 

1.50 

1.50 

1.56 

0.63 

0.39 

0.55 

0.51 

0.62 

0.68 

1.24 

11.72 

Ely     

1.07 

1.15 

1.57 

1.24 

1.56 

0.40 

0.53 

1.26 

0.72 

0.66 

0.83 

1.25 

12.24 

Eureka     

1.87 

1.28 

2.31 

1.07 

1.51 

0.76 

0.53 

0.79 

0.61 

0.61 

0.74 

1.09 

13.17 

Potts    

0.58 

0.74 

0.93 

0.75 

1.07 

0.26 

0.59 

0.66 

0.28 

0.32 

0.45 

0.51 

7.14 

WESTERN    SECTION. 

Fallen    

0.55 

0.76 

0.54 

0.32 

0.72 

0.21 

0.09 

0.06 

0.18 

0.42 

0.27 

0.69 

4.81 

Gardnerville   

2.47 

1.62 

1.54 

0.67 

0.67 

0.22 

0.11 

0.20 

0.22 

0.51 

1.74 

2.15 

12.12 

Lewers'   Ranch    .  . 

5.25 

4.06 

4.21 

1.4* 

1.68 

0.41 

0.18 

0.34 

0.66 

.  1.46 

3.18 

4.12 

26.96 

Reno    

1.95 

1.79 

1.22 

0.61 

0.79 

0.24 

0.14 

0.25 

0.27 

0.41 

1.09 

1.67 

10.43 

SOUTHERN    SECTION 

Belmont     

0.85 

1.10 

0.92 

0.68 

0.84 

0.46 

0.49 

0.94 

0.53 

0.46 

0.31 

1.09 

8.67 

Hawthorne    

0.60 

0.35 

0.22 

0.24 

0.36 

0.25 

0.15 

0.24 

0.22 

0.22 

0.32 

0.39 

3.56 

Logan    

1.23 

0.87 

0.70 

0.10 

0.14 

0.01 

0.24 

0.55 

0.36 

0.67 

0.56 

0.61 

6.04 

Palmetto    

1.93 

1.88 

2.54 

1.26 

1.58 

0.66 

1.32 

3.31 

0.69 

1.03 

0.99 

1.34 

18.53 

Pioche    

1.01 

1.24 

1.41 

0.97 

0.87 

0.33 

0.68 

1.44 

0.68 

0.50 

0.47 

1.64 

11.24 

AVERAGE    MONTHLY   AND    ANNUAL    SNOWFALL. 


Stations. 


NORTHERN     SECTION. 

Beowawe    

,  ,      14 

5.1 

5.2 

4.1 

2.4 

0.1 

0.1 

0 

0 

0 

0.4 

3.6 

3.0 

24.0 

Lovelock     

9 

2.8 

2.7 

0.7 

0.1 

0.1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0.5 

1.2 

8.1 

Quinn    River   Ranch 

4 

3.2 

5.5 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2.5 

6.2 

17.4 

Tecoma  

.  .      12 

8.0 

4.9 

3.5 

1.5 

1.3 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0.7 

5.2 

3.8 

28.9 

Wells    

,      10 

10.2 

10.1 

10.8 

0.9 

1.8 

0 

0.4 

0 

0.1 

0.5 

3.6 

7.2 

45.6 

Winnemucca    , 

,  .      31 

8.6 

5.0 

4.5 

2.0 

0.5 

0.1 

0 

0 

0 

0.5 

2.4 

5.7 

29.3 

CENTRAL    SECTION. 

Austin     

9 

13.5 

10.1 

12.5 

7.1 

3.9 

0 

0 

0 

0.6 

0.8 

5.8 

8.5 

62.8 

Ely     

14 

9.4 

11.1 

13.4 

8.2 

4.1 

0 

0 

0 

0.5 

1.4 

5.2 

7.2 

60.5 

Eureka    

6 

17.9 

13.7 

24.1 

8.6 

10.0 

2.0 

1.0 

0 

1.6 

1.9 

7.9 

9.8 

98.5 

Potts   

14 

7.3 

7.2 

8.5 

5.8 

3.5 

0.8 

0 

0 

1.2 

1.2 

5.1 

3.7 

44.3 

WESTERN    SECTION. 

Fallen      

.  ,      10 

3.8 

4.1 

2.8 

0.4 

0.6 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0.8 

2.1 

14.6 

Gardnerville    

.  .      10 

11.4 

7.0 

4.7 

1.7 

0.2 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1.3 

1.7 

5.9 

33.9 

Lewers'  Ranch   

..      17 

15.8 

17.4 

14.5 

5.5 

2.4 

T. 

0 

o 

0 

1.4 

4.2 

11.6 

72.8 

Reno    

21 

7.7 

7.5 

4.3 

0.7 

0.4 

0 

0 

0 

T. 

0.4 

1.3 

4.3 

26.6 

SOUTHERN   SECTION. 

Belmont    

8 

8.6 

9.3 

7.1 

4.2 

2.2 

0.1 

0 

0 

0.6 

0.6 

1.9 

3.9 

38.5 

Hawthorne     

10 

2.2 

2.6 

1.2 

0.4 

0.1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1.5 

0.9 

8.9 

Las  Vegas   

8 

0.2 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2.1 

2.3 

Logan    

6 

0.1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0.1 

Palmetto     

15 

20.8 

14.1 

18.5 

7.4 

7.1 

0.7 

0 

0 

1.1 

1.5 

8.9 

9.8 

89.9 

Pioche     

5 

9.1 

6.2 

9.9 

3.4 

0.2 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

7.6 

6.5 

42.9 

METEOROLOGICAL    WORK  705 

FROST    DATA. 

U  fcfl  kfl  aj  5?  3  -w-«  OC 

**  a  o  ff  o  ja  n  s  *-*-'  u  c 

rt.S-r-  o)^   3  — •  C*1  O*+H   C 

•as  a  •«!«  ^w  °«3 

Stations.  &     ,  M^.S  J?.U « 


NORTHERN     SECTION. 

Beowawe     May  15  Oct.       1  Tune    18      Aug.    19 

Lovelock    May  22  Sept.    22  June    13      Sept. 

Quinn  River  Ranch Tune  19  Sept.      6              All   months. 

Tecoma    •• May  28  Sept.    14              All   months. 

Winnemucca  May  15  Sept.    23  June    20      Aug.    22 


MIDDLE    SECTION. 

21 

Sept 

21 

Ml 

Ely                    

1 

Sept 

18 

-Ml 

8 

Sept 

20 

All 

Potts         

16 

Oct 

2 

All 

WESTERN     SECTION. 

Fallen      

25 

Oct 

4 

31 

Sept. 

1ft 

15 

Sept 

July 

f. 

Sept. 

Ifl 

26 

Sept 

28 

Tulv 

g 

Sept 

14 

Reno     .                                                    ..••.. 

Mav 

16 

Sent. 

31 

Tune 

r 

Sept. 

1  4 

SOUTHERN     SECTION. 

Geyser    June    23      Sept.      3      July     16     Aug.    11 

Logan April   14      Nov.      6      May    17      Oct.     20 

Palmetto    May    30      Sept.    21  All   months. 

HIGHEST   TEMPERATURE 


o  >>  ^ 

Stations.                           •£"£  £  «  .s  .  f  1  J  1  I  "I 

J'-^foS  -<  S       £       £       <  en  O  £  Q  •< 

NORTHERN     SECTION. 

Beowawe   18  60  67  78  87  94  103  104  105  98  86  73  68  105 

Lovelock  15  75  75  90  92  100  100  108  108  100  92  81  69  108 

Qumn  River  Ranch 8  57  70  75  84  90   98  105  105  97  84  74  60  105 

Tecoma  19  58  60  72  85  92  107  110  111  98  84  72  60  111 

Wells  19  52  60  75  82  101  102  105  102  95  88  78  65  105 

Winnemucca  32  58  69  82  83  96   98  104  102  94  87  73  65  104 

CENTRAL    SECTION. 


Austin  

.  ..  19 

56 

58 

71 

79 

88 

98 

101 

95 

88 

80 

69 

57 

101 

Ely  

.  .  .  19 

66 

60 

68 

77 

85 

97 

99 

96 

91 

78 

69 

67 

99 

Eureka  

.  ..  12 

59 

63 

71 

87 

94 

99 

110 

103 

109 

87 

81 

64 

110 

Potts  

.  ..  15 

62 

65 

69 

86 

98 

105 

110 

108 

100 

94 

70 

65 

110 

WESTERN  SECTION. 

Fallon  

...  14 

04 

72 

78 

89 

90 

94 

101 

103 

95 

88 

81 

72 

103 

Gardnerville  

...  19 

71 

75 

83 

90 

93 

106 

109 

108 

98 

89 

83 

78 

109 

Lewers'  Ranch  

...   19 

68 

69 

76 

81 

90 

94 

101 

102 

92 

82 

79 

66 

102 

Reno  

.  ..   21 

63 

76 

74 

88 

90 

95 

100 

100 

94 

86 

74 

68 

100 

SOUTHERN  SECTION. 

Belmont  

...   14 

56 

55 

63 

72 

86 

105 

104 

92 

89 

80 

69 

57 

105 

Hawthorne  

...   16 

65 

68 

78 

88 

93 

100 

101 

102 

97 

88 

78 

69 

102 

Las  Vegas  

8 

77 

78 

91 

91 

101 

111 

115 

110 

107 

94 

83 

73 

115 

Logan  

9 

7ft 

86 

90 

103 

110 

117 

116 

117 

114 

100 

8ft 

76 

117 

Palmetto  

...   19 

65 

70 

74 

83 

89 

98 

99 

97 

91 

82 

73 

68 

99 

Pioche  

.  ..   10 

65 

66 

76 

94 

91 

102 

109 

105 

99 

91 

80 

61 

109 

Tybo  

.  ..   11 

65 

59 

70 

83 

94 

99 

103 

100 

90 

79 

68 

63 

103 

706 


THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

LOWEST  TEMPERATURE. 


Stations. 

NORTHERN     SECTION. 

a  ° 
S  ° 

.  .      18 

o  January. 

o 

a  February 

ja 
o 
E 

10 

O, 

18 

26 

4J 

37 

"3 
42 

bfi 
3 

43 

"1 
«> 

22 

a  October. 
^ 
^  Novembe 
1 
§  Decembei 

o  Annual. 

.  ..      15 

-10  -10 

10 

22 

28 

32 

33 

38 

29 

10       0-8 

-10 

Quinn   River  Ranch  
Tecoma    

8 
.  .  .      19 

-23  -  9 
-14  -15 

7 
-  3 

4 
11 

15 
23 

27 
28 

30 
31 

22 
22 

10 
20 

1-5-9 
2-6-9 

-23 
-15 

Wells    

.  .  .      19 

-28  -37 

-12 

14 

13 

17 

28 

20 

15 

6  -23  -26 

-37 

32 

-28  -22 

_  3 

12 

17 

29 

33 

26 

16 

10-9  -20 

-28 

CENTRAL    SECTION. 

Austin    

.  .  .      19 

-18  -12 

3 

10 

10 

24 

25 

26 

22 

15       0-7 

-18 

Ely    

.  ..      19 

-27  -23 

-12 

3 

13 

21 

30 

25 

15 

-27 

12 

-26  -23 

2 

7 

10 

11 

32 

30 

5 

11  _  6  _  8 

-26 

Potts      

.  ..      15 

-32  -25 

-  8 

0 

10 

21 

26 

28 

10 

5  -17  -21 

-32 

WESTERN    SECTION. 

Fallen     

.  ..      14 

-5-7 

9 

14 

24 

33 

42 

36 

26 

15-1-3 

-  7 

.  .  .      19 

-24  -15 

7 

12 

20 

27 

32 

32 

22 

12       7  -17 

-24 

.  .  .      19 

-14  -  7 

6 

16 

16 

26 

30 

33 

21 

17       4       0 

-14 

.  .  .      21 

-19  -12 

-  3 

14 

16 

28 

35 

35 

24 

16       5-7 

-19 

SOUTHERN   SECTION. 

.  ..      14 

-12  -11 

0 

11 

19 

23 

35 

34 

18 

14       3     11 

12 

.  .  .      16 

-6       2 

8 

16 

21 

32 

45 

39 

28 

21     15       0 

-  6 

8 

11     11 

16 

26 

32 

35 

50 

47 

38 

29     14     12 

11 

9 

11     10 

19 

25 

29 

34 

49 

50 

34 

29     19     10 

10 

Palmetto          

.  .      19 

-17  -17 

-  6 

5 

12 

18 

25 

29 

13 

4     15     12 

17 

Pioche          .        

.  .  .      10 

-25  -  7 

-  5 

13 

14 

20 

33 

29 

20 

6-5-7 

-25 

Tvbo     . 

11 

-10  -  5 

0 

10 

20 

24 

40 

38 

21 

17-3-2 

-10 

707 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

THE  LITERATURE  OF  NEVADA. 

BY   SAM   P.  DAVIS. 

Mark   Twain,   Joseph   T.    Goodman,   C.    C.   Goodwin,   Rollen   Daggett, 

Harry   R.    Mighels,   Dan   De   Quille,    Thomas   Fitch,   Dr.    Galley, 

Sam   Davis,    Adah    Meechem    Strobridge,    Meriam    Michelson, 

Sam  Dunham,    Fred    Hart,    Philip    Verill    Mighels,    The 

Princess    Winnemucca,    Charles    McClure    Gottwaldt. 

In  discussing  the  impress  which  Nevada  has  made  upon  the  world's 
literature  the  name  of  Mark  Twain  naturally  heads  the  list.  He  began 
his  literary  career  on  the  Comstock,  and  after  blazing  his  name  upon 
the  scroll  of  the  world's  great  authors,  died  in  New  York  City  covered 
with  honors,  and  venerated  by  the  literati  of  both  continents. 

To  produce  any  of  his  writings  here  would  be  a  waste  of  printers' 
ink.  They  are  found  in  every  library  where  the  English  language  is 
spoken,  and  they  have  been  translated  into  the  tongues  of  many  countries. 
They  are  the  most  universally  read  of  any  modern  writer,  are  found  in 
the  cottage  of  the  poor,  by  the  side  of  the  artizan  in  his  workshop,  in 
the  palaces  of  kings.  They  are  appreciated  in  the  Flowery  Kingdom, 
they  are  standard  in  the  fastness  of  the  Himalayas  and  quoted  from  the 
desert  sands  of  the  tropics  to  the  ice-bound  regions  of  the  Arctic  where 
the  midnight  sun  hugs  the  horizon  for  half  the  year. 

Joseph  T.  Goodman,  who  was  a  sort  of  literary  foster-father  to  Twain, 
and  who  gave  him  his  first  employment  and  sustained  him  when  his  heart 
was  heavy  and  his  courage  flagged,  contributes  this  close-range  view  of 
his  characteristics. : 

"I  recall  Mark  Twain  in  so  many  different  personal  aspects  at  various 
periods  of  our  long  acquaintance  that  it  is  difficult  to  say  in  which  par- 
ticular one  I  remember  him  best.  Of  course,  there  were  always  the  same 
slight  figure,  the  same  noble  head,  the  same  keen  gray  eyes,  the  same 
delicate  hands  and  feet,  and  the  same  half-skipping,  half-shambling  gait ; 


708  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

but  I  saw  all  these  unchangeable  traits  undergo  by  slow  gradation  the 
inevitable  change  from  the  boyish  look  of  the  curled  darling  of  27  to 
the  venerable  appearance  of  the  white-haired  sage  of  69.  I  think,  how- 
ever, I  recall  his  personality  most  distinctly  and  like  it  best  at  that  last 
stage — possibly  because  I  am  old  myself.  He  had  then  taken  on  flesh, 
and  his  complexion,  which  formerly  was  sallow,  had  become  ruddy, 
while  age  sat  on  him  with  a  peculiar  grace,  as  though  it  had  only  de- 
scended to  rest  sportively,  lovingly  and  becomingly,  without  impairing 
him  by  a  single  blemishing  touch.  He  made  use  of  the  purest 
English  of  any  modern  writer.  The  simplicity  and  beauty  of  his  style 
is  almost  without  parallel  except  in  the  common  version  of  the  Bible. 
He  had  an  abhorrence  of  the  use  of  foreign  words,  obscure  terms  and 
affected  phrases  in  both  writing  and  speech." 

Joseph  Thompson  Gooaman. — Had  Joseph  T.  Goodman  done  nothing 
more  than  to  discover  Mark  Twain,  encourage  and  sustain  him 
when  he  wanted  to  abandon  the  calling  of  a  writer  to  try  something 
else,  the  world  would  have  owed  him  an  everlasting  debt  of  gratitude. 
But  Goodman  did  not  pause  at  this  achievement.  He  wrote  the  immortal 
book  known  through  the  world  as  the  "Biology  of  Central  America."  In 
this  stupendous  work  he  succeeded,  where  so  many  had  failed,  in  deciph- 
ering the  mysterious  inscriptions  on  the  ruined  temples  of  Yucatan, 
which  had  for  centuries  baffled  the  archeologists  of  the  world. 

He,  after  years  of  patient  research,  translated  the  archaic  calendars 
left  in  the  temples  by  the  ancient  Mayas,  inscriptions  carved  in  im- 
perishable stone  before  the  pyramids  were  planned  or  the  songs  of  the 
worshipers  rose  in  the  pillared  temples  of  Karnak.  He  demonstrated 
that  the  inscriptions  were  the  calendars  of  the  extinct  race  whose 
chronological  records  went  back  over  two  hundred  and  forty  thousand 
years.  He  showed  beyond  any  dispute  that  these  people  kept  records  of 
years  which  were  marked  by  the  journey  of  the  earth  around  the  sun, 
that  they  allowed  for  the  leap  year  and  knew  the  science  of  optics. 

This  book  is  now  recognized  as  standard  throughout  the  world  and 
regarded  as  one  of  the  monumental  works  of  the  century. 

Rollin  M.  Daggett. — The  State  never  sheltered  a  more  unique  and 
original  human  being  than  Rollin  Daggett.  In  personal  appearance  he 


THE     LITERATURE     OF     NEVADA  709 

was  rough,  uncouth  and  at  times  seemed  almost  brutal.  There  was  a 
scar  over  one  eye  as  if  a  knife  had  slashed  it,  and  his  face  was  forbidding 
and  coarse- featured  to  a  stranger;  but  after  he  had  conversed  two 
minutes,  his  sunny  smile  and  his  witty  conversation  won  every  one  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact. 

There  is  a  story  current  in  Placerville,  Cal.,  of  his  first  appearance  on 
the  Coast.  One  day  a  man  drifted  into  town  with  a  child  in  his  arms 
driving  a  white  bull.  He  was  nearly  dead  with  fatigue  and  hunger,  and 
the  emaciated  waif  he  held  in  his  arms  was  nearly  unconscious.  Those 
who  saw  the  man's  long  hair  and  beard,  ragged  garments  and  incoherent 
talk  pronunced  him  a  lunatic.  They  turned  the  white  bull  where  there 
was  good  grass,  washed  the  man  up  and  cared  for  the  child.  The  man 
was  Rollin  Daggett.  He  had  been  with  a  train  of  emigrants  crossing 
the  plains.  They  had  been  attacked  by  Indians  and  wiped  out.  Daggett 
with  the  little  child  in  his  arms,  got  away  and  he  carried  the  child  hun- 
dreds of  miles  to  civilization.  The  scar  over  his  eye  was  a  souvenir  of 
that  battle  with  the  savages.  He  said  that  after  he  had  traveled  about 
a  week  and  was  in  despair  the  white  bull  appeared  on  the  scene  and  he 
felt  that  it  was  a  guide  sent  by  Providence  to  show  him  the  way  to 
safety. 

As  an  editorial  writer  Daggett  was  for  years  a  power  in  Nevada  and 
he  was  also  elected  to  Congress  on  the  Republican  ticket.  He  was  a 
poet  of  the  first  rank,  and  wrote  many  splendid  pieces  of  forceful  and 
delightful  verse  and  had  his  fugitive  poems  been  collected  and  pub- 
lished in  book  form,  it  would  have  earned  for  him  a  lasting  name  in 
literature. 

He  was  also  the  author  of  "Braxton's  Bar,"  a  novel  founded  in  his  ex- 
periences in  crossing  the  plains,  but  as  a  novelist  his  work  was  not  on 
a  level  with  the  high  standard  of  his  poetry. 

Henry  R.  Mighels. — Was  born  November  3rd  at  Norway,  Maine,  and 
died  in  Carson  City,  May  28th,  1879.  He  was  commissioned  by  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  in  1862*  as  an  Assistant  Adjutant  General  and  assigned  to 
the  staff  of  General  Sturgis.  He  participated  in  many  battles  of  the 
Civil  War  and  in  the  battle  of  Petersburg  was  shot  through  both 
thighs.  After  being  mustered  out  of  service  because  of  his  wounds,  he 
engaged  in  journalism  in  California,  being  connected  with  the  Marys- 


710  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

mile  Appeal,  Butte  Record,  and  Sacramento  Bee.  He  started  the  Carson 
Appeal  and  edited  it  until  his  death.  As  an  editorial  writer  he  com- 
manded the  highest  salary  ever  paid  for  such  a  service  on  the  coast. 
During  one  of  the  great  political  campaigns  in  California  he  was  called 
away  from  the  Appeal  tripod  to  receive  a  salary  of  $500  a  week  as 
political  editor  of  a  San  Francisco  newspaper.  After  his  death  a  col- 
lection was  made  of  his  poems  and  sketches  and  published  under  the 
title  of  "Sagebrush  Leaves,"  a  book  replete  with  quaint  humor  and  odd 
fancies  of  an  educated  man  of  letters. 

Dan  De  Quille. — Dan  De  Quille,  whose  real  name  was  George  Wright, 
was  the  earliest  of  the  sagebrush  writers  to  attract  attention.  He  spent 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  on  the  Enterprise.  He  was  a  gentle, 
lovable  man  and  one  of  the  few  men  ever  heard  of  who  had  no  enemies 
and  yet  was  a  man  who  amounted  to  a  great  deal.  He  had  a  boundless 
imagination  and  was  a  many-sided  writer.  He  was  a  humorist,  philo- 
sopher and  the  keenest  of  observers.  His  pen  alone  gave  the  public  the 
true  vernacular  of  the  mining-camp  together  with  the  dialect  of  the 
Indian  and  the  Chinese.  He  painted  street  scenes  and  the  ways  of  the 
sports  and  promoters,  and  for  years  kept  the  Comstock  laughing  with 
his  odd  fancies. 

Few  men  understood  the  "lanes  and  alleys"  of  the  great  ledge  as  he 
knew  them.  He  could  sketch  a  map  of  almost  any  mine-level  at  a 
moment's  notice  and  his  reports  of  mining  developments  were  never 
questioned.  He  had  the  full  confidence  of  the  public.  No  amount  of 
money  could  induce  him  to  color  a  mining  article  or  leave  out  a  line 
that  was  true.  A  big  operator  once  said  of  him :  "I  could  make  an  ever- 
lasting fortune  if  I  could  only  buy  up  Dan  De  Quille." 

He  wrote  the  "Big  Bonanza,"  a  remarkable  book  on  the  Comstock. 
He  died  poor,  as  he  seemed  to  lack  the  ability  of  commercializing  his 
genius. 

Philip  Verrill  Mighels. — Was  one  of  the  native  Nevadans  who  es- 
tablished himself  in  the  literary  world. 

On  the  1 2th  of  October,  he  met  his  death  at  Winnemucca  from  the 
accidental  discharge  of  a  shot-gun  at  the  Bliss  ranch  in  Humboldt 
County.  He  was  the  second  son  of  Harry  R.  Mighels,  for  years  the 


THE    LITERATURE    OF    NEVADA  711 

editor  of  the  Carson  Appeal.  He  was  born  at  Carson  City,  April  19,  1869. 
When  twenty-one  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  but  not  finding  the  law  con- 
genial drifted  into  literature.  He  began  writing  on  the  San  Francisco 
Chronicle  as  a  reporter,  but  two  years  later  made  his  home  in  New  York. 
His  first  venture  was  a  book  of  poems,  "Out  of  a  Silver  Flute."  His 
published  books  were  as  follows :  "Nella,  the  Heart  of  the  Army,"  "When 
a  Witch  Was  Young,"  "Dunny,"  "Chatwitch,  the  Man-Talk  Bird," 
"Bruvver  Jim's  Baby,"  "Sunnyside  Tad,"  "The  Inevitable,"  "The  Ulti- 
mate Passion,"  "The  Crystal  Scepter,"  "A  Husband  by  Proxy,"  "The  Fur- 
nace of  Gold,"  "The  Pillars  of  Eden,"  "Thurley  Paxton." 

"The  House  of  Iron  Men"  was  published  under  the  name  of  "Jack 
Steel."  The  book  which  met  with  the  largest  sale  was  "The  Furnace 
of  Gold,"  with  the  plot  laid  in  Goldfield. 

Several  of  his  works  were  re-published  in  England  and  met  with  heavy 
sales.  He  was  also  a  steady  contributor  of  short  stories  and  descriptive 
articles  for  Harper's  and  other  magazines. 

At  the  time  of  his  death  he  had  established  a  firm  foothold  with  the  book- 
loving  public  and  his  stories  were  regarded  as  true  portrayals  of  Western 
life.  His  second  wife,  who  was  with  him  at  the  time  of  his  death,  now 
resides  in  New  York  City. 

His  death  was  a  shock  to  the  community  where  he  had  made  his  home  in 
boyhood,  and  removed  a  notable  figure  in  Western  literature.  He  was 
of  sterling  integrity  and  gentle  breeding,  and  was  cut  down  on  the  thres- 
hold of  a  splendid  career. 

Sam  Dunham. — This  writer  made  his  first  mark  in  the  Klondike,  and 
after  coming  to  Nevada  he  published  the  Tonopah  Miner  which  soon  be- 
came a  mining  authority  in  the  State.  He  was  known  as  "The  Goldsmith  of 
Nome,"  because  the  many  stirring  poems  he  wrote  of  the  North.  Recently 
he  published  a  delightful  book  of  verses  entitled.  "The  Men  who  Blazed 
the  Trail"  which  is  a  true  portrayal  of  the  characteristics  of  the  pioneers 
who  lived  in  the  frozen  North  above  that  parallel  of  latitude  above  which 
there  is  "no  law  of  God  or  man."  The  preface  of  the  book  was  penned 
by  Dunham's  friend  Joaquin  Miller  to  whom  the  publication  was  affection- 
ately dedicated. 

Ada    Meacham    Strobridge. — No    pen    ever    painted    the    beauties, 


7i2  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

mysteries  and  grandeur  of  the  Nevada  desert  with  such  deft 
touch  and  fidelity  to  nature  as  Ada  Meacham  Strobridge.  She 
wrote  "The  Miners'  Mirage  Land,"  describing  scenes  in  which 
she  had  spent  her  childhood.  It  is  a  fascinating  work  to  those  who  have 
breathed  the  same  and  slept  under  the  same  sky  in  the  land  which  she 
describes  so  faithfully  and  with  the  touch  of  a  true  artist.  She  is 
now  living  in  California,  but  her  Nevada  sketches  are  universally  recog- 
nized as  reproductions  of  sagebrush  life  which  have  the  realism  of  a 
photograph. 

Meriam  Michelson. — A  girl  born  and  raised  in  Virginia  City  and  sister 
of  Albert  Michelson,  who  received  first  prize  from  the  French  Academy 
of  Sciences  for  the  discovery  of  a  method  for  measuring  the  velocity 
of  light,  wrote  "The  Bishop's  Carriage"  a  book  that  was  the  best  seller 
for  the  year  and  afterwards  dramatized  into  a  play  that  still  holds  the 
boards. 

There  are  many  other  writers  of  note  who  became  famous  in  Nevada, 
but  whose  published  works  the  compiler  of  this  History  has  been  unable 
to  secure.  Among  these  are  Thomas  Fitch,  author  of  "The  Wedge  of 
Gold"  and  his  talented  wife,  Anna  Fitch,  who  wrote  a  great  deal  of  good 
poetry  in  the  early  seventies. 

Dr.  Gaily  was  the  author  of  many  very  original  short  stories  and  sketch- 
es. His  most  notable  effort  was  "Big  Jack  Small."  The  amusing 
situation  in  the  narrative  was  where  a  clergyman  rode  over  the  country 
with  Jack  Small  on  his  freight-wagon  and  remonstrated  with  him  for  his 
lavish  use  of  profanity,  when  addressing  his  mule-team.  Presently  the  wag- 
on turned  over  on  a  steep  grade  pinning  Small  under  it,  and  throwing  the 
parson  some  yards  into  the  sagebrush  unhurt.  Small,  pinned  under  the 
wagon,  gave  directions  to  the  parson  how  to  utilize  the  mules  in  pulling 
the  wagon  to  an  upright  position.  When  they  were  turned  at  right  angles 
with  the  wagon  and  everything  was  in  readiness,  the  parson  attempted 
to  move  the  string  of  mules,  but  not  one  would  budge,  from  the  simple 
fact  that  they  were  waiting  for  the  profanity  of  the  driver  before  settling 
down  to  the  pull.  Small  finally  persuaded  the  preacher  that  his  life  de- 
pended on  his  using  profanity  when  dealing  with  mules  and  taught  him 
some  picturesque  blasphemy  from  under  the  wagon.  The  preacher  proved 
an  apt  scholar  and  when  he  turned  loose  Jack  Small's  lesson  on  the  ani- 


THE   LITERATURE   OF   NEVADA  713 

mals,  they  pulled  the  wagon  off  the  prostrate  man  and  a  life  was  saved. 
It  is  related  that  the  hero  of  the  story  resigned  from  the  ministry  and 
went  into  the  freighting  business. 

Fred  Hart  gained  considerable  fame  with  his  book  "The  Sazarac  Ly- 
ing Club"  published  at  Austin.  It  was  in  this  little  town  that  Emma 
Nevada,  who  became  a  world  famous  opera  singer,  took  her  first  lessons 
in  vocal  music. 

R.  E.  L.  Gibson,  a  brother  of  Dr.  Gibson  of  Reno,  published  a  very 
commendable  volume  of  Sonnets  and  Lyric,  in  1901. 

Mrs.  Lou  Spencer,  of  Carson  City,  issued  a  small  book  of  very  readable 
poems  which  was  not  put  on  sale  but  merely  published  for  private  dis- 
tribution among  friends. 

Mrs.  Emmett  Boyle,  the  wife  of  the  late  Senator  Boyle  published  a  num- 
ber of  poems  in  the  magazines,  but  no  published  collection  of  them  can 
be  found  to-day. 

T.  De  Witt  Turner,  of  Reno,  has  given  to  the  press  many  striking  poems 
as  has  also  William  McClure  Gottwaldt  who  still  writes  verse  for  the 
magazines. 

Princess  Sarah  Winnemucca,  daughter  of  the  Piute  Chief,  went  east 
to  a  seminary  where  she  was  highly  educated  and  published  a  book 
which  had  a  wide  circulation. 

The  most  enjoyable  book  to  old  Nevadans  that  was  ever  published  was 
"The  Comstock  Club"  from  the  pen  of  Judge  C.  C.  Goodwin.  It  simply 
overflowed  with  quaint  scenes,  fine  writing,  and  clever  stories  which  made 
the  old  characters  of  the  Ledge  live  again. 

The  most  pretentious  book  in  the  shape  of  a  Nevada  novel  was  published 
in  the  early  days  entitled  "Robert  Greathouse"  from  the  pen  of  Congress- 
man Swift.  It  laid  the  lash  of  satire  on  the  backs  of  many  well  known 
men.  It  was  a  masterly  story  but  it  made  a  crop  of  enemies  for  Swift 
that  he  never  lost  while  life  lasted. 

Sam  Davis,  the  editor  of  this  history,  has  found  time  occasionally  to 
turn  from  his  calling  as  a  journalist  and  write  for  the  eastern  magazines. 
He  contributes  poetry  and  prose  to  these  publications. 

His  only  published  book  is  entitled  "Short  Stories  and  Poems"  of  which 
there  was  but  a  limited  edition. 


7H  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 


THE  LURE  OF  THE  SAGE-BUSH 


Have  you  ever  scented  the  sage-bush 
That  mantles  Nevada's  plain? 

If  not,  you  have  lived  but  half  your  life, 
And  that  half  lived  in  vain. 


No  matter  where  the  place  or  clime 
That  your  wandering  footsteps  stray, 

You  will  sigh  as  you  think  of  her  velvet  fields 
And  their  fragrance  of  leveled  hay. 

You  will  loiter  a  while  in  other  lands, 

When  something  seems  to  call, 
And  the  lure  of  the  sage-bush  brings  you  back 

And  holds  you  within  its  thrall. 

You  may  tread  the  halls  of  pleasure, 

Where  the  lamps  of  folly  shine, 
'Mid  the  sobbing  of  sensuous  music 

And  the  flow  of  forbidden  wine. 


But  when  the  revel  is  over, 

And  the  dancers  turn  to  go, 
You  will  long  for  a  draught  of  her  crystal  streams 

That  spring  from  her  peaks  of  snow. 

You  will  sigh  for  a  sight  of  the  beetling  crags, 
Where  the  Storm  King  holds  his  sway, 

Where  the  sinking  sun  with  its  brush  of  gold 
Tells  the  tale  of  the  dying  day. 

And  when  you  die  you  will  want  a  grave 

Where  the  Washoe  zephyr  blows, 
With  the  green  of  the  sage-bush  above  your  head, 

What  need  to  plant  the  rose ! 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
THE  DRAMA  IN  NEVADA. 

From  the  earliest  times  Nevada  had  a  strange  attraction  for  members 
of  the  theatrical  profession.  There  was  not  only  a  charm  in  the  free 
style  of  life  and  the  cordiality  with  which  they  were  welcomed  that 
made  them  anxious  to  visit  Washoe,  as  it  was  then  called,  but  there  was 
also  a  lure  in  the  wonderful  country  itself  which  induced  a  number  of 
players  to  forsake  their  profession  and  cast  their  lot  with  it.  No  com- 
munity ever  kept  a  warmer  place  in  its  heart  for  the  poor  strollers,  and 
none  ever  received  so  affectionate  a  return.  To  be  "booked  for  Washoe" 
was  a  piece  of  good  fortune  that  thrilled  all  with  pride  and  delight. 

Nevada  was  a  good  theatrical  field  when  its  principal  towns  were 
scarcely  more  than  camps.  Virginia  City  had  a  theater  in  1860 — the  old 
Howard — while  its  population  was  little,  if  any,  over  1,000,  Topliffe 
built  the  big  theater  on  North  C  Street  early  in  1862,  and  Maguire's 
Opera  House,  on  D  Street,  was  opened  in  the  summer  of  1863.  But  these 
theaters  represented  only  a  part — and  at  one  time  a  very  small  part — of 
the  amusement  business  of  the  town.  Large  halls  were  temporarily  con- 
verted into  show-places,  with  as  many  as  five  legitimate  companies  and  six 
or  seven  variety  troupes  all  playing  to  crowded  houses  at  the  same  time. 
And  they  were  not  barn-storming  companies  or  inferior  plays,  either.  For. 
years  every  star  and  dramatic  attraction  that  came  to  the  Pacific  Coast 
was  billed  as  regularly  in  Virginia  City  as  in  San  Francisco,  and  not 
infrequently  the  engagement  in  the  former  place  was  the  more  profitable 
one.  , 

Some  of  these  disciples  of  the  drama  liked  Nevada  so  well  that  they 
deserted  the  theatrical  field  to  cast  their  lot  with  the  sage-brush.  The 
first  of  these  was  James  Stark,  who  in  his  palmy  days  ranked  with  Mur- 
doch and  Davenport  as  a  tragedian.  He  played  an  engagement  at  Top- 
liffe's  theater  in  1862,  and  was  so  impressed  by  the  wonders  and  the 
enticing  prospects  he  saw  on  every  hand  that  he  resolved  to  look  the 
Territory  over;  and  being  particularly  pleased  with  the  promises  of 


;i6  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Esmeralda  County,  he  put  aside  his  profession,  invested  in  mines  there 
and  built  a  quartz  mill  at  Aurora.  Stark  was  a  member  of  our  first  con- 
stitutional convention.  If  everything  had  gone  prosperously  with  him, 
his  name  might  have  been  a  prominent  one  in  the  history  of  the  State, 
for  he  was  able  and  ambitious ;  but  his  investments  and  enterprises  failed 
and  left  him  nearly  penniless,  and  worse  than  that,  he  was  stricken  with 
paralysis,  which  rendered  him  helpless  for  a  number  of  years. 

Charles  Pope,  one  of  the  best  all-around  actors  of  his  time,  was  another 
actor  who  yielded  to  the  allurements  of  Nevada.  At  the  expiration  of 
an  engagement  at  Virginia  City,  in  1864,  he  quit  the  stage,  with  the 
intention  of  becoming  a  resident  of  the  State.  After  remaining  on  the 
Comstock  for  a  while,  the  glowing  reports  from  the  Reese  River  country 
drew  him  to  that  region.  But  fortune,  as  if  offended  by  his  recreancy  to 
his  profession,  seemed  to  have  no  favors  in  store  for  him  anywhere 
within  our  borders;  and  the  upshot  was  that  after  a  year  or  more  of 
strenuous  trial  he  was  forced  to  don  the  sock  and  buskin  again  and 
returned  East  to  manage  a  theater  in  St.  Louis. 

Pope's  wife,  a  charming  actress,  remained  in  Nevada  longer  than  he 
did.  Through  an  unfortunate  misunderstanding,  they  had  separated  in 
Virginia  City,  she  resuming  her  maiden  name — Virginia  Howard.  She 
resided  for  some  time  in  the  State,  highly  respected  and  esteemed. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  H.  Robinson  dropped  out  of  the  theatrical  procession 
in  very  early  days  to  become  permanent  residents  of  Virginia  City,  though 
they  continued  to  make  their  appearance  from  time  to  time  upon  the 
local  boards.  Maggie  Daly  also  left  the  stage  there,  married  and  lived 
for  many  years  in  the  shadow  of  Mt.  Davidson. 

But  of  all  the  deserters  from  the  ranks,  the  one  best  known  to  later 
Nevadans  was  Bob  Lindsay.  He  came  to  Virginia  City  with  the  Zavi- 
towsky  troupe.  He  had  a  dash  and  heartiness  that  carried  him  farther 
than  a  great  deal  more  ability  might  have  done.  Our  free  and  reckless 
style  of  life  just  suited  his  nature,  and  he  unhesitatingly  cut  loose  from 
his  calling  to  take  part  in  it ;  and,  as  the  most  exciting  part,  he  sought  the 
position  of  gun-fighter  in  a  mining  dispute.  Luckily  he  was  seriously 
wounded  in  the  very  first  engagement.  To  beguile  the  tedium  of  a  sick- 
bed he  took  up  the  study  of  law,  and  became  wedded  to  it.  But  for  that 
wound,  Bob  Lindsay  might  have  turned  out  a  desperate  character  instead 
of  a  peaceable  lawyer  and  a  good  citizen. 


THE     DRAMA     IN     NEVADA  717 

It  is  but  fair  to  say  that  Nevada  has  compensated  the  stage  for  the 
lights  withdrawn  from  it  by  contributing  more  than  an  equal  number  in 
return.  The  list  would  be  creditable  to  any  community,  but  it  is  especially 
so  to  a  sparsely  settled  frontier  one. 

The  most  promising  one  of  all — Emma  Wixom,  the  Austin  girl,  who, 
as  "Emma  Nevada,"  flashed  on  the  world  as  a  prima  donna  in  the  early 
'8os — unfortunate  for  the  public,  prized  affection  more  than  fame,  and 
suddenly  turned  from  the  triumphs  of  a  shining  operatic  career  to  the 
seclusion  of  domestic  life.  Her  appearance  was  meteoric  in  its  briefness 
as  well  as  its  brilliancy,  but  those  who  listened  to  the  crystalline  purity  of 
her  notes  will  always  believe  the  world  lost  one  of  its  divinest  voices  by 
her  retirement. 

The  Pixley  sisters,  of  Carson  City,  appeared  on  the  stage  while  quite 
young,  and  Annie  developed  into  a  very  fine  actress.  She  married  Robert 
Fulford,  the  actor,  and  shortly  afterward  went  East. 

Lottie  and  Nellie  Gibson,  of  Gold  Hill,  were  also  two  pleasing  little 
actresses  who  made  their  debut  on  the  local  boards.  The  latter,  for  some 
reason  one  could  never  understand,  became  known  as  the  "California  Dia- 
mond," and  was  billed  under  that  sobriquet  for  many  years  as  a  popular 
star,  both  on  this  coast  and  in  the  East. 

Carrie  Clark,  a  Virginia  City  girl,  was  another  of  Nevada's  contribu- 
tions to  the  stage.  She  married  James  Ward,  the  comedian. 

In  the  latter  '705  came  George  Osborn,  who,  while  running  a  car  at 
the  Ophir  mine,  made  so  pronounced  a  hit  in  an  amateur  performance 
that  he  bacame  a  professional,  and  was  a  great  favorite  in  San  Francisco 
during  the  '8os,  playing  generally  in  combination  with  Lew  Stockwell. 
Richard  Jose  graduated  from  the  forge  of  a  Reno  smithy  in  the  latter 
V)os  to  become  a  singer  of  international  reputation.  Flora  Finlayson,  who 
alternated  with  Jessie  Bartlett  Davis  in  the  halcyon  days  of  "The  Bos- 
tonians,"  and  Madeline  Bouton,  who  met  with  a  tragic  death  a  few  years 
ago  in  San  Francisco,  also  left  their  homes  in  Reno  to  enter  the  theatrical 
profession.  Mabel  Bouton,  her  sister,  became  a  raging  favorite  in  New 
York  when  she  created  the  part  of  "Little  Christopher."  At  the  time  of 
her  death  the  New  York  papers  published  full-page  pictures  of  her  face, 
which  was  mentioned  as  the  most  beautiful  that  had  graced  the  American 
stage  for  a  decade. 

Nina  Varian,  the  sister  of  Charles  Varian.  the  Reno  attorney,  who  was 


718  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Speaker  of  the  Nevada  Legislature  in  1883,  made  a  memorable  hit  in 
"The  Danachiffs"  at  the  Baldwin  Theater,  San  Francisco.  Mrs.  Cora 
Hall,  of  Reno,  is  now  singing  operatic  roles  in  Italy. 

Mollie  Raynor  was  a  Virginia  City  girl  who  became  a  popular  favorite 
and  Georgie  Woodthorp  earned  her  first  recognition  and  Madam  Murtha 
Portius  first  sang  on  the  Comstock. 

In  the  flush  bonanza  days,  Piper's  Opera  House  played  the  best  stars 
that  could  be  obtained.  John  Mackay  was  a  partner  in  the  enterprise. 
If  there  was  a  surplus  after  the  engagement  Piper  took  it,  and  if  there 
was  a  deficit  Mackay  paid  it.  Under  this  arrangement  Mackay  only  asked 
that  he  be  allowed  to  go  on  the  free  list.  The  public  was  exceedingly 
liberal  in  its  patronage.  Once  on  the  occasion  of  a  benefit  given  to  John 
McCullough  there  was  over  $22,000  in  the  box  office. 

The  Opera  House  was  opened  in  July,  1863.  It  had  the  prestige  ol 
Tom  Maguire's  name,  and  was  affiliated  with  his  San  Francisco  theater 
in  respect  of  an  interchange  of  stock  companies  and  stars,  but  Johnny 
Burns  was  the  principal  owner  and  local  manager.  From  the  time  of 
the  opening  the  Enterprise  devoted  considerable  space  to  it,  and  the 
ability  and  discrimination  of  its  criticisms  soon  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  public  and  the  theatrical  profession  alike.  If  ever  a  paper  tried  to  be 
just  and  do  its  best  in  the  line  of  dramatic  criticism,  it  was  the  Enterprise. 
Goodman,  Mark  Twain  and  Dan  de  Quille,  or,  later  on,  Daggett,  Good- 
man and  Dan  de  Quille,  would  all  attend  a  first  night  together,  then  write 
their  separate  impression  of  the  performance  and  hold  a  symposium  as 
to  which  article,  or  what  blend  of  two  or  more  of  them  should  go  into 
the  paper.  With  such  painstaking  on  the  part  of  four  able  writers,  and 
the  fact  that  the  articles  were  widely  copied  by  dramatic  and  other  journals 
abroad,  it  was  no  wonder  it  should  come  to  be  believed  that  the  Enterprise 
could  make  or  unmake  anyone's  professional  reputation,  and  there  was 
always  great  anxiety  among  the  members  of  every  newly  arrived  company 
to  learn  what  was  to  be  their  fate. 

In  recognition  of  its  influence,  the  management  of  the  Opera  House 
had  given  all  of  its  poster  and  bill  printing  to  the  Enterprise  and  set  apart 
the  whole  front  row  of  orchestra  seats  to  the  right  of  the  aisle — a  dozen 
or  more — for  the  attaches  of  that  paper;  and  to  make  sure  that  no  one 
should  occupy  them  by  mistake,  a  big  sign  with  an  immense  spread  eagle 


THE     DRAMA     IN     NEVADA  719 

and  the  words,  "Reserved  for  the  Enterprise,"  was  stretched  clear  across 
their  backs. 

Everything  went  on  harmoniously  between  the  Opera  House  and  the 
Enterprise  until  the  engagement  of  Adah  Isaachs  Menken,  in  March,  1864. 
It  would  be  difficult  to  convey  an  exact  idea  of  Menken's  position  in  the 
theatrical  world  at  that  time.  She  was  classed  only  as  a  "shape"  actress, 
but  she  created  a  furore  wherever  she  appeared.  The  truth  is  that,  except 
for  her  grace,  she  was  no  actress  at  all ;  but  she  possessed  the  most  winning 
face,  the  divinest  form  and  the  greatest  soul  of  any  woman  that  ever  trod 
the  stage.  The  Enterprise  critics  met  and  as.  a  result  of  their  conference 
decided  to  vivisect  the  Menken,  but  after  seeing  her,  returned  to  their 
office  and  wrote  rapturous  things  about  her.  Joseph  Goodman  wrote  most 
of  the  commendatory  notices  of  her  which  so  excited  the  jealousy  of  the 
rest  of  the  company  that  they  introduced  several  "gags"  at  the  editor's 
expense.  The  Menken  at  once  demanded  that  the  manager  make  a  public 
apology  to  Goodman,  which  he  declined  to  do  and  as  a  result  The  Menken 
refused  to  play  "Mazeppa"  that  night  and  the  large  audience  had  to  be 
dismissed.  She  relented  on  the  following  night  and  Mark  Twain's  notice 
of  the  play  was  copied  all  over  the  United  States.  At  the  conclusion  of 
her  engagement  the  Opera  House  turned  on  the  Enterprise  to  punish  it. 
It  withdrew  its  printing  and  advertising  and  suspended  the  free  list  for 
everybody  connected  with  the  paper.  It  was  just  what  the  critics  were 
always  aching  for,  the  chance  for  a  good  open  fight.  And  they  engineered 
it  well  and  made  it  very  hot  and  uncomfortable  for  the  Opera  House.  If  a 
good  show  came,  they  wouldn't  mention  it,  and  no  one  would  ever  have 
known  from  the  Enterprise  that  there  was  such  a  place  of  amusement  in 
town ;  but  if  a  vulnerable  one  made  its  appearance,  Goodman  or  Mark  or 
Dan  would  pay  his  dollar  for  admission  and  then  take  a  hundred  dollars' 
worth  of  fun  or  satisfaction  out  of  the  hides  of  the  poor  actors  and 
actresses. 

Mark  Twain  went  away  a  little  while  afterward,  but  Daggett  came  on 
the  paper  about  the  same  time.  Above  all  other  pleasures  in  the  world, 
I  think  Daggett  reveled  most  in  keen  and  bitter  writing,  and  he  threw 
himself  with  zest  into  the  Opera  House  fight.  Some  of  his  onslaughts 
were  classic  in  the  purity  of  their  abuse. 

The  situation  soon  grew  to  be  a  terror  to  the  theatrical  profession,  and 
instead  of  the  eagerness  with  which  they  had  formerly  sought  engagements 


720  THE     HISTORY     OF     NEVADA 

in  Virginia  City,  companies  came  with  reluctance  or  refused  to  come  at 
all.  Pauncefort,  an  excellent  but  very  eccentric  actor,  was  ridiculed  so 
that  he  threw  up  his  engagement.  Walter  Montgomery,  an  English  trage- 
dian of  high  repute,  who  was  booked  for  two  weeks,  after  reading  the 
Enterprise's  criticism  of  his  Hamlet,  the  second  day,  boarded  the  stage 
and  left  in  disgust,  saying  he  had  enough  of  Virginia  City.  Emily  Thorne, 
a  very  beautiful  actress,  opened  an  engagement  in  "Mazeppa,"  and  re- 
ceived such  a  notice  from  the  Enterprise  that  she  refused  to  appear  again, 
and  the  theater  was  finally  closed. 

Johnny  Burns,  who  was  the  worst  sufferer,  had  meanwhile  been  making 
overtures  for  a  reconciliation,  but  he  was  informed  that  in  loyalty  to  the 
memory  of  the  loyal  Menken  there  could  be  none  without  an  apology,  a 
restitution  of  the  former  patronage  and  the  dismissal  of  Stage  Manager 
Graves.  They  were  harsh  terms,  but  under  the  stress  to  which  the  Opera 
House  had  been  driven  by  its  foolish  action,  they  were  complied  with. 

Some  of  the  greatest  stars  of  the  profession  visited  the  Comstock  after 
this:  Helena  Modjeska,  Edwin  Booth,  Lawrence  Barrett,  Amiee  with  her 
French  Opera  Company,  Sheridan,  Ada  Cavendish,  Rose  Etynge,  Mrs. 
Drew,  McKee  Rankin,  Caroline  Richings  Barnard  with  her  English 
Opera  Company,  Richard  Mansfield,  Nance  O'Neil,  Nellie  Holbiook, 
Jennie  Lee,  Barton  Hill,  The  Majoronies,  Winetta  Montague,  The  Worrell 
Sisters,  Robsen  and  Crane,  James  McNeil,  Frank  Mayo,  Tom  Keen  and 
scores  of  others. 

Goodman  and  Daggett  wrote  "The  Psychoscope,"  a  piece  of  imaginative 
work  that  foreshadowed  the  book  by  Stevenson,  "Jekyll  and  Hyde."  It 
had  a  tremendous  run  on  the  Comstock,  but  the  prudish  San  Francisco 
managers  refused  to  give  it  recognition  unless  a  certain  scene  was  elim- 
inated. The  authors  declined  to  change  their  work  and  it  was  never  again 
produced. 

Piper  lost  his  Opera  House  twice  by  fire  but  he  rebuilt  it  and  per- 
formances are  still  given  there. 

The  finest  theatrical  structure  in  the  State  is  the  "Majestic,"  erected  in 
Reno  by  the  late  George  Nixon.  Not  long  ago  Sarah  Bernhardt  played 
there  to  a  packed  house,  completing  the  list  of  notable  lights  of  the  drama 
that  have  appeared  in  Nevada. 

There  is  a  commodious  place  of  amusement  in  every  leading  town  in 
Nevada,  and  even  some  of  the  smaller  towns  have  up  to  date  halls  with 
suitable  stages  for  dramatic  production. 


THE     TURF  721 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 
THE  TURF. 

From  the  earliest  time  horse-racing  was  a  popular  sport  in  Nevada. 
The  first  man  to  breed  thoroughbred  horses  for  the  turf  was  Theo. 
Winters  on  his  extensive  stock-ranch  in  Washoe  County.  He  had  his 
horses  for  the  .purses,  always  holding  that  the  pool  box  was  the  bane  of  a 
noble  sport.  Only  on  one  occasion  did  he  break  his  rule.  Thinking 
his  own  horse  was  out  of  condition,  he  wagered  $1,500  on  another. 
His  colored  jockey,  seeing  him  Buying  the  pools  on  another  horse, 
asked  his  master  if  he  wanted  him  to  pull  his  mount.  Winters  told  him 
that  he  would  kill  him  if  he  did,  and  the  darkey,  remarking  that  it  was  a 
shame  to  burn  up  the  stable  money,  proceeded  to  win  with  the  Winters 
horse,  for  which  excellent  riding  he  was  remembered  with  a  tip  of 
$100. 

For  a  long  time  Winters  was  regarded  as  the  King  of  the  Turf, 
when  an  attorney  of  Virginia  City,  Charles  Bryan,  announced  that  he 
would  spend  $100,000  to  dethrone  Winters. 

Bryan's  earnings  were  enormous. 

In  the  Chollar-Potosi  case  alone  his  fee  was  $100,000.  But  he  squan- 
dered his  princely  income  as  fast  as  it  came,  and  even  in  his  most  pros- 
perous days  seldom  had  money  enough  to  meet  his  bills.  His  tactics  in 
the  trial  of  a  case  were  calculated  to  mislead  and  confuse  methodical 
lawyers,  and  in  his  address  to  the  jury  he  always  held  a  force  in  reserve 
as  dreaded  as  the  Imperial  Guard  of  Napoleon.  "Sandy"  Baldwin  once 
said  to  "Bill"  Stewart,  after  the  testimony  in  one  of  the  big  suits  was 
all  in :  "I  should  consider  the  case  won  if  Charley  Bryan  were  not  in  it, 
but  no  man  living  can  predict  what  effect  he  may  induce  upon  the  jury." 

He  had  a  bantering,  quizzing  manner,  which  a  peculiar  cast  in  one  of 
his  eyes  rendered  doubly  perplexing.  His  puzzled  opponents  were  liable 
to  run  an  earnest  tilt  against  a  windmill  or  to  treat  as  farcical  some 
skillfully  arranged  plan  for  their  discomfiture.  They  were  practically 
left  in  the  dark  as  to  his  intentions.  This  faculty  for  bewildering,  to- 


722  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

gather  with  his  power  of  retrieving  the  fortunes  of  the  day  by  his  elec- 
tric eloquence  at  the  last  moment,  made  him  the  terror  of  the  systematic 
members  of  the  profession.  The  members  of  the  legal  fraternity  in 
Virginia  were  rather  pleased  to  learn  that  he  had  decided  to  abandon 
the  court  for  the  race-track.  He  purchased  a  good  many  pedigreed 
horses,  but  they  always  went  down  to  defeat  before  the  Winters'  en- 
trances. The  monotony  of  defeat  became  wearisome  to  Bryan,  and  he 
resolved  to  put  an  end  to  it.  He  went  quietly  to  California,  and  bought 
"Emigrant  Maid,"  a  mare  of  considerable  note  in  her  day,  and  the  superior 
of  any  racer  in  Nevada  at  that  time.  With  a  view  to  secrecy  and  to 
prevent  any  foul  play,  he  led  the  mare  all  the  way  over  the  mountains, 
walking  himself.  If  he  had  sought  to  give  publicity  to  his  doings  he 
couldn't  have  hit  upon  a  better  way.  Winters  learned  of  Bryan's  pur- 
chase and  speedily  secured  a  flyer  to  pit  against  "Emigrant  Maid."  The 
contest  soon  came  off,  only  to  add  another  count  to  the  monotonous  score 
of  the  lawyer's  defeats. 

Shortly  afterward  it  was  announced  that  Bryan  had  bought  the  great 
"Lodi"  and  that  the  matchless  racer  would  soon  arrive  from  the  East. 
The  news  created  a  sensation.  People  believed  that  the  luckless  attorney 
had  at  last  outflanked  his  rival,  and  that  henceforth  no  one  could  hope 
to  dispute  successfully  his  supremacy  on  the  turf.  Bryan  'himself  was  so 
confident  that  he  became  elated  to  the  pitch  of  exultation. 

But  both  the  people  and  he  had  failed  to  take  into  account  a  very  de- 
termined and  energetic  man,  and  a  thorough  turfman  withal.  Winters 
did  not  propose  to  surrender  his  laurels  without  a  struggle.  Upon  the 
first  inkling  of  the  purchase  of  "Lodi,"  he  proceeded  to  act  with  charac- 
teristic promptness  and  good  judgment.  Within  a  few  weeks  it  was 
known  he  had  bought  "Norfolk"  for  $15,001,  a  great  price  for  a  horse 
then,  and  that  the  peerless  Kentucky  stallion  would  be  on  hand  to  dispute 
the  field  with  "Lodi."  The  extra  dollar  was  paid  because  the  owner 
of  Norfolk's  sire  had  bet  a  round  sum  that  it  would  produce  a  colt  which 
would  sell  for  more  than  fifteen  thousand. 

That  famous  race  at  San  Jose  was  a  notable  event  in  that  State,  but 
it  finished  the  career  of  Charley  Bryan  as  a  turfman.  He  went  down 
once  more  before  Theodore  Winters,  never  to  try  again.  So  excited  had 
he  been  over  the  approaching  contest  and  so  suspicious  of  trickery  that 
he  slept  in  the  stall  beside  his  horse,  and  on  the  eventful  day  was  guard- 


THE    TURF  723 

ing  "Lodi"  with  a  shotgun  in  so  threatening  a  manner  that  he  had  to  be 
kept  in  custody  during  the  race. 

It  is  impossible  to  say  how  much  these  racing  events  contributed 
to  the  overthrow  of  Bryan's  mind,  as  no  one  can  tell  the  relative  effects 
of  innumerable  and  complicated  influences.  The  only  thing  that  can  be 
stated  positively  is  that  by  this  time  his  unbalanced  condition  had 
become  so  marked  and  generally  known  as  to  destroy  confidence  in 
his  ability  to  conduct  an  important  case,  and  in  consequence  there  was 
an  end  alike  to  his  extensive  practice  and  to  his  princely  income. 

William  Thompson,  of  Washoe  County,  was  the  next  turfman  to  try 
conclusions  with  Winters,  but  he  shared  the  same  fate  as  Bryan,  and 
never  went  into  a  race  with  his  neighbor  that  he  did  not  have  the  dis- 
appointment of  seeing  the  Winters  colors  leading  at  the  finish. 

Winters,  after  his  success  in  Nevada,  branched  out  into  other  fields. 
He  went  into  competition  with  the  California  turfmen  at  the  Bay  Dis- 
trict track  at  San  Francisco,  and  generally  scored  upon  his  rivals. 

He  was  an  advocate  of  clean  sport  and  never  was  involved  in  any 
trickery  or  turf  scandal.  He  crowned  his  career  as  a  successful  turfman 
by  winning  the  American  Derby  at  Chicago  with  his  peerless  racer  "Del 
Rio  Rey,"  bred  on  his  Washoe  County  ranch. 

Of  late  years  horse-racing  has  fallen  into  disrepute  in  Nevada. 
"Red  Oak,"  a  Carson  Valley  horse,  still  holds  the  world's  half-mile 
record.  "Todhunter,"  also  a  Carson  Valley  horse,  clipped  a  second  from 
the  record,  but  being  in  a  five-furlong  race  the  time,  46  3-4,  was  not 
recognized  officially. 


724  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
SANDY  BOWERS  AND  HIS  MANSION. 

No  stranger  tale  of  the  sudden  rise  to  affluence  and  the  swift  descent 
to  poverty  was  ever  told  than  this  true  story  of  Sandy  Bowers  and  his 
accidental  acquirement  of  a  great  fortune.  He  was  a  waiter  in  a  Gold- 
Hill  restaurant,  and  there  he  met  Mrs.  Gowan,  a  young  woman  serving  in 
the  same  capacity.  They  were  both  simple-minded  people  with  no 
thought  in  life  except  to  work  at  their  calling  and  get  their  slender 
wages. 

The  miners  who  patronized  the  place  thought  it  might  be  rather  good 
fun  to  induce  the  two  to  marry.  With  this  end  in  view  they  promised 
them  one  million  dollars  as  a  wedding  gift,  that  is  a  donation  of  stock 
certificates  whose  par  value  would  total  a  million.  These  stocks  repre- 
sented holdings  in  Gold-Hill  mines  and  were  considered  of  so  little 
value  that  the  miners  papered  their  cabins  with  them,  and  some  even 
kindled  their  fires  with  them. 

On  the  wedding  night  the  miners  gathered  at  the  marriage-feast  with 
mock  solemnity  and  one  of  them  presented  the  young  couple  with 
about  a  bushel  of  stock  certificates  "to  begin  house-keeping  with,"  and 
everybody  made  merry,  and  the  linking  together  of  this  odd  couple  was 
one  of  the  jokes  of  the  town. 

Not  long  after,  however,  ore  was  struck  in  the  mines  of  Gold-Hill, 
and  these  stock  certificates  suddenly  began  to  advance  in  value.  Some 
of  them  went  in  leaps  and  bounds  and  Bowers  took  the  friendly  ad- 
vice of  a  broker  and  unloaded.  The  stocks,  given  him  amid  so  much 
hilarity,  netted  something  over  one  million  in  cold  cash,  and  then  the 
laugh  was  on  the  wags  who  had  made  Bowers  a  millionaire  as  a  prac- 
tical joke.  The  day  he  got  his  money  he  made  a  short  talk  from  the 
veranda  of  the  International  Hotel,  and  in  closing  announced  that  he 
"had  money  to  throw  at  the  birds"  and  that  he  wanted  to  treat  every 
man  on  the  ledge.  He  had  made  arrangements  with  the  saloons  to  keep 
the  conviviality  up  all  night,  and  champagne  was  the  favorite  tipple  on 


SANDY     BOVVERS     AND     HIS     MANSION  725 

that  occasion.  No  one  ever  knew  what  that  great  spree  cost  Bowers, 
but  the  accounts  he  settled  the  next  day  went  into  many  thousands. 

The  pair  went  to  Europe  and  Mrs.  Bowers  was  "presented  to  the 
Queen."  This  was  probably  the  greatest  day  of  her  life  and  she  gave 
orders  to  the  dressmakers  to  have  a  gown  that  would  be  mentioned  in 
the  Court  journal  as  the  costliest  of  the  season,  which  it  was. 

Returning  to  Nevada,  they  purchased  a  piece  of  ground  in  Washoe 
County,  where  there  was  a  forest  of  giant  pines,  and  a  natural  hot- 
spring.  "The  Mansion"  cost  something  like  $600,000,  but  the  middle- 
men got  most  of  the  money.  The  windows  were  all  of  French-plate  and 
the  door-knobs  solid  silver.  Bowers  had  designing  advisers  in  those  days, 
and  they  led  him  into  all  manner  of  foolish  extravagances.  His  con- 
vivial disposition  induced  him  to  keep  open  house  at  the  Mansion,  and 
with  a  cellar  full  of  wine,  an  orchestra  of  musicians,  and  a  well-stocked 
larder,  he  managed  to  have  plenty  of  company.  There  was  a  dance 
nearly  every  night  in  the  year,  and  he  was  never  happier  than  when 
his  place  was  jammed  with  guests.  The  throb  of  the  music,  the  mid- 
night wassail,  the  light,  laughter,  and  bubbling  wine,  all  made  their  in- 
roads into  Sandy's  bank  account,  and  the  end  came  at  last. 

He  and  his  wife  tried  to  stem  the  tide  of  poverty  by  taking  what 
little  they  had  left  and  building  additions  to  the  house  that  they  might 
entertain  summer  boarders.  They  remodeled  the  place,  and  issued 
printed  circulars  to  their  old  friends,  inviting  them  to  come  and  spend 
the  season  at  twenty-five  dollars  per  week.  It  is  claimed  that  of  all 
their  old-time  friends  they  had  entertained  so  lavishly,  not  quite  a  half- 
dozen  responded.  The  ominous  figures  "$25  per"  seemed  to  be  the 
main  stumbling  block  to  a  renewal  of  past  acquaintance.  So  the  place  fell 
into  other  hands,  being  sold  under  the  Sheriff's  hammer  to  satisfy  debts. 

Sandy  Bowers  died  and  lies  alongside  of  his  wife  in  the  rear  of  his 
old  home.  After  his  demise  Mrs.  Bowers  earned  a  precarious  living 
telling  fortunes,  being  known  as  "The  Washoe  Seeress."  A  few  years 
after  she  had  been  presented  at  the  English  Court  in  a  gown  that  daz- 
zled the  British  aristocracy,  she  was  out  at  night  on  the  bleak  hillside 
gathering  fagots  to  keep  her  fire  alive. 

Some  twenty  years  ago  a  Reno  newspaper-man  visited  the  spot  and 
gave  the  following  graphic  pen  picture  of  the  scene.  His  name  cannot 
be  ascertained. 


726  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

"The  gate  was  tied  up,  and  the  unbroken  road  showed  that  no  carriages 
had  passed  through  it  for  many  a  day.  A  stroll  over  the  grounds  showed 
that  they  were  really  deserted  by  everything  except  the  birds  and  jack- 
rabbits.  The  dancing  hall  was  empty  and  the  old  bath-house  supplied 
with  water  from  the  hot  springs  had  been  turned  into  a  sort  of  hostelrie 
for  the  wayfaring  tramps,  who,  at  the  approach  of  footsteps,  crawled  out 
and  betook  themselves  to  the  hills.  The  trees,  no  longer  pruned  or 
cared  for,  had  begun  to  assume  the  form  and  look  of  the  natural  pro- 
duction. The  fountain,  which  in  better  days  had  sent  its  jet  of  silver 
high  in  the  air  and  showered  its  spray  upon  the  grass  when  the  wind 
was  high,  had  evidently  not  been  in  a  state  of  activity  for  years.  The 
upper  basin  was  as  dry  as  a  limekiln,  and  the  lower  one  was  in  but  little 
better  condition.  At  the  approach  of  the  scribe  a  number  of  frogs 
croaked  a  lugubrious  acknowledgement,  which,  if  the  language  of  rep- 
tiles means  anything,  was  a  palpable  hint  to  take  a  walk.  A  black 
snake  lay  coiled  on  the  edge  of  the  masonry.  Unabashed  by  human 
presence,  he  continued  basking  in  the  sun,  and  wore  the  air  of  a  party 
who  knew  his  rights.  Lizards  darted  in  and  out  of  the  crevices  of  the 
stones;  and  mottled  toads,  with  bellies  of  aldermanic  pattern,  sweated 
and  sweltered  in  the  grass,  the  growth  of  which  no  lawn-mower  had  ever 
worried. 

"The  house  had  kept  pace  with  the  premises  in  the  matter  of  decay.  The 
doors  were  all  nailed  up,  and  any  one  stepping  on  the  porch  would 
wager  any  amount  that  the  building  was  empty.  Each  tread  was  mul- 
tiplied into  a  score  of  echoes  which  only  empty  houses  respond  to.  A 
peep  through  the  windows  showed  nothing  but  uncarpeted  floors, 
bare  walls  and  ghastly  white  ceilings. 

"In  one  corner,  however,  the  reporter  discovered  a  ragged  plaid 
apron  whose  stains  of  yellow  soap,  etc.,  told  of  its  brave  service  in  the 
interest  of  cleanliness  and  its  many  desperate  encounters  with  the  wash- 
board. 

"At  the  north  end  of  the  house,  evergreens,  boxwood  and  laurel  grew 
each  after  their  own  fashion  as  if  in  their  native  forest,  and  the  tall 
j^rass  and  weeds  reared  themselves  so  rankly  that  if  they  could  only 
hold  out  through  the  long  winter  and  tackle  the  proposition  afresh  in  the 
spring,  they  would  soon  outstrip  the  trees.  Masses  of  coarse  ivy  with 
leaves  as  broad  as  one's  hand  hung  from  the  walls.  The  presence  of 


SANDY    BOWERS    AND    HIS     MANSION  727 

this  plant,  which  seems  to  gloat  over  decay  and  foster  dilapidation, 
completed  the  picture  for  a  ruins;  without  ivy  it  is  only  a  fraud  of  a 
ruin  anyhow  and  will  not  pass  muster  as  a  genuine  antiquity." 

It  afterwards  fell  into  the  possession  of  Theodore  Winters,  who  in 
turn  gave  it  to  General  Clarke,  the  attorney,  for  a  fee.  It  is  said  that 
Winters  avoided  General  Clarke  after  that,  fearing  that  Clarke  might 
take  a  notion  to  give  it  back  to  him.  It  was  later  purchased  by  Philip 
Mighels,  the  novelist,  but  a  single  summer  convinced  him  that  it  was 
not  exactly  the  place  for  a  human  habitation.  He  sold  it  to  Henry 
Ritter  of  Reno,  and  it  is  now  utilized  as  a  summer  resort.  It  has  been 
restored  to  something  of  its  old  beauty  by  the  expenditure  of  large 
amounts  of  money,  and  to  some  extent  the  old  scenes  of  gaiety  are 
being  re-enacted  in  the  summer  season,  when  gay  picnic  and  moonlight 
excursion  parties  come  down  from  Reno. 


728  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 
MILITARY. 

TROOP  M. 
BY  C.  B.  HENDERSON. 

The  Second  United  States  Volunteer  Cavalry,  more  commonly  known 
to  the  people  of  the  country  as  "Torrey's  Rough  Riders,"  has  passed 
into  history.  Its  career  began  in  May,  1898,  and  ended  on  the  25th  day 
of  October  of  the  same  year.  Prior  to  mustering  the  regiment  into 
service  much  work  was  done  in  the  several  States  which  furnished  the 
twelve  troops  composing  it.  Seven  troops  came  from  Wyoming,  from 
Colorado  two,  from  Utah  one,  from  Idaho  one,  and  from  Nevada, 
Troop  M. 

The  purpose  of  this  article  is  not  criticism,  but  a  brief  recital  of  the 
organization,  history  and  character  of  the  troop  from  Nevada.  Neither 
time  nor  space  will  permit  the  mention  of  each  member  of  the  troop, 
although  much  might  be  written  to  the  credit  of  the  men  furnished  by 
this  State.  A  more  hardy  lot  of  boys  could  not  be  found  in  the  country. 
Loyalty  and  patriotism  were  written  on  every  face,  and  it  was  the  earnest 
desire  of  every  man  to  be  given  an  opportunity  to  fight  for  the  flag — 
but  such  was  not  our  good  fortune. 

It  was  known  throughout  the  State  some  time  before  the  Governor 
issued  his  call  for  volunteers  that  the  State  was  to  furnish  one  troop. 
What  the  future  of  that  troop  was  no  one  knew.  Not  until  its  organ- 
ization was  completed  was  it  known  to  any  of  the  men  to  what  regiment 
the  troop  would  be  assigned.  Willing  to  serve  their  country  anywhere, 
the  volunteers  hastened  to  Carson  City.  There,  at  the  race  track,  they 
found  tents  ready  for  their  occupancy.  As  soon  as  the  men  were  enrolled, 
blankets  were  issued  to  them  and  camp  life  and  military  routine  began; 
officers  were  placed  in  command,  guards  instituted  and  passes  issued. 


MILITARY  729 

The  Governor  and  Adjutant-General  were  in  daily  attendance  to  see  to 
the  wants  and  comforts  of  the  boys. 

This  sort  of  life  was  kept  up  about  a  week.  Word  then  came  from 
Washington  directing  the  Governor  to  appoint  three  resident  physicians 
to  examine  the  men.  This  was  done  in  order  that  the  best  men  phys- 
ically might  be  selected  and  to  avert  the  possibility  of  rejection  at  Fort 
D.  A.  Russell,  where  the  men  would  be  examined  by  an  army  surgeon 
just  before  mustering  in.  It  was  truly  a  day  of  excitement  when  the 
men  were  divided  into  three  squads  and  marched  to  the  places  provided 
for  the  examination.  A  thorough  test  was  made  of  every  man's  physical 
condition.  So  thorough  was  the  examination  that  out  of  eighty-four  men 
sent  to  Fort  Russell,  one  only  was  rejected.  As  each  man  came  from 
the  dressing-room  a  chorus  of  voices  greeted  him  with,  "Did  you  pass?" 
"Was  it  severe?"  but  before  an  answer  could  be  given  it  was  known 
by  the  expression  on  the  face  if  he  was  one  of  the  accepted. 

The  day  after  the  examination  came  the  selection  of  the  men  to  com- 
pose the  troop.  All  were  anxious  to  go,  for  peace  was  feared  at  any 
moment  and  the  thoughts  of  war  tingled  in  every  one's  veins.  W.  L. 
Cox,  of  Gold  Hill,  was  appointed  by  the  Governor  as  captain,  while 
R.  C.  Gracey,  of  Virginia,  and  C.  B.  Henderson,  of  Elko,  were  named 
first  and  second  lieutenants,  respectively.  The  boys  who  had  passed  in 
the  examinations  the  day  previous  were  formed  in  line.  The  Governor 
then  announced  that  he  would  begin  at  the  head  of  the  line  and  count 
three,  every  third  man  being  the  one  to  compose  the  troop.  If  enough 
men  were  not  secured  by  the  first  count,  the  remaining  men  were  again 
formed  in  line  and  another  count  had  until  eighty-one  men  were  picked. 
A  second  line  was  formed  by  the  men  called  "lucky  third."  A  dejected 
and  crestfallen  look  came  over  the  countenances  of  the  "unlucky  third." 
Many  were  the  efforts  made  to  exchange  places  with  those  in  the  first 
line.  Had  they  but  foreseen  the  events  of  the  next  few  months  the  boys 
then  called  "unlucky"  would  have  considered  themselves  the  lucky  ones, 
for  those  composing  the  second  line  went  out  as  the  First  Nevada  Cav- 
alry, and  are  now  fighting  in  the  far-away  Philippines.  They  are  the 
ones  that  are  experiencing  the  excitement,  the  peril  and  the  hardships  of 
of  actual  warfare. 

As  soon  as  the  troop  had  been  selected  it  was  sworn  into  the  State 
service.  It  was  the  eighth  day  of  its  encampment  at  Carson  City  when 


730  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

the  troop  was  sworn  in,  and  on  the  tenth  day,  which  was  the  14th  of 
May,  1898,  it  left  for  Cheyenne,  Wyoming.  The  hurry  and  excitement 
caused  by  the  news  to  leave  reminded  one  more  of  some  big  picnic  or 
pleasure  trip  instead  of  going  to  war.  Nor  did  we  realize  where  we 
were  going  until  the  time  came  for  our  train  to  pull  out  of  the  little 
depot  at  the  Virginia  &  Truckee  Railroad,  in  Carson.  A  company  of 
the  National  Guard  escorted  the  troop  to  the  Capitol,  where  a  few  brief 
remarks  were  made  by  the  Governor  wishing  us  God-speed  and  a  safe 
return,  and  then  we  marched  to  the  train.  We  could  not  leave  Carson 
without  a  feeling  of  sadness.  During  our  ten  days  there  the  citizens  of 
that  town  endeared  themselves  to  every  member  of  the  troop.  The  kind 
and  courteous  treatment  accorded  each  and  every  one  of  us  was  not 
to  be  forgotten.  During  the  days  that  followed  many  remarked,  "Oh, 
if  we  were  only  in  Carson  how  different  it  would  be."  And  as  the  train 
slowly  pulled  up  the  grade  on  the  V.  &  T.  road  out  of  Carson,  Dick 
Hoskins  played  "You'll  remember  me,"  and  many  an  eye  was  dimmed 
with  tears. 

At  Reno  the  people  held  a  big  demonstration  in  honor  of  the  troop 
until  time  for  the  east-bound  overland  train  to  leave.  All  along  the  line 
of  the  railroad  we  were  greeted  with  cheers  which  showed  the  hearty 
good  will  and  feeling  of  the  Nevada  people  for  her  soldiers.  At  Elko 
the  Depot  Hotel  Company  gave  the  boys  breakfast  and  the  good  women 
of  the  town  had  large  baskets  well  filled  with  eatables.  It  was  more  like 
a  triumphal  return  than  a  sad  going  and  leave-taking  of  our  relatives  and 
friends.  At  Ogden  we  met  the  Utah  troop  under  command  of  Captain 
Cannon,  later  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  regiment.  From  there  the  two 
troops  proceeded  to  Cheyenne  to  join  Colonel  Torrey's  command.  It  was 
the  afternoon  of  the  i6th  day  of  May  that  we  stepped  from  the  cars 
onto  the  Government  reservation  at  Fort  D.  A.  Russell  and  marched  to 
the  barracks.  Now  began  the  actual  army  life.  We  were  stationed  in 
barracks  on  the  extreme  right  of  the  grounds  facing  north.  It  was  a 
large  brick  building  just  recently  vacated  by  the  outgoing  troops  for 
Cuba.  Here  it  was  that  Troop  M  received  its  first  impressions  of  army 
life.  It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  i6th  that  the  first  call  for  mess 
was  sounded.  How  vividly  the  picture  presents  itself  now — bread,  pota- 
toes, bacon  and  coffee  composing  the  menu.  It  changed  but  little  during 
the  remainder  of  the  year,  beans,  oatmeal,  rice,  onions  and  hardtack  being 


MILITARY  731 

added.  Blankets  were  issued  to  each  man  that  evening  and  by  9:45  all 
were  in  the  land  of  dreams.  The  following  evening  Colonel  Torrey 
called  and  made  a  stirring  speech.  From  that  time  on  the  Colonel  was 
a  favorite.  His  patriotic  utterance,  his  care  and  attention  for  the  men 
under  him,  placed  him  in  complete  control  of  his  men,  and  won  from 
them  their  esteem  and  confidence.  He  visited  every  barrack  and  held 
elections  for  the  officers  that  should  lead  the  men.  His  idea  was  that 
the  men  who  looked  through  the  sights  and  pulled  the  triggers  were 
the  ones  to  say  who  should  lead  them.  The  Colonel  was  right,  for  with- 
out confidence  in  your  leader  you  might  just  as  well  quit.  A  captain 
without  the  confidence  of  his  men  had  a  dissatisfied  command  and  invari- 
ably a  poorly  drilled  and  unorganized  body  of  men.  At  their  election 
the  men  from  Nevada  chose  the  same  three  officers  that  Governor  Sadler 
had  appointed.  In  picking  the  first  two  the  men  acted  wisely.  They  were 
well  qualified  and  thoroughly  conversant  with  military  ways.  They 
understood  the  drill,  the  wants  and  needs  of  the  men  in  camp.  Both 
had  long  been  members  of  well  organized  companies  in  the  State,  and 
Captain  Cox,  at  the  time  of  his  appointment,  held  the  rank  of  major  on 
the  Governor's  staff. 

On  the  morning  of  the  iQth  day  of  May,  1898,  the  troop  was  mustered 
into  the  service  of  the  United  States  Volunteer  Army.  From  that  time 
on  rigid  discipline  and  strict  adherence  to  everything  military  was 
enforced.  From  reveille  to  retreat  each  man  had  his  duty  to  perform,  and 
it  can  be  said  of  the  members  of  Troop  M  that  they  performed  their 
duties  well.  'Tis  true  it  was  not  done  with  the  precision  of  the  regular 
soldier,  but  it  was  done  as  nearly  right  as  was  known  to  the  volunteer. 
It  was  not  expected  of  him  that  he  would  drill,  guard,  salute  and  in  all 
things  military,  do  as  well — though  before  the  close  of  the  war  the 
volunteer  was  well  advanced  in  army  ways. 

The  month  that  was  spent  drilling  at  Fort  D.  A.  Russell  made  a  marked 
difference  in  every  man.  From  the  raw  recruit  could  be  seen  the  advance 
made  toward  a  regular.  The  steady  and  manly  bearing,  the  rhythmic 
tramp,  tramp,  tramp  as  the  troops  marched  from  one  side  of  the  drill 
ground  to  the  other  showed  the  improvement  made  daily  in  drill.  The 
different  evolutions  were  executed  with  precision  and  regularity,  and  the 
commands  were  obeyed  without  uneasiness.  After  two  weeks'  drill  a 
visiting  officer  standing  in  front  of  Colonel  Torrey's  quarters  was  heard 


732 

to  remark,  "Well,  I  didn't  expect  to  see  such  drilling  in  so  short  a  time." 
It  was  near  the  middle  of  June  before  horses  enough  had  been  pur- 
chased by  the  Government  to  make  an  issue  to  the  troops.  The  officers 
had  been  receiving  mounted  drill  under  the  excellent  and  efficient  instruc- 
tion of  Major  Harboard.  It  was  a  new  page  in  the  life  of  the  troop 
when  it  was  mounted.  A  number  of  the  men  were  fine  riders,  a  number 
were  not.  Those  who  were  not  furnished  the  amusement  for  those  who 
were.  I  have  seen  the  drill  stopped  to  watch  some  poor  fellow  grabbing 
blindly  for  the  pommel  of  the  saddle  in  order  the  more  securely  to  estab- 
lish his  seat  on  the  horse,  and  at  last  land  flat  on  his  back  in  the  dirt. 
But  learn  to  ride  they  must. 

It  was  about  the  middle  of  June  when  a  meeting  of  officers  was  called 
to  get  an  idea  as  to  where  the  majority  of  the  men  desired  to  go.  We 
had  our  choice,  we  were  informed,  of  going  to  the  Philippines  without 
our  horses,  or  to  Cuba  and  take  them  with  us.  There  was  a  division 
on  this  proposition.  Some  wanted  to  go  to  the  Philippines  and  leave 
the  horses  behind.  Some  wanted  to  go  to  Cuba  in  true  cavalry  fashion. 
Some  said  the  pride  of  a  cavalryman  would  not  permit  of  his  traveling 
as  a  "dough  boy."  Some  sneered  at  this,  for  war  is  war,  whether  one 
is  on  horseback  or  on  foot.  It  was  at  last  decided  to  take  Cuba,  if  we 
could,  on  horseback.  Orders  shortly  afterward  came  directing  the  regi- 
ment to  report  to  General  Lee,  at  Jacksonville,  Florida.  The  time  seemed 
ripe  now  to  reach  the  front.  It  was  the  opinion  of  many  that  we  would 
be  ordered  direct  to  Cuba.  How  eagerly  all  looked  forward  to  the  day 
of  departure,  which  was  set  for  the  22d  of  June.  The  old  fort  was  in 
a  fever  of  excitement.  The  Rough  Riders'  war  song  was  echoed  from 
barrack  to  barrack.  Tales  of  Indian  fights  and  battles  of  the  Civil  War 
were  repeated.  The  Spaniard  was  doomed.  We  were  going  to  Cuba. 
Guns  were  cleaned,  saddle-bags  and  outfits  overhauled  and  everything 
put  in  readiness  for  actual  campaigning.  For  all  thought  our  stay  in 
Florida  would  not  be  long.  How  visionary  was  our  hope.  How  little 
did  we  dream  of  spending  the  remaining  days  of  our  service  camped  in 
Florida.  It  was  surely  a  disappointed  regiment  that  was  mustered  out 
in  Jacksonville  on  the  25th  day  of  October,  1898. 

In  the  evening  of  the  22d  of  June  four  trains  pulled  out  of  Cheyenne 
carrying  the  regiment  on  its  way  South.  It  was  an  eventful  trip.  At  St. 
Joseph,  Mo.,  the  engine  pulling  our  section  turned  over  in  the  yards, 


MILITARY  733 

killing  both  the  engineer  and  fireman.  At  Tupelo,  Miss.,  our  train 
crashed  into  the  rear  of  Colonel  Torrey's  train  -while  it  was  taking  water. 
Fortunately,  none  of  the  Nevada  boys  were  seriously  hurt,  but  as  a  result 
of  the  wreck  eight  members  of  the  regiment  were  buried  and  over  fifty 
wounded.  The  personality  and  pre-eminent  power  of  our  Colonel  was 
shown  on  this  occasion.  Lying  in  a  little  negro  hut  a  short  distance  from 
the  track,  with  both  feet  badly  crushed,  head  cut  and  bleeding  and  body 
bruised  and  sore,  he  had  men  reporting  to  him  at  brief  intervals  the 
condition  of  affairs,  and  from  his  cot  he  issued  the  necessary  orders. 
His  thoughts  were  not  of  his  own  safety,  but  of  the  safety  of  his  men. 
I  remember  I  rushed  up  to  where  he  lay  and  asked  what  I  could  do  for 
him.  Taking  my  hand  in  his,  the  blood  running  down  his  face  from  a  cut 
over  the  right  eye,  he  said,  "Nothing,  Lieutenant;  but  there  is  lots  you 
can  do  for  .the  men."  It  was  Colonel  Torrey  who  succeeded  in  getting 
from  the  railroad  company  $5,000  for  each  family  that  had  lost  a  son  or 
relative,  and  from  $100  upward  for  the  boys  who  were  wounded.  From 
the  very  first  day  that  the  troops  began  to  arrive  at  Fort  Russell  to 
the  date  of  muster  out,  Colonel  Torrey  bent  every  energy  toward  the 
betterment  and  comfort  of  his  regiment.  It  was  his  earnest  desire  to 
win  for  the  Western  cowboys  a  name  worthy  their  metal,  and  to  show 
to  the  world  the  quality  of  the  man  who  throws  his  leg  over  a  bronco 
and  hunts  the  western  plains  for  cattle. 

Panama  Park,  where  the  regiment  went  into  camp  on  the  28th  of 
June,  is  just  seven  miles  from  Jacksonville.  At  the  time  of  our  arrival 
there  were  about  fourteen  regiments  camped  around  Jacksonville,  but 
before  two  weeks  had  passed  the  number  increased  to  twenty-seven. 
We  were  the  only  regiment  of  cavalry  in  the  Seventh  Army  Corps.  Ex- 
tended order  in  drill  was  immediately  taken  up  to  prepare  the  troops  for 
Cuba.  From  six  to  eight  hours  a  day  was  spent  in  drill.  As  soon  as  the 
troops  understood  the  different  movements  in  extended  order,  squadron 
drill  was  begun.  Troop  M  occupied  the  right  of  the  second  squadron, 
under  command  of  Major  Wheeler,  of  Denver,  an  old  Indian  fighter, 
and  at  one  time  captain  in  the  regular  army.  The  constant  drilling  under 
the  semi-tropical  sun  of  Florida  was  telling  on  the  men.  The  month  of 
August  saw  twenty  to  thirty  men  in  line  for  drill,  when  forty  to  fifty 
were  out  during  the  month  of  July.  September  saw  a  still  less  number. 
The  drill  hours  were  cut  down,  until  finally  one  drill  a  day  was  had, 


734  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

and  that  in  the  early  morning,  occupying  about  two  hours  and  a  half. 
Our  drill  ground  was  any  open  spot  large  enough  for  four  troops  to 
maneuver  in.  Every  Saturday  morning  inspection  of  troops  and  camp 
was  held.  But  of  all  the  days  in  the  army,  the  most  enjoyable  is  the 
pay  day,  and  those  were  the  days  few  and  far  between. 

A  decided  improvement  was  made  in  drilling  by  all  the  troops  until  it 
was  learned  that  we  were  expected  to  do  garrison  duty  in  Havana.  When 
war  ceased  and  the  fighting  had  stopped  the  interest  in  the  work  that 
had  been  progressing  so  nicely  dropped  off.  Most  of  the  men  had  given 
up  good  positions  to  enlist.  Now  that  they  were  not  needed  to  fight 
they  wished  to  return  to  their  positions.  Strong  protests  were  raised 
in  opposition  to  the  garrison  duty  which  it  was  said  we  were  expected 
to  do.  Petitions  were  circulated,  small  groups  of  men  could  be  seen 
discussing  the  situation.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  wait  on  Colonel 
Torrey.  The  matter  drifted  along,  but  the  protests  had  their  effect. 

During  all  this  time  the  hospitals  were  steadily  filling  up  with  the 
sick.  The  troops  were  becoming  weaker  and  weaker  in  numbers.  At 
one  time  only  twenty-two  men  out  of  eighty  in  Troop  M  were  able  for 
duty.  Every  day  saw  men  leaving  on  sick  furlough.  Every  day  saw 
some  one  taken  to  the  depot  wrapped  in  the  Stars  and  Stripes.  The 
Colonel  was  doing  all  in  his  power  to  check  the  sickness.  He  cut  down 
the  number  of  guards.  The  police  detail  was  lightened  and  work  done 
only  in  the  morning  and  evening.  It  was  apparent  that  something  must 
be  done.  The  camp  was  becoming  foul.  A  number  of  attempts  were 
made  to  move  the  camp,  but  all  fell  through.  At  last  Colonel  Torrey  made 
a  trip  to  Washington,  the  result  of  which  was  the  mustering  out  of  the 
regiment  on  the  25th  day  of  October. 

What  happened  between  the  middle  of  September  and  the  day  the 
regiment  was  mustered  out  is  left  for  others  to  tell.  On  the  22d  of 
September  I  was  taken  down  with  typhoid  fever,  and  it  was  the  roth  of 
November  before  the  doctor  would  allow  me  to  be  taken  from  the  bed. 

During  our  four  months  in  Florida  it  was  the  good  fortune  of  Troop  M 
not  to  lose  a  man  by  sickness.  While  a  great  many  were  taken  down 
with  the  fever,  and  some  were  near  death's  door,  still  all  lived  to  return 
home.  Some  still  suffer  from  the  effects  of  the  southern  climate,  and 
one  has  died  since  his  return.  Sergeant  Hill,  from  Winnemucca,  was 
the  only  one  of  Troop  M  to  give  up  his  life  for  his  country.  He  died 


MILITARY  735 

from  the  effects  of  sickness  contracted  while  in  the  army  a  few  months 
ago.  By  his  faithfulness  to  men  and  officers,  his  courteous  treatment  of 
those  under  him  and  the  ready  performance  of  any  duty  assigned  him, 
he  soon  rose  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellow-soldiers  and  the  officers  of  the 
troop.  It  was  with  sorrow  and  regret  that  we  read  of  his  untimely 
death.  Of  the  little  band  of  patriots  that  went  forth  to  represent  the 
State  at  the  first  call  for  troops,  Sergeant  Hill's  name  is  the  only  one 
that  receives  no  response  at  roll  call. 


NEVADA   NATIONAL   GUARD. 
BY  COL.  C.  R.  REEVES. 

The  Nevada  National  Guard  was  organized  as  follows:  Chas.  R. 
Reeves,  being  a  member  of  the  Governor's  staff  and  a  Colonel,  resigned 
that  office  and  position  to  organize  the  Nevada  National  Guards,  as  the 
State  had  no  military  officers  except  the  State  Police.  Co.  A  was  or- 
ganized on  June  24,  1912,  at  Reno,  Nevada,  with  Chas.  R.  Reeves  as 
Captain,  L.  G.  B.  McDowell  as  First  Lieutenant  and  Macon  Elder  as 
Second  Lieutenant.  Co.  B  was  organized  under  the  direction  of  Captain 
Reeves  on  July  27,  1912,  at  Fallon,  Nevada,  with  C.  M.  Way  as  Captain 
and  Wm.  H.  Reeves  as  First  Lieutenant  and  Chas.  M.  Wainscott  as 
Second  Lieutenant.  Co.  C.  was  organized  in  February,  1913,  at  Reno, 
Nevada,  with  Macon  Elder  as  Captain,  John  Pohland  as  First  Lieutenant 
and  Fred  Arnold  as  Second  Lieutenant.  Co.  D  was  organized  September 
7,  1912,  at  Lovelock,  Nevada,  with  Edward  L.  Connell  as  Captain,  Caisto 
S.  Park  as  First  Lieutenant  and  Howard  Riddle  as  Second  Lieutenant. 

The  Nevada  National  Guard  consists  of  one  battalion  of  infantry  304 
strong.  In  the  annual  report  of  the  Adjutant-General  of  1912,  on  page 
17,  he  states:  "After  being  without  organized  militia  for  a  period  of 
six  years  and  two  months  the  State  has  a  body  of  citizen  soldiers  as 
above  enrolled." 


736  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

ENCAMPMENT  AT  RENO,  JUNE, 


The  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  of  the  Department  of  California 
and  Nevada  met  at  Reno,  June  10  to  14,  1913.  For  a  number  of  years 
the  State  has  been  trying  to  secure  the  encampment.  On  April  3,  1912, 
Governor  Tasker  L.  Oddie,  upon  the  request  of  O.  M.  Mitchell  Post,  G. 
A.  R.,  and  Relief  Corps,  of  Reno,  appointed  Col.  C.  R.  Reeves,  a  member 
of  his  staff,  a  representative  of  the  State  to  present  Nevada's  claims  to 
the  encampment  at  Stockton,  California.  The  Stockton  Record  com- 
mented on  the  contest  for  the  encampment  at  Stockton,  1912,  and  declared 
it  was  the  most  spectacular  contest  ever  waged  in  California.  It  was  stir- 
ring and  exciting.  Col.  Reeves  was  ably  supported  by  George  Fick,  of 
Sacramento,  and  J.  M.  Walling,  of  Nevada  City,  Miss  Lenore  Sollender, 
of  Tonopah,  and  Cora  Merritt,  formerly  of  Reno.  On  the  evening  of 
the  1  2th  of  April,  1912,  at  Stockton,  California,  in  response  to  the  invita- 
tion and  the  address  of  Col.  Reeves,  the  members  of  the  G.  A.  R.  voted 
by  an  overwhelming  vote  to  hold  the  encampment  at  Reno.  It  was  the 
first  time  that  the  State  had  won  a  meeting  or  a  gathering  larger  than  a 
State  gathering  since  its  admission  into  the  Union. 

After  the  encampment  at  Stockton,  Col.  Reeves  returned  to  Nevada 
and  reported  to  the  Governor  the  success  of  his  mission,  on  the  i8th 
of  April,  1912.  On  March  6,  1913,  the  executive  board  fixed  the  en- 
campment at  June  10  to  14,  1913,  inclusive.  On  the  2Oth  of  March, 
1913,  at  Reno,  an  executive  committee  was  formed  with  A.  G.  Fletcher 
as  chairman  and  Col.  C.  R.  Reeves  as  secretary.  For  weeks  before  the 
encampment  every  detail  was  carefully  arranged  for  the  comforts  of 
the  old  soldier.  On  the  9th  and  loth  of  June,  1913,  thousands  of  visitors 
arrived  in  Reno  for  the  week.  The  Los  Angeles  Fife  and  Drum  Corps, 
composed  of  veterans  of  the  Civil  War,  the  Boys'  Choir,  of  Oakland, 
that  sang  patriotic  songs  during  the  Civil  War,  were  among  the  noted 
visitors  who  attended.  Captain  Rolland,  of  Wells,  Nevada,  brought  the 
original  Old  Glory  flag  and  placed  it  on  exhibition  at  the  Nevada  His- 
torical Society.  It  was  a  week  of  festivities  and  pleasures,  the  whole 
State  of  Nevada  joining  in  doing  honor  to  the  visiting  veterans.  Senator 
Miller,  of  Lander  County,  introduced  a  bill  in  the  Legislature  appropriat- 
ing 2,500  to  assist  in  meeting  the  expenses.  Large  sums  of  money  were 
raised  by  the  citizens  of  Reno,  and  on  Friday,  the  I3th  of  June,  1913,  the 


MILITARY  737 

veterans  of  the  Civil  War  boarded  a  train  at  the  Virginia  &  Truckee  Rail- 
way and  visited  Virginia  City  and  the  State  Capitol,  where  they  were 
royally  entertained.  All  of  the  rolling-stock  available  for  transportation 
on  the  Virginia  &  Truckee  Railway  was  put  into  use  to  handle  the  excur^ 
sion  to  Virginia  and  Carson,  so  great  was  the  demand  for  transportation 
to  Virginia  City  and  Carson  that  the  railroad  company  could  not  handle 
them  and  hundreds  remained  in  Reno.  It  was  the  first  time  in  the  history 
of  the  State  that  the  miners  of  Nevada,  who  took  from  the  earth  millions 
of  dollars  during  the  Civil  War,  that  was  used  to  purchase  clothing  and 
food  for  the  soldiers  in  the  Federal  army,  met  the  soldier  on  common 
ground.  It  was  a  saddened  surroundings  to  see  a  miner  old  and  gray 
clasp  the  hand  of  a  feeble  veteran  in  memory  of  the  trying  days  that  both 
had  gone  through. 

The  Governor  issued  a  proclamation  declaring  the  week  a  holiday  and 
attended  the  encampment  personally,  accompanied  by  his  personal  staff. 
On  June  n,  1913,  hundreds  of  old  soldiers  of  the  Civil  War  formed  into 
a  parade  and  marched  through  the  streets  of  Reno,  accompanied  by  the 
famous  Fife  and  Drum  Corps  of  Los  Angeles,  an  Indian  band  from  the 
Stewart  Institute  at  Carson  City  and  the  brass  bands  of  Reno.  Under 
the  management  of  Mrs.  Georgia  Hodgman,  of  Oakland,  California,  the 
women  of  the  Pacific  Coast  formed  in  long  lines  and  columns  facing  the 
line  of  march  of  the  soldiers  with  large  flags  waving  as  the  soldiers  of 
the  Civil  War  marched  through  the  streets  of  Reno.  It  was  the  grandest 
view  of  the  heroes  of  the  Civil  War  that  was  ever  afforded  the  citizens 
of  Nevada. 

Phil  Kearney  Post  No.  10,  G.  A.  R.,  Department  of  California  and 
Nevada,  was  first  organized  in  Virginia  City  in  1868.  All  records  of  this 
Post  were  lost  in  the  fire  of  1875.  The  above  Post  was  reorganized  and 
granted  a  new  charter  on  October  2,  1879,  with  twenty-one  charter  mem- 
bers. John  A.  Robertson,  the  present  adjutant,  is  the  only  member  living 
in  Virginia  City  that  was  a  member  of  the  original  Post  of  sixty-eight 
members,  and  has  held  the  office  of  adjutant  for  twenty-seven  years. 
Phil.  Kearney  Women's  Relief  Corps  No.  85,  auxiliary  to  the  above  Post, 
was  organized  at  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  December  20,  1894,  with  eighteen 
charter  members. 

Custer  Post  No.  5,  Department  of  California  and  Nevada,  was  organ- 
ized at  Carson  City  July  17,  1878,  with  twelve  charter  members:  J.  A. 


738  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Burlingame,  C.  A.  Witherell,  Marshall  Robinson,  C.  Kitzmeyer,  C.  H. 
Maish,  D.  H.  Lentz,  C.  N.  Harris,  T.  J.  Edwards,  Geo.  W.  White,  Jos. 
W.  Carpenter  and  J.  E.  Cheney.  D.  H.  Lentz  was  first  commander  of 
this  Post. 

Custer  Women's  Relief  Corps  No.  15  was  organized  at  Carson  City, 
auxiliary  to  Custer  Post,  February  6,  1884,  with  twenty  charter  members, 
Hannah  Clapp  being  the  first  president  of  said  corps.  Mrs.  D.  Cobb  is 
the  only  one  of  the  charter  members  living  at  present. 

In  Reno,  September  27,  1884,  Colonel  Zabriskie,  in  obedience  to  orders 
from  Headquarters  G.  A.  R.,  Department  of  California  and  Nevada,  mus- 
tered into  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  Comrades  W.  E.  Lindsay, 
F.  F.  Laycock,  A.  A.  Evans,  H.  H.  Hogan,  J.  M.  Thompson,  N.  P.  Jaques, 
A.  G.  Fletcher,  Wm.  Lucas,  E.  P.  Beemis,  D.  D.  Butterfield,  S.  R.  Kemp, 
A.  Zimmer  and  organized  Gen.  O.  M.  Mitchell  Post  No.  69.  The  officers 
having  been  duly  installed  by  Colonel  Zabriskie,  P.  C.  Lindsay  took 
charge  as  Post  Commander,  A.  G.  Fletcher  as  quartermaster,  which  office 
he  has  held  to  the  present  time.  The  greater  number  of  the  above  named 
comrades  rest  in  the  Hillside  G.  A.  R.  plot,  which  is  given  the  best  of 
care  by  Gen.  O.  M.  Mitchell  Post  and  Women's  Relief  Corps,  and  where 
services  are  held  on  our  National  Memorial  Day  every  year  for  both  the 
living  and  dead. 

Gen.  O.  M.  Mitchell,  Women's  Relief  Corps,  auxiliary  to  above  Post, 
was  organized  at  Reno,  Nevada,  July  i,  1886,  with  twenty-five  charter 
members,  Mrs.  C.  Jaques  being  the  first  president  and  Mrs.  L.  O.  Fletcher 
treasurer.  There  are  still  three  of  the  charter  members  holding  member- 
ship in  this  corps  at  present. 

Gettysburg  Post  No.  122  was  organized  at  Tonopah,  Nevada, ,  August 
17,  1912,  with  a  charter  list  of  twenty  members,  Miss  Sollanger  being  the 
first  president. 


NEVADA'S    DIVORCE    LAW  739 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 
NEVADA  DIVORCE  LAW. 

The  unenviable  reputation,  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
land,  in  regard  to  the  divorce  law,  has  heaped  ignominy  on  the  State  of 
Nevada.  A  few  unscrupulous  members  of  the  legal  fraternity,  little 
better  than  outcasts  at  home,  have  come  to  Reno  and  besmirched  the 
good  name  of  a  great  State  by  their  activity  in  converting  into  pernic- 
ious channels  a  law  originally  intended  to  give  relief  to  mismated  couples 
who  could  not  travel  the  matrimonial  highway  in  peace  and  harmony. 

The  divorce  law  of  Nevada  was  enacted  by  the  first  territorial  legisla- 
tive assembly  in  1861.  The  law  was  good  enough  for  Nevada  and  gave 
general  satisfaction  until  its  exploitation  for  purely  mercenary  motives 
began. 

Twenty-two  States  have  practically  the  same  divorce  laws  in  force  on 
their  statute  books,  with  the  exception  of  the  provision  regarding  resi- 
dence. Until  this  year,  Nevada  required  only  six  months'  residence,  but 
that  had  to  be  clearly  established  before  action  for  dissolution  of 
marriage  could  have  any  standing  in  the  courts  of  the  state.  The  resi- 
dence had  to  be  absolute,  without  the  lapse  of  a  single  day  except  where 
good  and  sufficient  reason  could  be  shown,  and  to  the  entire  satisfaction 
of  the  trial  court. 

Six  months'  residence  was  also  necessary  for  citizenship  in  Nevada 
and  enabled  a  man  to  exercise  all  the  rights  of  a  citizen.  Therefore,  it 
naturally  follows,  that  he  could  prosecute  a  divorce,  or  any  other  kind 
of  a  suit,  in  the  State  of  which  he  was  a  citizen. 

In  order  that  the  reader  may  reach  an  intelligent  understanding  of 
this  much  mooted  question,  the  statute  on  divorce  is  quoted  in  full : 

Divorce  from  the  bonds  of  matrimony  may  be  obtained  *  *  *  for  the 
following  causes: 

"First — Impotency  at  the  time  of  marriage,  continuing  to  the  time  of 
divorce. 


740  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

"Second — Adultery,  since  marriage,  remaining  unforgiven. 

"Third — Wilful  desertion  at  any  time,  of  either  party  by  the  other, 
for  a  period  of  one  year. 

"Fourth — 'Conviction  of  a  felony  or  infamous  crime. 

"Fifth — Habitual  gross  drunkenness  since  marriage,  of  either  party, 
which  shall  incapacitate  him  from  contributing  his  or  her  share  to  the 
support  of  the  family. 

"Sixth — Extreme  cruelty  in  either  of  the  parties. 

"Seventh — Neglect  of  the  husband  for  the  period  of  one  year,  to 
provide  the  common  necessaries  of  life,  when  such  neglect  is  not  the 
result  of  poverty  on  the  part  of  the  husband,  which  he  could  have  avoid- 
ed by  ordinary  industry." 

As  the  law  governing  the  term  of  residence,  to  acquire  citizenship, 
which  obtained  in  Nevada  for  half  a  century  without  causing  even 
passing  comment,  has  been  taken  advantage  of  for  mere  mercenary 
motives,  the  unanimous  verdict  of  a  righteously  indignant  people  went 
forth  that  the  law  should  be  amended,  in  some  way,  to  correct  the  evil. 
Thus  at  the  last  session  of  the  Legislature  the  time  required  to  obtain 
a  residence  before  obtaining  a  divorce  was  changed  from  six  months  to 
one  year. 

If  some  sister  States  are  stricken  with  remorse  or  find  themselves  in 
a  sudden  paroxysm  of  virtuous  indignation,  let  them  pass  a  law  and 
enforce  it,  correcting  the  evils  complained  of  at  home,  which  will  keep 
their  divorces  from  coming  to  Reno — Nevada  does  not  want  them.  If 
they  persist  in  coming,  let  their  home  State  enact  a  law  which  will  make 
a  divorce  decree  obtained  in  Nevada,  void  and  of  no  effect  whenever  and 
wherever  said  divorcee  sets  foot  within  the  borders  of  the  home  State. 
When  other  States  enact  and  rigidly  enforce  some  such  drastic  measure, 
the  West  will  begin  to  have  some  regard  for  their  particular  brand  of 
virtue.  Until  then,  the  West  may  be  pardoned  for  believing  that  cant 
and  hypocrisy  often  join  hands  with  the  lawless  element  and  make  a 
grandstand  play  for  political  effect. 

Economic  conditions  in  the  West  are  vastly  different  from  those  in  the 
East.  Nevada  is  a  sparsely  populated  country,  and  it  is  not  considered  to 
the  best  interest  of  the  State  to  hedge  about  too  closely  the  road  which 
leads  to  citizenship.  Anything  which  may  have  a  tendency  to  obstruct 
immigration  or  turn  it  in  another  direction,  is  conceded,  in  this  neck  of 


NEVADA'S    DIVORCE    LAW  741 

the  woods,  to  be  unwise  statesmanship.  The  State  has  a  vital  interest 
in  securing  and  holding  as  large  a  population  as  is  consistent  with  her 
rapidly  increasing  resources;  always  keeping  steadily  in  view  the  fact 
that  none  but  desirable  citizens  are  wanted.  If,  however,  the  other  kind 
come,  as  they  sometimes  do,  Nevada  is  ready  to  cope  with  the  situa- 
tion, as  many  of  that  class  can  testify  from  personal  experience. 

Nevada  is  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  War,  having  been  organized  as  a 
territory  in  1861,  and  admitted  as  a  State  of  this  glorious  Union  in 
1864.  No  soldier  on  the  field  of  battle  ever  made  a  more  gallant  de- 
fense of  his  country  than  did  this  "Battle  Born"  State  during  the  trying 
times  of  the  war.  What  she  lacked  in  men  was  made  up  in  money. 
Nevada  was  baptised  in  the  blood  of  the  nation  and  paid  for  her  bap- 
tismal rite  in  a  flood  of  gold  and  silver.  With  this  flood  of  gold  and 
silver,  she  saved  the  commercial  honor  of  the  country.  This  gold  and 
silver  paid  the  armies  of  the  Civil  War,  averted  national  bankruptcy, 
and  enabled  the  Government  to  resume  specie  payment  in  1873. 

Those  were  dark  days  in  the  financial  and  political  history  of  the 
United  States,  and  Nevada,  maligned  and  despised  as  she  is  to-day  in 
some  quarters,  was  the  savior  of  her  country  in  that  most  critical  period 
of  her  history.  The  State  that  furnished  the  sinews  of  war  should  have 
some  standing  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of  the  American  people,  even  if 
Republics  are  ungrateful. 

From  the  best  information  at  hand,  it  would  appear  that  the  mines 
of  Nevada  have  yielded  the  enormous  sum  of  two  billion  dollars  during 
the  past  fifty  years.  Of  this  amount  it  is  conceded  that  the  Comstock 
alone  produced  fully  one-half.  The  figures  are  given  in  round  numbers, 
but  are  considered  by  mining  men  who  are  posted  in  such  matters  to  be 
conservative.  Thousands  of  discoveries,  many  of  them  marvelously  rich, 
are  still  being  made  all  over  the  state,  in  hitherto  unknown  and  undevel- 
oped territory.  Besides  gold,  silver  and  copper,  immense  deposits  of 
salt,  borax,  lime,  platinum,  sulphur,  soda,  potash-salts,  cinnabar,  arsenical 
ores,  zinc,  coal,  antimony,  cobalt,  nickel,  nitre,  isinglass,  manganese,  alum, 
kaolin,  iron,  gypsum,  mica  and  graphite  exist  in  large  quantities. 

Proudly  conscious  of  her  strength  and  probity  of  character,  great  big- 
hearted  Nevada  looks  down  from  her  lofty  pedestal  and  freely  pardons 
all  who  may  have  misjudged  her.  This  is  Nevada's  record.  Match  it, 
if  you  can. 


742  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

NEVADA,  TRUCKEE-CARSON  PROJECT. 
BY  D.  W.  COLE. 

Counties — Churchill,  Storey  and  Lyon. 

Townships — 17  and  18  N.,  Rs.  17  to  30  E. ;  19  N.,  Rs.  26  to  31  E. ;  20 
N.,  Rs.  22  to  31  E.,  Mount  Diablo  meridian. 
Railroad — Southern  Pacific. 
Railroad  stations — Fernly,  Hazen  and  Fallon. 
Average  elevation  of  irrigable  area — 4,000  feet  above  sea  level. 
Average  annual  rainfall  on  irrigable  area — 4  inches. 
Range  of  temperature  on  irrigable  area — o°  F.  to  105°  F. 

WATER  SUPPLY. 

Source  of  water  supply — Truckee  and  Carson  rivers. 

Area  of  drainage  basin — 3,450  square  miles. 

Annual  run-off  in  acre- feet — Truckee  River  at  Tahoe  (519  square 
miles),  1901  to  1908,  maximum,  703,000;  minimum,  112,000;  mean, 
310,000.  Truckee  River  at  Vista  (1,520  square  miles),  1890  to  1892  and 
1899  to  1907,  maximum,  2,220,000;  minimum,  394,000;  mean,  927,000. 
Carson  River  at  Empire  (988  square  miles),  1890,  1895  and  1900  to  1908, 
maximum,  789,000;  minimum,  178,000;  mean,  434,000. 

ENGINEERING  DATA  FOR   COMPLETE   PROJECT. 

Reservoirs — Lake  Tahoe — Area,  125,000  acres;  capacity,  750,000  acre- 
feet  ;  length  of  spillway,  85  feet ;  elevation  of  spillway,  6  feet  above  stream 
bed.  Alkali  Flat — Area,  8,500  acres;  capacity,  228,000  acre-feet.  Lower 
Carson — Area,  11,000  acres;  capacity,  290,000  acre-feet. 


NEVADA,  TRUCKEE-CARSON  PROJECT  743 

Storage  Dams — Lake  Tahoe — Type,  concrete  sluiceway  regulator ;  maxi- 
mum height,  14  feet;  length  of  crest,  109  feet;  volume,  425  cubic  yards. 
Lower  Carson  not  designed. 

Diversion  Dams — Truckee  River — Type,  concrete  sluiceways ;  maxi- 
mum height,  22  feet  4  inches;  length  of  masonry,  171  feet;  length  of 
earth  fill,  1,160  feet.  Carson  River — Type,  concrete  sluiceways ;  maximum 
height,  20  feet  9  inches ;  length  of  masonry,  240  feet.  Others  not  de- 
signed. 

Length  of  canals  (first  unit) — 104  miles  with  capacities  greater  than 
300  second- feet;  79  miles  with  capacities  from  300  to  50  second-feet;  502 
miles  with  capacities  less  than  50  second-feet. 

Aggregate  length  of  tunnels — 2,830  feet. 

Aggregate  length  of  dikes — 50,000  feet. 

Water  power — Estimated  total,  8,000  horsepower. 

AGRICULTURAL  CONDITIONS. 

Irrigable  area — Whole  project,  206,000  acres ;  first  unit,  96,573  acres. 

Present  status  of  irrigable  lands  (whole  project) — 21,979  acres,  entered 
subject  to  the  Reclamation  Act,  21,859  acres  open  to  entry,  96,613  acres 
withdrawn  from  entry,  102  acres  of  State  lands,  65,447  acres  in  private 
ownership  (including  10,031  acres  of  railroad  lands). 

Area  for  which  the  service  is  prepared  to  supply  water,  season  of  1910 
— 85,000  acres. 

Area  irrigated,  season  of  1910 — 35,000  acres. 

Length  of  irrigation  season — 214  days. 

Character  of  soil  of  irrigable  area — Sand,  sandy  loam,  adobe  and  clay. 

Principal  products — Alfalfa,  grain,  potatoes  and  onions. 

Principal  markets — Nevada  mining  camps,  California  cities. 

LANDS  OPENED  FOR  IRRIGATION. 

Dates  of  public  notices  and  orders  relating  thereto — May  6,  1907; 
November  I,  1907;  January  30,  1908;  April  4,  1908;  June  5,  1908;  De- 
cember 26,  1908;  March  i,  1909;  September  28,  1909;  April  26,  1910. 

Location  of  lands  opened — Tps.  18,  19  and  20  N.,  Rs.  24  to  30  E., 
Mount  Diablo  meridian. 


744  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Present  status  of  irrigable  lands — 21,979  acres  entered  subject  to  the 
Reclamation  Act,  102  acres  of  State  lands,  46,117  acres  in  private  owner- 
ship (including  10,031  acres  of  railroad  lands). 

Limit  of  area  of  farm  units — Public,  80  acres ;  private,  160  acres. 

Duty  of  water — 3  acre-feet  per  acre  per  annum  at  the  farm. 

Building  charge  per  acre  of  irrigable  land — $22  and  $30. 

Annual  operation  and  maintenance  charge — $0.60  per  acre  of  irrigable 
land. 


CHRONOLOGICAL  SUMMARY. 

Reconnaissance  made  and  preliminary  surveys  begun  in  1902. 
Construction  authorized  by  secretary,  March  14,  1903. 
Carson  River  headworks  and  main  distributing  canals  completed  Sep- 
tember, 1905. 

Main  lower  Truckee  canal  completed  June,  1905. 
First  irrigation  by  Reclamation  Service,  season  of  1906. 
First  unit  90  per  cent,  completed  June  30,  1910. 


IRRIGATION    PLAN. 

The  irrigation  plan  of  the  Truckee-Carson  project  provides  for  the 
storage  of  water  in  a  number  of  small  reservoirs  on  the  head-waters  of 
Truckee  River,  in  Lake  Tahoe,  in  the  Alkali  Flat  reservoir,  near  Church- 
ill, Nevada,  and  in  Lower  Carson  reservoir,  on  Carson  River,  near  Hazen, 
Nevada;  the  diversion  of  water  from  Truckee  River  by  a  dam  about 
twenty  miles  below  Reno,  Nevada,  in  the  main  lower  Truckee  canal,  sup- 
plying water  to  lands  in  the  Truckee  and  Carson  River  valleys  and  to  the 
Lower  Carson  reservoir;  the  diversion  of  water  from  Carson  River  by 
a  dam  near  Dayton,  Nevada,  into  two  canals,  one  watering  lands  south 
of  the  river  and  the  other  watering  lands  north  of  the  river  and  supplying 
Alkali  Flat  reservoir ;  the  return  to  Carson  River  through  an  outlet  tunnel 
and  canal  of  water  from  Alkali  Flat  reservoir ;  the  diversion  of  water  from 
Carson  River  by  a  dam  about  three  miles  below  the  outlet  of  Alkali  Flat 
reservoir  into  two  canal  systems  watering  lands  in  Churchill  Valley  on 


NEVADA,  TRUCKEE-CARSON  PROJECT  745 

both  sides  of  the  river;  and  the  diversion  of  water  from  Carson  River 
by  a  dam  about  five  miles  below  the  Lower  Carson  storage  dam  into  two 
canal  systems,  one  on  either  side  of  the  river,  watering  lands  in  the  Lower 
Carson  River  Valley. 

ORIGIN   OF   PROJECT   AND    INVESTIGATIONS. 
/ 

Irrigation  has  been  practiced  in  a  small  way  along  the  streams  of 
Nevada  for  a  good  many  years.  In  1889  and  1890,  under  the  direction  of 
Maj.  J.  W.  Powell,  director  of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey,  sys- 
tematic investigations  were  begun  of  the  flow  of  the  Truckee  River  and 
tributary  streams,  and  reconnaissance  and  surveys  of  lakes  considered 
feasible  for  storage  reservoirs  were  made.  Further  surveys  of  the  lakes 
were  made  in  1900,  and  additional  data  collected  in  reference  to  stream 
flow.  On  January  n,  1902,  the  director  of  the  Geological  Survey,  in 
response  to  a  resolution  by  the  United  States  Senate,  submitted  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  Interior  a  report  upon  the  utilization  of  Lake  Tahoe 
as  a  reservoir  of  water  for  irrigation  purposes,  in  which  report  it  was 
held  that  by  providing  for  control  of  six  feet  in  depth  on  the  lake,  or  an 
actual  storage  capacity  of  750,000  acre-feet,  an  annual  storage  supply 
of  200,000  acre-feet  could  be  depended  upon  for  irrigation. 

Immediately  after  the  organization  of  the  Reclamation  Service  in  June, 
1902,  Mr.  L.  H.  Taylor,  in  charge  of  the  investigations  in  Nevada,  was 
instructed  to  prepare  for  utilizing  the  waters  of  Truckee  and  Carson 
Rivers  in  an  irrigation  project.  Based  upon  the  investigations  that  had 
already  been  made,  and  on  further  surveys  begun  immediately,  general 
plans  were  prepared  in  the  fall  of  1902  and  early  part  of  1903.  These 
plans,  as  outlined  in  a  letter  by  the  Director  of  the  Geological  Survey  to 
the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  dated  March  7,  1903,  included  the  storing  of 
water  in  Lake  Tahoe,  the  construction  of  a  canal  from  Truckee  River, 
near  Wadsworth,  to  the  Carson  River,  a  storage  reservoir  on  Carson 
River,  the  necessary  systems  of  distribution  canals,  and  eventually  other 
storage  reservoirs  in  the  Truckee  and  Carson  River  basins.  It  was  recom- 
mended that  development  of  the  general  project  as  outlined  be  approved, 
that  the  examination  of  irrigable  lands,  reservoirs,  etc.,  be  continued,  that 
steps  be  taken  to  procure  title  to  the  lands  needed  for  reservoirs,  and  that 
work  be  continued  in  greater  detail  for  the  ascertainment  of  facts  neces- 


746  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

sary  for  the  preparation  of  specifications  and  the  letting  of  contracts  for 
the  construction  of  irrigation  works.  On  March  14,  1903,  the  Secretary  of 
the  Interior  approved  the  general  project  as  recommended  and  authorized 
the  preparation  of  plans  and  specifications  for  construction  to  be  submitted 
to  him  for  approval. 


CONSTRUCTION    MAIN    LOWER   TRUCKEE   CANAL. 

The  first  work  undertaken  on  the  Truckee-Carson  project  was  the  con- 
struction of  a  canal,  known  as  the  main  lower  Truckee  Canal,  to  divert 
water  from  Truckee  River  and  convey  it  in  part  to  the  Carson  River,  and 
in  part  for  the  irrigation  of  adjacent  lands. 

This  canal  is  thirty-one  miles  in  length  and  has  a  capacity  of  1,500 
second-feet  at  the  intake,  and  of  1,200  second-feet  at  its  end  where  it  dis- 
charges into  the  Carson  River.  For  about  ten  miles,  the  canal  passes 
along  the  steep  sides  of  the  canyon  of  Truckee  River,  where  concrete  lin- 
ing was  required  in  many  places  and  where  three  tunnels  were  needed, 
aggregating  about  2,700  feet  in  length.  For  the  remaining  distance,  the 
canal  is  in  earth  section  and  in  general  offered  little  difficulty  in  construc- 
tion. 

The  diversion  dam  on  Truckee  River  comprises  a  set  of  sixteen  con- 
crete sluice-ways  and  an  earth-fill  dam  1,160  feet  in  length.  The  concrete 
structure  rests  on  a  foundation  of  compact  gravel  and  bowlders.  It  has 
a  floor  30  feet  wide  and  8.8  feet  thick,  and  the  length  of  the  structure  in- 
cluding the  abutments  is  171  feet.  The  foundation  was  reinforced  with  old 
steel  rails  and  the  upper  part  of  the  structure  was  reinforced  with  steel 
girders.  Each  sluiceway  is  5  feet  wide,  and  is  closed  by  double  cast-iron 
gates  to  a  height  of  10  feet,  and,  when  desired,  by  5  flashboards  reaching 
40  inches  higher.  The  intake  to  the  canal  is  placed  at  right  angles  to  and  at 
the  south  end  of  the  diversion  dam.  It  contains  nine  gate-openings,  closed 
by  double  cast-iron  gates  similar  to  those  used  in  diversion  sluiceways,  and 
by  flashboards,  increasing  the  height  by  sixteen  inches.  The  intake  struc- 
ture is  reinforced  with  a  steel  girder  above  the  gates  and  steel  columns  in 
the  piers.  Immediately  below  the  intake  of  the  canal  is  a  concrete  spillway, 
loo  feet  in  length,  discharging  through  a  concrete  and  rock-lined  channel 
into  the  river  below  the  diversion  dam. 


NEVADA,  TRUCKEE-CARSON  PROJECT  747 

In  a  distance  of  two  miles,  beginning  about  six  and  one-half  miles  from 
the  head  of  the  canal,  are  three  tunnels  having  lengths  of  901,  308.7,  and 
1,515  feet,  respectively.  All  of  the  tunnels  are  lined  with  concrete.  In  the 
canyon  there  are,  besides  the  headworks,  three  important  concrete  struc- 
tures, two  wasteways,  4.6  and  7.6  miles,  respectively,  from  the  head  of  the 
canal,  and  the  headworks  of  the  Pyramid  branch  canal  six  miles  from  the 
Truckee  River  diversion  dam.  Each  of  the  wasteways  has  five  openings 
placed  in  the  side  of  a  concrete-lined  basin  45  feet  long  with  its  bottom  6 
feet  below  the  bed  of  the  canal.  The  basin  in  the  first  wasteway  is  36 
feet  wide,  and  in  the  second,  16  feet  wide.  The  wasteway  openings  are 
each  5  feet  square  in  the  clear  and  are  closed  by  Taintor  gates  operating 
on  horizontal  shafts  at  the  level  of  the  top  of  the  gate-opening.  The  radius 
from  the  center  of  the  shaft  to  the  outside  surface  of  the  gate  is  7  feet  5% 
inches.  The  gates  are  counterweighted  with  buckets  filled  with  water ;  and 
all  of  the  gates  can  be  opened  in  one  operation  by  means  of  a  crank  turning 
a  shaft  to  which  the  gates  are  attached  by  wire  cables  and  suitable  drums. 

The  discharge  from  the  first  wasteway  is  into  an  open  channel  lined  with 
concrete  for  a  distance  of  about  80  feet,  but  the  second  wasteway  dis- 
charges  into  a  shaft  about  47  feet  deep,  and  thence  through  a  tunnel  115 
feet  in  length  under  the  Southern  Pacific  Railway  to  an  open  channel  lined 
with  concrete  for  a  short  distance.  In  both  cases  the  waste  water  returns 
to  Truckee  River.  In  connection  with  the  headworks  of  the  Pyramid 
Branch  Canal  there  is  installed  in  the  main  canal  a  check-gate  structure 
with  six  openings,  each  5  feet  wide  by  13  feet  high.  Above  the  check 
gates  and  on  the  north  side  of  the  canal  are  located  the  headworks  of  the 
Pyramid  Branch  Canal,  with  two  openings  5  feet  wide  by  10  feet  high. 
Both  the  check  gates  and  the  canal  head  gates  are  double  cast  iron  gates, 
similar  to  those  used  in  the  diversion  dam  and  the  Truckee  Canal  head- 
works.  When  desired,  flashboards  can  be  used  over  the  check  gates  to 
close  the  full  height  of  13  feet.  The  abutments  for  the  Pyramid  branch 
headworks  were  stepped  down  to  the  foundations  and  left  in  this  condition 
with  the  intention  of  extending  the  walls  to  include  a  fore-bay  for  a  siphon 
across  the  canyon  when  the  branch  line  shall  be  built.  The  gates  were 
banked  with  earth  on  both  sides  for  the  present. 

About  ten  miles  from  the  headworks  of  the  canal  the  end  of  the  Truckee 
Canyon  is  reached,  and  the  remainder  of  the  canal  line  lies  on  a  gentle 
slope  from  the  foothills  along  the  edge  of  a  wide  valley.  The  canal  ter- 


;48  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

minates  about  seven  miles, south  and  west  of  Hazen,  and  at  this  point  the 
water  is  discharged  into  the  Carson  River  through  a  temporary  wooden 
flume  or  chute  built  on  a  steep  side  of  a  hill.  No  other  structures  were 
built  on  this  division  of  the  canal. 

Plans  and  specifications  for  the  construction  of  the  main  Truckee  Canal 
and  headworks  were  approved  by  the  department  in  May,  1903  (Specifica- 
tions No.  i)  and  proposals  were  opened  July  15.  The  work  was  divided 
into  three  divisions,  the  first  embracing  the  diversion  dam,  the  headworks 
of  the  canal,  a  portion  of  the  canal  excavation  in  the  canyon,  and  the  Pyra- 
mid branch  headworks ;  the  second  division  including  the  remaining  canal 
excavation  in  the  canyon,  with  the  tunnels  and  wasteways ;  and  the  third 
division  consisting  of  canal  excavation  only  for  about  twenty  miles  through 
the  valley.  Contracts  were  executed  for  Divisions  i  and  2  on  September  3, 
1903,  and  for  Division  3  on  August  28,  1903.  The  work  on  Division  i  was 
completed  in  June,  1905,  that  on  Division  2  in  April,  1905  ;  and  that  on  the 
Division  3  in  September,  1904.  The  temporary  chute  at  the  end  of  the 
canal  for  discharging  its  waters  into  Carson  River  was  built  by  force  ac- 
count in  the  year  1905.  In  the  spring  of  1910  the  construction  of  a  per- 
manent concrete  structure  for  this  purpose  was  begun  by  force  account. 

CARSON  RIVER  DIVERSION  WORKS  AND  MAIN  DISTRIBUTING  CANALS. 

On  Carson  River,  about  four  miles  below  the  end  of  the  Truckee  Canal, 
are  located  the  headworks  of  the  main  distributing  canals  of  the  project. 
Diversion  is  accomplished  by  means  of  concrete  regulator  sluice-ways 
across  the  river  and  concrete  headworks  with  rising  weir  gates.  The  dam 
or  regulating  works  contains  twenty-three  gate-openings,  each  5  feet  wide. 
The  openings  are  closed  by  double  cast-iron  gates  10  feet  in  combined 
height  and  similar  to  those  used  in  the  Truckee  dam,  together  with  flash- 
boards  for  an  additional  height  of  32  inches  when  desired.  The  concrete 
floor  of  the  dam  is  about  32  feet  wide  in  the  direction  of  the  stream  and 
rests  on  a  timber  floor  supported  by  round  piles  and  having  two  rows  of 
sheet-piling,  one  at  the  upper  and  the  other  at  the  lower  edge.  At  the  south 
end  of  the  dam  is  the  intake  of  a  canal  having  an  initial  capacity  of  1,500 
second-feet,  and  at  the  north  end  is  located  the  intake  of  a  canal  having  an 
initial  capacity  of  500  second-feet.  The  intake  for  the  south  side  canal  is 
controlled  by  three  steel  rising  weirs  each  15  feet  long  and  5  feet  high,  and 


NEVADA,  TRUCKEE-CARSON  PROJECT  749 

the  intake  for  the  north  side  canal  has  one  such  rising  weir.  The  south 
side  canal  constitutes  the  main  canal  system  and  extends  for  a  distance  of 
about  twenty-two  miles,  and  together  with  the  necessary  laterals  and  dis- 
tributing ditches  will  irrigate  a  large  amount  of  land  on  the  south  side  of 
the  river.  The  canal  in  its  course  crosses  both  the  south  branch  and  New 
River,  which  are  channels  carrying  parts  of  the  natural  flow  of  the  Carson 
River.  About  seven  miles  from  the  head  of  the  canal  is  located  a  drop  in 
the  canal  of  6.74  feet,  in  connection  with  which  there  is  a  wasteway  de- 
signed for  returning  any  desired  portion  of  the  canal  flow  to  the  South 
Branch.  The  North  side  distributing  canal  serves  lands  north  of  Carson 
River  and  northwest  of  Old  River  Branch.  Both  of  the  distributing 
canals  have  concrete  structures  for  diverting  water  into  laterals  at  various 
places. 

Early  in  1904  plans  and  specifications  were  prepared  for  the  construction 
of  the  distributing  canals  and  structures,  including  the  headworks  on 
Carson  River  (Specifications  No.  13).  These  plans  and  specifications  were 
approved  by  the  department  April  15,  1904,  and  proposals  for  the  work 
were  opened  July  15,  1904.  Four  contracts  were  executed  as  follows:  For 
bridges,  on  August  19,  1904;  for  the  excavation  work,  on  September  9, 
1904;  for  the  head  gates  and  other  structures,  except  the  Carson  River 
headworks,  on  September  17,  1904;  and  for  the  Carson  River  headworks, 
on  September  29,  1904.  The  work  was  begun  promptly  on  all  of  the  con- 
tracts and  was  carried  on  during  the  fall  of  1904  and  the  early  season  of 
1905.  The  bridges  were  completed  in  March,  the  excavation  in  June,  the 
Carson  River  headworks  in  July,  and  the  other  structures  in  September, 
1905. 

LATERAL  DISTRIBUTION   SYSTEM. 

The  lateral  system  for  the  distribution  of  waters  from  the  main  dis- 
tributing canals  to  the  lands  to  be  irrigated  is  divided  into  seven  divisions 
or  districts,  supplying  from  20,000  to  50,000  acres  of  land  each.  In  the 
larger  laterals  the  principal  structures  are  made  of  concrete  in  a  substan- 
tial manner,  but  many  of  the  farm  turn-outs  and  other  structures  on  small 
laterals  are  constructed  of  wood.  On  November  17,  1904,  the  department 
approved  plans  and  specifications  for  the  construction  of  about  150  miles 
of  lateral  irrigation  canals,  together  with  necessary  structures  (Specifica- 


750  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

tion  No.  20).  Proposals  were  received  December  15,  1904,  respectively, 
January  21,  24  and  30,  1905.  The  contracts  were  completed  during  the 
seasons  of  1905  and  1906.  In  connection  with  the  structures  for  these 
laterals  there  was  included  the  construction  of  a  large  concrete  drop  on  the 
main  south  side  distributing  canal  about  six  miles  below  the  head  of  the 
canal.  The  drop  in  water  surface  is  25.6  feet,  and  the  capacity  of  the 
canal  at  this  point  is  1,400  second-feet.  In  connection  with  the  structure 
there  were  built  substantial  concrete  foundations  for  a  proposed  power- 
house for  utilizing  the  fall  of  water  in  developing  electric  power,  but  no 
superstructure  has  yet  been  erected  or  planned. 

Other  plans  and  specifications  for  extension  of  laterals  and  the  building 
of  structures  were  approved  by  the  department  on  March  9,  1906  (Speci- 
fications No.  80),  and  July  27,  1906  (Specifications  No.  112).  No  pro- 
posals were  received  under  the  advertisement  for  either  of  these  sets  of 
specifications  and  the  work  was  authorized  to  be  done  by  force  account 
and  was  completed  in  the  seasons  of  1906  and  1907.  Slight  additional  ex- 
tensions of  the  distributing  laterals  and  the  building  of  a  few  additional 
structures  were  carried  on  during  the  seasons  of  1908  and  1909,  when  the 
distribution  system  for  the  irrigation  of  the  first  unit  of  the  project,  con- 
taining about  90,000  acres  of  irrigable  lands,  was  practically  completed. 


LAKE  TAHOE  RESERVOIR. 

On  April  29,  1905,  the  department  approved  plans  and  specifications  for 
the  construction  of  outlet  controlling  works  for  Lake  Tahoe  (Specifica- 
tion No.  37).  Proposals  were  opened  on  June  15,  1905,  and  a  contract 
was  executed  for  the  work  on  July  5.  Shortly  after  the  contractor  began 
work  he  was  stopped  by  an  injunction  secured  by  landowners  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  outlet.  Settlement  was  finally  made  with  the  contractor  and  the 
work  abandoned  for  the  time.  In  1909,  however,  under  a  proposed  con- 
tract with  one  of  the  power  companies  utilizing  water  from  Lake  Tahoe, 
the  construction  of  regulating  works  was  begun  by  the  company  and  par- 
tially completed.  It  is  hoped  that  the  project  will  be  able  in  the  near  future 
to  control  the  outlet  of  the  lake  and  gain  the  full  advantage  of  its  storage 
capacity. 


NEVADA,  TRUCKEE-CARSON  PROJECT  751 

IRRIGATION. 

In  1906  the  service  began  the  delivery  of  water  through  the  distributing 
system  for  irrigation  purposes.  For  that  season  delivery  of  water  was 
confined  to  lands  in  private  ownership  that  had  previously  been  irrigated 
and  for  which  the  service  was  bound  by  contract  to  supply  water.  About 
15,000  acres  were  irrigated  during  the  season.  In  succeeding  seasons 
the  delivery  of  water  for  irrigation  was  gradually  extended  to  larger  areas, 
including  both  private  lands  previously  irrigated  and  public  lands  entered 
under  the  homestead  laws.  The  areas  irrigated  have  been  27,450  acres 
in  1908,  33,000  acres  in  1909  and  35,000  acres  in  1910. 

PROGRESS  DURING  FISCAL  YEAR   1910. 

The  extension  of  the  lateral  system  in  district  5  to  water  a  portion 
of  the  land  allotted  to  the  Piute  Indians  was  surveyed  in  the  fall  of  1909, 
and  proposals  for  excavation  were  received  and  contracts  awarded  in 
November.  There  were  21  miles  of  laterals  and  drains,  and  the  exca- 
vation of  94,000  cubic  yards  of  material  was  required.  The  necessary 
structures  were  built  by  force  account,  and  the  work  was  completed  in 
April,  1910.  An  office  building  for  project  headquarters  at  Fallon  was 
constructed  by  contract,  and  was  completed  in  May,  1910.  A  topographic 
survey  of  the  state  of  the  Lower  Carson  storage  dam  was  made,  and  the 
sub-surface  foundation  material  was  investigated  by  diamond  drill  and 
wash-drill  borings,  test-pits  and  tunnels.  The  construction  of  a  concrete 
chute  to  discharge  water  from  the  main  lower  Truckee  canal  into  the  Car- 
son River  had  been  commenced.  During  the  year  a  complete  review  and 
revision  of  project  estimates  and  general  plans  for  development  were 
made,  new  estimates  of  the  cost  of  the  parts  of  the  project  not  yet  con- 
structed being  prepared.  The  character  of  ownership  and  irrigability  of 
the  lands  in  various  parts  of  the  project  were  given  special  attention,  and 
reports  of  areas  have  been  adjusted  to  conform  to  the  conditions  thus 
determined.  The  operation  and  maintenance  of  the  completed  portions  of 
the  project  have  been  continued  during  the  fiscal  year  without  unusual 
incident.  An  adequate  supply  of  water  has  been  available  to  meet  all 
demands  for  irrigation  and  no  serious  interruptions  in  delivery  have 
occurred.  In  July,  August  and  September,  1909,  and  in  June,  1910,  stored 


752  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

water  from  Lake  Tahoe  was  used,  through  the  courtesy  of  the  power 
company  in  control  of  the  outlet,  to  supplement  the  natural  flow  of  Truckee 
and  Carson  rivers.  This  was  done  pending  the  conclusion  of  arrange- 
ments by  means  of  which  the  United  States  would  secure  the  control  of 
storage  rights  on  Lake  Tahoe.  On  June  30,  1910,  there  were  in  effect  on 
the  project  261  homestead  entries,  containing  16,748  acres  of  irrigable 
land ;  373  water-right  applications  for  lands  in  private  ownership,  contain- 
ing 30,317  acres  of  irrigable  land,  and  contracts  recognizing  vested  water- 
rights  for  12,861  acres  of  land.  The  production  of  crops  during  the 
season  of  1909  was  generally  good  throughout  the  valley.  The  principal 
crops,  acreages  and  yields  were:  Alfalfa,  8,124  acres,  21,265  tons;  grass- 
hay,  2,083  acres,  2,777  tons  5  small  grains,  4,873  acres,  2,972  tons ;  potatoes, 
385  acres,  1,793  tons;  13,685  acres  were  used  as  pasture  and  134  acres 
have  been  planted  to  orchards  in  which  over  8,000  trees  are  growing. 

CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  LAHONTAN  RESERVOIR. 

In  accordance  with  the  original  plans  for  the  project,  the  construction 
of  a  water  storage  reservoir  in  the  Lower  Carson  River  was  commenced 
early  in  1911. 

This  large  feature  of  construction  was  authorized  by  the  Secretary  of 
the  Interior  on  December  31,  1910,  and  the  approved  method  of  work 
was  by  direct  employment  of  government  forces  instead  of  contract  work. 
A  railroad  station  was  established  and  a  commodious  camp  built  on  the 
Goldfield  Branch  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railway  about  seven  miles  south 
of  Hazen,  the  station  and  camp  being  named  "Lahontan,"  in  commemo- 
ration of  the  early  explorer  and  the  primeval  lake  which  was  christened 
for  him;  and  hence  the  name  Lahontan  dam  and  Lahontan  reservoir 
which  constitute  the  principal  storage  unit  of  the  project.  Actual  con- 
struction work  on  the  dam  was  begun  in  the  spring  of  1911,  and  good 
progress  in  all  lines  was  made  throughout  the  year. 

An  important  feature  of  this  construction  was  a  hydro-electric  plant  for 
developing  electric  power  by  means  of  the  fall  of  the  main  Truckee  Canal 
into  Carson  River  below  Lahontan  dam.  This  power  plant  was  designed 
not  only  for  furnishing  energy  to  construction  motors  in  the  work  of 
building  the  dam,  but  was  also  made  of  sufficient  capacity  for  supplying 
electric  current  for  power  and  lights  at  Fallen  and  elsewhere  on  the  pro- 


NEVADA,  TRUCKEE-CARSON  PROJECT  753 

ject.  By  contract  with  the  City  of  Fallen,  the  Government  built  a  trans- 
mission line  from  Lahontan  to  Fallen  and  undertook  to  furnish  200 
kilowatts  of  power  for  distribution  by  the  city  to  the  consumers. 

The  feature  of  work  on  the  dam  during  1911  was  the  excavation  by 
steam  shovel  of  the  two  large  spillways  appurtenant  to  the  dam. 

Early  in  1912  excavation  had  proceeded  far  enough  so  that  the  con- 
struction of  the  concrete  cut-off  wall  across  the  bed  of  the  river  and  up 
the  sides  of  the  valley  underneath  the  dam  could  be  made.  This  was 
followed  by  the  building  of  the  double  nine  foot  diameter  concrete  con- 
duits which  form  the  outlet  of  the  reservoir  and  furnish  the  means  of 
delivering  water  from  storage  in  the  reservoir  and  discharging  it  into 
the  stream  below  the  dam,  whence  it  flows  to  Carson  dam  for  diversion 
into  the  main  canals.  « 

During  the  summer  of  1912  excavation  and  concrete  work  was  in  active 
progress,  and  the  work  was  being  carried  out  according  to  programme  by  a 
force  of  from  250  to  300  men  together  with  a  large  number  of  teams  and 
the  employment  of  a  large  amount  of  electric  and  other  machinery. 

The  construction  plant  was  of  the  most  modern  type  of  labor  saving 
machinery,  and  work  was  being  carried  on  very  smoothly  by  a  competent 
organization. 

According  to  the  programme  of  operations  the  reservoir  was  to  be  com- 
pleted in  the  spring  of  1914  so  that  the  flood  waters  of  that  season  could 
be  retained  for  irrigation  purposes  on  the  project  in  the  late  summer  of 
that  year. 

MAINTENANCE  AND  OPERATION   IN    191 1. 

Pending  the  completion  of  the  storage  reservoir,  no  attempt  was  made 
to  enlarge  the  settlement  of  the  project  or  the  opening  of  additional  lands 
during  the  years  1910,  1911  and  1912.  There  was,  however,  a  distinct 
increase  in  acreage  cultivated,  in  population  resident,  and  in  crop  values 
during  these  years. 

In  1911  the  agricultural  population  reached  a  total  of  about  1,600  upon 
469  farms.  Horses,  cattle  and  hogs  numbered  about  9,000  in  addition  to 
the  large  numbers  of  cattle  and  sheep  driven  in  from  the  ranges  during 
the  fall  of  the  year  to  be  fed  for  the  western  markets.  The  poultry  busi- 


754  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

ness  also  reached  very  large  figures.  The  dairy  business  was  a  growing 
industry,  and  the  creamery  at  Fallen  was  making  considerable  shipments 
of  butter. 

During  1911  a  very  large  sugar  factory  was  completed  and  the  first 
sugar  made  from  beets  grown  on  the  project  was  turned  out  on  January 

2,  1912. 

The  late  spring  of  1911  somewhat  reduced  the  yield  of  early  crops  of 
Alfalfa,  but  notwithstanding  this,  the  total  yield  of  the  year  showed  a 
substantial  increase  over  previous  years  and  amounted  to  above  31,000 
tons.  The  yield  of  grain  was  above  2,000  tons,  potatoes  2,600  tons  and 
considerable  quantities  of  other  crops. 

The  total  value  of  crops  produced  on  the  project  during  1911  aggregated 
nearly  half  a  million  dollars. 


MINOR  FEATURES  OF  CONSTRUCTION. 

In  1910  there  was  completed  the  new  concrete  chute  which  forms  the 
lower  terminus  of  Truckee  Canal  for  discharging  the  Truckee  River 
water  into  the  Carson.  The  new  concrete  chute  takes  the  place  of  the 
original  timber  chute  which  was  built  at  the  time  of  completing  this  main 
•;anal  and  was  intended  for  temporary  use  pending  the  construction  of 
the  reservoir  in  the  Carson  River  into  which  the  new  concrete  chute  would 
discharge. 

Various  extensions  of  the  lateral  and  drainage  systems  were  made 
during  the  three  years  under  consideration,  and  considerable  amounts 
of  structure  work,  both  in  timber  and  in  concrete,  were  carried  on  in  con- 
nection with  this  water  distribution  system. 

Early  in  1912  an  improved  form  of  spillway  was  made  at  Truckee  dam 
near  Derby  whereby  the  driftwood  coming  down  the  river  could  be  dis- 
charged over  the  dam  without  interference  with  the  sluice-gates. 

An  additional  improvement  on  this  Truckee  dam  was  the  rebuilding 
of  the  fish-ladder  for  the  purpose  of  facilitating  the  migration  of  fish 
upstream  from  Pyramid  Lake  to  the  upper  reaches  of  the  river.  The 
operation  of  this  ladder  was  carefully  watched,  and  it  was  found  that  the 
fish  encountered  but  little  difficulty  in  making  the  passage  through  the 
dam  by  this  means. 


NEVADA,  TRUCKEE-CARSON  PROJECT  755 

An  improvement  in  the  Truckee  Canal  below  Fernley  consisted  in  the 
erection  of  a  concrete  and  timber-check  structure  by  means  of  which  water 
in  the  canal  when  at  low  stages  could  be  retarded  sufficiently  for  supplying 
the  laterals  in  the  vicinity  of  Fernley. 


GENERAL  RESULTS. 

At  the  date  of  compiling  this  history  the  prospects  for  the  project 
were  most  encouraging ;  the  experimental  stage  had  been  passed ;  the 
reclamation  of  desert  lands  had  been  successfully  carried  out,  and  abun- 
dant crops  were  being  produced  upon  lands  which  formerly  were  desert 
wastes  grown  up  in  greasewood  and  inhabited  by  jack  rabbits  and  coyotes. 

The  farmers  generally  were  attaining  a  measure  of  success — some  more 
than  others,  according  to  skill  and  capital  invested. 

The  Government  on  its  part  was  continuing  the  large  investment  of 
money  and  the  active  work  of  enlarging  the  project  to  the  scope  which  was 
originally  designed. 


756  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

CHAPTER  XL. 

WATER  SUPPLY  AND  IRRIGATION. 
BY  F.  L.  PETERSON. 

Since  the  greater  part  of  agriculture  in  the  State  of  Nevada  is 
absolutely  dependent  upon  irrigation  for  crop  production,  or  the  arti- 
ficial application  of  water  to  the  soil,  the  question  of  water  supply 
is  of  vital  importance,  not  only  to  those  engaged  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits, but  to  the  entire  population  of  the  State,  and  a  knowledge  of 
the  extent,  character  and  distribution  of  this  supply,  and  means 
for  the  best  distribution  of  the  same,  becomes  a  matter  of  interest 
to  every  citizen. 

To  many  the  thought  has  never  occurred  as  to  why  the  State  of 
Nevada  is  so  arid,  and  the  following  description  of  the  State  will 
not  be  amiss  at  this  time.  The  only  source  of  Nevada's  water  supply 
is  the  snow  that  falls  upon  her  own  mountain  ranges,  together  with 
some  additional  moisture  from  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas 
in  California,  the  southeastern  part  of  Oregon  and  the  northeastern 
part  of  Utah.  The  precipitation  that  occurs  in  the  form  of  rain  is  so 
light  and  so  scattered  that  dependence  upon  it  to  make  up  what  is 
lacking  in  atmospheric  humidity  is  practically  negligible. 

In  topographic  configuration  Nevada  is  peculiar.  All  the  main 
mountain  ranges  have  a  general  northerly  and  southerly  trend,  so 
that  in  conformation  Nevada  can  be  likened  to  a  wash-board.  The 
following  description  of  the  topography  of  Nevada  is  taken  from 
the  Monograph  on  Lake  Lahontan  by  Israel  C.  Russell:  "In  cross- 
ing from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  between  the  Mexican  boundary 
and  the  central  portion  of  Oregon,  one  finds  a  region,  a  high  plateau, 
bounded  by  the  Sierra  Nevada  on  the  west  and  the  Rocky  Mountain 
system  on  the  east,  that  stands  apart  in  marked  contrast  to  the  re- 
maining portions  of  the  United  States.  The  traveler  in  this  region 
is  no  longer  surrounded  by  the  open,  grassy  plains  and  heavily  tim- 


WATER     SUPPLY    AND     IRRIGATION  757 

bered  mountains  of  the  Pacific  Slope,  or  by  the  well-rounded  and 
flowing  outlines  of  the  Appalachians,  and  the  scenery  suggests  naught 
of  the  boundless  plains  ea'st  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  He  must 
rather  compare  it  to  the  parched  and  desert  areas  of  Arabia.  To 
the  geographer  the  most  striking  feature  of  the  cou,ntry  stretching 
eastward  from  the  Sierra  Nevada  range  to  the  Rocky  Mountains  is 
that  it  is  an  area  of  interior  drainage.  For  this  reason  it  is  known 
as  the  Great  Basin.  No  streams  that  arise  within  its  borders  carry 
their  contributions  to  the  sea.  All  the  snow  and  rain  that  falls  within 
its  rim  is  returned  to  the  atmosphere  either  by  direct  evaporation  from 
the  soil,  or  after  finding  its  way  into  some  of  the  lakes  that  occupy 
irregular  depressions,  to  sink,  or  be  lost  by  deep  percolation.  .  .  . 
The  area  thus  isolated  from  oceanic  water  systems  is  800  miles  in 
length  and  about  500  miles  in  width  at  its  widest  part,,  and  contains 
close  to  208,500  square  miles  of  territory.  The  southern  part  of  this 
region  includes  the  Colorado  Desert  and  Death  Valley,  and  much 
of  the  arid  country  in  California  and  Nevada.  The  central  portion 
of  eastern  Oregon  and  northwestern  Nevada  are  the  northern  limits 
of  the  Great  Basin."  The  entire  State  of  Nevada  is  not  within  the 
confines  of  the  Great  Basin.  A  considerable  portion  of  southeastern 
and  northern  Nevada  are  out  of  the  limits  and  have  streams  that 
drain  into  rivers  discharging  into  the  sea.  The  Muddy  and  Virgin 
Rivers  in  southeastern  Nevada,  and  the  Salmon,  Bruneau  and  Owyhee 
in  northern  Nevada,  drain  into  the  sea  through  the  Colorado  and 
the  Columbia  systems. 

In  very  recent  geological  times,  but  now  passed  away,  an  ancient 
body  of  water  known  as  Lake  Lahontan  covered  a  number  of  valleys 
of  northwestern  and  central  Nevada.  Into  this  lake  drained  the 
rivers  in  Nevada  that  are  in  the  Great  Basin — the  Humboldt,  Truckee, 
Carson  and  Walker.  The  confluence  of  these  waters  made  a  large 
and  very  irregular  shaped  lake,  having  an  approximate  area  of  8,422 
square  miles,  and  in  the  deepest  part,  the  present  site  of  Pyramid 
Lake,  it  had  a  depth  of  886  feet.  The  extreme  southern  limit  of  this 
lake  was  but  a  few  miles  from  Hawthorne,  Nevada,  the  extreme  north- 
ern limit  was  the  Honey  Lake  Valley  in  California.  The  western 
edge  reached  into  the  Truckee  Canyon  a  few  miles  west  of  Wads- 
worth  and  the  most  eastern  point  was  at  Golconda,  Nevada.  This 


758  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

lake  had  two  flood  stages  and  did  not  overflow.  After  the  second  flood 
stage  the  waters  evaporated  to  complete  desiccation,  and  left  a  num- 
ber of  existing  lakes  which  we  now  know  as  Humboldt  Lake  or 
Sink,  North  Carson  Sink,  Pyramid,  Winnemucca  and  Walker  Lakes, 
in  Nevada,  and  the  Honey  Lake  in  California.  This  is  sufficient  his- 
tory of  Lake  Lahontan  for  use  in  connection  with  the  description  of 
the  Great  Basin  and  the  topography  of  Nevada. 

Owing  to  Nevada's  location  to  the  east  of  the  lofty  Sierra  Nevada 
mountains,  which  lie  between  it  and  the  ocean,  whence  come  the  rain- 
bearing  clouds,  and  which  intercept  the  clouds,  robbing  them  of  most 
of  their  moisture,  the  precipitation  over  the  greatest  part  of  the  State 
is  small.  In  the  agricultural  valleys  the  precipitation  varies  from 
three  to  twelve  inches.  The  average  precipitation  of  thje  State  as 
ascertained  from  the  U.  S.  Weather  Bureau  gives  9.81  inches  as 
the  average  annual,  while  during  the  year  1912  Spooners  Station,  on 
the  eastern  edge  of  the  Lake  Tahoe  drainage,  received  32.49  inches 
precipitation  as  the  maximum  and  Mina  received  the  minimum  of  2.49 
inches.  Thus  to  the  natural  barrier  of  mountain  ranges  on  the  west- 
ern edge  of  the  State  is  due  the  fact  that  Nevada  is  arid.  The  rain- 
fall that  a  region  receives  is  a  silent  though  potent  factor,  controlling 
an  almost  infinite  series  of  results  in  its  physical  history  and  to- 
pography. In  a  humid  region  the  hills  have  a  flowing  outline,  erosion 
is  rapid,  and  the  whole  scene  has  the  beauty  and  softness  of  a  garden. 
In  an  arid  land  like  the  Great  Basin  all  this  is  changed.  The  moun- 
tains are  rugged  and  angular,  and  for  the  most  part  unclothed,  ex- 
cept for  a  scant  covering  of  brush,  though  some  small,  favored  sec- 
tions carry  a  little  timber.  The  drifting  of  the  snow  into  the  deep 
canyons  of  these  lofty  ranges,  and  the  later  melting  and  run-off,  is 
the  source  of  the  irrigating  water  for  the  Nevada  farmer. 

Physical  conditions,  the  light  rainfall,  the  rapid  evaporation  of 
moisture,  the  aridity  of  the  soil,  pushed  the  pioneer  farmer  into  the 
valleys.  He  would  have  gone  there  anyhow.  Here  the  soil  was 
moistened  by  the  annual  overflow  of  the  streams,  or  was  moist  by 
sub-irrigation.  Here  were  the  natural  meadows,  and  here  grew  up, 
and  simply — the  stock  farm.  Farm  life  in  the  early  days  of  the  Over- 
land Trail  had  to  take  the  lines  of  least  resistance.  This  was  the  first 
stage  of  Anglo-Saxon  irrigation  in  Nevada  and  occurred  from  1847  on. 


WATER    SUPPLY    AND     IRRIGATION  759 

"Irrigation  on  the  American  continent  is  older  than  historical 
records.  Even  modern  irrigation  is  comparatively  old.  It  began 
seventy  years  before  the  English  colony  landed  at  Jamestown,  when 
the  Spanish  explorers  gained  a  foothold  in  the  valley  of  the  Rio 
Grande.  They  built  churches  which  still  stand  and  planted  gardens 
which  still  flourish;  but  in  watering  their  gardens  they  taught  noth- 
ing new  to  the  inhabitants.  The  Spanish  explorers  as  they  rode  up 
in  the  valley  of  this  river  in  the  first  half  of  the  sixteenth  century 
found  Pueblo  Indians  irrigating  the  thirsty  soil  as  their  forefathers 
had  done  for  centuries  before  them,  and  as  their  descendants  are  still 
doing." — Mead  Irrigation  Institutions.  Little  is  known  of  early  irri- 
gation in  Nevada.  It  is  stated  that  the  Spanish  missionaries  in  1795 
crossed  the  San  Bernardino  desert  and  practised  irrigation  in  the  ex- 
treme southern  portion  of  the  State,  to  which  region  they  gave  the 
name  of  Las  Vegas,  meaning  "the  meadows."  In  this  section  were 
flowing  springs,  but  the  agriculture  established  in  this  region  was 
not  a  very  permanent  one.  On  the  east  side  of  the  range  of  moun- 
tains from  Las  Vegas  a  Mormon  community  was  established  about 
1870  which  practised  irrigation  from  the  Muddy  River.  From  1847, 
the  date  of  first  Anglo-Saxon  irrigation  in  the  arid  west,  in  Utah,  till 
about  1860,  there  was  but  very  little  irrigation  carried  on  in  Nevada, 
except  on  the  well-defined  Overland  Trail.  From  1860  to  about  1900 
marked  the  era  of  the  small  stock  and  wild  hay  farmer.  The  second 
step  in  Nevada's  irrigated  agricultural  progress  was  the  trend 
towards  the  general  farm.  This  necessitated  the  enlarging  of  the 
canals  and  the  securing  of  a  greater  quantity  of  water  and  a  more 
stable  supply  than  the  pulsating  rivers  gave.  This  era  commenced 
when  the  United  States  Government  commenced  the  Truckee  Car- 
son project  about  1901-02. 

Water  Supply  and  Stream  Systems. — The  melted  snows  from  the 
mountain  ranges,  finding  their  way  down  the  canyons,  form  several 
large  rivers,  and  numerous  small  streams,  which,  tho'  inconsiderable 
in  themselves,  in  the  aggregate  form  no  mean  water  supply.  Most 
of  the  streams  have  their  source  high  among  the  slopes  of  the  moun- 
tains and  descend  rapidly  towards  the  valleys.  Their  downward 
course  is  seldom  an  entirely  uninterrupted  one,  however,  except  in 
the  case  of  the  small  streams  issuing  from  the  abrupt  slopes  of  the 


760  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

mountains  to  the  southward  of  the  upper  Humboldt  River.  Usually 
at  one  point  or  another  they  traverse  upper  valleys,  sometimes  the 
beds  of  ancient  lakes  of  greater  or  less  extent,  where  frequently  a  por- 
tion of  the  water  is  used  for  irrigation  of  forage  and  other  crops.  Leav- 
ing these  the  streams  enter  rocky  defiles  or  canyons  to  emerge  upon 
lower  valleys,  and,  receiving  tributaries  on  the  way,  they  finally  pass 
through  the  foothill  region  and  out  upon  the  fertile  plains.  At  about 
this  point  a  change  usually  takes  place  in  the  character  of  the  channel, 
which,  from  a  rocky  torrential  or  gravelly  stream  bed  with  rapid 
fall,  becomes  a  more  or  less  shifting  channel,  in  which  the  stream 
often  divides  and  sub-divides  in  low  water,  and  finally  loses  itself 
on  the  plain,  or,  if  it  is  a  larger  volume,  forces  itself  far  out  to  join 
some  lake,  or  sink.  Practically  every  river  in  the  Great  Basin  in 
Nevada  follows  out  this  general  description. 

The  sub-surface  waters  of  the  State  have  their  source  of  supply 
in  the  same  initial  source  as  the  surface  waters.  A  portion  of  the 
melting  snow  must  pass  into  the  ground  or  soil  of  the  mountain  top. 
The  structure  of  the  mountains  is  such  that  the  waters  that  enter 
beneath  the  strata  at  various  points  are  carried  beneath  the  surface 
under  an  impervious  strata  to  appear  at  the  surface  of  the  plain  many 
miles  away.  The  water  obtainable  from  beneath  the  surface  of  the 
ground  within  the  State  of  Nevada,  although  relatively  small  in 
amount  when  compared  with  that  of  the  surface  streams,  is  important 
from  the  fact  that  dependence  must  necessarily  be  placed  on  this 
where  running  waters  cannot  be  had.  In  many  portions  of  the  State 
water  in  considerable  quantity  can  be  found  near  enough  the  surface 
to  warrant  its  being  pumped  by  means  of  horse,  gasoline  or  el_ectric 
power  for  irrigation  of  considerable  tracts  of  land.  In  some  localities 
the  formation  of  the  earth's  surface  is  such  that  water  rises  to  the 
surface  and  overflows  as  a  natural  spring,  or  is  obtained  as  an  artesian 
flow  by  drilling.  Artesian  water  occurs  very  frequently  in  the  State, 
but  the  most  defined  channels  are  located  in  the  vicinity  of  Las 
Vegas,  Clark  County.  Smith,  Carson,  Eagle  and  the  Truckee  Valleys 
have  quite  a  number  of  flowing  wells. 

Prior  to  1894  the  measurement  and  investigation  of  the  water  sup- 
ply of  the  principal  drainage  areas  in  the  Great  Basin  was  only  car- 
ried on  at  intermittent  times.  Since  that  time,  HVwever,  the  measure- 


WATER     SUPPLY    AND     IRRIGATION  761 

ments  have  been  carried  on  with  a  good  deal  of  vigor  and  we  are  in 
the  possession  of  much  valuable  data  of  the  four  principal  rivers  of 
Nevada.  The  longest  record  by  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  is  upon 
the  Humboldt  River,  then  the  Truckee,  Carson  and  Walker.  These 
four  streams  comprising  the  principal  rivers  of  the  State  furnish 
water  for  more  than  three-fourths  of  the  present  irrigation,  and  the 
drainage  basin,  physical  characteristics  and  utilization  of  each  are  de- 
scribed in  the  following  paragraphs,  in  rather  general  detail,  together 
with  the  crops  grown  and  other  information. 

Humboldt  River  Dramage. — The  Humboldt  River  is  one  of  the 
longest  and  most  important  streams  in  the  west,  both  on  account  of 
the  volume  of  its  water  and  of  the  area  of  agricultural  land  along 
its  course.  It  differs  from  many  of  the  streams  of  the  west  in  that  its 
drainage  basin  of  13,800  square  miles  lies  wholly  within  a  single  State. 
There  are  eight  of  the  United  States  that  have  a  smaller  area  than 
the  drainage  basin  of  the  Humboldt.  Delaware  and  Maryland  have 
a  combined  area  of  14,260  square  miles,  and  Massachusetts,  Rhode 
Island  and  Connecticut  have  a  combined  area  of  14,555  square  miles. 
The  area  of  the  watershed  of  the  Humboldt  comprises  about  one- 
eighth  of  the  area  of  the  entire  State  of  Nevada.  The  length  of  the 
Humboldt  as  one  would  drive  from  its  mouth  to  source  is  about  350 
miles.  Its  length,  if  measured  by  following  the  water  in  its  flow, 
would  not  be  far  from  1,100  miles,  due  to  the  tortuous  course  of  the 
river  on  the  floor  of  the  various  valleys. 

The  Humboldt  River  has  its  source  in  Elko  County,  in  the  north- 
eastern part  of  the  State,  and  flows  in  a  generally  southwesterly  direc- 
tion through  the  southwest  part  of  Elko  County,  the  northern  parts 
of  Lander  and  Eureka  Counties,  and  through  the  southeastern  part 
of  Humboldt  County,  and  thence  empties  into  the  Humboldt  Lake,  or 
Sink,  at  the  lower  end  of  the  Lovelock  Valley. 

The  course  of  the  Humboldt  lies  through  a  succession  of  valleys 
and  canyons  separating  the  valleys.  The  valleys  vary  from  a  few 
hundred  feet  to  several  miles  in  width.  The  soil  in  these  valleys  is 
largely  alluvial  and  quite  subject  to  erosion  during  the  floods  of  early 
spring  and  summer,  the  soil  being  so  light  that  considerable  quantities 
of  it  are  carried  down  the  stream  and  deposited  on  the  lands  of  the 
lower  valleys  during  the  irrigating  season.  From  Golconda  to  the 


762  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Sink  the  Humboldt  flows  on  the  floor  of  the  ancient  Lake  Lahontan 
in  a  very  tortuous  course. 

The  Humboldt  Valley  is  divided  into  several  distinct  divisions  or 
districts.  The  eastern,  or  upper  division,  lies  within  the  counties  of 
Elko  and  Eureka  and  consists  of  a  number  of  small  basins,  each 
drained  by  a  creek,  except  the  two  larger  divisions,  which  are  called 
the  North  and  South  Fork  Valleys.  The  drainage  from  this  division 
has  cut  what  is  known  as  the  Palisade  Canyon  through  the  range  of 
mountains  that  separate  the  upper  from  the  central  valley,  or  as  the 
latter  is  termed,  the  Battle  Mountain  Valley.  To  the  western  end 
of  this  central  valley  is  the  Emigrant  Canyon,  through  which  the 
Humboldt  emerges  onto  the  Golconda  Valley.  Passing  through  the 
Golconda  Valley  the  Humboldt  passes  through  a  narrow  canyon 
opposite  the  old  railroad  station  of  Oreana  and  emerges  for  the  final 
18  miles  of  its  length  upon  the  Lovelock  Valley  before  passing  into 
the  Humboldt  Lake. 

The  Humboldt  Wells,  which  are  sometimes  spoken  of  as  the  source 
of  the  Humboldt  River,  are  located  in  a  natural  meadow  a  short  dis- 
tance below  the  town  of  Wells,  Nevada.  They  number  about  150, 
and  new  ones  are  reported  from  time  to  time.  They  vary  in  size  from 
a  few  feet  to  several  rods  across.  During  a  portion  of  the  year  no 
water  flows  from  these  wells,  the  water  standing  a  few  inches  from 
the  surface.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  the  water  level  commences 
to  rise  and  a  stream  flows  from  the  meadow.  The  main  sources  of 
supply  of  the  Humboldt  is  the  snow  on  the  lofty  East  Humboldt, 
Ruby,  Independence  and  Diamond  Ranges,  together  with  the  lower 
ranges  that  have  an  earlier  run-off. 

The  availability  of  the  Humboldt  for  power  purposes  is  small,  ow- 
ing to  the  very  slight  fall  of  the  main  river.  However,  a  few  places 
present  fall  enough  to  turn  the  wheels  operating  small  electric  gen- 
erators and  one  flour  mill.  On  the  streams  tributary  to  the  Hum- 
boldt in  the  upper  section,  however,  several  excellent  opportunities 
exist.  Possibly  the  best  stream  for  future  development  is  the  South 
Fork. 

The  possibilities  of  storage  of  flood  waters  on  the  Humboldt  are 
many.  The  basin  of  the  Humboldt  offers  several  ideal  reservoir 
sites.  At  present  the  Pacific  Reclamation  Company  at  Wells 


WATER    SUPPLY    AND    IRRIGATION  763 

has  a  reservoir  at  Metropolis,  to  store  the  flood  waters  of 
Bishop  Creek.  The  Humboldt  Irrigation  Company  have  just  com- 
pleted two  reservoirs  opposite  Humboldt  House  which  when  com- 
pleted to  the  maximum  elevation  will  store  about  40,000  acre  feet  of 
flood  water,  for  use  in  the  Lovelock  Valley  in  seasons  of  shortage. 

The  crops  grown  under  irrigated  agriculture  in  the  valley  of  the 
Humboldt  are  extremely  varied.  The  upper  valley,  in  the  vicinity 
of  Elko  and  to  the  east,  produces  as  its  largest  crop,  natural  wild 
grass  hay,  and  a  smaller  amount  of  timothy  and  alfalfa.  Some  of 
the  grains  are  also  grown.  The  valley  of  the  North  Fork  has  native 
grass  hay  and  pasture  as  its  largest  crop.  The  bottom  lands  from 
Cluro  to  Golconda,  which  comprise  the  central  section  or  the  Battle 
Mountain  Valley,  and  on  which  is  located  some  of  the  largest  ranches 
on  the  river  system,  produces  wild  hay  and  pasture  as  its  Largest 
crop.  Some  grain,  the  usual  quota  of  garden  truck  and  some  alfalfa, 
are  also  produced.  The  valley  from  Golconda  past  Winnemucca  pro- 
duces native  grass,  hay  and  pasturage,  alfalfa,  some  grain  and  con- 
siderable garden  truck.  The  Lovelock  Valley  is  one  of  the  largest 
and  most  important  valleys  of  the  Humboldt,  and  of  the  State  as  well. 
The  Humboldt  in  this  section  has  cut  a  channel  on  the  floor  of  the 
valley  15  to  35  feet  deep,  necessitating  the  use  of  canals  several  miles 
in  length  to  get  water  onto  the  lands.  Due  to  this  natural  obstacle 
the  Lovelock  Valley  has  had  to  develop  the  most  comprehensive  irri- 
gation system  on  the  Humboldt,  the  balance  of  the  valleys  irrigating 
to  a  very  large  extent  by  wild  flooding,  secured  by  tight  dams  across 
the  river,  backing  the  same  up  for  several  miles  in  several  instances. 
The  principal  crop  on  the  Lovelock  Valley  is  alfalfa  hay.  Thousands 
of  cattle  and  sheep  are  shipped  into  these  valleys  during  the  winter 
and  fed  for  market.  Honey  is  an  important  by-product  here,  several 
carloads  being  shipped  every  season.  Wheat,  barley  and  oats  have  a 
considerable  area  devoted  to  them  and  are  very  heavy  producers. 
Sugar  beets  grown  for  the  first  time  in  1912  made  excellent  yields 
and  contained  an  extremely  high  percentage  of  sugar. 

Although  opportunities  for  reclamation  and  betterment  of  existing 
irrigation  practice  are  many,  the  most  of  the  necessary  work  would 
be  very  great,  due  to  the  engineering  features  to  be  overcome. 

Truckee  River  Drainage. — The  Truckee  River  is  the  most  northerly 


764  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

river  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas  emptying  into  the 
Great  Basin,  and  the  ancient  bed  of  Lake  Lahontan.  The  Truckee 
River  comprises  the  main  river  and  several  tributaries,  all  having 
their  chief  supply  in  mountain  lakes.  The  Truckee  River  itself  is 
the  natural  outlet  of  Lake  Tahoe,  a  beautiful  mountain  lake  lying 
at  6,225  feet  above  sea  level,  with  an  area  of  124,000  acres  or  193 
square  miles.  The  total  length  of  the  Truckee  is  about  no  miles 
and  its  total  fall  from  Lake  Tahoe  to  Pyramid  Lake,  where  it  empties, 
is  about  2,350  feet.  The  area  of  the  drainage  basin  of  the  Truckee 
River  at  a  point  18  miles  north  of  the  town  of  Wadsworth,  where  a 
gaging  station  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  used  to  be  maintained, 
is  2,310  square  miles. 

Issuing  from  the  northwest  side  of  Lake  Tahoe,  the  Truckee  flows 
almost  due  north  to  the  town  of  Truckee,  California,  where  it  turns 
east  and  enters  Nevada.  At  Wadsworth,  Nevada,  the  Truckee  turns 
north  again  and  discharges  into  Pyramid  and  Winnemucca  Lakes, 
brackish  bodies  of  water  without  outlets.  From  Lake  Tahoe  to 
Verdi,  Nev.,  a  distance  of  about  35  miles,  the  country  is  heavily  tim- 
bered with  fir  and  pine;  below  Verdi,  a  few  barren  stretches  alter- 
nate with  the  three  fertile  valleys — the  Verdi  Valley,  the  Reno  or 
Truckee  Valley,  and  the  Wadsworth  Valley.  The  Truckee  River 
emerging  from  the  Wadsworth  Valley  enters  the  Pyramid  Lake  and 
is  then  lost  to  the  beneficial  use  of  agriculture. 

The  Truckee  and  the  Humboldt  Rivers  were  along  the  line  of 
the  Overland  Trail  to  California  in  the  days  of  '49  and  irrigated 
agriculture  in  Nevada  dates  back  to  that  time.  From  what  can  be 
learned,  active  irrigation  of  any  considerable  area  did  not  take  place 
till  about  1855  to  1860.  Small  farms  sprang  up  where  conditions 
were  favorable  and  the  farmer  disposed  of  his  produce  to  the  people 
who  were  traveling  to  California. 

In  its  descent  of  2,350  feet  in  no  miles  the  Truckee  affords  many 
opportunities  for  the  development  of  electrical  power.  Within  28 
miles  west  of  Reno,  are  located  five  power  stations,  generating 
as  follows:  Farad,  1,500  kilowatts;  Fleish,  2,000  kilowatts;  Verdi, 
2,400  kilowatts;  Washoe,  1,500  kilowatts,  and  the  sub-station  on  the 
outskirts  of  Reno,  750  kilowatts,  a  total  maximum  output  of  8,150 
kilowatts,  or  10,920  horse-power.  These  plants  are  under  one  man- 


WATER     SUPPLY    AND     IRRIGATION  765 

agement  and  is  at  present  the  largest  power  development  in  Nevada. 
Several  opportunities  exist  below  the  town  of  Reno  in  the  Truckee 
Canyon,  one  plant  of  which  is  projected  to  be  built  during  the  com- 
ing year. 

The  trend  towards  the  general  farm  and  the  improvement  of  irri- 
gation conditions  throughout  the  State  commenced  about  1901  with 
the  commencing  of  the  Truckee-Carson  Reclamation  Project.  At  a 
point  about  five  miles  above  Derby,  Nev.,  is  located  the  diverting 
dam  of  the  before-mentioned  project.  By  means  of  a  canal  over  30 
miles  long  the  waters  of  the  Truckee  are  delivered  into  the  Carson 
River  at  a  point  above  Lahonton  Dam.  From  here  the  waters  are 
taken  down  the  Carson  River,  and  then  applied  to  the  fer- 
tile plains  of  the  Carson  Sink  Valley  in  the  vicinity  of  Fallon.  The 
first  unit  of  lands  embraced  to  be  irrigated  under  the  Truckee-Car- 
son project  numbered  100,000  acres,  but  this  area  exhausts  the  natural 
flow  of  the  two  rivers  during  the  irrigating  season,  and  the  lands 
subject  to  entry  have  been  withdrawn  till  the  Lahontan  storage  reser- 
voir can  be  completed.  The  Lahontan  Dam  is  located  about  seven 
miles  south  of  Hazen,  Nev.  This  dam  across  the  canyon  of  the  Car- 
son River  will  create  a  lake  about  twenty-three  miles  long  and  from 
a  quarter  to  five  miles  wide,  and  a  storage  capacity  of  300,000  acre 
feet  of  water.  The  Lahonton  Dam  is  to  be  an  earth-fill  dam  with  con- 
crete cut-off  wall,  to  have  a  width  on  the  foot  of  625  feet,  maximum 
elevation  of  125  feet  and  a  length  of  1,700+  feet,  and  is  said  to  be  the 
second  largest  dam  of  its  type  in  the  world.  The  flood  waters  of 
the  Truckee  will  be  stored  in  this  reservoir  as  well  as  the  flood  of 
,the  Carson. 

The  products  of  irrigated  agriculture  under  the  Truckee  River  sys- 
tem are  extremely  varied.  The  Verdi  Valley  produces  alfalfa,  pota- 
toes, grains,  apples,  pears,  small  fruits  and  garden  supplies.  The 
Reno  Valley  produced  alfalfa,  timothy,  onions,  celery,  sugar  beets, 
native  grass  hay,  small  fruits  and  garden  truck.  The  Truckee-Car- 
son project  in  the  Carson  Sink  Valley  produces  everything  that  the 
Reno  Valley  does,  with  the  addition  of  cantaloupes,  sweet  potatoes, 
beans  and  a  larger  sugar  beet  area.  Hon.  Lem  Allen,  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  Nevada  and  a  resident  of  the  Carson  Sink  Valley  has 


766  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

manufactured  syrup  from  cane  grown  on  his  ranch.  The  Wadsworth 
Valley  produced  everything  that  the  Reno  Valley  does. 

The  furrow  method  of  irrigation  is  the  largest  practised  method  of 
irrigation  under  the  Truckee  River  system.  The  land  has  such  slope 
that  irrigation  by  flooding,  except  in  favorable  instances,  cannot  be 
practiced. 

Carson  River  Drainage. — The  Carson  River  basin  includes  that 
area  which  lies  south  of  Lake  Tahoe  and  between  the  Walker  and 
the  Truckee  Rivers.  Carson  River  is  formed  by  its  East  and  West 
Forks,  which  rise  in  the  extreme  eastern  part  of  California,  in  a 
rugged  and  mountainous  country,  heavily  timbered  with  fir  and  pine, 
on  the  east  slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains.  The  general 
course  of  the  two  forks  is  northeastward  to  the  point  of  their  union 
near  Gardnerville,  Nev.  From  this  point  the  river  flows  in  a  generally 
northerly  direction  to  about  three  miles  east  of  Carson  City,  thence 
eastward  through  a  barren  and  rugged  chain  of  hills,  onto  the  Day- 
ton Valley  and  the  Carson  Sink  Valley.  The  Carson  River  is  about 
120  miles  long,  falling  about  1,900  feet  in  this  distance.  The  drain- 
age area  of  the  Carson  River  at  Empire,  Nev.,  is  988  square  miles. 

In  contradistinction  to  the  Truckee  drainage,  the  Carson  basin  con- 
tains no  lakes,  but  is  derived  entirely  from  snowfall  and  run-off  from 
the  high  mountains.  Though  there  are  no  lakes,  many  ideal  reser- 
voir sites  are  available  near  the  headwaters  and  along  the  main 
river.  During  the  early  spring  and  summer  months  the  Carson  is  a 
swollen  stream,  but  in  the  later  summer  months  there  is  barely 
enough  water  to  supply  the  irrigating  demand.  By  building  reser- 
voirs in  the  mountains  this  condition  could  be  greatly  improved,  and 
the  waters  of  the  two  forks  so  controlled  that  the  daily  average  flow 
would  be  greatly  increased.  The  distribution  of  the  water  during 
the  irrigating  season  is  in  the  hands  of  a  water  commissioner,  who 
distributes  the  water  in  accordance  with  adjudicated  rights  to  its 
use,  and  even  though  the  supply  gets  short  at  times,  everyone  gets  along 
fairly  well. 

Good  power  sites  are  available  along  the  banks  of  both  Forks,  but 
at  present  are  wholly  undeveloped.  Several  farms,  however,  have 


WATER    SUPPLY    AND    IRRIGATION  767 

their  own  individual  hydro-electric  power  units  for  lighting  and  for 
power. 

Irrigated  agriculture  under  the  Carson  River  occurred  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Genoa  about  1850,  and  consisted  of  grass  pasture,  some  orchard 
small  fruits  and  garden  truck. 

The  products  of  irrigated  agriculture  under  the  Carson  River  sys- 
tem are  as  varied  as  those  under  the  Truckee.  Several  fertile  valleys 
lie  along  the  course  of  the  Carson,  but  much  land  is  unutilized  on 
account  of  the  scarcity  of  water  late  in  the  growing  season.  The 
Carson  Valley  is  one  of  the  best  farmed  and  most  prosperous  valleys 
in  the  State,  for  in  addition  to  the  irrigated  products  of  alfalfa,  tim- 
othy, grains,  orchard,  small  fruit  and  vegetables,  dairying  is  carried 
on  to  a  very  large  extent.  The  Dayton  Valley  is  famous  for  its 
production  of  potatoes,  which  is  its  largest  crop,  in  addition  to  onions, 
alfalfa  and  orchard. 

Walker  Rvuer  Drainage. — Walker  River  rises  on  the  east  slope 
of  the  Sierre  Nevada  range  in  two  main  branches,  whose  basins  are 
separated  by  a  group  of  mountains  known  as  the  Sweetwater  Range. 
The  East  Fork  of  the  Walker  River  receives  the  drainage  from 
the  eastern  slope  of  the  Sweetwater  Range  and  from  the  western 
slope  of  the  Walker  River  Range.  The  West  Fork  flows  at  the  base 
of  the  main  Sierra  Nevada  Range.  From  the  union  of  the  two 
forks  near  Yerington,  Nev.,  the  river  flows  sluggishly  northward, 
passing  through  the  fertile  Mason  Valley  to  a  point  east  of  Wabuska, 
where  it  turns  to  the  east  and  the  southeast,  and  sixty  miles  beyond 
enters  the  Walker  Lake.  The  Length  of  the  Walker  is  about  120 
miles,  in  which  distance  it  falls  about  1,600  feet.  The  drainage  basin 
of  the  Walker  contains  2,420  square  miles. 

The  basin  of  the  Walker  contains  three  important  valleys,  in  addi- 
tion to  other  small  open  areas;  Antelope  Valley  on  the  West  Fork, 
Smith  Valley,  a  fertile  table  land  presenting  ample  opportunities  for 
reclamation,  also  under  the  West  Fork,  and  the  Yerington  or  Mason 
Valley,  which  takes  its  irrigation  water  from  both  Forks.  Only  re- 
cently the  water  rights  of  the  Mason  Valley  have  been  adjudicated. 
The  minimum  flow  of  the  Walker  is  not  sufficient  to  supply  the  de- 


768  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

mand  during  summer  months,  although  excellent  reservoir  sites  near 
the  headwaters  of  both  Forks  are  available  to  store  the  flood  waters 
that  go  into  the  Walker  Lake,  only  to  be  lost  to  agricultural  use. 
The  snowfall  in  the  winter  is  ample  to  assure  a  supply  of  water  for 
the  reservoirs. 

The  irrigated  agriculture  of  the  Walker  River  valleys  is  very 
diverse.  Mason  Valley,  containing  about  250  square  miles,  has  not  all 
of  its  fertile  land  under  cultivation,  due  to  the  low  flow  of  the  river 
at  the  latter  part  of  the  irrigating  season.  As  a  general  rule  the  land 
holdings  are  large,  alfalfa  the  principal  crop  and  stockraising  the 
chief  industry.  Potatoes  are  a  special  crop  and  of  fine  quality.  Wheat, 
barley,  oats,  apples,  peaches,  small  fruits  and  garden  truck  comprise 
the  crops  grown.  The  crops  raised  in  the  Smith  Valley  are  the  same 
as  those  in  the  Mason.  The  Carey  Act  project  of  the  Walker  River 
Power  Company  proposes  to  impound  the  flood  waters  of  the  East 
Fork  and  to  carry  the  stream  by  a  high  line  canal  to  reclaim  a  large 
area  of  fine  sage  brush  land  and  to  develop  as  an  ultimate  load  30,000 
electrical  horse-power. 

Small  Stream  Systems,  Northern  Nevada. — In  addition  to  the  large 
river  systems  above  described,  in  the  State,  innumerable  cultivated 
areas  of  land  occur  wherever  the  flow  from  a  spring  or  small  stream 
occurs.  The  total  irrigated  area  of  lands  falling  under  this  classi- 
fication in  the  State  is  close  to  100,000  acres  or  about  one-seventh  of 
the  irrigated  area  of  the  State.  The  Steptoe  Valley  is  traversed  by 
Duck  Creek  from  the  north  and  Steptoe  Creek  from  the  south.  Native 
grass  hay,  alfalfa,  fruit  and  grain  are  the  products  of  irrigated  agri- 
culture. In  the  W'hite  River  Valley  in  east  central  Nevada  the  White 
River  has  a  length  of  about  75  miles  and  has  a  run-off  of  about  28,000 
acre-feet  per  annum.  The  Salmon,  Bruneau  and  Owyhee  empty  their 
contents  into  the  drainage  basin  of  the  Columbia,  though  a  con- 
siderable area  is  irrigated  by  them  in  Nevada. 

Southern  Nevada;  the  Muddy  River. — The  Muddy  River  system 
is  located  in  the  extreme  southern  point  of  Nevada  and  belongs  to  the 
drainage  system  of  the  Colorado,  which  in  turn  empties  into  the 
Gulf  of  California.  Contrary  to  popular  opinion,  this  section  of 
Nevada  is  not  in  the  Great  Basin,  though  the  divide  passes  very 


WATER    SUPPLY    AND     IRRIGATION  769 

close  to  this  region.  The  Muddy  River  has  its  source  in  constantly 
flowing  springs  in  the  Arrow  Canyon.  From  the  source  of  supply 
the  Muddy  River  flows  southerly  through  the  Meadow  Valley  Wash 
and  thence  through  the  Muddy  River  Valley,  past  the  town  of  St. 
Thomas,  and  thence  empties  into  the  Rio  Virgin,  about  twenty-five 
miles  above  the  confluence  with  the  Colorado.  The  normal  annual 
flow  of  the  river  is  about  28,000  acre-feet.  The  very  constant  daily 
discharge  of  the  Muddy  is  at  times  augmented  by  storms,  when  the 
river  attains  considerable  size.  The  Muddy  Valley  is  in  the  sub- 
tropical section  of  Nevada.  The  products  of  irrigated  agriculture  are 
grapes,  figs,  cotton,  cantaloupe,  asparagus,  vegetables,  grains  and 
alfalfa.  The  scarcity  of  the  water  supply  has  limited  the  occupancy 
of  all  the  fertile  land  in  the  valley  to  about  5,000  acres. 

Las  Vegas  Valley,  Artesian. — Across  the  range  from  the  Muddy 
Valley  is  located  the  broad  stretch  of  country  known  as  the  Vegas 
Valley.  Aside  from  the  Vegas  spring  and  the  other  spots  made  fer- 
tile by  small  mountain  streams,  this  region  was  once  believed  to  be 
an  unconquerable  desert.  It  is  in  this  valley  that  the  early  Spanish 
missionaries  are  said  to  have  established  a  limited  irrigation  when 
they  were  building  their  chain  of  missions  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

In  1906  the  first  artesian  well  was  drilled,  developing  an  artesian 
flow  at  a  depth  of  .300  feet.  Since  that  time,  and  particularly  since  two 
years  ago,  a  number  of  well  drilling  outfits  have  been  at  work  and 
the  number  of  flowing  wells  have  been  increased  to  over  50.  The 
range  of  crops  grown  under  artesian  irrigation  in  the  Las  Vegas 
Valley  is  practically  the  same  as  the  Muddy  Valley,  and  on  the  best 
lands  enormous  yields  of  grapes,  cantaloupe,  lettuce  and  early  garden 
stuff  in  January,  and  fruits  both  large  and  small.  Cotton  is  grown 
on  a  small  scale  in  this  vicinity  every  year. 

The  great  problem  in  Nevada  is  not  one  of  land,  but  one  of 
water.  There  is  good  land  enough  to  sustain  many  times  the  popula- 
tion, but  the  use  of  it  is  limited  by  arid  conditions.  With  the  proper 
conservation  of  the  flood  waters,  and  a  better  knowledge  of  the  cor- 
rect application  to  crops,  the  irrigated  area  of  Nevada  could  be 
doubled. 

Irrigation   Census  in  Nevada. — The   following  figures   for  the   State 


770  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

of  Nevada  are  taken  from  the  thirteenth  census  of  the  United  States 
during  1909  and  show  the  total  approximate  land  area  of  the  State 
as  70,285,440  acres.  Of  this  area  701,833  acres  were  irrigated  dur- 
ing 1909,  or  approximately  one  per  cent,  of  the  land  area  of  the  State. 
In  the  data  collected,  showing  the  relation  to  works  supplying  water 
for  irrigating  purposes,  the  figures  show  a  total  length  of  canals  of 
3,151  miles,  having  1,939  miles  as  main  canals,  with  a  combined 
discharge  of  17,579  cubic  second  feet.  The  number  of  independent 
irrigation  enterprises  are  1,347.  In  the  acreage  irrigated  classified  as 
to  source  of  supply,  661,762  acres  are  irrigated  by  streams;  906  acres 
supplied  by  small  lakes;  187  acres  from  wells;  38,840  acres  from 
springs,  and  138  acres  from  reservoirs.  The  only  reservoirs  that  are 
treated  as  independent  sources  of  supply  are  those  which  are  filled 
by  collecting  storm  water  from  water  courses  that  are  ordinarily  dry. 


FEDERATED    WOMEN'S     CLUBS  771 

CHAPTER  XLI. 
FEDERATED  WOMEN'S  CLUBS. 

In  the  fall  of  1908,  the  Twentieth  Century  Club  of  Reno  issued  a 
call  for  a  convention  of  all  the  women's  clubs  of  the  State  for  the  purpose 
of  forming  a  State  Federation.  Four  clubs  responded,  and  the  organ- 
ization was  perfected  with  Mrs.  Sam  Davis,  a  pioneer  club-woman,  as 
president.  Under  Mrs.  Davis'  regime  the  federation  joined  the  General 
Federation  of  Womens'  Clubs.  The  growth  of  the  Nevada  Federation 
was  slow,  as  the  clubs  were  few,  and  each  fighting  a  brave  local  fight  had 
little  time  or  money  for  outside  work. 

In  October,  1911,  the  federation  met  in  Reno  and  it  seemed  that  the 
organization  must  be  abandoned,  but  the  delegates  from  the  Woman's 
Book  Club  begged  that  it  be  continued,  and  presented  the 
name  of  Mrs.  George  West  for  president,  promising  that  though  young, 
she  would  be  able  to  pull  the  organization  through  and  make  it  worthy  of 
this  great  State.  Mrs.  West  has  proven  all  that  they  promised  and  more. 
During  her  term  of  office  the  past  two  years,  the  Nevada  Federation 
has  become  recognized  as  a  live  organization.  It  has  increased  from  five 
to  nine  clubs,  has  active  departments  on  education,  civics,  art,  library 
extension,  legislation  and  conservation. 

At  the  last  session  of  the  Legislature  the  women  secured  the  passage 
of  a  bill  giving  equal  rights  to  the  mother  as  well  as  the  father  in  the 
care  and  custody  of  the  child,  and  another  bill  establishing  a  home  for 
delinquent  children  at  Elko,  thus  saving  many  useful  citizens  to  the 
State.  The  federation  raised  $100  toward  the  General  Federation  En- 
dowment, and  expect  to  raise  $1,000  for  a  loan-fund  to  assist  girls  with 
their  education.  One  girl  has  been  graduated  and  there  is  still  a  large 
surplus  to  the  credit  of  the  fund. 

The  officers  for  1913  are:  Mrs.  George  F.  West,  president,  Yerington; 
Mrs.  F.  B.  Patrick,  first  vice-president,  Reno;  Miss  Bird  M.  Wilson, 
second  vice-president,  Goldfield ;  Mrs.  C.  A.  Bovett,  recording  secretary, 
Mason;  Mrs.  D.  D.  Crowinshield,  corresponding  secretary,  Yerington; 


772  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Mrs.  Omer  Maris,  treasurer,  Manhattan ;  Mrs.  Chas.  P.  Squires,  auditor, 
Las  Vegas. 

Leisure  Hour  Club,  Carson  City. — The  Leisure  Hour  Club  is  unique, 
as  it  is  composed  of  both  men  and  women.  Its  members  comprise  the 
progressive  citizens  of  Carson,  and  though  their  work  has  mainly  been 
along  lines  of  personal  development,  in  the  last  two  years  they  have  taken 
an  interest  in  civic  improvements  and  town  and  school  affairs.  The  club 
is  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  State,  having  been  organized  in  1897.  At 
present  they  are  erecting  a  modern  club-house  and  are  to  be  the  hostess 
of  the  annual  meeting  of  the  State  Federation  in  the  fall  of  1913. 

Parents-Teachers  Association,  Elko. — This,  the  newest  dub  in  the  State 
Federation,  is  composed  of  mothers  banded  together  for  the  interest  of 
education.  They  study  the  problems  of  the  school  and  help  solve  them. 
At  the  same  time  they  are  becoming  better  mothers  through  their  study. 

Goldfield  Woman's  Club,  Goldfield. — The  Woman's  Club  was  organ- 
ized by  Mrs.  Chas.  P.  Sprague,  a  woman  of  considerable  force  of  charac- 
ter, for  literary  advancement  and  philanthropy.  The  club  has  done  much 
good  as  a  dispenser  of  clothes  and  food,  and  has  held  interesting  meet- 
ings. They  own  one  of  the  prettiest  club-houses  in  the  State,  and  have 
it  nicely  furnished.  Last  fall  they  were  hostess  to  the  State  Federation, 
entertaining  the  delegates  most  royally. 

Toiyabe  Club,  Manhattan. — Sixty  miles  from  a  railroad,  in  a  little  min- 
ing setlement,  is  one  of  the  liveliest  clubs  in  the  State.  This  club  started 
with  the  purpose  of  social  pleasure  and  literary  study,  but  has  long  since 
outgrown  its  swaddling  clothes,  and  is  in  reality  a  woman's  club,  doing 
excellent  civic  work.  They  have  a  charming  club-house,  a  good  circulat- 
ing library,  have  equipped  a  playground  at  the  new  schoolhouse,  and  still 
have  time  and  energy  for  the  social  and  study  side  of  their  natures.  Mrs. 
Omer  Maris  was  the  first  president. 

Woman's  Club,  Mason. — The  town  of  Mason  is  only  a  few  years  old 
and  among  its  first  efforts  was  the  organization  of  the  women  of  the 
new  town  for  the  purpose  of  civic  improvement.  The  club  has  conducted 
clean-up  days,  assisted  in  the  building  of  an  amusement  hall,  a  church,  a 
school,  furnished  a  playground,  etc.  It  has  joined  the  State  Federation. 

Wadsworth  Club,  Sparks. — One  of  the  most  interesting  clubs  in  the 
State  Federation  is  the  Wadsworth  Club  of  Sparks.  This  club  was 
organized  in  1909  by  the  wives  of  the  railroad  men  of  Sparks,  who  had 


FEDERATED    WOMEN'S     CLUBS  773 

formerly  lived  at  Wads  worth.  As  the  object  of  its  organization  was  to 
renew  "auld  acquaintance,"  is  was  mainly  a  social  club,  but  as  its  mem- 
bers were  experienced  women,  they  grew  tired  of  mere  social  pleasures 
and  began  to  study  and  read  the  poets  of  the  United  States.  Mrs.  J.  H. 
Whited  has  been  president  since  its  organization,  but  has  resigned  to  go 
to  California.  She  has  been  succeeded  by  Mrs.  Chas.  George. 

The  Woman's  Book  Club,  Yerington. — The  Woman's  Book  Club  was 
organized  by  Mrs.  Delia  Willis  Hoppin  in  the  fall  of  1907  for  the  pur- 
pose of  study  and  self-culture.  Mrs.  Hoppin  was  president  for  two  years 
and  saw  the  club  well  launched.  It  has  remained  largely  a  cultural 
organization,  having  done  much  for  the  development  of  its  members,  but  is 
not  devoted  to  civic  or  philanthropic  work.  The  membership  has  reached 
fifty,  and  the  club  is  pleasantly  housed  in  the  old  Grammar  School  build- 
ing, which  the  school  board  kindly  gives  them  for  their  use.  This  is 
the  only  club  in  the  State  individually  federated  in  the  General  Federation 
of  Women's  Clubs. 

Mesquite  Club,  Las  Vegas. — This  was  organized  in  1911.  The 
first  call  for  a  woman's  club  was  made  by  Mrs.  O.  J.  Enking,  Mrs.  David 
Farnsworth  and  Mrs.  William  Penn  Bates.  The  call  was  general  and  the 
response  was  a  large  number  of  ladies  meeting  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  O.  J. 
Enking  on  February  n,  1911.  Organization  was  affected  at  once,  with 
a  membership  of  twenty  ladies  as  a  beginning.  The  first  election  gave 
the  following  officers  as  the  first  executive  members  of  the  Mesquite  Club : 
Mrs.  James  G.  Givens,  president;  Mrs.  William  Penn  Bates,  vice-presi- 
dent; Mrs.  W.  U.  Beckley,  recording  secretary;  Mrs.  O.  D.  Hicks,  cor- 
responding secretary ;  Mrs.  O.  J.  Enking,  treasurer.  The  Mesquite  Club 
soon  had  a  membership  of  forty.  It  now  belongs  to  the  federation.  Its 
first  work  as  a  real  helper  in  the  community  was  the  planting  of  the  streets 
of  Las  Vegas  with  shade  trees.  More  than  two  thousand  trees  were  planted 
in  one  day  through  its  action  and  help,  its  object  "A  Town  Beautiful." 

The  Twentieth  Century  Club,  was  organized  June  4,  1894,  its  object 
being  the  association  of  the  women  of  Reno  for  purposes  of  broader  culti- 
vation and  the  promotion  of  public  welfare. 

The  first  officers  were:  President,  Mrs.  Walter  Me  N.  Miller;  Vice- 
President,  Mrs.  J.  N.  Evans;  Treasurer,  Mrs.  H.  Elizabeth  Webster; 
Secretary,  Mrs.  John  Michael. 

There  were  about  forty  charter  members  but  the  number  of  names  of 


774  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

those  now  belonging  to  the  club  is  147.  November  24,  1897,  the  Twen- 
tieth Century  Club  was  admitted  to  the  General  Federation  of  Women's 
Clubs.  During  the  eighteen  years  of  its  existence  not  only  the  number  of 
members  but  of  its  activities  have  increased.  Not  only  does  the  Reno 
Kindergarten,  one  of  the  finest  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  owe  its  existence  to 
club  members,  but  the  well  equipped  department  of  Domestic  Science  and 
Manual  Training,  of  which  the  Reno  Schools  are  so  proud,  owes  its  origin 
to  the  same  organization  which  nine  years  ago  began  this  work  by  paying 
for  material  and  for  an  instructor.  Within  the  last  few  years  a  handsome 
club-house  has  been  bought,  yet  social  and  civil  reform  have  not  been  neg- 
lected. Divided  into  many  departments,  that  of  Philanthropy  has  been 
responsible  for  providing  for  helpless  waifs,  educating  needy  students,  and 
in  many  ways  assisting  the  helpless  and  unfortunate. 

DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  AMERICAN  REVOLUTION. 
"MONTEZUMA  CHAPTER/' 

The  first  chapter  of  the  D.  A.  R.  in  Nevada,  and  so  far,  the  only  one, 
was  organized  and  received  its  charter,  February  12,  1910. 

Mrs.  Charles  Silvey  Sprague,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Zebulon  Pike 
Chapter  of  Colorado  Springs,  was  the  moving  spirit.  Mrs.  Sprague  is  a 
direct  descendant  of  John  Alden  and  Miles  Standish,  her  genealogy  run- 
ning back  unbroken  to  these  distinguished  characters  in  Colonial  History. 
Mrs.  Sprague  had  been  appointed  State  Regent  of  Nevada,  by  the  Nat- 
ional Board  of  the  D.  A.  R.  Wishing  to  spread  the  influence  of  this  patri- 
otic organization  and  bring  her  adopted  State — Nevada — which  had  be- 
fore been  unrepresented,  into  the  National  organization,  Mrs.  Sprague 
began  the  forming  of  a  chapter  in  Goldfield.  It  was  no  easy  task,  to 
be  a  member  as  it  is  necessary  for  one  to  have  a  complete  and  authentic 
genealogy  reaching  back  to  some  revolutionary  patriot  of  record,  and 
very  few  ladies  of  Goldfield  were  found  who  have  the  authentic  and  veri- 
fied records  necessary.  To  form  a  chapter  of  the  D.  A.  R.  it  requires  not 
fewer  than  twelve  members,  and  it  took  a  little  over  three  years  of  work 
and  research  to  complete  the  records  of  enough  persons  to  form  a  chap- 
ter. The  name  "Montezuma"  was  adopted  by  the  chapter  because  of  local 
historical  significance.  The  following  are  the  minutes  of  the  first  meet- 
ing, taken  from  the  official  records:  A  chapter  of  the  Daughters  of  the 


FEDERATED    WOMEN'S     CLUBS  775 

American  Revolution  was  organized  at  Goldfield,  Nevada,  February  12, 
1910,  at  the  home  of  the  State  Regent,  Mrs.  Charles  S.  Sprague.  The 
meeting  was  called  to  order  by  the  Chapter  Regent,  Mrs.  R.  G.  Withers. 
The  first  business  was  to  vote  upon  a  name,  and  it  was  moved  and  carried 
unanimously,  that  the  Chapter  was  to  be  called,  "Montezuma,"  the  Regent 
then  appointed  the  officers  for  the  ensuing  year.  Register,  Mrs.  Christine 
Dyer  Watson ;  Treasurer,  Mrs.  Nancy  Bingham  Seaman ;  Secretary,  Mrs. 
Mary  Dunbar  Sweet. 

It  was  moved  and  carried  that  the  next  regular  meeting  be  held  on 
Monday,  February  2ist  at  two  o'clock  at  the  home  of  the  Regent. 

Mrs.  Seaman  and  Mrs.  Sprague  were  appointed  a  committee  to  draft 
By-Laws  and  a  Constitution,  submitting  them  at  the  next  meeting. 

Refreshments  were  served  by  the  hostess,  and  as  the  day  of  our  organ- 
ization was  also  Lincoln's  birthday  and  that  of  the  oldest  daughter  of 
Mrs.  Seaman,  of  the  new  Chapter  "Montezuma." 

List  of  the  charter  members :  Mrs.  Evelyn  M.  B.  Chandler,  Mrs.  Elsie 
Louise  Coote,  Mrs.  Laura  B.  Dorsey,  Miss  Mary  Richards  Gray,  Mrs. 
Ethel  lone  Finch,  Mrs.  Alice  Boutille  McNaughton,  Mrs.  Nancy  Bing- 
ham Seaman,  Mrs.  Blanche  Seaman  Brown  Sprague,  Mrs.  Christine  Dyer 
Watson,  Mrs.  Mary  Dunbar  Sweet,  Mrs.  Gretta  Hays  Withers,  Miss 
Clerimond  Withers. 

Later  the  following  ladies  joined  the  chapter:  Mrs.  Camilla  N.  Bates, 
Mrs.  Louisa  D.  Hatton,  Miss  B.  M.  Wilson,  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Harper. 

Officers  for '1912-13:  Miss  B.  M.  Wilson,  state  regent;  Mrs.  Blanche 
Seaman  Sprague,  chapter  regent ;  Mrs.  Louisa  D.  Hatton,  vice-regent ; 
Mrs.  Christine  D.  Watson,  registrar  and  treasurer;  Mrs.  Camilla  N. 
Bates,  secretary. 


776  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

CHAPTER  XLII. 

WOMAN'S  CHRISTIAN  TEMPERANCE  UNION. 
BY  NETTIE  P.  HERSHISER. 

Miss  Frances  E.  Willard,  president  of  the  National  W.  C.  T.  U.,  with 
her  secretary,  Miss  Anna  A.  Gordon,  toured  the  Southern  and  Western 
States  in  the  interests  of  the  temperance  work  in  1883.  They  arrived  at 
Reno  in  May,  where  they  organized  the  Nevada  W.  C.  T.  U.,  with  Mrs. 
H.  Elizabeth  Webster  as  president.  A  local  union,  which  had  been 
formed  in  Reno  the  year  previous,  became  auxiliary  to  the  State  union. 
The  first  convention  was  held  there  in  1885  and  the  second  met  at  Carson 
City  in  1887.  Mrs.  Lucy  Van  Deventer  was  elected  president  and  con- 
tinued in  office  until  1895,  with  the  exception  of  two  years  when  Mrs. 
A.  M.  Ward  (Clara  S.)  was  president.  Dr.  Eliza  Cook,  of  Sheridan, 
succeeded  Mrs.  Van  Deventer  and  retained  the  position  until  1901.  At 
that  time  Mrs.  J.  E.  Church,  of  Reno,  was  acting  president. 

A  young  woman's  branch  existed  for  several  years  at  Reno,  another 
at  Carson  City,  and  a  third  at  Elko.  The  children's  Band  of  Hope  was 
merged  into  the  Loyal  Temperance  Legion,  and  several  unions  reported 
this  branch  of  endeavor  as  part  of  their  work.  The  most  complete  report 
of  organization  is  that  given  by  Mrs.  Emma  Pow  Smith  in  1888.  She 
delivered  one  hundred  addresses,  added  three  hundred  members  to  the 
W.  C.  T.  U.  and  organized  two  hundred  boys  and  girls  into  Loyal 
Temperance  Legions. 

There  were  fifteen  unions  in  the  State  in  1888.  Other  national  workers 
who  visited  Nevada  and  strengthened  the  cause  were:  Miss  C.  S.  Burnett, 
Mrs.  Henrietta  Skelton,  Mrs.  E.  M.  J.  Cooley,  Miss  Esther  Pugh,  Mrs. 
M.  L.  Wells,  Mrs.  Emily  Pitt  Stevens,  Miss  I.  C.  Develling  and  Major 
Hilton. 

Legislation. — The  W.  C.  T.  U.  was  instrumental  in  having  laws  passed 
through  petitions,  circulation  of  literature  and  holding  public  meetings 
as  follows:  scientific  temperance  instruction  in  the  public  schools;  an 


WOMAN'S    CHRISTIAN     TEMPERANCE    UNION       777 

anti-treat  law ;  also  legislation  relative  to  the  sale  of  cigarettes  and  obscene 
literature ;  and  a  restriction  placed  on  immoral  houses  relating  to  distance 
from  churches  and  public  schools ;  the  age  of  protection  for  young  girls 
was  raised  from  twelve  to  fourteen  years ;  also  efficient  work  resulted  in 
the  defeat  of  the  State  lottery  bill  in  1888.  Petitions  on  behalf  of  suffrage 
and  prohibition  were  presented  but  ignored.  The  Legislature  of  1891 
was  the  third  to  be  petitioned  for  woman  suffrage. 

In  1890,  the  Reno  union  purchased  a  lot  on  Second  street,  corner  of 
West,  for  State  headquarters. 

A  convention  was  held  at  Virginia  City  in  1895,  at  which  time  the 
president  reported  that  the  last  payment  on  the  State  tablet  in  the  Tem- 
perance Temple,  at  Chicago,  had  been  made.  In  1897,  a  convention 
was  held  at  Reno,  but  the  record  is  lost.  The  departments  adopted  were : 
Evangelistic,  Sunday  School,  Scientific  Temperance  Instruction,  Health 
and  Heredity,  Flower  Mission,  Legislation  and  Petition. 

The  first  delegate  to  represent  Nevada  at  a  national  convention  was 
Mrs.  Flora  McRae,  of  Reno,  who  went  to  Seattle  in  1899.  In  the  spring 
of  the  same  year,  the  national  president,  Mrs.  Lillian  M.  N.  Stevens, 
and  Miss  Anna  A.  Gordon  visited  Reno  and  addressed  a  meeting  at  the 
Opera  House.  In  1901  Miss  Florence  Murcutt  stopped  at  Elko  and  came 
on  to  Reno,  spending  a  week,  encouraging  the  local  union  to  call  a  State 
convention,  which  was  held  in  October.  Miss  Marie  Brehm,  of  Illinois, 
was  present  and  gave  two  addresses. 

Mrs.  A.  E.  Hershiser,  of  Reno,  was  elected  president  and  a  new  era 
began  for  the  State  work. 

It  required  almost  heroic  efforts  to  again  place  Nevada  in  working 
order.  But  a  few  of  the  faithful  members  cooperated  effectively  with 
the  new  officers.  Mrs.  Hershiser  attended  the  national  conventions  at 
Fort  Worth,  in  1901 ;  at  Los  Angeles,  in  1905,  also  Mr.  and  Mrs.  O.  G. 
Church,  of  Logan ;  at  Denver,  in  1908.  Miss  Gertrude  Bonham,  of  Reno, 
went  to  Cincinnati  in  1903;  Mrs.  W.  E.  Bell,  of  Sparks,  to  Omaha  in 
1909;  Mrs.  Alice  Chism,  of  Reno,  to  Baltimore  in  1910,  and  Mrs.  S.  G. 
Blum  and  Mrs.  Sarah  Roberts,  of  Reno,  to  Portland,  Oregon,  in  1912. 

Organisation. — The  main  objects  of  the  temperance  army  being  to 
create  sentiment  and  to  aid  in  the  enactment  of  good  laws,  the  divisions 
of  organization  and  legislation  rank  first.  The  State  president  has  ar- 
ranged routes  for  fifteen  or  more  national  organizers,  entertained  them 


and  the  lecturers  in  her  own  home,  and  followed  up  their  work  by  per- 
sonal letters  and  literature. 

Mrs.  Alice  Elder,  of  Reno,  organized  a  Y.  W.  C.  T.  U.  at  the  Univer- 
sity. Mrs.  Ella  Becker,  of  Sparks,  organized  a  young  people's  branch 
there  and  at  Fallon. 

Mrs.  Wm.  Van  Buren,  when  president  of  the  Reno  Union,  presented 
a  fine  drinking  fountain  to  the  city,  the  gift  of  the  Union  and  the  Red 
Cross  Society,  combined. 

Sixteen  local  unions  have  been  organized.  The  largest  paid  up  mem- 
bership was  one  hundred  and  seventy-five,  in  1910.  Washoe  and  Churchill 
Counties  are  organized  for  the  first  time.  Eleven  Loyal  Temperance 
Legions  were  started,  but  most  of  them  soon  failed  for  lack  of  leaders. 

Nevada  has  been  aided  by  money  from  the  National  Organizing  Fund, 
raised  by  offerings  at  the  meetings  held  on  February  17  of  each  year  all 
over  the  nation,  in  loving  memory  of  Miss  Frances  E.  Willard. 

Legislation. — The  bill  incorporating  the  W.  C.  T.  U.  was  passed  in 
1903,  at  our  request.  An  amendment  to  a  bill  increasing  the  fine  for 
selling  to  minors  also  passed  and  became  law. 

Under  the  inspiring  influence  of  a  lecture  by  Miss  Marie  Brehm,  the 
W.  C.  T.  U.  took  the  initial  step  in  the  anti-gambling  crusade. 

Petitions  have  been  presented  to  three  legislatures  pleading  for  an 
industrial  school  for  boys ;  while  this  has  not  been  granted,  the  agitation 
paved  the  way  for  the  juvenile  court,  with  a  salaried  probation  officer 
and  an  assistant. 

Three  times  petitions  for  local  option  have  been  presented  and  lost. 
In  1911  over  2,000  signatures  were  obtained.  In  1905  the  Legislature 
repealed  the  law  protecting  girls,  from  sixteen  years  down  to  fourteen 
years ;  and  in  1909  a  petition  was  sent  to  Carson  City  asking  that  eighteen 
years  be  the  limit,  but  the  law  was  passed  making  sixteen  years  again 
the  age.  The  question  of  suffrage  was  considered  by  the  State  Executive 
Committee,  but  was  not  adopted  on  account  of  the  pressure  of  the  work 
for  the  boys  and  girls. 

A  marked  influence  has  been  exerted  on  behalf  of  purity,  of  uniform 
divorce  laws,  for  an  anti-polygamy  amendment,  to  regulate  or  suppress 
the  white  slave  traffic,  to  abolish  prize  fights,  and  also  to  obtain  and  retain 
the  anti-gambling  law.  The  law  forbidding  to  sell  to  minors  was  re- 


WOMAN'S     CHRISTIAN     TEMPERANCE    UNION       779 

enacted  by  the  191 1  Legislature ;  also  at  the  same  time  a  law  was  enacted 
not  to  sell  to  habitual  drunkards,  nor  drunken  men. 

Evangelistic, — The  spirit  of  the  early  crusade  days  has  been  kept  alive 
by  faith  and  prayer,  by  work  in  mothers'  meetings,  among  railway  men, 
by  literature  sent  to  mining  camps  and  isolated  places,  by  teaching  the 
principles  of  pure  living  and  the  results  of  impurity,  and  by  efforts  to 
raise  the  moral  tone  of  the  community.  The  children's  rescue  work  has 
benefited  and  saved  infants  and  children  and  cared  for  a  girl  lured  by  a 
white  slaver.  Mrs.  Jennie  G.  Nichols,  of  Oakland,  is  endorsed  and  aided 
in  this  grand  work  of  mercy  and  redemption. 

Social. — Under  the  social  division,  we  note  many  parlor  meetings  in 
homes  and  churches,  with  their  gains  in  membership ;  the  flower  mission 
department,  including  all  forms  of  charity,  through  the  distribution  of 
flowers,  with  Scripture  text-cards  attached,  is  the  chief  line  of  work. 

Educational. — Under  this  division,  there  have  been  held  prize  essay 
contests  in  the  public  schools,  six  silver  medal  declamation  contests  and 
one  gold  medal  contest,  at  Reno.  Through  the  State  Sunday  School 
Association,  literature  has  been  sent  to  over  one  hundred  Sunday  Schools 
for  use  on  the  quarterly  temperance  Sundays.  Lessons  in  physical  cul- 
ture were  given  to  contestants  and  white  ribboners  by  an  expert  teacher. 
Temperance  literature,  also  petition  work,  have  gone  to  fifty  towns  in 
the  State.  A  convention  has  been  held  each  year  save  one,  Reno,  Sparks 
and  Fallon  sharing  in  the  entertainment.  One  of  our  honorary  members, 
Major  G.  W.  Ingalls,  has  supplemented  the  work  by  forming  boys'  anti- 
cigarette  leagues  at  Reno,  Sparks,  Fallon,  and  Elko. 

May,  1913,  will  witness  the  close  of  three  decades  of  temperance 
endeavor  in  Nevada. 


780  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 
WOMAN  SUFFRAGE. 

BY  Miss  ANNE  MARTIN. 

The  movement  to  enfranchise  Nevada's  women  and  give  them  full 
electoral  and  constitutional  rights  with  men  is  not  exclusively  local,  nor 
is  it  sporadic  or  ephemeral.  It  is  part  of  the  great  world  movement  for 
democracy  and  freedom  which  is  one  of  the  dominant  characteristics  of 
the  history  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  realization  of  which  will  be 
the  crowning  achievement  of  the  twentieth  century.  The  establishment 
of  this  sounder  democracy,  which  for  so  many  decades  has  been  the 
dominating  influence  in  the  thought  and  action  of  the  dreamers  of  this 
world  will  create  greater  equality  of  opportunity  for  every  human  being, 
irrespective  of  sex,  and  many  of  the  evils  of  our  time  will  be  eliminated  by 
a  proqess  of  evolution  toward  a  higher  and  completer  type  of  civilization. 

That  this  great  movement  is  not  "anti-man,"  that  it  has  not  produced 
sex-antagonism,  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  there  are  more  than  thirty 
men's  leagues  for  woman  suffrage  in  the  United  States,  with  a  national 
organization  and  headquarters.  There  is  also  an  international  organiza- 
tion of  men  for  woman  suffrage. 

When  a  democracy  based  on  human  instead  of  sex-rights  is  established, 
there  will  be  less  waste  and  destruction  of  human  material  by  blind  gov- 
ernment Juggernauts  which  cannot  see  their  goal,  there  will  be  more  and 
more  conservation  of  human  and  social  forces,  and  greater  usefulness 
and  happiness  for  a  far  greater  number.  We  are  living  in  great  and 
stirring  times.  Every  Nevada  woman  who  joins  and  lends  her  aid  to  the 
cause  of  equal  suffrage  is  assisting  constructive  forces  which  will  make 
the  world  a  better  place,  will  help  to  evolve  the  dream  of  one  generation 
in  to  the  reality  of  the  next. 

The  history  of  the  woman  suffrage  question  in  Nevada  is  part  of  the 
evolution  of  a  great  human  movement.  Referring  to  the  Journals  of 


WOMAN     SUFFRAGE  781 

the  Nevada  Legislature  from  the  earliest  times,  we  find  the  Hon.  C.  J. 
Hillyer  delivering  a  speech  for  woman  suffrage  in  the  Assembly  on  Feb- 
ruary 16,  1869,  which  should  be  preserved  among  the  orations  on  human 
rights  and  liberty.  At  a  time  when  equal  suffrage  had  not  been  tried  in 
any  modern  government  (except  in  the  Territory  of  Wyoming),  and  in 
the  same  year  that  the  women  of  the  State  of  Wyoming  were  enfran- 
chised, we  find  this  man  anticipating  every  argument  urged  today  for 
woman  suffrage,  now  based  upon  practical  experience  and  the  good  use 
women  have  made  of  the  vote  in  Wyoming,  Colorado,  Idaho,  Utah,  Wash- 
ington, and  California.  His  peroration  is  significant  and  interesting  his- 
torically as  well  as  intrinsically.  At  the  time  he  spoke  the  Civil  War  and 
the  great  life  of  Lincoln  were  but  four  years  ended : 

"To  my  Republican  friends  I  say:  Look  to  your  laurels.  They  are  green  and 
fresh,  and  magnificently  abundant,  but  they  may  wither  and  fade,  and  your  brow 
yet  go  uncrowned,  unless  fresh  garlands  are  gathered.  With  us  the  past  is  at 
least  secure.  I  would  not  barter  for  the  highest  political  (preferment  which  this 
nation  can  bestow  the  satisfaction  that  I  have  a  part,  however  insignificant,  that  I 
share,  however  humbly,  the  rich  glories  which  cluster  around  the  history  of  our  yet 
youthful  party.  But  we  must  remember  that  we  have  succeeded,  not  because  we 
were  the  Republican  party,  but  because  we  were  right.  We  have  won  because,  in 
a  progressive  age,  we  have  been  the  party  of  progress ;  'because  when  the  nation 
was  marching  we  have  marched  in  the  van ;  because  we  had  the  courage  to  pluck 
out,  from  the  overwhelming  mass  of  prejudice  in  which  it  was  buried,  a  principle 
of  eternal  truth ;  dared  boldly  to  inscribe  it  on  our  banners  and  to  march  to  battle 

with  the  watchword  of  universal  freedom Beware  of  a  halt The 

inexorable  law  of  progress  will  not  modify  itself  to  suit  our  movements ;  it  will  not 
stay  its  operation  through  either  respect  for  our  party  name  or  past  achievements, 
but  will  as  relentlessly  consign  us  to  defeat  and  oblivion  as  it  has  for  the  same 
cause  there  consigned  our  Democratic  predecessors. 

"Here  is  the  great  question  of  the  hour " 

Although  greeted  with  "round  after  round  of  applause"  at  the  conclu- 
sion of  his  speech,  "the  loneliness  of  those  who  think  beyond  their  time" 
was  this  statesman's  portion,  as  the  proposed  amendment  to  strike  the 
word  "male"  from  the  suffrage  clause  of  the  Constitution  was  shortly 
afterward  laid  on  the  table.  So  far  as  attempted  legislation  goes,  the 
woman  suffrage  question  appears  to  have  been  quiescent  for  some  years. 
Resolutions  to  amend  Article  II,  Section  i  of  the  Constitution  with  refer- 
ence to  male  suffrage  were  dealt  with  by  successive  Legislatures,  notably 
in  1883,  1885,  and  1893,  but  there  seems  to  have  been  scant  effort  to 
reform  the  Constitution  for  the  benefit  of  women.* 


*The  investigation  of  the  Senate  and  Assembly  Journals  for  the  purposes  of  this  article  has 
been  done  by  Miss  Clara  Smith,  president  of  the  College  Equal  Suffrage  League  of  the  University 
of  Nevada. 


782  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

An  attempt  was  made  in  the  Legislature  of  1887  to  secure  a  constitu- 
tional amendment  as  follows,  taken  from  the  Senate  Journal  of  1887, 
p.  321 :  "Resolved  by  the  Senate,  the  Assembly  concurring,  that  Section  I 
of  Article  II  of  the  Constitution  of  the  State  of  Nevada  be  amended  by 
striking  out  the  word  'male'  in  said  Section  I."  This  resolution  was 
lost  by  a  vote  of  7  for  to  13  against.  A  resolution  to  amend  the  Con- 
stitution "relative  to  the  right  of  suffrage"  was  defeated  in  the  Assembly 
in  1889  by  a  vote  of  12  for  and  27  against.  From  the  years  1885  to  1895 
there  were  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union 
of  the  State  to  bring  the  matter  favorably  before  every  successive  Legis- 
lature through  petitions,  containing  names  from  all  over  the  State.  We 
find  one  of  these  petitions  briefly  dealt  with  in  the  following  laconic 
report  in  the  Assembly  Journal  of  February  15,  1889:  "Your  committee 
on  public  morals  .  .  .  beg  leave  not  to  report  on  petitions  on  woman's 
suffrage,  as  it  has  been  before  the  house  heretofore  (sic).  J.  B.  Williams, 
Chairman." 

As  stated,  these  petitions  continued  to  be  presented  to  every  Legislature, 
in  spite  of  successive  discouragements.  In  1895  we  find  a  petition  from 
the  W.  C.  T.  U.  relating  to  woman  suffrage  laid  on  the  table  in  the 
Assembly,  in  conjunction  with  a  joint  resolution  to  amend  the  Constitu- 
tion by  striking  out  the  word  "male."  In  spite  of  the  efforts  of  Mr.  H.  H. 
Beck  to  rescue  the  measure,  it  was  finally  rejected  by  a  vote  of  14  for  to 
17  against,  according  to  the  Assembly  Journal  for  1895,  pp.  74-75. 

Following  this  defeat  the  Nevada  State  Equal  Suffrage  Association 
was  organized  in  McKissick's  Opera  House  on  October  29,  1895.  Mrs. 
J.  R.  Williamson,  of  Austin,  was  elected  president,  Mrs.  P.  S.  Marshall 
secretary,  and  the  names  of  the  members  are  a  roll  of  honor  in  themselves : 
Miss  E.  C.  Babcock,  Mrs.  D.  B.  Boyd,  Miss  H.  K.  Clapp,  Mrs.  C.  Gulling, 
Mrs.  J.  N.  Evans,  Miss  Mary  Henry,  Mrs.  A.  Chism,  Mrs.  Blossom  and 
Mrs.  Williams,  of  Genoa ;  Mrs.  Rinckel,  of  Carson ;  Mrs.  Shaw,  of  Vir- 
ginia; Mrs.  Elda  Orr,  Mrs.  Rousseau,  Mrs.  E.  A.  Morrill,  Mrs.  Van 
Buren,  Mrs.  May  Gill,  Mrs.  Vandeventer,  Mrs.  Wentworth,  Mrs.  M.  E. 
Pratt,  Miss  Martha  Wright,  Miss  Eva  Barnes,  Mrs.  C.  A.  Richardson, 
Mrs.  William  Webster,  Miss  Mary  Taylor,  Mrs.  Flint,  Mrs.  C.  B.  Nor- 
cross — these  and  many  others  who  have  passed  on  were  active  suffragists 
in  the  days  when,  as  in  the  life  of  Susan  B.  Anthony,  to  be  a  suffragist, 
to  be  an  upholder  of  justice  to  women,  meant  to  be  ridiculed  and  mis- 


WOMAN     SUFFRAGE  783 

understood.  All  honor  to  these  courageous,  public-spirited  women  who 
kept  the  flag  flying  that  we  may  win  victory  today ! 

The  society  started  under  splendid  auspices.  A  letter  from  Susan  B. 
Anthony,  advising  non-partisan  methods,  was  read  at  the  first  convention, 
Rev.  T.  Magill  and  Dr.  Stubbs,  then  recently  appointed  President  of  the 
University,  spoke,  and  very  successful  meetings  were  held.  Through 
the  personal  efforts  of  Mrs.  Williamson,  of  Austin,  the  State  president, 
some  counties  were  organized,  and  the  work  throughout  the  State  was 
advanced  by  the  tour  of  Miss  Susan  B.  Anthony  and  Dr.  Anna  Shaw  in 
1896.  Mrs.  Carrie  Chapman  Catt,  too,  visited  Nevada  in  the  interests 
of  equal  suffrage,  and  spent  some  time  in  Reno  as  the  guest  of  Mrs.  Orr. 

Through  the  efforts  of  the  society  a  resolution  was  introduced  into  the 
Legislature  of  1897  to  amend  the  Constitution  by  striking  out  the  word 
"male."  Majorities  were  pledged  to  the  measure  in  both  houses.  It 
passed  the  Senate,  but  was  finally  defeated  in  the  Assembly  by  a  vote 
of  14  for  and  16  against,  one  of  the  members  pledged  to  the  bill,  voting 
in  the  negative.  The  women  seemed  disheartened  by  this  defeat.  During 
the  following  years  petitions  continued  to  be  presented  to  the  Legislature 
to  enfranchise  women,  and  backed  by  women's  organizations  the  age  of 
protection  for  girls  was  raised  from  14  to  16.  But  the  work  of  the 
Nevada  State  Equal  Suffrage  Association  lapsed,  though  interest  in  the 
question  was  kept  alive  by  local  clubs  and  organizations  like  the  W.  C. 
T.  U.  in  different  parts  of  the  State. 

Undoubtedly  stimulated  by  the  English  militant  movement,  which  has 
quickened  the  suffrage  agitation  all  over  the  world,  and  influenced  more 
directly  perhaps  by  the  agitations  in  Washington  and  California,  the 
Nevada  Equal  Franchise  Society  was  organized  in  Reno  in  January,  1911. 
Mrs.  H.  Stanislawsky  was  elected  president,  Mrs.  Grace  Bridges  sec- 
retary, and  a  joint  resolution  striking  out  the  word  "male"  from  the 
Constitution,  and  further  providing  that  there  should  be  no  denial  of  the 
elective  franchise  on  account  of  sex,  was  pushed  through  both  houses  of 
the  Legislature  and  approved  on  March  18,  1911.  For  the  first  time  in 
the  history  of  Nevada  a  measure  enfranchising  women  passed  both 
houses,  and  this  by  the  decisive  vote  of  17  to  2  in  the  Senate  and  32  to 
13  in  the  Assembly.  Credit  for  this  victory  is  due  to  the  disinterested 
assistance  of  State  officials  and  members  of  both  houses,  and  to  the 
woman  suffrage  committee  led  by  Mrs.  Stanislawsky  and  Miss  Felice 
Cohn. 


784  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

In  February,  1912,  the  State  Society  was  reorganized  in  order  to 
prepare  for  a  state-wide  campaign  of  organization  and  education  to  ensure 
the  second  necessary  passage  of  the  resolution  in  the  Legislature  of  1913. 
Mrs.  Stanislawsky  had  moved  to  California  and  resigned  the  presidency, 
and  Miss  Anne  Martin  was  elected  president,  with  Mrs.  Grace  Bridges 
corresponding  secretary.  Mrs.  Clarence  Mackay  gave  her  support  as 
honorary  president.  In  this  new  administration  the  Nevada  Equal  Fran- 
chise Society  became  a  member  of  the  National  American  Woman  Suf- 
frage Association  and  of  the  International  Woman  Suffrage  Alliance. 
An  advisory  board  composed  of  representative  men  from  every  county 
in  the  State  was  gradually  formed.  The  counties  were  successively 
organized  with  local  women  as  chairmen.  Meetings  have  been  held  in 
various  parts  of  the  State,  addressed  by  President  Stubbs,  Judge  Far- 
rington,  Bishop  Robinson,  Rev.  Charles  F.  Aked,  of  San  Francisco, 
Mrs.  Charlotte  Perkins  Oilman,  Rabbi  Martin  Meyer,  Judge  Norcross, 
Senator  Francis  G.  Newlands,  Hon.  Key  Pittman,  Miss  Anne  Martin, 
Mrs.  Stanislawsky,  and  others. 

A  State  press  service  has  been  inaugurated.  A  large  number  of 
Nevada  newspapers  have  declared  themselves  in  favor  of  equal  suffrage. 
A  leaflet  entitled  "Women  under  Nevada  Laws,"  by  Miss  B.  M.  Wilson, 
of  Goldfield,  one  of  the  State  vice-presidents  and  chairman  of  the  Esme- 
ralda  County  Branch,  has  been  published  by  the  State  Society  in  an 
edition  of  20,000. 

A  branch  of  the  National  College  Equal  Suffrage  League,  of  which 
Dr.  M.  Carey  Thomas,  of  Bryn  Mawr  College,  is  president,  has  been 
founded  at  the  University  of  Nevada.  It  has  a  growing  membership 
among  the  college  students  and  alumnae. 

The  State  Federation  of  Women's  Clubs  has  endorsed  equal  suffrage. 
Several  of  the  county  delegations  to  the  next  Legislature  are  solid  for 
suffrage,  a  safe  majority  of  both  houses  has  been  pledged  to  pass  the 
resolution.  The  membership  of  the  State  Society  has  increased  twenty- 
fold  in  the  last  six  months,  the  women  of  the  State  are  alive  to  the 
question,  and  votes  for  women  in  Nevada  seem  absolutely  assured  in  the 
immediate  future. 

On  November  5  four  new  states  were  added  to  the  six  already  enfran- 
chised: Oregon,  Arizona,  Kansas  and  Michigan.*  Nevada,  bounded  by 

*At  this  time  of  writing,  Michigan,  which  won  by  a  good  majority,  has  been  counted  out  by 
corrupt  influences. 


WOMAN     SUFFRAGE  785 

California,  Oregon,  Idaho,  Utah  and  Arizona,  is  now  absolutely  enclosed 
in  suffrage  territory.  With  the  non-suffrage  States,  colored  black,  and 
the  equal  suffrage  States,  white,  Nevada  appears  as  a  big  black  island 
surrounded  by  white  suffrage  territory.  We  are  marooned  on  our  own 
black  island.  The  time  has  now  come  when  Nevada,  always  generous 
and  chivalrous  in  other  respects,  will  follow  the  example  of  her  eight 
neighbors  as  well  as  of  one  Middle  Western  and  one  Eastern  state,  and 
give  this  measure  of  justice  and  freedom  to  her  women.  Let  this  isolated 
non-suffrage  blot  be  removed  from  the  fair  face  of  Western  territory. 
Let  Nevada  stand  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  her  progressive  and  enlight- 
ened neighbors  on  the  broad  ground  of  equal  suffrage,  of  political  equality 
and  morality,  of  justice  to  women  for  the  good  of  the  human  race !  * 

*  Since  the  above  article  was  written  the  Nevada  Legislature  convened,  and  has  passed  the 
woman  suffrage  amendment  by  a  vote  of  49-3  in  the  Assembly  and  19-3  in  the  Senate,  January  30. 
1913.  The  amendment  having  passed  two  successive  Legislatures  is  now  ready  to  be  ratified  by 
the  voters  at  the  next  election,  November,  1914.  Illinois  was  added  to  the  list  of  suffrage  States 
for  national  and  statutory  offices  by  the  State  Legislature  in  June,  1913.  The  Territory  of  Alaska 
also  enacted  equal  suffrage  in  1913. 


786  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 

CHURCHILL  COUNTY. 

BY  D.  E.  WILLIAMS. 

Unique  in  the  history  of  Nevada  is  Churchill  County,  in  that  it  fur- 
nishes a  most  striking  example  of  the  magic  touch  of  man  making  the 
desert  bloom  as  the  rose,  this  coming  about  through  Uncle  Sam  selecting 
the  Lahontan  Valley  for  the  location  of  his  Seven-Million  Dollar  Farm, 
where  the  first  government  irrigation  project  was  established  and  the 
land  divided  into  40  and  80  acre  farms.  Churchill  County  derives  its 
name  from  an  early  military  post,  Fort  Churchill,  situated  just  west  of 
the  present  county  line,  which  was  named  in  honor  of  an  officer  of 
the  United  States  Army.  The  county  was  created  by  a  territorial  act, 
approved  November  25,  1861,  in  which  the  boundaries  were  described 
as  follows:  Beginning  at  the  northeastern  corner  of  Storey  County,  and 
running  south  along  the  eastern  line  of  said  county  to  the  northern  line 
of  Douglas  County;  thence  easterly  along  the  said  northern  line  of 
Douglas  County  and  the  northern  line  of  Esmeralda  County  to  the  one 
hundred  and  sixteenth  meridian;  thence  north,  along  said  meridian,  to 
the  fortieth  parallel  of  north  latitude;  thence  west  on  the  said  fortieth 
parallel  to  where  it  strikes  the  old  immigrant  road  leading  from  the  sink 
of  the  Humboldt  to  the  lower  crossing  of  the  Truckee  River;  thence 
westerly,  along  said  road,  to  the  point  of  beginning.  When  Lander 
County  was  created,  on  December  19,  1862,  about  one-third  of  the 
whole  area  of  Churchill  County  was  made  a  part  of  the  new  county — all 
that  portion  lying  east  of  the  fortieth  degree  of  longitude.  By  an  act 
approved  February  20,  1864,  the  boundary  between  Lyon  and  Churchill 
counties  was  established  at  the  line  of  longitude  41  degrees  and  40  min- 
utes, by  means  of  which  a  small  cession  was  made  to  Lyon  County.  By 
an  act  approved  February  27,  1869,  a  triangular  tract,  forming  the  south- 
west corner  of  Humboldt  County,  was  ceded  to  Churchill  County,  includ- 
ing about  25  miles  of  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  the  object  being  to  increase 


CHURCHILL    COUNTY  787 

the  revenues  of  Churchill  County.  By  the  same  act  the  present  boundary 
between  Lyon  and  Churchill  was  established.  By  an  act  approved  March 
5,  1869,  a  small  triangular  tract  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Churchill 
County  was  ceded  to  Nye  County.  An  act  approved  November  29,  1861, 
attached  Churchill  to  Lyon  for  county,  judicial,  and  revenue  purposes, 
including  it  in  the  third  judicial  district,  and  locating  its  county  seat  at 
Buckland's.  By  an  act  approved  February  19,  1864,  Churchill  was  made 
a  distinct  county,  with  all  the  rights,  privileges  and  immunities  belonging 
thereto,  and  the  Governor  was  instructed  to  appoint  its  first  officials. 
The  following  were  appointed  by  the  Governor  as  the  first  officers  of 
Churchill  County  in  March  and  April,  1864;  County  commissioners,  Ben- 
jamin Curler,  Thomas  J.  Cochran  and  J.  B.  McClure  (Curler  declined)  ; 
probate  judge,  Alfred  James;  district  attorney,  A.  F.  Patrick;  sheriff, 
Walter  L.  Gates ;  county  clerk,  W.  E.  Smith ;  county  treasurer,  Walter 
Goodell;  assessor,  J.  W.  Cummings ;  recorder,  Nelson  Murdock;  super- 
intendent of  schools,  A.  W.  Doolittle ;  surveyor,  Wm.  A.  Jackson. 

There  was  a  strong  protest  signed  by  thirty-six  residents  along  the 
Carson  River,  between  Fort  Churchill  and  Dayton,  presented  to  the  Legis- 
lature against  creating  Churchill  County,  and  stipulating  that  if  it  were 
created,  they  be  set  over  into  Lyon  County.  A  territorial  act,  approved 
December  19,  1862,  authorized  Ellen  Redman  and  others  to  construct  a 
toll-bridge  across  Carson  Slough  at  Redman  Station,  and  to  charge  toll 
as  follows :  For  wagon  drawn  by  6  or  8  animals,  $2 ;  for  wagon  drawn  by 
4  animals,  $1.50;  for  wagon  drawn  by  2  animals,  $i ;  for  carriage  or 
buggy,  2  horses,  $i ;  for  carriage  or  buggy  drawn  by  one  horse,  75  cents ; 
for  horseman,  25  cents ;  for  pack-animals,  123/2  cents ;  for  loose  stock, 
10  cents.  Two  per  cent,  of  these  charges  went  to  the  Territorial  School 
Fund.  A  fine  for  crossing  the  bridge  without  paying  toll  was  not  less 
than  $10,  nor  more  than  $100.  Any  one  maliciously  injuring  the  bridge 
was  liable  to  be  fined  from  $25  to  $500.  All  fines  were  to  accrue  to  the 
bridge  company.  The  rates  of  toll  could  be  changed  by  the  Governor 
and  Legislature,  and  the  commissioners  of  Lyon  and  Churchill  counties 
could  purchase  the  bridge  in  three  years  at  its  appraised  cash  value. 

An  act  of  December  20,  1862,  authorized  J.  Jacobson,  John  Bowan, 
Alexander  Person,  John  Taylor,  P.  Reynolds  and  associates  to  improve 
the  Carson  River  from  Dayton  to  Humboldt  Slough,  thence  to  Humboldt 
Lake,  thence  across  the  lake  and  up  Humboldt  River  to  Humboldt  City, 


788  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

cutting  canals,  etc.,  and  rendering  such  route  practicable  for  rafts  and 
vessels.  An  act  of  February  20,  1864,  empowered  James  A.  St.  Clair 
and  J.  J.  McClellan  to  maintain  a  toll-bridge  across  Old  River,  at  a  point 
known  as  the  upper  sink  crossing ;  no  other  bridge  or  ferry  to  be  allowed 
within  half  a  mile  either  way.  An  act  of  February  19,  1864,  organized 
a  distinct  and  separate  county  (heretofore  connected  officially  with  Lyon 
County)  and,  on  the  2nd  of  April  of  the  same  year,  Governor  Nye  located 
the  county  seat  of  Churchill  County  at  La  Platta,  eighteen  miles  east  of 
Stillwater.  In  1868  the  county  seat  was  moved  to  Stillwater,  where  it 
remained  until  1902,  when  the  rapidly  developing  agricultural  section 
further  up  the  Carson  River  resulted  in  the  removal  of  the  county  seat 
to  Fallen,  twelve  miles  to  the  west,  where  it  remains.  The  removal  was 
without  opposition. 

The  act  approved  February  27,  1869,  by  which  a  portion  of  Humboldt 
County  was  given  to  Churchill,  required  Churchill  to  pay  to  Humboldt 
County  therefor  $3,000;  but  by  an  act  passed  by  the  State  Legislature 
February  13,  1871,  Churchill  was  released  from  its  payment  and  all 
unpaid  warrants  on  this  account  were  ordered  destroyed.  The  first 
school  in  Churchill  County,  under  the  county  organization,  was  held  in 
the  "Big  Adobe"  in  the  St.  Clair  district,  in  December,  1871,  the  first 
teacher  being  Lemuel  Allen,  afterward  Lieutenant  Governor,  and 
now  a  resident  of  Reno.  The  building  still  stands.  In  1872  the  county 
was  divided  into  two  school  districts,  the  one  being  at  the  upper  sink 
and  the  other  at  Stillwater,  the  county  seat.  In  1874  a  third  district  was 
organized.  In  1876  the  three  districts  were  combined  into  one,  known 
as  the  union  school  district.  Soon  afterward  a  fine  school  house,  costing 
$4,000,  was  erected  on  the  upper  sink;  a  teacher  and  matron  were 
employed,  and  from  40  to  60  pupils  attended.  In  1879  the  county  was 
sub-divided  into  four  districts.  E.  P.  Hall  was  the  first  school  super- 
intendent. Up  to  1878  the  late  Judge  W.  H.  A.  Pike  was  superintendent 
of  the  Union  School. 

In  1880  an  unchartered  temperance  society  was  organized  at  Stillwater 
with  forty-four  members.  The  first  religious  service  held  in  the  county 
took  place  in  the  institute  building  at  Stillwater  in  the  spring  of  1875. 
A  Methodist  Episcopal  clergyman  named  Pendleton  was  in  charge.  The 
first  meeting  of  the  Seventh  Day  Adventists  was  held  in  the  institute  on 
the  ist  of  June,  1876,  under  the  leadership  of  Jackson  Ferguson,  with 


CHURCHILL    COUNTY  789 

a  membership  of  forty-four  persons.  This  denomination  built  the  first 
church  in  the  county,  located  near  St.  Clair.  The  building  was  later 
moved  to  Fallon,  where  worship  is  held. 

Valuable  Springs  and  Marshes. — About  eight  miles  northwest  of  Fallon 
are  situated  two  circular  depressions  containing  water  and  surrounded  by 
prominent  rims  marking  the  site  of  volcanic  craters,  active  during  and 
subsequent  to  the  Lahontan  period.  The  crater  rims  rise  eighty-seven 
feet  above  the  surrounding  desert,  and  some  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above 
the  inclosed  lakes.  The  larger  body  of  water,  known  as  Big  Soda  Lake, 
lies  about  fifty  feet  below  the  level  of  Carson  River,  and  has  a  depth  of 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  the  deepest  part.  There  is  no  surface 
inlet  or  outlet  connected  with  this  lake,  and  the  water  probably  comes  by 
seeping  through  a  subsoil  from  Carson  River.  In  its  passage  through  the 
underlying  lacustral  sediments  large  amounts  of  soluble  material  are 
picked  up  and  carried  into  the  lake.  The  smaller  of  these  two  depressions, 
known  as  Little  Soda  Lake,  is  nearly  dry,  containing  water  only  in  depres- 
sions. This  water  is  very  saline,  and  upon  evaporating,  during  the  sum- 
mer, leaves  a  thick  deposit  of  impure  sodium  carbonates.  The  larger 
lake  comprises  about  four  hundred  acres  and  the  smaller  sixteen  acres. 
These  lakes  were  discovered  by  Asa  Kenyon  in  1855.  He  sold  the  prop- 
erty to  Higgins  &  Duffy  in  1868,  who  in  turn  sold  to  J.  S.  Doe  and  Mr. 
Dowd.  In  the  earlier  days  a  force  of  five  men  prepared  about  sixty  tons 
for  the  market  every  month,  which  sold  at  from  $55  to  $65  per  ton.  At 
one  time  a  two-fifths  interest  in  the  property  sold  for  $35,000.  The 
property  is  at  present  owned  by  Eugene  Griswold,  of  San  Francisco,  but 
has  not  been  worked  the  past  couple  of  years,  the  owner  claiming  that 
the  seepage  water  from  the  government  canal  system  for  the  Truckee- 
Carson  project  rendered  the  lakes  unfit  for  the  manufacture  of  soda. 
Specimens  from  Big  Soda  Lake  were  awarded  a  prize  medal  and  diploma 
at  the  Centennial  Exposition  at  Philadelphia. 

About  twenty  miles  to  the  southeast  of  Fallon  is  situated  the  great 
salt  marsh,  where  salt  is  taken  out  95  per  cent.  pure.  It  is  estimated  that 
there  are  millions  of  tons  of  this  salt,  some  of  which  was  shipped  to 
mining  camps  in  the  early  days.  The  product  was  brought  into  Fallon 
in  1912  and  sold  for  commercial  purposes.  Drilling  has  shown  the  salt 
deposit  to  be  four  hundred  feet  thick.  Adjoining  this  deposit  is  the 
borax  works,  from  which  the  product  was  shipped  many  years  ago,  and 


790  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

shipments  were  made  from  it  in  the  year  1912.  The  property  is  owned 
by  C.  W.  Kinney  and  Eastern  associates. 

The  Lahontan  Valley. — The  scientists  tell  us  that  Lake  Lahontan,  for 
many  years  called  the  Carson  Sink  Valley,  was  formerly  a  body  of  salt 
water.  Into  this  valley  are  discharged  the  waters  of  the  Carson  River, 
which  spread  out  upon  the  desert,  forming  upper  and  lower  Carson  Lakes. 
A  few  miles  below  the  canyon,  where  the  river  emerges  from  the  moun- 
tain the  stream  divided,  the  Main  Carson  flowing  to  the  south  into  the 
upper  lake,  the  other,  Old  River,  turning  to  the  north  near  Fallen  and 
finding  its  way  into  the  lower  sink.  During  the  flood  of  1862  Old  River 
was  cut  through,  and  later  New  River  was  formed  in  a  similar  way, 
branching  off  from  Old  River  about  one  mile  west  of  Fallen.  However, 
when  the  Reclamation  Service  took  charge  of  the  project  concrete  dams 
were  thrown  across  the  Main  Carson  and  New  River,  turning  all  the 
water  down  Old  River,  except  a  small  quantity  that  was  allowed  to  flow 
down  the  Main  Carson  to  supply  prior  right  pending  adjustment.  One 
of  these  rights  was  owned  by  F.  W.  Inman  for  his  flour-mill  on  the  slough 
a  few  miles  south  of  Fallon,  but  this  right  was  purchased  by  the  govern- 
ment in  1913  for  $7,500.  The  waters  of  the  upper  lake,  or  Carson  Lake, 
found  their  way  to  the  lower  sink  through  Stillwater  Slough,  and  while 
the  upper  lake  is  rapidly  drying  up,  the  slough  serves  a  good  purpose 
in  carrying  away  the  drainage  water  from  the  irrigation  system. 

Lahontan  Valley  also  received  a  portion  of  the  flood  waters  of  the 
Humboldt  River.  During  the  flood  of  1859-60  the  waters  of  Humboldt 
Lake  broke  over  and  a  channel  was  cut  through  the  low  depression, 
allowing  the  water  to  run  over  into  the  Carson  Sink.  This  still  goes 
on  every  season.  So  strong  and  continuous  was  this  flow  that  a  quartz 
mill  was  erected  in  the  '6o's  near  White  Plains,  using  the  current  ojf  the 
slough  for  power.  This  mill  is  in  Churchill  County,  and  falling  into 
disuse,  was  sold  for  taxes  in  1912.  The  old  immigrant  train  down  the 
Humboldt  crossed  at  this  mill  and  from  that  point  the  weary  pilgrims 
to  the  West  faced  the  famous  Forty-Mile  Desert,  on  their  way  from 
Lovelock  to  Ragtown.  This  was  a  waterless,  sandy  desert,  though  for 
the  most  part  it  was  one  of  those  sleek,  hard  flats  where  the  wheels  of 
wagons  scarcely  made  an  impression  as  they  passed  over  it. 

Ragtown  was  at  one  time  one  of  the  most  noted  localities  in  Churchill 
County  region,  though  now  the  place  is  known  as  Leeteville,  the  ranch 


CHURCHILL    COUNTY  791 

and  residence  of  James  Leete  keeping  vigil  over  this  landmark  of  the 
past.  For  some  years  Mr.  Leete  kept  a  postoffice  in  his  residence,  hence 
the  name  of  Leeteville.  In  the  earlier  times  Ragtown  was  a  station  on 
the  overland  road,  when  the  immigrants  moved  across  the  Forty-Mile 
Desert  from  Humboldt,  and  pushed  on  to  the  gold  fields  of  California. 
When  the  Simpson  route  was  discovered  and  adopted  in  1860  and  immig- 
rants came  by  way  of  Schell  Creek,  Egan  Canyon  and  Jacobsville,  on 
Reese  River,  Ragtown  still  remained  an  overland  station.  Two  reasons 
are  assigned  for  the  origin  of  the  novel  name  of  the  town.  One  is  that  it 
was  originally  composed  of  cloth-houses  built  by  traders  from  California, 
who,  leaving  in  the  fall,  left  their  ragged  shelters  to  flutter  in  the  wind. 
According  to  another  authority,  the  immigrants,  on  reaching  it,  hastened 
to  divest  themselves  of  their  ragged  garments  and  plunge  into  the  cooling 
waters  of  the  Carson.  Long,  scattered  piles  of  rags  daily  adorned  the 
banks  of  this  stream.  There  was  once  a  burying-ground  at  Ragtown 
consisting  of  two  hundred  graves,  results  of  cholera,  fever  and  exhaustion 
in  early  years,  which  were  variously  marked  with  log-chains,  wagon 
tires,  etc.  During  the  flood  of  1861-2  it  was  completely  covered  over 
and  obliterated,  and  a  public  road  now  passes  over  the  spot. 

Lahontan  Valley  is  historic  in  western  travel.  The  old  Pony  Express 
used  to  pass  through  near  Fallon,  coming  by  way  of  East  Gate  and 
crossing  Old  River  and  going  on  to  the  west.  The  old  telegraph  line  also 
crossed  Old  River  a  few  miles  to  the  north  of  Fallon.  How  history 
changes  as  time  rolls  on !  The  early  immigrants  passed  along  up  the 
Carson  River,  emerging  from  Lahontan  Valley  at  what  is  now  the  site 
of  the  great  Lahontan  Dam,  where  this  structure,  one  hundred  feet  high, 
will  throw  the  waters  back  up  the  stream  for  fifteen  miles,  impounding 
300,000  acre-feet  of  flood  waters  to  be  conserved  and  used  in  irrigating 
the  lands  of  the  hundreds  of  homesteaders  who  have  settled  in  the  valley 
below.  This  dam  is  now  well  under  way  and  will  be  ready  to  catch  the 
flood-waters  of  1914. 

Soil  and  Climate. — Situated  at  an  elevation  of  a  little  less  than  4,000 
feet  above  sea  level,  the  Lahontan  Valley  has  a  mild  and  equable  climate. 
Snow  forms  but  a  small  part  of  the  annual  precipitation,  and  the  ground 
is  seldom  covered  for  more  than  a  day.  Being  remote  from  the  lofty 
snow-ranges  of  the  Sierras,  the  winter  weather  is  usually  warm  and 
pleasant  and  the  farmers  can  generally  plow  their  land  every  month  in 


792 

the  year.  The  soil  varies  from  the  heavy  adobe  to  the  rich  black  loam 
and  light  sandy  soil,  well  adapted  to  various  kinds  of  agriculture,  and  is 
wonderfully  prolific  in  the  growth  of  vegetation,  once  water  is  applied. 
Alfalfa,  wheat,  oats  and  barley  grow  and  yield  abundantly,  while  potatoes, 
onions  and  vegetables  are  important  crops  for  export.  Fruits  of  delicious 
flavor  are  produced,  and  Lahontan  Valley  watermelons  and  cantaloupes 
are  in  great  demand  in  the  mining  camps. 

Fallon  Beet  Sugar  Factory. — The  largest  commercial  enterprise  in 
Churchill  County  is  the  Nevada  Sugar  Company's  factory,  located  one 
mile  from  Fallon,  at  a  cost  of  $600,000.  It  was  first  opened  in  the  fall 
of  1911,  and  is  supplied  with  beets  from  the  Lahontan  Valley  and  western 
Nevada  in  general.  It  is  the  first  beet-sugar  factory  to  be  erected  in 
the  State.  Thorough  tests  have  demonstrated  that  the  soil  and  climate 
of  western  Nevada  are  admirably  adapted  to  the  growing  of  sugar-beets, 
the  percentage  of  sugar  running  unusually  high.  The  enterprise  was 
promoted  largely  through  the  efforts  of  Dr.  C.  A.  Hascall,  the  builders 
and  financiers  being  H.  W.  Hinze  and  Fred  Hinze. 

There  are  indeed  few  men  living  in  Churchill  County  today  who  were 
active  in  its  early  history,  but  among  these  may  be  mentioned  Hon.  W.  C. 
Grimes,  who  at  the  second  election,  November  3,  1866,  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  Assembly.  While  holding  many  official  positions  in  the 
county,  among  them  State  Senator,  to  which  he  was  elected  in  1874,  and 
several  times  to  the  office  of  district  attorney,  he  was  again  elected  a 
member  of  the  Assembly  in  1912,  now  being  a  member  of  that  body  after 
a  lapse  of  forty-six  years.  During  these  years  he  has  accumulated  a 
goodly  portion  of  this  world's  goods  and,  above  all,  has  maintained  an 
unsullied  character.  J.  W.  Richards,  elected  county  clerk  in  1878,  and 
Assemblyman  in  1880,  is  now  serving  his  third  consecutive  term  as  county 
treasurer.  Mr.  Richards  was  born  in  Bath  County,  Kentucky,  November 
3,  1839,  locating  in  Churchill  in  1863.  J.  J.  Cushman,  who  was  elected 
county  clerk  in  1872,  still  resides  on  his  ranch  a  few  miles  south  of 
Fallon,  on  which  he  settled  in  1861,  the  tract  comprising  1,200  acres 
of  land. 

The  City  of  Fallon. — A  postoffice  was  established  in  1896  on  Mike 
Fallon's  ranch,  and  was  given  the  name  of  Fallon  postoffice.  It  was 
carried  on  in  a  little  10  x  12  shack  near  the  residence,  where  the  people 
of  the  neighborhood  called  to  get  their  mail.  The  farm  was  later  sold 


CHURCHILL    COUNTY  793 

to  Warren  W.  Williams  and  the  first  postoffice  was  situated  just  east  of 
his  present  residence.  Within  a  year  J.  W.  Richards  moved  his  store 
from  Stillwater  to  Fallon,  erecting  the  building  now  owned  and  occupied 
by  the  Churchill  County  Eagle.  He  later  became  postmaster.  F.  W. 
Inman  started  a  butcher  shop,  and  these  were  the  only  two  places  of 
business  in  the  town  at  the  time  the  act  was  passed  by  the  Legislature  of 
1902  moving  the  county  seat  from  Stillwater.  There  was,  however,  a 
school  house  and  the  New  River  Hall. 

Hon.  Warren  W.  Williams  donated  the  land  for  the  Courthouse  and 
Jail  and  laid  out  an  addition  for  the  town  on  the  west  side  of  Maine 
street,  naming  the  principal  street  after  his  native  state  of  Maine.  John 
Oats  laid  out  the  Oats  addition  from  part  of  his  ranch  on  the  east  side 
of  the  street.  Lots  were  sold  at  $30  each  and  the  town  rapidly  sprang 
into  life.  The  courthouse  was  completed  the  following  year,  and  with 
the  passage  of  the  Reclamation  Law  in  1902  establishing  the  Truckee- 
Carson  irrigation  project,  with  Fallon  as  the  center,  the  permanency  of 
the  town  was  assured.  The  various  construction  camps  of  the  contractors 
and  the  government  located  adjacent  to  the  town  made  times  lively  and 
Fallon  grew  by  leaps  and  bounds.  The  discovery  of  rich  ore  at  the  camps 
of  Fairview  and  Wonder  created  great  excitement  and  caused  a  big 
rush  in  the  spring  of  1905.  Fallon  being  the  natural  "Gateway  to  the 
Mines,"  reaped  a  great  harvest  the  next  few  years  from  this  traffic. 
Outside  of  the  business  center  it  was  a  city  of  tents,  for  houses  could  not 
be  built  fast  enough  to  accommodate  the  rapidly  growing  population. 
The  town  was  controlled  by  the  county  commissioners,  sitting  as  a  town 
board.  The  Legislature  of  1907  passed  a  special  incorporation  act  for 
the  Town  of  Fallon,  but  when  submitted  to  the  voters  that  summer  they 
rejected  it,  and  the  government  of  the  town  went  on  as  before  until 
1908,  when  the  City  of  Fallon  was  organized  under  the  general  incor- 
poration act,  but  the  validity  of  this  law  had  to  be  tested  by  the  Supreme 
Court,  which  caused  much  delay.  The  law  was  sustained  and  the  City 
of  Fallon  actually  launched  out  as  a  municipality. 

In  1911  the  City  Council  decided  to  bond  the  city  for  $35,000  for  a 
water-system  and  $10,000  for  a  sewer-system.  This  did  not  meet  with 
any  opposition,  a  petition  not  even  coming  in  from  the  necessary  15 
per  cent,  of  the  voters  to  have  the  question  submitted  to  a  vote.  How- 
ever, there  was  considerable  difficulty  in  arranging  details  and  disposing 


794  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

of  the  bonds,  and  before  this  was  carried  out  the  Government  decided 
to  construct  an  electric  transmission  line  from  Lahontan  Dam,  eighteen 
miles  west,  to  the  city,  at  a  cost  of  $20,000,  in  order  to  supply  the  cor- 
poration with  light  and  power.  Therefore,  it  was  decided  to  issue  $15,000 
more  bonds  for  a  city-light  system.  This,  as  before,  did  not  meet  with 
any  opposition,  and  the  three  municipal  improvements  were  installed  at 
the  same  time,  during  the  summer  of  1912.  But  before  the  sewer  system 
was  completed  it  was  seen  that  it  should  be  extended  to  outlying  districts 
in  order  to  accommodate  the  entire  population,  and  a  change  was  made 
in  the  plans,  entailing  an  additional  expense,  which  called  for  $17,000 
more,  and  for  this  the  council  provided  by  an  additional  bond  issue  of 
$17,000,  there  being  no  protest  from  the  people.  This  made  the  sewer, 
water  and  light  systems  cost  the  city  $77,000.  The  work  was  carried 
through  under  the  direction  of  E.  P.  Osgood,  as  city  engineer,  L.  W. 
Crehore  having  special  charge  of  installing  the  electrical  system  and  the 
pumping-plant. 

The  three  systems  were  put  into  operation  during  the  summer  of  1912 
and  there  was  not  a  hitch  in  any  department.  Everything  was  a  success 
from  the  very  start.  The  city  officials  who  had  the  responsibility  of 
expending  this  $77,000  were:  Geo.  E.  Sherman,  mayor,  and  Councilmen 
John  Oats,  Judson  C.  Jones,  and  Joe  Jarvis,  with  the  assistance  of  City 
Attorney  E.  E.  Winters,  who  directed  the  legal  procedure,  and  City 
Clerk  W.  H.  Reavis,  who  had  the  responsibility  of  handling  the  accounts. 
And  here  it  may  be  said  that  while  but  few  if  any  cities  with  1,200  popu- 
lation have  carried  out  so  completely  the  system  of  municipal  ownership 
of  utilities,  yet  be  it  said  to  the  credit  of  the  men  who  had  official  charge 
that  there  was  not  the  slightest  suspicion  of  graft  or  any  misappropriation 
of  funds.  To  the  contrary,  when  it  came  to  the  election  in  May,  1913, 
every  one  of  the  above-named  officers  were  returned  by  the  votes  of  the 
people  to  serve  another  two  years,  so  well  had  their  work  been  performed. 
Municipal  ownership  of  water,  light  and  power  in  the  City  of  Fallon  has 
proven  highly  satisfactory.  Besides  a  splendid  public  school  and  a  county 
high  school,  the  City  of  Fallon  is  provided  with  five  churches — Baptist, 
Methodist  Episcopal,  Episcopal,  Seventh  Day  Adventist,  and  Catholic, 
which  were  built  in  the  order  named. 


CLARK  COUNTY  795 

CHAPTER  XLV. 

CLARK  COUNTY. 

BY  C.  P.  SQUIRES. 

Las  Vegas,  which  being  translated  from  the  Spanish  means  "The 
Meadows,"  gives  in  its  name  the  secret  of  its  early  importance.  God 
decreed  that  in  this  valley,  in  the  midst  of  the  desert,  a  store  of  living 
water  should  be  placed,  and  here  a  kindly  Providence  guided  the  foot- 
steps of  the  Franciscan  Fathers  in  their  explorations  more  than  a  century 
ago,  who,  in  their  spirit  of  thankfulness  for  the  forests  of  mesquite 
furnishing  a  grateful  shade,  and  the  broad  reaches  of  green  meadow 
made  cool  and  restful  by  the  moisture  from  the  springs  and  flowing 
streams,  gave  the  name  "Las  Vegas,"  so  descriptive  and  suggestive  to 
the  minds  of  those  who  know. 

With  the  passing  of  the  years,  knowledge  of  this  spot,  so  delightful  to 
the  fever-stricken  travelers  of  the  desert,  spread,  and  Las  Vegas  became 
well  established  on  the  maps  of  the  Far  West.  Fremont,  the  pathfinder, 
sent  his  scouts  hither.  Searchers  after  the  hidden  wealth  of  the  moun- 
tains blessed  its  life-saving  waters.  Pilgrims  from  the  newly  established 
empire  of  Utah  stopped  here  to  regain  their  strength  and  recuperate  their 
animals  on  their  awful  journeys  to  Southern  California  over  the  old 
California  trail.  Here  the  Union  soldiers  stationed  at  Fort  Callville  at 
the  Big  Bend  of  the  Colorado  during  the  Civil  War,  came  to  refresh 
themselves  and  their  tired  mounts.  Here,  also,  came  the  farmer  to  supply 
the  needs  of  the  occasional  traveler  and  prospector.  Then  the  water  was 
applied  to  irrigating  the  soil,  and  the  remarkable  fertility  of  the  country 
became  apparent.  Fruits,  vegetables,  hay  and  grains  repaid  the  venture- 
some ones  who  were  willing  to  try,  in  rich  measure. 

Yet  with  all  its  years  as  a  resting  place  for  the  desert  traveler,  Las 
Vegas  would  still  be  unknown  to  the  world  had  it  not  been  for  the  decree 
of  man  that  a  railroad  should  be  built  through  this  remote  region.  Here 
again  came  in  the  feature  of  never-failing  water-supply,  since  it  was 


796  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

necessary  at  some  point  to  establish  great  shops  and  other  necessities  for 
the  maintenance  and  operation  of  the  road.  The  Vegas  springs  decided 
that  also,  making  the  newly  born  city  on  the  Salt  Lake  Road  not  a  way 
station  merely  but  a  division  point  and  the  seat  of  its  shops  and  store^ 
houses.  In  May,  1905,  the  railroad,  having  purchased  1,800  acres  of  the 
old  Stewart  ranch  with  the  springs,  held  an  auction  sale  at  which  hun- 
dreds of  eager  bidders  struggled  for  choice  building  and  business  lots. 
By  reason  of  this  competition  high  prices  were  paid  by  investors  for 
much  of  the  property  in  Clark's  Las  Vegas  townsite,  yet  there  is  no  case 
so  far  as  we  are  aware  where  the  property  will  not  bring  today  a  very 
fair  return  on  the  investment.  The  days  immediately  preceding  the 
auction  sale  saw  hundreds  of  people  arriving,  to  be  present  at  the  birth 
of  the  new  city.  In  tents  were  postoffice,  saloons,  gambling  houses, 
hotels,  large  stocks  of  merchandise  and  even  two  banks,  a  third  being 
opened  soon  after  the  sale. 

On  May  I5th,  1905,  Las  Vegas  was  really  born.  Under  a  spreading 
mesquite  tree  near  the  present  freight  depot  a  platform  had  been  erected, 
and  here  congregated  the  major  portion  of  the  three  thousand  people 
then  on  the  ground.  On  the  platform  C.  O.  Whittemore,  representing 
the  railroad  company,  explained  the  methods  to  be  followed  in  making 
the  sales,  and  gave  to  the  eager  purchasers  the  promises  of  the  railroad 
company  as  to  future  improvements  to  be  made  by  the  company.  These 
promises  included  the  building  of  a  water-system  whereby  water  would 
be  placed  on  every  lot  under  pressure ;  the  improvement  of  all  streets ; 
the  building  of  a  handsome  depot  and  other  railroad  buildings;  and 
finally,  the  building  of  the  principal  shops  of  the  system,  to  employ 
several  hundred  men.  Although  for  some  time  before  there  was  some 
dissatisfaction  at  the  delay  in  carrying  out  some  of  these  improvements, 
it  is  but  fair  to  say  that  all  the  promises  of  the  company  have  been  fairly 
fulfilled,  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  people. 

The  struggle  between  excited  bidders  for  favorite  locations  grew  tense 
as  the  day  advanced,  and  the  incidents  of  the  day  will  long  be  remem- 
bered by  those  participating.  The  auction  sale  was  not  completed  until 
the  afternoon  of  the  i6th.  The  intense  heat  of  the  sun,  added  to  the 
warmth  of  the  day's  activities,  those  two  days  being  the  first  hot  days 
of  the  season,  and  in  striking  contrast  to  the  chill  which  had  been  in  the 
air  prior  to  that  time.  The  sale  of  the  lots  of  Clark's  Las  Vegas  townsite 


CLARK    COUNTY  797 

has  gone  into  history  as  the  largest  sale  of  lots  at  auction  at  any  one 
time  ever  known — 1,200  lots  were  sold  for  an  aggregate  of  $265,000. 
On  the  morning  of  the  seventeenth  tent  houses,  loads  of  lumber  and 
every  variety  of  building  material  were  being  hurriedly  hauled  onto  the 
townsite,  which  up  to  this  time  was  unencumbered  by  even  the  smallest 
structure.  There  was  a  general  search  among  the  clumps  of  brush  for 
the  stakes  marking  the  lot  corners,  the  streets  even  being  not  yet  cleared 
of  brush,  and  before  night  buildings  of  all  kinds  were  standing  in  various 
stages  of  completion,  many  of  them  being  used  before  the  roofs  were  on. 

Among  those  who  are  still  residents  of  Las  Vegas  who  were  present  at  the 
sale  may  be  mentioned  W.  R.  Thomas,  John  S.  Park,  C.  P.  Squires,  John 
F.  Miller,  J.  S.  Wisner,  W.  R.  Bracken,  Henry  Squires,  W.  E.  Hawkins, 
M.  C.  Thomas,  Peter  Buol,  Edw.  and  Frank  A.  Clark,  J.  T.  McWilliams, 
E.  W.  Griffith  and  others. 

Following  the  sale  of  town  lots  the  growth  of  the  city  was  very  rapid. 
Buildings  of  lumber,  brick,  concrete  and  cement  blocks  were  erected  in 
record  time  and  in  thirty  days  the  sagebrush  of  the  desert  had  given 
way  to  homes  and  business  blocks  and  the  new  city  was  safely  and  surely 
on  its  way  to  greatness.  During  the  summer  following  the  sale  the  Las 
Vegas  Land  and  Water  Company,  in  making  good  its  promises  to  the 
people,  graded  and  oiled  ten  miles  of  the  city  streets,  building  cement 
curbs  in  the  business  portion  and  wooden  curbs  throughout  the  balance 
of  the  townsite.  They  also  completed  the  water  system,  piping  pure 
spring  water  to  every  lot.  These  improvements  served  to  remedy  much 
that  was  disagreeable  during  the  first  three  months  of  the  life  of  the 
new  city,  and  beginning  with  the  fall  of  1905  much  substantial  building 
was  done,  concrete  blocks  being  used  very  largely.  The  high  class  of 
building  then  begun  has  exerted  a  very  noticeable  influence  upon  the 
character  of  the  city,  Las  Vegas  being  more  substantial  and  permanent 
in  its  appearance  than  most  cities  of  a  similar  origin.  A  brief  chronology 
of  some  of  the  principal  events  in  the  life  and  growth  of  the  city  would 
include  the  following: 

Early  in  1905,  months  before  the  present  townsite  was  thrown  open 
by  the  company,  "the  original  townsite  of  Las  Vegas"  was  subdivided  and 
lots  therein  sold  in  considerable  numbers  by  J.  T.  McWilliams.  A  thriv- 
ing town  sprung  up  with  a  population  of  perhaps  two  thousand  souls 
awaiting  the  opening  of  the  railroad.  This  townsite  is  now  a  residence 


798  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

portion  of  the  city  and  has  in  it  some  pleasant  homes.  The  business 
portion  was  mostly  destroyed  by  fire  soon  after  the  railroad  townsite  was 
opened.  The  building  of  the  ice-plant  of  the  P.  F.  Ex.  Co.  was  started 
on  land  belonging  to  Mr.  McWilliams,  but  through  some  disagreement 
that  site  was  abandoned  and  the  plant  erected  south  of  the  town,  ice  being 
first  manufactured  in  August  of  1905.  The  capacity  of  the  plant  was 
fifty-tons  per  day.  McWilliamstown  was  busy  and  prosperous  during 
the  spring  of  this  year  by  reason  of  the  immense  freighting  business  to 
the  newly  discovered  Bullfrog  district.  For  a  time  a  large  business  was 
done,  principally  by  the  firm  of  Crowell  &  Allot  and  F.  J.  Kramer.  With 
the  decline  of  the  teaming  business  soon  after  the  railroad  company 
opened  its  townsite,  both  of  these  firms  failed,  it  being  notable  that  these 
are  the  only  business  houses  of  Las  Vegas  of  any  importance  which 
have  failed. 

Among  the  notable  things  of  the  early  days  of  Vegas  was  "Hotel  Las 
Vegas,"  a  large  canvas  structure  40  by  140  with  large  additions  for 
dining-room  and  kitchen,  all  furnished  and  fitted  in  the  style  of  a  first 
class  city  hotel,  with  a  force  of  waitresses  and  cooks  brought  from 
Los  Angeles  to  cater  to  the  public.  This  was  dismantled  in  the  following 
winter,  after  entertaining  hundreds  of  guests.  It  was  located  on  Maine 
Street,  adjoining  the  townsite  on  the  north,  and  for  months  marked  the 
center  of  activity  in  the  new  city. 

A  short  distance  north  of  the  Hotel  Las  Vegas  was  built  the  garage  of 
the  automobile  line  established  by  Messrs.  J.  Ross  Clark,  F.  M.  Grace, 
C.  O.  Whittemore  and  others  for  the  purpose  of  furnishing  transportation 
to  the  Bullfrog  district.  This  enterprise  was  abandoned  after  the  expendi- 
ture of  perhaps  $25,000  when  it  was  determined  that  a  branch  railroad 
should  be  built  to  connect  Las  Vegas  with  Gold  Center,  Beatty,  Bull- 
frog, Rhyolite  and  Goldfield.  This  road  was  projected  by  "Borax"  Smith, 
who  caused  surveys  to  be  made,  and  during  the  following  winter,  graded 
about  ten  miles  of  the  road.  In  the  early  spring  of  1906,  a  disagreement 
arose  between  the  Smith  people  and  the  Salt  Lake  road  as  a  result  of 
which  Senator  Wm.  A.  Clark  decided  to  take  over  the  interests  which 
Smith  had  acquired  and  build  the  road  himself  as  a  private  enterprise 
to  be  a  feeder  to  the  main  line.  Construction  was  pushed  by  the  Clark 
people  with  vigor  all  during  that  year  and  the  road  completed  as  far  as 
Rhyolite  by  November  of  1906.  The  building  of  this  main  line  was  of 


CLARK    COUNTY  799 

great  importance  to  Las  Vegas,  furnishing  its  merchants  a  market  for  a 
vast  quantity  of  material  of  various  kinds  which  otherwise  would  not  have 
been  disposed  of.  This  road  was  named  the  Las  Vegas  and  Tonopah 
and  is  still  an  important  factor  in  the  business  of  the  city.  It  was  com- 
pleted through  to  Goldfield,  which  is  still  the  terminus  of  the  line.  In 
its  early  day  the  L.  V.  &  T.  carried  an  immense  traffic  to  the  mining  camps, 
being  for  several  months  their  only  rail  communication  with  the  outside 
world.  The  Greenwater  boom  furnished  an  especially  lively  business  for 
a  few  months.  "Borax"  Smith,  not  to  be  thwarted  in  his  railroad  am- 
bitions at  once  upon  leaving  Vegas,  made  connections  with  the  Santa  Fe 
Company  and  built  a  line  from  Ludlow  to  Goldfield  which  is  now  the 
Tonopah  and  Tidewater  Railroad,  thus  depriving  Las  Vegas  of  much 
business  that  would  otherwise  have  come  to  her  doors  had  she  remained  the 
only  gateway  from  the  gold  camps  to  the  south. 

During  the  fall  of  1905,  a  company  was  organized  to  furnish  electric 
lights  to  the  young  city.  Pole  lines  were  built  and  a  contract  made  with 
the  Pacific  Fruit  Express  Co.,  to  supply  current.  This  service,  while  far 
from  perfect,  proved  a  great  convenience,  and  finally  developed  into  the 
Consolidated  Power  &  Telephone  Co.,  which  is  now  supplying  the  city 
with  electricity,  gas  and  telephone  service.  In  November  of  this  year 
the  Home  Building  and  Loan  Association  was  organized  and  was  the 
means  through  which  many  of  the  earlier  homes  of  the  city  were  con- 
structed. This  company,  owing  to  lack  of  investing  stockholders,  was 
finally  wound  up,  its  loan  being  taken  over  by  the  bank. 

Among  the  buildings  which  were  under  construction  at  this  time  were 
the  Thomas  Block,  the  First  State  Bank  Building,  and  many  frame  struc- 
tures of  considerable  pretense.  The  homes  of  John  S.  Park,  C.  P.  Squires, 
C.  N.  Brown,  (now  owned  by  T.  J.  Osborne)  Dan  V.  Noland,  (now  owned 
by  W.  R.  Bracken)  and  A.  L.  Murphy  on  Freemont  street,  were  completed 
in  the  winter  and  spring  of  1906. 

The  summer  of  1906  was  made  active  by  the  building  of  the  Las 
Vegas  and  Tonopah  railroad  mentioned  above,  and  by  the  tremendous 
boom  which  the  newly  discovered  "Greenwater"  copper  camp  experienced. 
Much  travel  to  the  new  camps  was  by  way  of  the  Las  Vegas,  and  a  large 
trade  was  enjoyed  by  her  business  men.  Following  this  boom  and  the 
completion  of  the  Tonopah  &  Tidewater  road  into  Greenwater  and  Rhyo- 
lite  by  "Borax"  Smith,  times  were  very  quiet  and  the  town  went  through 


8oo  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

one  of  her  most  discouraging  periods.  This  was  heightened  during  the 
following  winter  by  heavy  rains  which  caused  serious  washouts  in  Meadow 
Valley  Wash  and  a  suspension  of  through  traffic  for  about  six  weeks  early 
in  1907.  The  Opera  House  block  was  built  during  the  summer  of  1907 
on  the  corner  of  First  and  Fremont  streets.  Many  remember  that  the  fresh- 
ly laid  walls  of  this  building,  being  unsupported  by  sufficient  bracing,  were 
partly  thrown  down  by  a  severe  windstorm  which  came  up  unexpectedly 
one  night.  However  the  damage  was  repaired  and  the  building  was  long 
the  principal  structure  of  the  town,  the  large  hall  being  used  for  all  public 
meetings  and  entertainments  as  well  as  by  various  lodges  and  for  a 
time  by  the  Majestic  moving  picture  theatre.  The  building  was  finally 
purchased  by  M.  C.  Thomas  and  used  exclusively  by  the  Thomas  Depart- 
ment store  until  it  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  May,  1912. 

During  the  summer  of  1907  the  ice- factory  of  the  Pacific  Fruit  Ex- 
press Co.,  was  destroyed  by  fire.  This  was  a  severe  blow  to  the  city,  but 
the  loss  was  repaired  by  rebuilding  the  plant  much  better  than  before  and 
with  a  capacity  of  100  tons  of  ice  per  day.  Las  Vegas  has  been  very 
fortunate  since  its  beginning  in  having  ice  during  the  heated  term  de- 
livered at  residences  at  a  price  within  the  reach  of  all.  This  feature  has 
done  much  to  make  the  summer  heat  more  easily  endured,  adding  much  to 
the  health  and  comfort  of  the  people. 

In  common  with  all  other  portions  of  the  country  Las  Vegas  was  aware 
of  the  financial  panic  which  swept  over  the  nation  in  October  1907,  yet 
she  experienced  none  of  the  business  hardships  which  were  common  to 
practically  the  whole  country.  The  chief  reason  for  this  was  undoubtedly 
the  stability  of  the  First  State  Bank  and  the  confidence  in  which  it 
was  held  by  the  people.  There  was  no  run  on  this  institution  at  any  time, 
and  its  doors  were  not  closed  at  all  during  the  panic  when  all  other  banks 
of  the  State  were  taking  advantage  of  the  legal  holidays  declared.  One 
of  the  most  interesting  events  of  1907  was  the  completion  by  the  Vegas 
Artesian  Water  Syndicate  of  the  first  test-well  sunk  to  determine  whether 
or  not  there  was  artesian  water  to  be  had  in  the  Vegas  Valley.  Through  the 
efforts  of  the  late  Judge  Beal,  and  with  the  assistance  of  practically  every 
business  man  in  the  town,  several  hundred  acres  of  land  were  subscribed 
to  the  enterprise  and  enough  money  secured  to  buy  a  drilling-rig  and  sink 
a  well.  The  first  effort  was  made  at  a  point  about  three  miles  north  of 
Vegas  and  a  small  flow  of  water  was  secured.  This,  however,  demonstrated 


CLARK    COUNTY  801 

what  all  had  hoped — that  the  pressure  of  the  underground  waters  is  suffi- 
cient to  bring  the  water  above  the  surface  without  the  necessity  of  using 
pumps,  forming  what  is  probably  the  very  cheapest  method  of  securing 
water  for  irrigation.  From  this  small  beginning  the  work  of  developing 
artesian  water  has  reached  considerable  proportions,  there  being  at  this 
date  (the  summer  of  1912)  approximately  100  successful  flowing  wells, 
serving  to  irrigate  many  small  ranches  which  have  a  combined  area  of 
several  thousand  acres. 

In  1908  the  real  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  little  city  began.  In  June 
of  that  year  the  Las  Vegas  Age,  the  newspaper  which  was  established 
by  T.  G.  Nicklin  before  the  opening  of  the  townsite,  and  which  was  the 
only  one  of  three  newspapers  to  survive  the  ups  and  downs  of  the  forma- 
tive period  of  the  town,  was  purchased  by  C.  P.  Squires,  who  immediately 
inaugurated  a  campaign  of  optimism  with  regard  to  the  advantages  which 
Las  Vegas  and  its  valley  possess.  Following  this  a  publicity  organization 
called  the  "Las  Vegas  Promotion  Society"  was  organized  to  assist  in  the 
work  of  publicity,  and  under  the  management  of  the  late  Judge  M.  S.  Beal, 
did  much  good  work.  In  August  of  this  year  the  campaign  in  favor  of 
creating  the  new  county  of  Clark  out  of  the  southern  half  of  what  was  then 
Lincoln  County  was  taken  up  in  earnest.  A  county  division  club  was 
formed,  committees  appointed,  money  subscribed,  and  a  united  people  won 
the  fight  after  a  vigorous  campaign.  The  Legislature  in  February  1900. 
passed  the  county  division  act,  creating  Clark  county,  with  Las  Vegas  as 
the  county  seat,  the  bill  taking  effect  July  first,  1909.  Governor  Dicker- 
son  appointed  W.  E.  Hawkins,  of  Las  Vegas,  W.  H.  Bradley,  of  Search- 
light and  S.  H.  Wells,  of  Logan  county  commissioners  of  the  new  county 
and  they  in  turn  appointed  county  officers  to  serve  until  after  the  election  of 
the  following  year.  The  county  officials  were  inaugurated  with  a  very 
enthusiastic  Fourth  of  July  celebration.  A  feature  of  this  affair  was  the 
turning  over  by  the  people  of  Las  Vegas  of  a  neat  little  temporary  Court 
House  (which  is  still  in  use)  in  fulfillment  of  their  promise  to  furnish  office 
quarters  for  the  county  officials  for  the  period  of  three  years  free  of  charge. 
The  first  set  of  officers  of  Clark  County  were  Ed.  W.  Clark,  treasurer,  Har- 
ley  A.  Harmon,  clerk,  W.  J.  McBurney,  assessor,  C.  C.  Corkhill,  sheriff, 
and  Frank  Clayton,  receiver  and  auditor. 

The  beginning  of  the  new  county  government  seemed  to  give  a  new 


802 

hope  and  a  new  impetus  to  things  in  general.  Business  experienced  a  very 
marked  revival. 

Early  in  this  year  (1909)  the  San  Pedro,  Los  Angeles  and  Salt  Lake 
Railway  Company  announced  that  it  would  immediately  build  large 
machine  shops  in  this  city.  Work  on  the  shop-building  was  begun  in 
March,  and  by  mid-summer  was  well  under  way.  In  July  the  railroad 
company  announced  the  beginning  of  construction  of  forty  handsome  con- 
crete cottages  of  four  and  five  rooms  for  rent  to  their  employees.  This 
number  was  found  inadequate  and  the  number  was  increased  to  sixty-five. 
Some  building  was  also  undertaken  by  private  individuals,  making  the 
year  a  fairly  busy  one.  In  the  latter  portion  of  this  year  the  matter  of 
selling  bonds  of  the  unincorporated  town  of  Las  Vegas  to  the  amount  of 
$30,000  was  agitated  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  sewer  system  which  had 
by  this  time  become  very  necessary.  This  bond  issue  was  voted  almost 
unanimously  at  a  special  election  held  in  January  1910,  but  owing  to  cer- 
tain legal  defects  the  bonds  were  not  salable. 

The  year  1910  was  one  of  trouble  for  the  new  city.  On  New  Year's 
Day  a  warm  rain,  following  a  protracted  cold  spell,  melted  the  mountain 
snows  and  brought  into  the  Meadow  Valley  Wash  in  Lincoln  county  the 
flood  waters  from  a  vast  area  of  country.  For  a  distance  of  about  no 
miles,  from  a  point  a  short  distance  north  of  Moapa  to  a  point  about  35 
miles  north  of  Caliente,  the  track  of  the  S.  P.  L.  A.  &  S.  L.  R.  R.  Co., 
was  reduced  to  a  mass  of  wreckage.  The  Los  Angeles  limited  train 
which  left  Las  Vegas  north-bound  about  9 130  on  the  evening  of  December 
3 ist,  with  all  its  splendid  equipment,  was  over  five-and-a-half  months  in 
reaching  Salt  Lake  City,  reposing  all  that  time  in  the  sands  of  the  wash. 
Without  the  operation  of  any  through  trains  Las  Vegas  was  nearly  desert- 
ed by  the  railroad  men  and  her  payroll  reduced  to  a  minimum,  bringing 
to  her  business  men  hard  times  and  discouragement.  However,  on  June 
12,  1910,  the  first  through  train  was  run  over  the  road,  temporary  repairs 
having  been  made  to  permit  of  the  resumption  of  traffic. 

In  the  meantime,  the  people  of  Las  Vegas  school  district  voted  to  issue 
$30,000  in  bonds  to  build  a  new  school  building,  and  on  July  4th,  the 
celebration  included  the  laying  of  the  corner  stone  of  this  handsome  struc- 
ture. Owing  to  an  unfortunate  series  of  controversies  which  arose  be- 
tween the  contractor  and  the  school  trustees,  the  new  building  was  not 
occupied  until  the  fall  of  1911. 


CLARK    COUNTY  803 

An  unfortunate  occurrence  in  connection  with  the  school  house  troubles 
was  the  complete  destruction  by  fire  in  October  1910,  of  the  old  school 
building  which  had  been  sold  by  the  board  to  E.  W.  Griffith,  but  was 
still  occupied  by  the  schools.  The  fire  occurred  late  at  night  and  was 
undoubtedly  of  incendiary  origin.  All  the  books  of  the  children  were  de- 
stroyed. Temporary  quarters  were  secured  in  the  Methodist  church  and  in 
a  building  belonging  to  Capt.  Ladd  near  the  church.  Here,  without  ade- 
quate heating,  and  with  few  conveniences  for  work,  teachers  and  pupils 
were  obliged  to  spend  the  balance  of  the  school  year,  yet  all  worked  to- 
gether in  making  the  best  of  things  under  discouraging  circumstances. 

In  August,  1910,  Senator  Wm.  A.  Clark  announced  the  intention  of  the 
railroad  to  spend  about  $6,000,000  in  rebuilding  the  line  through  the 
Meadow  Valley  Wash  on  a  higher  level,  safely  above  the  high-water  line, 
and  the  presence  of  hundreds  of  workmen  for  many  months  engaged  in 
this  work  served  to  stimulate  business.  On  August  27th  the  work  of  tear- 
ing away  the  old  frame  structures  on  the  southeast  corner  of  First  and 
Fremont  streets  was  begun  and  the  Mesquite  block  was  built  on  the  site 
by  Judge  W.  R.  Thomas. 

In  January  1911  the  railroad  shops,  which  had  been  long  approaching 
completion,  were  put  in  operation  and  soon  were  employing  several 
hundred  men.  Work  on  the  construction  of  the  big  reinforced  concrete 
store-house  was  also  begun  and  carried  to  completion  during  the  summer. 
Later  in  the  season  a  handsome  apartment  house  of  50  rooms  was  begun 
by  the  Railroad  company  and  completed  early  in  1912.  The  most  serious 
fire  for  several  years  occurred  the  night  of  May  24,  1911  when  the  Over- 
land Hotel  was  totally  destroyed.  In  this  fire  one  life  was  lost  and  many 
narrow  escapes  from  death  and  injury  occurred.  Although  the  results  of 
seven  years  life  in  Las  Vegas  were  wiped  out,  the  owner,  J.  S.  Wisner 
resolutely  set  about  rebuilding  with  the  result  that  within  the  year  the 
old  structure  was  replaced  by  a  better  and  more  substantial  one  of  rein- 
forced concrete,  well  furnished  and  equipped.  After  a  vigorous  campaign 
of  education  and  much  work  by  the  committees  appointed  for  the  purpose, 
it  was  decided  to  incorporate  the  city,  and  a  charter  was  adopted  by  the 
citizens  which  was  presented  to  the  legislature  and  passed  in  March,  1911. 
The  election  of  city  officers  was  held  in  June  and  the  City  of  Las  Vegas 
became  a  reality  with  Peter  Buol  as  the  first  Mayor.  In  the  fall 
following,  a  special  election  was  called  and  sewer  bonds  to  the  amount 


804  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

of  $40,000  voted.  Although  some  difficulty  was  experienced  in  selling 
these  bonds  this  was  finally  accomplished  and  the  work  of  building  the 
sewer  is  now,  (in  the  summer  of  1912)  under  way. 

The  most  notable  feature  of  the  year  1911,  was  the  strike  on  September 
3Oth  of  all  the  shopmen  employed.  Following  this,  the  railroad  company 
closed  their  enclosure  about  the  railroad  property  and  for  some  months 
furnished  their  employees  with  all  the  necessities  of  life  within  the  walls. 
This  was  a  severe  blow  to  the  business  of  the  city,  but  since  then  the 
company  has  done  away  with  its  commissary  department  and  allows  its 
employees  to  come  and  go  as  they  see  fit  and  conditions  are  gradually  ap- 
proaching normal.  In  the  early  months  of  1912,  hard  times  again  became 
the  plaint.  Nevertheless  considerable  work  was  under  way  the  most  not- 
able being  the  new  Griffith  block,  the  largest  in  the  city.  This  now  houses 
the  postoffice,  a  drug  store,  the  Majestic  Theatre  and  various  apartments 
and  offices.  The  postoffice  moved  to  its  present  quarters  in  March  and 
the  Majestic  Theatre  gave  its  opening  performance  April  16,  1912.  An 
important  event  in  the  life  of  the  city  this  year  was  the  moving  of  the 
Consolidated  Power  &  Telephone  Company's  plant  to  its  present  location, 
doubling  its  electrical  power  by  the  installation  of  a,  new  engine  and  an 
additional  generator  and  building  an  up-to-date  gas-plant  and  piping  the 
gas  to  all  parts  of  the  city. 

This  chapter  being  devoted  almost  entirely  to  the  city  proper,  but 
slight  mention  has  been  made  of  the  astonishing  development  of  artesian 
water  in  the  surrounding  valley.  At  this  date  there  are  about  100  flow- 
ing wells  and  many  small  producing  ranches.  Several  farming  enter- 
prises of  considerable  size  are  also  under  way,  all  of  which  are  adding 
materially  to  the  growth  of  the  city.  The  development  is  naturally  slow, 
since  it  requires  approximately  one  year  to  sink  a  well,  prepare  the 
ground  for  irrigation,  cultivate  the  soil,  and  inoculate  it  with  the 
nitrogenous  elements  in  which  it  is  lacking.  Beginning  with  the  second 
season  excellent  results  are  almost  invariably  secured.  Owing  to  the 
almost  semi-tropical  climate,  all  fruits,  except  the  citrus,  may  be  grown 
in  abundance  and  of  splendid  quality.  Contrary  to  the  general  idea, 
apples  of  excellent  quality  are  produced  here.  Vegetables  of  all  kinds  are 
produced  abundantly.  One  of  the  staple  crops  of  this  section  wherever 
sufficient  water  is  available,  will  always  be  alfalfa.  Owing  to  the  great 


CLARK    COUNTY  805 

length  of  the  growing  season,  six  cuttings  of  alfalfa  are  secured  every 
year,  the  season's  production  being  from  eight  to  ten  tons  per  acre. 

Mineral  wealth  also  adds  considerably  to  the  business  of  the  city.  The 
Potosi  mine,  with  its  stores  of  lead  and  zinc,  the  Arden  Plaster  Company, 
with  its  large  mill  at  Arden  (almost  totally  destroyed  by  fire  in  the  spring 
of  1912  and  now  rebuilt),  the  South  Nevada  Gold  Mining  Company's 
mine  eight  miles  east  of  Vegas,  as  well  as  the  Goodsprings  or  Yellow 
Pine  mining  district,  the  Eldorado  Canyon  district  and  other  promising 
mining  sections  all  add  to  the  business  importance  of  Las  Vegas.  These, 
in  conjunction  with  her  steady  agricultural  development  and  her  railroad 
payroll  of  approximately  $60,000  per  month,  will  doubtless  soon  fulfill 
the  destiny  of  Las  Vegas  as  a  center  of  wealth  and  industry.  Looking 
backward  the  seven  short  years  to  her  birth  amidst  the  sage  brush  of  the 
desert  and  observing  her  present  array  of  handsome  homes,  substantial 
business  blocks,  her  numerous  municipal  improvements,  her  thriving  busi- 
ness enterprises,  and  above  all,  the  cheerful  courage  with  which  her 
people  stand  together  in  the  hours  of  adversity,  making  of  every  disap- 
pointment a  victory  and  of  every  disaster  a  step  forward,  we  can  say  in 
good  faith,  "Las  Vegas,"  "The  City  of  Destiny." 


806  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

CHAPTER  XLVI. 

DOUGLAS   COUNTY. 

BY  GEORGE  SPRINGMEYER. 

Early  Settlement.  It  is  probable  that  from  1834  until  1843,  while 
Nevada  was  still  a  part  of  Mexico,  several  white  trappers  passed  through 
what  is  now  called  the  Carson  Valley  of  Douglas  County.  Tradition 
credits  Kit  Carson  with  having  been  the  first  white  man  to  see  the  valley, 
but  in  what  year  is  a  matter  of  speculation.  In  1843  General  Fremont, 
it  is  said,  followed  the  Carson  River  to  where  Walley's  Springs  resort 
stands,  and  he  then  named  the  valley  and  river  in  honor  of  Kit  Carson, 
his  guide.  Via  Kingsbury  grade,  Fremont  crossed  to  Lake  Tahoe,  nam- 
ing it  Lake  Bonpland, — which  yielded  to  the  Indian  name  of  Tahoe,  mean^ 
ing  bottomless, — and  went  into  California.  During  his  expedition  of 
1845,  Fremont  once  more  passed  through  the  valley,  Kit  Carson  again  be- 
ing his  scout. 

Between  1845  and  1848  a  few  scattering  immigrants,  on  their  way  to 
California,  traveled  Fremont's  Carson  Valley  route.  Probably  in  1848 
Mormons  made  the  present  site  of  Genoa  a  stopping  place,  but  it  is  un- 
likely that  there  was  a  permanent  settlement  until  1850.  It  is  to  be  said, 
however,  that  if  the  manuscripts  of  early  Mormon  settlers  may  be  de- 
pended upon,  in  1849  a  double  log  house,  without  floor  or  roof,  and  a 
surrounding  rude  stockade,  or  corral,  covering  about  an  acre,  were  built 
in  the  place.  The  men  who  are  said  to  have  built  these  structures  were 
H.  S.  Beatie,  Abner  Blackburn  and  his  brother,  and  men  named  Kimball, 
Carter,  Pearson,  Smith  and  Brown.  Beatie  and  Abner  Blackburn  crossed 
the  mountains  into  California,  but  soon  returned  with  supplies,  which 
they  sold  to  immigrants  at  fabulous  prices.  The  route  to  California 
then  was  through  Carson  Valley,  thus  making  the  station  quite  a  trading- 
post.  In  the  latter  part  of  1849,  or  the  early  part  of  1850,  the  Mormons 
returned  to  Salt  Lake  City, — except  one,  who  remained  at  the  station, 
according  to  documents  found  among  Beatie's  effects  at  his  death. 
Whether  or  not  one  of  the  Mormons  remained,  it  is  certain  that  in 


O 


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§     7 

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DOUGLAS    COUNTY  807 

1850  the  Indians  razed  whatever  there  was  in  the  way  of  a  station  and 
left  not  a  vestige  of  the  white  man's  sojourn. 

In  1851,  John  Reese,  a  Salt  Lake  City  Mormon,  probably  having  some- 
how acquired  from  Beatie  his  "claim"  or  "rights"  in  Carson  Valley,  and 
a  party  consisting  of  John  and  Rufus  Thomas,  and  other  Mormons  named 
Lee,  Condie,  Brown,  and  Gibson,  arrived  at  the  deserted  settlement. 
Kinsey  rode  ahead  and  on  July  4,  1851,  picketed  his  horse  and  awaited 
the  coming  of  his  companions.  The  party  proceeded  at  once  to  build 
a  trading-post  of  mud  and  logs.  This  cabin,  the  first  house  in  Nevada, 
partly  torn  down  and  partly  rebuilt,  with  a  shingle  roof  placed  upon  it 
sometime  in  the  fifties,  remained  standing  until  June  28,  1910,  when  it 
was  destroyed  by  fire.  Despite  the  efforts  of  the  State  Senator  from  Doug- 
las County  nothing  was  done,  and  Nevada  thus  lost  her  most  interesting 
historical  relic.  During  the  interim  while  the  Mormons  were  absent, 
traffic  was  diverted  to  the  Truckee  River  route.  But  the  enterprising 
Mormons  soon  contrived  to  get  back  the  trade  of  the  travelers,  and  the 
settlement  presently  became  known  far  and  wide  as  Mormon 
Station,  a  name  which  clung  to  it  until  the  year  1855,  when  Probate  Judge 
Hyde,  sent  from  Utah  by  the  church,  renamed  it  Genoa  in  honor  of  the 
birthplace  of  the  discoverer  of  America. 

In  1852  a  number  of  immigrants  died  in  Carson  Valley  from  a 
disease  resembling  dysentery.  Nevertheless,  the  route  through  it  grew 
in  favor.  A  number  of  people,  attracted  by  the  climate,  the  abundance  of 
water,  and  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  located  permanently  in  the  valley. 
Besides  the  Mormons,  a  number  of  gentiles,  including  Joseph  Webb,  T.  G. 
Barnard,  James  Fennimore,  and  Israel  Mott  settled  there  in  1852-3, 
and  the  first  permanent  female  settler  in  the  person  of  Mrs.  Israel  Mott 
arrived  with  her  husband  in  1852.  On  November  12,  1852,  the  settlers 
formed  an  organization,  petitioned  Congress  to  create  a  territory,  adopted 
rules  for  taking  up  land,  and  elected  John  Reese  recorder  and  treasurer. 
Reese  recorded  the  first  claim  for  himself  early  in  December,  1852.  Six 
other  claims  were  recorded  during  the  same  month. 

The  advantages  of  toll-roads  and  bridges  were  soon  seen,  and  in  the 
latter  part  of  1852,  or  the  early  part  of  1853,  Reese  and  Mott  secured 
from  Utah  a  franchise  to  operate  a  toll-bridge  over  the  Carson  River,  near 
Genoa  and  on  the  present  Marquardt  farm,  a  project  which  for  years  was 
immensely  profitable.  It  is  said  that  a  rude  grist  or  flour-mill  was  built  at 


THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

the  station  in  the  early  part  of  1852,  for  John  Reese.  In  the  mill  ther^ 
was  a  crude  thrasher.  Reports  conflict  as  to  the  time  of  the  erection 
of  the  first  saw  mill,  but  it  was  probably  begun  in  1853.  The  first  lumber 
was  sawed  July  25,  1854.  John  Gary  owned  the  mill,  and  at  first  sold 
rough  lumber  for  a  hundred  dollars  a  thousand.  School  was  opened  in 
Israel  Mott's  house  in  1854,  Mrs.  Allen  being  the  teacher.  James  B. 
Ellis,  the  first  white  child,  was  born  May  i,  1854.  In  1853  settlers  be- 
came quite  numerous  and  the  two  merchants  did  a  flourishing  business. 
The  community  began  to  experience  the  ways  of  real  civilization,  for 
there  was  a  marriage,  a  "divorce," — without  court  formality, — a  dance, 
held  December  31,  1853,  and  various  other  features  of  social  life.  There 
was  a  petty  suit  tried  in  the  magistrate's  court  in  March,  1853,  and 
another  in  April,  1854.  The  Probate  Court  held  a  session  on  October 

3,  1854- 

Fortunately,  there  was  but  little  need  for  courts.  It  was  not  until 
1858,  in  the  hanging  of  Lucky  Bill,  that  lynch  law  was  resorted  to,  and 
even  then  there  was  no  necessity  for  it.  A  feature  of  this  first  hanging 
was  that  a  timid  young  man,  who  attended  out  of  curiosity  and  who  still 
lives  in  Douglas  County,  was  compelled  to  drive  the  wagon  from  under 
the  tree  around  a  branch  of  which  the  rope  was  tied ;  as  the  victim  had 
been  placed  upon  the  wagon  in  order  to  prevent  too  much  stretching  of  the 
rope,  when  the  wagon  was  driven  from  under  him  he  remained  suspended 
in  the  air  and  the  hanging  was  accomplished.  In  marked  contrast  with  this 
first  peaceful  lynching,  which  was  a  public  affair  and  occurred  in  the  day- 
time, was  the  last  lynching  in  the  county,  in  1896.  Adam  Uber  had  shot 
and  killed  Hans  Anderson  in  Millerville,  and  it  was  believed  that  the 
killing  was  very  atrocious.  Uber  was  taken  to  the  jail  in  Genoa.  A  num- 
ber of  the  valley  people,  particularly  those  of  the  same  nationality  as  the 
murdered  man,  decided  on  swift  and  sure  vengeance  and  a  saving  of  ex- 
pense to  the  county.  On  a  dark  and  stormy  night  the  posse  overpowered 
the  sheriff  at  the  jail,  dragged  the  almost  naked  victim  over  the  frozen 
ground  in  a  most  brutal  manner  to  a  tree  in  Frey's  lane  several  hundred 
yards  from  the  jail,  hanged  him  and  riddled  his  body  with  bullets. 
Though  attempts  were  made  to  apprehend  the  offenders,  nothing  was 
ever  accomplished.  It  is  said  that  one  of  the  two  leaders  of  the  lynchers 
lost  his  leg  and  almost  his  life  in  a  runaway  at  the  identical  spot  of  the 
hanging,  several  years  ago,  and  that  the  other  always  is  peculiarly  on  the 


DOUGLAS    COUNTY  809 

alert  when  passing  it.  Among  the  crimes  to  which  no  clue  was  ever 
discovered  are  the  murder  of  Mrs.  Sarman  and  the  attempted  burning  of 
her  home,  and  the  murder  of  one  Ledgeway,  whose  house  was  burned  over 
him.  During  the  days  of  squatters'  rights,  there  were  a  number  of  dis- 
putes between  Mormons  and  gentiles,  and  a  few  troubles  with  Indians. 
There  have  been  very  few  robberies  and  crimes  of  a  like  nature.  Con- 
sidering the  conditions,  there  has  been  a  remarkable  scarcity  of  crime.  To- 
day, whiskey-selling  to  Indians  is  the  only  crime  heard  of. 

Sixty  or  seventy  Mormon  families  came  to  the  valley  in  1856,  and, 
also,  a  number  of  gentiles.  In  1857  the  Mormons  were  ordered  by 
Brigham  Young  to  return  to  Salt  Lake  City  and  defend  the  church  against 
threatened  action  by  the  United  States  Government.  All  the  faithful  left, 
but  others,  whose  religion  did  not  mean  so  much  to  them,  and  who 
came  to  be  known  as  "Jack"  Mormons,  remained  in  the  valley.  Gentiles 
seized  most  of  the  property  left  by  the  departed  Mormons,  and  although 
they  were  later  threatened  with  dreadful  curses,  they  made  no  restoration 
or  reparation.  At  the  time  of  the  discovery  of  silver  on  the  Comstock, 
there  were  between  two  and  three  hundred  inhabitants  in  the  valley. 
Then  came  the  "boom"  days,  for  the  travel  through  the  valley  was  im- 
mense. A  record  of  the  first  six  months  of  1854  shows  that  360  horses 
and  mules,  7528  cattle  and  7150  sheep,  besides  several  thousand  people, 
passed  through  Mormon  Station  for  California,  but  in  the  late  fifties 
the  traffic  was  much  greater,  largely  because  of  the  travel  to  the  Com- 
stock. This  continued  for  years,  during  which  the  stations,  that  is,  stop- 
ping places,  did  a  flourishing  business.  In  the  sixties,  and  later,  mines 
were  discovered  in  Bodie,  California,  and  in  the  Silver  Mountains  in  Cali- 
fornia, both  of  which  places  adjoin  Douglas  County,  and  to  them  there 
was  a  rush  of  people,  all  of  whom  passed  through  Carson  Valley.  Stop- 
ping-places and  trading-stations,  flourished  accordingly,  those  best  known 
being  Webster's  Station,  Old's  Station,  Desert  Station,  Cradlebaugh's 
Bridge,  Twelve-Mile  House,  and  Rodenbah's  Station.  All  mining 
camp  followers  were  rushing  through  the  valley,  people  with  an  eye  to 
agricultural  possibilities  were  steadily  settling  upon  the  fertile  lands  along 
the  river.  Hay  and  grain  commanded  fabulous  prices, — even  in  the  late 
sixties  hay  sold  for  as  high  as  $300  a  ton,  and  barley  for  even 
more.  It  may  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  relate  that  it  was  long  a 
custom  of  the  unscrupulous  and  covetous  to  thoroughly  wet  the  hay 


8io  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

before  baling  it,  in  order  to  get  as  much  weight  as  possible!  At  first, 
hay  was  cut  by  scythes,  a  number  of  men  attacking  a  field  at  the  same  time, 
as  is  the  custom  in  Europe.  When,  in  the  sixties,  the  first  mowing- 
machines, — crude  affairs, — were  used,  the  men  did  the  laborious  work  of 
removing  the  hay  from  the  path  of  the  machine  after  each  round.  All 
the  bottom  or  river  land  in  the  valley,  and  some  sagebrush  land  easily  sus^. 
ceptible  of  irrigation,  was  settled  upon  before  1860,  and  the  farming 
population  then  numbered  several  hundred.  Of  course,  at  first  there  were 
only  "squatters"  rights, — all  the  Mormon  "claims"  were  such, — but  when 
the  first  government  surveys  were  made,  such  rights  were  legally  per- 
fected. 

Genoa  was  the  scene  of  all  the  early  political  meetings  in  Nevada. 
There,  on  August  8,  1857,  Congress  was  memorialized  to  create  a  Terri- 
tory. Because  of  the  feeling  against  the  Mormons  and  their  methods,  the 
first  territorial  convention,  held  in  Genoa  on  July  14,  1859,  adopted  a  con- 
stitution which  practically  eliminated  the  Mormon  influence,  and  elected 
the  first  territorial  delegate  to  Congress.  The  constitution  was  approved 
at  an  election  held  throughout  the  territory  on  September  7,  1859.  There- 
after, for  several  years,  all  political  meetings  of  general  importance  to  the 
territory  were  held  in  Genoa.  The  citizens  of  the  valley  took  an  active 
part  in  the  organization  of  the  territory,  and  later,  in  the  adoption  of  the 
State  Constitution  and  the  organization  of  the  State.  The  Daily  Territorial 
Enterprise,  the  first  newspaper  in  Nevada  and  which  later  became  famous 
as  a  Comstock  publication,  was  first  published  in  Genoa  as  a  weekly,  its  first 
number  appearing  on  December  18,  1858.  The  Enterprise  and  other  Genoa 
papers  did  much  to  influence  and  mold  public  opinion  in  the  early  days 
of  the  Territory  and  State. 

Douglas  was  one  of  the  nine  counties  created  by  the  Territorial  Legis- 
lature in  1861,  when  Nevada  was  first  subdivided  into  minor  divisions.  At 
the  time  of  the  Mormon  settlement,  it  was  a  part  of  Millard  County,  Utah, 
and  later  of  Carson  County.  Douglas  County  was  so  named  in  honor  of 
Stephen  A.  Douglas  of  Illinois.  Its  area  is  806  square  miles  or  515,840 
acres,  about  an  eighth  of  which  is  contained  in  Lake  Tahoe. 

In  passing  from  the  purely  historical,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that 
David  R.  Jones,  the  oldest  living  Nevada  settler,  still  resides  on  the  ranch 
in  Douglas  County  on  which  he  settled  in  1852. 

Development. — Since  the  days  of  the  first  Mormon  settlers,   Carson 


DOUGLAS    COUNTY  811 

Valley  has  steadily  developed.  The  unusually  friendly  attitude  of  the 
Indians  was  no  doubt  a  leading  cause  for  this.  Of  course,  for  a  number 
of  years  the  Indians  imposed  upon  their  white  brothers  by  begging  food 
and  by  taking,  without  leave,  whatever  happened  to  strike  their  fancy; 
occasionally  they  killed  someone,  and  a  few  times  they  threatened  serious 
trouble ;  but,  for  the  most  part,  they  acted  and  conducted  themselves  in  a 
singularly  peaceful  manner.  Coincident  with  development  there  has  been 
an  increase  in  population,  and  in  1910  the  census  showed  the  county  to  have 
1895  people.  It  is  believed,  however,  that  during  the  boom  days  in  the 
sixties  and  seventies,  and  while  logging  was  in  full  sway  at  Tahoe,  there 
were  at  least  twice  as  many  people  in  the  county  as  now,  but  they 
were  not  permanent  residents.  At  first,  the  principal  business  was  trading. 
Col.  Reese,  William  Nixon  and  A.  Klauber,  the  pioneer  merchants,  reaped 
a  rich  harvest  from  the  travelers.  Likewise,  the  keepers  of  stations  and 
toll-bridges  did  a  tremendous  business.  But  it  was  the  farmers  and  stock- 
men who  settled  all  over  the  valley  whose  business  endured.  To-day,  on 
the  East  Fork  of  the  Carson  River  there  are  approximately  thirty  thousand 
acres  of  land  being  irrigated,  and  there  is  two-thirds  as  much  on  the  West 
Fork.  There  are  also  a  number  of  ranches  along  the  foothills  whose 
sources  of  water-supply  are  small  mountain  streams  and  springs,  and 
there  are  several  ranches  in  Jack's  Valley  and  Long  Valley.  The  constant 
production  is  an  index  of  the  richness  of  the  soil  as  well  as  of  the  thrift 
and  enterprise  of  the  people.  It  is  claimed  by  investigators  that  there  is, 
no  more  productive  soil  anywhere,  and  that  the  per  capita  wealth  of  the 
people  equals  that  of  any  farming  community  in  the  country.  Much  of 
the  land  was  unlevel,  but  the  bulk  of  it  is  now  in  splendid  condition.  The 
people, — thrifty  Germans,  Danes  and  Italians  as  well  as  Americans, — are 
a  sturdy  type,  as  it  is  shown  by  their  modern  homes,  equipped  with  water 
systems,  electric  lights,  telephones  and  all  conveniences.  The  barns,  mach- 
inery, and  stock  are  of  the  best.  About  three-fourths  of  the  farmers 
own  automobiles. 

The  great  staple  product  of  the  valley  is  alfalfa,  which,  by  the  way, 
was,  according  to  the  belief  of  valley  people,  planted  in  Douglas  County 
before  it  was  planted  anywhere  else  in  Nevada.  This  is  the  evidence: 
S.  A.  Pettigrew,  in  1864,  filed  on  what  is  now  the  D.  Winkleman  ranch 
and  began  work  on  his  ditch,  and  the  next  year  he  sowed  a  little  alfalfa, 
according  to  eye-witnesses.  It  may  be,  however,  that  some  was 


812  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

planted  in  the  valley  before  that  time,  for  in  1868,  when  H. 
H.  Springmeyer  bought  the  Cottonwood  ranch,  his  present  home, 
he  found  roots  as  large  as  a  man's  arm, — and  his  men  bear  him  out, — 
which,  from  later  experience,  could  belong  to  plants  not  less  than  seven 
or  eight  years  old.  According  to  this,  C.  Topham  sowed  the  seed  in 
the  early  sixties,  before  Pettigrew  settled  on  his  homestead.  It  is  an 
amusing  fact  that  at  first  alfalfa  was  believed  by  the  unknowing  to  be 
a  noxious  weed,  because  of  its  rapid  growth,  but  the  fondness  of  stock 
for  it  soon  dispelled  that  idea.  The  first  alfalfa  produced  on  a  commer- 
cial basis  was  when  in  1875  H.  H.  Springmeyer  baled  and  shipped  some 
to  Virginia  City,  where  it  found  immediate  favor.  As  the  two  forks  of 
the  Carson  River  are  mountain  torrents,  they  carry  down  and  deposit 
in  the  valley  each  year  large  quantities  of  mineral  silt,  thus  peculiarly 
adapting  the  soil  for  alfalfa  production. 

Experience  proves  that  alfalfa  and  timothy  mixed,  is  the  best  hay 
for  feeding  horses,  and  several  thousand  tons  of  it  are  shipped  each  year 
to  the  Southern  Nevada  mining  camps  and  some  to  California.  The  large 
cattle  owners  ship  into  the  valley  each  fall  hundreds  of  head  of  cattle  and 
thousands  of  sheep  for  fall  and  winter  feeding,  and  many  thousands  of 
tons  of  hay  are  used  for  that  purpose,  straight  alfalfa  being  preferred.  The 
dairy  herds  also  require  much  pasturage  and  hay,  for  dairying  is  one 
of  the  principal  industries  and  supports  two  creameries,  the  Douglas 
County  Creamery  Co.,  whose  plant  is  near  Waterloo,  and  the  Minden  But- 
ter Manufacturing  Company,  located  at  Minden.  Each  creamery  manu^ 
factures  and  ships  about  a  thousand  pounds  of  butter  a  day,  on  the  aver- 
age. About  a  fourth  of  the  cultivated  land  in  the  valley  is  sowed  to  wheat, 
barley,  and  oats.  It  is  found  that  "breaking  up"  the  alfalfa  land  about 
once  every  five  or  six  years  and  sowing  it  to  grain  for  a  few  years 
greatly  increases  the  yield;  the  alfalfa  appears  to  enrich  the  soil  for 
grain,  and  the  grain  supplies  elements  or  produces  such  chemical  action 
in  the  soil  as  to  fit  it  for  heavy  alfalfa  crops.  There  are  two  flour 
mills,  the  Douglas  Milling  and  Power  Company  (which  also  has  a  small 
power  plant  in  connection  with  the  mill),  at  Gardnerville,  and  the 
Minden  Flour  Milling  Company,  at  Minden.  The  mills  together  handle 
about  four  thousand  tons  of  grain  a  year ;  each  has  attached  a  steam  rolling 
plant  for  barley,  and  each  is  valued  at  about  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

For  years  past,  gold  and  silver  have  been  mined  in  a  more  or  less 


DOUGLAS    COUNTY  813 

desultory  fashion  in  the  Pine  Nut  hills  in  Douglas  County,  the  total  produc- 
tion being  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars. It  was  generally  believed  that  the  belt  was  too  pockety  for 
successful  mining,  and  the  additional  fact  that  it  seemed  to  be  badly 
broken  up  for  the  most  part  retarded  mining  activity.  Lately,  however, 
some  extensive  development  work  has  been  done  and  it  has  been  demon- 
strated that  there  are  a  number  of  rich  mines  with  extensive  ore 
bodies.  Before  long  it  is  expected  that  sufficient  capital  will  be  in- 
terested to  make  some  of  the  mines  heavy  producers.  There  are  now 
several  small  mills  ready  for  operation.  The  copper  camp  of  Buckskin  is 
in  Douglas  County,  near  the  Lyon  County  line,  and  is  attracting  general 
attention.  Deeper  workings  should  put  the  camp  in  the  class  of  large 
producers.  Copper  has  also  been  mined  in  the  hills  back  in  Genoa  for 
many  years,  but,  unfortunately,  the  owners  have  shown  no  disposition 
to  bring  in  capital.  There  is  now  one  copper  mine  being  operated  near 
Jack's  Valley  whose  showings  are  said  to  be  immense.  Gold  placer 
mines  in  the  Pine  Nut  hills  are  worked  each  spring  until  the  water  gives 
out.  Some  day  water  will  doubtless  be  brought  to  develop  these  mines. 
They  are  believed  to  be  very  rich. 

During  the  height  of  mining  activity  on  the  Comstock,  lumbering  in  the 
mountains  surrounding  Lake  Tahoe  was  one  of  the  principal  industries  of 
Douglas  County.  Captain  Pray  erected  a  mill  at  Glenbrook  in  1861  and  an- 
other in  1864  and  actively  went  into  the  lumber  business.  Later 
in  the  sixties,  Bliss  and  associates  acquired  practically  all  the  valuable  tim- 
ber land  and  built  new  saw  mills  and  several  miles  of  a  narrow  gauge 
logging  railroad, — the  first  railroad  in  Douglas  County.  Lumber  was 
in  great  demand  and  sold  for  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  dollars  at  the 
mills.  The  splendid  forests  all  around  the  lake  were  denuded  of  timber, 
the  logs  being  towed  across  the  lake.  The  lumber-men  had  absolutely 
no  regard  for  future  generations,  and  left  the  land  in  such  condition  as  to 
prevent  future  growth,  for  the  most  part.  So  it  has  been  also,  with  the 
wood-choppers  who  destroyed  the  forests  along  the  entire  range  from 
Job's  Peak  to  the  Ormsby  County  line.  If  they  had  exercised  even  a 
little  care,  the  hills  would  now  be  far  less  barren.  The  result  is  that 
while  for  years  Douglas  County  produced  more  timber  than  all  the  other 
counties  in  the  State  together,  the  lumber  industry  is  now  at  a  standstill 


814  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

and  hills  and  mountains  once  superbly  beautiful  in  forests  and  verdure,  are 
almost  barren.  The  rainfall  would  also  be  greater. 

It  may  be  mentioned  that  from  1875  to  1893  an  important  industry 
was  the  logging  of  timber  from  Alpine  County  down  the  East  Carson 
River  to  Empire,  for  use  on  the  Comstock. 

Coincidentally  with  the  agricultural  development  of  the  valley,  there 
has  been  a  development  of  facilities  for  merchandise.  At  Gardnerville 
there  are  two  large  general  merchandise  stores,  a  furniture  store  and  a 
drug  store;  at  Minden,  a  general  merchandise  store  and  a  dry  good 
store ;  and  there  are  stores  at  Genoa,  Sheridan  and  Centerville.  There  is 
a  large  and  prosperous  bank,  the  Douglas  County  Farmers'  Bank,  at  Gard- 
nerville, and  another,  the  Carson  Valley  Farmers'  Bank,  at  Minden. 
Every  profession  and  every  trade  is  represented  in  the  County,  and  the 
community  is  in  every  sense  modern  and  up-to-date.  There  is  one  news- 
paper, the  Record-Courier,  a  weekly,  published  at  Gardnerville,  by  Mr. 
Selkirk,  which  has  a  reputation  throughout  the  State.  The  plant  was 
moved  from  Genoa  a  number  of  years  ago.  The  same  old  town  of 
Genoa,  shattered  now  by  the  elements  and  closely  resembling  a  deserted 
village  or  an  abandoned  mining  camp,  remains  the  county  seat.  But  for 
the  rivalry  of  the  towns  of  Minden  and  Gardnerville,  the  county  seat 
would  now  be  located  near  the  center  of  the  valley, — for  the  fire  of 
1910  destroyed  the  old  Genoa  Court  House, — and  it  may  be  that  for  years 
to  come  the  people  will  be  subjected  to  the  inconvenience  of  having' the 
county  seat  where  it  now  is. 

Gardnerville  was  founded  in  1880  by  Lawrence  Gilman,  a  Douglas 
County  pioneer  of  the  early  fifties,  and  was  generously  named  by  him 
after  John  Gardner,  a  near-by  rancher,  who  is  often  erroneously  sup- 
posed to  be  its  founder.  It  remained  a  small  town  until  about  1885, 
when  the  needs  of  the  farmers  and  the  traders  from  Bridgeport  and  Bodie 
brought  about  the  establishment  of  stores.  It  now  has  a  population  of 
about  six  hundred,  and  is  three  or  four  times  as  large  as  any  other  town  in 
the  county.  Besides  the  institutions  before  mentioned,  it  has  four  excel- 
lent hotels,  two  jewelry  stores,  fruit  and  confectionery  stores,  two  garages, 
two  blacksmiths,  two  livery  stables, — and  altogether  too  many  saloons. 
The  headquarters  of  Mono  National  Forest  is  in  Gardnerville.  The  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church  has  a  neat  edifice  in  the  town,  and  the  Lutheran 
church  is  a  short  distance  away.  The  county  high  school,  a  splendid 


DOUGLAS    COUNTY  815 

institution  in  an  ordinary  building,  is  in  Gardnerville.  Among  the  finest 
residences  in  the  valley  are  those  in  the  town.  The  people  are  prosperous 
and  enterprising, — they  declare  they  will  not  rest  until  a  railroad  is  brought 
into  the  town,  even  if  they  must  build  and  operate  it  themselves. 

Minden,  established  in  1905  by  the  V.  &  T.  Railroad  company  and  the 
Dangberg  company,  is  the  terminal  of  the  railroad  and  is  situated  about 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  west  of  Gardnerville.  It  is  a  beautifully  laid 
out  town,  its  streets  are  lined  with  trees  and  are  kept  in  as  good  condition 
as  those  of  the  most  modern  city.  It  has  a  number  of  beautiful  homes 
and  justly  boasts  of  the  finest  small  theatre  in  Nevada.  The  theatre  is  also 
used  for  meetings  and  other  social  purposes.  Like  Gardnerville,  the  town 
has  a  complete  water-system  and  an  aseptic  sewerage  system.  It  is  a 
thriving  place,  and  next  to  Gardnerville,  the  largest  town  in  the  county. 
Waterloo,  situated  on  the  cross  roads  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
Douglas  Creamery,  and  Centerville,  situated  on  cross-roads  in  the  middle 
of  the  valley,  about  three  miles  west  of  Sheridan,  are  well  known  small 
stopping  places.  Sheridan,  on  the  western  slope  of  the  Sierras,  near  Job's 
Peak,  is  one  of  the  old  stations  in  the  valley  and  still  is  the  business  center 
for  the  near-by  farmers. 

Probably,  in  the  hills  and  valleys,  there  are  100,000  acres  of  land  avail- 
able for  cultivation.  About  70,000  acres  of  it  are  in  Carson  Valley  pro- 
per, about  3000  acres  in  Long  Valley, — situated  toward  California  on  the 
south, — about  3000  acres  near  Lake  Tahoe,  about  2000  acres  in  Jack's 
Valley,  which  is  northwest  of  Carson  Valley,  and  the  balance  in  the 
Pine  Nut  hills.  There  are  nine  school  districts,  and  all  are  excellently 
conducted.  The  taxable  valuations  of  the  property  aggregates  a  million 
dollars. 

An  organization  of  East  Forks  farmers,  called  the  Alpine  Land  and 
Reservoir  Company,  controls  a  system  of  half  a  dozen  reservoir  sites  in 
Alpine  County,  California,  which  have  been  gradually  developed  during  the 
last  twenty  years  until  now  they  afford  storage  facilities  amounting  to 
about  10,000  acre-feet.  In  dry  seasons,  this  water  has  been  found  to  be 
of  incalculable  value  to  the  farms,  and  the  money  expended,  amounting 
to  about  $25,000,  is  regarded  as  well  invested.  The  Dangberg  com- 
pany has  a  series  of  several  small  reservoirs  situated  directly  west  of  the 
Pine  Nut  foothills,  which  store  a  considerable  quantity  of  water.  Mud 
Lake,  a  reservoir  in  Long  Valley  owned  by  Mr.  Dressier,  affords  storage 


8i6 

for  sufficient  water  to  irrigate  about  a  thousand  acres.  Private  enterprise, 
however,  appears  to  be  unable  to  cope  with  the  task  of  storing  sufficient 
water  and  reclaiming  all  the  arid  land  in  the  valley. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  in  1905  the  United  States  Reclamation  Service 
appropriated  all  the  surplus  water  of  the  Carson  River  for  use  in  the 
Truckee-Carson  project  in  Churchill  and  Humboldt  counties,  it  is  now 
impossible  to  acquire  water  rights  for  the  thousands  of  acres  of  fertile 
land  still  idle  in  Douglas  County  and  Ormsby  County.  Realizing  that  un- 
less action  was  quickly  taken  their  farming  development  would  practically 
come  to  a  standstill  upon  the  completion  of  the  Truckee-Carson  project, 
the  citizens  of  Carson  Valley  took  steps  in  the  spring  of  1912  to  in- 
terest the  government  in  building  reservoirs  at  the  headwaters  of  the 
Carson  River  as  well  as  in  Churchill  County.  The  matter  was  pressed 
with  characteristic  energy,  and  presently  the  government  engineers  were 
sufficiently  impressed  to  make  an  investigation  into  the  feasibility  of 
building  the  reservoirs.  The  fertile,  level  fields  of  the  Carson  Valley 
farmers  and  the  tremendous  resources  of  the  valley  greatly  astonished 
the  engineers.  The  well-kept  highways,  the  square  fields,  the  ditches  laid 
out  along  engineering  lines,  all  had  an  effect.  After  numerous  confer- 
ences and  almost  endless  negotiations,  the  government  sent  an  engineer  to 
the  valley  in  the  month  of  December,  1912,  to  make  complete  plans,  sur- 
veys, and  investigations.  It  was  expected  that  the  work  could  be  com- 
pleted in  a  month,  but  it  has  been  found  that  several  engineers  cannot 
complete  it  in  the  space  of  three  months.  The  dawn  of  a  new  era 
appears  to  be  at  hand  for  Carson  Valley,  and  the  people  are  greatly  en- 
couraged in  their  hope  that  a  unit  of  the  Carson-Truckee  project  will  soon 
be  constructed  somewhere  near  the  headwaters  of  the  river,  and  that 
water  will  then  be  available  for  the  irrigation  of  all  the  valley  land  not 
now  cultivated.  In  the  meantime,  every  drop  of  water  is  being  utilized, 
and  successful  experiments  for  the  development  of  artesian  water  and 
pumping  from  underground  streams  are  being  conducted,  although  of 
course,  the  supply  of  such  water  is  inadequate. 

A  future  asset  of  Douglas  County  is  Lake  Tahoe  as  a  summer  resort. 
Practically  all  the  Nevada  portion  of  the  lake  is  in  Douglas  County.  The 
magnificence  and  even  grandeur  of  the  scenery,  the  fine  fishing,  boat- 
ing and  bathing,  and  the  excellent  summer  climate  make  the  lake  ideal  for 
recreation.  Glenbrook,  in  a  sheltered  corner  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the 


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DOUGLAS    COUNTY  817 

lake,  is  rapidly  gaining  a  reputation,  as  is  State  Line  Park,  on  the  southern 
boundary.  At  the  base  of  the  mountains,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Kingsbury 
grade,  and  only  a  mile  from  Genoa,  are  numerous  thermal  springs  called 
Walleys.  There  is  a  large  tank,  and  bath-houses  with  accommodations  for 
patients  and  tourists.  The  springs  have  unusual  medicinal  qualities,  espec- 
ially for  rheumatism.  There  are  similar  springs,  as  yet  undeveloped,  in  and 
near  Jack's  Valley,  and  on  the  old  Kirman  ranch,  near  the  Pine  Nut 
foothills.  A  tremendous  fault  of  several  hundred  feet,  still  clearly  visible 
to  the  naked  eye  from  a  distance  of  several  miles,  once  occurred  along 
the  line  of  the  hot  springs  and  along  the  eastern  slope  of  the  mountains 
from  Walleys  to  Jack's  Valley  and  on  to  the  Kirman  springs,  an  indi- 
cation, doubtless,  of  the  volcanic  origin  of  the  valley  and  springs. 

This  narrative  would  be  incomplete  were  mention  not  made  of  the 
marvelous  scenic  beauty  of  the  hills  and  valleys.  Viewed  from  the  middle 
of  the  valley  or  its  eastern  part,  the  Sierras  are  sublimely  beautiful.  Few 
know  that  Job's  Peak,  named  after  Moses  Job,  a  trader  who  settled  in  the 
valley  in  1852,  has  a  more  steep  and  precipitous  slope  than  any  hill  or  peak 
in  the  West,  not  even  excepting  those  in  the  Yosemite.  The  peak  is  more 
than  10,000  feet  above  sea  level  and  over  6,000  feet  above  the  valley. 
Across  the  top  of  the  peak  is  the  clearly  defined  recumbent  figure  of  a 
woman,  and  on  the  south  slope  appears  the  figure  of  a  grizzly  bear. 
Throughout  the  county  there  are  many  such  grotesque  figures.  One  that 
is  truly  extraordinary  is  the  perfect  likeness  of  Shakespeare  on  the  face 
of  Shakespeare  Cliff,  a  few  hundred  yards  from  Glenbrook.  On  the 
same  cliff  is  the  head  of  an  Indian  chief  in  full  war  regalia.  On  the  Clear 
Creek  road  is  a  gigantic  stone  exactly  in  the  form  of -a  couchant  lion, 
and  innumerable  figures  of  birds  and  animals.  And,  most  beautiful  and 
striking  of  all,  are  the  crystal  streams  and  the  green  fields,  as  they  appear 
from  Kingsbury  grade.  It  is  not  strange  that  the  history  of  the  county 
is  tinged  with  romanticism. 


8r8 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

ELKO  COUNTY. 

BY  REV.  GEO.  H.  GREENFIELD. 

Early  history  of  men  and  affairs  in  the  north-eastern  part  of  Nevada  is 
not  lost  in  the  mazes  of  time.  It  has  been  preserved  and  is  still  in  the 
memory  of  living  men.  We  are  not  required  to  search  ancient  manuscripts 
or  musty  pages.  The  transcribing  of  historical  records  has  not  altered 
the  story.  Elko  County  is  not  ancient  history.  The  old  residents  of  the 
County  who  crossed  the  plains  in  1849  to  1853  in  ox-carts  still  live. 
Following  the  trail  of  Jedediah  S.  Smith  the  first  white  man  to  enter  what 
is  now  Elko  County  came  Kit  Carson,  the  Donner  party,  and  John  C.  Fre- 
mont. There  followed  in  their  trail  a  few  years  later  those  who  came  to 
California  during  the  gold  excitement.  But  few  of  them  still  live  to  tell  the 
story. 

Nothing  is  more  fascinating  than  an  interview  with  these  sturdy 
pioneers  who  have  thrilling  experiences  to  relate.  To  hear  from  their 
own  lips  what  future  generations  can  get  only  by  tradition  is  one  of  the 
opportunities  of  the  age  in  which  we  live.  No  historian  can  ever  do 
justice  to  the  adventures  of  the  first  settlers.  One  by  one  they  are  pass- 
ing. Soon  their  voice  will  be  hushed ;  but  while  they  live,  we  shall  do 
them  reverence  and  honor  them  for  the  noble  sacrifices  they  have  made 
in  redeeming  the  land.  Every  day  we  partake  of  the  fruits  of  their 
labor.  The  Indians  are  submissive  because  they  subdued  them ;  our  hills 
and  valleys  are  productive  because  they  tilled  the  soil  and  turned  the 
streams.  They  came  before  the  bands  of  steel  made  our  nation  one  united 
Commonwealth.  As  we  cross  our  desert  in  palace  cars,  it  is  difficult  to 
conceive  of  the  hardships  that  presented  themselves  to  those  who  came  in 
ox-carts  fighting  wild  Indians. 

Wild  West  stories  are  of  the  past.  Those  good  old  days  of  long  ago 
before  the  coming  of  the  wire-fence  are  but  a  memory.  Those  pioneers,  as 
Kipling  said,  "built  their  barns  and  strung  their  fences  in  a  little  border 


ELKO    COUNTY  819 

station  tucked  away  below  the  foothills  where  the  trails  run  out  and 
stop."  Those  were  the  days  that  tried  men's  souls.  What  they  have  done 
for  us  is  one  of  the  debts  we  shall  never  be  able  to  pay.  For  the  purchase 
of  land  we  can  pay  the  price,  but  for  what  these  large  souls  have  left  us  we 
can  never  pay.  Two  distinct  routes  of  pioneer  travel  traverse  Elko  County, 
one  along"  the  Humboldt  river  and  the  other  over  the  Overland  Pass  known 
as  the  Ruby  Summit.  This  trail  extends  over  the  line  into  White  Pine 
County.  Along  that  highway,  marked  by  sobs  and  groans  and  broken 
hearts,  that  highway  made  bare  by  the  tramp  of  weary  feet,  there  are  still 
a  few  landmarks  left  to  tell  the  frightful  story.  N,o  history  of  Elko 
County  would  be  complete  without  reference  to  the  pioneers  who,  crossing 
the  well-watered  valleys  of  Eastern  Nevada  on  their  way  to  the  Pacific 
Coast,  carried  in  mind  these  snow-capped  peaks  and  mountain  streams, 
and  within  vision  of  bright  possibilities  for  such  fertile  soil,  returned 
again.  There  were  but  few  if  any  who  remained  in  Elko  County  when 
they  first  passed  through.  California  was  the  goal,  and  Nevada  the 
bridge  over  which  they  passed.  But  those  who  returned  to  the  valleys 
of  Elko  County  established  themselves  so  vitally  in  its  history  that  their 
names  should  not  be  buried  in  oblivion. 

Elko  County  with  its  population  of  10,000  lies  in  the  extreme  northeast- 
ern corner  of  Nevada.  Idaho  lies  to  the  north ;  Utah  to  the  east ;  White 
Pine,  Eureka,  and  Lander  Counties  to  the  south,  and  Humboldt  County 
to  the  west.  This  vast  empire  covering  an  area  of  11,000,000  acres  is 
larger  than  the  combined  states  of  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island  and 
Connecticut.  One  tenth  of  the  acreage  is  in  the  forest  reserve  con- 
trolled by  the  government.  The  assessed  valuation  of  the  property  of  this 
County  is  $20,000,000,  exceeding  that  of  any  other  county  of  the  State. 
On  the  assessment  roll  of  the  present  year  are  217,000  sheep,  71,760  cattle, 
and  11,250  horses.  Two  banks  in  the  County  Seat  carry  deposits  of  $2,000,- 
ooo.  They  are  capitalized  at  $100,000  each,  while  the  bank  at  Wells  is 
capitalized  at  $50,000.  Splendid  school  facilities  are  afforded  in  its  sixty 
district  schools. 

By  legislative  acts  from  1869  to  1875,  Elko  County  was  formally  outlined 
and  at  the  latter  date  was  given  its  present  boundaries.  It  was  created  out 
of  Lander  County.  Later  another  portion  was  taken  from  Lander  County 
and  given  to  Elko,  thus  increasing  its  size.  The  last  act  of  the  Legislature 
affecting  the  size  of  the  County  gave  to  Eureka  County  a  portion  in  the 


820  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

southwestern  corner  including  the  mining  district  of  Galena.  With  the 
County  Seat  at  Austin,  several  hundred  miles  away,  men  often  took  justice 
in  their  own  hands.  Frequent  hangings  took  place  rather  than  journey  so 
far  to  the  County  Seat. 

When  the  new  County  was  created,  Elko  was  made  the  County  Seat. 
It  was  further  provided  that  1000  votes  should  be  necessary  for  the  holding 
of  an  election.  The  total  number  of  votes  reported  on  May  31,  1869,  when 
the  canvass  was  made  was  1,097.  On  June  2I>  1869,  the  first  Elko 
County  election  was  held  under  the  direction  of  Commissioners  appointed 
by  the  Governor.  In  the  nine  established  polling  places  473  votes  were 
cast  at  this  first  election.  A  block  of  land  was  presented  to  the  town 
government  by  the  Central  Pacific  railroad  company  upon  which  to  erect 
County  buildings.  Upon  that  site  now  stands  the  Elko  County  High 
School.  This  fact  accounts  for  the  present  name  of  Court  street,  the 
street  on  which  the  High  School  stands.  Another  selection  for  the  Court 
House  was  made  on  Idaho  street. 

By  a  legislative  act  of  1874,  a  State  University  was  created,  the  loca- 
tion of  which  was  to  be  given  to  the  highest  bidder.  The  population  of 
Elko  County  at  that  time  was  only  3000  and  the  bonded  indebtedness 
of  the  County  only  four  years  after  its  establishment  was  $112,470. 
Twenty  thousand  dollars  of  this  amount  was  expended  to  secure  the 
location  of  the  State  University.  The  citizens  of  Elko  County  donated  the 
land,  erected  the  buildings,  and  presented  the  University  to  the  State.  The 
University  building  stands  on  a  prominent  and  conspicuous  location  on  a 
rising  hill  and  is  now  used  for  a  County  hospital.  Near  by  is  the  old  Uni- 
versity dormitory,  a  large,  well  constructed  building  opposite  the  public 
school  building,  the  property  of  C.  S.  Tremewan.  When  the  University 
was  removed  to  Reno,  Washoe  County  paid  Elko  County  $20,000  the 
original  cost  of  constructing  the  buildings.  The  first  County  Commis- 
sioners were  appointed  by  the  Governor  in  March,  1869.  John  Wasson, 
M.  P.  Freeman,  and  Sol.  Lewis  received  the  appointment.  At  the  first 
election  on  June  21,1869,  the  following  County  officers  were  elected: — 
District  Attorney,  Wm.  M.  Gillispie;  Sheriff,  J.  B.  Fitch;  Clerk,  J.  W. 
Stainbum ;  Treasurer,  M.  P.  Freeman ;  Assessor,  Wm.  G.  Seamands ;  Re- 
corder, R.  T.  Hafford ;  Superintendent  of  Schools,  Dr.  M.  V.  Hudson ; 
Surveyor,  E.  H.  Griswald ;  Public  Administrator,  H.  C.  Cady.  On  Novem- 


ELKO    COUNTY  821 

her  8,  1870,  J  .B.  Moore  was  elected  the  first  Senator  and  J.  A.  Savage  and 
J.  W.  Ellyson  the  first  Assemblymen. 

Eternal  snows  upon  the  high  mountain  peaks  supply  constant  streams 
for  the  valleys  below.  The  West  Humboldt  range,  commonly  known  as  the 
Ruby  mountains,  protect  these  snows  from  the  hottest  summer  'suns. 
Rocks,  trees,  and  canyons  hold  back  the  supply  of  water  until  it  is  need- 
ed to  flood  the  arid  lands  below.  Natural  reservoir  sites  and  many  moun- 
tain lakes  prophecy  still  further  development  of  land  when  Nevada's  fer- 
tile soil  is  needed  to  supply  the  markets  of  the  world.  High  altitude  limits 
production  and  land  values,  but  diversified  farming  will  do  much  in  the 
future  to  add  to  the  value  of  land.  The  most  important  valleys  of  this 
county  are,  Lamoille,  Pleasant,  South  Fork,  Mound,  Huntingdon,  New- 
ark, Ruby,  Secret,  Clover,  Independence,  White  Rock,  and  North  Fork. 
The  Ruby  mountains  to  the  south  of  the  County  seat  are  high,  rough,  and 
rugged  on  the  east  and  south.  They  rise  abruptly  and  are  difficult  of 
access.  On  the  north  and  west  they  are  gradually  approached  by  low  foot- 
hills and  long  canyons.  An  abundance  of  water  furnishes  good  sport  for 
the  fisherman  for  the  waters  abound  in  mountain  trout.  These  mountains 
are  heavily  timbered  in  some  places  with  mountain  mahogany,  pine,  cedar, 
quaking  asp,  spruce,  and  fur.  Being  difficult  of  access,  only  what  is  easily 
reached  is  brought  down  to  the  valleys  for  cord  wood.  The  lakes  on  the 
high  mountain  peaks  are  some  of  them  10,000  feet  high.  Around  them 
are  the  eternal  snows  which  never  melt.  High,  rugged  cliffs  rise  abruptly 
from  their  shores  and  the  water  is  very  deep. 

Clover  Valley  was  settled  as  early  as  1865  by  United  States  army  offi- 
cers who  observed  the  possibilities  of  the  south  end  of  this  valley  while 
doing  duty  at  Fort  Ruby  near  the  old  overland  trail.  Clover  Valley 
has  always  been  a  good  cattle  country.  The  residents  have  prospered  and 
in  recent  years  have  beautified  their  ranches  with  neat  modern  homes  and 
live  in  comfort  and  luxury.  The  Clover  Valley  Association  has  under 
its  care  a  public  hall,  a  cemetery,  and  a  public  park.  A  small,  neat  church 
building  adds  to  the  advantages  of  this  magnificient  valley. 

Ruby  Valley  is  the  longest  in  the  State.  The  ranches  are  all  along  one 
main  highway  seventy-five  miles  in  length.  The  oldest  settlers  now 
living  in  this  valley  are  Thomas  Short,  William  Griswold,  and  Isaac 
Woolverton,  the  latter  having  come  in  1869.  For  many  years  Thomas 
Short  had  possession  of  the  Cave  Creek  ranch  in  the  southern  end  of  the 


822  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

valley.  Here  a  great  underground  lake  is  hid  away  behind  the  hills. 
A  river  of  clear  ice-cold  water  has  cut  its  way  through  the  rocks.  This  case 
was  explored  very  early  in  the  settlement  of  the  valley  by  a  soldier  who  was 
so  elated  over  his  first  success  that  he  attempted  the  second  time  to  go 
further  into  the  secrets  hitherto  concealed  from  human  eyes.  His  body 
was  found  at  the  opening  of  the  entrance  to  the  cave  the  next  day.  A  few 
years  later  A.  G.  Dawley  and  Thomas  Short,  in  Search  for  the  origin  of 
some  valuable  mineral  they  had  located,  attempted  a  thorough  exploration 
of  the  cave  by  taking  within  the  narrow  opening  material  out  of  which 
to  construct  a  boat.  They  passed  from  one  huge  cavern  to  another  perhaps 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  beyond  the  first  opening  when  at  last  they  were  con- 
fronted by  a  large  chamber  resembling  a  pipe  organ  arrangement.  This 
they  termed  the  "Great  Organ."  Of  late  years  no  one  has  had  the  courage 
to  enter.  The  entire  cave  has  not  yet  been  explored.  This  underground 
river  and  lake  is  one  of  the  natural  curiosities  of  the  State  and  is  of 
more  than  passing  interest. 

The  first  white  man  to  bring  out  a  report  of  what  he  had  seen  within 
this  cave  was  Hon.  A.  G.  Dawley,  now  residing  in  Elko  County.  For 
twenty  years  he  was  county  clerk  and  treasurer  of  Elko  County.  In 
1864  he  came  to  this  valley  and  has  been  closely  identified  with  its 
development  ever  since.  Two  large  lakes  hold  the  water  brought  down 
from  the  melting  snows.  They  are  known  as  Ruby  Lake  and  Franklin 
Lake.  In  the  extreme  southern  end  of  the  valley  is  the  site  of  old 
Fort  Ruby  which  was  located  near  the  old  pioneer  trail  to  Reese  River 
and  westward.  In  this  vicinity,  as  early  as  1861,  the  Overland  Mail  and 
Telegraph  Company  established  stage  stations.  One  year  later  a  military 
fort  was  located  here  with  two  companies  of  the  Third  California  Volunteer 
Infantry.  This  fort  continued  until  1869,  when  the  troops  were  moved 
to  Fort  Halleck,  which  was  established  July  27,  1869.  Fort  Halleck  lies 
across  the  divide  on  the  north  end  of  Ruby  Valley.  In  1886  A.  G.  Dawley 
was  appointed  by  the  government  to  auction  the  buildings  of  this  fort  and 
the  troops  were  moved  to  Fort  Douglas.  The  adobe  walls  of  the  old 
buildings  of  the  Fort  still  remain.  Others  were  removed  to  Ruby  Valley. 
The  present  residence  of  Isaac  Woolverton  was  one  of  the  officer's 
residences. 

This  valley  was  the  first  one  to  be  settled  in  the  county.  The  first 
cabin  built  in  Ruby  Valley  was  erected  in  1859  by  William  Rogers,  better 


ELKO    COUNTY  823 

known  as  Uncle  Billy.  The  first  flour  mill  built  in  Elko  County  was 
constructed  on  the  Overland  Ranch  in  1870  and  is  still  in  use.  In  1864 
the  first  farming  in  the  valley  was  done  by  Colonel  Moore  and  Lieutenant 
Gillman.  As  early  as  1865,  1,000  acres  were  planted  in  grain  in  this 
valley  by  the  Overland  Stage  Company  on  land  leased  from  Mr.  Gris- 
wold.  Here  until  the  completion  of  the  Central  Pacific  in  1869  the 
Overland  Mail  Company  had  a  very  important  station  near  Fort  Ruby. 
The  only  relics  now  extant  of  this  old  fort  are  a  bomb  and  a  U.  S. 
branding-iron  in  the  possession  of  the  museum  of  the  Elko  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
In  Secret  Pass,  on  the  north  end  of  Ruby  Valley,  there  has  recently  been 
discovered  some  exceptionally  fine  mineral  water  in  what  is  now  called 
the  Ruby  Mineral  Springs.  These  springs  were  discovered  in  the  fall  of 
1904  by  two  prospectors,  one  of  whom,  A.  S.  Coleman,  is  now  vice- 
president  of  the  corporation.  The  location  is  one  of  the  most  desirable 
in  the  State  for  this  enterprise.  The  scenery  is  rugged  and  the  climate 
ideal.  The  elevation  is  about  6,000  feet.  Snow-covered  peaks  near  by, 
over  12,000  feet  above  sea  level,  add  greatly  to  the  picturesqueness  of 
the  scenery. 

Secret  Creek,  at  high  water,  used  to  cover  the  springs  part  of  the 
time;  the  creek  has  recently  been  diverted  and  the  mineral  water  runs 
from  the  solid  rock  into  the  creek.  The  Ruby  Water  Springs  Company 
has  been  incorporated  to  put  the  water  on  the  market.  This  natural 
carbonate  mineral  water  was  analyzed  by  State  Chemist,  Professor  Dins- 
more,  at  the  University  of  Nevada.  His  analysis  showed  it  to  be  highly 
carbonated  and  unexcelled  by  any  mineral  water  in  the  United  States. 
It  contains  a  small  amount  of  Iron,  Aluminum,  Chlorine,  Silica,  and 
Potassium  and  a  large  amount  of  Sodium,  Magnesium,  and  Calcium. 
The  water  has  a  sharp,  though  pleasant  taste  and  i§  as  clear  as  crystal. 
A  short  distance  above  the  springs  are  large  waterfalls  from  which 
power  will  be  generated  to  operate  the  works  and  get  the  product  to 
market.  With  a  flow  of  about  seventy-five  thousand  gallons  of  water 
per  day  this  location  will  become  one  of  the  best  health  resorts  in  the 
West.  It  is  now  proposed  to  construct  a  sanitarium  on  the  site. 

Lamoille  Valley,  settled  in  1866,  has  proven  to  be  the  most  aggressive 
valley  in  the  county.  The  Lamoille  Mercantile  Company,  of  which  Judge 
Talbot  is  one  of  the  leading  factors,  has  established  a  business  of  large 
proportions.  The  Lamoille  Creamery,  built  in  1907  at  a  cost  of  $15,000, 


824  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

is  one  of  the  most  modern  and  up-to-date  business  institutions  in  the 
State.  It  has  an  annual  output  of  $21,000  worth  of  butter.  A  new 
church  building  has  recently  been  constructed  by  the  Presbyterians  at 
a  cost  of  $5,000.  A  thriving  settlement  has  sprung  up  at  the  crossroads 
at  the  entrance  to  a  long  canyon.  Several  promoters  have  located  the 
water-rights  in  this  canyon  for  the  purpose  of  conveying  electric  power 
to  the  city  of  Elko.  The  first  to  see  the  possibilities  of  this  location  was 
VV.  T.  Smith.  When  he  abandoned  it  others  took  it  up.  But  not  until 
the  present  time  has  sufficient  capital  been  available  to  assure  its  success. 
Now  enterprising  business  men  have  hold  of  the  rights  and  are  rapidly 
pushing  the  project  to  completion.  In  the  valley  of  the  South  Fork  of 
the  Humboldt  is  a  small  mercantile  business,  a  creamery  and  some  very 
prosperous  ranchers. 

North  of  Elko  is  a  valley  of  vast  proportions  traversed  by  the  road 
from  Elko  to  Tuscarora.  This  valley  is  named  Independence  from  the 
fact  that  it  was  first  discovered  by  a  scouting  party  of  United  States 
soldiers  on  the  Fourth  of  July.  Beyond  this  on  the  west  side  of  the 
North  Fork  Mountains  is  White  Rock  Valley.  Still  farther  north  is 
Duck  Valley,  in  which  is  located  the  Western  Shoshone  Indian  reserva- 
tion, about  125  miles  north  of  Elko,  with  an  Indian  population  of  569. 
This  reservation  was  set  aside  by  President  Hayes  in  1878.  President 
Cleveland  added  three  townships  in  Idaho  in  1886.  Levi  Gheen  was 
the  first  superintendent.  He  is  said  to  have  spoken  Shoshone  so  well 
that  he  instructed  the  children  of  the  Indians  in  Indian.  The  twelve 
school  buildings  cost  $30,000  and  the  sixteen  agency  buildings  $15,000. 
The  reservation  covers  290,000  acres,  half  in  Idaho  and  half  in  Nevada, 
a  well-stocked  store  is  nearby.  The  Presbyterian  denomination,  under  its 
missionary,  A.  E.  Danly,  is  now  constructing  a  church  and  manse  here  for 
the  spiritual  and  moral  betterment  of  the  red  man. 

In  the  mountains  to  the  east  of  White  Rock  the  North  Fork  of  the 
Humboldt  takes  its  rise  and  flows  down  the  east  side  of  the  mountain 
through  the  valley  of  the  North  Fork  until  it  empties  into  the  main 
stream  of  the  Humboldt  near  Halleck.  Through  Independence  Valley 
flows  the  only  river  that  runs  out  of  the  State  of  Nevada.  This  is  the 
Owyhee.  It  empties  into  the  Snake  and  eventually  into  the  Columbia. 
This  entire  northern  country  is  devoted  to  cattle,  horses  and  sheep  and 
is  the  best  grazing  county  in  the  State.  Lamoille  and  Starr  Valleys 


ELKO    COUNTY  825 

have  developed  the  bee-industry.  George  Bowers,  of  Lamoille,  has  250 
stands  of  bees  with  an  output  of  five  tons  a  year  of  the  best  honey  the 
world  produces.  In  Pleasant  Valley  is  located  the  Elko  County  Dry 
Farm  Exepriment  Station,  under  the  auspices  of  the  State  University.  In 
1909  the  county  purchased  the  ranch  from  John  Thompson  for  $2,000.  The 
farm  is  maintained  by  the  State  and  has  already  proven  its  worth.  The 
board  of  directors  are  A.  W.  Hesson,  Professor  True  and  George 
Bowers. 

Very  early  in  Elko  County  history  the  mining  industry  was  given 
prominence.  In  1867  the  Tuscarora  mines  were  discovered  by  the  Beard 
brothers.  Never,  however,  has  the  output  of  the  entire  county  been  as 
gratifying  as  at  present.  The  surface  has  not  yet  been  prospected.  So 
promising  are  the  present  locations  that  no  one  dare  prophecy  concerning 
the  future.  When  the  white  man  first  came  the  Indians  directed  him 
to  deposits  of  free  gold.  Since  then  men  have  been  seeking  the  precious 
metals  until  many  good  producers  have  been  found  in  various  parts  of 
the  county.  Home  capital  has  developed  many  of  the  mines  and  most 
of  the  money  now  produced  by  the  county  remains  to  enrich  it.  Condi- 
tions are  rapidly  changing.  Once  men  came  to  Elko  County  to  make  a 
stake  and  spend  it  elsewhere.  Now  desirable  public  institutions  and 
handsome  residences  with  all  modern  conveniences  and  sanitary  environ- 
ments offer  attractions  to  people  to  remain  at  home.  Sixty  millions  of 
dollars  worth  of  the  precious  metals  has  come  from  Elko  County  and 
has  added  much  to  our  mineral  wealth. 

Recent  legislation  to  prevent  wild-cat  schemes  has  materially  aided 
the  mining  industry  of  the  county.  More  new  properties  are  being 
worked  to-day  than  for  the  past  ten  years.  Gold  Circle,  discovered  in 
1907,  is  located  forty-five  miles  west  of  Tuscarora.  Since  its  discovery 
seven  mines  have  been  developed  and  three  stamp  mills  have  been 
built  and  operated.  Seven  companies  are  working  at  the  present  time.  At 
Edgemont,  about  ninety  miles  north  of  Elko,  are  located  the  mine,  mill, 
and  cyanide  plant  of  the  Montana  Gold  Mining  Company,  which  owns 
practically  all  the  west  side  of  the  Bull  Run  Mountain.  There  are  six 
miles  of  underground  workings,  which  have  produced  about  $1,000,000, 
chiefly  gold.  A  main  working  cross-cut  tunnel  is  now  being  driven  to 
develop  the  property  at  an  additional  depth  of  500  feet.  This  will  give 
a  total  depth  of  1,500  feet  below  the  surface  workings.  The  tunnel  has 


826  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

been  driven  3,000  feet  and  is  to  go  1,000  feet  further.     Work  is  now 
in  progress. 

Nestling  in  the  hills  of  antiquity  where  Indian  legends  abound  is  the 
famous  camp  of  the  Jarbidge.  Nature  could  not  have  added  more  to 
the  attractiveness  of  this  location.  It  is  in  strong  contrast  with  the 
camps  of  southern  Nevada.  An  abundance  of  timber  and  water,  good 
feed  and  wild  game  make  it  a  veritable  pleasure  resort.  The  camp  is 
only  four  years  old.  Boom  days  have  passed  and  permanent  work 
established.  Many  of  the  mines  are  being  actively  developed  at  the 
present  time. 

Also  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county  is  Contact,  a  camp  producing 
copper,  silver  and  gold.  A  contemplated  railroad  connecting  Idaho  points 
with  the  Western  Pacific  at  Wells  will  enable  this  camp  to  market  its 
ores.  From  the  Copper  Queen  on  Lone  Mountain,  twenty-eight  miles 
north  of  Elko,  ore  is  now  being  shipped  by  the  Ely  Consolidated  Mining 
Company  to  their  smelters  in  Salt  Lake  City.  Home  capital  is  developing 
Sprucemont,  south  of  Wells.  Mardis  and  Charleston,  north  of  Deeth, 
have  several  producers,  on  one  of  which  a  ten-stamp  mill  was  built  last 
year  and  is  now  in  operation. 

No  camp  presents  greater  possibilities  than  old  Bullion,  reached  by 
easy  drive  over  a  good  level  road  from  Elko,  only  twenty-five  miles 
southward.  Here  the  Nevada  Bunker  Hill  Mining  Company  is  driving 
cross-cut  working  tunnels  that  will  open  up  these  properties  800  feet 
below  the  old  workings.  Ore  is  now  being  shipped  from  this  camp  to 
the  Salt  Lake  City  smelters.  All  of  these  camps  are  being  legitimately 
developed  and  an  enormous  increase  in  the  output  of  Elko  County  mines 
will  be  manifest  in  the  next  year. 

Between  Salt  Lake  City  and  Reno,  a  distance  of  over  500  miles,  the 
largest  city  is  Elko,  the  county  seat  of  Elko  County.  It  has  a  population 
of  2,000  and  is  5,000  feet  above  sea  level.  Five  hundred  and  sixty-seven 
votes  were  cast  at  the  last  election.  At  the  present  time  there  are  about 
400  dwellings,  and  the  city  is  growing  very  rapidly.  It  has  been  stated 
that  the  name  "Elko"  was  given  to  the  county  seat  by  Mr.  Charles 
Crocker,  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad.  Mr. 
Crocker  simply  added  an  "o"  to  "elk,"  because  of  the  large  numbers  of 
elk  in  the  surrounding  hills  at  the  time.  This  gave  the  town  the  name 
"Elko."  In  1868  the  Central  Pacific,  which  was  constructed  from  the 


ELKO    COUNTY  827 

west  as  well  as  from  the  east,  reached  Elko.  For  some  time  the  present 
site  of  the  town  was  the  eastern  terminus  of  the  road.  Thus  was  estab- 
lished the  town  that  has  grown  to  its  present  proportions,  the  location 
having  been  determined  by  this  mere  coincidence  of  the  delay  in  con- 
tinued construction.  On  May  10,  1869,  the  golden  spike  completing  the 
road  was  driven  at  Promontory. 

The  oldest  landmark  in  the  town  of  Elko  is  the  old  building  formerly 
used  as  the  Pioneer  saloon.  It  was  recently  moved  on  the  old  Chase 
estate  to  make  way  for  the  construction  of  a  three-story  brick  building, 
still  known  as  the  Pioneer  Building.  When  the  railroad  was  completed 
the  Overland  Stage  Company  put  on  a  stage-line  between  Elko  and 
Hamilton  and  Elko  became  the  leading  shipping  point  on  the  railroad. 
One  month  after  the  driving  of  the  golden  spike  that  marked  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  Elko's  first  newspaper  was  pub- 
lished. On  June  19,  1869,  was  published  the  first  copy  of  the  Elko 
Independent,  which  is  still  run  under  the  same  name  and  is  owned  by 
Hon.  W.  W.  Booher.  The  advertisements  and  locals  of  that  issue  indicate 
most  prosperous  conditions  and  a  most  sanguine  people.  Elko  was  then 
a  tent-city  of  about  2,000  people.  Lots  jumped  within  a  few  months  from 
$500  to  $2,000.  Such  buildings  as  were  necessary  for  emergency  were 
rapidly  constructed.  Elko  became  firmly  established  as  an  emporium 
of  trade  and  it  was  then  prophesied  that  it  would  soon  become  the 
leading  city  between  Sacramento  and  Omaha. 

The  first  child  born  in  Elko  of  which  we  have  any  record  was  George 
Elko  Gantz,  born  July  7,  1869.  The  oldest  living  Elkoite  is  Judge  L.  E. 
Morgan,  now  in  his  eighty-ninth  year.  In  1849  he  joined  the  Odd 
Fellows  lodge  at  Unadilla,  Michigan.  This  makes  him  the  oldest  Odd 
Fellow  on  the  Pacific  Coast.  He  has  served  two  terms  -as  county  treas- 
urer and  eight  years  as  justice  of  the  peace.  J.  F.  Triplett,  now  living 
in  Elko,  claims  the  distinction  of  acting  as  guide  for  the  first  stage  that 
came  through  the  Humboldt  Valley  in  1858.  Elko  is  well  represented 
in  all  the  fraternal  organizations  of  the  State.  A  charter  was  granted 
to  the  Elko  Lodge  No.  15,  F.  and  A.  M.,  in  1871.  At  this  time  they 
held  their  meetings  in  a  brick  house  near  the  Humboldt  steel  bridge.  At 
present  this  lodge  numbers  145  members.  The  charter  for  the  Eastern 
Stars  was  granted  in  1908.  It  is  one  of  the  flourishing  lodges  of  the 
county.  The  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  dates  back  to  1870. 


828 

The  Rebecca  Lodge  is  of  more  recent  date,  having  received  its  charter  in 
1898.  The  Knights  of  Pythias  was  organized  in  1883  and  is  the  only 
lodge  in  Elko  that  owns  its  own  hall.  It  meets  in  a  brick  building, 
built  by  Elko  Grange  No.  9,  and  is  one  of  the  historic  landmarks.  Four 
years  ago  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  was  established.  They  hold 
regular  meetings  and  have  a  large  membership. 

An  abundant  supply  of  good  water  has  been  secured  in  Elko  by  tunneling 
.the  hills  of  Kittridge  Canyon,  eight  miles  away.  The  water  is  stored 
in  large  reservoirs  near  the  town.  A  new  one  is  now  being  constructed. 
In  public  buildings  the  county  seat  of  Elko  County  leads  the  entire  State. 
In  1909  the  old  public  school  building  of  two  stories  brick,  which  was 
constructed  in  1875,  was  torn  down  and  a  new  modern  school  house 
erected  to  take  its  place.  The  new  one  cost  $40,000.  On  September  20, 
1869,  the  cornerstone  of  the  first  Courthouse  was  laid.  This  building 
stood  on  the  corner  of  Sixth  and  Idaho  Streets  until  1910,  when  it  was 
torn  down  to  make  room  for  the  present  building.  Additional  ground 
was  purchased  and  a  handsome  building  was  constructed  at  a  cost  of 
$150,000.  The  following  year,  on  the  opposite  corner,  the  Presbyterian 
Church  constructed  a  large  and  beautiful  building,  harmonizing  with 
the  Courthouse  in  architecture.  This  building  cost  $20,000.  It  is'  a 
combination  church  and  Y.  M;  C.  A. 

One  of  the  most  important  events  in  the  recent  history  of  Elko  was 
the  construction  of  the  Western  Pacific  Railway.  The  track-laying 
machine  laid  the  rails  in  Elko  on  the  day  before  Christmas,  1908.  On 
August  20,  1910,  the  first  passenger  train  on  this  road  passed  through 
Elko.  It  was  a  newspaper-special  and  carried  representatives  of  nearly 
all  the  papers  of  Nevada.  The  first  regular  passenger  train  passed 
through  two  days  later.  The  Western  Pacific  received  a  purse  of  $10,000 
from  the  business  men  of  Elko  to  establish  here  their  shops  and  round- 
house. At  the  same  time  they  made  Elko  their  freight  division  point 
and  established  here  their  main  offices  of  the  eastern  division  of  which 
R.  M.  Ogilvie  is  superintendent.  The  Western  Pacific  employs  170  men 
in  Elko  and  has  a  monthly  payroll  of  $20,000.  This  road,  running  south 
of  Salt  Lake,  runs  through  Clover  Valley  and  parallels  the  Southern 
Pacific  from  Wells  to  Winnemucca.  There  is  less  than  a  one  per  cent, 
grade  on  the  entire  system. 

In  the  fall  of  1912  the  present  sewer-system  was  installed  at  a  cost 


ELKO    COUNTY  829 

of  nearly  $50,000.  The  sanitary  and  climatic  conditions  of  Elko  makes 
it  a  desirable  residence  for  those  suffering  from  throat  and  lung  troubles. 
The  Hot  Springs  Hotel,  near  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  is  a  veritable 
health  resort.  Here  rheumatics  are  treated  very  successfully.  All  blood 
and  skin  diseases  yield  very  readily  to  treatment  in  these  medicinal 
springs.  A  large  pool  is  constructed  for  the  use  of  pleasure-seekers. 
Well  equipped  private  baths  are  provided  for  those  who  desire  privacy 
and  opportunity  to.  regulate  the  temperature  of  the  water  at  their  own 
pleasure. 

Carlin,  the  freight  and  passenger  division  point  of  the  Southern 
Pacific,  is  situated  just  twenty  miles  west  of  Elko.  This  town  was 
first  settled  in  1868  by  J.  A.  Palmer.  The  present  population  of  the 
town  is  about  650.  Business  is  good  and  everyone  is  prosperous.  A 
commodious  school  of  modern  equipment  furnishes  excellent  facilities 
for  instructing  the  pupils.  The  Methodists  have  a  substantial  frame 
building,  the  pulpit  being  supplied  from  Sparks.  A  railroad  club  has  a 
library,  reading  room,  pool  room,  and  bathrooms.  These  are  furnished 
and  maintained  by  the  railroad,  which  employs  175  men  and  has  a 
monthly  pay  roll  of  $15,000.  Wells,  on  the  Southern  Pacific  and  Western 
Pacific,  has  a  population  of  about  400.  There  is  a  Presbyterian  church 
building  and  a  manse.  Two  good  hotels  furnish  accommodations  second 
to  none  in  the  State.  The  Nevada  State  Herald  is  published  here.  The 
oldest  pioneer  of  Wells  is  Uncle  Abner  Wiseman.  Tuscarora  was 
settled  in  1867  by  prospectors  in  search  of  placer-gold.  In  1868  an 
adobe  fort  was  built  by  the  settlers  to  protect  them  from  the  invasions 
of  the  Indians.  A  Methodist  meeting-house  furnished  a  religious  home 
for  all  denominations  for  many  years.  It  is  now  practically  abandoned. 
Deeth  is  another  railroad  town  between  Wells  and  Elko.  It  is  the 
shipping-point  for  Starr  Valley,  a  very  productive  settlement.  Here  a 
weekly  newspaper,  The  Commonwealth,  is  published  by  A.  B.  Gray.  A 
few  other  towns  along  the  line  of  the  railroad,  the  principal  one  of 
which  is  Montello,  are  shipping  points  for  ranches  and  mines  north 
and  south  of  the  railroads. 


830 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 
EUREKA  COUNTY. 

Up  to  March  i,  1873,  Eureka  County  was  a  part  of  Lander,  at 
which  time  an  act  of  the  Legislature  called  it  into  being  and  described 
its  boundaries  as  follows: 

"Beginning  at  a  point  on  the  north  boundary  line  of  Lander  County, 
equi-distant  between  the  northeast  and  northwest  corners  of  Lander 
County;  thence  running  due  south  from  said  initial  point  to  the  south 
boundary  line  of  said  Lander  County;  thence  running  east  along 
said  south  boundary  line  of  Lander  County;  thence  running  north 
along  the  east  boundary  line  of  Lander  County  to  the  southwest  cor- 
ner of  White  Pine  County;  thence  running  west  along  the  south 
boundary  line  of  Elko  County  to  the  southwest  corner  of  said  Elko 
County  to  the  northwest  corner  of  said  Elko  County;  thence  running 
along  the  west  boundary  line  of  Elko  County  to  the  northwest  corner 
of  Lander  County;  thence  running  west  along  the  north  boundary 
line  of  said  Lander  County  to  the  place  of  beginning." 

By  a,n  Act  approved  March  2,  1881,  a  small  strip  was  detached 
from  White  Pine  County  and  added  to  Eureka.  The  Act  creating 
the  county  stipulated  that  Eureka  should  assume  half  the  public 
debt  of  Lander  and  the  town  of  Eureka  was  named  as  the  county 
seat. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  Eureka  County  Commissioners  took  place 
in  Eureka  March  20,  1873.  The  first  Commissioners  were  D.  H.  Hall, 
E.  E.  Phillips  and  L.  W.  Comer.  F.  H.  Harmon  presented  his  com- 
mission as  County  Clerk  and  it  was  accepted,  but  when  William 
Arlington  presented  his  commission,  signed  by  the  Governor  as 
County  Commissioner,  the  Board  rejected  it.  Next  in  order,  Dis- 
trict Attorney  Baker  presented  the  commission  of  T.  C.  Edwards  as 
County  Recorder;  W.  M.  Gates  presented  a  similiar  commission  on 
behalf  of  A.  S.  Campbell  for  the  same  office.  The  commissions  were 
spread  on  the  minutes  and  later  in  the  day  Campbell  was  recognized. 
W.  A.  Edwards  was  appointed  County  Surveyor,  J.  D.  Sullivan, 


EUREKA    COUNTY  831 

Sheriff,  and  L.  P.  Kelly,  Superintendent  of  Schools.  C.  C.  Wallace 
was  recognized  as  Assessor,  and  W.  A.  Seaton  as  County  Treasurer. 
On  March  22  the  Board  rejected  the  bond  of  William  Head  as  Super- 
intendent of  Schools  and  declared  the  position  already  filled. 

On  March  25  Skating  Rink  Hall,  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Bate- 
man  streets,  was  accepted  for  county  purposes,  being  presented  by 
J.  O.  Darrow. 

The  Act  creating  the  county  provided  that  an  election  should  be 
held  whenever  500  citizens  presented  a  petition  calling  for  it.  Such 
a  petition  was  duly  presented  to  the  County  Commissioners,  but  they 
decided  on  May  5  that  it  was  not  in  accordance  with  the  law,  as  it 
contained  many  names  who  were  not  bona  fide  citizens  of  the  county. 
On  June  16  additional  signatures  were  secured  and  the  petition  again 
presented,  again  to  be  rejected  on  the  same  grounds  as  before.  On 
April  21  the  Board  of  Commissioners  approved  the  settlement  of  the 
public  matters  between  the  counties  of  Lander  and  Eureka. 

On  December  2  another  petition  was  presented  to  the  Board  bear- 
ing the  names  of  680  citizens,  representing  three-fifths  of  the  taxable 
property  of  the  county.  By  this  time  there  were  many  mutterings 
of  discontent  and  threats  were  numerous  as  to  what  might  happen  if 
the  Board  should  again  reject  the  petition.  They  declared  the  County 
of  Eureka  subject  to  the  provisions  of  the  Act  of  March  21,  1873. 
This  Act  was  made  to  apply  to  an  area  two  miles  north  and  south  of 
the  Court  House,  one  mile  west  and  half  a  mile  east  of  the  same. 

Ruby  Hill  township  was  created  on  March  16  and  abolished  Sep- 
tember u,  1876.  In  September  fifteen  voting  precincts  were  created 
and  a  few  weeks  later  two  more'were  added.  In  October,  1873,  bonds 
to  the  amount  of  $20,000  were  issued  to  meet  public  needs,  and  in 
December,  $17,347  in  bonds  were  issued  to  meet  the  indebtedness  to 
Lander  County.  In  1880  the  new  Court-house  was  accepted.  In  the 
same  year  $20,000  in  bonds  were  issued  to  provide  for  public  schools. 
In  1872  the  children  of  school  age  numbered  472. 

The  first  paper  published  in  Eureka  was  the  Sentinel,  a  daily,  edited 
by  George  Cassedy,  who  was  afterward  elected  to  Congress.  The 
Leader  was  also  a  daily,  and  the  Weekly  Mining  News  was  published 
at  Mineral  Hill.  The  Sentinel  still  survives,  being  published  by  Geo. 
Skillman. 


832  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Eureka's  topographical  features  consist  of  mountains  and  valleys. 
The  Humboldt  River  flows  across  the  northern  part,  with  its  general 
course  to  the  west;  Maggie  Creek  from  the  north,  and  Pine  Creek 
from  the  south,  empty  into  the  Humboldt.  Fish  Creek  rises  in  the 
southwestern  part  of  the  county  and  flows  east  into  White  Pine  and 
sinks.  The  Diamond  range  of  mountains  skirts  the  eastern  border 
for  nearly  100  miles.  The  Sulphur  Mountains  extend  from  the  Hum- 
boldt River  on  the  north  nearly  100  miles  south,  and  then  turn 
westerly  across  the  southwestern  portion  of  the  county.  The  lowest 
point  of  the  county  is  at  Beowawe,  which  is  4,695  feet  above  sea 
level.  Prospect  Mountain  and  some  of  the  loftiest  peaks  of  the 
Sulphur  Range  have  an  altitude  of  9,500  feet.  Diamond  Mountain, 
overlooking  the  town  of  Eureka,  has  an  altitude  of  11,000  feet. 

The  county  is  more  adapted  to  mining  than  agriculture,  although 
of  late  years  along  the  Humboldt,  Fish  Creek  and  in  Pine  Valley  a 
good  deal  has  been  invested  in  hay  and  cattle  raising  and  the  growth 
of  the  white  sage  affords  good  pasturage  for  cattle.  Cottonwood, 
cedar  and  mountain  mahogany  afford  fuel  and  the  charcoal  industry, 
when  the  mines  were  producing,  was  large  and  lucrative. 

The  principal  mining  districts  are  the  Antelope  District,  twenty 
miles  north  of  Eureka;  the  Cortez  District,  in  the  Toiyabe  Mountains, 
about  thirty  miles  southeast  of  Beowawe  station  on  the  Southern 
Pacific  R.  R.  The  Cortez  Co.  built  a  mill  in  1863  which  cost  $100,000. 
It  was  afterward  enlarged  from  eight  to  sixteen  stamps  and  finally 
sold  for  $6,000  to  Sam  Wenban,  one  of  the  original  locators. 

TOPOGRAPHICAL  AND  GEOLOGICAL. 

Eureka  County  lies  entirely  in  the  Great  Basin,  and  its  surface  is 
divided  between  great  mountains  and  valleys.  The  former  are  preg- 
nant with  mineral  veins  and  deposits  of  gold,  silver  and  lead,  copper, 
antimony  zinc,  etc.  The  gold  and  silver-lead  deposits  have  been 
mined  extensively;  the  copper  and  antimony  are  abundant.  There 
are  well-known  veins  and  deposits  of  zinc. 

Sulphur,  niter,  salt,  borax,  soda  and  other  minerals  of  economic 
value  are  abundant  in  the  county ;  but  as  little  or  no  attention  has 
been  given  them,  their  extent  cannot  at  present  be  estimated.  Bitu- 


EUREKA    COUNTY  833 

minous  slate,  gypsum  and  kaolin  are  known  to  exist,  but  have  re- 
ceived only  passing  attention. 

.  The  valleys  are  mostly  arid,  but  where  irrigation  is  applied  the  soil 
will  produce  an  average  of  forty  bushels  of  wheat  to  the  acre,  and 
60  bushels  have  been  harvested  in  the  richer  soil.  Barley  and  oats 
have  been  raised  in  considerable  quantities  for  home  consumption. 
Alfalfa  grows  luxuriantly  and  two  crops  harvested  during  the  year 
will  cut  from  three  to  five  tons  to  the  acre.  Good  crops  are  cut  in 
the  Humboldt  Bottom  and  in  Pine  and  Fish  Creek  valleys.  There  are 
a  number  of  small  farms  watered  from  the  mountain  springs  that 
yield  good  crops  of  hay,  barley,  oats,  fruit  and  vegetables  of  extra- 
ordinary fine  quality  and  flavor.  Both  the  mountains  and  valleys 
afford  good  pasturage  in  winter  and  summer  alike,  with  only  occa- 
sional unfavorable  seasons,  there  being  an  abundance  of  bunch  and 
other  natural  grasses  in  the  mountains  and  white  sage  in  the  valleys. 

Stack  Racing  Industry. — Stock  raising  is  a  permanent  industry  out 
of  which  a  number  of  persons  have  become  rich,  the  climate  and  extent 
of  the  ranges  being  exceedingly  favorable.  Game  is  not  abundant, 
but  wild  rabbits,  grouse,  sage  fowls,  doves,  etc.,  breed  enough  to  afford 
good  sporting.  Several  of  the  streams  are  full  of  trout  and  German 
carp  (the  latter  imported),  and  the  Humboldt  River  affords  fine  fish- 
ing for  splendid  mountain  trout  and  imported  catfish.  Cottonwood 
trees  of  natural  growth  are  found  along  the  river  bottoms,  and  dwarf 
cedar,  nut  pine  and  mountain  mahogany  are  plentiful  in  the  moun- 
tains and  foothills.  Wild  flowers  and  medicinal  herbs  grow  in  pro- 
fusion. The  average  elevation  of  the  valleys  above  sea  level  is  about 
6,000  feet.  Prominent  mountain  peaks  rise  above  the  valleys  from 
2,500  to  4,600  feet.  In  1878  the  population  of  the  county  numbered 
7,896,  6,581  of  whom  were  residents  at  Eureka,  the  county  seat,  and 
Ruby  Hill,  the  center  of  mining  operations  in  Eureka  county.  The 
average  quotation  of  silver  in  New  York  that  year  was  $1.152  per 
ounce.  Since  that  year,  corresponding  with  the  decline  of  silver,  min- 
ing and  metallurgical  operations  have  steadily  diminished,  and  the 
population  of  the  county  is  reduced  accordingly. 

Newark  District,  with  the  Bay  State,  Nevada,  Battery,  and  other 
mines,  which  have  been  productive  and  profitable  at  one  time  or 
another,  is  situated  about  20  miles  to  the  northeast  of  Eureka,  be- 


834  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

yond  Alhambra  Hill.  It  also  lies  in  White  Pine  County,  borders  on 
Newark  Valley,  and  procures  its  supplies  from  and  ships  its  products 
by  way  of  Eureka.  Spring  Valley  and  Prospect  Mountain  districts 
lie  to  the  west  and  southwest  and  are  separated  by  Spring  Valley. 
In  the  former  district  are  situated  the  Woodchopper,  Reeves  and 
Berry,  North  Star  and  other  mines,  which  have  produced  considerable 
rich  chloride  of  silver  ore;  in  the  latter  are  the  Mountain  Boy  and 
Kentuck  mines,  which  have  yielded  large  quantities  of  rich  silver- 
lead  ore.  These  districts  are  each  of  them  tributary  to  Eureka  and 
likewise  referred  to  as  belonging  to  Eureka  district. 

Geology. — The  cambrian,  silurian,  devonian  and  carboniferous  ages 
are  all  represented  in  Eureka  district,  but  it  is  only  in  the  limestone 
of  the  cambrian  period  that  ore  deposits  of  any  great  value  have 
been  found.  The  Hoosac,  "76"  and  a  few  other  small  mines  lie  in 
the  Lone  Mountain's  limestone,  and  the  Bullwhacker  in  the  Pogonip 
limestone,  both  of  which  belong  to  the  silurian  age.  In  the  rocks  of 
the  devonian  and  carboniferous  ages  in  Eureka  district  no  ore  what- 
ever has  been  found.  The  following  beds  of  the  cambrian  age  have 
been  distinguished  by  Mr.  Arnold  Hague,  geologist  in  the  field  of  this 
region,  of  the  U.  S.  Survey  of  the  Fortieth  Parallel ;  Prospect  Moun- 
tain quartzite,  Prospect  Mountain  limestone,  Secret  Canyon  shales, 
^Hamburg  limestone  and  Hamburg  shale.  The  rocks  of  the  silurian 
age,  in  the  order  of  their  succession,  are  Pogonip  limestone,  Eureka 
quartzite,  and  Lone  Mountain  limestone.  The  rocks  of  the  devonian 
age  in  the  neighborhood  are  the  White  Pine  shale  and  Nevada  lime- 
stone, in  the  latter  of  which  are  situated  the  mines  of  Alhambra  Hill 
and  some  of  those  of  Prospect  Mountain  district. 

The  principal  mines  of  Eureka  district  lie  in  Prospect  Mountain 
and  Hamburg  beds  of  limestone,  which  run  through  the  district  sev- 
eral miles  in  length,  and  are  bounded  on  either  side  by  bands  of 
quartzite  or  argillaceous  shale.  The  beds  of  the  Prospect  Mountain 
limestone  differ  somewhat  from  the  Hamburg  beds,  the  latter  con- 
taining more  silica,  and  breaking  with  a  sharper  fracture  than  the 
former;  upon  the  surface  it  also  shows  a  rough  surface  where  it  has 
been  weathered  by  exposure  to  the  elements.  These  beds  vary  in 
width  from  1,000  to  6,000  feet  and  have  a  general  northerly  trend. 
The  dip  is  to  the  eastward,  excepting  isolated  cases.  The  Prospect 


EUREKA    COUNTY  835 

Mountain  quartzite  bends  around  the  northern  slope  of  Prospect 
Mountain  in  the  form  of  a  horseshoe;  it  sinks  on  the  east  side  just 
north  of  the  Eureka  tunnel,  where  it  is  separated  by  a  fault  from  the 
Secret  Canyon  shale.  At  a  point  northwesterly,  upon  the  west  side, 
west  of  the  mouth  of  the  Prospect  Mountain  tunnel,  it  underlies  and 
forms  the  foot-wall  of  the  Ruby  Hill  lode,  with  an  average  dip  of  40 
degrees  to  the  northeast. 

The  ore-bearing  limestone  zone  of  Ruby  Hill  has  been  characterized 
as  a  "lode"  in  the  rulings  of  the  court  of  the  sixth  judicial  district  of 
Nevada,  upon  the  evidence  submitted  through  litigation  between  the 
Eureka  Consolidated  Mining  Company  and  the  Richmond  Consolid- 
ated Mining  Company  of  Nevada,  and  these  rulings  were  sustained 
by  the  United  States  Supreme  Court.  Hence  the  term  "lode"  has 
been  applied  to  all  of  that  portion  of  the  Prospect  Mountain  limestone 
of  which  Ruby  Hill  is  partly  formed.  The  main  feature  of  the  Ruby 
Hill  is  the  presence  of  a  fault  fissure,  to  which  the  name  of  Ruby  Hill 
fault  has  been  given  by  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  and  which  ap- 
pears to  have  a  very  important  bearing  upon  the  mineralized  zone, 
as  also  upon  the  ore  deposits.  It  strikes  in  a  southeasterly  direc- 
tion and  the  average  dip  of  its  plane  is  70  degrees  northeasterly.  It 
extends  from  Ruby  Hill  through  all  of  the  mines  to  the  southeast 
and  has  a  fault  plant  along  which  the  whole  southwestern  country 
has  been  raised  (as  illustrated  by  the  U.  S.  Survey)  from  500  to  2,000 
feet. 

Ores  of  Eureka  District. — The  following  minerals  have  been  found 
among  the  gold  and  silver-bearing  ores  of  Eureka  district:  Galena, 
anglesite,  cerusite,  minelite,  wolfenite,  limonite,  pyrite,  arsenopyrite, 
molybdenite,  malachite  and  azurite.  The  different  classes  of  ore  are 
so  varied  in  their  composition  that  a  full  description  here  would  be 
too  voluminous  for  the  requirements  of  this  work. 

Silver  occurs  in  the  form  of  chlorides  and  sulphides,  etc.,  and  is 
more  directly  associated  with  quartz,  lead  and  iron  than  other  com- 
ponents in  the  ores.  Gold  occurs  in  a  metallic  state  and  is  also  chemi- 
cally diffused  through  quartz,  iron  oxide,  etc.  Antimony  is  present 
in  many  of  the  ores,  but  in  what  state  has  not  yet  been  determined. 
Silver  is  seldom  found  without  an  intermixture  of  gold,  and  although 
Eureka  is  regarded  wherever  it  is  known  as  a  "silver  camp,"  gold  and 


836  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

silver  at  their  present  respective  commercial  values  occur  in  about 
equal  proportions  in  the  combined  products  of  the  district. 

The  lead  ores  of  Eureka  district  have  cut  a  most  important  figure 
in  the  general  output;  the  metallic  leads  obtained  from  them  have 
realized  no  less  than  $25,000,000  in  the  open  market.  They  occur 
rriostly  in  the  form  of  galena  of  a  coarse  and  medium  grain  and  more 
or  less  mixed  with  sulphide  of  lead  and  iron  oxide.  The  lead  fre- 
quently occurs  in  the  form  of  nodules  of  galena,  which  are  changed  at 
or  near  the  surface  into  carbonate  of  lead  and  in  irregular  masses  dis- 
tributed with  iron  oxide  throughout  the  ore.  The  products  of  the 
mines  of  Eureka  district  may  be  classed  as  auriferous  argentiferous 
lead  ores,  gold  as  well  as  silver  entering  largely  into  this  composition. 
They  are  generally  of  a  smelting  character  and  while  lead  has  always 
formed  the  most  important  factor  in  their  reduction,  they  also  contain 
sufficient  iron,  silica  and  other  reducing  agents  to  make  them  self- 
fluxing.  They  are  phenomenally  valuable  for  shipment  to  distant 
smelting  centers,  on  account  of  their  iron  gangue.  Especially  where 
ferruginous  ores  are  scarce  and  in  demand,  they  command  the  highest 
rates  paid  and  frequently  realize  in  the  open  market  more  than  the 
full  commercial  value  of  their  gold  and  silver  contents.  The  sul- 
phurets,  sulphides  and  carbonates  of  lead  usually  contain  more  silver 
than  gold  and  carry  combined  values  in  both  of  the  precious  metals, 
varying  from  $20,  or  thereabouts,  up  to  $150  per  ton,  while  ores  of 
similar  characteristics,  found  in  the  Hamburg  limestone  beds,  fre- 
quently run  from  $300  to  $500  per  ton  in  value  and  carry  more  gold 
than  silver.  The  chloride  ores  of  the  district  are  sometimes  extremely 
rich,  running  up  into  the  thousands  of  dollars  per  ton,  principally  in 
silver.  The  iron  and  silicious  ores  usually  carry  greater  value  in 
gold  than  silver;  especially  where  the  quartz  appears  in  a  much  crys- 
tallized form,  it  is  generally  very  rich  in  gold. 

Iron  ores  are  plentiful  in  all  parts  of  the  district;  they  occur  in  the 
form  of  oxide  and  carbonates  and  occasionally  silicate  of  iron,  and 
range  in  value  from  $6  or  $8  to  $200  and  $300  per  ton  in  gold  and 
silver.  In  some  of  the  mines  where  iron  ores  predominate  the  con- 
tents average  three  or  four  dollars  in  gold  to  one  in  silver,  and  in 
many  cases  might  be  treated  for  reduction  by  the  cyanide  or  other 
similar  processes  with  extremely  profitable  results. 


EUREKA    COUNTY  837 

Free  gold  has  been  found  in  Prospect  Mountain  in  hematite  (sesqui- 
oxide  of  iron)  and  also  in  shipping  quantities  in  calcite  (crystallized 
carbonate  of  lime).  Specimens  of  free  gold  in  hematite  and  large 
blocks  of  calcite  have  assayed  up  into  many  thousands  of  dollars  per 
ton.  Those  occurred  in  some  of  the  mines  upon  the  west  aide  of 
Prospect  Mountain,  but  in  the  Hamburg  bed  of  Adams  Hill,  and  that 
which  forms  the  eastern  base  of  Prospect  Mountain  for  a  continuous 
distance  of  10  or  12  miles,  the  ores  that  were  mined  generally  predom- 
inated in  gold.  It  is  estimated  that  there  are  millions  of  tons  of  low- 
grade  ore  blocked  out  and  in  prospective  in  the  various  mines  of  the 
district,  the  value  of  which  must  depend  on  future  appliances  for 
their  reduction  to  marketable  material,  and  which,  under  such  ad- 
vantages as  are  enjoyed  in  the  prominent  camps  of  California,  Utah 
and  Colorado,  would  realize  to  the  owners  many  millions  of  dollars. 

Yield  of  the  Metals  Estimated. — The  total  yield  of  ore  from  the 
mines  of  the  county  from  1894  up  to  the  end  of  1895  is  estimated  at 
over  $125,000,000  gross  value.  That  estimate  is  based  on  the  tonnage 
accounted  for  upon  the  county  assessor's  books  since  March,  1873,  the 
ores  that  were  reduced  in  Eureka  previous  to  that  period,  the  products 
which  were  shipped  to  Austin  and  other  places,  and  from  other  sources 
of  information.  Up  to  the  latter  part  of  1882  the  estimates  of  the 
U.  S.  Geological  Survey  placed  the  total  production  of  the  precious 
metals  from  Eureka  district  alone  at  about  sixty  million  dollars — 
about  one-third  gold  and  two-thirds  silver.  It  also  estimated  the 
production  of  lead  at  225,000  tons,  which,  at  $90  per  ton,  equals  a 
value  of  $20,250,000,  making  the  total  yield  of  the  district,  up  to  the 
latter  part  of  1882,  in  round  figures,  $80,000,000. 

The  Eureka  reduction  companies  never  paid  anything  for  the  iron 
contained  in  the  ores  they  purchased,  but  shippers  are  paid  at  the  rate 
of  $15  per  ton  at  the  Salt  Lake  and  other  distant  smelters  for  all  of  the 
iron  their  ore  contains.  As  some  of  the  Eureka  ores  carry  as  much  as 
60  per  cent.  (1,200  to  the  ton  of  2,000)  of  iron,  that  metal  has  assumed 
great  importance  as  a  factor  of  economic  value  to  shippers.  At  distant 
smelters  it  is  an  important  fluxing  agent,  and  not  easily  obtained.  It 
is  worthy  of  note  that  Eureka  district  has  been  mainly  self-sustaining. 
It  has  neither  been  fostered  by  loud  advertising  nor  speculation  in 
stocks.  The  total  amount  of  capital  invested  for  the  purchase  of  mines 


838  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

has  now  reached  $2,000,000,  and  a  like  amount  will  co-ver  all  of  the 
assessments  that  have  been  levied  for  its  support.  The  shares  of  her 
incorporated  companies  have  always  been  held  for  legitimate  invest- 
ment at  their  normal  value.  The  mines  have  been  only  25  years  under 
active  development  and  the  lowest  depth  obtained  is  only  1,400  feet. 
That  was  the  depth  (or  thereabouts)  of  the  Con.  Virginia  when  it 
commenced  to  make  millionaires  of  men  and  show  up  the  apparently 
limitless  richness  of  the  Comstock.  The  county  assessor's  books  show 
a  total  yield  from  the  mines  of  the  county,  from  the  quarter  ending 
March  31,  1873,  UP  to  March  31,  1896,  of  1,316,170  tons  and  1,490 
pounds  of  ore  of  the  net  value  of  $44,241,016.93. 

Neighboring  Districts  Within  County. — Outside  of  Eureka  and 
within  the  county  are  several  mining  districts  any  of  which  may  come 
to  the  front  as  great  ore  producers.  In  fact,  Cortez  and  Mineral  Hill 
have  already  yielded  sufficient  to  give  them  place  among  the  most 
important  mining  regions  of  the  county.  Safford  district,  situated  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Humboldt  river,  about  five  miles  distant  from 
Palisade,  has  a  number  of  ore  veins  in  porphyry.  The  ore  is  generally 
very  rich  in  silver,  and  there  is  justification  in  the  belief  that  the  veins 
will  pay  well  to  explore  on  an  extensive  scale. 

Richmond  district,  which  is  divided  by  the  line  that  separates  Eureka 
from  Elko  county,  and  Goodhue  and  Schroeder  districts,  in  the  north- 
erly part  of  the  county,  have  produced  rich  ore,  but  not  in  such  quan- 
tities as  to  give  them  special  distinction.  Roberts  district  has  been 
known  for  a  number  of  years,  but  until  within  the  present  year  it  has 
only  received  passing  attention.  Several  years  ago  some  claims  were 
worked,  but  with  results  so  unsatisfactory  that  they  were  soon  prac- 
tically abandoned.  Early  last  spring,  they  having  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  R.  D.  Clark  of  Reno,  his  son  and  others  who  were  associated 
with  them,  men  were  employed  by  them  on  the  Keystone  mine,  and 
they  developed  a  vein  or  deposit  of  ore  which  they  feel  justified  in 
exploring  on  a  more  extensive  scale  than  had  previously  been 
attempted.  Miners  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  prospect  is  good  for 
the  development  of  a  great  mine.  It  is  situated  about  53  miles  north- 
east of  Eureka  and  17  miles  southwest  of  Cortez.  The  mines  show 
bold  croppings  which  are  traceable  for  a  half  mile  or  thereabouts. 
The  work  recently  done  there  consists  of  a  tunnel  150  feet  in  length, 


EUREKA    COUNTY  839 

connecting  with  a  shaft  105  feet  deep.  Low-grade  ore  was  found  on 
top,  but  very  rich  material  was  encountered  in  sinking.  Recent  devel- 
opments consist  of  a  vein  of  15  to  20  feet  in  width,  not  all  ore,  but  the 
paying  material  assays  from  18  to  600  ounces  of  silver  to  the  ton,  and 
some  of  it  will  yield  as  high  as  $120  in  gold.  The  ledge  is  described 
as  a  contact  vein,  with  a  porphyry  foot-wall  and  limestone  in  the 
"hanging."  Messrs.  Clark  &  Co.  have  secured  about  20  claims  on  the 
lode.  Cuprite  and  other  forms  of  copper  are  found  in  some  of  the 
ore,  and  quantities  of  it  will  yield  from  12  to  34  per  cent,  of  that  metal. 
Lead  and  iron  sulphides  are  also  abundant.  A  concentrator  has  been 
set  up  near  the  mine  and  a  smelter  is  in  course  of  construction  to  be 
used  for  matting  the  ore  until  more  definite  plans  are  matured. 

Mineral  Hill  district  is  situated  in  the  foothills,  about  five  miles  east 
of  Mineral  Station,  on  the  line  of  the  Eureka  and  Palisade  railroad. 
It  was  discovered  in  1869,  when  several  claims  were  located  there 
upon  silver  quartz  deposits.  They  were  sold  in  1870  to  George  D. 
Roberts  and  Wm.  Lent,  of  San  Francisco,  for  $400.000,  and  the  Mineral 
Hill  Mining  Company  was  organized.  After  mining  and  milling  sev- 
eral hundred  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  ore,  this  company  sold  to  an 
English  syndicate  for  one  and  a  half  million  dollars.  The  English 
people  operated  the  property  for  some  years,  but,  although  some  of 
the  ore  ran  very  high  in  silver,  the  average  of  it  was  too  low  grade  to 
work,  as  affected  by  the  downward  course  of  silver.  So  they  sold  to 
the  present  owners,  Messrs.  Barker,  Spencer  &  Co.,  who  realized 
$60,000  or  $70,000  profit  by  running  tailings  through  the  mill.  The 
ore  that  has  been  mined  since  then  was  assorted,  and  lo-ts,  valued  at 
from  $100  to  $500  per  ton,  were  shipped  to  Salt  Lake  and  Eureka. 
The  character  of  the  ore  is  free  milling  quartz  and  chloride.  This 
is  doubtless  a  great  property,  but  it  has  nowhere  been  developed  below 
loo  feet  in  depth. 

Cortes  district  is  situated  upon  Mount  Tenabo,  east  of  and  near  the 
north  end  of  Toiyabe  range,  and  about  30  miles  south  of  Beowawe. 
It  is  there  that  the  first  important  mining  operations  in  the  county 
were  conducted.  It  was  discovered  in  1863.  The  principal  mines — 
the  Garrison  and  others,  numbering  upwards  of  60  claims — are  prin- 
cipally owned  by  Simeon  Wenban,  who,  by  his  indefatigable  energy 
and  shrewdness,  has  amassed  a  great  fortune  out  of  them.  He  was 


840  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

among  the  discoverers  and  first  locators  of  the  district,  and  in  the 
face  of  numberless  difficulties  stood  by  the  great  property  with  strong 
resolution  and  indomitable  will  through  many  trying  ordeals,  over  a 
period  of  nearly  thirty  years.  D.eserved  success  crowned  his  efforts 
and  made  him  a  millionaire.  These  claims  are  now  incorporated  in 
Nevada,  under  the  styling  of  "The  Temabo  Mill  and  Mining  Com- 
pany." They  are  marked  by  several  miles  of  bold  croppings,  and  are 
combined  in  what  is  probably  the  greatest  mining  property,  at  this 
date,  in  the  state  of  Nevada.  The  ore  runs  from  a  few  dollars  up  into 
the  thousands  per  ton.  The  principal  workings  are  approached  by 
long  tunnels,  and  but  little  shaft  work  has  so  far  been  needed.  The 
mines  are  nearly  idle  at  present,  it  being  understood  that  Mr.  Wenban 
will  not  work  them,  on  account  of  the  low  price  of  silver.  The  ores 
are  treated  by  a  leaching  process,  and  the  plant  in  use  for  the  purpose 
is  said  to  be  one  of  the  finest  appointed  establishments  of  the  kind  in 
the  State. 

Union  district,  situated  about  four  miles  eastward  from  Mineral 
Hill,  has  an  abundance  of  low-grade  silver-lead  ore  and  considerable 
of  high-grade.  It,  at  one  time,  bid  fair  for  a  position  among  the 
favored  mining  localities ;  but  through  unfortunate  business  manage- 
ment it  is  practically  deserted.  Diamond  district,  situated  in  the  Dia- 
mond range,  about  12  miles  north  of  Eureka,  is  in  a  similar  position. 

The  First  Smelting  Furnace. — The  discoveries  of  precious  metals  in 
Eureka  brought  some  of  the  best  equipped  metallurgists  in  the  world 
to  this  county. 

There  is  some  difference  of  opinion  as  to  whom  belongs  the  credit 
of  erecting  the  first  furnace  in  the  State.  In  1869  a  smelting  furnace 
was  erected  in  the  Eureka  district,  Nev.,  by  C.  A.  Stetefeldt,  which 
appears  to  have  smelted  ores  from  several  of  the  mines,  but  a  large 
proportion  of  gangue  in  the  ores  rendered  the  flux  required  too  great, 
and  pecuniary  difficulties  prevented  the  completion  of  the  plant.  The 
first  successful  commercial  plant  appears  to  have  been  erected  by  Col. 
G.  C.  Robbins  at  Eureka,  1869,  which  plant  was  described  by  R.  C. 
Canby  before  the  International  Congress  of  Applied  Chemistry,  the 
data  being  furnished  by  F.  Robins,  son  of  Col.  Robins.  The  stack  was 
a  draft  furnace,  through  which  the  mixture  of  oxide  and  carbonate 
ores  is  said  to  have  "run  like  butter." 


EUREKA    COUNTY  841 

Originally  slag  was  run  off  into  ordinary  iron  wheelbarrows,  and 
bullion  molds  were  made  of  sheet  iron,  folded  and  reinforced  by  a 
heavy  wire  rim.  In  1870  the  original  draft  stack  had  already  given 
way  to  two  small  blast  furnaces,  and  within  the  next  four  or  five 
years  there  were  12  or  more  plants  erected.  However,  it  did  not  take 
the  mine  owners  long  to  learn  that  the  smelting  toll  charged  by  a 
large  pla;nt  was  less  than  the  operating  costs  of  an  individual  one,  so 
eventually  two  only,  the  Eureka  Consolidated  and  Richmond  Consoli- 
dated, survived.  These  eventually  combined  to  fix  a  smelting  charge 
which  was  all  the  miner  could  stand  and  just  low  enough  to  prevent 
the  ore  going  to  Salt  Lake  City. 

In  1870,  with  the  exception  of  Stetefeldt,  there  were  no  skilled 
metallurgists,  there  were  two  or  three  itinerant  assayers  whose  knowl- 
edge did  not  extend  beyond  the  use  of  the  crucible  and  cupel,  but 
careful  hourly  analyses  of  slags  were  made  on  the  point  of  a  long- 
handled  shovel. 

T.  Pritchard  was  smelter  foreman,  a  son  of  a  Welshman  and  a. 
Mexican  woman  described  as  racially  a  metallurgical  marvel. 

The  crew  was  Mexican  and  Indian  and  celebrated  feast  days  with 
great  vigor.  During  one  of  these  shutdowns  Pritchard  whitewashed 
the  furnace  interior  with  bone-ash,  having  gotten  the  idea  from  the 
resisting  properties  of  the  cupel.  Three  young  German  metallurgists, 
Karl  von  Leibinau,  Albert  Arents  and  Otto  H.  Hahn,  came  to  the 
camp  about  this  time.  Hahn,  probably  with  Leibinau  as  his  assistant, 
planned  and  constructed  the  smelting  plant  of  the  Richmond  company 
in  1871.  Arents  remodelled  that  of  the  Eureka.  These  men  probably 
brought  with  them  the  plans  of  the  Raschette  furnaces  from  Germany. 
They  were  the  first  to  introduce  dust  chambers  into  the  camp  and 
Arents  invented  and  patented  his  siphon  tap.  For  many  years  metal- 
lurgical pilgrims  came  to  steal  ideas  from  these  works.  For  many 
years  the  lead  product  of  Eureka  led  all  Coast  records,  but  the  works 
were  but  crude  affairs  when  compared  with  the  monster  copper-plants 
at  Ely  owned  by  the  Guggenheims. 

"The  finding  of  the  great  Eberhardt  mine  on  Treasure  Hill,  in  White 
Pine  County,  Nevada,  in  1867  or  '68,  drew  critical  attention  to  eastern/ 
Nevada.  Pioche  was  quickly  discovered,  and  Eureka,  that  had  been 
previously  discovered  but  abandoned,  was  re-located,  or  re-appropri- 


842  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

ated,  and  by  the  autumn  of  1869  a  good  many  prospectors  had  gone 
there  and  were  exploring  all  that  region.  Four  men  had  taken  up  the 
Eureka  mine  and  had  mined  and  piled  on  the  dump,  perhaps  fifteen 
hundred  tons  of  ore.  Four  others  had  located  the  adjacent  claim  north 
of  the  Richmond,  and  were  sinking  upon  it.  The  Jackson,  to  the 
south,  had  likewise  been  located  and  a  little  work  done.  A  hundred 
other  locations  had  been  made  in  the  district  and  a  good  many  miners 
were  at  work,  but  it  was  clear  that  about  all  they  hoped  for  was  to 
make  as  good  a  showing  as  they  could,  in  the  hope  to  later  sell  out,  for 
the  ores  were  all  heavy  in  lead,  with  a  good  deal  of  silver  and  a  small 
percentage  of  gold,  all  impossible  to  mill,  and  up  to  that  time  no 
successful  smelting  had  been  accomplished  in  the  State. 

Then,  none  of  the  ores  would  bear  transportation  to  the  railroad  and 
thence  to  any  known  point  of  reduction,  for  to  get  to  Eureka  from  the 
railroad,  men  had  to  go  south  140  miles  from  Elko  to  Hamilton — 
three  miles  below  Treasure  Hill — and  thence  northwest  40  miles,  to 
Eureka.  In  December,  1869,  Eureka  consisted  of  two  tents,  one  log 
house,  one  rough  board  house  and  one  corral.  Isaac  Bateman,  who 
built  the  first  and  second  International  hotels  in  Virginia  City,  with 
Colonel  David  Bull  and  with  Joe  Farren  as  silent  partners,  had  bonded 
the  Eureka  mine,  and  a  little  later  Bateman  went  to  London  to  try 
to  sell  it.  They  also  built  two  furnaces  of  about  30  tons  capacity 
each,  and  employed  an  old  Baltimore  copper  smelter,  who  knew  noth- 
ing of  scientific  smelting,  the  analysis  of  ores  or  the  needed  fluxes  to 
use,  and  gave  him  charge  of  the  smelters. 

The  Jackson  smelter  was  set  running  with  similar  ability  in  charge, 
and  because  of  the  goodness  of  God  and  the  fact  that  the  ores  were  in 
great  measure  self-fluxing,  some  base  bullion  was  turned  out.  A  little 
later  a  road  was  opened  to  Carlin,  and  in  the  following  spring  still 
another  road  was  opened  to  Palisade,  on  the  old  Central  Pacific  Rail- 
road. In  the  course  of  the  winter  a  crowd  of  people  had  flocked  in, 
until  the  camp  numbered  1,200  or  1,500  people.  The  only  source  of 
revenue  was  the  smelters.  Farren  had  some  money,  but  Bull  and 
Bateman  had  none  to  speak  of.  That  firm  made  an  arrangement  with 
an  Austin  bank  to  get  advances  on  their  bullion.  The  Jackson  com- 
pany made  a  similar  arrangement  with  a  Hamilton  bank. 

But  it  was  a  tough,  hard  winter.    It  was  the  only  camp  in  Nevada 


EUREKA    COUNTY  843 

where  the  people  were  held  together  by  the  cohesive  attraction  of  uni- 
versal poverty.  With  the  rest,  a  great  many  tough  characters  had 
flocked  there,  and  things  were  always  lively  and  sometimes  exciting^ 
There  was  no  jail,  and  if  a  man  was  convicted  of  any  offense,  he  had 
to  be  sent  by  stage  90  miles,  to  Austin,  the  county  seat. 

The  late  Major  John  H.  Dennis  was  deputy  Sheriff,  and  he  made 
frantic  efforts  to  get  the  county  to  build  him  a  jail.  But  the  commis- 
sioners were  cautious  men;  they  informed  him  that  it  would  be  more 
prudent  to  wait  and  see  if  there  was  really  going  to  be  a  permanent 
camp  before  building  a  jail.  In  this  crisis  one  of  the  county  commis- 
sioners came  into  the  camp  with  a  four-horse  team  load  of  barley,  in 
eighty-pound  sacks.  The  commissioner  brought  his  own  food  and 
blankets  with  him,  tied  his  horses  to  the  four  wheels  of  the  wagon  and 
fed  them,  and  when  night  came  went  to  sleep  in  his  own  blankets  on 
his  load  of  barley.  Dennis  knew  all  the  thugs  in  town.  He  selected 
two  whom  he  considered  experts,  explained  to  them  that  in  the  interest 
of  justice  it  was  necessary  to  separate  four  sacks  of  that  barley  from 
the  wagon  and  deposit  them  in  a  designated  place,  for  which  he  prom- 
ised a  reasonable  reward  and  exemption  from  prosecution.  Barley 
was  worth  there  at  the  time  four  and  a  half  cents  per  pound. 

The  feat  was  accomplished.  Next  morning  the  commissioner  rushed 
to  Dennis  and  acquainted  him  with  his  loss.  Dennis  assured  him  it 
would  be  idle  to  try  to  find  and  arrest  the  culprits,  assured  him  that  he 
had  got  off  cheaply,  and  expressed  surprise  that  they  did  not  likewise 
take  his  best  span  of  horses.  The  commissioner  hastily  disposed  of  his 
load  and  the  next  night  made  his  camp  out  on  the  road  to  Austin, 
twenty-five  miles  from  Eureka,  and,  it  is  said,  slept  that  night  with  one 
eye  open.  Reaching  home,  he  called  a  special  meeting  of  the  board  of 
county  commissioners,  and  before  the  meeting  adjourned  a  jail  for 
Eureka  was  ordered  and  a  message  sent  to  Major  Dennis  to  begin 
work  on  the  jail  at  once.  The  major  always  insisted  that  when  he  had 
secured  the  jail,  he  made  full  restitution  to  the  commissioner  for  the 
lost  barley,  and  maybe  he  did.  But  he  is  dead  now;  so  is  the  commis- 
sioner; so  are  nearly  all  of  that  old  company,  and  de  mortuis  rial  nisi 
bonum. 

Colonel  Dave  Buell  was  a  great  help  to  Eureka  in  that  first  winter. 
He  was  six  feet  four  inches  high,  muscled  like  a  tiger,  was  afraid  of 


844  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

nothing,  and  the  whole  town  knew  his  history,  and  when  they  saw 
him,  the  worst  of  them  did  not  feel  like  making  trouble.  A  couple  of 
anecdotes  are  told  of  him.  One  illustrates  his  nerve;  the  other,  his 
gall.  He  was,  in  the  '505,  Sheriff  of  El  Dorado  County,  California. 
There  was  a  tree  in  the  outskirts  of  the  county  seat  upon  which  some 
seven  or  eight  men  had  been  hanged.  Buell  always  rode  a  thorough- 
bred horse.  One  afternoon  a  messenger  reached  him  at  a  way  station 
twelve  miles  from  the  county  seat  and  explained  that  a  mob  had  been 
formed  and  would  take  a  prisoner  from  the  jail  as  soon  as  it  was  dark, 
and  hang  him  on  that  tree. 

Buell  at  once  called  for  a  bucket  of  water  and  a  bottle  of  whiskey. 
He  broke  the  top  of  the  bottle  off,  poured  half  the  contents  into  the 
water,  gave  it  to  the  horse  and  then  said,  "Come."  From  where  he 
was  there  was  a  steep  grade  up  the  mountain  for  three  miles,  then 
a  down  grade  into  town.  He  started  up  this  grade  on  foot,  in  a  dog 
trot,  the  horse  following  him.  Reaching  the  summit,  he  sprang  upon 
the  back  of  the  good  steed  and  in  a  fast  lope  rode  to  town.  Night  came 
down  before  he  reached  home,  the  mob  had  the  prisoner  with  a  rope 
around  his  neck,  leading  him  to  the  tree.  As  Buell  approached  a  hun- 
dred pistols  were  drawn,  and  he  was  sternly  warned  not  to  interfere. 
But  he  spurred  into  the  crowd,  shouting,  "Let  me  speak  to  the  man  a 
minute ;  he  may  have  a  message  to  send  to  friends." 

Springing  down  beside  the  wretch,  with  his  bowie  knife,  which  he 
always  carried,  he  severed  the  rope  from  his  neck,  caught  him  up  and 
threw  him  upon  the  horse;  then  slapping  the  flank  of  the  horse,  he 
bade  the  man  to  run  him  for  his  life,  then  turned,  and,  facing  the 
crowd,  cried  out :  "You  are  under  arrest,  every  son-of-a-gun  of  you." 

There  were  hot  words  hurled  at  Buell  in  return,  but  the  crowd 
cooled  down  quickly.  The  audacity  of  Buell  had  won  their  admira- 
tion, and  the  result  was  that  they  made  a  night  of  it.  I  am  afraid  Buell 
joined  them. 

The  other  anecdote  is  that  he  once  obtained  a  bond  on  a  Belmont 
mine — Belmont  is  a  little  northeast  of  Goldfield — and  went  to  Paris  to 
sell  it.  He  did  not  know  three  words  of  French,  but  he  carried  his  gall 
with  him.  He  had  been  in  Paris  but  a  day  or  two  when  a  great  horse 
race  was  advertised.  He  in  some  way  found  when  and  where  the  race 
was  to  come  off,  and  was  on  hand  early.  Seeing  a  finely-canopied 


EUREKA    COUNTY  845 

grand  stand  vacant,  he  unceremoniously  took  a  seat  in  it.  In  a  few 
minutes  a  superbly-mounted  officer  rode  up  and,  dismounting,  with 
many  bows,  addressed  him  in  beautiful  French,  to  which  Buell  replied 
in  Western  English:  "I  am  much  obliged  for  your  words  of  welcome, 
but  it  is  of  no  consequence;  I  do  not  desire  any  special  courtesies." 
The  young  officer  mounted  and  rode  away,  but  five  minutes  later  an 
older  man,  still  more  elaborately  dressed  and  decorated,  came,  and  in 
incisive  tones  made  a  little  speech  to  Buell.  Buell  listened  and  then, 
in  the  same  western  English,  replied:  "Really,  you  gentlemen  are 
showing  me  too  much  attention.  I  am  just  a  common  miner  from 
Nevada,  and  do  not  expect  extraordinary  attentions  in  France."  Just 
then  a  splendidly  caparisoned  carriage  and  four,  with  stunning  out- 
riders, drove  up.  The  Emperor  and  Empress — Napoleon  III  and 
Eugenie — alighted  and  took  their  seats  in  this  pavilion,  where  Buell 
quietly  sat.  The  officer  who  had  been  appealing  to  Buell,  turned  to 
the  Emperor  and,  bowing  low,  made  what  Buell  believed  was  an  expla- 
nation, coupled  with  an  appeal,  which  was  probably  for  authority  to 
oust  the  intruder  by  force. 

The  Emperor  listened,  then  turned  to  Buell,  smiled,  and  then  ad- 
dressed a  few  words  to  the  officer,  which  Buell  construed  to  mean, 
"Never  mind;  let  the  long  American  alone."  And  he  watched  the 
races  from  the  Emperor's  pavilion. 

Bateman  finally  succeeded  in  bonding  the  Eureka  mine  to  an  Amer- 
ican corporation  after  he  had  failed  to  dispose  of  it  in  London  and  that 
mine,  which  cost  $250,000,  paid  $1,000,000  in  dividends  annually  for 
fifteen  years  and  its  total  yield  was  more  than  twice  that  amount. 

The  Richmond  mine  was  bonded  for  $55,000.  The  man  who  held 
the  bond  pointed  out  to  a  hundred  men  that  if  in  that  soft  ore  there 
was  not  a  million  dollars  under  the  sag  of  the  hillside,  then  he  was  an 
idiot,  and  everyone,  in  a  courteous  way,  assured  him  that  he  probably 
was.  But  J.  J.  Dunne  took  it  to  London,  unloaded  it  for  $600,000  or 
$700,000  upon  the  Englishmen.  They  sent  a  superintendent  over  who^ 
on  looking  at  the  property,  declared  the  belief  that  it  was  another 
Yankee  swindle.  But  when  the  company  got  to  work,  that  same  sag 
in  the  hillside  paid  annual  dividends  of  $1,000,000  a  year  for  nine  con- 
secutive years,  and  in  the  meantime  every  conspicuous  member  of  the 
company  and  many  outsiders  made  fortunes. 


846  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Some  of  the  leading  State  builders  lived  originally  in  Eureka.  It 
produced  some  of  the  most  successful  politicians  in  Nevada.  Black 
Wallace  got  his  first  political  schooling  there.  George  Cassady  was 
elected  to  Congress  from  there,  as  was  Thomas  Wren  and  George 
Baker.  Gov.  Sadler  also  was  an  old  Eureka  man  and  during  one  of 
the  hard  winters  he  ran  a  general  merchandise  store,  and  when  nearly 
every  one  in  town  was  broke  he  never  refused  credit  to  man  or 
woman,  and  when  spring  came  he  had  over  $200,000  of  bad  debts  on 
his  books.  Eureka,  while  now  carrying  but  little  of  the  prestige  of  the 
old  flush  days,  has  been  one  of  the  greatest  camps  of  the  State,  and 
possibly  the  very  best  for  the  amount  of  money  expended.  It  grew 
into  a  great  camp  on  the  individual  efforts  of  a  few  men  and  without 
assessing  its  stockholders. 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  847 

CHAPTER  XLIX. 
ESMERALDA  COUNTY. 
BY  M.  B.  ASTON. 

The  first  attempt  to  organize  into  a  county  unit  any  part  of  Es- 
meralda's  territory  was  by  the  Territorial  Legislature  of  Utah  in  the 
act  of  March  3,  1852,  whereby  seven  counties  were  created,  at  least  on 
paper,  out  of  the  present  State  of  Nevada,  at  that  time  a  part  of  Utah. 
Beginning  at  the  north,  these  divisions  were  Weber,  Deseret,  Tooele, 
Juab,  Millard,  Iron  and  Washington  Counties.  They  covered  the  im- 
mense area  from  the  37th  to  the  42nd  parallel  of  north  latitude,  with 
Utah  and  California  as  east  and  west  boundaries.  Parallels  of  latitude 
separated  the  seven  elongated  quadrangles,  each  being  about  fifty  miles 
in  width,  except  Juab,  which  was  only  about  thirty-six  miles  from  north 
to  south,  and  included  all  of  what  is  now  Storey  and  the  southern  end 
of  Washoe  County,  or  the  greater  part  of  the  scant  population  of  the 
entire  region.  Millard  extended  nearly  to  the  southern  limit  of  Walker's 
Lake,  while  the  remaining  territory  to  the  south  was  divided  equally 
between  Iron  and  Washington  Counties.  So  Esmeralda  was  later  to 
possess  certain  parts  of  Millard,  Iron  and  Washington.  The  line  be- 
tween the  last  two  counties  passed  not  far  from  the  present  towns  of 
Silverpeak  and  Diamondfield.  Thus,  had  the  original  county  division 
persisted,  Goldfield  would  have  been  in  Washington  County  and  near 
the  border  of  Iron.  The  Territorial  Legislature  of  Utah  went  further, 
electing  judges  with  four-year  terms  to  preside  in  the  newly  created 
counties;  Anson  Call  for  Millard  County,  Chapman  Duncon  for  Iron 
and  Washington.  The  wise  legislators  either  anticipated  a  mighty  influx 
of  settlers  or  thought  to  organize  the  Indians,  there  being  an  utter  ab- 
sence of  white  men  in  the  two  southern  counties. 

The  territory  destined  later  to  constitute  Esmeralda  County  was  again 
considered  by  the  Legislature  of  Utah,  when,  on  January  27,  1854,  Car- 
son County  was  carved  out  of  the  former  divisions  by  the  following 


848  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

act:  "All  that  portion  of  country,  bounded  north  by  Deseret  County; 
east  by  the  parallel  of  longtitude  118;  south  by  the  boundary  line  of  the 
Territory,  and  west  by  California,  is  hereby  included  within  the  limits 
of  Carson  County,  and  until  organized,  is  attached  to  Millard  County 
for  election,  revenue  and  judicial  purposes."  Of  course  Millard  County 
as  here  referred  to  meant  the  county  of  that  name  in  the  present  State 
of  Utah.  A  glance  at  the  map  will  show  that  much  of  this  new  county 
covered  what  was  later  to  become  a  part  of  Esmeralda. 

At  length  Esmeralda  County  was  created  by  an  act  of  the  Territorial 
Legislature  of  Nevada,  approved  November  23,  1861,  being  one  of  the 
nine  counties  into  which  the  new  territory  was  divided.  Four  days 
later  an  act  was  approved  locating  the  county  seat  at  Aurora.  The 
boundaries  established  by  the  creating  act  of  November  25,  were  as  fol- 
lows: "Beginning  at  a  point  where  the  thirty-seventh  degree  of  north 
latitude  intersects  the  one  hundred  and  sixteenth  meridian,  and  run- 
ning west  along  said  thirty-seventh  degree,  to  the  California  line ;  thence 
along  said  line,  in  a  northwesterly  direction,  to  the  summit  of  the  divide, 
between  the  east  and  west  forks  of  Walker  River;  thence  along  said 
divide,  in  a  northerly  direction,  to  the  headwaters  of  Deseret  Creek; 
thence  following  down  the  middle  of  said  creek,  to  a  point  to  where  it 
debouches  from  the  mountain ;  thence  following  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tain, to  the  west  branch  of  Walker  River;  thence  across  said  river,  to 
the  base  of  the  mountain;  thence  following  the  base  of  the  mountain 
in  a  direct  line,  as  near  as  may  be,  to  Masqn's  ranch ;  thence  due  east  to 
the  one  hundred  and  sixteenth  meridian ;  thence  south  along  said  merid- 
ian, to  place  of  beginning."  Now  that  we  have  traced  our  county  through 
the  Legislative  enactments  of  two  Territories,  and  find  it  at  last  estab- 
lished with  the  seat  of  justice  whence  its  affairs  were  to  be  administered 
for  more  than  a  score  of  years,  let  us  go  back  to  view  the  conditions 
that  made  the  county  possible  and  laid  the  foundation  for  after  events 
before  resuming  the  consideration  of  shifting  lines  and  changing  county 
seats. 

From  early  August,  1860,  E.  R.  Hicks,  J.  M.  Corey  and  James  M. 
Braley  had  been  working  their  way  slowly  south,  between  the  east  and 
west  forks  of  Walker  River,  zigzagging  right  and  left  in  order  to  cover 
the  more  territory.  Arriving  at  Mono  Lake,  they  turned  their  course 
sharply  to  the  northeast  and  prospected  the  country  both  east  and  west 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  849 

of  Walker's  Lake,  without  making  any  satisfactory  discoveries.  A 
council  was  held  near  the  lake  and  the  decision  reached  to  abandon  their 
search  in  that  section  and  go  to  the  Coso  country,  nearly  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  southward.  And  in  order  to  take  a  view  of  the  natural 
objects  that  would  guide  their  way,  they  ascended  a  lofty  mountain, 
since  called  Corey's  Peak,  in  honor  of  the  leader.  They  had  pursued 
their  chosen  route  some  twenty  miles,  when  the  necessity  of  finding 
water  caused  their  course  to  veer  to  the  westward,  where  a  spring  was 
found  in  the  hills  and  a  camp  for  the  night  was  made  near  by.  There 
being  game  in  the  country  and  the  food  supply  running  low,  Hicks  took 
his  rifle  early  in  the  morning  and  passed  over  the  hill  to  the  west  of 
their  camp,  hunting  rather  than  looking  for  a  mine.  But  the  true  pros- 
pector ever  walks  with  eyes  on  the  formation  at  his  feet,  and  Hicks 
was  an  experienced  searcher  after  attractive  rock.  Chancing  on  a  fine 
piece  of  quartz,  he  soon  abandoned  his  hunt  to  return  to  the  camp  and 
show  his  find.  Pannings  were  made  with  such  encouraging  results  that 
the  three  returned  to  the  place  whence  the  quartz  had  been  taken  and 
the  whole  hill  was  found  to  be  ribbed  with  veins.  Coso  was  now  for- 
gotten. With  a  moderation  hard  to  understand  by  present  day  pros- 
pectors, the  three  located  but  seven  claims  and  hastened  to  Monoville, 
25  miles  away,  to  report  their  find.  This  discovery  was  made  August 
25,  1860.  On  the  3Oth  of  that  month  they  returned  with  some  twenty 
others,  laid  out  a  mining  district  ten  miles  square,  drew  up  and  signed 
rules  and  regulations  for  the  government  of  the  same,  and  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  Corey,  christened  it  Esmeralda  Mining  District.  Esmeralda 
is  the  Spanish  word  for  emerald.  Probably  Corey  had  in  mind  some 
beauty  who  answered  to  that  musical  word,  as  it  is  a  common  name  for 
girls  with  green  eyes.  Be  that  as  it  may,  Esmeralda  soon  became  the 
popular  name-word  for  a  territorial  empire.  There  was  Esmeralda  Hill, 
Esmeralda  Gulch,  Esmeralda  mines,  Esmeralda  business  houses,  Es- 
meralda County,  and  later  on  an  effort  to  have  an  Esmeralda  State  in- 
stead of  Nevada  State.  The  whole  region  was  called  Esmeralda  in  an 
indefinite  sort  of  way. 

The  prospectors  had  not  over-valued  their  discovery,  with  surprising 
rapidity  for  those  days,  when  horseback  was  the  quickest  mode  of  travel, 
samples  were  taken  to  Carson  City,  no  miles  away,  and  bonanza  re- 
turns made.  Monoville  moved  over  en  masse  and  a  spectacular  rush 


850  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

was  on.  The  bunch  of  tents  on  the  hill,  called  Esmeralda,  was  soon 
moved  down  into  the  more  convenient  flat  in  the  gulch,  and  added  to 
those  already  pitched  there,  started  the  future  Aurora.  So,  by  the  mer- 
est accident,  Esmeralda  missed  being  the  town's  name.  Though  the 
winter  was  a  severe  one  even  for  that  altitude  of  one  mile  and  a  quar- 
ter, the  fortune  hunters  began  to  arrive  late  in  September  and  continued 
throughout  the  cold  months  in  ever-increasing  numbers,  until  in  the 
spring  of  '61  Aurora  was  a  thriving  little  city.  The  camp  responded 
generously  from  the  first  in  rich  silver  ore. 

Though  the  first  location  had  been  made  August  25,  1860,  and  Aurora 
was  no  miles  from  Carson,  the  nearest  outlet  to  market,  the  Pioneer 
Mill  of  eight  stamps  had  been  erected  at  a  cost  of  $25,000  and  was 
turning  out  bullion  the  following  June.  Within  the  same  year  the  Union 
Mill  was  in  operation,  with  an  equal  number  of  stamps,  and  had  cost 
$30,000.  Before  the  end  of  '63,  seventeen  mills  had  been  erected  with 
a  total  of  some  175  stamps.  Late  in  '62  the  population  of  Aurora  num- 
bered at  least  5,000,  with  two  well-equipped  fire  companies  of  60  mem- 
bers each;  two  military  companies  fully  uniformed,  drilled  and  ac- 
coutered  for  service,  each  with  its  own  commodious  armory;  two  daily 
newspapers,  ably  edited  and  widely  circulated ;  a  brass  band  of  eleven 
pieces,  and  a  city  government  in  effective  operation  with  all  the  acces- 
sories that  go  to  make  a  mining  metropolis. 

Aurora,  with  its  mines,  was  a  bone  of  contention  between  California 
and  Nevada  for  three  years,  with  California  in  the  ascendant  until  the 
line  separating  the  two  States  was  finally  established  in  '63,  leaving  the 
prosperous  city  within  Nevada  by  some  four  miles.  California  gained 
the  advantage  by  acting  first.  By  the  act  of  its  Legislature  on  March 
24,  1861,  Mono  County  was  created  with  Aurora  as  the  county  seat, 
the  object  being  to  give  local  government  through  county  organization 
to  the  miners  of  Esmeralda  and  Mono  districts.  In  so  doing,  that 
State  anticipated  the  action  of  Nevada  by  eight  months,  and  controlled 
the  situation  for  nearly  three  years.  The  act  creating  Mono  County 
also  provided  for  an  election  of  county  officers  on  June  i,  '61.  This 
election  was  held  accordingly  and  the  officers  were  discharging  their 
duties  before  Esmeralda  County  was  created.  But  Governor  Nye,  while 
acting  cautiously  until  the  State  line  should  be  established,  was  careful 
to  retain  the  claim  for  Nevada.  Esmeralda  was  made  Council  District 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  851 

One,  with  one  Councilman  and  two  Representatives.  As  early  as  Au- 
gust 24,  1861,  the  patriotic  Esmeralda  Union  Club  sent  six  delegates 
to  Carson  City  to  attend  the  Union  Convention  for  the  nomination  of 
a  candidate  for  Delegate  to  Congress,  and  urged  the  election  of  mem- 
bers of  the  Territorial  Legislature  in  accordance  with  the  Governor's 
proclamation.  The  election  was  held  the  last  day  of  August,  John  W. 
Pugh  was  chosen  Councilman  (Senator)  and  Samuel  Youngs  and  Wil- 
liam E.  Teell  as  Representatives.  All  three  participated  in  framing  the 
first  laws  of  the  Territory  of  Nevada,  and  in  creating  Esmeralda  Coun- 
ty, California  in  the  meantime  claiming  Aurora  as  the  county  seat  ot 
Mono  County,  and  actually  governing  it  through  its  laws  and  officers. 
July  8,  1862,  John  F.  Kidder  was  appointed  by  Governor  Nye  as  Sur- 
veyor, and  so  became  the  first  officer  of  Esmeralda  County.  Nevada 
had  begun  to  assert  active  right  to  Aurora  and  vicinity.  December  22 
following,  William  N.  Dixon  was  appointed  District  Attorney.  With 
these  assertions  of  Esmeralda  County's  rights,  both  States  to  the  con- 
troversy awaited  the  establishment  of  the  line  that  would  finally  deter- 
mine the  ownership  of  the  rich  and  productive  mines.  In  June  the  in- 
itial point  of  the  survey  was  established  in  Lake  Tahoe,  and  the  Gover- 
nor made  another  move  by  appointing  a  Sheriff,  Clerk  and  three  Com- 
missioners on  June  22.  In  July,  Chief  Justice  Turner,  assigned  by  the 
Governor  as  Judge  of  the  Second  District,  opened  court  in  Aurora, 
while  Judge  Baldwin  was  holding  court  there  for  Mono  County,  Cali- 
fornia. 

In  the  meantime,  the  election  day,  September  2,  1863,  and  the  State- 
line  surveying  party,  consisting  of  the  Surveyor  General  of  California, 
and  Butler  Ives  as  Boundary  Commissioner  for  Nevada,  were  both 
near  at  hand.  Election  day  arrived  first,  and  a  novel  agreement  was 
reached.  Each  county  would  put  up  two  full  tickets,  two  Republican 
and  two  Democratic,  and  all  qualified  voters  could  cast  a  ballot  at 
Armory  Hall  for  Esmeralda  officers,  and  also  another  ballot  at  the 
police  station  for  Mono  County  officers.  By  this  plan  either  county 
would  be  officered  the  next  two  years,  regardless  of  where  the  invisible 
line  now  rapidly  approaching  should  fall.  September  22  the  survey 
passed  southwest  of  Aurora,  leaving  it  within  the  confines  of  Nevada 
by  four  miles.  Immediately  two  officers,  who  had  been  elected  for 
Mbno  County,  piled  the  records  on  a  wagon  and  took  them  to  the  town 


852  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

of  Bodie,  twelve  miles  away,  and  the  next  year  they  were  conveyed  to 
Bridgeport,  which  had  been  declared  the  new  seat  of  justice  of  Mono 
County.  Since  these  records  have  never  been  transcribed,  the  effort 
to  do  so  ending  with  the  purchase  of  the  necessary  books,  and  they 
contain  the  earliest  data  of  Esmeralda  as  well  as  of  Mono  County, 
much  valuable  matter  pertaining  to  the  former  is  in  another  State.  Only 
the  necessary  expense  of  $10,000  prevented  this  being  undertaken  in 
1864.  Aurora  was  then  showing  signs  of  waning  prosperity.  But  as  a 
precaution  against  any  legal  question  as  to  the  election  of  September  2, 
Governor  Nye,  seventeen  days  later,  appointed  the  elected  officers  for 
Esmeralda  County,  and  added  A.  S.  Peck  as  County  Judge.  On  the 
22nd  they  took  the  oath  of  office  and  entered  upon  their  duties  as  the 
first  fully  recognized  officers  of  the  new  county,  now  nearly  three  years 
old.  The  county  was  divided  September  29th  by  the  newly  elected 
Board  of  County  Commissioners  into  three  townships,  with  Aurora, 
Sweetwater  and  Excelsior  District  as  the  election  precincts.  Without 
funds,  the  new  county  found  itself  in  debt  for  the  Court  House,  and 
in  October,  '65,  bonds  were  issued  bearing  interest  at  the  rate  of  2  per 
cent,  per  month  to  meet  the  deficit. 

About  the  same  time  that  Hicks,  Corey  and  Braley  were  placing  Au- 
rora on  the  map,  other  industries  were  being  established  in  two  valleys 
at  the  north  by  the  pioneer  cattlemen  of  Esmeralda.  While  driving  cat- 
tle through  the  Walker  River  Valley  in  1854,  the  three  Mason  brothers 
noted  the  abundance  of  bunch-grass  and  white-sage  everywhere,  and 
when  the  dry  years  in  California  made  forage  scarce  in  that  State,  N. 
H.  A.  Mason  returned  in  search  of  pasturage  to  the  region  he  had  vis- 
ited five  years  before.  Finding  his  former  impression  of  the  country 
strengthened,  he  located  the  Mason  ranch,  which  later  became  one  of 
the  Esmeralda  county  corners.  He  wintered  a  herd  of  Eastern  cattle 
there  and  the  following  year  drove  thither  all  his  California  stock.  The 
same  year,  '60,  Mr.  Mason  erected  what  was  probably  the  first  house 
ever  seen  in  the  Mason  Valley.  In  October  of  '59.  Wm.  H.  Dickson 
located  farther  up  the  river,  some  fourteen  miles  from  the  lake. 

Smith  Valley  was  settled  about  the  same  time  by  S.  Baldwin,  J.  A. 
Rogers,  and  the  Smith  brothers,  R.  B.  and  T.  B.,  in  whose  honor  the 
valley  was  named.  Their  home  ranch  was  located  on  the  west  fork 
of  the  Walker  River,  a  few  miles  from  the  confluence  of  the  two 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  853 

branches  and  about  twenty  miles  south  of  the  Mason  ranch.  This  was 
in  August,  '59,  and  they  had  come  from  California  to  find  better  range 
for  their  cattle.  Mr.  Mason  had  preceded  them  by  a  few  months,  but 
they  at  once  erected  a  tule  domicile  for  the  winter  and  so  could  claim 
the  honor  of  having  built  the  first  house  in  the  entire  Esmeralda  coun- 
try, though  as  yet  unnamed.  In  the  summer  of  '60,  J.  B.  Lobdel  ar- 
rived and  settled  six  miles  south  of  the  original  Smith  location.  Being 
a  farmer,  with  fertile  soil  and  water  at  hand,  he  put  out  barley  and 
vegetables  in  the  following  spring  and  was  rewarded  with  a  rich  har- 
vest, the  first  attempt  at  agriculture  in  that  valley.  Mr.  Mason  had 
experienced  like  success  in  the  valley  named  in  his  honor  the  same  sea- 
son, having  taken  out  his  water  from  the  first  irrigation  ditch  ever 
constructed  in  either  of  the  valleys.  Later  this  ditch  was  extended  and 
many  others  were  built  within  the  next  few  years,  the  fertile  valleys 
filling  up  with  new  settlers  very  rapidly  when  the  cattle  business  and 
agriculture  were  proven  successes.  Added  impetus  was  given  both  pur- 
suits by  the  ready  and  rich  market  afforded  by  the  growing  camp  of 
Aurora. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  neither  Esmeralda  nor  any  other  county  would 
have  been  created  and  organized  out  of  this  vast  territory  for  years 
afterward  had  pay-rock  not  been  found  at  Aurora,  August  25,  '60. 
Barring  the  few  ranches  scattered  in  the  Mason  and  Smith  valleys,  the 
whole  region  was  regarded  as  a  useless  desert  waste.  Until  silver  was 
discovered  June  12  or  13,  '59,  on  the  Comstock  lode,  Nevada  had 
about  the  same  relation  to  the  National  Government  that  Esmeralda  had 
to  the  Territory  of  Nevada  before  Aurora  was  made  known.  But  for 
the  treasure-hunters  that  streamed  into  Nevada  on  hearing  of  the 
Comstock,  Aurora  and  other  strikes,  it  remains  a  question  whether  even 
expediency  in  national  politics  could  have  produced  the  hardihood  to 
rush  this  sparsely  settled  region  so  precipitately  into  territorial  existence 
and  through  this  into  Statehood.  The  entire  population  of  the  Terri- 
tory, taken  by  Dr.  Henry  De  Groot  soon  after  his  appointment  of  July 
24,  '61,  as  enumerator,  was  16,374  souls,  and  it  may  be  taken  for 
granted  that  a  Territory  seeking  admission  to  Statehood  would  not 
leave  any  of  its  people  uncounted.  This  was  more  than  two  years 
after  the  finding  of  silver  in  the  Comstock.  Whatever  influence  the 
discovery  of  silver  may  have  had,  Esmeralda  County  exerted  its  full 


854  THE     HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

share  through  the  rich  mines  about  Aurora.  At  that  time  Aurora  and 
Esmeralda  were  well  nigh  convertible  terms. 

Before  taking  up  other  camps,  mostly  offshoots  of  Aurora,  or  the 
county  seats  and  boundaries  of  Esmeralda  County,  it  is  perhaps  as  well 
to  say  the  final  word  of  that  pioneer  mining  camp,  and  its  finders.  Its 
best  days  were  from  '61  to  '65.  By  the  last  year  named  fourteen 
o-f  the  seventeen  mills  had  ceased  to  run;  the  Antelope  and  Real  Del 
Monte  ran  some  years  later,  and  in  '80  only  the  Coffee  Mill  was  in 
operation  with  four  stamps.  Approximately  $20,000  had  been  produced. 
In  '80  Aurora  had  only  500  population,  or  one-twentieth  of  wha|  it  had 
in  its  best  days.  By  1903  it  proudly  boasted  of  five  residents,  one  of 
whom  was  the  faithful  District  Recorder,  the  first  officer  to  be  elected  and 
the  last  to  desert  a  mining  camp.  But  Aurora  is  threatening  to  come  back, 
with  every  evidence  that  the  threat  may  be  made  good.  The  Knight 
Investment  Company  has  just  let  to  the  Copper  Belt  Railroad  a  con- 
tract to  deliver  2,000  tons  of  mine  and  mill  machinery  and  equipment 
at  Hudson,  and  the  rest  of  the  way  to  Aurora  the  tonnage  will  be  trans- 
ported either  by  freighting  teams  or  automobile  trucks.  The  public 
will  have  a  lively  sentimental  reason  for  wishing  the  enterprise  all  suc- 
cess, to  the  end  that  Aurora  may  again  enrich  the  world  with  its  bullion. 

He  who  would  find  a  word-picture  of  a  mining  camp  need  look  no 
further  than  the  first  library  containing  a  copy  of  Mark  Twain's  Rough- 
ing It.  By  substituting  a  few  modern  terms  for  those  rendered  obso- 
lete through  mechanical  progress,  such  as  auto  for  stage-coach,  dynamo 
for  steam  engine,  'phone  for  messenger,  etc.,  and  calling  Smith  by  the 
name  of  Brown,  Roughing  It  becomes  an  universal  history  of  Nevada 
camps.  The  suggested  substitutions,  with  Goldfield  for  Aurora,  renders 
further  effort  useless.  Twain's  cabin  was  still  standing  a  few  years 
back,  but  in  a  position  further  up  the  gulch  than  when  he  lived  in  it  in 
true  bachelor  fashion  with  Col.  Higbie  in  '62.  It  had  no  floor  then  and 
was  10x12,  with  one  door  and  one  window,  both  in  the  front.  The  walls 
were  made  of  weather-boarding,  and  roofed  with  shingles.  The  char- 
acteristic feature  of  the  one-room  building  was  the  flag-pole  securely 
let  into  the  front  gable  through  the  roof.  This  pole,  being  of  hickory, 
was  probably  shaped  from  a  wagon-tongue.  From  its  top  we  may  be 
sure  floated  the  Stars  and  Stripes  July  4,  '62,  as  both  its  owner  and 
the  town  were  ultra  patriotic  in  those  warring  times.  Some  unknown 


K 
O 


S 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  855 

party  carried  it  away  many  years  ago  and  manufactured  it  into  walking 
sticks  that  sold  for  fabulous  prices.  Mr.  A.  H.  Finney,  an  old  resident 
of  both  Aurora  and  Bodie,  related  the  above  with  corroborating  facts 
and  gave  me  a  genuine  certificate  of  Aurora  mining  stock  that  was 
taken  by  him  from  Twain's  Cabin  nearly  twenty  years  ago.  Among 
many  other  interesting  features,  this  "Pride  of  Aurora  Gold  and  Silver 
Mining  Co."  certificate  for  25  shares,  declares  it  was  "incorporated 
March,  '63,  in  "Esmeralda  District,  Mono  County,  California,"  with 
"capital  stock  $250,000,  1,000  shares,  $250  each."  As  number  of  feet 
was  then  the  basis  of  capitalization,  this  was  a  small  claim,  but  each 
foot  was  quite  valuable.  The  government  war-tax  stamp  of  25  cents 
is  affixed,  dated  March  26,  '63,  and  initialed  by  the  secretary  of  the 
issuing  company.  This  was  six  months  before  Esmeralda  District, 
Mono  County,  California,  became  accepted  generally  as  a  part  of 
Nevada.  Hicks,  Corey  and  Braley  seem  to  have  had  little  part  in 
Aurora  after  locating  it,  judging  by  the  records.  Probably  their  best 
monuments  are  to  be  found  in  connection  with  the  mountain  peaks 
named  after  them.  Corey's  Peak  stands  near  the  western  shore  of 
Walker  Lake,  while  Mt.  Braley  and  Hicks  Mountain  are  near  the 
mines  they  discovered.  Prospectors  seldom  profit  by  their  finds 
equally  with  their  customers,  let  the  fault  rest  where  it  may. 

Just  as  the  uncovering  of  the  Comstock  lode  in  the  summer  of  '59 
sent  tireless  prospectors  searching  for  new  ore  deposits  throughout 
the  mountainous  portions  of  the  Territory,  so  the  discovery  at  Aurora 
itself  became  a  new  center  whence  radiated  these  sleepless  ones,  singly 
and  in  groups  of  two  or  more,  as  the  spokes  from  the  hub.  A  promis- 
ing location  or  strike,  itself  but  the  late  result  of  a  similar  cause, 
immediately  became  the  efficient  cause  of  yet  others  in  the  endless 
chain  being  daily  forged.  So  it  is  that  Aurora  now  began  to  father 
numerous  new  camps  as  it  had  been  fathered  but  yesterday  by  Vir- 
ginia City.  Quite  as  naturally  new  bounds  must  be  set  for  the  ever- 
changing  political  divisions,  the  old  lines  being  inevitably  shortened, 
and  the  seat  of  justice  gradually  moved  toward  the  geographic  center 
as  the  population  spread  out  over  a  greater  area  of  Esmeralda  County. 

Columbus  was  the  first  persistent  mining  district  to  organize  after 
the  Aurora  excitement.  This  was  organized  in  August,  '64,  by  Mexi- 
can miners,  who  were  soon  replaced  by  Americans,  Germans  and 


856 

Slavonians,  both  in  ownership  of  the  claims  and  control  of  the  affairs 
of  the  district.  Mineral  district  was  merged  with  that  of  Columbus 
because  of  their  nearness  and  the  more  desolate  character  of  its  loca- 
tion. May  22,  '65,  the  Candelaria  claim  was  located,  and  later  this 
name  was  taken  by  the  mining  camp  near  by.  In  '70  the  miners  shook 
off  their  sluggishness  and  began  to  give  promise  of  activity.  In  that 
year  three  mills  were  erected,  two  of  ten  stamps  each  and  one  brought 
over  from  Aurora  with  four  stamps.  By  '73  the  Northern  Belle, 
which  had  been  originally  located  in  '65  and  relocated  five  years  later, 
had  found  so  much  ore  that  it  started  a  2O-stamp  mill  that  was  com- 
pleted two  years  later,  only  to  build  another  of  equal  size  the  next 
year.  Water  was  conducted  to  this  mill  by  a  fifteen  mile  pipe-line  and 
ditch  at  an  outlay  of  $25,000.  This  one  company  produced  in  excess 
of  one  and  one-fourth  million  dollars  in  '77.  The  Candelaria  mines 
are  credited  with  a  production  of  fifty-five  millions,  work  still  going 
on.  The  town  never  claimed  over  1,000  citizens,  and  most  of  these 
were  male,  as  the  conditions  were  not  inviting  for  residence. 

Columbus,  eight  miles  southeast  from  Candelaria,  took  its  name 
from  the  mining  district  and  prospered  because  of  its  close  connection 
in  the  early  days  with  Candelaria,  which  got  its  water  there.  It 
started  in  '65  and  was  at  its  best  in  the  five  years  following  '70,  when 
its  population  numbered  1,000.  The  production  of  salt  and  borax  in 
the  adjacent  marshes  added  to  its  resources.  It  was  at  the  Columbus 
marsh,  five  miles  south,  that  the  Pacific  Borax  Company  began  its 
extensive  operation  in  1872. 

Red  Mountain  district  was  organized  the  same  year  it  was  discov- 
ered, July,  '64,  and  before  the  beginning  of  the  next  year  had  a  three- 
stamp  mill,  soon  followed  by  one  of  3O-stamps.  Silverpeak  having 
been  discovered  only  a  few  miles  away  and  organized,  the  two  districts 
have  since  been  generally  regarded  as  one.  Work  ceased  in  '70,  but 
has  since  been  resumed,  and  a  fine  mill  of  120  stamps  has  for  many 
years  been  in  successful  operation,  four  miles  from  the  town  of  Silver- 
peak,  which  reminds  the  visitor  of  a  Mexican  village.  The  main  town 
is  Blair,  near  the  mill  that  receives  its  ore  by  an  aerial  tramway. 

Gold  Mountam  district  followed  in  '66  and  was  organized  in  Sep- 
tember of  the  same  year,  the  discovery  by  Thos.  Shaw,  who  made  a 
second  and  more  important  discovery  in  the  Oriental  five  years  later. 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  857 

Some  of  the  richest  gold  ore  ever  found  in  the  State  was  taken  from 
this  mine,  some  rare  specimens  going  to  the  Centennial  at  Philadel- 
phia in  '76.  The  gold  in  that  district  is  associated  with  some  silver 
values.  More  or  less  work  has  been  done  off  and  on  in  that  district 
since  its  discovery. 

Palmetto  district  came  into  organic  life  in  '66,  the  discoverers  being 
T.  W.  M'Nutt,  H.  W.  Bunyard,  and  Thos.  Israel.  Before  the  year  was 
out  a  12-stamp  mill  was  built  and  put  into  successful  operation,  but 
the  ore  soon  gave  out  and  the  mill  was  carried  away  piecemeal.  The 
property,  mining  claims  and  mill-site  was  patented  and  is  still  owned 
by  the  original  company,  in  which  W.  H.  Whitney  and  Samuel  J. 
Tilden  were  once  the  moving  spirits.  A  watchman  remains  on  the 
mill-site  to  look  after  the  company's  rights. 

Pine  Grove  district  was  another  birth  of  the  year  '66,  July  9.  Three 
mills  with  a  total  of  some  20  stamps  were  erected  to  treat  the  rock 
that  was  mostly  gold  bearing,  with  some  silver. 

Montezwma,  district  was  added  in  '67,  being  discovered  May  24,  and 
organized  in  June  by  Thos.  Nagle,  Matthew  Plunkett  and  a  Mr. 
Carlyle.  The  ten-stamp  mill  erected  in  the  fall  of  '70  was  closed  down 
after  a  run  of  less  than  six  months.  Considerable  prospecting  and 
mining  have  been  under  way  in  this  district  and  vicinity  since  the 
location  of  Goldfield  in  '03. 

Oneota  district  was  placed  on  the  map  by  Mr.  Wetherell  in  May  of 
'70,  though  it  had  been  known  long  by  the  Indians  and  eight  years 
before  part  of  this  section  had  been  organized  as  a  mining  district.  It 
was  again  organized  June  20  of  the  year  it  was  rediscovered  and  soon 
the  Indian  Queen  mine  began  shipping  good  ore  to  the  reduction 
works  of  San  Francisco  and  Reno.  By  '75  it  had  in  this  way  produced 
several  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Then  a  four-stamp  mill  was  begun 
and  completed  in  June  of  the  same  year.  The  mine  had  yielded  suffi- 
cient returns  since  to  pay  a  large  sum  in  dividends. 

Sylvcmia  district,  discovered  in  '70,  was  organized  in  '72  as  Green 
Mountain  district,  but  the  next  year  changed  its  name  to  Sylvania. 
Smelting  works  were  put  up  at  Lost  Springs  in  '75  and  were  operated 
for  some  years. 

Lida  Valley  district  was  brought  to  light  by  Wm.  Scott  in  May,  '71, 
and  organized  the  next  August  7th.  In  spite  of  the  excessive  freight 


858  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

rates  for  supplies,  $100  per  ton  from  Wadsworth,  175  miles  distant, 
the  hardy  miners  persisted,  laid  out  the  present  town-site  March  i 
the  following  year,  and  began  active  mining.  Within  a  few  years  the 
district  had  an  eight  and  a  five  stamp  mill  to  reduce  the  ore  that  the 
high  freight  rates  prohibited  from  shipment,  unless  of  the  best  grade. 
There  was  shipped  some  ore  of  such  richness  that  the  long  and  expen- 
sive haul  made  comparatively  small  inroad  on  the  profits.  But  when 
this  high-grade  was  worked  out  near  the  surface  and  funds  were 
lacking  to  go  deeper  for  the  main  ore-bodies,  the  miners  either  left  the 
camp  or  remained  only  to  do  the  required  work  to  hold  their  claims 
or  to  await  better  conditions.  About  '07  a  small  mill  was  erected  on 
the  Florida  property,  but  was  not  utilized.  At  present  the  outlook 
seems  brighter  for  the  old  timers  who  have  abided  so  long  in  hope. 
The  town  remains  about  what  it  was  in  the  eighties,  having  lost  its 
blacksmith-shop  and  gained  one  saloon. , 

Belleville,  now  reduced  to  a  village,  began  its  existence  in  '73  as 
the  site  of  quartz  mills,  being  only  eight  miles  north  of  Candelaria  and 
its  rich  mines.  It  reached  its  zenith  in  '76  with  a  population  of  500. 
In  '80  it  had  two  mills  with  20  stamps  each,  300  residents,  a  school 
house  20  x  30  feet,  and  seven  saloons. 

Space  is  lacking  to  proceed  further  in  a  catalogue  of  the  mining 
districts  that  once  filled  the  minds  of  men  with  visions  of  fortune  and 
hope.  Before  passing  to  a  recital  of  the  successive  boundaries  of 
Esmeralda  county,  by  means  of  which  nearly  six-sevenths  of  its 
original  territory  has  been  lost,  and  its  business  transacted  in  the  third 
county-seat,  it  may  be  well  to  enumerate  a  partial  list  of  the  aban- 
doned districts,  many  of  which  sound  strange  to  the  ears  of  the  second 
generation  since  they  flourished.  Among  the  number  may  be  men- 
tioned: Desert  Lake,  Baldy,  Cottonwood,  Cornell,  Tule,  Walker 
River,  Masonic,  Canon,  Montgomery,  Van  Horn,  Thunder  Springs, 
Minnesota,  Hot  Springs,  Blind  Springs,  Washington,  Pahdet,  Inde- 
pendentia,  etc.,  etc. 

Esmeralda  coiinty  early  began  to  lose  its  territory  by  Legislative 
enactment.  Longitude  west  from  Washington  is  meant  in  all  cases. 
The  act  of  February  16,  '64,  creating  Nye  county,  limited  Esmeralda 
on  the  east  to  the  meridian  of  40°  30',  and  took  away  the  greater  part 
of  its  area.  A  part  of  this  domain  was  restored  by  the  amending  act 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  859 

of  March  9,  '65,  by  declaring  the  39°  58'  meridian  the  line.  The  act  of 
March  5,  '69,  made  the  boundary  between  Nye  and  Esmeralda  a  line 
running  from  the  intersection  of  the  California  line  by  the  meridian  of 
40°  15'  north  to  the  38th  parallel;  thence  northwesterly  to  the  Hot 
Springs  on  the  Wellington  and  Reese  river  road;  thence  north  to  the 
39th  parallel.  By  the  act  of  February  26,  '75,  the  line  was  changed  to 
the  40°  7'  meridian,  thence  north  to  the  38th  parallel,  northwesterly 
to  the  Hot  Springs  (as  before),  and  north  to  the  39th  parallel,  the 
present  dividing  line  between  the  two  counties.  By  the  act  of  March 
i,  '83,  several  hundred  square  miles  were  detached  from  Esmeralda 
and  annexed  to  Lyon  county,  by  declaring  a  northeast  and  southwest 
straight  line  of  division.  In  this  manner  Esmeralda  lost  the  fertile 
lands  of  the  Mason  and  Smith  valleys,  its  legitimate  claim  to  a  great 
agricultural  section.  A  Legislative  act  of  the  same  year  transferred 
the  county  seat  from  Aurora  to  Hawthorne.  This  was  due  to  the 
condition  of  the  mines  at  Aurora  as  well  as  the  ascendancy  of  Haw- 
thorne, gained  by  having  become  the  terminus  of  the  Carson  and 
Colorado  Railroad  that  was  crawling  along  the  eastern  shore  of 
Walker  Lake  in  the  spring  of  '81,  and  made  the  new  town  possible, 
not  to  mention  the  splendid  grade  completed  about  the  same  time  and 
by  the  same  interests  between  the  new  county  seat  and  Bodie,  38 
miles  away.  Bodie  was  grinding  out  its  millions  during  this  period. 
Hawthorne  was  also  nearer  both  the  geographic  and  population  center 
of  the  county. 

By  act  of  February  4,  '07,  the  county-seat  was  changed  from  Haw- 
thorne to  Goldfield  from  and  after  May  first  of  that  year,  for  reasons 
similar  to  those  that  had  given  it  to  the  former  24  years  before.  On 
February  10,  'n,  another  act  was  approved,  by  the  provisions  of 
which  the  new  county  of  Mineral  was  erected  out  of  a  part  of  Esmer- 
alda county's  diminished  territory,  again  making  Hawthorne  a  county- 
seat.  The  division  was  unequal,  Esmeralda  getting  only  3,541  square 
miles  of  dry  land  to  Mineral's  3,891,  with  125  miles  of  lake  surface 
thrown  in.  In  exactly  50  years  Esmeralda  county  has  had  six  distinct 
manipulations  made  with  her  territory  and  three  seats  of  justice. 
Starting  in  '61  with  nearly  25,000  square  miles,  an  area  almost  equal 
to  that  of  either  the  Kingdom  of  Greece  or  the  State  of  West  Virginia, 


860  THE     HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

her  one  remaining  consolation  in  being  reduced  to  one-seventh  is,  that 
that  seventh  is  the  richest  mineralized  section  of  the  State. 

The  organization  of  the  Goldfield  mining  district,  October  2Oth, 
1903,  is  the  central  date  from  which  preceding  and  after  events  must 
be  considered.  It  set  in  operation  a  series  of  influences  that  have  been 
as  potent  on  the  history  of  Esmeralda  county  as  was  the  discovery  of 
Hicks,  Corey  and  Braley  at  Aurora  on  August  25th,  '60.  The  latter 
made  possible  the  Old  Esmeralda  as  the  former  created  the  New 
Esmeralda  county.  Ever  since,  the  story  of  Goldfield  has  been  well 
nigh  the  history  of  the  entire  county. 

When  James  L.  Butler  accidentally  discovered  rich  "float"  at  Tono- 
pah  in  1900,  numerous  conditions  prevailed  to  help  usher  in  and 
support  the  boom  years  that  followed :  the  entire  country  had  recov- 
ered from  the  distressing  period  of  the  middle  'po's  and  was  financially 
able  and  in  the  mood  for  large  speculation;  already  a  reflux  tide  of 
miners  had  set  in  from  Alaska;  labor  troubles  were  about  to  send 
hordes  of  stalwart  miners  trained  in  Colorado,  and  very  soon  there- 
after the  automobile  began  to  contest  the  horse's  prescriptive  right 
to  the  public  highway,  and  reduce  the  long  stretches  of  the  desert  to 
fractions.  Goldfield  fell  heir  to  these  forwarding  impulses  more 
largely  than  did  Tonopah,  the  immediate  cause  of  its  birth. 

The  press  has  made  such  effective  use  of  the  desert  that  many  still 
accept  without  question  the  suggestion  that  Goldfield  was  quite 
beyond  the  known,  prior  to  1902,  somewhat  as  we  are  influenced 
through  the  very  reiteration  of  advertisements  into  believing  their 
claims.  At  that  time  Lida  and  Silverpeak,  distant  30  and  25  miles 
respectively  to  the  southwest  and  west,  had  about  the  same  popula- 
tion as  now;  Tonopah  was  a  thriving  mining  camp  30  miles  to  the 
north  of  Goldfield,  with  miners  frequently  working  at  Klondyke, 
which  is  almost  on  a  direct  line  and  midway  between  the  two  places. 
Since  the  early  sixties,  when  the  Comstockers  began  to  prospect 
southern  Nevada  for  silver  and  so  missing  the  gold,  searchers  after 
mines  had  been  for  this  reason  passing  over  the  gold  of  Goldfield, 
stopping  at  Rabbit  Springs  for  water.  Trails  and  roads  passed  and 
crossed  within  sight  of  Columbia  mountain.  One  of  these  paths  of 
travel  about  halved  the  present  holdings  of  the  Consolidated  Mines 
Company,  the  greatest  so  far  found  in  the  district.  In  1904,  Mr. 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  86 1 

John  Chiatovich,  of  Silverpeak,  actually  went  into  the  courts  to  restrain 
the  piping  of  water  from  Rabbit  Springs  to  Columbia,  claiming 
damage  for  the  consequent  loss  of  stock,  and  asserting  title  thereto 
since  1886.  Of  course  live  stock  had  to  give  way  to  a  mining  camp 
coupled  with  such  hope. 

Such  was  the  country  round  about  Goldfield's  present  site  when  two 
prospectors  from  Tonopah,  W.  A.  Marsh  and  H.  C.  Stimler,  found 
themselves  but  a  short  distance  north  of  Columbia  mountain's  summit 
in  early  December,  1902.  On  the  4th  day  of  that  month  they  located 
the  May  Queen,  Sand  Storm  and  Kruger  claims,  adding  their  names 
after  those  of  J.  L.  Butler  and  Tom  Kendall.  All  were  recorded 
February  28th.  They  describe  the  location  as  10  miles  southerly  from 
Klondike  Well,  about  6  miles  easterly  from  the  Montezuma  mines,  and 
one  and  one-half  miles  north  of  Cove  (Rabbit)  Springs.  The  district 
was  denominated  Grandpa  in  jest  at  Hinnepah,  Weapah,  and  Tonopah, 
believing  they  had  found  the  grandpa  (h)  of  all,  the  old  man. 

Returning  to  these  locations,  in  the  spring  of  1903,  ore  was  found  on 
the  Sand  Storm,  and  the  rush  was  on  to  the  new  section.  About  the 
first  of  May,  Thos.  Ramsey  and  R.  C.  Crook  arrived  in  the  Grandpa 
district,  riding  on  a  buck-board  drawn  by  two  burros,  and  accom- 
panied by  C.  D.  Taylor,  who  rode  a  pony  with  pick,  shovel  and 
blankets  tied  to  his  saddle.  Thos.  D.  Murphy  and  A.  D.  Myers  came 
about  the  same  time.  These  and  others  prospected  the  country  south 
of  Columbia  mountain  and  east  of  the  Goldfield  townsite,  camping 
near  Rabbit  Springs.  The  whole  surrounding  country  was  called 
Grandpa  in  that  indefinite  way  of  miners  and  prospectors.  May  21, 
1903,  Thos.  Ramsey  located  the  Tennessee  claim,  and  five  days  later 
returned  and  took  up  the  ground  immediately  to  the  south,  calling  this 
second  claim  the  Berkeley,  after  the  home  city  of  his  brother.  Ten- 
nessee was  adopted  because  of  its  rich  sound,  so  dear  to  a  miner,  and 
for  the  additional  reason  that  the  locator  was  a  Southern  man.  The 
location  notice  of  each  was  signed  by  H.  Ramsey,  R.  C.  Crook,  Thos. 
Ramsey,  and  recorded  at  request  of  H.  Ramsey  on  July  I,  following. 
But  the  work  was  never  done  on  these  two  claims  until  dressed  out  in 
other  names. 

Within  the  first  few  days  of  July,  Thos.  Ramsey  and  his  partner, 
R.  C  Crook,  left  for  Atwood,  northwest  of  Tonopah,  on  a  prospecting 


862  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

trip.  Tiring  of  this,  as  Crook  had  his  mind  set  on  Tokop  and  the 
Slate  Range  country,  the  two  returned  to  Tonopah,  August  I3th,  and 
the  following  day  Ramsey  abandoned  his  burros,  mounted  a  pony  and 
in  company  with  Thos.  Keane  returned  to  Grandpa  to  see  about  the 
location  work  on  the  Tennessee  and  Berkeley  claims.  Crook  soon 
followed.  But  on  second  thought,  it  was  decided  to  let  the  90  days 
run  out  and  relocate  them.  Accordingly  the  Tennessee  became  the 
Mohawk  No.  i  and  the  Berkeley  was  re-christened  Mohawk  No.  2,  on 
August  2oth  and  23rd  respectively.  Probably  the  Mohawk  No.  2  is 
the  richest  piece  of  ground  ever  found  in  Nevada,  if  not  in  the  world, 
having  since  produced  as  many  millions  as  the  locator  had  fingers  and 
toes  and  bidding  fair  to  keep  this  up  for  many  a  day.  However,  four 
names  were  put  on  these  second  locations,  that  of  A.  D.  Myers  being 
added  later  to  the  three  original  ones  on  the  Tennessee  and  Berkeley 
on  condition  that  he  do  the  location  work.  He  did  it  with  a  will — in  a 
few  days  at  most — and  in  1906  sold  his  interest,  one-tenth,  in  same 
for  $400,000.  Location  certificates  were  filed,  October  31,  on  request 
of  Harry  Ramsey,  the  partner  who  remained  in  Tonopah  to  provide 
the  grubstake,  while  his  brother  and  Crook  searched  for  mines.  In 
September,  1903,  Thos.  Ramsey  sold  his  one-fourth  interest  in  the  two 
Mohawk  claims,  with  an  equal  interest  in  the  Slim  Jim  Fraction  and 
one-third  of  the  Booth  claim,  for  the  princely  sum  of  $750,  the  lucky 
buyers  being  James  Forman  and  A.  C.  Eisen.  In  1904,  Crook  sold  his 
one-fourth  part  of  the  Mohawks  to  Nixon  and  Wingfield,  with  other 
property,  for  $5,000,  and  the  following  year  Harry  Ramsey  disposed 
of  his  interest  to  the  same  parties  at  a  handsome  figure.  Later  on 
these  two  old  claims  became  the  jewel  caskets  of  the  Consolidated  Mines 
Company. 

As  a  further  illustration  of  the  small  valuation  placed  on  these 
bonanza  properties,  C.  D.  Taylor  came  to  where  Thos.  Ramsey,  T.  D. 
Murphy  and  A.  D.  Myers  were  working  on  the  Combination,  the  first 
of  September,  '03,  and  offered  to  sell  the  Florence  for  $20,  whereat 
Ramsey  made  the  counter  proposition  of  selling  him  thirty-five  claims, 
covering  the  very  heart  of  the  district,  at  $20  each,  or  a  total  of  $700, 
if  his  partners  would  agree.  Ramsey  did  sell  the  Redtops,  then  the 
Alabamas,  for  $35  a  piece.  And  it  must  not  be  inferred  that  these 
sales  were  made  under  stress,  for  the  prices  were  then  regarded  as 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  863 

fair  and  full;  neither  seller  nor  buyer  could  foretell  what  was  to  be. 
These  instances  are  given  as  typical,  showing  the  low  estimate  placed 
on  Grandpa  mining  acres  in  the  summer  and  early  fall  of  '03. 

There  was  a  space  of  a  few  weeks  in  July  of  '03  when  every  soul  had 
deserted  the  new  camp  except  A.  D.  Myers,  who  was  living  in  a  tent 
back  of  Jumbotown,  and  Wm.  Beauchamp,  who  was  camped  in  what 
later  became  Columbia,  a  mile  apart.  A  Mr.  Hart  soon  joined  Myers, 
and  then  there  were  three.  Early  in  September,  as  the  weather  became 
more  agreeable,  the  pioneer  prospectors  and  locators  began  to  return, 
and  others  came  with  them.  Ore  had  been  struck  on  the  Combination 
by  Murphy  and  Myers  in  July  and  this  initial  strike  in  Goldfield 
proper  was  followed  by  another  on  the  same  property  in  August.  The 
strike  on  the  Sandstorm  by  Marsh  and  Stimler  in  April  of  that  year 
is  usually  regarded  as  the  first.  Further  impetus  was  given  the  new 
camp  by  the  first  lease  and  bond,  made  to  L.  L.  Patrick  on  October 
9th  and  taken  up  by  him  17  days  later.  This  was  on  the  10  claims  of 
the  Combination  group  and  was  the  result  of  the  strikes  by  Murphy 
and  Myers  on  that  property  in  July  and  August.  Three  years  later 
these  ten  claims  were  sold  to  the  Consolidated  Mines  Company  for 
four  million  dollars  and  completed  that  powerful  consolidation.  In 
October  Mr.  Patrick  brought  Robt.  Lanka  from  Tokop  to  do  the 
assaying  for  the  combination.  He  also  did  custom  work,  and  was  the 
first  Goldfield  assayer. 

About  the  first  of  September  the  small  group  of  tents  scattered 
below  Rabbit  Springs,  to  be  near  water,  was  moved  down  to  the 
present  Main  street  of  Goldfield,  between  what  is  now  Myers  and 
Crook  Avenues,  and  the  town  in  this  way  was  started.  Ben  Hazelton 
found  water  at  a  depth  of  20  feet  by  sinking  a  well  at  the  intersection 
of  Main  Street  and  Myers  Avenue.  This,  with  several  other  shallow 
wells,  constituted  the  water  supply  until  the  following  year,  when  the 
first  water,  company  piped  water  from  Rocky  Canyon,  one  mile  south 
of  town.  The  need  of  order  in  the  arrangement  of  the  accumulating 
tents  caused  the  miners  to  stake  off  Main  Street  early  in  September. 
Both  the  lay  of  the  land  and  a  possible  hint  whence  most  had  come 
determined  its  direction  northward,  pointing  toward  Tonopah.  A 
little  later,  Elmer  J.  Chute,  a  competent  engineer  and  surveyor,  laid 
off  several  blocks  and  the  town  limits  continued  to  extend  until  on 


864  THE     HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

January  ist  of  '04  there  was  filed  for  record  the  first  Townsite  Plat 
of  Goldfield.  This  plat  covered  the  area  between  Fifth  Avenue  on  the 
east  and  Third  Street  on  the  west,  and  between  Elliott  Avenue  on  the 
south  and  an  unnamed  avenue  one  block  north  of  Miners  Avenue. 
Block  one  was  limited  by  Elliott  and  Myers,  Main  and  Columbia.  The 
town  then  showed  symptoms  of  spreading  southwest,  the  six  blocks 
east  of  Columbia  remaining  merely  skeletoned  on  this  first  plat. 

The  original  intention  of  the  Townsite  people  was  to  have  the 
streets  run  north  and  south  and  the  avenues  east  and  west,  naming 
the  latter  in  honor  of  the  pioneers  of  the  camp.  Elliott,  Myers,  Crook, 
Ramsey  and  Hall  were  so  bestowed,  while  the  whole  mining  popula- 
tion was  complimented  by  the  name  of  Miners.  The  next  year  they 
added  Fifth  Avenue  and  Euclid  Avenue  pointed  to  an  awakened  ambi- 
tion for  the  future  of  the  city.  Choice  of  the  lots  fell  to  the  early 
comers,  and  they  naturally  chose  the  corners,  some  of  which  were 
awarded  this  wise :  the  Palace  corner,  Crook ;  the  Northern,  Tex  Hall ; 
the  Mohawk,  Murphy;  the  Hermitage,  H.  H.  Clark;  the  Texas,  Pat- 
rick; the  John  S.  Cook  Bank  corner,  Chute,  and  the  First  National 
Bank  corner,  Thos.  Ramsey,  who  felt  slighted  because  his  lot  was  so 
far  out  of  town.  The  growth  of  the  town  and  the  increasing  value  of 
real  estate  are  shown  by  one  illustration.  The  Cook  Bank  corner 
brought  $50  in  the  spring  of  '04,  $5,000  the  next  October,  and  $10,000 
December  2nd,  following.  It  was  worth  $35,000  two  years  later. 

The  gathering  of  the  tents  and  the  locating  of  Main  Street  were 
the  first  hints  of  a  town.  The  first  all-wood  structure  came  September 
6th.  It  had  been  built  in  Belmont  in  such  fashion  that  by  removing 
the  bolts  that  held  it  together  the  whole  house,  12  x  14,  could  be 
loaded  onto  a  two-horse  wagon  and  hauled  anywhere.  In  this  manner 
it  was  brought  to  Tonopah  and  set  up  as  among  the  very  earliest,  if 
not  the  first,  frame  buildings.  Harry  Ramsey  sent  it  over  to  the  Sand 
Storm  in  August,  and  again  removed  it  to  Goldfield  as  stated,  setting 
it  up  on  lot  four  of  block  two.  From  its  high  social  standing  as  a 
saloon  in  Tonopah,  it  was  degraded  in  Goldfield  to  the  menial  rank  of 
a  kitchen.  This  pioneering  shack  is  now  on  the  Blue  Bull  property. 
In  these  humble  beginnings,  a  fourth  event  occurred  to  make  the  future 
certain — R.  A.  Dunn  within  a  few  days  opened  the  first  business  house, 
a  "thirst  parlor,"  in  a  half  tent-half  frame  building  on  the  next  lot 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  865 

north.  This  was  the  brightest  omen  of  all  and  must  needs  be  suitably 
celebrated.  Thither  converged  all  steps  the  first  evening  and  the 
session  was  soon  on.  A  thorough  inventory  discovered  but  seventeen 
dollars  and  some  odd  cents  of  the  necessary  wherewithal  among  the 
whole  assembled  population,  but  it  was  ample  if  properly  circulated, 
and  this  was  accomplished  by  the  simple  device  of  tapping  the  money 
box  every  time  it  gained  possession  of  the  circulating  medium.  In  a 
gathering  as  democratic  as  that  the  protests  of  the  proprietor  were 
wasted.  Seeing  this  he  made  the  best  of  it,  charging  the  loss  to 
discreet  advertising.  This  saloon  from  that  night  was  the  club  of  the 
camp  and  was  always  popular.  The  function  of  a  saloon  in  a  mining 
camp  is  something  unique,  and  not  to  be  confused  with  that  in  a  city. 
With  the  two  strikes  on  the  Combination  and  the  evident  progress 
of  the  town,  to  say  nothing  of  capitalized  hope,  and  the  ascendancy 
gained  over  the  original  Grandpa  section  about  Columbia  Mountain, 
the  miners,  gathered  along  Main  Street  in  some  20  tents,  now  began 
to  agitate  the  formal  organization  of  a  Mining  District.  W.  H.  Harris 
at  the  same  time  busied  himself  campaigning  in  behalf  of  Goldfields 
as  the  name  of  the  town  and  district.  The  failure  of  Grandpa  to  organ- 
ize made  the  organization  of  a  district  imperative.  All  were  agreed, 
and  accordingly,  on  October  loth,  notices  of  a  mass  meeting  of  the 
residents  owning  property  were  posted  in  Dunn's  saloon,  at  Rabbit 
Springs,  and  Klondyke  Well,  the  three  best  known  places.  The 
appointed  time  and  place  were  1 130  p.  m.,  October  2Oth,  '03,  on  the 
southwest  corner  of  block  two,  at  the  crossing  of  Myers  Avenue  and 
Main  Street.  Thirty-six  qualified  voters  assembled  at  place  desig- 
nated. Claude  M.  Smith,  formely  a  California  teacher,  called  the 
meeting  to  order  and  nominated  Attorney  R.  L.  Johns  for  Chairman. 
It  was  a  beautiful  afternoon  to  meet  with  the  building  material  scat- 
tered around,  offering  a  good  substitute  for  a  well  furnished  hall. 
Johns  was  elected  chairman,  took  his  seat  on  a  pile  of  shingles  and 
rapped  his  knuckles  on  a  soap  box  table  for  the  attention  of  the  first 
meeting  ever  held  in  the  district,  the  remaining  34  perching  themselves 
on  the  stacks  of  lumber.  As  the  Resolution  and  Minutes  are  the  offi- 
cial evidences  of  this  meeting,  and  tell  best  their  own  story,  they  are 
here  given  as  taken  from  the  originals : 


866  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

RESOLUTION 

WHEREAS,  the  miners  and  persons  owning  mining  claims  in  the  Grandpa  Min- 
ing region,  Esmeralda  County,  Nev.,  pursuant  to  public  notice  duly  posted,  have  on 
this  20th  day  of  Oct.,  1903,  duly  assembled  at  Goldfield  in  said  Mining  region  for 
the  purpose  of  organizing  said  mining  region  into  a  Mining  District  and  for  the 
purpose  of  establishing  such  rules  and  regulations  for  said  mining  district  as  shall 
be  deemed  expedient  and  not  inconsistent  with  the  laws  of  the  United  States  and 
of  the  State  of  Nevada. 

NOW,  THEREFORE,  be  it  RESOLVED  by  said  miners  and  owners  of  mining 
claims,  in  meeting  assembled  as  aforesaid ; 

FIRST.  That  said  mining  region  be  and  the  same  is  hereby  organized  into  a 
mining  district  with  the  following  boundaries, — commencing  at  a  certain  spring 
known  as  Rabbit  Spring  in  said  Esmeralda  County,  thence  extending  five  miles 
north  from  said  Spring,  eight  miles  east  from  said  spring,  five  miles  south  from 
said  spring,  and  two  miles  west  from  said  spring  and  covering  in  all  a  region  ten 
miles  square. 

SECOND.  That  the  name  of  the  said  mining  district  shall  be  GOLDFIELD 
MINING  DISTRICT. 

THIRD.  That  the  officers  of  said  mining  district  shall  be  a  President  and  a 
Recorder,  who  shall  hold  office  for  a  period  of  one  year  and  until  their  successors 
are  duly  elected  and  qualified ;  that  all  miners  and  owners  of  mining  claims  in  said 
district  shall  be  qualified  to  vote  at  all  elections  for  such  President  and  Recorder ; 
that  the  first  election  of  such  officers  shall  be  held  on  Oct.  2Oth,  1903,  at  Gold- 
field,  Nev.,  at  2  o'clock  P.  M.  and  annually  thereafter  at  the  same  time  and  place ; 
that  notice  of  said  elections  shall  be  given  by  the  President  of  said  district  by 
posting  notice  thereof  in  not  less  than  three  public  places  in  said  district  not  less 
than  ten  days  previous  to  such  election. 

FOURTH.  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  President,  upon  the  written  request 
of  not  less  than  five  miners  or  owners  of  mining  claims  in  said  district,  to  call  a 
meeting  of  all  the  miners  and  owners  of  mining  claims  in  said  Mining  District ; 
that  he  shall  give  at  least  two  days  notice  of  such  meeting  by  posting  notice  thereof 
in  a  conspicuous  place  in  Goldfield ;  that  he  shall  preside  over  all  such  meetings. 

FIFTH.  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  Recorder  to  act  as  the  Secretary  of 
said  Mining  District ;  to  keep  the  minutes  of  all  such  meetings  and  to  attend  to 
the  correspondence  of  the  said  Mining  District  and  to  perform  such  other  duties 
as  are  prescribed  by  law ;  that  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  Recorder  to  properly 
record  all  certificates  of  location,  amended  locations,  deeds,  surveys  and  instru- 
ments of  whatever  nature  as  shall  be  properly  presented  to  him ;  that  he  shall  be 
authorized  to  charge  for  his  services  the  following  fees :  for  certificate  of  location, 
amended  locations,  and  certificates  of  survey  (when  the  latter  are  not  accompanied 
by  nor  attached  to  certificates  of  location),  a  fee  of  two  dollars  each;  that  for 
recording  deeds,  mortgages,  etc.,  he  shall  be  authorized  to  charge  a  fee  not  in 
excess  of  the  fee  charged  by  the  Recorder  of  Esmeralda  County,  Nevada,  for 
recording  the  same  instrument;  that  the  fees  hereinbefore  named  shall  not  include 
the  fee  or  fees  of  said  County  Recorder;  that  the  books  of  the  District  Recorder 
shall  be  the  public  property  of  the  said  Mining  District.  " 

SIXTH.  That  the  scale  of  wages  and  hours  of  the  said  Mining  District  shall 
be  four  dollars  for  eight  hours'  work.  - 

SEVENTH.  That  the  President  of  said  Goldfield  Mining  District  shall  appoint 
a  committee  of  three,  of  which  he  shall  be  one,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  supervise 
the  work  of  the  District  Recorder,  also  to  draft  rules  and  regulations  for  the 
advancement  of  the  said  Mining  District,  and  present  the  same  at  the  next  called 
meeting  as  aforesaid. 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  867 

EIGHTH.  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  spread  upon  the  minutes  of  this 
meeting  and  that  a  copy  of  the  minutes  of  this  meeting  be  filed  with  the  Recorder 
of  Esmeralda  County,  Nevada.  (Signed) 

R.  C.  Crook,  Claude  M.  Smith,  R.  L.  Johns,  A.  D..  Myers,  T.  D.  Murphy,  H.  O. 
Hall,  W.  H.  Harris,  O.  Rosengreen,  A.  C.  Eisen,  J.  T.  Jones,  S.  D.  Forman,  H.  C. 
Marcus,  W.  S.  Williams,  W.  S.  Bryden,  W.  A.  Marsh,  P.  C.  Kretz,  Dr.  Whitewolf, 
E.  Marks,  Ed  Clifford,  W.  D.  Nelligan,  D.  H.  McLaughlin,  Geo.  Turner,  R. 
McGlenn,  J.  W.  Riggle,  F.  A.  Montgomery,  E.  A.  Montgomery,  H.  C  Stimler, 
J.  E.  McLaughlin,  T.  Kendall,  Geo.  McLelland,  C.  D.  Taylor,  R.  A.  Dunn,  G.  S. 
Phenix,  Elmer  J.  Chute,  Goe.  A.  Kernick,  Thos.  Ramsey. 

GOLDFIELD,  NEVADA,  Oct.  2Oth,  1903. 

At  i  :3O  o'clock  P.  M.  a  meeting,  having  been  duly  advertised,  was  called  to 
order  by  Claude  M.  Smith,  who  nominated  as  chairman  Mr.  R.  L.  Johns.  Mr. 
Johns  was  unanimously  elected  chairman. 

Claude  M.  Smith  was  nominated  and  unanimously  elected  secretary  of  said 
meeting. 

The  resolution  as  attached  hereto  was  read  by  the  secretary.  Mr.  R.  C.  Crook 
moved  the  adoption  of  the  resolution  as  read.  The  motion  was  carried. 

A.  D.  Myers  was  nominated  for  President  and,  there  being  no  opposition,  he 
was  declared  elected  by  acclamation. 

Claude  M.  Smith  was  nominated  for  District  Recorder  and  elected  by  acclamation. 

President  Myers  appointed  Messrs.  T.  D.  Murphy  and  R.  C.  Crook  to  serve  with 
himself  upon  the  committee  as  provided  in  the  resolution. 

There  being  no  further  business,  a  motion  to  adjourn  was  made,  seconded  and 
carried. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

CLAUDE  M.   SMITH,   Secretary. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  Resolution  that  Goldfield  was  already 
accepted  as  the  name  of  the  town,  but  not  yet  as  that  of  the  mining 
district,  as  the  Resolution  had  been  prepafed  before  the  meeting  with 
two  references  to  the  town  of  this  name,  while  the  name  of  the  district 
about  to  be  organized  was  left  blank,  and  was  filled  in  with  pen  and 
ink  among  the  typewritten  words.  The  original  shows  this  to  be  the 
only  written  insertion.  W.  H.  Harris,  the  seventh  signer,  had  for 
some  time  been  agitating  in  favor  of  Goldfields  for  both  town  and 
district,  and  had  evidently  succeeded  in  having  it  generally  accepted 
as  to  the  former,  the  naming  of  the  latter  requiring  the  approval  of 
the  meeting.  Harris  proposed  Goldfields  in  the  meeting  and  Smith 
seconded  him,  provided  he  would  leave  off  the  pluralizing  s.  This  was 
done  and  so  the  honor  of  christening  the  new  city  and  district  is 
divided  between  the  two.  Mr.  Harris  evidently  had  in  mind  the  city 
whence  he  had  come,  Goldfield,  Colorado,  but  desired  to  make  the 
new  name  distinctive  and  more  ambitious  by  implying  more  than  one 
field  of  gold.  In  nominating  Mr.  Smith  for  District  Recorder,  Mr. 
Murphy  explained  that  he  did  so  because  the  candidate  was  "too  small 


868 

to  do  a  full  shift's  work,"  and  ever  since  the  big  man  and  the  small 
man  have  been  inseparable.  A  greater  service  was  rendered  than 
could  at  that  time  be  imagined ;  the  office  paid  during  Mr.  Smith's 
incumbency  of  three  and  one-half  years  about  $1,000  per  month,  easily 
the  most  lucrative  office  in  the  State. 

One  of  the  36  signers,  and  a  man  capable  of  making  the  analysis, 
gives  some  approximations  going  to  show  what  manner  oi  men  they 
were.  Their  average  age  was  about  33  years ;  Harris  the  oldest  at  60, 
and  Stimler  the  youngest  at  23.  Seventy-five  per  cent,  of  the  number 
were  unmarried ;  three  surveyors,  one  assayer,  physician,  druggist, 
teacher,  merchant,  attorney,  and  cowboy  each,  and  20  miners  and  pros- 
pectors, with  six  others  otherwise  engaged,  but  likewise  learning 
mining  in  connection  with  their  regular  pursuits.  Fifteen  States,  three 
foreign  countries,  and  three  races  were  there  represented.  California 
led  with  seven,  Colorado  came  second  with  four,  and  Nevada  and 
Texas  tied  with  three  each.  Nearly  half  were  Irish.  Not  one  man 
made  "his  mark,"  but  each  signed  the  Resolution  with  a  firm,  legible 
hand,  though  most  had  finger  joints  stiffened  from  daily  association 
with  pick  and  shovel.  Doubtless  any  capable  expert  in  the  matter  of 
handwriting  would  pronounce  the  36  signatures  a  very  remarkable 
list.  And  after-knowledge  of  these  organizers  of  the  Goldfield  Mining 
District  confirms  such  an  estimate.  The  list  includes  many  of  the 
successful,  big  men  of  later  Goldfield.  Immediately  following  the 
meeting  of  October  2Oth,  the  camp  felt  a  new  impulse  forward.  A 
city  must  be  built  as  well  as  a  district  developed  from  prospects  into 
mines,  and  the  task  was  begun  with  a  will,  now  that  there  was  an 
organic  beginning.  Energy  made  up  for  lack  of  numbers.  The  work 
of  the  camp-makers  was  paving  the  way  for  the  camp-followers  sure 
to  come  when  the  hard  places  had  been  made  soft.  Of  course  good 
citizens  continued  to  arrive  as  the  tidings  spread,  and  bad  ones,  too. 
The  pioneers  had  conducted  a  pure  Democracy  as  nearly  as  human 
nature  seems  able  to  permit.  It  was  not  until  the  arrival  of  the  camp- 
followers  that  the  merchant  had  a  market  for  locks  and  keys,  which 
before  a  twelve-month  had  replaced  the  latch  and  string.  Limited 
space  forbids  details  told  in  order  of  time.  Hence,  a  restricted  num- 
ber of  enterprises  and  institutions  must  suffice,  and  the  imagination 
do  the  rest.  From  October  2Oth  to  the  spring  of  '04,  the  little  camp 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  869 

was  busy,  daily  growing  more  so,  preparing  for  the  boom  days  of  '05, 
'06,  '07.  Only  28  miners  were  found  to  eat  the  two  turkeys  the  Christ- 
mas of  '03 ;  perhaps  as  many  more  had  gone  to  Tonopah  for  the  holi- 
days. But  the  future  was  safe,  for  women  had  actually  established 
residence  in  Goldfield  before  the  year  of  '03  was  out.  That  spring  Mrs. 
Marsha  and  Mrs.  Stimler  had  been  at  their  husbands'  camp  at  Colum- 
bia mountain,  but  perhaps  the  first  to  call  the  new  camp  of  Goldfield 
home  were  Mrs.  G.  S.  Phenix,  Dr.  Frances  Williams,  and  Mrs.  E.  R. 
Collins  not  long  thereafter. 

Late  in  December,  Peter  Samuelson  found  travel  between  Goldfield 
and  Tonopah  sufficient  to  put  on  a  two-horse  stage.  In  February  he 
was  hauling  the  mail,  and  the  public  demand  justified  John  O'Keefe 
in  starting  a  four-horse  stage  each  way  daily,  a  little  later  a  six-horse 
one,  and  from  July,  '04,  to  September,  '05,  when  railroads  came  into 
the  two  camps,  two  six-horse  Concords  went  either  way.  These  car- 
ried the  Wells-Fargo  Express  as  well  as  passengers.  Fare,  $4  each 
way  with  some  slight  variations.  In  addition,  many  other  lines  were 
established  and  the  livery  stables  did  a  thriving  business  in  special 
service.  M'Clain  and  M'Sweeney  had  several  hundred  head  of  stock 
engaged  in  freighting  before  spring.  J.  E.  C.  Williams  had  an  equally 
large  capacity  and  livery  as  well,  dozens  of  smaller  operators  trans- 
porting an  immense  tonnage  into  GoldfieW.  This  takes  no  account 
of  hundreds  of  individuals  and  firms  that  did  their  own  hauling. 
Spanning  the  gap  between  stage-coach  and  railroad,  the  automobile 
made  its  appearance  generally  in  the  summer  of  '04  in  the  Nevada 
camps.  Fred.  J.  Siebert  had  brought  a  two-cylinder  Winton  into 
Tonopah  the  year  before.  August  loth,  1904,  the  i6-horse-power 
Rambler  of  G.  W.  Richard  "walked"  lamely  into  Goldfield,  making 
the  trip  from  Tonopah  in  two  hours  and  fifty  minutes  with  a  detour 
of  eight  miles.  G.  J.  Packer,  the  chauffeur,  worked  days  to  get  it  out 
of  town.  L.  L.  Patrick  first  successfully  made  the  trip  in  a  3O-horse- 
power  Pope-Toledo,  September.  By  '05  they  were  numerous  and 
an  automobile  line  was  running  regularly  from  Tonopah  to  Goldfield 
and  south  to  Rhyolite.  Charles  Crisman  built  a  powerful  lo-passenger 
car  in  Goldfield  the  winter  of  'o6-'o7  to  run  between  this  place  and 
Greenwater.  It  was  a  success,  carrying  both  passengers  and  freight, 
and  established  records  yet  unbroken.  He  covered  the  30  miles  be- 


870  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

tween  Tonopah  and  Goldfield  in  some  forty  minutes  and  the  75  miles 
to  Rhyolite  in  a  little  over  two  hours. 

Transportation  was  settled  by  the  railroads,  which  came  thick  and 
fast  in  answer  to  the  call  of  gold.  Tonopah  was  reached  July  4,  '04, 
with  celebration  25,  26,  27 — that  road  was  standard-gauged  August  I, 
'05,  and  extended  into  Goldfield  September  14,  same  year,  celebrating 
the  14,  15  and  16.  Late  in  '06  the  Bullfrog-Goldfield  road  reached  the 
vicinity  of  Rhyolite  and  was  connected  up  with  the  Tidewater  from 
the  south  at  Gold  Center  October  30,  '07.  The  L.  V.  &  T.  came  into 
Rhyolite  December  14,  '06,  and  into  Goldfield  October  28th  of  the 
following  year,  making  two  railroad  connections  south  and  one  north. 

In  February  of  '04  a  fourth-class  post-office  was  established  with 
Claude  M.  Smith  as  Postmaster,  and  opened  in  the  butcher  shop  of  E. 
R.  Collins,  but  soon  went  into  the  Red  Front  Store,  both  locations 
being  on  Lot  5  of  Block  2.  Mr.  Collins  had  the  first  store  in  the  camp. 
Mrs.  E.  R.  Collins  was  deputy  and  succeeded  Mr.  Smith  within  a 
few  months,  as  he  could  not  spare  the  time  to  run  the  office.  In  the 
spring  of  '05  the  office  was  moved  to  the  southeast  corner  of  Columbia 
and  Hall,  where  it  remained  until  July  28,  1907,  when  it  was  again 
removed,  this  time  to  its  present  site  on  north  side  of  Crook,  between 
Columbia  and  Fifth  avenue.  Mr.  E.  R.  Collins  succeeded  his  wife  as 
Postmaster  December  15,  1905.  In  1906-07  the  immense  volume  of 
mail  handled  caused  this  office  to,  be  rated  as  first-class,  the  only  one 
ever  in  Nevada;  it  is  now  second-class. 

Labor  Organisations  in  the  Beginning;  Goldfield  Early  Becoming  a 
Strongly  Unionised  Town. — Perhaps  the  incipiency  of  unionism  had 
its  birth  in  the  camp  through  the  informal  action  of  C.  C.  Inman  and 
J.  P.  Sanders,  the  first  carpenters,  and  the  first  contractors,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Inman  and  Sanders.  Inman,  finding  work  slack  in  Tono- 
pah in  the  fall  of  '03,  followed  a  wagonload  of  lumber,  tools  on  back, 
not  knowing  definitely  whither  it  was  bound  until  he  found  himself 
in  a  place  called  Grandpa.  When  the  load  was  deposited  on  the 
ground  he  seated  himself  thereon  to  await  the  owner,  who  soon 
appeared  on  the  scene.  Inman  engaged  himself  without  cavil  to 
erect  the  shack  and  Sanders  put  in  an  appearance,  likewise  looking 
for  a  job.  There  and  then  union  labor  established  wage  and  hours, 
appealing  to  the  toss  of  a  coin.  Heads  won  and  Inman  proclaimed  the 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  871 

day's  wages  at  $6,  Sanders  chiming  in  with  "eight  hours."  Soon 
thereafter  the  powerful  Carpenters'  Union  was  organized.  Before 
many  years  had  passed  it  had  its  own  building  and  space  to  rent  to 
other  orders.  Of  course  unionism  is  rightly  found  wherever  two 
novitiates  chance  to  meet,  be  it  on  desert  or  in  crowded  city.  The 
Colorado  miners  brought  their  notions  of  unionism  with  them  and 
they  came  early  with  ever-increasing  numbers.  In  April  and  May,  '04, 
500  arrived,  many  with  their  families.  They  had  been  driven  from 
home  and  came  seeking  the  opportunity  to  help  carve  another  mining 
empire  from  a  new  country.  Probably  their  Local  220,  W.  F.  M.,  had 
its  beginning  about  the  same  time  the  carpenters  were  uniting  into  a 
body.  It  is  difficult  to  determine  just  when  the  inception  occurred, 
as  the  first  meetings  were  informal,  no  records  kept,  and  a  sort  of 
club  usually  preceded  the  actual  organization.  However,  the  Miners' 
Union  possessed  a  desirable  building  site  on  west  side  of  Main  street, 
between  Crook  and  Ramsey,  in  the  first  months  of  '04,  with  a  rude 
tent-house  in  which  they  met,  and  with  a  free  reading  room  soon 
afterwards.  That  early  they  were  caring  for  their  sick  and  dead, 
seeking  employment  for  their  people,  giving  alms,  offering  social 
privileges  to  the  public  and  performing  the  many  other  functions  for 
which  they  are  so  well  known.  The  first  day  school  was  opened  in 
their  hall  free  of  charge  and  their  first  hospital  was  opened  that 
summer. 

Churches  and  secret  societies  vied  with  each  other  in  establishing 
themselves  in  the  new  camp,  seemingly  divining  oncoming  events. 
Rev.  Francis  H.  Robinson,  a  Presbyterian  divine  who  had  been  active 
in  pioneer  work  in  Tonopah,  with  true  missionary  spirit,  came  early 
and  Sunday,  April  24,  1904,  conducted  his  initial  service  in  the  home 
of  Mrs.  C.  H.  Elliott.  The  same  day  he  organized  the  first  Sunday 
school  of  the  camp  in  the  residence  of  Mrs.  L.  Briggs,  who  was 
elected  superintendent,  and  May  ist  the  first  Sunday  school  met  in 
the  new  postoffice,  which  had  been  shifted  a  few  feet  to  its  second 
location.  Rev.  Father  Gleason,  of  the  Catholic  faith  and  also  a  mis- 
sionary, arrived  in  camp  on  Saturday,  April  23,  and  the  next  day  held 
services  in  the  Main  street  office  of  H.  B.  Lind,  near  the  middle  of 
the  block,  between  Crook  and  Ramsey  avenues.  He  held  a  second 
service  at  the  same  place  the  following  Sunday.  People  were  in- 


872  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

vited  to  attend  without  regard  to  their  religious  affiliations  or  beliefs 
and  the  invitation  was  accepted  generally.  At  the  same  hour  of  the 
same  day  Rev.  Robinson  and  Rev.  Gleason  were  delivering  the  two 
pioneer  divine  services  in  Goldfield.  As  if  not  to  be  behind  in  the 
start,  Rev.  Samuel  Unsworth  came  into  town  May  27th,  investigating 
the  need  of  a  local  Episcopal  church.  It  was  not  long  before  other 
denominations  followed.  The  Catholic  Church  erected  its  first  build- 
ing at  Cedar  street  in  '05,  the  earliest  in  the  camp,  and  began  a  larger 
one  on  Hall  avenue  and  Franklin  street  a  year  later,  the  original 
building  not  being  large  enough  to  accommodate  the  worshippers. 
Though  uncompleted,  services  have  been  held  in  it  for  the  last  five 
years.  This  church  has  wielded  a  powerful  influence  under  the  able 
pastorate  of  Rev.  Father  James  B.  Dermody,  who  may  rightfully  be 
regarded  as  the  organizer  of  his  people  here.  The  Presbyterians 
erected  their  place  of  worship  'o5-'o6  at  the  corner  of  Ramsey  and 
Fifth  avenues.  The  splendid  edifice  of  the  Episcopalians  was  not 
occupied  until  '07,  the  Christian  Scientists  having  built  theirs  near 
the  corner  of  Myers  and  Euclid  in  the  boom  days  of  the  camp.  The 
Methodists  completed  a  handsome  structure  on  the  corner  of  Euclid 
and  Crook  in  '12.  Other  denominations  have  labored  in  the  camp 
from  early  days.  Among  these  are  the  Baptists,  who  planned  but 
never  completed  their  house  of  worship. 

Public  schools  came  shortly  after  the  churches.  Rev.  Robinson  was 
a  pioneer  not  only  in  the  pulpit  and  Sunday  school,  but  he  started 
the  first  day  school  for  general  instruction.  On  the  morning  of  May 
i,  1904  he  received  pupils  in  the  Miners  Union  Hall,  which  was  at 
that  time  a  rude  combination  of  tent  and  woodwork.  Of  the  17  pupils 
reporting  for  instruction  seven  were  put  in  the  primary  class  and 
the  remaining  10  distributed  between  the  second  and  seventh  grades. 
C.  C.  Inman,  E.  R.  Collins  and  Claude  M.  Smith  were  appointed  as  a 
school  board  in  May  and  a  school  census  taken  June  3,  showing  45 
persons  to  be  under  21  years  of  age,  but  seven  of  these  too  young  to 
enter  school.  Mr.  Smith  soon  resigned  in  favor  of  H.  W.  Knicker- 
bocker, who  was  later  succeeded  by  P.  H.  Toohy.  In  the  fall  of  '04 
and  spring  of  '05,  Mrs.  Francis  M.  Nesmith  had  charge  of  the  school, 
assisted  in  the  latter  year  by  a  young  lady,  the  school  rooms  being  in 
the  Ladies'  Aid  Hall  on  West  Crook  street.  Miss  Mary  McLaughlin 


ESMERALDA     COUNTY  873 

(now  Mrs.  W.  D.  Hatton)  took  charge  in  September  of  '05,  and  with 
her  assistants  gave  a  sort  of  peripatetic  instruction  as  the  expanding 
business  of  the  town  crowded  the  pupils  from  one  place  to  another, 
no  school  building  having  yet  been  erected.  A  contract  was  let  for 
the  Cedar  street  school  building  in  the  summer  of  '05,  but  it  was 
not  ready  for  occupancy  until  the  fall  of  the  next  year.  It  has  six 
rooms  and  cost  $10,000.  Miss  McLaughlin,  as  principal,  and  three 
teachers  taught  in  it  1906-07.  The  high  school  building  was  dedi- 
cated November  18,  1907.  It  was  completed  and  furnished  at  a  cost 
of  $103,000  and  has  twelve  recitation  rooms  and  a  large  assembly 
hall.  The  Sundog  and  Westside  buildings,  with  six  and  two  rooms, 
were  built  in  1908  at  a  combined  cost  of  about  $50,000,  with  furnish- 
ings. The  largest  attendance  was  1908-09,  982  pupils  with  26  teachers. 
The  present  enrollment  is  529,  with  18  teachers.  These  compared 
with  the  17  of  May,  1904,  will  index  the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  camp's 
population. 

The  Ladies'  Aid  Society  was  organized  May  3,  1904,  and  at  once 
began  raising  funds  to  erect  their  hall  for  the  Sunday  school,  religious 
meetings  and  general  gatherings.  This  body  of  women  became  a 
powerful  factor  for  the  general  good,  competing  later  with  the  mas- 
culine Montezuma  Club. 

The  Montezuma  Club  charter  members  issued  their  first  call  De- 
cember 30,  1904,  met  January  7  and  chartered  their  club  February 
10,  1905.  Its  first  home  was  in  the  adobe  building  at  106  Columbia, 
whence  it  was  moved  in  the  middle  cf  the  same  year  to  the  Palace, 
where  its  influence  and  prosperity  were  greatest  from  1905  to  1908; 
then  it  went  into  its  own  building  at  the  corner  of  Columbia  and 
Crook,  where  it  soon  expired  for  want  of  sustenance.  Beginning  with 
its  organization,  L.  L.  Patrick,  H.  T.  Bragdon  and  J.  P.  Loftus  were 
its  first  three  presidents.  June  19,  1904,  the  County  Hospital  opened 
a  i6-foot  tent  near  the  old  jail  for  the  reception  of  the  sick,  Dr.  E.  J. 
Rowland  in  charge.  A.  R.  Wittke  was  the  first  resident  physician  of 
the  camp.  The  following  February  the  present  building  was  put  up 
at  a  cost  of  about  $12,000,  fixtures  and  equipment  included,  having 
a  capacity  of  thirty  patients.  Almost  double  that  number  were  taken 
care  of  during  the  trying  days  of  general  sickness.  The  Miners  Union 
opened  its  first  hospital  about  the  same  time  and  place  and  began 


874  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

and  completed  in  1906  and  1907  the  best  equipped  building  for  that 
purpose  in  southern  Nevada.  It  is  now  closed.  The  Consolidated 
Mines  Company  has  its  own  hospital  nearer  its  mines.  There  have 
been  from  time  to  time  several  private  institutions  to  care  for  the 
sick.  For  years  E.  T.  and  G.  B.  Richmond,  brothers,  ran  a  private 
hospital,  where  the  unfortunate  were  taken  care  of  free  of  all  cost, 
regardless  of  race,  character  or  any  other  condition. 

The  sore  need  of  these  institutions  may  be  inferred  and  their  in- 
capacity suspected  from  these  figures :  April  and  May,  1905,  occurred 
27  and  24  deaths;  November  and  December,  1906,  62  and  53,  and  in 
January  following  40.  This  was  the  era  of  what  the  laymen  call 
"black  pneumonia."  That  alcoholism  took  a  hand  may  be  inferred 
from  the  fact  that  the  victims  were  rarely  women.  Insufficiency  of 
food,  clothing  and  shelter  played  havoc  with  those  not  acclimated. 
The  fuel  famine  occurred  at  this  time  and  had  its  part  in  the  loss  of 
life  and  general  discomfort.  A  poor  grade  of  coal  brought  $95  per 
ton  and  nearly  $150  if  bought  by  the  sack;  men  fought  for  wood  at 
$60  a  two-horse  load,  while  railroad  ties  were  sawed  up  and  sold  at 
25  cents  a  block.  All  were  ready  to  pay  the  price  but  the  supply  fell 
short  of  the  demand.  The  weather  was  severe  and  the  buildings  less 
substantial  than  later,  many  living  in  tents. 

On  March  16,  1904,  arrived  the  most  welcome  guest  of  the  camp, 
Florence  Tidwell,  the  daughter  of  Roland  and  Lena  Phillips  Tidwell, 
whose  home  was  on  Lot  n  of  Block  2,  just  opposite  the  present  Gold- 
field  Hotel.  She  was  the  first  child  to  be  born  in  the  camp  and 
the  winner  of  a  townsite  lot  which  was  never  claimed.  The  "boys" 
regarded  this  as  an  event  even  more  auspicious  for  the  future  of  the 
place  than  the  arrival  of  women  the  year  before,  and  made  no  little 
fuss  about  it.  All  claimed  an  interest  in  the  little  girl,  coming  early 
to  pay  homage.  Sunday,  October  3Oth  of  the  same  year,  the  enter- 
prising Townsite  Company  bestowed  a  lot  at  the  corner  of  Crook 
and  Fourth  streets  as  its  award  for  the  first  wedding,  Miss  Evelyn 
Roach  and  Milton  C.  Ish  winning  that  day,  though  one  or  more 
couples  had  been  married  in  Tonopah  previously.  This  was  regarded 
as  a  purely  home  affair,  Justice  of  the  Peace  Collins  tying  the  knot 
that  holds.  The  Townsite  Company  continued  to  encourage  home 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  875 

industry  in  many  other  directions,  making  a  specialty  of  "sooners" 
in  all  lines. 

The  first  death  was  that  of  Curtis  Kendall,  April  13,  1904.  He  was 
shot  by  Howard  Sharp,  and  his  remains  sent  to  Salt  Lake  for  burial, 
after  the  first  funeral  of  the  camp  by  Father  Gleason.  The  second 
was  a  suicide  by  drowning  in  the  Columbia  water  tank  a  few  hun- 
dred feet  below  Rabbit  Springs.  The  unfortunate  was  known  here 
under  the  name  of  Byron  Enright.  This  occurred  at  noon,  June  17, 
1904,  and  the  remains  were  buried  the  following  day  after  a  funeral 
service  by  Rev.  F.  H.  Robinson  in  Miners'  Union  Hall.  His  was  the 
first  grave.  Mrs.  Katherine  Wadleigh's  death,  June  23,  1904,  was  the 
first  from  natural  causes,  followed  by  that  of  Adolph  Kornbluh  from 
appendicitis  on  July  22  of  the  same  year,  being  the  first  man  to  die 
here  naturally.  Joseph  Marsh,  father  of  W.  A.  Marsh,  was  watching 
the  Rabbit  Springs  and  the  Columbia  water  tank  the  day  Enright  com- 
mitted suicide,  as  there  had  arisen  some  feeling  between  Goldfield  and 
Columbia  over  the  latter's  having  gained  title  to  the  only  known 
nearby  water  supply.  Hence  the  property  needed  watching,  as  they 
thought.  Seeing  a  suspicious  looking  man  approach  the  tank,  Mr. 
Marsh  armed  himself  with  a  stout  stick  and  went  to  see  whether  he 
contemplated  harm  to  the  tank  or  merely  to  steal  a  bath,  a  very  rare 
thing  at  that  day.  Approaching  and  not  finding  his  man,  he  at  length 
peeped  over  the  six-foot  sides  and  was  horrified  to  see  the  struggling 
form  at  the  bottom,  weighted  down  with  a  large  rock  attached  to  his 
neck  by  a  piece  of  baling  wire.  A  sojourning  physician  took  up  a 
position  near  by  and  began  to  assert  that  he  could  revive  the  man. 
When  ordered  to  proceed  he  asked  for  his  fee  first.  Two  swift  and 
well  directed  kicks  and  that  medico's  usefulness  to  the  new  camp  was 
over.  He  soon  departed  unregretted.  Columbia  made  trouble  under 
the  same  head.  The  Goldfield  bunch  had  turned  off  the  water  in 
taking  out  •  the  body  and  Columbiaites  became  wroth  over  what  they 
regarded  as  an  extravagant  waste  in  a  desert  country.  The  cemetery 
has  grown  with  the  town,  now  having  740  graves,  seven  of  these  in  the 
G.  A.  R.  section  and  114  in  the  potter's  field.  Twice  as  many  bodies 
have  been  sent  out  for  interment.  The  beautiful  wild  flowers  of  the 
desert  are  gathered  each  May  3oth  and  tenderly  placed  on  the  graves 
of  all. 


876  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

May  6,  1904,  a  baseball  club  was  organized,  with  Frank  Lothrop  as 
manager  and  Joe  Duffield  as  captain.  Early  in  June  J.  F.  Bradley 
and  Frank  Horton  started  a  gun  club,  ordering  five  expert  traps,  10,000 
blue  rocks  and  6,000  rounds  of  ammunition.  At  the  same  time  a 
brass  band  had  its  beginning.  Everything  and  everybody  were 
organizing;  the  American  dearly  loves  orders,  the  miners  especially, 
as  a  list  of  secret  societies  will  show. 

The  Masonic  order  led  the  way  for  strictly  secret  fraternities.  M. 
E.  E.  Wadleigh  and  H.  B.  Lind  issued  the  first  call  for  a  meeting 
June  24,  1904,  and  four  days  later  the  meeting  took  place  in  Mr. 
Lind's  office.  Nearly  all  the  States  and  several  foreign  countries 
were  represented.  The  Masonic  Club  was  organized  July  12.  It  was 
the  forerunner  of  the  many  other  Masonic  bodies  that  followed: 
Montezuma  Lodge  No.  30,  F.  and  A.  M.,  dispensation  granted  Janu- 
ary 27  and  charter  June  13,  1906;  Goldfield  Chapter  No.  10,  R.  A.  M., 
dispensation,  February  16  and  charter,  June  n,  1907;  Nevada  Coun- 
cil No.  i  (being  the  only  one  in  the  State),  R.  and  S.  M.,  dispensation 
granted  June  I,  1907,  and  charter,  September  10,  1912;  Malta  Com- 
mandery  No.  3,  K.  T.,  dispensation,  January  2,  1909,  and  charter, 
August  u,  1910. 

The  Knights  of  Pythias  and  Odd  Fellows  followed  hard  on  the 
starting  of  the  Masonic  Club.  Both  are  flourishing,  the  K.  P.'s  hav- 
ing the  uniform  rank  and  a  large  membership.  First  meeting  of  the 
K.  P.'s  was  in  J.  R.  Duffield's  office  July  30,  1904.  In  the  matter  of 
holding  regular  lodge  meetings  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  people  antedated  the 
Masons,  their  dispensation  bearing  date  of  October  2,  1905,  and  their 
charter  June  17,  1906.  To  save  space,  the  following  list  of  fraternities, 
societies  and  organizations  is  offered,  all  being  strong:  Masonic 
bodies  already  given  and  Eastern  Star,  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the 
Pythian  Sisters,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  Rebekkahs, 
Knights  of  Columbus,  B.  P.  O.  E.  Lodge  No.  1072,  Eagles,  Moose, 
Redmen,  Woodmen,  Goldfield  Volunteer  Firemen,  Carpenters, 
Daughters  of  American  Revolution,  Ladies  Aid  Society,  Women's 
Club,  Foresters,  Bar  Association,  Medical  Association,  Industrial 
Workers  of  the  World,  Western  Federation  of  Miners  (Local  220), 
Business  Men's  Association,  Mine  Owners'  Association,  Carpenters' 
Union  and  Salvation  Army.  This  partial  list  comprises  both  active 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  877 

and  defunct  bodies,  without  any  effort  at  classification,  and  in  some 
instances  giving  the  popular  name  in  ignorance  of  the  exact  one. 
The  Elks  are  a  numerous  and  growing  lodge,  having  been  organized 
in  the  spring  of  '07  under  dispensation,  followed  in  July  by  a  charter. 
Their  home  is  the  handsomest  in  Goldfield.  They  have  done  much 
good  in  active  charity. 

From  1904  to  1908  were  the  leasing  days,  the  best  of  the  camp. 
Leases  are  great  distributors.  Some  fifteen  in  the  Goldfield  District 
paid  handsomely,  among  the  hundreds  let.  Four  of  these  netted  near 
a  million  each  within  a  month's  time,  one  approximating  the  five 
million  mark  in  gross  value  during  its  existence.  As  early  as  the  year 
1904  the  camp  yielded  about  $4,000,000,  reaching  the  high  water-mark 
of  some  $12,000,000  in  1910.  One  property  has  to  date  produced 
$55,000,000  gross  and  paid  $25,000,000  in  dividends,  and  is  still  per- 
forming in  large  figures.  To  operate  this  and  other  mines,  mills, 
water  lines,  power  and  many  other  accessories  were  required.  Of 
mills  there  have  been  twelve  erected  within  the  district  to  treat  the 
immense  tonnage  of  the  mines.  Most  of  these  were  constructed  dur- 
ing the  leasing  period  and  never  over  half  the  number  were  active  at 
one  time.  The  greatest  daily  capacity  was  about  1,500  tons.  Water 
was  a  problem.  Many  companies  were  formed.  When  the  wells 
proved  insufficient  pipe  lines  were  built.  In  the  fall  of  1904  a  line 
was  constructed  from  Rocky  Canyon,  one  mile  south  of  town;  the 
next  summer  a  ten-mile  pipe  line  conveyed  water  from  Alkali  Springs 
at  the  west  to  the  Combination  Mill ;  in  the  spring  of  1906  the  Nevada 
Water  Company  pumped  water  from  the  Highlands  Mine  at  Diamond- 
field,  six  miles  away,  and  put  in  the  sewerage  system  of  Goldfield, 
while  the  Esmeralda  Water  Company  put  up  a  tank  for  the  fire  de- 
partment. A  more  ambitious  undertaking  was  started  by  the  Monte- 
zuma  Water  Company  in  December,  1905,  whereby  water  was  to  be 
brought  into  Goldfield  from  the  ample  supply  about  Lida,  30  miles 
to  the  southwest.  This  task  was  completed  by  the  Goldfield  Water 
Company  and  water  turned  on  in  Goldfield  in  October  of  1907,  flow- 
ing through  7  and  9-inch  pipes.  The  whole  line,  with  laterals,  is  43 
miles  in  length,  with  450,000  gallons  daily  capacity.  January  i,  1907, 
the  Goldfield  Water  Company  expanded  into  the  present  Goldfield 
Consolidated  Water  Company,  and  by  taking  over  the  Esmeralda, 


8;8 

Montezuma  and  Nevada  water  companies,  and  the  Esmeralda  Sew- 
erage and  Improvement  Company,  it  controls  the  water  supply  for 
the  town  and  mills,  except  as  to  the  wells.  Their  owners  are  inde- 
pendents and  still  peddle  water  from  the  early-day  five-gallon  bucket 
at  10  cents.  While  times  boomed  they  made  as  high  as  $50  net  a  day 
to  the  wagon. 

To  supply  commercial  power  and  lights,  a  strong  company  was 
organized  in  '04  at  Bishop,  California,  100  miles  west.  This  was  the 
Nevada-California  Power  Company,  which  has  a  15,000  horse-power 
plant  and  over  300  miles  of  line,  connecting  with  Goldfield,  Tonopah, 
Manhattan,  Rhyolite  and  other  points.  Its  original  capital  has  been 
increased  from  $2,000,000  to  $5,000,000.  Goldfield  consumes  3,000 
horse-power.  Power  was  turned  on  in  Goldfield  September  19,  1905, 
18  days  after  it  had  come  into  Tonopah.  The  Goldfield  Electric  and 
Power  Co.  was  the  pioneer  and  furnished  light  in  1904.  Telephone 
and  telegraph  lines  came  early  in  1904.  The  Western  Union  was 
first,  the  Postal  second.  Wells-Fargo  Express  was  carrying  matter  in 
February,  1904,  and  had  all  the  business  until  three  years  ago,  when 
the  American  entered  in  competition.  The  first  large  building  on 
Main  street  was  the  Exploration  Mercantile  structure,  erected  late 
in  1904,  and  was  outdone  early  the  next  year  by  the  Nixon  Building 
opposite.  The  most  expensive  single  building  is  the  Goldfield  Hotel, 
costing  $400,000  with  fixtures  and  furnishings.  The  city  has  had  five 
big  fires  and  many,  many  smaller  ones,  but  the  splendid  fire-fighters 
have  invariably  prevented  a  wide  spread  of  the  flames  or  great  prop- 
erty loss.  July  8,  1904,  the  half-finished  Nevada  Hotel  burned  to  the 
ground  at  the  corner  of  Crook  and  Columbia,  entailing  a  loss  to  T.  D. 
Murphy  and  L.  L.  Patrick  of  nearly  $40,000.  Flying  sparks  fired  the 
Enterprise  Mercantile  Building  a  block  away  and  the  citizens  helped 
the  fire  department  to  fight  it  out,  the  whiskey,  brandy,  wine,  beer 
and  champagne  stored  in  the  place  being  applied  both  externally  and 
internally.  October  loth  of  the  next  year  the  St.  Francis  Hotel, 
on  Main  street,  between  Myers  and  Crook,  took  fire  and  threatened 
the  whole  block,  but  it  was  confined  to  a  small  area,  with  small  loss. 
At  daylight,  November  17,  1906,  the  (old)  Goldfield  Hotel  burned  to 
the  foundation,  two  of  its  guests  perishing,  Mr.  Ellis  and  Mr.  Heber. 
The  Florence  Mill  was  later  totally  destroyed  by  fire  and  the  Con- 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  879 

solidated  Mill  was  greatly  damaged  some  time  before.  Being  so  far 
out  of  town  the  fire  department  was  greatly  handicapped,  but  re- 
sponded bravely.  If  there  be  one  organization  in  Goldfield  that  has 
always  met  requirements  efficiently  and  fully,  it  is  this  department. 
It  is  an  outgrowth  of  the  volunteer  department  that  organized  within 
the  first  months  of  1904.  With  limited  water,  at  times,  and  a  wooden 
town  seasoned  to  tinder,  the  record  is  marvelous. 

The  streets  were  graded  1907-08  at  an  expense  of  $35,000.  Four 
years  before  12-horse  wagons  sank  to  their  axles  on  Main  street. 
With  the  coming  of  the  county  seat  in  May,  1907,  a  Courthouse  and 
Jail  were  started  and  finished  in  November  at  a  cost  of  $158,000,  in- 
cluding fixtures,  furniture  and  other  appurtenances.  Goldfield  has  had 
many  banks,  of  which  but  two  survive,  the  John  S.  Cook  &  Co.  and  the 
First  National.  Births  and  deaths  are  as  follows:  The  State  Bank 
and  Trust  Co.  opened  for  business  July  26,  1904  in  a  small  corner 
of  W.  S.  Elliott's  saloon,  T.  B.  Rickey,  President,  and  G.  W.  Richard, 
Cashier.  It  was  a  branch  of  the  mother  institution  at  Carson  City 
and  allied  with  a  similar  one  at  Tonopah.  It  closed  October  23,  1907, 
and  has  so  far  paid  about  25  cents  on  the  dollar.  It  was  the  first 
bank  in  Goldfield. 

The  Nye  and  Ormsby  Co.  Bank,  also  a  branch  of  the  home  bank 
of  Carson  City,  with  another  agency  at  Tonopah,  opened  August  15, 
1904,  in  J.  D.  Lothrop's  store,  nearly  opposite  the  State  Bank  and 
Trust  Co.,  with  John  S.  Cook,  Cashier.  It  too  closed  October  24, 
1907,  but  opened  the  next  January  2  and  remained  open  until  February 
23>  19°9>  and  then  closed  finally.  This  paid  72  cents  on  the  dollar. 
The  third  to  open  was  the  Goldfield  Bank  and  Trust  Co.,  December 
15,  1904,  with  J.  R.  Boal  as  Cashier.  Its  location  was  Main  street, 
near  the  Hall  corner.  It  failed  utterly  May  24,  1905.  The  Nye  and 
Ormsby  Co.  Bank  opened  a  branch  at  Columbia  on  the  last  day  of 
December,  1904,  but  soon  withdrew  it.  Arthur  G.  Raycraft  was 
Cashier.  What  has  proved  to  be  the  strongest  bank  of  all  was  opened 
with  John  S.  Cook  as  Cashier  on  January  26,  1905.  This  was  called 
the  John  S.  Cook  &  Co.  Bank,  and  had  $50,000  capital.  About  March 
of  that  year  Messrs.  Nixon  and  Wingfield  bought  it  in  and  the  cap- 
ital was  increased  to  a  quarter  of  a  million.  This  institution  proved  a 
very  Rock  of  Gibraltar  when  other  banks  were  crashing  about  it  in 


88o  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

the  panicky  days  of  October,  1907.  It  is  among  the  living,  Mr.  Wing- 
field  having  succeeded  Senator  Nixon  as  its  president  several  years 
ago.  March  8,  1908,  the  First  National  was  established,  L.  L.  Patrick 
and  W.  B.  Hamilton  as  President  and  Cashier.  Its  capitalization  was 
$125,000.  This  also  abideth  with  us. 

It  was  a  great  mistake  to  forget  the  stampedes  to  booming  camps. 
Passing  by  the  ephemeral  rushes  to  new  strikes  of  almost  weekly 
frequency,  the  annual  ones  will  illustrate.  Cuprite,  Stonewall,  Gold 
Crater  and  others  earlier  in  '04  played  introduction  to  the  first  genu- 
inely big  boom,  Bullfrog.  This  began  with  the  summer  find  of  Cross 
and  Harris  and  culminated  the  following  spring,  when  there  were 
literally  75  miles  of  dust  to  the  south  of  Goldfield.  One  hundred 
wagons  were  counted  on  this  road  within  twenty-four  hours,  all  going 
south — more  than  one  to  the  mile.  The  lame,  the  halt — all  were  on  the 
way.  Not  to  be  outdone,  one  man  piled  his  blankets,  water,  food  and 
tools,  about  loo  pounds  weight,  on  a  wheelbarrow,  and  pushed  it  into 
Rhyolite  on  schedule  time. 

While  Bullfrog  was  still  booming,  Manhattan  broke  out  and  this 
drew  from  Goldfield  the  population  it  could  ill  afford  to  spare  in  the 
fall  of  '05  and  spring  of  '06.  The  earthquake  chilled  its  fever,  through 
cutting  off  the  California  capital,  but  it  is  now  reviving.  Walker 
Lake  Reservation  was  thrown  open  November  29  of  '06  and  thither 
hied  the  restless  who  "got  in  bad"  at  the  previous  strikes.  They  came 
back. 

Greenwater  held  the  center  of  the  stage  in  1906-07,  and  was  re- 
placed by  the  spectacular  Rawhide  rush  of  1907-08,  the  last  to  date, 
except  smaller  ones.  Hornsilver,  30  miles  southwest  and  once  Lime- 
point,  arrived  in  April  of  '08,  but  before  the  country  had  sufficiently 
recovered  from  the  panic  to  give  it  a  chance  to  show  what  it  might 
have  done  under  favorable  circumstances.  It  was  during  the  stampede 
to  Rawhide,  when  it  was  at  its  height,  that  a  childish  hand  scribbled 
on  a  Goldfield  church  door,  "Church  closed — Krist  gone  Rawhide," 
and  some  wag  wrote  below,  "never  to  return." 

In  addition  to  mining,  Esmeralda  County  has  few  industries.  The 
promising  coal  field  at  Coaldale  deserves  mention,  along  with  the  gold 
and  silver.  Fuel  has  been  dug  there  for  years,  but  not  until  the  last 
year  or  so,  since  the  grade  has  improved  with  depth,  could  it  be  made 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  88 1 

commercially  profitable.  Borax  and  salt  are  still  collected  in  several 
localities  when  the  plants  are  in  operation.  The  cattle  and  sheep 
business  flourish  when  water  is  pumped  to  the  surface  for  their  use. 
A  little  dry  farming  at  Pigeon  Springs  gave  gratifying  results,  though 
done  on  a  small  scale.  Politics  have  been  reduced  to  a  science  and  so 
should  be  classified  as  among  the  active  pursuits  of  men  without  busi- 
ness of  their  own  sufficient  to  engross  their  energies.  Such  suffer 
less  than  their  constituents.  From  the  first  the  best  talent  has  been 
engaged  in  development  enterprises,  to  the  great  prejudice  of  the 
public  weal. 

Many  enterprising  geniuses  find  profit  in  dealing  out  liquid  refresh- 
ments at  all  hours  of  the  day,  frequently  combining  this  pursuit  with 
the  kindred  dance  hall  and  games.  It  is  to  be  suspected  that  the  two 
former  serve  as  bait  for  the  latter,  enticing  the  victim  into  the  net 
and  putting  him  in  the  proper  frame  of  mind  to  separate  from  his 
lucre.  Less  flourishing  than  in  the  boom  days,  all  of  these  means  still 
reach  the  desired  end  with  satisfying  certainty.  But  in  the  hey-day 
of  the  camp  the  gambler  had  the  most  cunningly  devised  device  ever 
thrown  off  by  the  human  brain,  when  considered  in  all  its  ramifi- 
cations. As  soon  as  the  unwary,  or  initiated,  for  that  matter,  had 
gathered  in  response  to  beckoning  lights,  glowing  warmth,  the  mock- 
ing feminine  voice  or  more  often  the  persuasion  of  the  decoy — as 
soon  as  the  proper  temperature  had  been  reached  and  the  throng  was 
like  ants  in  a  formicary,  the  play  was  on  with  the  percentage  against 
the  visitor,  of  course.  There  were  two  kinds  of  operators  behind  the 
game — the  old-timer  who  played  for  the  sake  of  the  game,  and  the 
designing  gentleman,  who  played  for  the  gain.  He  got  the  latest  news 
of  the  new  strikes,  the  first  news,  and  so  could  have  the  refusal  of 
investment  with  the  other  fellows'  money.  When  the  genial  pros- 
pector had  been  thoroughly  stripped  he  was  treated  as  the  farmer's 
cow,  urged  with  a  kick  to  new  pastures  to  replenish  the  supply,  only 
to  return  to  the  milk  gap  in  due  time  for  another  milking.  It  was 
hugely  profitable. 

It  now  remains  to  relate  in  brief  the  salient  facts  in  connection 
with  the  most  unfortunate  event  of  Goldfield's  history,  the  lamentable 
labor  troubles  of  1906-07.  Space  forbids  the  recital  of  details,  even 
if  propriety  would  sanction  the  reopening  of  old  wounds  and  the 
uncovering  of  ugly  scars  that  are  best  forgotten.  The  full  limits  of 


882  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

this  article  would  not  suffice  properly  to  introduce,  let  alone  discuss, 
the  subject  to  a  conclusion.  The  whole  controversy  was  but  another 
phase  of  that  world-old  struggle  for  adjustment  of  the  relationship 
of  employer  and  employee.  After-happenings  have  demonstrated  that 
no  final  solution  was  made  except  locally. 

As  many  forwarding  causes  had  united  to  bring  Goldfield  to  its 
happy  situation  in  the  fall  of  '07,  so  numerous  untoward  conditions 
contributed  to  aggravate  the  issue  between  mine  owner  and  mine 
worker,  chiefest  among  these  being  the  panic  with  the  consequent 
crashing  of  banking  institutions  and  the  scarcely  less  potent  influence 
of  the  mesalliance  formed  between  the  highly-skilled  miners  and  the 
ill-assorted,  heterogeneous  mass  of  Industrial  Workers  of  the  World. 
Almost  from  the  outset,  the  contest  degenerated  into  a  fight,  not  be- 
tween mine  operator  and  miner,  but  between  operator  and  the  I.  W.  W. 
Of  course,  there  had  been  from  the  first,  as  must  be  expected  where 
any  considerable  body  of  men  come  together,  more  or  less  friction  be- 
tween the  man  who  paid  and  the  man  who  received  wages,  but  all 
differences  up  to  this  time  had  been  adjusted  and  most  likely  could 
have  been  settled  again  but  for  the  unskilled  labor  that  was  unaccus- 
tomed to  treat  with  its  employer.  The  final  straw  was  dropped  when 
the  banks  went  on  a  script  basis  and  the  operators  tendered  it  in  pay- 
ment for  labor  November  18,  1907.  Then  history  was  made  with 
staggering  rapidity. 

At  first  the  great  unorganized  body  of  the  people  tried  to  remain 
neutral,  at  least  to  conceal  their  sympathies,  hoping  to  remain  out  of 
the  gathering  storm.  They  were  ultimately  to  be  the  real  sufferers, 
ground  between  the  upper  mill  stone  of  organized  capital  and  the 
nether  mill  stone  of  organized  labor.  The  force  exerted  between 
these  elements  would  have  crushed  into  pulp  all  the  ore  in  the  dis- 
trict within  a  fortnight  if  properly  directed.  Finally  excesses  drove 
the  unwilling  middle-man  into  a  partnership  from  which  he  could  but 
at  best  retire  badly  damaged.  Then  the  deadline  was  drawn  for  the 
clash. 

No  well-informed  man  believes  the  rank  and  file  of  the  miners 
desired  trouble ;  on  the  contrary,  they  themselves  knew  that  many  of 
their  number  had  just  escaped  from  a  disastrous  campaign  with 
their  families  and  without  money,  and  that  to  a  place  where  there 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  883 

was  but  the  single  industry  of  mining,  upon  which  they  were  de- 
pendent by  days'  wage  for  bread.  To  court  disagreement  with  their 
employers  meant  madness,  and  these  men  have  never  been  suspected 
of  that.  In  a  word,  the  miners  had  been  supplanted  in  their  own  hall 
by  the  very  weight  of  allied  numbers.  On  the  other  hand,  the  oper- 
ators were  dependent  upon  the  uninterrupted  production  of  their 
mines  and  their  operation  by  these  same  miners  to  meet  their  matur- 
ing obligations,  in  some  instances  the  purchase  price,  most  of  them 
then  being  men  of  moderate  means.  This  was  the  alignment  when 
challenges  were  given  and  accepted. 

November  i8th  the  mine  owners  and  operators  passed  and  pub- 
lished a  resolution  to  pay  the  miners  with  script  on  and  after  that 
date,  and  "until  the  present  financial  crisis  is  passed."  The  W.  F.  M. 
Local  220  met  this  by  adopting  a  resolution  the  26th  with  but  one 
dissenting  vote,  to  refuse  script  in  payment  for  labor,  and  on  the  next 
day  called  out  1,200  of  its  members.  December  the  3rd  the  Mine 
Owners'  Association  countered  by  declaring  all  past  agreements  with 
the  union  abrogated  because  no  referendum  vote  had  been  taken  in 
calling  the  strike.  Up  to  this  time  the  honors  were  about  even.  But 
the  union  had  over-calculated  the  strength  of  one  element,  the  atti- 
tude of  the  Governor.  He  had  publicly  and  privately  often  declared 
his  adherence  to  the  laboring  man  and  without  his  intervention  against 
them  they  well  knew  the  victory  was  theirs.  The  Sheriff  was  their 
sympathizer,  too,  and  the  ordinary  way  of  enlisting  Federal  aid  was 
for  the  Sheriff  to  certify  to  the  Governor  that  he  was  unable  to  con- 
trol the  situation  with  safety  to  life  and  property,  and  in  the  ab- 
sence of  an  adequate  State  police  force  it  then  became  the  Governor's 
duty  to  appeal  to  the  Federal  Government.  This  was  the  coup  that 
won.  The  Sheriff  remained  steadfast,  but  under  great  pressure  Gov. 
Sparks  reluctantly  made  the  call  December  4th  or  5th,  the  Federal 
Government  responded  promptly,  and  December  7th  three  companies 
of  the  22nd  Infantry,  under  Col.  Alfred  Reynolds,  detrained  in  Gold- 
field,  and  the  fight  was  won  for  the  Mine  Owners'  Association.  Gov. 
Sparks  arrived  the  loth,  Gen.  Funston  the  i2th,  and  a  special  com- 
mission appointed  by  the  President  reached  Goldfield  from  Washing- 
ton the  I5th  of  December.  Gen.  Funston  immediately  went  into  con- 
ference with  Gov.  Sparks  and  the  latter's  personal  representative, 


884 

Capt.  W.  L.  Cox.  The  Federal  Commission,  consisting  of  Assistant 
Secretary  Murray  of  the  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor,  Labor 
Commissioner  Chas.  P.  Neill  and  Herbert  Smith,  Commissioner  of 
Corporations,  made  an  independent  investigation  and  reported  back 
to  Washington  adversely  to  the  Mine  Owners'  Association  as  to  the 
need  of  troops.  In  the  meantime,  December  Qth,  two  days  after  the 
arrival  of  the  troops,  the  Mine  Owners'  Association  issued  a  statement 
placing  the  ban  on  the  members  of  the  W.  F.  M.,  set  the  I2th  for 
reopening  the  mines  and  required  all  other  miners  to  report  for  work 
that  day,  and  made  as  a  condition  of  employment  the  signing  of  an 
agreement  prepared  by  the  Association,  the  Tonopah  scale  going  into 
effect.  This  scale  was  somewhat  lower  than  the  former  Goldfield 
scale.  On  the  appointed  i2th,  56  men  reported  for  work  at  the 
Combination  mine  and  mill.  Later,  strikebreakers  were  imported  to 
take  the  place  of  the  W.  F.  M.  men  who  were  not  acceptable. 

Gen.  Funston  returned  December  iQth,  but  Gov.  Sparks  remained 
some  time,  and  then  went  home,  soon  to  die.  President  Roosevelt 
on  the  nth -directed  that  the  troops  preserve  an  absolutely  impartial 
attitude  between  the  factions,  and  this  was  observed  to  the  letter, 
the  soldiers  fraternizing  with  the  miners  and  citizens  on  the  friendliest 
terms,  no  one  doubting  that  they  would  do  their  duty  under  orders. 
On  the  i7th  the  President  informed  Gov.  Sparks  by  telegraph  that 
the  troops  had  been  here  ten  days  and  no  need  of  their  presence  ap- 
pearing, he  would  therefore  order  them  returned  to  their  former  sta- 
tion December  3Oth,  unless  the  State  of  Nevada  showed  in  the  mean- 
time its  good  faith  by  taking  steps  to  police  its  own  territory.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  Governor  issued  on  December  3Oth  a  call  for  an  extra- 
ordinary session  of  the  Legislature,  to  convene  January  I4th  follow- 
ing. To  influence  the  President  to  retain  the  troops  in  Goldfield  pend- 
ing their  action,  a  Memorial  and  Joint  and  Concurrent  Resolution 
was  passed  by  the  Senate  and  approved  January  I7th,  and  a  Joint  and 
Concurrent  Resolution  was  passed  by  the  Assembly  and  approved 
February  ist,  bearing  the  same  import  as  that  of  the  Senate.  On 
January  2gth  the  so-called  Nevada  Police  Bill  was  approved. 

The  troops  remained  until  toward  spring,  when  the  State  Police 
assumed  their  functions  for  several  months.  In  the  meantime  the 
mine  owners  organized  a  compact  body  of  secret  service  men,  the 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  885 

nucleus  of  which  came  into  existence  during  the  troubles  of  the  pre- 
vious years,  to  take  the  place  of  the  State  police,  when  they  should 
be  withdrawn.  Their  main  function  being  to  protect  the  largest 
bodies  of  high-grade,  they  became  a  needless  expense  with  its  prac- 
tical disappearance,  and  so  they,  too,  have  been  greatly  reduced  in 
numbers. 

To-day  nothing  but  wounds  and  scars  remain  of  that  needless  strife, 
and  the  memory  of  it  alone  should  conjure  both  capital  and  labor  to 
avoid  the  like  again.  The  innocent  suffered  most,  as  might  have  been 
expected,  and  no  principle  was  finally  settled. 

The  bituminous  coal  fields  of  southwestern  Nevada,  located  near 
Coaldale  in  Esmeralda  County,  were  discovered  in  the  early  8o's  by 
a  German  prospector  named  William  Groetzinger,  operating  under  a 
grub  stake  agreement  with  William  A.  Ingalls,  then  a  merchant  of 
Candeleria,  Nevada,  and  now  Sheriff  of  Esmeralda  County.  Later, 
other  entries  were  made  by  Clay  Peters  and  William  Wilson,  both  of 
whom,  including  Ingalls  and  Groetzinger  secured  government  title  by 
patenting  the  locations  after  having  done  a  considerable  amount  of 
preliminary  work  in  the  way  of  developing  the  discovery.  These 
titles  were  afterwards  acquired  by  L.  K.  Koontz  and  associates,  of 
Goldfield,  Nevada,  and  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  who  after  the  expenditure  of 
no  less  than  $50,000  in  development  have  succeeded  in  proving  up  a 
limited  area  of  semi-bituminous  coal,  good  for  ordinary  commercial 
purposes,  and  have  placed  several  cars  with  satisfactory  results  in  the 
local  market  of  Goldfield,  Tonopah,  Blair,  Millers  and  Mina.  The 
veins  are  dipping  to  the  east  so  far  as  developments  show  and  while 
there  appear  to  be  about  five  different  strata,  yet  only  two  have  thus 
far  been  developed  to  commercial  importance,  showing  from  four  to 
six  feet  of  marketable  product.  The  coal  is  comparatively  free  from 
an  excess  of  ash  and  sulphur  and  has  improved  materially  with  devel- 
opment as  depth  and  pressure  have  been  attained. 

Developments  thus  far  show  that  this  coal  deposit  may  become 
an  enterprise  of  prime  importance  in  reducing  the  cost  of  fuel  for 
local  domestic  purposes,  and  as  it  appears  to  have  a  fair  coking  quality, 
it  may  constitute  a  factor  in  the  economic  reduction  of  the  vast  met- 
alliferous ores  which  abound  in  the  vicinity,  by  smelting  or  roasting. 
The  property  is  owned  by  the  Nevada  Coal  Co.  and  a  part  of  it  is 


886  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

under  lease  to  the  Nevada  Coal  &  Fuel  Co.  on  a  royalty  basis.  It  is 
situated  on  the  Tonopah  &  Goldfield  Railroad  and  can  be  reached  by 
a  switch  about  a  mile  and  a  half  long.  The  veins  are  somewhat  de- 
ceptive at  their  outcrop,  both  as  to  quantity  and  quality,  as  they  have 
been  subjected  to  disintegration  and  expansion  by  exposure,  but 
almost  invariably  assume  a  normal  condition  by  a  few  hundred  feet  of 
development  work.  The  State -may  well  congratulate  itself  in  having 
a  possible  fuel  supply  within  its  borders  and  so  readily  accessible,  for 
should  the  deposit  respond  to  future  development  as  well  as  it  has 
in  the  past,  whereby  an  estimate  of  50,000  tons  of  commercial  coal  is 
exposed  by  superficial  development  of  only  3,000  feet,  it  is  not  un- 
reasonable to  suppose  that  10,000,000  tons  would  be  a  fair  estimate 
of  the  possible  contents  of  the  territory. 

The  allotted  space  has  been  exceeded  with  the  merest  fraction  told, 
the  enforced  topical  method  pursued  scarcely  erecting  enough  sign 
posts  to  point  the  way.  However,  with  here  and  there  a  lapse  into 
reminiscence,  the  periods  of  discovery,  organization,  expansion  and 
ultimate  concentration,  through  which  Goldfield  has  passed,  have 
been  indicated  with  more  or  less  emphasis.  The  effort  is  in  vain  un- 
less it  has  been  made  clear  that  both  the  city  and  the  mines  sprang 
from  the  co-operating  brain  and  brawn  of  a  poor  but  brave  and  hardy 
pioneering  stock.  Outside  capital  and  tenderfoot  both  arrived  after 
the  merit  of  the  camp  had  been  demonstrated,  the  miners'  wives 
preceding  them.  Nor  could  a  graver  notion  be  formed  than  to  ac- 
count the  camp-builders  ignorant  or  uncouth.  After-years  have  not 
improved  the  original  breed.  Goldfield  had  more  college  and  profes- 
sional men  in  1905  than  any  other  city  of  its  size  in  the  country ;  they 
had  left  the  drones  at  home.  A  mining  camp  offers  the  sharpest  in- 
tellectual competition.  "Wildcatters"  were  recruited  from  the  new- 
comers rather  than  from  the  old-timers.  The  apparent  lawless,  open- 
hearted  abandon  was  a  surface  deception ;  at  the  core  there  was  wom- 
anhood and  manhood  of  the  sturdiest  type.  Glamour  and  romance 
there  was  in  plenty.  The  lilt  of  hope  displayed  itself  in  every  step. 

It  was  such  a  people  that  built  a  city  of  20,000  within  three  years. 
Its  well-laid  foundation  withstood  the  combined  attack  of  a  panic  and 
a  labor  war.  While  building  their  city,  still  greater  marvels  were 
being  performed  in  the  mines  that  have  in  ten  years  time  yielded  near 


ESMERALDA    COUNTY  887 

$75,000,000  gross,  to  be  poured  into  the  hungry  arteries  of  yawning 
commerce,  and  the  production  goes  on  in  goodly  fashion.  The  pro- 
digious achievement  was  wrought  by  the  co-operation  of  the  many. 
If  the  division  of  the  profits  has  not  been  as  even  as  the  division  of 
responsibility  the  impersonal  system  can  be  loaded  with  the  blame. 
But  behind  the  system  is  found  the  individual  always.  Every  citizen 
is  a  part  of  that  system. 


888 


CHAPTER    L. 

HUMBOLDT  COUNTY. 
BY  JOHN  T.  REID  AND  J.  R.  HUNTER. 

Humboldt  County  gets  its  name  from  the  Humboldt  River,  which 
enters  its  borders  near  the  southeastern  corner,  runs  to  the  northwest 
for  a  distance  of  some  sixty  miles ;  then,  turning  to  the  southwest,  the 
stream  continues  to  the  Humboldt  Sink,  or  Lake,  near  the  center  of  the 
southern  line  of  the  county.  This  river  cuts  its  way  persistently  through 
a  series  of  north  and  south  mountain  ranges,  and  formed  the  natural 
and  easiest  route  for  the  early  exploration  and  travel  of  the  inter-mountain 
region.  During  its  meanderings  through  the  county  the  channel  of  this 
stream  traverses  a  distance  of  some  160  miles.  Along  its  course  are  a 
series  of  basins  which  were  at  different  periods  the  points  at  which  it 
terminated  and  lost  its  identity  in  the  waters  of  the  great  inland  sea 
which  covered  this  entire  region.  As  the  waters  of  this  sea  receded 
toward  the  present  low  levels  of  the  Humboldt  and  Carson  sinks,  the 
channel  of  the  river  was  extended  through  a  series  of  "narrows"  or 
canyons.  At  right  angles  to  the  valley  of  the  river,  and  lying  between 
the  mountain  ranges,  are  other  broad  valleys  and  plains,  most  of  them 
of  desert  nature,  but  which  are  now  being  rapidly  settled  and  irrigated 
from  small  mountain  streams.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  Humboldt 
County  has  a  great  variety  of  valley  and  mountain  lands,  suitable  for 
agriculture,  grazing,  stock  raising  and  mining.  Some  of  the  mountain 
peaks  have  an  elevation  of  10,000  feet  above  the  sea  level  and  5,000  feet 
above  the  surrounding  plains.  The  Humboldt  River  and  its  tributaries 
form  the  principal  water  supply  for  the  irrigation  of  lands,  though  small 
mountain  streams  furnish  the  supply  for  some  quite  extensive  individual 
ranches  in  the  various  parallel  valleys. 

The  climate  of  the  county  is  the  average  of  the  inter-mountain  region, 
being  neither  extremely  cold  in  the  winter  nor  extremely  hot  in  the 
summer.  Grains,  grasses,  the  hardier  fruits  and  berries,  besides  a  great 
variety  of  vegetables,  are  readily  grown,  finding  a  good  market  in  the 
towns  and  mining  camps  of  the  county.  There  is  a  continually  increasing 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY 

variety  of  crops  being  grown,  chief  among  which  is  the  sugar  beet.  On 
the  bench  lands  new  ground  is  being  put  into  vines  and  fruit,  to  be 
irrigated  by  pumping-plants. 

The  overland  travel  through  the  county  in  the  early  days  followed  the 
course  of  the  Humboldt  River  to  a  point  known  as  "Lassen  Meadows," 
from  the  residence  there  of  a  man  named  Lassen,  who  afterward  moved 
to  California  and  from  whom  the  Lassen  County  of  that  State  is  named. 
This  place  was  on  the  river,  about  four  miles  west  of  Humboldt  House. 
Here  the  overland  route  divided,  the  main  travel  going  across  the  river 
to  the  West,  out  through  the  Cedar  Springs  Pass  to  the  Black  Rock 
Desert,  through  Susanville  and  the  Beckwith  Pass  in  the  Sierras,  to  the 
gold  fields  of  California.  The  lesser  travel  came  on  down  the  Humboldt, 
past  old  Fort  Churchill  and  on  to  Carson  City  and  Virginia  City.  In 
reaching  Placerville,  California,  they  went  up  the  West  Carson  River, 
around  the  southern  end  of  Lake  Tahoe  and  on  down  to  Placerville. 
Among  the  popular  stage  and  express  lines  through  the  county  in  early 
days  was  the  one  coming  down  from  Silver  City,  Idaho,  crossing  the 
river  at  the  old  French  Ford  (Winnemucca),  leaving  the  Humboldt 
Valley  at  a  point  near  Mill  City  and  bearing  southwest  down  through 
Dunn  Glenn,  the  Buena  Vista  Valley  below  Unionville,  Jacob's  Well, 
Zimmershed's,  Streif's  Buffalo  Springs,  Mud  Hole  Well,  Grimes'  Well, 
White  Cloud  Well,  Desert  Well,  Stillwater,  and  on  to  Virginia  City  via 
Ragtown.  Many  of  the  above-named  stations  are  now  completely  oblit- 
erated, but  the  well-worn  trail  is  still  used  and  can  be  seen  in  its  course 
for  nearly  the  entire  distance.  It  must  have  been  a  regularly  surveyed 
route,  for  it  runs  in  a  straight  course  for  long  distances. 

One  of  the  great  assets  of  the  county  in  years  to  come  will  doubtless 
be  its  many  hot  springs,  situated  at  some  point  in  nearly  every  one  of 
these  mountain  valleys.  These  springs  are  usually  at  the  base  of  some 
mountain  range,  and  some  very  pleasant  resorts  have  been  established 
and  built  up  around  them.  Others  are  still  in  their  native  state  but, 
because  of  the  native  great  healing  virtue  of  their  waters,  must  become 
famous  health  resorts  some  day.  One  of  these  springs,  known  as  the 
Kyle  Hot  Springs,  is  situated  in  the  Buena  Vista  Valley,  twelve  miles 
east  of  Unionville.  This  spring  has  never  been  known  to  fail  in  the 
cure  of  rheumatism  and  is  far  famed  for  its  having  effectually  and  per- 
manently cured  venereal  diseases  of  the  worst  character.  The  virtue  of 


890  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

the  water  of  these  various  springs  will  some  day  become  more  generally 
known  and  people  will  come  from  long  distances  to  secure  relief  from 
disease  by  application  of  their  healing  waters. 

Southern  Humboldt  County. — While  man  might  be  termed  a  "land 
animal,"  still  his  life  and  being  is  always  closely  associated  with  the 
receding  tide  of  some  great  body  of  water  upon  the  face  of  mother 
earth.  This  is  the  case  with  the  southern  portion  of  Humboldt  County. 
Here  the  waters  of  the  Humboldt  and  Carson  Lakes  or  "Sinks"  have 
been  alike  the  bone  of  contention  of  the  aborigines  and  Mecca  sought 
by  the  overland  travelers  on  their  way  to  the  California  gold  fields. 
There  are  many  tales  of  strife  between  the  Pahutes  and  Shoshones  on 
the  north  and  a  mysterious  tribe  of  little  red-haired  men,  known  as  "man- 
eaters,"  to  the  south.  But  through  all  this  warfare  the  Pahutes  came 
out  victorious  and  are  the  original  "natives"  now  in  evidence  in  the 
southern  portion  of  Humboldt  County,  there  being  quite  a  village  of 
them  surrounding  a  government  school,  near  the  town  of  Lovelock,  the 
present  metropolis  of  the  southern  portion  of  Humboldt  County.  The 
legends  of  strife  between  these  aboriginal  tribes  are  many  and  varied. 
There  is  the  story  of  how  the  Pahutes  during  one  conflict  turned  the 
course  of  the  Humboldt  River,  so  that  they  might  cross  to  do  battle 
with  their  enemies ;  or  how  they  finally  drove  them  into  a  cave  and 
roasted  them  alive,  and  many  other  tales  of  barbaric  warfare  in  which 
the  Pahutes  came  out  victorious  and  maintained  their  supremacy  along 
the  borders  of  this  great  inland  sea  and  retained  possession  of  this  rich 
area  until  the  "paleface  brother"  came  and  wrested  it  from  them.  Be 
these  legends  true  or  false,  there  remains  the  fact  that  the  main  channel 
of  the  Humboldt  used  to  be  along  the  western  foothills,  while  now  it 
is  along  the  eastern,  and  in  the  recent  taking  of  guano  deposits  from 
the  caves  along  the  eastern  border  of  the  lake  were  found  the  skeletons 
and  relics  of  ancient  tribesmen.  These  relics  were  many  of  them  rare 
specimens  of  aboriginal  art.  Nettings  of  unique  weave,  moccasins,  pot- 
tery, beadwork  and  other  articles  that  point  to  the  fact  that  a  branch  of 
the  Aztec  tribe  were  one  time  in  this  vicinity,  were  found.  To  strengthen 
this  theory,  that  the  Aztecs  were  once  here,  is  the  existence  of  a  series 
of  hieroglyphics  along  the  mountain  cliffs  of  a  canyon  above  the  present 
town  of  Unionville.  These  resemble  very  closely  those  of  the  southern 
cave  dwellers  and  are  to  be  seen  opposite  a  large  cave  located  among 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  891 

the  cliffs  on  the  north  side  of  Star  Canyon.  Wm.  Woolcock,  of  Union- 
ville,  once  wandered  for  two  hours  in  the  labyrinths  of  this  cave,  and 
yet  did  not  find  its  ending.  To  assure  finding  a  way  out  he  unwound 
a  cord  as  he  went  in,  and  with  the  aid  of  that  was  able  to  retrace  his 
steps.  This  cave  shows  evidence  of  having  been  inhabited  at  one  time. 
And  then  came  the  "paleface  brothers/'  first  passing  through  on  their 
way  to  the  California  gold  fields  in  the  excitement  of  '49,  many  of  them 
stopping  to  let  their  oxen  feed  on  the  rich  grass  of  the  "Big  Meadows," 
as  the  Lovelock  Valley  was  then  termed,  many  of  them  being  forced 
at  this  point  to  abandon  their  outfits  and  journey  on  as  best  they  could; 
then  returning  later  to  make  this  their  home,  having  been  unsuccessful 
in  their  search  for  riches  in  the  California  gold  fields.  Here  they  estab- 
lished an  empire  of  agricultural  wealth,  surrounded  on  all  sides  by 
mountains  rich  in  deposits  of  mineral  of  great  variety  and  extent.  Among 
the  minerals  to  be  found  within  a  radius  of  fifty  miles  from  Lovelock 
are  gold,  silver,  lead,  zinc,  copper,  tungsten,  cobalt,  nickel,  antimony, 
iron,  tin,  sulphur,  besides  many  kinds  of  mineral  earths,  clays  and 
salts.  Here  their  descendants  have  lived  and  multiplied,  and  others, 
hearing  of  the  riches  of  this  valley,  have  swelled  the  number  of  inhabit- 
ants, until  the  native  meadows  have  been  turned  to  alfalfa  fields  and  the 
waters  of  the  great  Humboldt  River  have  been  arrested  in  their  flow 
toward  the  lake  and  made  to  water  the  thirsty  earth,  and  the  margins 
of  the  once  famous  inland  sea  have  receded,  until  it  is  hardly  large 
enough  to  make  a  good-sized  duck  pond.  It  will  not  be  many  years 
until  the  vast  extent  of  this  ancient  lake  bed  will  be  entirely  under  cul- 
tivation. Marion  F.  Howell,  whose  erect  and  well-preserved  form  is 
well  known  to  most  of  the  people  of  Lovelock,  is  probably  the  oldest 
living  white  settler  of  the  Lovelock  Valley.  He  first  passed  through 
the  valley  in  1859,  going  with  his  father  and  other  emigrants  to  Sac- 
ramento. From  that  city  they  hauled  provisions  over  the  Sierras  to 
Virginia  City,  when  the  Comstock  Lode  was  producing  its  millions,  and 
his  historic  tales  of  those  days  are  very  interesting.  In  the  year  1861 
Mr.  Howell  and  his  father  did  not  return,  as  had  been  their  custom, 
from  Virginia  City  to  Sacramento,  but  started  for  Paradise  Valley,  with 
their  ox-teams  loaded  with  supplies  and  provisions.  At  Humboldt  City 
they  found  a  settlement  of  some  fifty  people,  and  decided  to  stop  there. 
The  ruins  of  this  village  are  still  in  evidence,  situated  in  a  beautiful 


892  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

mountain  canyon  some  four  miles  east  of  the  Humboldt  House  station 
on  the  Southern  Pacific.  Among  the  ruins  are  the  remnants  of  sub- 
stantial brick  buildings,  showing  this  to  have  been  quite  a  village  at 
one  time. 

After  some  two  years'  residence  at  Humboldt  City  the  Howells 
removed  to  Wadsworth,  which  was  then  the  terminal  of  the  great  over- 
land railroad  being  built  from  the  Western  coast  to  the  East.  From 
Wadsworth  they  returned  to  live  near  Ryepatch,  bringing  with  them 
some  two  hundred  head  of  cattle  and  other  stock,  which  fed  upon  the 
native  grasses  that  grew  luxuriantly  on  the  Big  Meadows  at  that  time. 
Their  herds  multiplied  so  that  at  one  time  the  Howells  were  known  as 
the  "cattle  kings"  of  Humboldt  County.  During  these  days  the  mines 
were  in  operation  first  in  the  Trinity  Canyon,  then  at  Arabia,  then  at 
Ryepatch,  and  at  these  places  the  Howells  found  a  ready  market  for 
beef,  hay  and  other  products  of  their  herds  and  fields,  and  were  in  con- 
tinuous and  close  touch  with  the  development  of  the  southern  portion 
of  Humboldt  County.  At  one  time  they  sold  hay  at  $1.50  per  ton,  which 
they  had  cut  on  the  Humboldt  Meadows  and  hauled  to  Ragtown,  which 
was  one  of  the  early  settlements  on  the  Carson  Sink.  So  the  fame  of 
the  Lovelock  Valley  as  a  producer  of  hay  and  feed  dates  back  to  the 
early  days. 

During  these  early  years  the  Pahute  Indians,  who  were  then  the 
inhabitants  of  this  section,  were  very  friendly  to  the  whites,  and  from 
them  Mr.  Howell  learned  many  of  the  legends  of  Indian  warfare  along 
the  borders  of  this  great  inland  sea.  It  seems  that  the  early  Indian 
settlers  of  this  section  were  a  tribe  of  cannibals,  described  by  the  Pah- 
utes  as  small  of  stature,  having  red  hair  and  freckled  faces.  They  were 
warlike  in  their  associations  with  surrounding  tribes,  and  were  beaten  in 
warfare  by  the  Pahutes  many  times. 

At  last  the  Pahutes  had  them  surrounded  and  driven  to  take  shelter 
in  boats  out  upon  the  lake,  making  siege  upon  them  and  promising 
them  release  from  utter  extermination  upon  condition  that  they  would 
live  peaceably  and  "like  brothers."  This  the  little  tribe  would  not 
promise,  so  the  Pahutes  held  them  in  siege  until  finally  they  managed 
to  escape  to  the  mountains  on  the  eastern  border  of  the  lake  and  took 
refuge  in  the  Horseshoe  Cave,  which  has  been  the  subject  of  much 
interest  the  past  two  years  on  account  of  relics  found  therein.  Here 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  893 

the  Pahutes  again  surrounded  them  and  Chief  Winnemucca  told  them 
that  unless  they  would  promise  to  be  good  and  live  "like  brothers"  the 
cave  would  be  their  funeral  furnace.  The  "little  man-eaters,"  as  they 
were  termed  by  the  Pahutes,  would  not  promise  to  be  good,  so  huge 
piles  of  driftwood  were  made  at  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  and,  after  a 
final  useless  appeal  by  Chief  Winnemucca  that  they  should  come  out  and 
be  peaceable,  the  tribe  of  cannibals  were  burned  like  rats  in  a  trap.  In 
relating  this  tale  of  destruction  to  Mr.  Howell  the  Indians  of  his  day 
stated  that  after  the  fires  had  died  down  some  of  the  Pahutes  ventured 
into  the  cave  to  see  if  they  could  find  any  vestige  of  their  vanquished 
enemies,  but  they  could  not,  and  the  manner  of  their  disappearance  is 
a  great  mystery  among  the  Pahutes  to  this  day.  But  this  mystery  may 
be  partially  solved  by  the  finding  of  bodies  and  relics  in  this  cave  during 
the  past  two  years,  while  the  rich  guano  deposits  were  being  mined 
therefrom  and  shipped  to  the  coast  for  fertilizer. 

The  man  who  exerted  a  lasting  influence  upon  the  future  of  the  town 
and  valley  of  Lovelock  was  the  one  whose  name  they  now  bear,  George 
Lovelock.  In  the  year  1862  he  came  to  the  valley  and  established  his 
home  at  a  point  nearly  opposite  where  the  railroad  depot  now  stands. 
Since  that  time  to  the  day  of  his  death  he  has  been  most  active  in  the 
development  of  all  industries  in  the  southern  portion  of  Humboldt 
County.  Generous  to  a  fault,  he  died  almost  penniless.  He  was  one 
of  the  first  residents  of  the  mining  camp  of  Trinity,  conducting  a  hotel 
and  operating  mines  there.  For  a  number  of  years  he  conducted  a  hotel 
at  the  smelting  town  of  Oreana,  located  on  the  Humboldt  River,  about 
ten  miles  north  from  Lovelock,  and  at  which  the  ores  from  the  Arabia 
and  Trinity  mines  were  treated.  This  was  the  first  smelting  plant  known 
to  exist  in  the  State  of  Nevada  and  was  estimated  by  Mr.  Lovelock  to 
have  cost  $250,000.  In  1868  the  value  of  the  ore  from  the  Montezuma 
mine,  in  the  Arabia  district,  which  was  treated  at  this  smelter,  was  esti- 
mated at  $45,000,  and  in  1880  the  best  authorities  place  the  whole  of  ores 
extracted  at  30,000  tons,  which  paid  from  $30  up  to  $/oo  per  ton. 

While  engaged  in  building  the  home  and  caring  for  farm  lands  which 
he  had  located  in  the  valley,  Mr.  Lovelock  could  never  quite  give  up  his 
interest  in  the  minerals  he  found  to  exist  in  the  surrounding  hills.  The 
properties  of  his  latest  discoveries  are  the  nickel  and  cobalt  mines 
located  in  Cottonwood  Canyon,  about  forty  miles  east  from  Lovelock, 


894  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

and  which  will  some  day  add  new  impetus  to  the  mining  industry  of 
this  section  of  the  county  and  State. 

William  Silverwood  is  one  from  whom  much  of  the  early  history  of 
the  Southern  part  of  Humboldt  county  can  be  learned.  He  came  to 
what  was  then  called  "Brown's  Station,"  located  at  the  southwestern 
margin  of  Humboldt  Lake  in  the  early  sixties.  At  that  time  this  was 
the  terminal  of  the  Southern  or  Central  Pacific,  and  Mr.  Silverwood 
entered  the  employ  of  the  company  as  pumpman.  The  name  of  the 
station  has  now  been  changed  to  Toy,  and  the  scenes  of  activity  in  the 
days  when  that  was  a  coaling  station,  supply  point,  helper  station  and 
terminal  for  a  telegraph  line  running  to  Unionville  have  passed.  Only 
a  section-house  and  a  few  cabins  for  the  Japs  remain,  and  the  trains 
merely  give  a  passing  whistle  as  they  go  flying  by.  Up  to  some  years 
ago  Mr.  Silverwood  has  been  continuously  in  the  employ  of  the  com- 
pany, besides  being  interested  in  many  industries  of  the  county.  His 
name  is  still  on  the  Southern  Pacific  payrolls,  though  he  is  not  required 
to  perform  any  labor. 

Among  the  very  early  business  men  of  Lovelock  and  those  who  con- 
tributed to  the  upbuilding  of  Lovelock  may  be  mentioned  the  names  of 
Edwin  C.  Ascher,  Horace  C.  Emmons,  Stephen  R.  Young,  Patrick  K. 
Reid  and  Antoni  Feliz. 

The  agricultural  development  of  the  Lovelock  Valley  has  been  gradual 
but  permanent  since  the  later  sixties,  when  small  streams  were  taken 
from  the  river  and  thrown  out  over  the  natural  meadow  lands  to  increase 
the  growth  of  wild  grasses  and  forage  plants  along  the  stream  and 
around  the  margin  of  the  lake.  By  this  first  rude  means  of  irrigation 
heavy  yields  of  native  blue  joint  hay  were  secured  from  the  Big  Meadows 
and  sold  at  fabulous  prices  in  the  surrounding  mining  camps  and  to  the 
overland  stage  teams  and  travelers.  Then  small  patches  were  put  into 
grains,  vegetables  and  other  food  products,  then  seeded  to  alfalfa,  until 
now  this  great  desert  grass  is  the  mainstay  and  chief  product  of  Love- 
lock Valley.  It  is  conservatively  estimated  that  the  value  of  alfalfa  hay 
produced  in  this  valley  will  reach  the  sum  of  $500,000  per  year.  In  the 
early  years  of  breaking  up  and  seeding  this  vast  acreage  large  areas  were 
sown  to  wheat,  especially  along  the  margin  of  the  lake,  some  of  this 
grain  yielding  as  high  as  seventy  bushels  per  acre.  Combined  harvesting 
and  threshing  machines  were  used  to  harvest  these  vast  fields,  as  many 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  895 

as  fifty  head  of  horses  being  used  at  a  time  for  hauling  these  great  har- 
vesting machines,  until  the  traction  engine  supplanted  horseflesh  and 
gasoline  took  the  place  of  hay  as  the  motive  power.  Five  thousand  acres 
in  one  field  was  no  uncommon  occurrence  in  these  days,  but  the  area  now 
put  in  grain  is  getting  limited,  the  major  part  of  the  irrigated  fields 
having  been  seeded  to  alfalfa,  which  yields  an  average  of  five  tons  per 
acre  annually.  To  consume  this  hay  many  thousand  head  of  cattle  and 
sheep  are  shipped  into  the  valley  from  the  mountain  ranges  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  State  every  winter,  and  from  here  reshipped  to  the  large 
slaughtering  and  packing  houses  of  the  Pacific  Coast,  as  they  are  needed, 
and  as  they  become  fattened  by  feeding  on  the  exceedingly  nutritious 
alfalfa  hay. 

To  some  extent,  the  farmers  of  the  Lovelock  Valley  are  now  getting 
out  of  the  "alfalfa  rut"  and  are  producing  more  of  a  variety  of  crops. 
This  is  not  because  of  alfalfa  being  an  unprofitable  crop,  but  rather  on 
account  of  the  present  ranches  being  in  smaller  holdings,  and  the  desire 
is  to  make  every  acre  produce  to  its  greatest  capacity.  With  this  end 
in  view  the  attention  of  the  farmers  is  being  turned  to  the  culture  of 
sugar  beets,  which  the  rich  alluvial  soil  of  the  valley  produces  in  great 
abundance  and  of  high  saccharine  content.  These  beets  are  being  shipped 
to  the  factory  established  in  1912  at  Fallen,  sixty  miles  distant,  but  there 
is  every  assurance  that  a  large  factory  will  be  built  at  Lovelock  in  the 
immediate  future.  From  thirty-two  samples  of  beets  raised  in  the  Love- 
lock Valley  and  sent  to  the  Agricultural  Department  at  Washington  by 
John  Harrison,  the  pioneer  beet  raiser  of  the  valley,  an  average  of 
twenty-two  per  cent,  in  saccharine  matter  was  obtained,  the  highest 
percentage  being  twenty-eight. 

The  irrigation  systems  now  operating  in  the  valley  and  the  acreage 
which  they  supply,  proceeding  up  the  river  in  their  order,  are: 

Lovelock  Land  &  Development  Co 8,000    acres 

Union  Canal  Ditch  Co 10,000       " 

Rodgers,  Carpenter,  et  al 15,000      " 

Irish-American  5,ooo      " 

Old  Channel  Dam  &  Ditch  Co 7,000       " 

Young  Taylor  Dam  &  Ditch  Co 5,ooo      " 

50,000   acres 


896  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

The  Lovelock  Land  &  Development  Company  have  a  water-storage 
reservoir  of  sufficient  capacity  for  one  irrigation,  that  is  located  quite 
close  to  their  lands. 

The  Humboldt  Land  &  Irrigation  Company  has  three  reservoirs  near 
Humboldt  Station  which  have  a  capacity  that  is  sufficient  for  one  irriga- 
tion for  50,000  acres.  The  ditch  has  its  inlet  near  Mill  City,  is  eight 
miles  long,  twenty-five  feet  wide  on  top,  fourteen  feet  wide  on  the  bottom, 
and  eight  feet  deep.  This  property  is  owned  exclusively  by  the  farmers 
of  Lovelock  Valley.  The  successful  end  of  this  large  undertaking  is 
of  great  importance  in  providing  water-storage  for  dry  seasons  and 
increasing  the  acreage  of  producing  lands  in  and  about  Lovelock  and 
vicinity. 

From  its  earliest  history  Humboldt  County  has  been  conceded  to  be 
rich  in  mineral  deposits.  Specimen  rock  brought  in  by  the  Indians  and 
shown  to  overland  travelers  by  keepers  of  trading  stations  aroused  the 
curiosity  of  the  emigrants  and  caused  many  of  them  to  abandon  their 
trip  farther  west  and  hunt  for  minerals  in  the  Humboldt  Range.  Others 
had  taken  some  chance  specimens  of  rock  they  had  found  during  the 
course  of  their  journey  to  Sacramento  and  upon  landing  there  had  found 
out  its  great  mineral  value.  An  instance  of  the  latter,  and  probably  the 
first  mineral  found  by  a  white  man  in  Humboldt  County,  was  that  dis- 
covered by  a  Mr.  Hardin,  in  the  "black-rock"  country,  while  trveling 
to  the  western  coast  in  1859.  Mr.  Hardin  had  camped  one  night  at 
the  Hot  Springs,  on  the  edge  of  the  great  Black  Rock  Desert,  now  a 
station  on  the  Western  Pacific.  One  of  the  two  teams  of  oxen  in  his 
outfit  became  very  sick  and  as  a  last  resort  to  restore  health  he  fed 
it  the  last  mite  of  bacon  on  hand  in  their  meager  larder.  The  following 
morning  the  animal  seemed  to  be  all  right,  and  after  starting  his  family 
on  the  road  with  oxen  and  outfit,  Mr.  Hardin  started  to  walk  out  through 
the  hills  in  quest  of  game  to  take  the  place  of  the  vanished  bacon,  prom- 
,  ising  to  meet  his  family  at  Mud  Springs  about  noon.  While  going  across 
a  volcanic  outcrop  he  noticed  a  peculiar  black,  metallic-looking  rock 
protruding  from  the  volcanic  ash,  and  from  this  he  selected  a  large 
sample  to  take  with  him.  Upon  arriving  at  Mud  Springs  he  found 
that  his  family  had  already  passed  that  place,  but  another  emigrant  had 
lost  one  of  his  ox  teams  there  and  was  making  a  cart  from  a  portion  of 
his  wagon,  to  proceed  on  his  journey  with  as  light  a  load  as  possible 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  897 

After  helping  him  make  the  cart  Mr.  Hardin  continued  on  his  way  to 
overtake  his  family,  but  first  hid  the  greater  portion  of  rock  he  had 
found  in  the  brush  near  the  spring.  Upon  arriving  in  Sacramento  this 
rock  was  assayed  and  showed  high  values  in  silver,  and  was  on  exhibi- 
tion in  the  leading  bank  of  Sacramento  at  the  time  Mr.  Marion  Howell 
and  his  father,  who  are  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  history,  arrived 
there.  The  rock  which  he  had  left  hidden  in  the  brush  was  found  by 
a  company  of  emigrants  following  Mr.  Hardin  and  brought  to  Sacra- 
mento by  them  a  few  months  later. 

Some  two  years  later  a  company  of  men,  headed  by  Mr.  Hardin, 
came  back  to  this  county  and,  in  company  with  Marion  Howell,  made 
a  fruitless  search  for  the  lost  treasure.  The  volcanic  ashes  seem  to  have 
swallowed  it  up  completely,  and  it  has  not  been  recovered  to  this  day, 
though  rich  mineral  deposits  are  being  worked  in  that  vicinity  at  the 
present  time.  Considerable  tonnage  of  sulphur  has  been  produced  by 
the  Pacific  Sulphur  Company  from  sulphur  beds  near  these  same  hot 
springs  and  shipped  to  San  Francisco  for  commercial  purposes. 

New  discoveries  and  the  organization  of  new  districts  followed  in 
rapid  succession.  Buena  Vista  District  was  organized  in  1861.  Though 
comparatively  inactive  at  the  present  time,  this  district  has  produced 
millions  of  mineral  wealth.  Among  the  prominent  mines  of  early  days 
were  the  National,  Governor  Downey,  Alba  Nueva,  Cass,  Joe  Pickering, 
Halleck,  Seminole,  Eagle,  Leroy,  Agamemnon,  Manitowoc,  Champion, 
Cedar  Hill,  North  Star,  Atlas,  Arizona,  Hope,  etc.  In  1878,  of  all  the 
mines  in  the  county  only  the  Arizona  and  Rye  Patch,  situated  in  the  Echo 
District  and  across  the  mountain  to  the  west,  paid  a  bullion  tax,  and 
from  1872  to  1878  the  Arizona  alone  produced  close  to  five  million 
dollars. 

In  1862,  Central  District  was  organized,  the  principal  mine  being  the 
Fifty-six.  A  four-stamp  mill  was  built  for  treating  ores  of  this  district, 
averaging  $400  per  ton.  This  mill  was  destroyed  in  1876,  since  which 
time  little  work  has  been  done.  To  the  south  of  this  and  situated  on 
the  western  slope  of  the  Humboldt  Range,  is  Echo  District,  organized 
in  1863.  The  principal  mine  of  this  district  was  the  Alpha,  sold  to  an 
English  company  in  1869  for  $62,000.  Walter  Schmidt,  the  discoverer 
of  this  mine,  is  still  living  at  Parran,  Churchill  County,  and  can  give 
many  interesting  points  of  history  as  to  the  early  mining  industry  of 


THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

this  county.  The  Rye  Patch  mine  is  the  principal  mine  of  the  Echo 
District,  and  has  been  worked  to  a  certain  extent  up  to  the  present  time. 
This  company  at  one  time  erected  a  furnace  and  ten-stamp  mill  at  the 
Rye  Patch  Station. 

Star  Peak  is  the  principal  mountain  in  the  southern  portion  of  Hum- 
boldt  County,  rising  to  an  altitude  of  11,000  feet.  On  the  western  slope 
of  this  mountain  the  Humboldt  District  was  organized  in  1860,  being 
the  first  mining  district  of  the  county.  Humboldt  City  was  the  principal 
town,  at  one  time  having  a  population  of  about  500  people.  Nine  of 
the  mines  in  this  canyon  were  developed  to  the  depth  of  some  fifty  feet, 
but  no  producing  mines  were  found,  though  ore-bearing  veins  up  to 
twenty-four  feet  in  width  were  cut.  Sulphur,  alternating  with  gypsum, 
is  the  deposit  of  a  thermal  spring  in  this  vicinity.  On  the  southwest 
slope  of  Star  Peak  is  the  Sacramento  District,  easily  reached  through 
a  mountain  canyon  of  the  same  name.  The  Montana,  Bullion,  Sacra- 
mento and  Nevada  were  the  chief  mines  at  the  time  of  organization. 
The  Humboldt  Queen,  situated  in  the  southern  portion  of  this  district, 
has  been  a  mine  of  some  note,  though  inactive  at  the  present  time.  For 
nearly  half  a  century  Marion  Howell  has  retained  the  ownership  of 
promising  mines  at  the  mouth  of  this  canyon,  named  the  Sunrise  and 
Crown  Point,  and  work  now  being  prosecuted  gives  promise  of  rich 
reward.  The  richest  section  of  this  district  at  the  present  time,  however, 
is  the  Pole  Canyon,  next  north  of  the  Sacramento  Canyon,  in  which 
ledges  carrying  high  values  in  free  gold  are  now  being  developed.  On 
the  northeastern  slope  of  this  great  mountain,  in  1861,  was  organized 
the  Star  District,  the  town  of  Star  City  being  about  twelve  miles  north 
of  the  present  town  of  Unionville.  The  district  was  six  miles  long,  down 
the  slope  of  the  mountain,  by  four  miles  wide.  Star  Creek,  a  stream 
carrying  about  seventy  miners'  inches  of  water  at  its  minimum  flow,  runs 
down  the  main  canyon  of  this  district  and  supplies  valuable  ranches  in 
the  valley  below  with  irrigation  water.  The  celebrated  Sheba  mine  is 
located  in  what  is  termed  the  lime  contact,  which  runs  along  the  base 
of  this  mountain.  Here  the  ledge  is  estimated  to  be  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  wide  and,  taken  in  sectional  strata,  was  estimated  in  1868  to 
give  the  following  values:  First-class  ore  per  ton,  $1,200;  second-class 
ore  per  ton,  $250;  third-class  ore  per  ton,  $150.  Some  of  the  assays 
reached  as  high  as  $16,000  per  ton,  but  this  was  when  silver  was  quoted 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  899 

at  twice  the  present  price ;  still  the  cost  of  operating  was  proportionately 
larger.  The  De  Sota  was  another  famous  mine  of  this  district. 

Across  the  Buena  Vista  Valley,  to  the  east  of  Star  Peak,  Sierra  District 
was  organized  in  1863.  The  town  of  Dunn  Glenn,  originally  the  location 
of  Government  forts,  lately  known  as  Chafey,  was  the  center  of  the 
district.  Mining  in  this  district  has  been  quite  continuous  and  fairly 
profitable  all  these  years  since  its  first  organization,  selected  ore  paying 
$1,000  and  upward  to  the  ton.  Looking  from  the  summit  of  Star  Peak 
to  the  west,  across  the  Humboldt  River  and  valley,  you  view  the  varied 
colored  hills  of  the  Trinity  and  Arabia  districts,  organized  in  1863  under 
the  title  of  the  Trinity  Mining  District.  The  mines  of  the  Arabia  Dis- 
trict were  considered  at  one  time  to  be  the  richest  in  the  known  world, 
the  Montezuma  mine  especially  producing  a  half-ton  of  metal  for  every 
ton  of  ore  taken  therefrom,  and  up  to  1875,  according  to  the  State  min- 
eralogist, yielding  3,150  tons  of  lead  and  $455,000  in  silver.  The  ruins 
of  the  old  town  of  Oreana,  at  which  place  the  ores  from  this  district 
were  smelted,  are  still  in  evidence  at  a  point  along  the  Humboldt  River, 
twelve  miles  north  of  Lovelock.  These  smelters  were  destroyed  by  fire 
in  the  later  seventies,  since  which  time  the  ores  have  been  shipped  to 
both  eastern  and  western  points  for  treatment.  The  Evening  Star  was  the 
chief  mine  of  the  Trinity  Canyon  and  was  worked  extensively  in  1864. 
There  is  considerable  activity  in  these  old-time  districts  at  the  present 
time,  the  prospectors  of  these  latter  days  obtaining  more  of  the  gold 
values  in  porphyry  formations.  To  the  north  and  along  the  western 
margin  of  the  Humboldt  River  have  been  the  San  Jacinta,  active  in  the 
later  eighties,  the  principal  mine  being  the  "Poker  Brown"  mine,  and 
lead  and  silver  being  the  predominant  minerals  of  the  ore;  the  Antelope 
or  Cedar  Springs  District,  of  which  the  Nevada  Superior  is  the  principal 
mine;  Vicksburg  District,  organized  about  the  time  of  the  Black  Rock- 
excitement;  Mount  Rose  District,  located  in  1871  on  the  boundaries  of 
what  is  now  Paradise  Valley,  for  many  years  known  as  the  Paradise 
mine,  and  now  being  exploited  as  the  Orange  District;  and  the  Winne- 
mucca  District. 

But  in  passing  thus  hastily  over  the  mining  industry  of  the  past  in 
Humboldt  County,  we  should  not  neglect  a  district  lying  to  the  south  of 
the  great  Star  Peak,  namely,  Rochester  and  Relief.  In  the  early  sixties, 
parties  from  Rochester,  New  York,  started  operations  on  the  lime  con- 


900 

tact  where  it  cuts  through  Rochester  Canyon,  at  a  point  ten  miles  south 
from  Ryepatch.  This  is  a  continuation  of  the  Ryepatch  ore  zone,  and 
very  similar  in  characteristics  and  formation,  though  it  had  never 
produced  any  quantity  of  ore.  Old  shafts,  inclines  and  open  cuts  are 
to  be  seen  at  the  present  time  by  those  going  to  the  new  camp  of  Roches- 
ter, mute  evidence  of  the  search  made  by  early  pioneers  for  mineral 
wealth.  Upon  reaching  a  depth  of  some  eighty  feet  the  miners  were 
driven  from  these  workings  by  a  strong  flow  of  water  from  an  underground 
channel,  which  they  had  tapped,  leaving  pumps  in  the  shaft  and  barely  es- 
caping with  their  lives.  From  Rochester  Canyon  the  miners  went  to  the 
south  and  east  some  seven  miles  and  established  the  Relief  District. 
The  Relief  mine  of  this  district  has  a  production  record  of  nearly  half  a 
million  dollars,  from  workings  not  to  exceed  300  feet.  New  work 
is  now  being  prosecuted  in  this  district  and  rich  silver  deposits  are  being 
exposed,  also  ledges  of  cinnabar  and  other  valuable  minerals. 

The  present  camp  of  Rochester,  just  entering  upon  a  tremendous 
production  record,  is  an  illustration  of  the  popular  saying  that  "The  old 
is  ever  new."  For  many  years  prospectors  in  the  Humboldt  Range  con- 
fined their  operations  to  the  lime  contact  belts  which  cut  along  the  base 
of  the  mountains,  both  on  the  east  and  west  side.  In  this  belt  or  contact 
were  the  famous  Sheba,  Arizona,  De  Sota,  Eagle  and  other  mines  on 
the  eastern  slope  of  the  mountains,  while  in  the  corresponding  contact 
on  the  western  slope  were  the  Ryepatch,  Humboldt  Queen,  Oro  Fino, 
Tiger  Montana,  Sacramento  and  other  mines  of  the  Sacramento  District. 
Later  prospectors  have  gone  above  this  lime  contact  and  as  a  result  have 
exposed  rich  ledges  of  gold  and  silver  ore  in  the  altered  rhyolite  or 
Koipato  formation  of  the  Triassic  age.  There  has  been  spasmodic  mining 
and  prospecting  in  the  Rochester  Canyon  ever  since  the  early  days,  but 
it  was  not  until  the  spring  of  1912  that  the  richness  and  extent  of  the 
veins  began  to  be  realized.  For  some  seven  years  previous  to  that  time 
an  old  prospector  named  Hutch  Stevens,  from  the  Black  Hills  of  Dakota, 
had  maintained  a  camp  at  the  head  of  American  Canyon  and  kept  alive 
a  group  of  claims  covering  the  mountain  now  known  as  Nenzel  Hill, 
from  which  center  radiate  the  Limerick,  Rochester,  Weaver  and  Juniper 
canyons  on  the  west,  and  American,  South  American,  Troy,  Fisher  and 
Cow  canyons  on  the  east.  In  the  winter  of  1909  this  venerable  prospector 
perished  while  going  from  the  Spring  Valley  stage  back  to  his  camp 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  901 

during  a  severe  snowstorm,  and  his  body  was  not  found  until  the  fol- 
lowing spring.  Among  the  relatives  who  have  kept  these  claims  alive 
since  this  tragic  death  is  Joseph  Nenzel,  a  nephew  by  marriage  and  an 
able  mining  man  from  the  Black  Hills  of  South  Dakota.  Through  very 
adverse  circumstances,  at  times  not  knowing  from  whence  the  next  bill 
of  "grub"  was  coming,  Mr.  Nenzel  persisted  in  prospecting  arid  devel- 
oping these  claims,  his  faithful  wife,  a  niece  of  the  original  discoverer, 
living  with  him  in  the  hills  and  encouraging  him  as  best  she  could.  In 
April,  1912,  Mr.  Nenzel  exposed  a  stringer  of  rich  ore  tending  into  the 
Xenzel  Hill  and  began  to  mine  for  shipment. 

Among  other  prospectors  who  had  been  attracted  to  Rochester  was 
F.  M.  Shick,  who  secured  a  group  of  claims  at  the  head  of  the  canyon, 
adjoining  the  Nenzel  claims  on  the  southwest.  Upon  a  portion  of  these 
claims  Walter  Moynough  discovered  rich  float  and  obtained  a  lease  in  the 
summer  of  1912,  shipping  float  that  he  had  picked  from  the  surface  and 
breaking  up  large  boulders  of  float  and  croppings  from  the  huge  ledge. 
Meanwhile  Nenzel  had  been  tracing  the  Crown  Point  or  Nenzel  Hill 
ledge  along  the  crest  of  the  central  mountain,  and  had  determined  to 
some  extent  its  richness  and  immensity,  but  had  not  begun  the  produc- 
tion that  has  since  made  the  camp  famous.  Moynough  and  associates 
caught  the  ledge  at  its  southern  end  and  began  shipping  from  the  grass 
roots.  Thos.  Smaston,  Ed.  Stiff  and  H.  C.  Hardesty  were  at  the  same 
time  developing  the  Sunflower  group  of  claims  adjoining  on  the  west. 

While  this  development  was  going  on  at  the  head  of  the  canyon 
Jerry  Healey,  Wm.  Stotts,  Cliff  De  Lome,  Claude  Campbell,  Frank  Gol- 
den, and  others  interested  with  them,  were  prospecting  Lincoln  Hill,  lying 
on  the  western  border  of  Rochester  Canyon,  about  two  miles  westerly 
from  Crown  Point.  During  the  summer  they  discovered  much  high- 
grade  float,  breaking  up  and  sacking  boulders  rich  in  free  gold  and 
exposing  ledges  that  assayed  high  in  gold  and  silver  values.  By  the 
first  of  November  of  1912  nine  carloads  of  ore  had  been  shipped  from 
the  properties  on  Nenzel  and  Lincoln  hills  and  the  public  began  to  "sit 
up  and  take  notice"  that  there  was  something  doing  in  Rochester  Canyon. 

Frank  Reber,  of  the  National  Miner,  was  attracted  to  the  camp 
about  this  time,  and  sent  out  word  of  its  mineral  riches  to  the  mining 
world.  Experts  and  investors  were  attracted  to  the  camp  and  soon  a 
great  mining  boom  was  again  on  in  Nevada,  and  Rochester  was  the 


902  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

new  Eldorado,  toward  which  all  were  treading.  Within  three  months 
three  towns  were  platted  within  a  distance  of  two  miles;  tents,  shanties 
and  more  substantial  buildings  followed  each  other  in  rapid  succession; 
large  companies  were  capitalized  and  extensive  development  work  started 
along  the  huge  ore  ledges  both  on  Nenzel  and  Lincoln  Hills,  the  greater 
portion  of  the  work  being  done  under  the  leasing  system.  A  population 
of  2,500  people  was  soon  living  in  the  canyon  and  another  Goldfield 
was  predicted  to  have  been  started.  The  "boom"  has  passed  and  many 
have  gone  from  the  camp  disappointed,  some  have  realized  comfortable 
fortunes  from  their  findings  there,  but  the  development  and  production 
of  the  camp  has  but  just  begun,  and  every  foot  of  development  work 
being  done — and  there  are  a  great  many  of  them — is  demonstrating 
the  permanency  and  richness  of  the  ledges  in  the  Rochester  District. 
Milling  plants  are  being  installed,  the  field  of  known  ore  bodies  is  being 
rapidly  extended,  the  payroll  is  increasing  from  month  to  month,  now 
averaging  about  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  per  month,  and  another 
producing  camp  has  been  added  to  Nevada's  mining  laurels.  Oreana, 
now  named  Nixon  by  the  railroad  company,  is  the  nearest  railroad  point 
to  Rochester,  being  twelve  miles  from  Nenzel  Peak.  It  has  grown  from 
a  side-track  to  an  active  forwarding  town  with  the  growth  of  the  camp 
and  will  continue  to  grow  until  such  time  as  the  railroad  sees  fit  to 
extend  its  line  up  through  Rochester  or  Limerick  canyons,  plans  for 
which  are  already  being  formulated. 

But  the  history  of  this  rich  mineral  section  would  not  be  complete 
without  mention  of  the  placer  mining  in  Spring  Valley,  Dry  Gulch  and 
American  canyons,  which  extend  from  the  summit  of  the  Humboldt 
Mountains,  as  they  pass  through  the  present  Rochester  District,  down 
to  the  Buena  Vista  Valley  at  their  eastern  base.  Placer  gold  was  dis- 
covered in  these  canyons  in  the  early  seventies  and  was  worked  exten- 
sively for  some  years  by  Chinamen,  who  had  leased  the  ground  from 
L.  F.  Dunn  and  his  associates,  and  are  credited  with  having  extracted 
ten  millions  of  dollars  from  the  rich  gravels  of  these  canyons.  The  pin- 
cipal  canyons  are  honeycombed  with  their  old  shafts  so  that  it  is  hardly 
safe  to  drive  down  them  with  a  rig.  They  extended  their  work  to 
Rochester,  Weaver,  Limerick  and  adjacent  canyons  to  some  degree,  but 
not  on  a  paying  basis.  At  present  the  Federal  Mining  Company,  com- 
posed of  Iowa  and  Chicago  capitalists,  are  installing  a  large  dredger 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  903 

in  Spring  Valley,  while  other  parties  are  sinking  shafts  and  running 
tunnels  in  the  placer  channels  of  American  canyons,  to  work  below  the 
fifty-foot  level,  which  was  as  deep  as  the  Chinamen  had  sunk.  So  the 
Humboldt  Range  bids  fair  to  again  become  productive  in  placer  gold  as 
well  as  from  ledges. 

Seven  Troughs  is  chief  among  the  mining  camps  developed  during  the 
later  years.  It  is  situated  in  the  Stone  House  range  of  mountains,  thirty 
miles  west  from  Lovelock.  It  was  discovered  in  the  fall  of  1905,  Wm. 
Stautts,  Frank  Crumpacker,  Joe  Therien,  and  Alex.  Borland,  all  of  Love- 
lock, being  among  the  first  to  secure  locations  in  the  canyon.  It  de- 
rives its  name  from  a  series  of  seven  troughs  which  had  been  placed  below 
some  springs  in  the  canyon  by  stockmen  for  watering  stock.  The  water 
was  brought  to  the  surface  by  a  large  black  basalt  dike  which  cut  through 
the  mountain,  crossing  the  canyon  at  this  point,  and  along  which  contact 
the  ore  was  found.  From  this  central  location  the  ledges  were  traced 
to  the  north  and  south.  Farrell,  in  the  Stone  House  canyon,  being  at 
the  northern  extremity  and  Vernon  at  the  southern  end  of  the  district, 
an  extreme  distance  of  twelve  miles.  Soon  the  fame  of  this  new 
discovery  spread  to  the  southern  camps  of  Tonopah  and  Goldfield  and 
prospectors  and  mine  operators  came  from  those  camps  in  great  numbers. 
The  entire  district  was  soon  covered  with  monuments  and  great  things 
were  predicted  for  the  new  bonanza  camp.  Four  towns,  Vernon,  Mazuma, 
Seven  Troughs  and  Farrell  were  established,  each  gaining  quite  a  popu- 
lation and  considerable  activity  was  evidenced  throughout  the  entire  dis- 
trict. Mills  were  built  at  Mazuma  and  Seven  Troughs,  the  latter  by  the 
Seven  Troughs-^Coalition  mining  company  of  which  L.  A.  Friedman  is 
President  and  General  Manager,  and  the  former  by  the  Nevada-Darby 
Mining  and  Milling  Company.  July  I7th>  1912,  the  towns  of  this  district 
were  devastated  by  a  great  water-spout,  washing  away  buildings,  mills, 
people,  and  leaving  a  path  of  desolation  and  suffering  in  its  wake.  Nine 
were  killed  outright,  three  others  succumbed  to  wounds,  and  several  were 
severely  injured  in  the  flood,  and  the  property  loss  was  estimated  at  a 
quarter  million  dollars.  The  district  has  never  fully  recovered  from  this 
great  disaster,  though  work  has  been  steadily  prosecuted  on  most  of  the 
mines  and  the  mills  have  been  repaired  and  in  operation.  It  is  estimated 
that  this  district  has  produced  a  million  dollars  up  to  the  present  time,  the 
greatest  depth  reached  in  the  workings  being  eight  hundred  feet.  Much 


904  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

ore  is  now  blocked  out  in  the  district  and  the  production  era  has  but  just 
begun. 

To  the  south  of  the  Seven  Troughs,  and  in  the  same  ore  zone,  are  sit- 
uated the  camps  of  Velvet,  sixteen  miles  west  from  Lovelock  ,and  Jes- 
sup,  twenty-four  miles  southwest  of  Lovelock.  Neither  of  these  camps 
have  reached  the  producing  stage,  though  very  good  values  and  exten- 
sive ore  bodies  are  being  developed  in  both.  In  the  Sahware  range  of 
mountains,  next  west  of  the  Stone  House  range,  is  located  the  Juniper 
mining  district.  This  is  thirty-five  miles  west  of  Lovelock,  in  the  extreme 
western  part  of  the  county.  The  Nevada  Development  company,  of  which 
Mr.  J.  T.  Reid  is  resident  agent  and  with  him  has  New  York  capital 
associated,  is  developing  promising  copper  deposits  in  this  district. 

"Kennedy"  District  on  the  east  side  of  the  "East"  Range  now  having  but 
a  few  inhabitants  was  the  scene  of  an  excitement  attending  its  discovery 
in  1893  that  attracted  the  venturesome  from  all  parts  to  this  promising 
district.  Soon  after  the  erection  of  mills  adapted  to  work  free  milling 
ores,  it  was  found  that  a  serious  error  had  been  made  and  since  the  com- 
panies had  expended  all  their  available  capital  the  district  with  its  promis- 
ing veins  of  base  ores  had  to  suffer  a  long  period  of  idleness.  Renewed 
interest  is  now  apparent,  and  it  is  thought  that  the  district  will  at  no  dis- 
tant date  figure  somewhat  in  the  State's  mineral  producion. 

Though  Humboldt  county  has  an  area  of  11,000  square  miles  it  has 
a  population  of  only  8,000  people,  therefore  it  cannot  have  any  very 
large  towns.  During  the  half  century  since  the  advent  of  the  white  man 
into  this  county  many  settlements  have  risen  to  more  or  less  magnitude, 
then  dwindled  to  nothing,  chiefly  because  of  the  rise  and  fall  of  various 
mining  camps.  Some  of  these  towns  have  vanished  so  completely  that  not 
a  vestige  of  them  is  left,  a  few  dilapidated  ruins  mark  the  site  of 
others,  while  still  others  remain  in  all  their  former  strength  and  with 
steadily  increasing  population  and  activities.  As  examples  of  the  first 
mentioned  we  would  name  Aetnaville,  Torryville  and  the  Old  Oreana, 
in  the  Trinity  and  Arabia  districts.  Star  City,  Humboldt  City,  Unionville, 
and  Rye  Patch  in  the  Humboldt  range  are  fair  examples  of  the  second- 
named  class ;  while  illustrating  the  latter  we  would  name  Paradise,  Love- 
lock, Mill  City,  and  Winnemucca. 

Humboldt  City,  is  credited  with  having  been  the  first  white  settlement 
in  the  county,  having  been  established  as  early  as  1860.  The  ruins  of  this 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  905 

place  are  still  in  evidence  at  Humboldt  canyon,  about  two  miles  east  of  the 
station  by  that  name  on  the  Southern  Pacific  railroad.  A  correspondent 
of  the  Humboldt  Register,  published  at  Unionville  during  the  early  sixties, 
under  date  of  May  2,  1863,  thus  describes  the  town  as  it  was  then :  "A 
picturesque  and  beautiful  village,  containing  some  200  well-built  houses, 
some  of  which  are  handsome  edifices,  and  many  beautiful  gardens  that 
attest  the  taste  and  industry  of  the  inhabitants.  A  beautiful,  crystal  stream 
of  water  diverted  from  its  natural  course,  runs  a  little  babbling  stream 
through  every  street.  *  *  *  *  Humboldt  City  contains  two  hotels, 
kept  in  good  style,  one  the  Coulter  House,  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bailey  Nichols, 
the  other,  the  Iowa  House,  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson;  two  saloons,  one 
blacksmith  shop,  two  stores,  four  families  and  children,  chickens,  pigs, 
and  dogs  enough  to  give  the  place  a  lively  appearance.  All  signs  of  life, 
however,  have  now  passed  away  and  this  once  lively  village  is  but  the 
abode  of  chipmunks,  squirrels  and  horned  toads. 

One  of  the  most  historic  towns  of  the  county  is  Unionville,  which  is 
still  quite  a  little  settlement,  situated  eighteen  miles  south  from  Imlay, 
the  first  freight  division  east  of  Reno  on  the  S.  P.  railroad.  The  town 
was  originally  laid  out  about  a  mile  up  the  canyon  above  its  present  site  by 
Captain  Hugo  Pfersdorf,  who  with  J.  C.  Hannan  and  four  Indians,  and 
having  two  donkeys  loaded  with  supplies,  had  come  from  Virginia  City 
in  quest  of  a  new  Eldorado.  They  had  been  piloted  to  the  place  by  the 
Indians,  who  had  brought  specimens  of  rich  rock  to  Virginia  City  and 
seemed  willing  to  show  from  whence  it  came.  But  the  Captain  held  the 
lots  in  the  new  town  at  a  high  figure,  so  the  story  goes,  and  Chris  Lark, 
a  later  arrival,  started  a  town  upon  ground  he  had  located  at  the  present 
site  of  Unionville,  and  soon  had  a  hundred  buildings  in  course  of  con- 
struction thereon. 

A  majority  of  citizens  of  the  new  town  being  in  sympathy  with  the 
southern  forces  in  the  conflict  then  in  progress,  the  town  was  called 
Dixie,  but  within  a  year  many  Union  men  came  to  the  camp  and  succeed- 
ed in  changing  public  sentiment  so  that  on  July  14,  1861,  the  name  was 
changed  to  "Unionville"  and  the  Stars  and  Stripes  waved  triumphantly 
to  the  mountain  breezes.  Upon  the  organization  of  Humboldt  county 
in  1862,  Unionville  was  designated  as  the  county  seat  by  the  Governor  of 
the  State,  which  title  it  held  until  1872,  when  Winnemucca  was  given 
that  honor.  The  population  of  the  town  in  its  best  days  reached  as  high 


906  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

as  1,500  people,  three  stamp  mills  were  in  operation,  two  of  them  of  ten- 
stamps  and  one  of  five ;  there  were  two  stores,  saloons,  restaurants,  livery 
stable,  postofftce  and  express  office,  telegraph  office  and  a  Methodist 
church  building  which  cost  $2,500.  The  buildings  were  of  wood,  adobe 
and  stone,  some  of  them  being  quite  large  and  very  substantially  built, 
remaining  in  a  fair  state  of  preservation  to  this  day. 

The  ores  from  the  surrounding  mines  were  crushed  by  the  stamp  mills, 
passed  over  concentrating  tables  and  into  amalgamating  pans.  The  yield 
from  the  first  crushing  and  amalgamation  was  but  40  to  50  per  cent  of  the 
assay  value,  but  the  tailings  were  worked  over,  after  standing  awhile,  and 
a  fair  proportion  of  their  value  was  recovered  by  a  simple  repetition  of 
the  pan-process.  The  yield  from  the  raw  ores  during  the  first  process  was 
$25  to  $40  per  ton,  while  the  tailings  the  second  time  yielded  $20  to 
$30  per  ton. 

To  be  seen  upon  the  hill-side  in  the  upper  part  of  Unionville  is  the 
ruins  of  the  Stone  Cabin  that  was  once  the  abode  of  "Mark  Twain" 
(Samuel  Clemens)  when  he  was  a  prospector  and  before  he  became 
famous  as  an  author.  He  was  one  of  the  party  succeeding  the  first  party  of 
explorers  that  came  to  Unionville.  Many  of  the  prominent  men  identified 
with  the  early  history  of  the  State  were  those  who  had  been  the  first 
residents  of  Unionville. 

At  present  there  is  a  population  of  less  than  one  hundred  people 
living  in  Unionville.  There  is  a  small  two-stamp  mill  in  operation. 
The  canyon  is  planted  in  orchards  which  produce  excellent  fruit  and  it 
is,  withal,  a  most  picturesque  and  pleasant  place  in  which  to  live.  The 
Buena  Vista  valley,  lying  to  the  east  of  and  below  the  town,  has  some 
extensive  and  very  productive  ranches  within  its  borders,  and  it  is  cer- 
tain to  become  one  of  Humboldt  counties  best  farming  sections. 

Star  City,  a  town  of  considerable  importance  in  the  earlier  days,  was 
situated  directly  north  of  Unionville,  in  a  canyon  by  the  same  name. 
Its  chief  support  was  from  the  operation  of  the  Sheba  and  De  Sota  mines. 
It  possessed  a  number  of  large  buildings,  stores,  postoffice,  express  and 
telegraph  office.  One  of  its  hotels  is  said  to  have  cost  $40,000.  A 
mill  of  ten-stamps  and  four  reverberatory-furnaces  for  roasting  the  ore 
was  built  at  the  mouth  of  the  canyon  but  was  later  removed  to  Unionville. 

Mill  City,  established  in  1863,  was  the  railroad  point  for  Unionville, 
Star  City,  Dunn  Glenn,  and  adjacent  mining  camps.  It  is  on  the  main 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  907 

line  of  the  Southern  Pacific  railroad,  eighteen  miles  north  from  Unionville. 
As  its  name  indicates,  it  was  intended  to  be  the  milling  center  for  the 
rich  mines  and  here  was  built  a  foundry  for  castings  needed  at  Mills  over 
the  eastern  part  of  Nevada  and  surrounding  districts.  It  was  along 
the  proposed  course  of  the  Humboldt  canal.  This  canal  project  was  in- 
corporated in  1862  by  an  Italian  named  J.  Ginacca,  a  resident  of  Winne- 
mucca,  and  associates  living  in  San  Francisco.  The  canal,  starting  twenty- 
eight  miles  from  above  Winnemucca,  was  to  have  been  90  miles  long, 
fifteen  feet  wide  and  three  feet  deep.  About  $100,000  was  expended  in 
constructing  the  canal  to  Winnemucca,  where  it  was  abandoned,  leaving 
Mill  City  high  and  dry. 

One  of  the  early  settlements  of  the  county  was  Dunn  Glenn,  its  set- 
tlement dating  back  to  1862,  and  in  1863  a  company  of  United  States  sol- 
diers were  stationed  there  to  keep  the  Indians  in  check.  At  one  time 
the  population  reached  350,  but  is  now  down  to  almost  nothing.  In 
later  years  the  settlement  has  been  known  as  Chafey,  from  the  Chafey 
mine  and  mill  which  is  located  there.  Besides  the  mining  and  milling 
carried  on  in  a  small  way,  there  are  a  few  familes  interested  in  stock  and 
ranching  living  there,  this  giving  the  place  more  permanency  than  if  it 
were  merely  a  mining  camp.  It  is  situated  nine  miles  from  Mill  City  and 
twenty  miles  from  Winnemucca. 

One  of  the  places  most  attractive  and  likely  to  be  remembered  by 
the  Overland  Traveler  of  the  early  days  is  Humboldt  House,  which  was 
one  of  the  principal  eating  stations  on  the  Overland  route.  Here  the 
natural  desert  waste  had  been  obliterated,  by  the  application  of  a 
supply  of  water  from  mountain  springs,  and  the  trees,  shrubbery,  ber- 
ries, verdant  lawn,  roses  and  other  flowering  plants  produced  must  have 
been  a  welcome  sight  indeed  to  the  weary  travelers  during  their  journey 
across  the  Great  American  Desert.  A  thousand  fruit  and  shade  trees 
were  grown  on  this  oasis  of  some  thirty  acres.  The  fruit  trees  pro- 
duced peaches,  pears,  apples  and  apricots  equal  to  those  of  California, 
while  cottonwood,  locust,  willow  and  oak  trees  gave  the  welcome  shade. 
This  garden  spot  has  been  somewhat  neglected  of  late  years,  for  there  are 
no  more  Overland  eating  stations,  and  only  a  few  section-men  are  living 
there,  but  it  is  still  a  place  of  beauty  and  a  joy  to  the  weary  travelers. 

Lovelock,  situated  near  the  mouth  of  the  Humboldt  river,  is  the 
first  town  east  of  Reno  of  any  size.  This  place  was  settled  by  James 


9o8  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

Blake  in  1861.  In  1862  the  late  George  Lovelock  settled  here  with  his 
family,  making  his  residence  opposite  where  the  Southern  Pacific  depot 
now  stands,  on  the  corner  now  occupied  by  the  Orpheum  Theatre.  The 
great  Overland  railroad,  then  termed  the  Central  Pacific,  was  built  through 
his  door  yard  in  1866,  establishing  a  station  directly  opposite  his  home, 
chiefly  for  the  accommodation  of  mining  business  of  the  Trinity  district, 
which  was  then  quite  active.  The  old  Overland  stages  used  to  have 
stations  at  various  points  in  the  valley,  along  the  river,  but  they  were  on 
the  eastern  side  of  the  stream,  the  route  passing  along  the  eastern  foot- 
hills. 

The  Big  Meadows,  around  the  margin  of  Humboldt  lake,  afforded  abund- 
ant feed  for  the  stock  of  emigrants  and  settlers,  and  demonstrated  the  great 
agricultural  possibilities  of  this  section.  Besides  this,  there  was  evidence 
of  great  mineral  wealth  in  the  surrounding  mountains,  and  with  the 
natural  resources  for  these  two  great  industries,  how  could  Lovelock 
help  becoming  the  metropolis  of  the  southern  portion  of  Humboldt  county, 
as  it  is  to-day  and  will  be  in  the  years  to  come.  Some  cities  are  built 
upon  the  mining  industry,  some  base  their  growth  upon  agricultural 
wealth  and  development ;  the  first-named  may  grow  rapidly  and  be  active 
for  a  number  of  years,  then  drop  into  decay;  the  second-named  may 
be  slower  of  growth  but  are  more  permanent  and  lasting;  Lovelock  is 
the  natural  center  for  a  large  territory  of  mining,  agricultural  and  grazing 
territory,  and  having  all  these  industries  to  rely  upon,  its  growth  has  been 
steady  and  permanent.  The  valley  at  this  point  is  about  thirty  miles 
long,  with  an  average  width  of  eight  miles.  The  soil  is  a  deep,  rich, 
alluvial  deposit  and  is  very  productive.  '  Drillings  have  been  made  to  a 
depth  of  nearly  500  feet,  and  bed-rock  was  not  reached,  but  decomposed 
vegetation  was  brought  up  from  this  depth.  No  wonder  that  this  section 
has  been  producing  heavy  crops  of  alfalfa  year  after  year  for  over  half 
a  century,  and  yet  the  fertility  of  the  soil  is  undiminished.  From  the  two 
or  three  stores  first  established  along  the  streets  on  each  side  of  the  railroad 
track,  the  business  section  of  the  town  has  spread  to  cross  streets,  until  it 
now  covers  three  blocks,  and  many  of  the  business  houses  are  constructed 
of  brick,  stone  and  concrete  and  are  fitted  with  all  modern  conveniences  and 
occupied  by  large  mercantile  establishments.  There  having  been  times  of 
quite  rapid  growth,  during  the  rise  of  some  adjacent  mining  district  such  as 
the  Seven  Troughs  and,  more  recently,  that  of  Rochester;  then  there 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  909 

would  be  a  seemingly  dull  time,  but  each  succeeding  excitement  left  the 
town  with  evidence  of  considerable  growth  in  business  and  population. 
The  chief  industry  in  the  valley  is  the  production  of  alfalfa  hay  and  the 
feeding  of  same  to  cattle,  sheep  and  horses,  which  are  brought  in  from  the 
ranges  to  the  north  and  east.  The  acreage  sown  to  grain  is  becoming 
gradually  less,  being  about  five  thousand  acres  for  the  present  season  of 


The  population  of  the  town  at  the  present  time  is  about  one  thousand, 
and  of  the  town  and  valley,  about  sixteen  hundred.  The  last  school  census 
showed  one  hundred  and  forty  in  the  Lovelock  district  and  educational 
facilities  are  well  advanced.  Three  teachers  are  employed  in  the  public 
school  and  two  in  the  Lovelock  Branch  County  High  School.  The 
average  attendance  the  past  year  was  91  in  the  public  and  10  in  the 
High  School.  There  is  a  government  Indian  School  here,  with  a  twenty- 
acre  tract  adjacent  platted  into  lots  and  leased  to  the  Indians  for 
residence  purposes.  The  population  of  "Indian  Town"  is  about  one 
hundred  or  more.  These  Indians  are  chiefly  of  the  Pahute  tribe,  the  word 
Pahute  means  "Waterless"  or  absence  of  water  "Desert  Indians"  being  the 
remnants  of  the  native  aborigines.  They  are  generally  industrious  and 
take  considerable  pride  in  establishing  and  keeping  up  their  homes  ad- 
jacent to  the  school. 

While  Lovelock  town  and  valley  has-  been  settled  for  more  than 
fifty  years,  still  its  growth  and  industrial  development  are  only  in  their 
infancy.  Hardly  one^tenth  of  the  tillable  area  of  the  valley  is  under 
cultivation  at  the  present  time.  Much  of  this  is  held  in  large  tracts 
and  worked  upon  a  large  scale,  which  method  does  not  give  it  as  intensive 
cultivation  as  it  would  receive  under  smaller  holdings.  By  means  of 
the  large  storage  reservoirs  lately  constructed  at  a  point  west  of  the 
Humboldt  House,  thirty-seven  miles  above  the  lake,  the  surplus  flow  of  the 
Humboldt  river  will  be  kept  from  entering  the  lake  and  the  entire  surface 
of  this  lake  bed  will  eventually  be  brought  under  cultivation.  With  the 
subdivision  of  the  present  lands  into  smaller  holdings,  and  with  a  steady 
water  supply  such  as  the  Humboldt  storage  will  furnish,  and  with  the 
added  area  of  the  present  lake  bed  under  cultivation  ;  it  is  a  very  conserva- 
tive estimate  to  state  that  the  Lovelock  valley  will  support  twenty  times  its 
present  population  and  that  the  value  of  its  products  will  be  enhanced  in 
a  like  proporion  very  rapidly  during  the  next  twenty-five  years. 


910  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

As  a  counterpart  to  the  Lovelock  valley,  we  have  in  the  Northern  part 
of  the  county  Paradise  valley.  It  is  situated  on  both  sides  of  the  Little 
Humboldt  river,  which  rises  in  the  Northern  part  of  the  county  and 
flows  southward  for  nearly  one  hundred  miles,  being  augmented  by  other 
streams,  until  it  reaches  the  main  Humboldt  at  a  point  near  Winnemucca. 
This  valley  is  forty  miles  long  by  twelve  wide.  Its  soil  is  a  rich 
alluvial  deposit  and  very  productive.  About  the  first  of  June,  1863,  R.  D. 
Carr,  W.  B.  Huff,  J.  A.  Whitmore  and  W.  C.  Gregg  started  from  Starr 
City  on  a  prospecting  trip  to  the  northern  side  of  the  river.  They  crossed 
near  the  present  site  of  Mill  City,  followed  the  Western  slope  of  the 
mountains  until  they  struck  Rebel  creek,  and  up  that  to  its  source 
near  the  summit  of  the  range  on  the  Western  border  of  the  valley. 
Here  an  enchanting  sight  burst  upon  their  view  and  W.  B.  Huff  involun- 
tarily exclaimed,  "What  a  Paradise."  Here  all  thoughts  of  mines  were 
abandoned  and  the  prospectors  began  staking  out  homesteads  instead  of 
mining  claims.  March  6,  1864,  Richard  Brenchley  and  Charles  A.  Nicols 
turned  the  first  furrow  and  a  few  days  later  sowed  the  first  grain  in  the 
valley.  From  forty-five  acres  of  wheat  they  harvested  one  thousand  bus- 
hels, for  which  they  received  $9,000.  The  growth  of  the  valley  was  hinder- 
ed by  the  hostile  appearance  of  Indians,  some  of  the  inhabitants  suff- 
ering death  at  their  hands.  A  military  post  was  established  at  Camp  Win- 
field  Scott  in  1866.  A  fort  was  built  in  1868,  under  contract  with  the 
government  by  Reid  &  Manton  but  in  1871  the  troops  were  transferred  to 
Camp  McDermitt  near  the  Oregon  line,  and  the  post  abandoned.  The 
foothills  and  mountains,  on  each  side  of  the  valley,  furnish  excellent 
grazing  for  stock,  so  thousands  of  head  of  cattle,  sheep  and  horses  are 
owned  by  the  settlers  there.  These  mountains  are  also  rich  in  minerals  and 
many  producing  mines  add  to  the  resources  of  the  valley. 

Paradise  City,  the  business  center  of  this  valley,  was  established  in 
1866  by  C.  A.  Nichols  and  family.  After  him  came  Charles  Kemler,  J. 
B.  Case  and  others.  /The  town  is  situated  nearly  in  the  center  of  the  val- 
ley, being  forty  miles  northeast  from  Winnemucca.  It  has  good  school  and 
church  facilities,  prosperous  business  houses,  elegantly  fitted  and  appoint- 
ed hotels.  At  one  time,  the  Paradise  Record,  a  twenty-four  column  paper 
was  published  there,  but  has  of  late  years  been  discontinued.  So  the 
village  town  has  been  steadily  growing,  through  varying  conditions, 
until  it  has  become  one  of  the  substantial  towns  of  Humboldt  county. 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  911 

Extending  northward  from  Paradise  valley  is  the  New  Goldfields 
district,  rich  in  the  precious  metals  and  containing  large  deposits  of  the 
base  ores.  Chief  among  the  producing  mines  of  this  district  is  the  Ohio 
mine.  Development  work  in  this  section  is  being  accelerated  because  of 
surety  of  a  line  of  railroad  being  built  from  southern  Idaho  to  tap  the 
Southern  Pacific  line  at  Winnemucca.  Still  to  the  north  is  located  the 
great  mining  camp  of  National,  which  has  been  world-famed  for  the 
richness  of  its  mineral  deposits.  Since  their  discovery  in  1909  these  mines 
have  produced  over  four  millions  of  dollars  in  gold  bullion.  Leasers 
have  been  made  millionaires,  and  the  finding  of  new  pockets  of  fabulously 
rich  ore,  portend  the  continued  production  from  this  high-grade  camp. 
Continuing  on  North  from  National,  we  have  the  Quinn  River  valley, 
another  great  agricultural  section,  of  which)  McDermitt,  located  at 
the  northern  extremity,  is  the  commercial  center.  The  extent  of  this 
valley  is  conservatively  estimated  at  500,000  acres  of  good  agricultural 
land.  It  is  surrounded  by  large  tracts  of  rich  grazing  land,  making  an 
inland  empire  of  vast  wealth.  This  section  will  soon  be  traversed  by 
a  railroad,  and,  with  the  new  settlement  which  is  drifting  rapidly  to- 
ward it,  will  be  among  the  most  prosperous  sections  of  the  State. 

Adjacent  to  this  Quinn  River  district  on  the  west  are  the  Disaster 
Peak  mines,  containing  valuable  mineral-bearing  ledges ;  the  Pueblo 
valley,  a  rich  agricultural  section ;  the  mining  camps  of  Dyke,  Florence, 
Ashdown  and  Varyville,  all  in  the  Pine  Forest  range  of  mountains,  and 
the  mineral  values  running  chiefly  in  gold.  From  Quinn  River  south 
we  find  the  Jackson  range  of  mountains,  covering  a  distance  of  some 
forty  miles.  In  this  district  are  the  camps  of  Jackson  Creek,  Deer  Creek 
and  Red  Butte,  in  which  copper  values  predominate.  Journeying  on  to 
the  south  we  pass  through  Central  district,  of  which  the  Blackbird  and 
Golden  Eagle  mines  are  the  chief  producers.  Rosebud,  Sulphur,  Saw- 
tooth, Antelope,  Black  Diamond  and  Jungo  are  promising  camps  which 
have  sprung  up  in  this  section,  incident  to  the  building  of  the  Western 
Pacific  railroad  west  from  Winnemucca. 

Winnemucca  is  the  county  seat  and  commercial  center  of  Humboldt 
county.  It  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Humboldt  river,  at  "The 
Great  Bend,"  which  term  is  given  to  the  point  where  the  stream  turns  from 
its  course  to  the  Northwest  and  flows  to  the  Southwest.  Though  on  the 
line  of  the  Southern  Pacific  railroad  and  for  many  years  one  of  its 


9i2  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

principal  division  stations,  this  town  was  established  long  before  the 
advent  of  the  railroad  and  is  not  dependent  upon  that  for  its  existence 
or  maintenance.  In  the  year  1850  it  was  established  as  a  small  trading 
station,  on  the  great  overland  route  to  the  California  goldfields  and  was 
known  as  the  "French  Ford."  It  is  the  railroad  point  for  a  vast  and 
rich  inland  empire  to  the  north,  south  and  east,  and  has  lately  been  made 
an  important  station  and  division  on  the  Western  route.  It  is  near 
the  geographic  center  of  the  State  and  aspires  to  become  the  State 
capitol.  It  has  good  promise  of  being  the  terminal  of  the  proposed  line  of 
railroad  to  be  built  from  the  Oregon  Short  Line  in  Idaho,  south  to 
the  Southern  Pacific,  at  Winnemucca,  and  still  further  south  and  west 
to  the  Pacific  coast.  It  is  the  largest  town  in  the  county,  the  last  census 
showing  close  to  1500  inhabitants,  and  it  is  soon  to  be  incorporated. 

The  county  buildings  here  are  the  Courthouse  and  Jail,  which  have  been 
erected  at  a  cost  of  some  $75,000 ;  a  county  hospital,  costing  $50,000  and 
County  High  School,  costing  some  $20,000.  The  business  buildings  of  the 
place  are  very  substantial  and  occupied  by  many  large  mercantile  com- 
panies and  corporations.  It  has  large  and  up-to-date  hotel-buildings, 
churches,  school  houses  and  an  opera  house  which  cost  approximately 
$50,000  and  was  the  gift  of  the  late  United  States  Senator  George  S. 
Nixon.  A  liberal  appropriation  has  been  made  for  a  Federal  Building 
in  Winnemucca  and  a  site  for  the  same  is  now  being  selected  by  the 
government. 

The  town  was  named  by  C.  B.  O.  Bannon,  nephew  of  the  Secretary 
of  the  Interior  under  President  Lincoln,  who  wished  to  perpetuate  the 
name  the  Pahutes  gave  to  their  chiefs  and  which  in  their  language  signifies 
"Place  by  the  River,"  where  he  resided.  When  trie  Idaho  travel  was  at 
its  zenith,  and  before  railroads  had  reached  that  section  from  other 
points,  Winnemucca  was  a  famous  stage  and  teaming  center.  During  the 
years  of  1868  to  1874  it  reached  a  population  of  1600.  In  1872  the  county 
seat  was  removed  there  from  Unionville,  it  being  much  nearer  the  center 
of  population.  It  is  now  destined  to  be  among  the  larger  cities  of  the 
"New  Nevada,"  which  is  springing  into  being  with  the  influx  of  a 
more  permanent  agricultural  population.  Though  the  immediate  valley 
of  the  Humboldt  is  narrow  at  this  point,  there  are  large  fertile  valleys 
adjacent,  of  which  this  is  the  commercial  center.  The  foothills  adjacent 
have  a  gentle  slope,  especially  on  the  southern  side  of  the  valley,  and 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  913 

are  becoming  famous  by  reason  of  successful  dry-farming  activities 
thereon. 

Winnemucca  may  justly  be  complimented  for  its  "homelike  homes,"  for 
with  hardly  any  exception  they  are  very  tasty  and  comfortable,  with 
abundant  shade  trees,  verdant  lawns  and  the  general  appearance  of  be- 
ing a  most  desirable  place  in  which  to  reside.  The  town  has  excellent 
water  and  electric-light  service,  and  a  sewer-system  lately  installed  at 
a  cost  of  $50,000.  With  the  increment  which  it  must  naturally  receive 
from  the  general  growth  of  Humboldt  county,  with  the  direct  support 
of  the  adjacent  mining  camp's  of  Rexall  and  Barrett  Springs,  and  with  the 
general  growth  of  the  entire  State  of  Nevada,  Winnemucca  will  become 
one  of  the  large  centers  of  the  Inter-Mountain  region.  Twenty  miles  east 
of  Winnemucca,  in  the  center  of  quite  an  extensive  valley,  is  situated 
the  town  of  Golconda,  fast  becoming  noted  as  a  health  resort,  from  hot- 
springs  located  there.  This  is  quite  a  prosperous  community,  having 
several  business  houses,  a  hotel  and  a  good  school  building,  and  quite 
a  settlement  of  ranchers  adjacent.  Two  miles  west  from  town  is  the 
Kramer  Hill  mining  property,  under  active  development  and  with  a  fine 
milling-plant.  The  Glasgow  &  Western  Exploration  company  have  a  large 
smelting  and  milling  plant  here,  with  a  narrow-gauge  railroad  running 
to  their  mines  in  the  Gold  Run  basin,  twelve  miles  to  the  south.  The 
new  mining  camp  of  Gold  Circle,  or  Midas,  is  forty  miles  to  the  northeast 
of  Golconda,  making  that  place  its  railroad  point.  The  town  of  Gold 
Circle  is  situated  in  Elko  county,  the  district  being  partly  in  Elko  and 
partly  in  Humboldt  counties.  The  Elko  Prince  mine,  chief  among  the 
mines  of  this  district,  is  reported  to  have  been  recently  sold  for  $250,000, 
Clover  Valley  is  one  of  the  adjacent  agricultural  districts  to  the  north 
and  the  Dutch  Flat  placer  mines,  in  the  same  direction,  have  added 
much  to  the  resources  of  the  town.  A  short  distance  northwest  of 
Dutch  Flat  is  Eden  Valley,  another  fine  agricultural  valley,  where  there  are 
large  ranches  and  much  fine  stock  on  the  ranges. 

The  building  of  the  Western  Pacific  across  the  entire  width  of 
Humboldt  county  has  added  much  to  its  wealth  and  development,  making 
a  section  of  the  county  which  was  formerly  desolate  and  inaccessible 
now  easy  of  access  and  proving  the  existence  therein  of  vast  mineral 
and  agricultural  wealth.  Entering  the  county  at  near  the  southeast  corner, 
the  line  of  the  road  follows  parallel  to  that  of  the  Southern  Pacific,  only 


914  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

on  the  northern  side  of  the  river,  to  Winnemucca.  Here  it  diverges  from 
the  line  of  the  Southern  Pacific,  bearing  more  directly  west  and  emerging 
from  the  county  near  the  center  of  its  western  line.  The  section  from 
Winnemucca  west,  along  this  railroad,  is  the  one  most  rapidly  coming  to 
the  front  in  mining  and  agriculture.  This  was  formerly  known  as  the 
Great  Black  Rock  Desert,  forty  miles  across,  the  dread  of  the  Overland 
travelers.  In  this  expanse  of  desert  there  is  a  space  fifty  miles  in  length 
by  ten  miles  in  width  as  smooth  as  a  hardwood  dancing  floor.  Much  of  the 
traffic  which  was  formerly  forced  to  come  to  the  line  of  the  Southern  Paci- 
fic at  Winnemucca,  Mill  City,  and  Humboldt  House,  is  now  diverted  to 
the  new  road  at  Jungo,  Sulphur,  and  Gerlach,  the  latter  being  the  first 
freight  division  west  of  Winnemucca.  Adjacent  to  this  road  are  the 
large  deposits  of  sulphur,  near  the  town  by  that  same  name,  the  mines 
of  the  Rosebud  and  Rabbit  Hole  districts,  the  latter  being  worked  chiefly 
as  placer  mines,  Cedar  Springs,  where  there  is  a  large  concentrating 
plant,  and  the  more  extensive  revenue  in  the  shipment  of  livestock  from 
the  vast  ranges  among  the  mountains  and  valleys  of  this  northern  section 
of  the  county. 

Before  passing  from  the  History  of  Humboldt  county,  to  that  of 
others  of  this  great  State  of  Nevada,  we  would  make  special  note  of 
its  present  wealth  and  resources  and  great  possibilities  for  the  future. 
Within  its  borders  this  county  has  some  of  the  richest  and  most 
extensive  mineral  deposits  known  to  exist  in  Nevada.  Its  mines,  from 
the  earliest  history  of  the  county,  have  been  among  the  heaviest  pro- 
ducers of  bullion,  and  the  camps  of  National,  Seven  Troughs,  and 
Rochester,  now  in  their  prime,  bid  fair  to  continue  this  record.  But 
the  mineral  wealth  of  this  county,  though  having  been  worked  for  half  a 
century,  has  scarcely  been  touched.  Besides  the  common  ores  of  gold, 
silver,  copper  and  lead,  this  county  has  an  abundance  of  the  rarer 
minerals,  clays  and  earths,  demand  for  which  is  becoming  more  apparent 
every  year.  Among  these  might  be  named  tungsten,  antimony,  nickel, 
cobalt,  bismuth,  zinc,  cadmium,  tin,  uranium,  vanadium,  molybdium,  cry- 
stalme  and  amorphouse  graphite ;  bauxite,  tripoli,  gypsum,  sulphur, 
nitrates  of  soda  and  potash ;  the  sulphates  and  carbonates  of  soda  and 
potash,  kaolin,  borax,  mercury  and  platinum.  The  development  of  these 
various  minerals,  earths  and  salts,  will  bring  the  investment  of  large 
capital  and  the  employment  of  many  men.  Along  agricultural  and 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  915 

horticultural  lines,  the  possibilities  for  enrichment  and  increment  are  im- 
mense. While  there  is  a  vast  amount  of  territory  within  the  county 
that  is  not  susceptible  of  cultivation,  still,  but  a  very  small  part  of  that 
which  is,  has  been  brought  under  cultivation.  Tests  in  some  of  the 
mountain  valleys,  of  the  planting  of  fruit  trees  have  proven  that  fruits 
of  rare  flavor  and  perfection  can  be  produced,  and  this  industry  is  still 
in  swaddling  clothes ;  the  experiments  in  the  growth  of  the  sugar  beet 
in  the  Lovelock  and  other  valleys  of  the  county,  have  proven  that  to 
be  a  practical  industry  for  this  section  and  one  of  great  possibilities. 
The  great  amount  of  grazing  lands  adjacent  to  the  ranches  makes  the 
raising  and  fattening  of  stock  one  of  the  great  wealth-producing  in- 
dustries and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  a  large  percentage  of  the  live  stock 
slaughtered  and  consumed  in  the  markets  of  San  Francisco  comes 
directly  from  Humboldt  county.  The  great  need  is  for  settlers  to 
occupy  the  waste  places.  Many  of  the  former  ranch  holdings  are 
being  subdivided  and  placed  on  the  market  for  small  farms;  many 
of  the  valleys  that  were  supposed  to  be  void  of  water  are  being  proven 
to  be  supplied  with  subterranean  channels,  from  which  an  inexhaustible 
supply  can  be  secured,  and  these  desert  places  are  being  rapidly  settled 
and  made  to  "Blossom  as  the  Rose." 

EARLY  DAYS  IN  HUMBOLDT  COUNTY. 
BY  COL.  THOMAS  EWING. 

The  discovery  of  gold  and  silver  veins  of  quartz  in  the  great  Humboldt 
range  of  mountains  near  the  north  end  of  the  range  in  1860,  caused 
quite  a  rush  of  prospectors  and  mine-hunters  to  cast  their  lot  with 
the  mountains  of  the  great  sagebrush  land.  These  discoveries  coming 
so  soon  after  the  greatest  of  all  mineral  discoveries,  that  of  the  famous 
Comstock  vein,  1859,  caused  hundreds  to  seek  fortune  and  fame  in  the 
early  spring  and  summer  of  1861,  in  the  then  wild  regions  of  Humboldt 
County.  In  the  spring  of  1862  these  discoveries  had  been  opened  or 
prospected  to  a  point  where  assurance  of  great  wealth  and  value  was  a 
certainty.  Then  the  wild  rush  for  Humboldt  began.  Thousands  of 
prospectors,  mine-buyers,  merchants,  political  and  professional  men  lined 
the  roads  and  trails.  Even  in  those  days  the  professional  men  were  always 


916  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

willing  to  divide  even  if  the  toilers  did  all  the  work.  The  politician  or 
political  position-seeker  was  satisfied  if  you  helped  him  out  to  take  all  the 
honors.  The  white  metal  in  those  days  being  the  standard,  the  silver 
prospects  commanded  the  leading  price  and  greatest  attention.  In  many 
cases  and  almost  in  general,  gold  prospects  were  scorned,  passed  by  and 
left  for  the  future  picking  of  less  particular  prospectors. 

The  canyons  of  the  mountains  were  soon  gobbled  up  for  town  sites, 
mill  sites,  water  rights,  etc.  The  side  hills  were  covered  with  stakes 
representing  so  many  hoped  for  fortunes  and  old  Humboldt  County  was 
on  the  map  to  stay.  Speculation  ran  high.  All  sales  or  dealings  were 
made  in  feet,  the  price  varying  according  to  the  size  of  the  vein  (not  the 
feet).  Everybody  carried  blank  mining  deeds  with  them  wherever  they 
went,  as  the  transfer  of  feet  in  certain  claims  was  liable  to  occur  at 
any  moment  and  was  of  greater  value  than  coin.  Store-bills,  hotel- 
bills,  saloon-bills,  professional-bills,  and  in  fact  any  debts  could  be 
arranged  by  a  deed  of  a  certain  number  of  feet  in  some  claim.  The  re- 
corder's office  was  a  fat  job — headquarters  with  a  dozen  or  more  deputy 
recorders  all  recording  deeds,  and  yet  at  times  it  would  be  months  be- 
fore you  would  get  the  recorded  deed  back.  Daily  you  would  see 
messengers,  express-men,  rushing  in  with  loads  of  deeds  for  filing.  The 
fees  of  the  office  ran  up  to  hundreds  of  dollars  per  day.  The  present 
craze  for  millions  of  shares  of  non-assessable  hot-air  fake  mining  stock 
was  not  discovered  until  years  afterward.  This  new  field  brought  to- 
gether many  splendid  men  from  California  as  well  as  a  few  adventurous 
spirits  from  the  east.  I  doubt  if  ever  a  better  class  of  men,  taken  all 
around,  came  together  than  the  early  settlers  of  Humboldt  County. 
Buena  Vista  Canyon  was  selected  as  the  county  seat,  in  the  town  of 
Unionville. 

There  were  many  lawyers  there,  some  with  titles  and  some  who  were 
just  starting  out.  Much  legal  business  was  transacted  representing 
great  wealth  in  the  future,  yet  the  disposition  to  cross  swords  on 
every  mining  deal  had  not  become  so  common  as  afterwards.  Great 
rivalry  existed  between  the  different  towns,  socially,  commercially  and 
in  mining  importance.  In  all  a  general  good  feeling  of  friendly  fellow- 
ship always  existed  between  the  people  of  Unionville,  Star  City  and 
Dunn  Glenn,  the  principal  towns  of  the  County.  Everybody  had  money — 
people  came  here  loaded  with  gold  from  California.  Nobody  was  poor,  and 


EARLY    DAYS     IN     HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  917 

if  he  was,  credit  was  good.  Men  paid  up  in  those  days  plenty  of  feet, 
and  that  was  better  than  the  early  day  issue  of  the  greenbacks. 

The  late  army  of  lace-boot  tack-hammer  brigade  of  mine  experts  were 
unknown.  Occasionally  some  great  professor  of  some  University  with 
eye-glasses  would  come  out  to  examine  the  geology  of  the  country,  and 
the  amount  of  good  he  did  the  country  as  far  as  mining  is  concerned, 
would  fill  one  of  Greeley's  small  books.  The  practical  miner,  then  as  now, 
was  the  man  to  depend  upon  for  useful  knowledge  in  mining.  In  1864 
Nevada  became  a  State.  Things  were  lively  then  all  over  the  country. 
It  was  a  presidential  year  with  Mr.  Lincoln  running  for  a  second  term, 
with  two  United  States  Senators,  one  Congressman,  a  Governor,  Legis- 
lature, and  all  county  officers  to  be  elected.  Of  course  it  was  lively,  there 
being  so  many  offices  to  fill  and  still  not  half  enough  to  go  around.  The 
two  leading  candidates  for  the  Senate  were  able  men — old  tried  war- 
horses.  Gov.  Nye  was  the  man  of  all  men  to  campaign  in  a  frontier  coun- 
try— a  vote-getter.  Stewart  was  also  good.  These  two  were  the  principal 
speakers  with  Prof.  Siliman  of  Yale,  Judge  Jno.  H.  Watson  from  Georgia, 
M.  S.  Bonnifield,  Frank  Ganahl,  J.  A.  Banks,  Claget  and  others  thrown 
in  to  fill  up. 

That  campaign  will  be  remembered  long  by  those  who  engaged  in  it — it 
was  great.  We  had  no  Pullman  on  rails  then — we  went  from  town  to 
town  on  horseback,  in  wagons,  and  on  foot.  The  order  of  campaign  was  a 
systematic  one  to  win,  planned  by  a  few  that  had  the  success  of  Mr.  Lin- 
coln, Nye  and  Stewart  at  heart.  These  men  equipped  great  freight  wagons 
with  platforms,  beds  and  seats,  with  a  grand-stand  in  the  center  on  which 
stood  a  barrel  of  good  old  Kentucky  rye  whiskey  with  a  cup  chained  to  it — 
this  on  each  of  the  three  wagons  drawn  by  eight,  ten  and  twelve  mules, 
a  cannon  on  wheels  drawn  by  four  respectable  jackasses,  plenty  of  powder, 
a  rawhide  band,  a  quartet  of  singers,  some  Indians  and  some  white 
men,  much  noise,  much  speaking  and  much  fuss,  but  no  fighting.  That 
campaign  cost  some  of  the  leading  spirits  of  old  Humboldt  County 
$20,000.  Lincoln,  Nye  and  Stewart  were  elected  and  the  country  was 
saved  and  Uncle  Sam,  through  the  great  product  of  gold  and  silver,  was 
able  to  pay  his  debts  and  resume  specie  payment,  mostly  owing  to 
the  State  of  Nevada.  Old  Humboldt  carried  away  the  honors  by  winning 
the  great  silk  banner  offered  by  the  committee  for  the  District  or  County 
that  would  make  the  greatest  showing  in  proportion  to  the  population. 


9i8  ,      THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

That  silk  banner  (36  x  14),  waved  from  a  flag  staff  in  Unionville  on  all 
occasions  of  importance,  holidays,  etc.,  until  it  was  worn  out.  As  there 
was  not  a  tree  in  the  country,  a  pole  had  to  be  imported  to  raise  the 
flag — yet  many  good  people  cry  out  for  a  tariff  that  the  hundred  men  who 
own  all  the  forests  of  America,  mostly  stolen,  may  be  protected  and 
helped  along — generous  indeed. 

Most  all  of  that  army  of  early  day  settlers  have  gone  over  the  great 
divide,  no  doubt  looking  for  another  new  sagebrush  land  where  they  may 
be  happy  and  feel  at  home.  Among  those  of  the  different  professions  who 
distinguished  themselves  in  their  different  callings  in  life  in  after  years 
as  well  as  in  the  political  field,  and  who  were  foremost  in  importance  to  the 
country,  was  that  grand  old  merchant,  mill-builder  and  mine-speculator — 
Mr.  John  C.  Fall.  Coming  to  a  new  country  at  sixty  years  of  age,  with 
but  little  money  and  small  backing,  but  with  great  industry  and  energy 
and  with  some  aid  from  a  few  friends,  he  built  the  first  quartz  mill  in  the 
County,  crushing  ore  from  all  mines  and  prospects — helping  all.  In  this 
he  made  a  great  success.  Mr.  Fall's  name  should  always  be  revered  in 
this  County. 

Among  the  other  noted  men  are  Hiram  Knowles,  U.  S.  District  Judge, 
Montana ;  William  Dixon,  Judge  at  Butte,  Montana,  and  Congressman ;  W. 
H.  Claget,  Congressman,  and  a  great  orator  and  lawyer ;  Frank  Ganahl, 
a  great  orator  and  criminal  lawyer;  M.  S.  Bonnifeld,  Supreme  Bench,  a 
member  of  the  State  Senate  and  other  political  positions  (still  living)  ; 
Mark  Twain — everybody  has  enjoyed  his  humor — none  will  ever  forget 
it;  Jarnes  G.  Fair,  U.  S.  Senator;  Gov.  A.  P.  K.  Safford,  eight  years 
Governor  of  Arizona;  E.  F.  Dunne,  Mayor  of  Chicago  and  candidate 
for  Governor  of  Illinois,  and  W.  K.  Parkinson,  Comptroller. 

The  great  travel  between  California  and  Nevada  over  the  Owyhee 
trail,  and  the  establishing  of  a  great  daily  stage  line  between  the  end 
of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  as  it  progressed,  soon  caused  houses  and 
forts  to  be  built  along  the  line,  and  the  night-howl  of  the  savage  was 
heard  no  more,  instead,  peace  and  plenty  has  been  the  order  ever 
since. 

The  old  Humboldters  are  proud  of  their  early  doings,  of  their  County 
and  State,  and  delighted  to  think  they  enjoyed  the  early  days  with  their 
hardships  and  successes,  that  they  lived  when  men  lived,  and  that  it 
did  not  take  two  to  make  an  average  man,  that  they  blazed  the  trail 


EARLY    DAYS     IN     HUMBOLDT    COUNTY  919 

for  those  who  came  afterwards  to  follow  and  enjoy  in  the  great  sage 
land.  It  is  the  same  with  the  early  Humboldters  as  with  the  old  man 
from  Maine — He  may  wander  all  over  the  world,  but  as  he  comes  back 
home  to  the  land  he  loves  and  smells  the  codfish  of  Maine,  or  the 
sweet  odor  of  the  sage,  he  cries  out — "Home  again — Home  again,"  and 
so  it  will  ever  be. 

HISTORY  OF  ROCHESTER. 
BY  FREDERICK  F.  RUN  YON. 

The  date  of  the  discovery  of  the  mining  camp  of  Rochester,  in  Hum- 
boldt  county,  Nevada,  might  properly  be  fixed  as  June  28,  1912,  for  it  was 
on  this  day  that  Joseph  F.  Nenzel,  after  having  prospected  the  mountains 
about  Rochester  for  many  years  with  small  degree  of  success,  picked 
up  the  rich  silver-float  which  led  to  the  uncovering  of  valuable  silver 
deposits  on  what  is  now  known  as  Nenzel  Hill,  at  the  head  of  Rochester 
canyon.  Just  previous  to  this  time,  Mr.  Nenzel  had  practically  gone 
down  and  out  financially.  In  an  effort  to  secure  food  for  his  family 
and  himself  living  in  Limerick  canyon  just  over  the  ridge  from  Rochester 
canyon,  Mr.  Nenzel  went  into  the  town  of  Lovelock,  24  miles  away. 
He  walked  the  entire  distance  and  there  induced  three  men,  Tom  Ebert, 
Roy  Beeson  and  John  McCracken,  to  advance  $45  grub  money,  Nenzel 
agreeing  to  locate  for  them  two  claims  in  which  he  was  to  retain  a 
fourth  interest.  He  located  the  Ora  Honda  claim  on  Nenzel  Hill  which 
was  sold  three  months  later  for  $15,000. 

After  uncovering  the  ledge  from  which  the  rich  silver-float  had  broken, 
Joseph  Nenzel  started  to  mine  a  carload  of  the  ore.  Without  assistance  he 
worked  in  the  tunnel  which  he  drove  into  Nenzel  Mountain.  After  taking 
out  the  ore,  he  built  the  trail  down  the  mountain  side  into  Roch- 
ester canyon.  Constructing  a  sled  out  of  the  junipers  which  grew  upon 
the  side  of  the  mountain,  Nenzel  dragged  his  ore  down  the  steep  slope 
of  the  mountain  to  a  point  in  Rochester  canyon  where  it  might  be  placed 
aboard  wagons  and  teamed  to  the  railroad  12  miles  away.  George  Pitt, 
a  Lovelock  rancher,  was  induced  by  Nenzel  to  send  his  teams  into  the 
canyon  to  haul  the  ore  to  the  railroad  for  shipment  to  the  smelters.  The 
wagon  road  through  Rochester  canyon  was  sadly  out  of  repair  and 


920  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Nenzel  was  compelled  to  do  this  work  of  reconstruction  besides  completing 
the  road  through  the  gulch  for  a  considerable  distance  to  reach  his 
sacked  ore.  Finally,  after  months  of  laborious  effort,  the  first  car  of 
ore  was  shipped  to  the  smelter  and  gave  returns  of  $72.90  a  ton.  With 
this  encouragement  and  ready  money  Nenzel  set  to  work  to  mine  another 
carload  of  ore.  Again  he  went  to  the  task  alone  and  this  second  car 
was  shipped  in  September  and  caused  mining  men  to  take  an  interest 
in  Rochester  canyon  which  had  been  named  after  prospectors  who 
had  formerly  lived  in  the  city  of  Rochester,  New  York,  and  had  prospected 
in  the  canyon  some  years  before.  About  the  time  Nenzel  shipped  his 
second  car  of  ore  to  the  smelter,  Frank  Forvilly  had  struck  ore  of  a 
shipping  grade  on  Lincoln  hill,  further  down  the  canyon,  and  a  carload 
of  ore  was  shipped  from  Forvilly's  property.  Walter  Minough,  a  pros- 
pector and  miner,  came  into  the  district  and  secured  a  lease  on  the  Weaver 
claims  owned  by  Frank  Schick.  Minough  started  a  tunnel  on  the  western 
slope  of  the  mountain.  He  also  struck  shipping  ore  and  sent  two  carloads 
to  the  smelter,  later  gathering  up  a  carload  of  ore  from  the  surface. 

The  district  was  now  attracting  considerable  attention  and  prospectors 
importuned  Nenzel  for  leases  on  his  claims  on  Nenzel  Hill.  A  lease 
was  given  Messrs.  Joseph  Platt,  William  Robertson,  Dave  Patterson  and 
E.  A.  (Slim)  Ludwig.  This  was  known  as  the  Big  Four  lease  and  almost 
immediately  after  the  first  pick  was  placed  in  the  ground  the  ore  body 
was  encountered.  Other  leases  were  given  and  by  the  later  part  of  Decem- 
ber, 1912,  six  months  from  the  day  the  first  piece  of  rich  silver-float 
was  picked  up  by  Nenzel,  24  sets  of  leasers  were  working  on  his  pro- 
perties. With  the  striking  of  ore  on  the  Big  Four  lease  the  mining 
excitement  which  produced  three  separate  towns  in  less  than  two  months' 
time  took  place.  Rochester  broke  into  prominence  and  thousands  rushed 
into  the  district.  Big  prices  were  paid  for  leases,  companies  organized 
and  active  operations  in  the  district  commenced.  Like  all  mining  excite- 
ments hundreds  of  men  and  women  rushed  into  the  canyon  utterly  without 
purpose  or  reason  and  the  towns  grew  faster  than  the  mines  could  develop. 
A  reaction  was  inevitable  and  slowly  the  hordes  of  camp  followers  and 
idle  men  drifted  away. 

Almost  overnight  the  town  of  Rochester  came  into  existence  with  its 
night-life  and  typical  mining  camp  population.  A  tent-city  burst  into 
being  as  if  by  magic.  Then  followed  more  substantial  buildings.  Auto- 


HISTORY    OF    ROCHESTER  921 

mobile-trucks  freighted  lumber  into  the  camp.  A  second  town  started  at 
the  base  of  the  mountain  nearly  two  miles  from  the  original  town.  It  was 
called  East  Rochester.  Then  squatters  took  possession  of  the  western 
slope  of  the  mountain  and  the  third  town  sprang  into  existence.  Far 
above  on  the  mountain  top  miners  were  blasting  their  way  through  the 
hard  rock  uncovering  the  rich  silver  veins  hidden  beyond  and  the  thunder- 
ous explosions  of  dynamite  reverberated  through  the  canyon.  A  new 
mining  excitement  had  gripped  Nevada  and  a  new  and  rich  district 
evolved.  In  a  marvelously  short  period  of  time  Rochester  passed  through 
the  various  stages  from  a  prospect  to  a  producing  property.  Rich  veins 
have  been  penetrated  and  Rochester  bids  fair  to  equal  any  of  the  mining 
camps  which  Nevada  has  given  to  the  world. 

Rochester  is  situated  24  miles  northeast  of  the  agricultural  town  of 
Lovelock,  Nevada,  in  the  Humboldt  Range.  The  camp  is  10  miles  due 
east  of  Oreana,  now  called  Nixon,  on  the  main  overland  line  of  the 
Southern  Pacific  railroad,  to  which  point  the  ore  is  shipped  to  the 
smelters.  Neiuel  Hill  is  7200  feet  in  height,  standing  at  the  head  of 
Rochester  canyon.  To  the  east  are  the  American  canyons  where  millions 
of  dollars  in  gold  have  been  taken  by  Chinese  and  whites  in  the  past  40 
years  through  placer-mining.  To  the  north  is  Limerick  canyon  while  to  the 
south  is  Weaver  canyon.  Rochester  is  the  center  of  the  highly  mineralized 
Humboldt  Range  which  has  produced  some  of  the  greatest  mines  in  the 
history  of  the  State  of  Nevada. 


922          THE  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA 

CHAPTER  LI. 
LANDER  COUNTY. 

Lander  County  was  called  into  existence  by  an  Act  of  legislation 
approved  Dec.  I9th,  1862.  It  was  created  by  taking  portions  from 
Humboldt  and  Churchill  counties.  It  is  bounded  by  the  counties  of 
Churchill,  Humboldt  and  Esmeralda,  and  when  first  created  occupied 
one-third  of  the  area  of  Nevada.  In  1862  it  was  a  vast  unexplored 
region  crossed  by  two  overland  routes  of  travel,  the  Humboldt  Valley 
and  Simpson  routes.  The  mines  of  Pony  Canyon  were  the  first  dis- 
coveries and  the  name  of  Reese  River  was  given  to  the  District. 

The  settlement  of  the  country  began  with  the  Reese  River  excite- 
ment. The  overland  mail  route  crossed  the  Valley  of  Reese  River  at 
Jacobs  Station.  East  of  the  Station  was  a  pass  i,n  the  mountains 
through  which  pony-express  riders  often  traveled  as  a  cut-off,  and  it 
received  the  name  of  Pony  Canyon.  In  this  Canyon  on  May  2nd 
William  M.  Talcott  discovered  a  vein  of  rich  ore  while  hauling  wood 
from  the  Canyon.  The  ore  was  sent  to  Virginia  City  for  assay,  and 
proving  very  rich,  the  news  soon  spread  and  there  was  the  usual  rush 
to  the  "new  diggins."  Reese  River  Mining  District  was  formed  on 
the  loth  of  May,  1862.  The  first  locators  were  Wm.  M.  Talcott,  Felix 
O'Neil,  Augustus  Clapp,  James  Farmer,  G.  W.  Jacobs,  J.  R.  Jacobs, 
A.  P.  Haws,  Joseph  Towne,  Walter  Cary,  G.  L.  Turner,  and  T.  L. 
Grubb.  Their  locations  covered  a  total  of  2,600  feet.  The  first  was 
called  the  Pony  Ledge. 

Here  Austin  was  located  and  on  the  2nd  of  Sept.,  1863,  the  people 
voted  to  make  it  the  County  Seat  of  Lander.  On  May  5th,  1866,  a  strip 
of  territory  of  one  degree  of  longitude  was  taken  from  Utah  and  added 
to  Nevada.  This  added  three  square  degrees  of  territory  to  Lander 
County.  This  section  became  known  as  "The  Great  East"  and  Lander 
afterward  gave  up  strips  of  territory  here  and  there  to  other  counties 
until  it  became  known  as  "The  Mother  of  Counties."  Lander  was 
named  after  Gen.  Frederick  W.  Lander,  who  served  in  the  Indian  war 


LANDER    COUNTY  923 

of  1860  and  was  placed  by  the  U.  S.  Government  in  charge  of  the  con- 
struction of  a  wagon-road  across  Nevada. 

The  County  Commissioners  held  their  first  meeting  March  3rd, 
1863.  The  first  Court  House  was  built  by  J.  A.  McDonald  and  cost 
$8,440.  The  county  was  divided  into  thirteen  voting  precincts.  The 
census  of  July,  1863,  showed  1,052  men,  no  women,  and  "two  young 
children."  It  is  estimated  that  about  500  prospectors  scattered  among 
the  hills  were  not  enumerated  in  the  census. 

From  J.  L.  Madden's  account  of  the  early  discoveries  the  following 
is  taken : 

In  December,  1862,  John  Frost,  Felix  O'Neil,  J.  T.  Vanderbosh  and 
Geo.  Guffet  arrived  in  Austin.  They  found  J.  Marshall  and  William 
Cole  living  in  a  cabin  at  Clifton,  and  running  a  tunnel  on  the  Highland 
Mary,  opposite  the  present  site  of  the  International  hotel.  They 
located  the  North  Star,  Oregon  and  Southern  Light  lodes  and  returned 
to  Truckee  to  spend  the  winter.  From  these  claims  grew  the  Austin 
Manhattan  Consolidated  Mining  Company.  Jacobsville  was  the  first 
county  seat  of  Lander  County,  but  this  was  only  temporary,  as  the 
county  seat  was  moved  to  Austin  on  September  2,  1863.  On  February 
17,  1864,  Austin  and  Upper  Austin  were  incorporated  into  the  city  of 
Austin. 

The  first  bullion  output  was  from  Buel's  five-stamp  mill,  which 
started  August,  1863.  In  1883  there  were  29  mills  in  operation,  with 
an  aggregate  of  444  stamps.  The  cost  of  a  mill  at  this  time  was  from 
$125,000  to  $250,000,  so  there  was  considerable  capital  represented  in 
mills  in  Lander  County.  Austin  has  a  record  production  of  $50,000,000 
extracted  from  an  area  not  more  than  1,500  feet  square,  and  an 
average  depth  of  not  more  than  400  feet.  The  Reese  River  district 
comprises  a  mineral  area  of  over  15  square  miles,  which  has  not  even 
been  scratched  as  regards  mining. 

Prominent  among  the  famous  producers  of  the  Lander  Hill,  or 
Austin  mines,  and  which  were  not  worked  to  exceed  500  feet  in  depth, 
are  the  following:  The  Panamint,  with  a  record  of  nearly  $7,000,000. 
The  Paxton,  on  which  less  work  was  done,  but  has  produced  over 
$1,000,000.  Buel  and  North  Star  produced  over  $2,000,000.  The 
London,  on  which  comparatively  little  work  has  been  done,  but  which 
has  a  record  of  over  $1,500,000.  Independence,  production  over 


924  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

$1,000,000.  The  Oregon,  which  has  a  production  of  over  $5,000,000. 
The  Isabelle,  with  a  production  of  over  $3,000,000.  The  Union,  pro- 
duction $3,750,000.  The  Savage  and  Diana,  production  $2,000,000. 
Besides  various  others  having  excellent  records  of  production. 

At  one  time  there  were  69  shafts  in  operation  on  Lander  hill,  each 
shaft  being  on  a  different  vein  system.  So  far  as  known  there  are  100 
vein  systems  traversing  the  Lander  hill  area.  The  course  is  east  and 
west,  the  dip  is  north,  and  the  pay-shoots  pitch  to  the  northwest.  The 
formation  is  granulit  or  microgranite.  Nearly  every  known  silver  ore 
is  to  be  found  in  the  different  vein  systems.  The  principal  pay  ores, 
or  those  which  have  produced  the  greatest  tonnage,  are  argentite, 
cyrargyrite,  pyrargyrite,  proustite,  stephanites,  tetrahedrite  (gray 
copper)  and  chalcocite  copper  (silver)  glance.  In  reference  to  the 
gray  copper  ore  in  this  camp,  the  antimony  is  replaced  by  arsenic, 
and  the  major  portion  of  the  copper  by  silver,  which  renders  it  valu- 
able silver  ore. 

Lodes  Are  True  Fissures. — The  veins  or  lodes  are  true  fissures 
varying  from  one  to  five  feet  in  width  and  cross-sected  by  dioritic  and 
doleritic  dykes,  which  become  considerably  altered  at  the  intersection 
of  each  vein  system,  that  is,  the  diorites  graduate  into  an  altered 
gabbro  and  the  dolerites  into  an  altered  andesite.  These  dykes  cut  the 
east  and  west  or  general  vein  system  diagonally,  and  show  evidences 
of  a  second  Assuring,  for  the  reason  that  at  each  and  every  intersection 
ore  shoots  form  in  them,  besides,  throughout,  the  dykes  carry  an 
appreciable  amount  of  pay.  The  ore  deposits  form  in  regular  shoots 
and  rarely  are  lenticular  shaped. 

The  character  of  the  ore  is  semi-silicious  sulphide  base  below  the 
oxidized  zone;  the  ores  in  the  latter  zone  are  chlorides  and  chloride 
bromides.  The  zone  of  bonanzas  is  the  sulphide  zone,  or  zone  of 
secondary  enrichment.  The  veins  are  easily  and  cheaply  mined, 
requiring  little  or  no  timbering,  and  have  a  dip  of  nearly  55  degrees, 
which  enables  the  ores  to  be  easily  drawn  from  the  chutes  by  gravity. 

Austin  is  in  a  high  grade  district.  The  richest  ton  of  silver  ore  that 
any  mine  ever  produced  was  extracted  from  the  Panamint  stope  in  the 
Bodie  incline,  and  the  same  is  being  developed  in  the  ground  of  the 
Nevada  Equity  Mines  Company.  The  ton  of  ore  was  shipped  to  the 
Centennial  in  Philadelphia,  where  it  was  exhibited,  and  afterwards 


LANDER    COUNTY  925 

was  sold  to  a  smelter  in  New  Jersey  for  $22,000.  The  average  value 
received  in  the  mills  of  the  Manhattan  Silver  Mining  Company,  whose 
properties  now  belong  to  the  Austin  Manhattan  Consolidated  Mines 
Company,  for  20  years  average  $245.55  Per  ton,  while  the  very  rich 
ores  were  not  milled,  but  shipped  away  for  treatment.  From  19,522 
tons  of  ore  extracted  from  the  Panamint  vein  and  milled,  gave  a  yield 
of  $3,729,322.13,  to  which  may  be  added  fully  10,000  tons  worth  30 
ounces  aggregate  per  ton,  but  being  too  low  grade  to  be  milled  at  that 
period,  was  considered  worthless  and  was  thrown  away  with  the 
waste  rock.  From  4,778  tons  of  ore  mined  and  milled  from  the  Ferrel 
vein,  gave  a  net  bullion  yield  of  $1,147,377.  From  9,410  tons  of  ore 
mined  and  milled  from  the  Independence  vein  gave  a  bullion  yield  of 
$1,809,350.60. 

Again,  in  1869,  the  government  sent  as  United  States  Commis- 
sioner of  Mining,  Dr.  Rossiter  W.  Raymond  of  New  York,  who  is  one 
of  our  foremost  mining  engineers  of  to-day,  and  who  for  six  years 
reported  yearly  the  operations  of  this  district.  His  "Mineral  Re- 
sources of  the  West,"  six  volumes,  1869  to  1875,  may  be  found  at 
any  of  the  large  libraries.  In  his  reports  of  1870  to  1875,  he  says :  "I 
examined  the  prospects  of  the  Manhattan  Silver  Mining  Company. 
From  5,130  tons  of  ore  mined  and  milled  a  yield  of  $828,504  was 
obtained.  From  1,137  tons  °f  ore  mined  and  milled  from  the  Oregon 
lode  there  was  bullion  yield  of  $473,560,  an  average  of  $312  per  ton. 
From  the  Black  lode,  187  tons  yielded  $51,785  in  bullion,  or  an  average 
of  $270  per  ton.  From  the  Alida  lode  103  tons  worked  gave  in  bullion 
$20,714,  an  average  of  $200  per  ton."  In  his  report  of  1870  he  says: 
"The  Reese  River  district  produced  7,677  tons  of  ore  averaging  very 
nearly  $297.26  per  ton,  and  yielding  a  total  of  $2,278,749."  His  report 
of  1875  says:  "From  300  tons  of  ore  extracted  from  the  Silver  Cham- 
ber, a  yield  per  ton  was  obtained  of  $435,  or  a  total  of  $152,282.  Upon 
the  Magnolia  lode,  at  a  depth  of  125  feet,  the  paystreak  is  three  feet 
wide  and  averages  $200  per  ton,  but  in  places  the  ore  will  work  from 
$600  to  $1,000  per  ton." 

Austin  is  one  of  the  oldest  camps  in  the  West.  In  many  ways  its 
history  is  like  that  of  Eureka  which  is  70  miles  east.  Both  places  have 
held  prominence  as  large  mining  centers.  Present  conditions  in  the 
two  places  are  very  much  the  same.  Each  place  has  less  than  1,000 


926  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

population  now.  Many  of  the  good  mines  are  closed  on  account  of 
disputed  ownership  and  trouble  with  railroads  over  ore  rates.  These 
troubles  will  soon  be  adjusted  and  work  will  continue  on  some  of  the 
best  mines  in  Nevada;  payrolls  will  begin  and  business  activity  will 
increase.  Austin  and  Eureka  are  both  built  well  up  in  the  mountains, 
Eureka  at  an  elevation  of  7,200  feet  and  Austin  at  7,500  feet.  The 
mountain  scenery  around  these  two  towns  is  very  fine  and  has  been  a 
factor  in  drawing  many  tourists  there. 

The  government  maintains  a  forest  reserve  in  Lander  County  for 
grazing  purposes.  The  reserve  is  stocked  almost  to  the  limit  now. 
Many  thousand  head  of  sheep  and  cattle  are  kept  there.  Some  of  the 
largest  single  herds  in  Nevada  may  be  found  in  Lander  County.  Wool 
growing  is  an  important  industry  and  thousands  of  cattle  are  shipped 
out  every  year. 

The  meadow  lands  in  the  valleys  of  Eureka  and  Lander  counties 
produce  an  abundance  of  hay  for  feeding  stock.  The  REESE  RIVER 
REVEILLE,  published  at  Austin,  Nevada,  is  one  of  the  pioneer  papers  of 
the  State.  It  was  founded  in  1863  and  the  first  edition  was  printed 
May  16  of  that  year.  Lester  W.  Haworth  is  the  editor  and  manager. 


LINCOLN    COUNTY  927 

CHAPTER  LII. 

LINCOLN  COUNTY. 

BY  A.  L.  SCOTT. 

The  first  recorded  person  of  European  descent  to  enter  the  limits  of 
Nevada  was  Francisco  Garces  (1738-1781),  of  the  Order  of  St.  Francis, 
who  set  out  from  Sonora  in  1775  and  passed  through  what  is  now  the 
extreme  southern  corner  of  the  State,  later  known  as  Lincoln  County, 
on  his  way  to  California.  The  old  Spanish  trail  which  he  is  supposed 
to  have  orginated  and  which  is  shown  on  the  early  maps,  leads  by  a 
winding  course  from  Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico,  to  Los  Angeles,  via  the  Rio 
Virgini*  and  Las  Vegas.  In  1849,  a  company  looking  for  a  shorter  route 
into  southern  California,  crossed  the  lower  part  of  what  was  afterwards 
Lincoln  County,  and  perished  in  Death  Valley.  In  the  winter  of  1865-6, 
wagon-tire  and  other  irons  supposed  to  have  belonged  to  the  outfit  were 
found  and  brought  into  Pahranagat  Valley  to  be  used  by  the  miners  there. 
In  1852  the  Mormons  received  a  contract  to  carry  the  mail  from  Salt 
Lake  to  San  Bernardino  over  the  route  established  'by  Congress  that  year. 
Las  Vegas  was  established  at  that  time,  partly  as  a  way  station  and  partly 
to  smelt  lead  from  the  Potosi  mines.  Several  acres  were  planted  in 
grain  in  Meadow  Valley,  probably  near  the  present  site  of  Panaca,  in 
1858.  In  1863,  Meadow,  Eagle  and  Spring  valleys  were  used  as  herding 
grounds  by  St.  George  Mormons.  The  first  real  settlement  in  the  Southern 
part  of  the  County  was  in  1856  when  a  number  of  Mormon  families  set- 
tled at  Las  Vegas — The  Meadows.  In  1857  when  the  San  Bernardino 
Branch  of  Mormons  was  called  to  Salt  Lake,  the  station  fell  into  the 
hands  of  Gentiles  who  have  occupied  it  since.  In  1865  a  mission  of 
about  250  Mormon  families  from  Utah  settled  the  Muddy  Valley,  estab- 
lishing the  towns  of  St.  Thomas  (originally  laid  out  under  instructions 
from  Brigham  Young  in  1864),  Overton,  St.  Joseph,  Junctionville  and 
Bunkerville.  At  the  period  of  its  greatest  prosperity,  in  1867,  St.  Thomas 
contained  about  500  inhabitants.  These  Mormons  considered  themselves 


928  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

residents  of  Pahute  Co.,  Arizona,  but  the  subsequent  session  by  Congress 
of  a  degree  of  longitude  from  Arizona  to  Nevada  put  them  indisputably 
in  Nevada.  Controversies  then  arose  about  back-taxes,  to  end  which 
Brigham  Young  ordered  the  abandonment  of  the  settlements  in  the 
Muddy  Valley.  March,  1871,  witnessed  the  exodus  of  the  entire  popu- 
lation excepting  one  family.  Ore  was  discovered,  the  Colorado  District 
organized,  and  Eldorado  laid  out  in  1861.  Callville  was  settled  in  1864  by 
Anson  Call  and  some  Utah  emigrants.  About  1864  ore  was  discovered 
in  Pahranagat  (Watermelon)  Valley  and  in  1865  Wm.  H.  Raymond 
bought  about  a  million  feet  of  ground  there.  Prospects  were  very  pro- 
mising, so  steps  were  taken  to  organize  a  new  County,  with  Crystal 
Springs  as  the  County  Seat. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1866,  Governor  Blasdell  left  Carson  City,  accom- 
panied by  a  number  of  his  friends,  with  the  view  of  organizing  the  new 
County.  But,  the  party,  in  endeavoring  to  reach  Pahranagat  by  a  diff- 
erent route  from  the  ordinary  one,  journeyed  by  way  of  Death  Valley,  Cali- 
fornia. They  crossed  the  valley  without  serious  difficulty,  but  after  pass- 
ing Ash  Meadows  they  found  themselves  reduced  to  very  short  allowances 
of  food  and  water.  Realizing  the  perils  of  the  situation,  the  Governor, 
and  State  Geologist  White,  hastened  on  to  Logan  where  they  loaded  a 
wagon  with  supplies  and  sent  it  back  under  a  guard  to  their  suffering 
friends.  The  latter  were  met  at  Summit  Spring  in  a  sorry  plight.  For 
several  days  they  had  been  subsisting  on  lizards ;  one  man  of  the  party  had 
died,  and  all  were  more  or  less  exhausted  with  the  unusual  hardships. 
Then,  contrary  to  the  Governor's  expectations,  the  County  lacked  the  num- 
ber of  legal  voters  necessary  to  fill  the  legislative  requirements,  so  its 
organization  had  to  be  postponed  for  one  year. 

Of  the  Lincoln  County  aborigines,  practically  nothing  is  known,  as  there 
has  been  very  little  research  work.  Dr.  S.  L.  Lee,  of  Carson  City,  re- 
ported that  in  Condor  Canyon,  on  the  route  of  the  branch  railroad  to 
Pioche,  there  are  about  50  figures  cut  in  the  rocks,  many  of  them 
designed  to  represent  mountain  sheep.  Still  farther  south,  possibly  80 
miles  from  Pioche,  in  the  Meadow  Valley  wash  near  Kane  Springs,  this 
class  of  prehistoric  art  is  most  numerous  and  perfect  in  design.  Men 
on  horesback,  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  animals,  are  among  the  most 
perfect,  and  probably  modern,  of  the  designs  at  that  place.  The  Indians 
in  the  country,  who  are  practically  all  of  the  parent  Shoshone  tribe,  seem 


LINCOLN    COUNTY  929 

to  have  some  superstitious  belief  regarding  these  inscriptions.  In  any 
event,  they  refuse  to  talk  upon  the  subject  with  the  whites.  On  the  other 
hand,  their  unwillingness  to  speak  of  them  may  be  due  to  their  natural 
reticence  which  is  very  pronounced. 

About  April  i,  1867,  Robert  W.  Knox  left  Austin,  with  a  man  named 
L.  B.  Vail,  for  the  Southern  portion  of  the  State.  Nothing  further  was 
heard  of  Knox  until  his  body  was  disinterred  near  Hiko.  Indians  pissing 
a  formed  camping  ground  of  Vail  found  a  saddle  that  had  been  partly  dug 
up  by  coyotes,  and  took  it  to  Hiko.  As  foul  play  had  been  suspected, 
white  people  went  to  the  spot  where  the  saddle  had  been  found,  and  soon 
discovered  the  buried  body  of  Knox,  evidently  killed  by  a  blow  on  the 
head,  probably  with  an  axe,  while  asleep.  It  is  said  that  Vail  had  camped 
on  the  spot,  sleeping  upon  the  grave  of  his  victim  for  over  a  month  in  order 
to  hide  it.  Vail  was  captured  at  the  White  House,  on  Reese  River,  about 
10  miles  from  Austin,  by  Sheriff  Jas.  E.  Matthews,  of  Lincoln  Co.,  Sheriff 
Rauney,  of  Nye  County,  and  City  Marshall  Hank  Knerr,  of  Austin.  After 
his  arrest  he  was  taken  to  Belmont  and  held  in  jail  there  by  order  of 
Judge  Curler  for  some  weeks,  as  there  was  neither  Judge  nor  jail  as 
yet  in  Lincoln  Co.  Early  in  July,  however,  Sheriff  Matthews  took 
his  prisoner  to  Logan.  On  July  10,  he  was  taken  before  a  justice  of  the 
peace  for  examination,  but  on  the  nth  he  was  taken  away  from  the 
officers  by  a  body  of  citizens.  He  was  brought  to  Hiko  where  a  Court  was 
organized  and  a  jury  impanelled.  Reports  say  he  was  given  a  fair  trial, 
found  guilty  of  murder,  and  at  15  minutes  to  9,  he  was  sentenced  to  be 
hanged  at  10  o'clock.  Another  report  says  that  while  his  trial  was 
going  on  in  a  front  room,  his  coffin  was  being  made  in  the  rear.  He  was 
taken  under  a  tree  in  a  wagon,  the  noose  adjusted  to  a  convenient  limb, 
and  the  wagon  then  driven  out  from  under  him. 

The  history  of  Lincoln  County  is  largely  a  history  of  its  mines.  Potosi 
and  Eldorado  Canyon  were  the  earliest  strikes,  followed  shortly  after 
by  the  Pahranagat  Valley.  Next  came  Pioche,  originally  known  as  Panaca 
(Panacker-Silver)  Mount  Irish,  with  an  altitude  of  n,ooo  feet,  where 
many  good  prospects  have  been  found  since  1865,  was  named  after  the 
Indian  agent  at  that  time.  Freyberg,  in  the  Worthington  district,  was 
located  in  '65.  The  Highland  district  was  organized  in  '68 :  Silver  Springs, 
now  known  as  Silver  Park,  where  there  were  once  two  mills,  was  organized 
in  '69;  Tem  Pah  Ute,  formerly  the  Sheridan  district,  in  '68;  Groom  in 


930  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

'70;  Pennsylvania  in  '71 ;  Bristol  and  Chief,  '70;  Silver  King  and  Patter- 
son about  '74,  and  Jack  Rabbit  in  '76.  Wm.  Hamblin  was  in  Clover  Valley 
in  the  early  '6os;  a  negro,  Barton,  says  he  was  the  first  white  man  to 
settle  in  Meadow  Valley;  Spring  Valley  was  settled  in  '67  by  Wm.  C. 
Moody  and  Alma  Willett ;  Lake  Valley,  A.  Prarie's  farm,  shortly  after- 
wards. Pioche  was  settled  in  1868  by  Jos.  Grange  and  E.  M.  Chubard, 
who  erected  a  small  furnace  which  proved  a  failure.  In  1869,  Raymond 
and  Ely  brought  their  five-stamp  mill  up  from  the  Pahranagat  Valley. 
A  company  consisting  of  P.  McCannon,  L.  Lacour,  and  A.  M.  Bush  laid 
out  the  town  in  1869.  It  was  surveyed  by  E.  L.  Neason,  C.  E.,  and  was 
named  Pioche  by  Mrs.  S.  E.  C.  (Carmichael)  Williamson  in  a  letter  read 
at  the  organization  meeting  of  the  Ely  Mingin  District  which  follows : 

MEADOW  VALLEY,  February  20,  1869. 

Messrs.     SMITH,    TOWNSEND,    McNEiLL   AND   OTHERS — locating   the   "City   of   the 
Future": 

Gentlemen — With  many  thanks  for  the  compliment  allowing  me  to  suggest  a 
name  for  your  City,  I  offer  for  your  consideration  "Pioche."  Most  respectfully, 

S.  E.  C.  WILLIAMSON. 

F.  L.  A.  Pioche,  of  San  Francisco,  owned  largely  in  the  mines,  so  the  town  still 
bears  his  name.  In  1870-2  Pioche  was  the  most  active  town  in  Nevada,  with  the 
possible  exception  of  Virginia  City. 

The  County  Seat,  first  at  Crystal  Springs,  and  later  at  Hiko,  came  to 
Pioche  with  the  boom.  Writing  on  the  "Romance  of  Pioche,"  Col. 
James  W.  Abbott  says:  "Long  before  the  camp  had  any  name,  the 
Pahute  Indians  had  discovered  the  ore.  As  early  as  1863  some  of  that 
tribe  had  induced  a  man  named  William  Hamblin  to  go  with  them  to  the 
scene  of  their  discovery.  At  the  time  of  his  first  visit  to  the  deposits, 
Hamblin  attempted  to  make  some  locations,  but  at  that  early  period  the 
mining  laws  and  regulations  were  exceedingly  crude.  The  following 
year,  1864,  Hamblin  returned  to  the  place  with  other  white  men,  and 
more  locations  were  made.  (The  Panacker,  1864,  is  the  first  recorded 
claim,  and  from  it  the  adjoining  acreage  was  called  Panaca  Flat),  owing 
to  the  distractions  of  the  Civil  war,  and  difficulties  with  the  Indians, 
little  progress  was  made  in  developing  this  region  for  some  years.  There 
was  no  transcontinental  railroad  in  those  days ;  even  Virginia  City 
was  reached  by  stage  lines  crossing  the  Sierras.  All  freight  from  the 
East  came  by  vessel  to  San  Francisco,  and  was  shipped  in  from  there 
by  freight  wagons.  A  line  of  Concord  coaches  was  operated  from  the 
Missouri  River  to  Sacramento,  but  the  fare  was  very  high,  and  the 


LINCOLN    COUNTY  931 

cost  of  freight  prescriptive.  Prospectors  nearly  all  came  by  stage  to 
Virginia  City,  and  outfitted  there  for  prospecting  trips,  or  proceeded 
further  East  to  some  other  camp  to  purchase  an  outfit  there  from  some 
other  adventurer.  A  little  desultory  work  was  done  on  the  claims  from 
'64  to  the  early  part  of  '68.  By  this  time  trie  story  of  the  rich  veins 
had  gone  abroad,  and  it  was  early  in  the  year  1868  that  F.  L.  A. 
Pioche  sent  Chas.  E.  Hoffman  to  purchase  the  properties  which  later 
were  incorporated  as  the  Meadow  Valley  Mining  Co.,  one  of  the  two 
great  mining  companies  that  in  the  7o's  became  rivals,  and  were  as 
famous  in  the  mining  world  as  the  Bonanza  Mines  at  Virginia  City. 
Hoffman  was  a  metallurgist  of  considerable  experience  and  high  reputa- 
tion. He  brought  with  him  from  California  to  Pioche,  a  lot  of  Mexicans 
who  had  worked  for  him  there,  and  at  once  began  to  erect  a  little  smelter 
to  treat  the  ores  from  the  claims  he  had  purchased  for  Pioche.  About  the 
first  of  the  year  1869,  two  men,  named  John  H.  Ely,  and  Wm.  H.  Raymond, 
appeared  at  the  new  camp.  They  had  been  operating  in  the  Pahranagat 
Valley,  about  150  miles  farther  South,  and  had  gone  through  all  their 
means  when  they  reached  Pioche's  camp.  They  made  a  dicker  with  two 
brothers  named  Edward  and  Pat  Burke,  who  had  located  a  very  rich 
claim,  and  bought  it.  Ely  and  Raymond  had  been  running  a  little  five- 
stamp  mill  down  at  Hiko  in  the  Pahranagat  Valley,  and  there  it  had  been 
a  dismal  failure.  Twelve  miles  below  Pioche's  camp  was  a  Mormon 
settlement  called  Panaca  (settled  about  1864,  and  receiving  its  name 
from  the  Panacker  claim  as  the  party  locating  it  had  made  their  head- 
quarters there  in  '64).  Ely  and  Raymond  induced  some  of  the  Mormons  to 
go  down  to  Hiko  and  bring  up  that  little  five-stamp  mill,  and  to  wait  for 
their  pay  until  it  could  be  realized  from  the  sale  of  bullion.  The  mill 
was  brought  and  set  up  on  a  sloping  hillside  where  water  was  convenient 
and  abundant  (later  known  as  Bullionville),  and  to  this  mill  the  Mormons 
hauled  the  rich  ore  from  the  Burke  mine.  The  enterprise  prospered ;  Ely 
and  Raymond  made  money  very  rapidly,  liquidated  their  debts  to  the 
Mormons,  and  soon  organized  a  company  which  became  the  famous  Ray- 
mond &  Ely.  The  Meadow  Valley  and  the  Raymond  &  Ely  remained  the 
two  great  rival  properties  and  continued  to  produce  very  abundantly 
until  the  year  1876.  The  year  1872  was  the  banner  year  of  production. 
Just  how  much  was  realized  from  the  mines  in  that  or  any  other  year,  it 
is  impossible  to  ascertain.  The  law  of  Nevada  provides  that  a  return 


932 

must  be  made  to  the  County  Assessor  of  the  bullion  produced  in  the 
County.  During  the  year  1872,  the  returns  to  the  County  Assessor  in 
Lincoln  Co.,  of  which  Pioche  was  the  County  Seat,  aggregated  about 
$6,000,000.  As  these  returns  were  required  for  the  purposes  of  assess- 
ment and  taxation,  it  is  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  full  returns  were 
made  to  the  County  Assessor.  The  bullion  all  had  to  go  to  the  outside 
world,  where  it  WHS  converted  into  cash,  and  the  money  was  deposited  at 
the  Company's  headquarters  in  San  Francisco.  It  was  not  necessary  even 
then  that  there  should  be  a  record  of  it  at  the  Company's  local  office  at 
Pioche.  The  ore  was  largely  in  the  form  of  silver  chlorides  and  bro- 
mides, and  lead  carbonates  rich  in  silver.  The  gold  and  silver  were 
extracted  from  the  ore  by  what  was  known  as  the  Washoe  process, 
so-called  because  the  process  was  first  devised  to  treat  the  ores  of  the 
Washoe  district,  Utah,  later  known  as  the  Comstock  bonanzas  of  Vir- 
ginia City.  Bullionville,  where  Raymond  &  Ely's  five-stamp  mill  had 
been  erected,  became  a  very  important  point.  The  little  five-stamp  mill  ran 
for  a  year  or  two,  but  other  and  larger  mills  were  built  and  soon  sup- 
planted it.  The  din  of  a  hundred  stamps  in  larger  and  better  equipped  mills 
after  a  while  drowned  the  feeble  tapping  of  those  little  antiquated  stamps, 
and  soon  they  went  to  the  scrap  heap.  All  the  ore  from  the  Raymond  &  Ely 
mine,  and  much  from  other  claims  in  the  district,  was  treated  at  Bullion- 
ville, but  the  Meadow  Valley  ore  was  treated  in  a  splendid  mill  which  the 
Company  built  at  Dry  Valley,  ten  miles  northeast  of  Pioche,  where  a 
well  had  been  sunk  to  obtain  water.  After  the  transcontinental  railroad 
was  completed  and  opened  in  '69,  freight,  stages  and  express  came  in 
from  various  points  on  that  road.  Some  came  from  Salt  Lake,  some 
from  Toano  (near  where  Cobre  is  now  located),  some  from  Wells  and 
Elko,  and  probably  the  larger  part  from  Palisade  by  way  of  Hamilton. 
Much  has  been  written  about  conditions  in  Pioche  during  the  time  of  its 
greatest  activity.  It  was  a  wild,  turbulent,  uproarious  population  which 
gathered  there.  At  the  height  of  its  boom  in  '72,  Pioche  must  have  had 
a  population  of  10,000  people.  This  meant  life  at  full  tide.  The  follow- 
ing are  a  few  of  the  high  lights  in  an  intensively  interesting  picture: — 
A  daily  line  of  six-horse  Concord  coaches  carrying  U.  S.  mail  and  Wells- 
Fargo  express  to  the  Central  Pacific  R.  R.  at  Palisade,  through  Hamilton 
(White  Pine)  ;  a  similar  line  to  Salt  Lake  City,  both  operated  by  the 
famous  Western  stage-men  Gilmer  &  Salisbury;  three  daily  lines,  two 


LINCOLN    COUNTY  933 

of  them  running  six-horse  Concord  coaches,  to  Bullionville ;  three  lines 
of  railroad  organized  to  build  into  Pioche  with  the  utmost  possible 
speed — The  Salt  Lake  City,  Sevier  Valley  &  Pioche  Railroad  (a  Mormon 
line)  and  the  Palisade,  Eureaka  &  Pioche,  controlled  by  D.  O.  Mills  from 
the  North,  and  another  from  the  South;  the  Western  Union  Telegraph 
to  San  Francisco  by  way  of  Palisade  (Pioche  was  long  one  of  the 
Western  Union's  principal  western  offices),  and  the  Desert  Telegraph 
(Brigham  Young's  line)  through  Salt  Lake  City;  32  steam  hoists  with 
their  chorus  of  whistles;  a  fast-freight-mile-line  running  day  and  night, 
with  regular  station  for  change  of  stock,  carrying  freight  under  contract 
for  delivery  in  five  days  (with  penalty  for  failure)  from  Palisade  to 
Pioche  (260  miles)  ;  a  narrow  guage  steam  freight  railroad  from  Pioche 
to  Bullionville,  past  the  mills  at  Dry  Valley  and  through  Condor  Canyon ; 
two  daily  papers  with  associated  press  service ;  in  the  cemetery  the  graves 
of  78  men  who  died  a  violent  death;  72  saloons,  3  hurdy-gurdies  (dance- 
halls,  two  white  and  one  variegated)  ;  32  maisons  de  joie,  with  intimate  cor- 
relation in  the  last  four  items;  two  good  theatres;  two  breweries;  two 
gravity  water-systems  with  street  mains  and  fire  plugs,  and  two  hose 
companies ;  a  livery  stable  with  300  horses.  Probably  twenty  mining 
companies  were  organized  to  operate  different  properties  at  or  near 
Pioche.  These  companies  were  all  listed  on  the  San  Francisco  stock  ex- 
change, and  the  best  of  them  were  as  much  in  demand  as  the  Virginia 
City  stocks.  Fortunes  were  made  and  lost  in  the  stocks  of  Meadow  Valley 
and  Raymond  &  Ely.  The  final  collapse  of  the  camp  was  said  to  be  due 
primarily  to  stock  speculation."  It  is  certain,  however,  that  reaching  the 
water  level  (1200  ft.),  the  demonetization  of  silver  and  the  failure  of  the 
Bank  of  San  Francisco  were  contributing  causes.  Under  the  subject  "Ear- 
ly Days  in  Lincoln  County,"  Charles  Gracey  in  a  letter  to  the  Nevada 
Historical  Society  says: — "In  August  1868  we  loaded  up  at  White  Pine 
and  started  for  Lincoln  County,  Highland  District,  the  latter  named  by 
Mr.  Allen  McDougall  (our  guide)  who  was  Highland  Scotch.  Since 
ours  was  the  first  wagon  into  the  county  (?)  we  had  to  break  the  road, 
and  we  were  several  days  making  the  trip.  Arrived  in  camp  we  found 
the  balance  of  the  company,  which  consisted  of  six  in  all:  Ed.  Cavence, 
Gus  Gatewood,  Chas.  Meyers,  Allen  McDougall,  Micham  and  myself.  I 
did  not  like  the  looks  of  the  mines  when  I  had  time  to  look  them  over,  but 
did  not  say  much  for  I  saw  that  they  were  all  touchy  about  the  matter. 


934  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Times  had  been  very  hard  with  them,  and  they  were  all  glad  for  the  load  of 
provisions,  steel  and  tools  which  we  had  brought  in  with  us,  and  we 
commenced  to  open  Highland  district,  twelve  (  ?)  miles  west  of  Pioche. 
Some  of  the  names  at  least  in  the  following  narrative  will  be  familiar  to 
many  readers.  There  came  to  our  camp  two  brothers,  Pete  and  George 
Miller.  Pete  was,  later,  in  politics  and  held  County  offices.  We  were 
in  Stampede  Gap,  well  North  in  the  District.  In  the  Southern  part  were 
Slaven,  Marshall,  and  four  brothers  from  Arkansas,  the  Dodd  boys,  as 
they  were  called,  also  Johnnie  Harwood.  Marshall  was  our  District 
Recorder.  We  met  every  evening  and  discussed  matters.  It  was  in  this 
way  that  I  learned  that  60  miles  South  and  West  was  Pahranagat  Valley 
and  the  town  of  Hiko,  and  that  over  there  were  mills  for  the  working 
of  silver  ores ;  that  a  man  by  the  name  of  W.  H.  Raymond  had  operated 
them  in  '63,  '64  and  '65,  and  that  he  and  John  Ely  had  sold  out  for  big 
money  (?).  I  learned  also  that  here  were  mines  in  Pioche  (called 
Panaca  at  that  time),  and  that  E.  Marten  Smith  had  been  there  and 
purchased  lead  mines  and  proposed  building  a  smelter. 

"Our  mines  in  Stampede  Gap  did  not  turn  out  well  because  we  did  not 
understand  the  ores.  I  built  a  small  furnace,  and  with  a  large  bellows 
which  I  had,  tried  to  smelt  some  of  the  ores  and  succeeded,  but  the 
product  was  small  and  mostly  lead.  The  expense  was  great  and,  as  I  was 
the  only  man  in  the  Company  who  had  a  cent  of  money,  it  was  soon  ex- 
hausted and  we  broke  camp.  We  all  started  off  to  find  new  fields.  Com- 
ing to  the  new  camp  of  Pioche,  we  found  great  expectations  among 
all  classes.  E.  Marten  Smith  had  sold  the  Meadow  Valley  mine  to  Cali- 
fornia men  who  proposed  building  a  smelter  at  once.  A  man  by  the 
name  of  Lacour  had  put  in  a  stock  of  goods.  For  prospectors  'all  broke' 
and  ready  for  anything  that  would  furnish  grub  this  was  great  news. 
The  thought  occurred  to  one  of  our  company,  Charlie  Meyers,  that  if  a 
smelter  was  to  be  built,  there  must  be  coal  ( charcoal)  to  run  it,  and,  said 
he,  'burning  coal  is  my  business.'  We  all  agreed  that  he  must  see  the 
Meadow  Valley  men  about  coal.  Accordingly  the  next  day  he  interviewed 
Charles  Hoffman,  the  head  man  of  the  Meadow  Valley  outfit,  and  secured 
a  contract  for  2000  bushels  of  coal  at  3oc.  a  bushel  at  the  pit.  That 
night  there  was  a  great  rejoicing  in  our  camp.  It  certainly  looked 
as  if  all  of  our  fortunes  were  made.  Next  morning  we  all 
assembled  at  a  grove  of  nut-pine  and  commenced  to  build  two  coal 


LINCOLN    COUNTY  935 

pits.  We  carried  the  wood  on  our  backs  to  suitable  ground.  Meyers  made 
good  and  proved  that  he  thoroughly  understood  the  coal  burning.  Our 
success  was  great.  In  a  few  weeks  we  had  our  money,  for  the  Meadow 
Valley  Company  was  composed  of  wealthy  men,  F.  L.  A.  Pioche  be- 
ing one  of  them.  They  put  things  through  rapidly.  All  these  things  hap- 
pened in  1869.  When  we  got  our  money  for  the  coal,  Ed.  Cavence  and  I 
took  my  team  and  started  to  White  Pine  for  supplies,  that  being  the  near- 
est provisioning  point.  On  our  return  we  fell  in  with  a  load  of  sup- 
plies coming  in  for  the  Meadow  Valley  Co.,  and  with  the  load  were  some 
young  men  of  whom  I  afterwards  learned  to  think  a  great  deal  of— 
Thompson  Campbell,  Dave  Newman,  John  McManus  and  Jas.  Findley. 
Hoffman  had  employed  them  and  was  sending  them  out  to  work  for 
the  Company,  mostly  at  office-work.  When  we  got  back  to  camp 
(Pioche),  we  found  that  another  Company  had  been  started  and  was 
building  a  furnace.  The  Company,  consisted  of  two  men,  Raymond  and 
Ely,  who  started  in  a  humble  way,  but  later  figured  largely  in  the 
camp  and  the  county.  Still  another  individual  has  as  much  to  do  with  the 
success  of  the  camp  as  any  other  man.  His  name  was  Shuber.  He  was 
a  Frenchman  and  a  metallurgist  of  note.  He  had  a  furnace  built  on  upper 
Main  street,  near  the  Raymond  &  Ely  mine,  and  worked  it  with  two 
bellows  arranged  with  double  covers  and  his  power  was  the  noble  burro. 
He  made  a  success  and  proved  the  values  of  the  ores,  but  also  demonstrated 
that  they  were  not  smelting  ores.  The  Meadow  Valley  Co.  spent  $75,000 
to  learn  what  Shuber  (E.  M.  Chubard)  proved  for  $75,  not  counting  his 
work.  Shuber  proved  his  mines,  took  the  small  amount  of  bullion  pro- 
duced and  his  returns  away  with  him,  sold  his  interests  and  never  re- 
turned. In  November,  1869,  I  went  over  to  where  the  Raymond  & 
Ely  people  were  at  work  and  found  Tom  Greaves  trying  in  vain  to  put 
steel  into  a  pick.  Here  was  my  opportunity.  I  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade. 
I  put  the  steel  in  and  became  great  in  an  hour.  John  Ely  was  in- 
formed of  the  circumstance.  He  came  to  me  and  said:  'Gracy,  you  are 
just  the  man  for  whom  we  are  looking;  you  stay  here  and  do  our  work, 
and  you  can  board  at  our  camp.'  Board  looked  good  to  me  and  I  stayed. 
They  were  building  a  furance  and  had  had  a  threshing  machine  horse- 
power to  run  the  blower.  A  German  named  Shuner  was  employed  as  the 
furnace  expert.  After  some  days  of  experimenting  the  furnace  was 
declared  a  failure.  While  working  at  odd  jobs  I  had  by  this  time  showed 


936  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

that  I  understood  machinery.  Mr.  Raymond  now  came  to  me  and  said : 
'Mr.  C.  P.  Hall  tells  me  that  you  are  a  machinist  as  well  as  a  blacksmith.' 
I  replied  that  I  was.  Said  he :  'I  never  expected  this  furnace  to  work,  but  I 
wanted  my  partner,  Mr.  Ely,  to  be  satisfied,  which  I  think  he  now  is. 
I  have  a  silver-mill  in  Pahranagat  Valley.  If  you  think  that  you  could 
take  it  down  and  have  it  put  up  again  in  good  shape,  I  would  have  it 
brought  over  to  Bullionville  and  have  it  set  up  there.  I  think  that  this 
ore  can  be  worked  by  the  same  process.'  I  assured  him  that  I  could  do 
any  kind  of  machine  work,  having  erected  two  sawmills  in  California,  and 
he  replied  that  he  was  satisfied  that  I  could  do  the  work.  'But'  said  he 
'we  have  no  money.  If  we  can  take  it  out  of  the  mine,  we  will  pay  you, 
and  it  will  also  make  your  mines  more  valuable.'  I  agreed  to  work  without 
pay  if  he  would  furnish  the  grub.  He  replied  that  he  could  not  even  do 
that,  but  that  John  Ely,  his  partner,  was  acquainted  with  the  Mormons 
and  could  get  grub  from  them.  Moreover,  he  did  not  even  own  the  mine 
as  yet,  but  if  I  would  promise  to  stay  with  him  and  build  the  mill,  he  would 
buy  the  mine.  That  night  around  the  camp-fire  were  Pony  Duncan,  Bob 
Winans,  the  Burke  Brothers,  Raymond  and  myself,  and  several  others. 
All  were  very  glum.  The  smelter  was  a  failure.  No  one  had  any 
means,  and  it  was,  on  the  whole,  rather  a  dull  outlook.  After  a  while, 
Mr.  Raymond  spoke  up  and  said  to  Mr.  Burke  (called  Pat  Maloy)  :  'This 
furnace  is  a  failure.  I  have  a  proposition  to  make  to  you  boys  that 
own  this  Burke  mine.  I  have  a  five-stamp  mill  in  Pahranagat  Valley. 
I  am  willing  to  pay  you  $35,000  for  the  mine,  provided  you  will  wait 
for  your  money  until  I  can  get  the  mill  here  and  take  out  the  ore.'  All 
were  very  quiet  for  a  time.  Then  Pony  Duncan  spoke  up  and  said: 
'I  am  willing  to  agree  to  that.'  Bob  Winans  also  agreed  to  it.  The 
Burke  brothers  who  owned  one  half  of  the  mine  said  nothing.  Thus 
we  sat  for  10  minutes  and  no  one  spoke.  Then  'Pat  Maloy'  asked: 
'Where  will  we  get  anything  to  eat  while  you  are  doing  all  that?'  Ray- 
mond replied  that  John  Ely  would  see  to  getting  the  grub.  Then  said 
Burke:  'It  is  all  right,'  and  Mr.  Raymond  handed  him  his  silver  watch 
and  turning  to  me,  said :  'Charlie,  you  are  a  witness  that  I  have  bought 
this  mine  and  that  I  give  him  this  watch  to  bind  the  bargain.  Boys, 
you  are  all  witnesses.  This  watch  is  worth  $60.  Charlie,  we  will  start  for 
Pahranagat  at  once,  going  as  far  as  Bullionville  to-night.'  That 
was  12  miles  from  where  we  were  camped.  Then  Raymond  said  to  Withe 


LINCOLN     COUNTY  937 

Walker,  who  was  attending  to  camp :  'Walker,  can  you  let  us  have  some 
bread  and  meat?'  Walker  put  up  a  loaf  of  bread  and  a  large  piece  of 
boiled  beef,  and  we  started  out  for  Panaca,  or,  as  it  was  afterwards 
called,  Bullionville.  Some  time  during  the  night  we  arrived  at  the  place 
where  we  built  the  mill.  Next  day  we  got  some  teams  at  the  Mormon 
settlement  and  started  for  Pahranagat  Valley.  Some  mining  had  been 
done  at  the  latter  place  in  the  early  6o's,  and  Raymond  had  been  the 
moving  spirit,  but  it  had  proved  a  failure.  About  the  same  time  there 
was  a  rumor  of  trouble  with  the  Indians,  but  more,  I  believe,  of  some 
doubt  about  the  Mormons  being  loyal  to  the  North,  and  in  1864  General 
Connor  had  been  sent  with  cavalry  to  look  things  over.  His  men  had  lo- 
cated many  claims  both  in  Pahranagat  and  in  the  Pioche  country,  but  had 
done  nothing  to  speak  of.  The  soldiers  and  all  prospectors  had  left  in  '65, 
and  all  the  mines  had  been  abandoned  until  '68.  We  arrived  in  Pahrana- 
gat in  good  time.  We  took  down  the  mill  and  made  arrangements  with 
residents  of  the  valley  to  have  it  loaded  on  teams  as  they  came  in.  Then 
we  returned  to  the  mill-site,  and  the  miners  of  the  camp  volunteered  their 
services  to  grade  for  the  mill  and  to  build  the  road.  All  were  promised 
pay  after  the  mill  was  started.  The  building  was  slow  work,  but  in 
January  1870,  I  got  things  in  shape  and  ran  the  five-stamps  on  ore  that 
had  been  hauled  down  to  the  place.  In  the  meantime  Mr.  Raymond 
had  gathered  around  him  men  who  had  spme  knowledge  of  working 
the  ore.  The  head  man  was  L.  B.  Sever,  an  assayer  and  a  good  man. 
There  was  also  a  carpenter  named  Mortimer  Fuller,  afterwards  District 
Judge.  I  had  considerable  trouble  with  the  mill,  but  finally  got  it 
started.  The  first  night  I  stayed  up  all  night.  We  drew  off  the  charge 
from  the  pans  into  the  settler  and  then  drew  off  the  quicksilver  from  the 
settler  and  strained  it  through  a  sack.  In  the  morning  I  had  the  sack 
full  of  amalgam.  Mr.  Raymond  came  down  about  four  in  the  morning 
and  asked  me  how  things  were.  I  showed  him  the  sack  of  amalgam.  He 
pinched  it  and  said :  'That  is  good ;  it  squeaks.  Gold  and  silver  amalgam 
is  the  only  one  that  will  squeak.'  Well,  it  was  a  success.  The  ore  was 
worth  $300  a  ton  and  we  were  working  it  to  78  per  cent.  There  was  plenty 
of  ore,  and  in  60  days  Raymond  and  Ely  had  paid  every  dollar  they  owed 
and  were  rich  men.  We  had  shot  off  a  gun  that  sounded  around  the 
world,  but  were  not  aware  of  it,  at  least  I  was  not.  I  was  Chief  Engineer 
of  the  Raymond  &  Ely  for  7  years,  and  had  60  stamps  running  the 


938  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

last  5  years.  In  that  time  the  Raymond  &  Ely  Co.  produced  $17,00,000. 
The  Meadow  Valley  Co.  did  not  produce  as  much,  but  that  mine  was  also 
good  and  produced  many  millions.  When  with  our  five-stamp  mill  we 
proved  how  easily  money  could  be  taken  out,  that  was  the  making 
of  Pioche.  Bullion  was  a  great  advertiser.  People  began  to  flock  in  from 
everywhere.  Rich  ore  was  found  in  many  places  not  thought  of  be- 
fore. The  first  trouble  occurred  at  the  Washington  &  Creole.  Tom 
and  Frank  Newland  had  made  a  location  above  the  Washington  &  Creole 
mine,  which  latter  was  owned  by  Raymond  &  Ely.  The  Newland  t>oys 
asked  for  the  privilege  of  starting  a  tunnel  below  the  Washington  & 
Creole  to  run  through  the  same  which  at  this  time  was  not  considered 
of  much  value.  Raymond  &  Ely  gladly  granted  the  privilege  for  the  New- 
land  boys  were  new-commers  and  needed  encouragement.  The  boys 
ran  in  their  tunnel  about  30  feet  underground,  or  from  the  face,  and 
struck  the  Washington  &  Creole  ledge  as  was  expected.  But,  contrary 
to  expectations,  the  ledge  at  this  point  was  very  rich,  averaging  about 
$300  per  ton.  It  proved  to  be  9  feet  thick.  Before  much  was  known 
about  the  strike,  the  Newland  boys  went  to  Ely  and  Raymond,  and 
secured  the  privilege  of  taking  out  ore  on  the  Washington  &  Creole  for 
30  days.  They  then  opened  up  a  wonderful  bonanza.  Everything  was 
satisfactory.  Raymond  &  Ely  were  pleased  that  the  boys  were  doing 
well,  and  Mr.  Raymond  said  that  it  would  encourage  others  to  dig. 
When  the  30  days  expired  the  ground  was  turned  over  to  Withe  Walker, 
who  was  foreman  for  Raymond  &  Ely.  Walker  went  with  the  Newlands 
through  the  tunnel  and  saw  thousands  of  tons  of  rich  ore  exposed  and 
ready  to  be  taken  out.  Walker  was  naturally  much  pleased,  and  said  he : 
T  can  keep  that  rattletrap  of  a  mill  at  Bullionville  going  now.'  As  the 
Burke  mine  was  then  in  a  pinch  and  not  supplying  the  ore  as  rapidly  as 
needed,  everyone  was  pleased.  Mr.  Raymond  said  'That  ore  might  have 
lain  there  for  years,  or  might  never  have  been  found.'  He  believed  iri 
being  liberal.  It  was  the  best  way,  and  he  took  considerable  credit  to 
himself  for  his  fair  dealings.  He  was  indeed  a  fair  man,  but  he  had 
much  to  learn  and  never  learned  it.  Well,  as  I  have  said,  the  Newland 
boys  turned  the  thing  over,  and  everyone  thought  that  it  was  all  right. 
The  Newlands  went  on  with  their  tunnel.  But  a  mountain  of  ore  worth 
$300  a  ton  will  worry  anyone  when  it  is  in  plain  sight  and  everyone  is  al- 
lowed to  see  it.  Before  long  the  Newlands  got  some  of  the  new  men  from 


LINCOLN     COUNTY  939 

White  Pine  to  help  jump  the  mine.  They  built  a  fort  in  the  night  and 
manned  it  with  men  and  guns  for  defense.  Then  they  commenced  to 
take  out  and  ship  the  ore  to  Silver  Peak,  where  there  was  a  ten-stamp 
mill.  There  was  no  law  in  the  country,  and  no  one  to  stop  them. 
It  is  true  that  a  township  had  been  formed  and  a  justice  court  provided. 
The  County  had  held  an  election  and  chosen  John  Kane,  a  miner, 
Sheriff.  He  went  up  to  the  fort  but  was  ordered  away.  The  boys 
continued  to  move  the  ore.  Something  had  to  be  done.  Raymond 
and  Ely  could  do  nothing,  for  they  were  told  in  plain  words  that  if 
either  of  them  set  foot  in  camp  it  would  be  certain  death,  and  there  is 
no  doubt  but  such  would  have  been  the  case.  Many  men  were  coming 
from  many  places,  some  men  of  means.  There  went  to  Bullionville  four 
young  men,  polite,  gentlemanly  fellows,  all  under  30  years  of  age, 
They  were  Michael  Casey,  Barney  Flood,  Morgan  Courtney  and  Wm. 
Bethers.  They  said  to  Raymond  and  Ely:  'We  will  drive  these  fellows 
off  it  you  will  give  us  a  written  promise  that  we  can  have  the  ground  for 
30  days.'  The  bargain  was  made  and  operations  begun.  I  was  posted 
on  everything  that  was  going  on,  but  did  not  know  when  or  how 
these  young  men  would  get  possession.  That  they  kept  to  themselves. 
This  is  what  was  done;  I  was  in  a  good  position  to  see  the  whole 
battle,  which  was  afterwards  known  as  the  Washington  &  Creole  fight. 
These  young  men  got  some  whiskey  up  to  the  guard  in  the  fort.  At 
that  time  there  was  a  pretty  good  growth  of  nut  pine  on  the  hill  above  the 
fort.  Here  the  young  men  hid.  About  3  o'clock  there  came  a  shout, 
and  the  four  young  men  ran  rapidly  down  the  hill,  each  with  a  pistol 
in  hand.  They  drove  the  others  out  and  away  from  their  arms.  I  heard 
the  shots  and  saw  one  man  fall,  Snell  by  name,  and  I  saw  Casey  take  a 
rifle  and  knock  a  man  down  the  bank  with  it.  Many  shots  were  fired  and 
many  men  were  wounded,  but  Snell  was  the  only  one  killed  in  that 
fight.  Nevertheless,  I  have  heard  others  tell  of  the  same  fight  and 
give  the  number  of  killed  as  10  or  12.  But  I  was  an  eye  witness  and 
very  much  interested,  and  I  am  sure  that  one  man  only  was  killed.  I 
do  not  remember  the  number  of  wounded.  The  boys  who  did  that 
piece  of  work  made  $15.000  each  of  their  lease  of  30  days.  Raymond 
and  Ely  bought  the  ore  and  paid  them  their  money  for  it.  This  was 
the  beginning  of  trouble  in  the  camp.  During  the  next  year  or  so  there 
were  at  least  7  men  killed  in  disputes  about  mining  claims.  Fights 


940  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

were  of  frequent  occurrence,  and  many  men  were  wounded,  but  not  more 
than  7  or  8  were  killed.  Two  men  were  killed  by  an  explosion  after 
the  big  fire  in  '71.  Of  the  four  young  men  who  took  the  Washington 
&  Creole,  I  will  say  something  further.  Morgan  Courtney  turned  out 
to  be  a  sport  and  was  counted  chief  of  the  fighting  men.  He  gambled 
very  heavily.  Barney  Flood  got  into  trouble  and  stabbed  a  man,  but 
did  not  kill  him.  To  save  himself  he  left  the  camp  and  went,  I  think,  to 
New  York.  Casey  owed  Tom  Gossen  $100.  When  he  had  deposited  his 
$15,000  in  the  bank  he  was  met  there  by  Gossen  who  said  to  him:  'You 
had  better  pay  your  debts.'  Casey  told  the  banker  to  pay  Gossen  $100  for 
him.  Gossen  then  reminded  Casey  that  there  was  interest  due  him. 
Words  followed  and  both  drew  guns.  The  doors  opened  from  the  bank 
to  the  street.  Each  man  stepped  to  a  door  and  shot  at  the  other.  Gos- 
sen's  gun  missed,  but  Casey  hit  Gossen,  who  died  about  a  day  later.  Be- 
fore his  death  he  left  his  money  to  friends  with  the  exception  of  $5,000 
which  was  to  go  to  the  man  who  killed  Casey.  Gossen's  friends  set  a 
watch  over  Casey  so  that  he  could  not  leave  town.  Yet  they  scarcely 
dared  to  kill  him  in  the  town.  Casey's  friends  said  that  Gossen  had 
shot  first.  Some  of  those  who  saw  the  shooting  said  that  Casey  shot 
first.  One  of  these  was  Jim  Levy.  I  knew  Levy  well.  He  was 
a  very  quiet  man  and  a  good  miner  and  worked  every  day.  Casey  met 
Levy  in  Felsenthal's  store  and  in  my  presence  asked  Levy  if  he  had 
indeed  said  that  Casey  fired  the  first  shot.  Levy  said  that  he  had,  and 
was  ready  to  swear  to  it.  Casey  then  commenced  abusing  Levy.  Levy 
replied  in  a  quiet  way:  'You  can  abuse  me  now  while  you  have  your 
gun  with  you.'  Levy  had  just  come  from  his  work  in  the  mine  and  car- 
ried his  lunch  bucket  in  his  hand.  Casey  told  him  to  get  his  gun  and  come 
shooting.  Levy  left  the  store,  went  to  his  cabin,  changed  his  clothes,  got 
his  gun  and  returned.  Dave  Nagel  was  on  the  sidewalk  in  front  of  Fel- 
senthal's store  watching  for  Levy  to  come  back  along  the  street,  but  Levy 
came  through  an  alley  instead  that  ran  alongside  the  store,  and  thus 
surprised  Casey  and  Nagel.  The  shooting  commenced  at  once.  Nagel  ran 
out  into  the  street  and  fired  several  shots  at  Levy.  But  Levy  and 
Casey  had  clinched  and  were  on  the  sidewalk  together.  I  think  now, 
and  have  always  thought,  that  it  was  the  beating  over  the  head  with  a 
pistol  that  killed  Casey  rather  than  the  shots  that  were  fired.  Nagel  hit 
Levy  in  the  lower  jaw  or  chin  and  made  a  bad  scar.  Levy  was  shot  in  the 


LINCOLN     COUNTY  941 

forehead  but  it  did  not  penetrate  the  skull.  Casey  was  now  dead  and 
Gossen  was  avenged,  but  Casey's  friends  now  were  the  enemies  of  Levy 
and  tried  their  best  to  kill  him.  But  he  proved  to  be  the  most  fearless 
and  aggressive  in  that  line  that  had  ever  appeared,  and  was  soon  the 
terror  of  all  the  fighters.  When  he  got  the  $5,000  left  by  Gossen  for 
killing  Casey,  he  was  himself  no  longer.  He  was  killed  many  years 
later  in  Tucson,  Ariz.  Bill  Bethers  was  shot,  I  think,  in  Eureka,  Nev., 
a  year  or  so  later.  Morgan  Courtney,  who  was  still  around  town,  had  shot 
one  or  two  men,  and  was  held  to  be  a  very  bad  character.  Before  I  left 
the  mill  at  Bullionville,  Courtney  met  his  match  one  afternoon  on  the 
main  street.  Both  men  got  out  their  guns,  but  Courtney  was  too  slow 
and  was  shot  six  times  before  he  had  time  to  shoot.  The  other  man  was 
arrested  but  went  unpunished  for  it  was  proved  that  Courtney  had  made 
the  shooting  necessary,  and  in  a  few  hours  the  accused  was  a  free  man. 
(So  Barney  Flood  is  the  only  live  man  of  the  quartet,  and  he  had  to 
leave  town  to  save  himself).  By  this  time  the  rich  ore  supply  was  ex- 
hausted ;  the  wild  excitement  was  no  more ;  money  was  hard  to  get.  The 
town  became  as  quiet  as  any  other  old  town.  I  find  that  a  bad  name  is  liable 
to  be  exaggerated,  and  thus  it  has  been  with  Pioche.  It  was  not  so  bad 
a  town  as  is  now  represented.  There  was  some  killing,  to  be  sure,  but 
there  was  also  great  provocation,  and  it  is  a  wonder  to  me  that  Pioche 
did  not  become  as  bad  as  some  at  the  present  day  claim  it  was.  But  I  was 
there  from  first  to  last,  and,  while  I  admit  that  it  was  bad  enough,  it  was 
not  as  represented  later  by  those  who  did  not  know.  While  the  excitement 
continued  in  and  about  the  mines  there  were  even  worse  things  going 
on  among  the  law-and-order  men  who  were  supposed  to  keep  the  bad 
element  down.  There  was  a  Vigilante  Committee  formed  which  proved 
to  be  of  no  credit  to  the  town.  This  gang  ran  the  politics.  John  Kane, 
was  Sheriff,  but  was  considered  too  slow,  and  Wes  Travis  was  elected 
in  his  stead.  Mortimer  Fuller  was  District  Judge.  A  Court  House  was 
built  and  an  indebtedness  incurred  which  has  hurt  the  County  more  than 
all  the  killing  that  was  done.  At  no  time  was  crime  punished,  yet  all  the 
time  the  expenses  were  piled  up.  The  Sheriff's  office  while  Travis  had  it 
was  considered  worth  $40,000  a  year.  All  other  things  were  in  proportion. 
Such  things  need  no  exaggeration,  while  the  number  of  poor  men  who 
were  killed  may  be  magnified  to  any  member  that  suits  the  fancy  of  the 
teller.  The  sums  of  money  that  were  stolen  under  the  name  of  law  need  no 


942  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

exaggeration.  Of  the  two  kinds  of  men,  which  is  the  worst:  He  who 
'rights  his  wrongs  where  it  is  given,'  or  the  man  who  promises  to  pro- 
tect you  in  your  rights  if  you  will  only  elect  him  to  office  and  put  your 
trust  in  him,  and  then  deliberately  steals  everything  in  sight  and  bonds 
you  for  forty  years  to  come?  The  story  of  Lincoln  County  and  the 
removal  of  the  county-seat  from  Hiko  to  Pioche  and  the  building  of  the 
Police  Court  House  I  remember  very  well,  but  it  would  be  a  long  story. 
I  leave  it  to  others  to  tell.  It  is  not  a  story  of  which  to  be  proud.  It  was 
steal,  steal,  early  and  late,  and  keep  on  stealing.  That  was  the  main  point  in 
Lincoln  County  affairs.  It  is  now  forty  years  since  I  first  came  to  Lincoln 
County,  but  I  remember  very  well  the  main  points.  I  had  a  very  active 
part  in  the  mining  and  milling  of  the  ore  which  produced  the  millions  that 
were  taken  out.  If  you  think  that  this  account  is  worth  anything,  I  give 
it  freely  and  can  vouch  for  the  truth  of  it.  So  far  as  the  County  stealing 
is  concerned,  I  think  that  the  men  elected  supposed  that  this  was  the 
way  to  play  the  game  for  they  seemed  pleased  at  what  they  had  done. 
All  men  at  that  time  were  trying  to  make  a  stake  and  get  out  of  the 
country,  and  could  you  blame  them?  Times  were  not  then  as  now,  and 
the  early-day  men  must  not  be  judged  by  the  present  conditions,  neither 
must  what  they  did  be  so  judged.  I  did  not  blame  the  men  at  the  time, 
or  since.  I  have  been  in  Nevada  40  years,  and  I  think  we  have  as  good 
men  and  women  in  Nevada  as  in  any  State  of  the  Union.  I  am  sure  that 
there  never  were  more  courageous  and  self-reliant  men  in  any  country." 

As  to  the  Mines,  although  many  of  them  were  heavy  producers,  ac- 
cording to  statistics  compiled  by  Professor  Pack,  only  one  Company,  the 
Raymond  &  Ely,  was  able  to  pay  dividends  in  excess  of  assessments  levied. 

In  regard  to  the  fire  which  practically  destroyed  the  town  on  Sept.  15, 
'71,  a  report  that  there  were  thirteen  killed  and  forty-seven  injured  is 
probably  exaggerated..  The  story  that  there  were  three  men  killed  in  a 
flood  following  a  cloudburst  is  also  erroneous.  The  cloudburst  occurred, 
but  the  damage  was  confined  to  flooded  cellars. 

Referring  to  the  Court  House,  contract  to  build  same  was  let  for 
something  less  than  $20,000.  The  boom  collapsed  shortly  after  the  con- 
tract was  let  and  work  commenced.  County  scrip  fell  below  5oc.  on  the 
dollar,  and  the  County  officers  issued  enough  of  it  to  make  up  the  cash 
value  of  the  contract.  In  addition  they  allowed  extras  in  such  an  amount 
that  it  appears  the  only-  thing  specified  by  the  contract  was  the  making  of 


LINCOLN    COUNTY  943 

plans.  When  it  came  to  furnishing  the  building,  one  item  will  be  suffi- 
cient to  tell  the  story — $180  in  scrip  was  allowed  for  four  student  lamps. 
On  top  of  the  Court  House  deal  came  the  Collectors'  Fees  swindle,  which 
cost  the  County  $16,000  the  first  year.  But  "all's  well  that  ends  well,"  and 
the  natural  resources  of  the  County  may  yet  draw  it  out  of  the  mire. 
The  lines  of  R.  G.  Schofield,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Pioche,  published  in 
1900  under  the  title  "Ode  to  a  Defunct  Silver  Camp,"  may  be  pro- 
phetic : 

"City  of  the  Dead!     With  streets  forlorn! 

Mushroom  of  an  hour!    Of  all  thy  grandeur  shorn, 
Where  are  thy  hosts  of  decades  three  ago 

Who  built  each  wooden  palace  for  time  to  overthrow? 
In  vain  your  mines  their  silver  millions  gave ; 

Each  old-time  miner  left  is  Time's  most  pallid  slave. 
An  alien  race  now  claims  thy  frowning  rock  hill 

Which  once  resounded  with  its  blasts,  and  blows  from  pick  and  drill. 
Thy  pride  is  humbled,  but  thy  crimes  are  not  forgot. 

Thou  'City  of  an  Hour,' — how  sad  now  is  thy  lot ! 
And  yet,  'twas  not  thy  fault,  but  only  greed  of  men 

Who  spilled  each  other's  blood  and  made  of  thee  their  den. 
In  times  to  come,  when  silver  shall  regain  its  place, 

Then  may  you  glory  in  an  honest,  Godly  race !" 

By  an  act  approved  Feb.  20,  '75,  Nye  County,  in  consideration  of  Lincoln 
assuming  part  of  its  debt,  deeded  to  the  latter  County  51  miles  of  the  strip 
formerly  dividing  White  Pine  and  Lincoln  Counties. 

The  early  '8o's  marked  a  revival  in  the  mines  in  the  vicinity  of  Pioche. 
Bristol  and  Royal  City  were  busy  towns  about  that  time,  the  National, 
Hillside,  and  Mayflower  being  the  most  important  Bristol  Mines.  The 
Hillside,  in  two  years,  produced  $518,265.45  in  silver  alone,  and  the  Day 
mine  at  Royal  City,  originally  located  by  Ike  Garrison,  produced  $99,787.- 
50  about  the  same  time.  A  new  smelter  and  concentrating  works  were 
installed  at  Bullionville  in  1880,  principally  to  work  over  old  tailings.  Con- 
siderable work  was  done  on  the  Mendha  (Melissa)  and  the  Chisholm 
mines  near  Pioche.  In  1882  ore  was  found  about  14  miles  west  of 
Pioche  and  the  Comet  district  organized.  In  May,  1883,  the  Floral  Mill, 
just  below  the  town  of  Pioche,  was  moved,  reconstructed  and  resumed 
operations.  Mill  originally  built  in  '72.  There  was  considerable  railroad 
talk  and  a  committee  found  that  the  following  shipments  had  been 
made  from  Pioche  alone  in  the  years  1870  to  1880: — Raymond  &  Ely, 
$10,228,211.50;  Meadow  Valley,  $5,532>°53-32 ;  Alps,  $743,963.11;  Amer- 


944  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

ican  Flag,  $350,000;  Pioche,  $460,000;  Others  $250,000;  Total,  $17,- 
554,232.94. 

In  the  summer  of  1881,  Jay  Gould,  of  New  York,  commenced  at  Hiko 
to  survey  a  line  of  railroad  which  was  to  connect  San  Francisco  with  the 
Utah  Southern,  but  nothing  materialized.  Shortly  after,  Assemblyman 
Eugene  Howell  made  a  strong  effort  to  get  an  appropriation  of  $250,000 
from  Congress  to  make  the  Colorado  navigable  to  Callville,  but  he  was 
unsuccessful.  Judge  Fuller,  the  first  District  Judge  of  the  County,  died 
in  1880  after  being  thrown  from  a  buggy.  As  an  instance  of  Spartan 
bravery  in  the  County  at  that  time,  the  citizens  of  the  Pahranagat  Valley 
in  1883  killed  an  insane  man  "just  to  get  rid  of  him."  There  was  a 
destructive  fire  in  Bristol  in  1886.  In  1887  State  Senator  Poujade,  of 
Lincoln,  introduced  a  resolution  for  the  direct  election  of  U.  S.  Senators, 
which  passed  both  houses.  On  August  18,  1888,  3.04  inches  of  rain  fell 
in  Pioche  inside  of  2  hours.  It  was  in  1888  that  judgment  was  given 
for  $350,000  to  the  holders  of  the  County  Bonds  issued  in  1873.  Dec. 
23,  1889,  was  the  date  of  the  biggest  flood  ever  known  in  Meadow 
Valley  wash.  In  1890  Hank  Parrish  was  convicted  for  the  murder  of  P. 
G.  Thompson  at  Royal  City,  and  he  was  hanged  in  Ely,  where  he  was 
convicted,  on  Dec.  12.  In  1890  the  Union  Pacific  graded  the  road  through 
Condor  Canyon  on  a  surveyed  line  from  Milford  to  Pioche. 

In  1891  a  smelter  was  built  near  the  present  Pioche  depot,  work  on 
the  narrow  gauge  line  to  Jack  Rabbit  was  commenced,  an  electric  light 
plant  was  put  in  by  the  Pioche  Water  Co.,  and  a  telephone  line  built. 
In  1892  the  Monkey  Wrench  district,  later  called  Ferguson,  was  organized 
and  the  town  of  Helene  sprang  up.  In  April  1894,  Captain  Delmar  bought 
the  most  important  mines  there  and  the  town  was  moved  over  the  hill 
and  called  Delamar.  The  principal  producers,  of  gold,  were  the  Jim 
Crow,  April  Fool  and  the  Magnolia  mines.  About  this  time  the  judg- 
ments on  the  $180,000  bond  issue  of  1873  amounted  to  $440,000.  In  the 
latter  part  of  June  1893,  silver  dropped  to  73c.  an  ounce.  Within  a  week, 
the  Bullionville  smelter,  partly  insured  ($30,000)  burned  down;  the 
Yuba  mine  at  Pioche,  formerly  the  American  Flag,  tried  to  reduce  wages 
and  the  men  quit;  and  shortly  afterwards  the  Poorman,  the  only  other 
silver  producer  operating,  shut  down.  A  mill  which  had  been  erected  in 
Condor  Canyon,  and  which  had  been  treating  ores  from  Pioche  and 
Delamar,  burned  down  in  1895,  in  June.  On  July  27,  1895,  Panaca  had 


LINCOLN    COUNTY  945 

the  worst  flood  in  its  history.  In  this  year  Delamar  received  considerable 
notoriety  on  acount  of  the  issuance  of  aluminum  coins  as  pay,  owing  to  the 
danger  of  robbery  when  importing  gold  and  silver  to  meet  the  pay  rolls, 
but  the  practice  was  quickly  stopped  by  the  U.  S.  Government.  Delamar 
also  became  notorious  about  this  time  on  account  of  its  failure  to  pay 
just  Bullion  Tax.  For  the  first  quarter  of  1896,  it  made  the  following 
report : — 

Tons  milled :  20,677  tons>  Value,  $575,462 ;  Extracting,  $77,435 ;  Trans- 
portation, $22,436.  Milling,  $372,186  or  over  $18.00  per  ton. 

The  tax  was  evaded  by  forming  a  separate  Company  to  mill  the  ores  and 
by  charging  exorbitant  rates  to  eat  up  all  the  profits  of  the  mine,  and  the 
State  and  County  officers  seemed  unable  to  prevent  the  practice. 

State  line  and  Line  City  boomed  in  1897.  In  Nov.  '01,  at  Fay,  a  negro 
named  Ellis,  was  attacked  by  a  gang  of  white  men,  threatened  with  hang- 
ing, robbed,  and  run  out  of  camp.  Some  of  the  better  element  in  the 
camp  reported  the  matter  to  the  authorities,  and  the  next  Grand  Jury 
indicted  13  men  for  assault  with  intent  to  kill  and  robbery.  The  men 
were  tried  on  the  first  count  before  Judge  Talbot,  District  Attorney  Mc- 
Namee  for  the  prosecution,  and  Attorneys  Osborne  and  Sawyer  for  the 
defense.  Two  of  the  jurors  held  out  for  acquittal,  but  finally  agreed  to 
a  compromise  verdict  wherein  7  of  those  indicted  were  found  guilty  of  as- 
sault and  battery. 

Hancock  Murder. — In  June  1897,  a  veterinary  surgeon  named  Eng- 
elke,  and  his  driver  known  as  "Canadian  Joe"  Edminston,  stopped  at  Pah- 
rump,  Nye  Co.,  on  their  way  North.  Mrs.  Winnifred  Myers,  later  Mrs. 
Goss,  and  John  Hancock,  from  Orange,  California,  stopped  there  at  the 
same  time,  also  on  their  way  North.  The  woman  had  a  7  year  old  boy 
with  her.  The  two  parties  arranged  to  leave  Pahrump  together.  On  the 
third  day  out,  Hancock  proposed  to  the  woman  that  they  kill  Engelke  and 
Edmiston,  swap  outfits  and  get  some  money  they  were  supposed  to  have. 
That  night  they  slept  in  beds  about  15  feet  apart  and  at  3  a.  m.  Hancock 
struck  each  of  the  other  men  over  the  head  with  an  axe,  then  shot  them 
with  a  pistol  and  again  struck  them  with  the  axe.  He  made  the  woman 
assist  him  to  place  the  bodies  in  quilts,  and  after  searching  them,  hauled 
them  away  in  his  wagon  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  and  piled  rocks  on 
them.  They  then  changed  camp-outfits,  burned  their  own  wagon,  soiled 
clothes  and  trunks,  and  threw  away  a  box  of  medicine  and  instruments 


946  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

belonging  to  the  Doctor.  They  left  one  horse  at  the  camp  and  reached 
Eisenmann's  ranch  in  Pahranagat  Valley  about  2  o'clock,  where  they 
traded  some  articles  and  sold  a  bulldog.  At  Panaca,  they  traded  Engelke's 
race-horse  to  C.  Rice  for  a  team  of  work-horses,  then  went  over  into  Utah. 
Hancock  was  arrested  in  Los  Angeles  in  November,  1898,  for  burglary, 
and  as  soon  as  he  was  behind  the  bars,  the  woman  confessed  her  part 
in  the  murder,  claiming  that  only  fear  of  Hancock  had  prevented  an 
earlier  confession.  A  map  was  sent  to  Sheriff  Freudenthal,  of  Lincoln, 
and  he  started  out  with  Jake  Johnson,  of  Delamar,  for  Summit  Springs, 
about  30  miles  west  of  Pahranagat,  on  the  road  to  Groom.  About  10 
miles  this  side  of  the  Spring,  the  wagon  tracks  still  visible  led  them  to  the 
two  skeletons  with  fractured  skulls  and  bullet  holes,  also  the  medicine 
case  and  some  burned  pieces  of  iron.  After  the  skeletons  were  brought 
to  Pioche,  Hancock  confessed,  but  implicated  the  woman.  In  the  mean- 
time he  had  received  a  ten-year  sentence,  having  pleaded  guilty  to  the 
burglary  charge ;  and  he  had  also  been  accused  of  the  murder  of  Detective 
Moor  in  Denver  in  1895,  under  the  name  of  F.  A.  Benton.  Requisition 
papers  were  issued  for  his  return  to  Nevada,  but  the  Governor  of  Cali- 
fornia considered  it  advisible  to  have  him  serve  out  his  sentence  there, 
for  fear  that  he  might  not  be  convicted  on  the  murder  charge.  After 
serving  8  years  in  San  Quentin,  on  June  4,  1905,  he  was  brought  to 
Pioche  by  Sheriff  Jake  Johnson  and  Deputy  H.  E.  Freudenthal.  Pleading 
poverty  the  Court  appointed  F.  J.  Osborne  to  defend  him.  He  pleaded  not 
guilty  and  his  trial  was  set  for  June  26.  Although  8  years  had  elapsed 
since  the  crime  had  been  committed,  every  material  witness  was  present 
when  the  case  was  called  before  District  Judge  Geo.  S.  Brown.  Dis- 
trict Attorney  Ben  Sanders  was  assisted  in  the  prosecution  by  "Judge" 
Marioneaur  of  the  Salt  Lake  firm  of  Powers  and  Marioneaur.  The  Jury 
took  only  20  minutes  to  return  a  verdict  of  guilty  of  murder  in  the 
first  degree.  He  was  sentenced  to  be  hanged  at  Carson  City  on  Sept. 
8,  1905.  On  that  day,  after  having  ordered  and  eaten  a  hearty  breakfast 
of  fried  oysters,  his  prayer  on  the  gallows  was  as  follows — "Almighty 
God,  I  come  before  thee  this  morning  praying  that  Thou  wilt  have  mercy 
upon  those  who  assisted  in  my  prosecution.  I  trust  that  Thou  wilt  not 
lay  it  up  against  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do.  I  trust  that  in  the 
future  my  innocence  will  be  proven,  and  I  ask  this  in  the  name  and  in  the 
mediation  of  Jesus  Christ,  my  Saviour." 


LINCOLN    COUNTY  947 

On  April  20,  1899,  the  Summit  Mill  of  the  Pioche  Consolidated  Co. 
burned  down  at  1 130  a.  m.  while  a  dance  was  going  on  in  town.  In  the 
same  year  the  Utah  Pacific  built  a  line  from  Milford  to  McCune,  on  the 
State  line  between  Utah  and  Nevada,  but  went  no  farther  as  times  were 
very  dull  in  Pioche,  and  the  Company  did  not  wish  to  incur  the  expense 
of  filing  its  articles  in  Nevada.  The  reservoir  at  Round  Valley  was 
also  projected  in  this  year,  to  irrigate  the  Panaca  country.  In  1901,  Sena- 
tor H.  E.  Freudenthal  introduced  a  bill  refunding  the  County  Bonds, 
the  judgments  on  which  by  that  time  aggregated  about  $600,000,  for 
$225,000;  but  Assemblymen  Burke  and  Conway  defeated  it  because  "any 
bill  that  would  save  the  County  that  much  money  must  have  a  steal  in 
it  somewhere."  Six  years  afterwards,  times  being  more  prosperous, 
Senator  Campbell  succeeded  in  refunding  the  debt  at  65  per  cent  of  the 
aggregate,  and  new  bonds  were  issued  for  $435,000,  bearing  4  per  cent  in- 
terest, to  take  up  the  judgments. 

The  San  Pedro,  Los  Angeles  &  Salt  Lake  R.  R.  filed  its  articles  of 
incorporation  with  the  County  Recorder  on  April  8,  1901,  and  for  some 
time  afterwards  there  was  a  bitter  feud  between  Senator  Clark  and  the 
O.  S.  L.  over  the  right  of  way.  For  sometime  the  Clark  Co.  wavered 
between  a  route  through  the  Meadow  Valley  Wash,  or  the  old  U.  P.  sur- 
vey over  Bristol  Pass,  but  they  finally  decided  on  the  Meadow  Valley 
Wash.  There  were  several  battles  between  Clark  and  O.  S.  L.  parties 
in  the  vicinity  of  Nevada  and  Clover  Valley,  where  both  roads  were 
trying  to  build  at  once,  but  the  Clark  people  finally  secured  the  right  of 
way.  Calientes  was  laid  out  in  1901,  and  held  that  name  until  the  Post 
Office  was  established  when  it  dropped  the  final  "s."  In  Sept.  1901, 
through  the  efforts  of  Ed.  Freudenthal,  most  of  the  old  Pioche  mines 
were  incorported  under  the  name  of  the  Manhattan  Mining  Co.,  which 
later  became  the  Nevada-Utah  M.  &  S.  Corporation. 

In  1912,  ore  was  struck  at  Silver  King,  about  50  miles  northwest  of 
Pioche,  carrying  16,525  oz.  silver,  and  there  was  considerable  excite- 
ment about  it  for  a  short  time. 

In  1903,  Cochie  Segmiller,  an  Indian  boy,  16  years  old,  was  tried 
for  the  murder  of  Bill  Williams  in  the  southern  part  of  the  County,  and 
pleaded  guilty.  The  Judge  went  so  far  as  to  change  his  plea  to  not 
guilty,  but  the  boy  on  the  witness  stand  insisted  on  his  guilt.  He  was 
convicted  and  sentenced  to  be  hanged  Jan.  28,  1904.  Shortly  before  that 


948  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

date,  considerable  influence  was  brought  to  bear  on  the  Governor  and 
the  Board  of  Pardons  in  favor  of  the  boy,  and,  largely  through  the  per- 
sonal efforts  of  Major  Ingalls,  an  Indian  Agent  in  the  early  days  of 
Lincoln  County,  his  sentence  was  commuted  to  life  imprisonment. 

The  last  spike  on  the  San  Pedro  Railroad,  connecting  Salt  Lake  City  and 
Los  Angeles,  was  driven  in  Lincoln  County  at  siding  No.  31,  20  miles 
north  of  the  Nevada^California  line  on  Jan.  30,  1905.  After  the  railroad 
was  completed,  making  travel  through  the  country  more  convenient,  the 
outside  world  made  the  startling  discovery  that  the  largest  county  in  the 
United  States,  having  an  area  of  almost  20,000  square  miles,  had  neither 
church  nor  preacher.  Of  course,  there  were  half  a  dozen  Mormon  Meet- 
ing Houses,  and  a  Catholic  Church  had  been  built  in  Pioche  in  the  '70*3, 
but  Lincoln  County  had  to  be  rescued  just  the  same,  One  resident  of 
Pioche  still  continues  to  work  this  graft  on  eastern  people  every  Christ- 
mas. 

In  October,  1905,  the  Grand  Jury  indicted  County  Clerk  and  Treasurer 
H.  J.  Goodrich  for  embezzlement,  and  Deputy  Geo.  O.  Sawyer  for  falsi- 
fying accounts.  In  addition  they  severely  censured  practically  all  the 
other  County  officers  and  their  predecessors.  The  indictments  and 
censure  were  the  result  of  experting  the  County  books,  which  had  been 
often  recommended  theretofore  but  as  often  postponed.  In  Court  both 
Goodrich  and  Sawyer  were  acquitted. 

In  March  '06,  almost  100  miles  of  the  San  Pedro  between  Acoma  and 
Vegas  were  washed  out  by  a  flood  in  Clover  Valley  and  Meadow  Valley 
Wash,  and  the  line  was  out  of  commission  for  two  months.  In  June  '06, 
articles  of  incorporation  of  the  Caliente  &  Pioche  R.  R.  were  filed,  but 
work  on  the  road  was  not  commenced  until  the  middle  of  April,  '07,  shortly 
after  another  wash-out  in  Meadow  Valley  Wash.  The  first  train  came 
into  Pioche  in  Nov.  '07,  but  there  was  no  regular  service  and  only  a  few 
shipments  were  made  until  the  following  year.  In  the  election  of  1908, 
the  people  voted  in  favor  of  a  County  High  School,  which  is  now  located 
at  Panaca.  The  1909  Legislature,  through  the  Bergman  County  Division 
Bill,  divided  Lincoln  County  and  created  Clark  County  out  of  the  portion 
south  of  the  3rd  Standard  Parallel  south  of  the  Mount  Diablo  base  line, 
effective  July  i,  1909.  In  the  1911  Session,  a  bill  passed  both  Houses 
straightening  out  the  balance  due  Lincoln  County  by  Clark  on  account 
of  several  items  not  covered  by  the  Bergman  Division  bill,  but  Governor 


LINCOLN    COUNTY  949 

Oddie  vetoed  it  claiming  it  was  unconstitutional.  In  1913,  the  same  bill 
was  again  passed  and  Oddie  signed  it. 

Two  more  serious  washouts  of  the  San  Pedro  in  Meadow  Valley  Wash 
Jan.  i,  1910,  and  Jan.  28,  1911,  persuaded  that  line  to  build  a  new  roadbed 
through  the  wash,  about  15  feet  higher  than  the  old  one,  after  an  un- 
successful endeavor  to  find  a  route  other  than  through  the  Wash.  Caliente 
enjoyed  a  brief  boom  while  the  reconstruction  work  was  in  progress,  and 
in  1912  made  a  determined  effort  to  capture  the  County  Seat,  but  all  candi- 
dates pledged  to  try  to  move  it  were  defeated  in  the  fall  election.  The 
branch  railroad  from  Pioche  to  the  Prince  Mine  was  completed  in  July, 
1912,  by  the  Thompson  Construction  Co.  of  Salt  Lake,  at  a  cost  of  about 
$150,000. 

The  present  area  of  the  County,  according  to  the  Surveyor-General  is 
10,515  square  miles,  according  to  the  County  Assessor,  11,034  square  miles, 
in  the  following  approximate  acreage:  agricultural  land,  300,000  acres; 
grazing,  5,661,760  acres;  timbered,  550,000  acres;  mineral,  550,000  acres. 
The  tax  rate  for  1912  was  $3.10.  The  total  assessed  valuation  in  1912 
was  $2,226,918.50.  Railroad  mileage  is  as  follows:  San  Pedro,  162.09 
miles;  Pioche  Pacific  (Jack  Rabbit)  18  miles;  Prince  Con.  g%  miles,  total 
assessed  in  1912  at  $1,597.690.00.  The  population  in  1910  was  3,489; 
in  1912  there  were  692  pupils  enrolled  in  the  schools. 

According  to  Bullion  Tax  reports,  the  mineral  production  for  1912 
was  over  $1,000,000,  but  not  a  dividend  was  paid  during  the  year.  The 
year  1913  however,  promises  to  see  mining  conducted  in  a  more  business- 
like manner. 


950  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

CHAPTER  LIII. 

LYON  COUNTY. 

BY  HON.  N.  W.  WILLIS. 

Before  the  white  man  turned  his  face  westward,  Mason  Valley  was 
inhabited  by  the  Piute  tribe  of  Indians.  It  was  a  fertile  country  with 
meadows  of  wild  grass  along  the  river,  which  was  filled  with  trout. 
There  were  no  trees  except  a  few  in  the  Southern  part  of  the  valley. 
The  Indians  lived  by  hunting  and  fishing;  using  rabbit-skins  for  clothes 
and  beds.  Having  no  grain  of  any  kind,  they  gathered  the  seeds  from 
bunch-grass,  grinding  it  on  flat  rocks  to  make  a  kind  of  bread.  For  sugar 
they  gathered  crystals  from  the  canes  that  grew  along  the  river  banks. 
They  gathered  many  pinenuts  from  the  mountains  and  wild  berries 
which  were  stored  for  winter.  They  had  some  very  unclean  customs 
such  as  using  their  mouths  for  a  receptacle  for  vermin  plucked  from 
the  heads  of  the  children  and  carrying  small  worms  thrust  in  the  side 
of  the  mouth  to  keep  the  bait  moist.  Old  Indians  tell  of  their  fright 
when  they  first  saw  white  men  driving  horses.  They  fled  to  the  moun- 
tains for  safety.  They  often  suffered  from  cold  and  hunger  and  are 
better  off  since  the  coming  of  the  whites.  When  they  had  no  guns 
often  a  man  would  chase  down  a  rabbit,  running  and  yelping  like  a  dog 
to  frighten  and  confuse  the  animal.  After  a  light  fall  of  snow  they 
formed  a  long  line  driving  the  rabbits  from  their  hiding  places,  some- 
times killing  as  many  as  fifteen  hundred  in  a  bunch.  These  were 
skin,ned  and  dried  for  future  use. 

The  earliest  account  we  have  of  a  white  man  entering  the  valley  was 
taken  from  the  report  which  Fremont  sent  to  the  Government  at  Wash- 
ington describing  his  journey  over  the  Sierra  Nevadas  to  California. 
On  January  2ist,  1844,  he  writes  of  camping  over  night  at  the  forks  of 
the  river,  opposite  and  near,  the  place  now  called  Nordyke.  He  named 
the  river  Walker,  after  a  member  of  his  party.  For  a  number  of  years 
after  this,  emigrants  brought  their  parties  through  this  valley.  The  old 


LYON    COUNTY  951 

road  is  still  plain  in  the  Southwestern  part  of  the  valley,  passing  through 
the  mountains  into  Smith  Valley  near  Wellington  Springs. 

During  the  year  1854,  N.  H.  A.  Mason  with  his  brothers,  who  were 
driving  cattle  through  to  California,  observed  the  value  of  the  land  for 
grazing  purposes.  Late  in  1859,  Mr.  Mason  returned  and  found  that 
one  William  Dickson  had,  in  October  of  that  year,  located  in  the  North- 
ern part  of  the  valley.  Mr.  Dickson,  no  doubt  being  glad  to  see  a  white 
man,  offered  Mr.  Mason  half  of  his  claim  to  remain  with  him.  Mr. 
Dickson  finally  lost  his  property  on  account  of  being  absent  for  some 
time.  Mr.  Mason,  from  whom  the  valley  takes  its  name,  located  on 
what  was  known  as  the  Mason  ranch,  now  the  property  of  Miller  and 
Lux.  In  1860,  Mason  built  the  first  house  here.  It  was  16x24  feet  8 
feet  high  with  sides  of  mud  held  in  place  by  willows  and  roofed  with 
tules.  It  was  burned  in  1866.  Following  Mason  were  the  Wheeler 
brothers,  who  settled  on  what  is  now  a  part  of  the  George  Wilson  ranch. 
Soon  after  them  came  Angus  McLeod,  Charles  Sneider,  and  a  man 
named  Clement,  also  Charles  D.  Lane,  Johnson,  the  Alcorn  brothers  and 
Jesse  Woodcock.  David  Wilson,  with  his  wife  and  four  small  children, 
came  in  the  summer  of  1863.  Mrs.  Wilson  was  the  first  white  woman 
to  remain  in  the  valley.  Mr.  Wilson  helped  the  Alcorn  brothers  cut  hay 
with  a  scythe  and  put  up  the  first  of  many  haystacks  built  here.  Mr. 
Wilson  then  bought  Tom  Wheeler's  ranch  and  settled  near  his  present 
home.  For  six  months  she  lived  without  seeing  the  face  of  another 
white  woman,  and  we  may  imagine  her  joy  when  Mrs.  Sprague,  with 
her  husband  and  daughter  Alice,  moved  in  from  Carson  Valley.  Mrs. 
Wilson,  who  was  of  a  retiring  nature,  said,  "Wrhen  I  heard  there  was 
a  woman  in  the  new  tent  I  did  not  wait  to  be  introduced,  but  just  put 
on  my  bonnet  and  went  to  see  her,  and  how  we  talked." 

Usually  the  Indians  were  friendly,  but  at  one  time,  for  some 'cause 
unknown,  they  put  on  their  war-paint  and  executed  a  war-dance.  Seven 
painted  warriors  camped  opposite  Mr.  Wilson's  house.  He  armed  the 
six  white  men  who  lived  with  him,  and  they  in  turn  stood  guard  several 
days  and  nights.  All  other  white  people  in  this  valley  fled  to  Fort 
Churchill,  taking  with  them  Mrs.  Wilson's  daughter,  who  was  visiting 
the  Sprague  family.  No  shots  were  fired  and  the  Indians  peacefully 
withdrew  to  their  camps. 

In  the  year  1864  the  first  white  child,  a  son,  was  born  to  the  wife  of 


952 

Adam  Herboldt,  living  near  the  Brady  ranch.  The  weather  was  stormy 
and  the  wind  whistled  through  their  abode;  but  the  boy  John  grew  to 
manhood. 

The  discovery  of  gold  by  William  Wilson  in  Pinegrove  during  1866, 
materially  increased  the  population  of  this  country.  As  there  was  no 
established  mail-route,  Charles  Sneider  and  Angus  McLeod  ran  a  four- 
horse  stage  from  Pinegrove  through  Mason  Valley  to  Virginia  City, 
carrying  letters  by  express.  Mr.  W.  R.  Lee  in  1861  pre-empted  160 
acres  of  land  and  built  the  first  house  in  Yerington,  which  is  at  present 
occupied  by  Mrs.  Barton.  Soon  after  Mr.  E,  W.  Bennett  bought  near 
and  built  a  store.  Mr.  James  Downey  moved  from  Pinegrove,  secured 
a  large  amount  of  land  and  built  a  saloon,  thus  forming  a  nucleus  for 
the  present  town  of  Yerington.  Before  anyone  settled  there,  the  pioneer 
trading  post  was  a  small  store  located  near  the  Rhymers  ranch ;  but  after- 
ward moved  to  about  a  mile  north  of  Yerington  and  called  the  Gieger 
store.  Mail  came  from  Wadsworth,  Nevada,  once  a  week  to  this  place 
and  it  was  known  as  the  Mason  Valley  postoffice.  About  this  time  the 
first  school  was  opened  by  Miss  Mattie  Wiley,  who  taught  in  the  home 
of  Alec  McLeod,  near  the  present  town. 

Religious  services  were  not  neglected,  being  held  as  early  as  1866  by 
Rev.  R.  Carberry,  who  was  followed  by  Rev.  Mr.  Orne.  Rev.  Thomas 
Bartley  organized  the  Methodist  Church  with  two  or  three  members. 
Rev.  J.  T.  Ladd  erected  the  present  church  building.  A  Good  Templars 
Lodge  was  organized  by  Rev.  F.  M.  Willis  with  good  results. 

During  the  spring  of  1876  a  bridge  was  built  across  the  Walker  River 
on  the  Sprague  ranch,  south  of  the  present  crossing.  Being  improperly 
constructed  it  settled  in  the  centre,  and  when  the  high  water  in  summer 
came,  it  floated  down  the  river.  The  timbers  were  anchored  by  Mr. 
John  Gallagher  and  the  bridge  rebuilt  near  the  Geiger  store.  The  next 
bridge  was  built  on  the  East  Fork  of  the  Walker  River.  Through  the 
summer  months  when  the  water  was  high,  Mr.  Sprague  towed  a  barge 
back  and  forth  by  means  of  a  windlass  and  rope  to  ferry  teams  across. 
The  fare  was  a  dollar  and  a  half,  so  he  did  not  go  often.  Early  in  the 
history  of  the  valley,  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  began. 

Mr.  Wilson  and  Mr.  McLeod  raised  grain,  hay  and  potatoes;  Mr. 
McLeod  took  a  load  of  potatoes  to  Aurora,  receiving  $250  a  ton  for 
them.  These  pioneers  also  brought  in  the  first  alfalfa  seed,  but  as  they 


LYON    COUNTY  953 

sowed  it  on  wet  ground  the  results  were  small.  Old  Mr.  Osborne 
secured  the  first  good  field  on  what  is  now  the  Fitzpatrick  place.  He 
was  also  the  first  man  to  bring  in  bees  about  1883. 

For  years  cattle-raising  was  the  principal  industry  and  vast  herds 
roamed  the  unfenced  plains.  Gradually  the  ranches  have  been  fenced, 
the  cattle  sold,  and  we  have  now  a  vast  area  of  land  devoted  to  diversi- 
fied farming.  For  a  period  of  ten  years,  between  1880  and  1890,  the 
monster  known  as  "Hard  Times,"  visited  the  farmers.  Prices  were  low 
and  there  was  no  market  for  produce.  Eggs  sold  for  ten  cents  per 
dozen,  chickens  $3.50  per  dozen,  potatoes  50  cents  to  $1.00  per  sack,  and 
hay  as  low  as  $2.50  per  ton.  The  cowboys  rode  about  singing  "Oh  Mason 
Valley  with  her  alfalfa  hay,  that's  the  gold  standard  down  there.  You 
ask  for  a  dollar  and  the  rancher  will  holler,  I've  only  got  alfalfa  hay." 
During  this  season,  Mr.  Sayers  started  the  Mason  Valley  Tidings,  which 
was  sold  to  Mr.  Charles  Patterson,  and  he  changed  the  name  to  the 
Yerington  Rustler.  About  1902,  Mr.  Fairbanks  moved  his  paper  in 
from  Dayton,  giving  it  the  name  of  Lyon  County  Times.  Later  the 
name  was  changed  to  the  Yerington  Times. 

The  manufacturing  interests  of  the  valley  were  few;  however,  in 
1868,  W.  R.  Lee  built  a  flour-mill  near  George  Wilson's  present  home, 
and  selling  that,  built  another  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  Yering- 
ton. In  1891  a  new  and  up-to-date  mill  was  erected  at  the  place  now 
called  Nordyke.  About  two  years  later  the  present  creamery  was  estab- 
lished and  also  one  year  the  Nichols  ranch,  which  was  destroyed  by 
fire.  Lately  an  ice-plant  has  been  added  to  the  manufacturing  industries. 

Yerington  usually  was  supplied  with  a  number  of  boarding  houses, 
but  for  many  years  Mr.  John  Craig  conducted  the  principal  hotel.  It 
was  burned  in  1883  by  a  fire  which  swept  the  northern  part  of  the  main 
street  on  the  west  side.  About  a  year  later  another  large  fire  consumed 
the  southern  part  of  the  same  street. 

The  valley  has  always  been  well  supplied  with  stores  which  gradually 
increased  in  size  and  number,  the  two  largest  being  Mr.  Lam's,  built  in 
1907,  and  the  Mason  Mercantile,  a  brick  store  just  completed. 

Yerington  has  not  always  been  known  by  that  euphonious  name;  but 
for  many  years  bore  the  opprobious  cognomen  of  "Pizen  Switch."  The 
first  postoffice  was  Mason  Valley,  afterward  changed  to  Greenfield. 
Cowboys  are  fond  of  nick-names,  and  in  early  times  Mr.  Downey  went 


954  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

to  Virginia  City  and  bought  a  receipt  for  making  his  own  liquor,  which 
the  boys  called  "pizen."  Mr.  Downey's  saloon  was  nick-named  "the 
depot,"  and  a  small  drinking-place  built  of  willows,  about  a  mile  off  the 
road  was  called  the  "Willow  Switch."  Farther  down  the  road  was  the 
Geiger  store  called  "The  Dump."  The  vaquros  amused  themselves  rac- 
ing horses  from  one  drinking  place  to  another,  and  used  the  expression 
frequently,  "Let's  switch  oft"  and  get  some  pizen."  Finally  the  other 
drinking  places  were  closed,  and  Mr.  Downey's  was  called  "Pizen 
Switch."  As  the  town  grew  the  name  of  the  postoffice  was  so  far  for- 
gotten that  a  letter  addressed  to  Grann  or  Smart,  no  matter  which,  safely 
reached  its  destination.  Later  the  name  was  changed  to  Yerington,  and 
the  influx  of  strangers  made  it  permanent. 

The  building  of  the  Carson  and  Colorado  Railroad  in  1880  through 
the  northern  end  of  the  valley  brought  the  town  of  Wabuska  into  exist- 
ence. It  was  a  narow-gauge  road  without  much  traffic.  After  the  dis- 
covery of  Tonopah,  it  was  taken  over  by  the  Southern  Pacific  Com- 
pany, and  broad-gauged,  and  during  the  last  two  years  (1910-1911) 
the  Nevada  Copper  Belt  has  been  built  from  Wabuska  south  to  the  Lud- 
wig  in  Smith  Valley,  with  a  short  branch  running  north  to  the  new  town 
of  Thompson  and  the  new  smelter  now  in  operation,  treating  from  700 
to  1,000  tons  of  ore  daily.  For  many  years  the  growth  of  the  popula- 
tion was  very  slow.  The  writings  of  Fitz-Mack,  advertising  the  copper 
deposits  near  the  opening  of  the  Reservation  brought  new  blood  and 
life  to  the  valley.  A  telephone  line  has  been  constructed,  a  bank  founded, 
a  high  school  established,  and  a  new  Court  House  built  at  Yerington. 
A  fine  new  grammar  school  building  was  built  in  Yerington,  finished  in 
1912.  About  the  year  1909,  Mason,  a  sister  city,  was  surveyed,  laid 
out,  and  built,  being  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Walker  River,  about 
three  miles  southwest  from  Yerington.  It  is  the  headquarters  of  the 
Nevada  Copper  Belt  Railroad,  and  of  the  Mason  Valley  Mines  Company. 
It  has  grown  rapidly  and  supports  a  good  hotel,  several  shops  and  a 
good  school. 

About  1890  an  Indian  known  as  Jack  Wilson,  a  large,  fine-looking 
Indian  of  the  Piute  tribe,  began  giving  ghost  dances  out  in  the  timber 
and  in  the  open  spaces  in  the  woods  and  creating  quite  a  stir  among  the 
Indians,  but  he  did  not  receive  the  support  that  he  expected  here.  So 
he  went  East  and  through  his  agents  communicated  with  the  Sioux  In- 


LYON    COUNTY  955 

dians,  and  started  the  last  Indian  war,  known  as  the  Ghost  Dance  War. 
This  Indian  Jack  was  raised  in  the  family  of  David  Wilson,  where  the 
old-fashioned  custom  of  reading  the  Bible,  and  having  the  family  pray- 
ers twice  a  day  obtained.  He  evidently  listened  closely  to  the  story  of 
the  Messiah  and,  being  a  very  bright  Indian  boy,  at  the  age  of  about 
17  was  employed  by  a  sleight-of-hand  performer  going  through  the 
country  to  work  over  this  section  with  him  as  an  assistant.  Through 
this  employment,  he  learned  many  mysterious  tricks,  and  so  it  was  a 
very  natural  sequence  to  his  early  impressions  that  he  should  constitute 
himself  the  Indian  Messiah.  At  the  age  of  about  28  years,  he  started 
these  ghost  dances  before  mentioned.  His  promises  made  to  the  In- 
dians that  after  they  begun  the  war  there  would  be  a  resurrection  of  all 
the  Indians  who  had  previously  died,  and  they  would  join  in  the  battles 
and  drive  the  white  men  out  of  the  country,  formed  the  inspiration  for 
their  actions.  This  same  "Messiah"  now  receives  prominent  Indians 
from  the  Middle  West  and  Montana,  who  give  him  many  presents  and 
treat  him  with  great  consideration  when  they  come.  He  accepts  these 
attentions  with  great  dignity  and  in  profound  silence. 

This  county  was  organized  in  1861.  In  1883  that  portion  of  Esmeral- 
da  County  lying  west  of  a  line  commencing  at  a  point  on  the  boundary 
line  between  California  and  Nevada,  where  the  counties  of  Esmeralda 
and  Douglas  corner,  and  running  thence,  in  a  northeasterly  direction  to 
a  point  on  the  north  boundary  line  of  Esmeralda  County,  where  the  Car- 
son and  Colorado  Railroad  crosses  said  line,  was  detached  from  Es- 
meralda County  and  annexed  to  Lyon  County.  It  was  part  of  what  is 
known  as  Mason  Valley. 

As  already  stated,  the  greater  part  of  these  lands — nearly  200,000 
acres — is  now  lying  idle,  though  abundance  of  water  is  afforded  by 
Walker  River  to  irrigate  all.  This  county  in  its  contour  resembles  a 
four-pointed  star ;  the  last  part  added  from  Wabuska  south  was  taken 
from  Esmeralda  in  what  is  known  as  "the  land  slide." 

In  the  palmy  days  of  the  Comstock,  Dayton,  at  the  north  end  of  Lyon 
County,  was  the  teamsters'  camp  for  the  Virginia  mines,  twelve  miles 
distant.  After  the  panic  it  was  no  longer  the  skinners'  resting  place 
and  the  business  shifted  to  the  new  city  of  Yerington,  the  centre  of 
the  great  copper  mining  district  of  that  name. 

A  few  years  ago  an  unfortunate  fire  destroyed  the  Court  House  at 


956  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

Dayton,  which  had  been  built  in  the  sixties,  and  at  once  a  fight  began 
between  Dayton  and  Yerington  for  the  county  seat.  The  fight  was  a 
very  bitter  one,  but  it  was  won  by  Yerington,  and  this  town  now  boasts 
of  a  Court  House  built  on  modern  lines.  To  that  has  been  added  a 
beautiful  public  school  building  and  waterworks,  with  a  standpipe  sup- 
plied with  water  pumped  from  four  artesian  wells.  The  town  also  has 
a  modern  sewer  system.  Where  two  years  ago  the  lizards  and  coyotes 
roamed  the  outlying  plains  and  foothills  of  Wabuska,  Thompson,  a 
smelter  town  stands  with  its  tall  chimneys  belching  smoke  from  the 
manufacture  of  copper.  From  these  plants  seventy-five  tons  of  copper 
matte  a  day  are  produced  as  the  product  of  the  great  Yerington  dis- 
trict. Another  unit  is  being  added  and  more  are  to  follow  to  keep  pace 
with  the  constantly  increasing  output.  Yerington  supplies  Mason  Val- 
ley, Waubuska,  Thompson,  Shurz.  Morningstar,  and  Pine  Grove  as  a 
depot  point,  and  a  monthly  payroll  of  more  than  six  hundred  men  redis- 
tribute the  profits  of  the  mines,  and  farms  making  a  healthy  commercial 
condition  which  has  succeeded  the  first  hurrah  of  the  boom  days. 


MINERAL    COUNTY  957 

CHAPTER  LIV. 

MINERAL  COUNTY. 

BY  J.  G.  ATCHISON. 

On  the  loth  day  of  February,  1911,  the  Legislature  erected  the  County 
of  Mineral  out  of  the  northern  portion  of  Esmeralda  County.  The 
Governor  appointed  as  the  first  Board  of  County  Commissioners,  J.  H. 
Miller,  of  Hawthorne,  F.  R.  Red,  of  Rawhide,  and  B.  R.  Balzar,  of  Mina. 
The  Board  organized  on  February  i8th,  1911,  and  appointed  the  following 
named  County  officers  :  Sheriff  and  Assessor,  Eugene  Grutt,  of  Rawhide ; 
Clerk  and  Treasurer,  J.  G.  Atchinson,  of  Hawthorne ;  Recorder  and  Audi- 
tor, John  Gallagher,  of  Hawthorne;  District  Attorney,  H.  F.  Brede,  of 
Rawhide ;  Public  Administrator,  W.  E.  Beauchamp,  of  Hawthorne  County ; 
Surveyor,  L.  B.  Spencer,  of  Hawthorne.  These  officers  held  until  the  next 
general  election  in  1912  at  which  election  Eugene  Grutt  was  again  elected 
to  the  same  office,  J.  H.  White  to  the  office  of  Clerk  and  Treasurer,  S.  T. 
Kelso  to  the  office  of  Recorder  and  Auditor,  John  R.  Melrose  to  the  office 
of  District  Attorney,  J.  H.  Miller  and  F.  R.  Red  and  Sol  M.  Summerfield 
were  elected  as  a  Board  of  County  Commissioners. 

This  is  essentially  a  Mineral  County  as  it  is  named,  although  there  is 
considerable  agricultural  area,  principally  in  the  northwestern  portion  of 
the  county  along  the  East  Walker  River  and  its  tributaries,  Sweetwater 
and  Bodie  Creeks,  from  the  boundary  line  between  California  and  Nevada 
to  the  boundary  line  between  Mineral  and  Lyon  Counties  at  the  head 
of  Walker  Lake  on  the  Indian  reservation.  The  soil,  in  other  portions  of 
the  county  wherever  water  can  be  obtained,  has  proved  highly  productive. 

The  Nevada  and  California  Railway  extends  through  about  the  center 
of  the  county  from  its  N.  W.  boundary  to  the  S.  E.  boundary  line,  skirt- 
ing the  eastern  shore  of  Walker  Lake.  Several  ranges  of  mountains 
traverse  the  county  from  northwest  to  southeast,  all  of  which  are  highly 
mineralized  and  are  continuously  being  explored  and  developed  by 
prospectors  and  miners.  The  majority  of  the  towns  of  the  county  are  the 


958  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

result  of  the  discovery  of  mines  rich  in  gold,  silver,  copper,  lead,  etc. 
Earlier  than  the  discovery  of  the  Comstock,  the  mines  of  Aurora  were 
producing  millions  in  gold,  and  have  been  producers  continuously,  in  vary- 
ing quantities  ever  since.  Very  recently  the  Knight  Investment  Co. 
took  over  the  principal  mines  and  are  prosecuting  development  work  vigor- 
ously and  are  erecting  a  reduction  works  of  500  tons  capacity  daily. 
Aurora  is  situated  near  the  boundary  line  of  Nevada  and  California  and 
12  miles  northeast  of  Bodie,  Cal.  (Mark  Twain  was  discovered  there). 
In  the  next  range  to  the  east,  the  Walker  Lake  Range,  are  numerous  min- 
ing districts  from  the  Beach  Yerington  and  surrounding  copper  producers 
in  the  northern  portion  of  the  range,  to  mines  in  the  Huntoon  district  in 
the  southern  portion  of  the  county.  The  Chip-Munk  Springs,  Walker 
Lake,  Mt.  Cory,  Alum  Creek,  etc.  The  Luckyboy  mines  are  in  Alum 
Creek  district  and  produced  over  a  million  in  silver  and  lead  in  a  year. 
A  tunnel  is  being  driven  on  this  property  to  a  distance  of  six  thousand 
feet  to  develop  the  known  ore-bodies  at  a  vertical  depth  of  a  thousand 
feet.  The  next  range  some  10  miles  to  the  east,  arid  generally  parallel,  ex- 
tends the  full  length  of  the  county,  and  in  it  are  situated  the  Rawhide 
mines,  in  the  northern  portion.  The  phenomenally  rich  gold  ore  discovered 
here  caused  the  Rawhide  boom  in  the  years  1906,  1907,  and  1908.  Raw- 
hide is  a  steady  producer,  three  quartz  mills  being  in  operation  there  and 
satisfactory  returns  being  had.  Further  south,  and  all  along  the  range 
on  the  eastern  shore  of  Walker  Lake,  mining  is  being  done  with  satis- 
factory results.  In  the  next  range  to  the  east  are  the  copper  mines  of 
Luning  District  and  the  mines  surrounding  Mina.  Still  further  south 
are  the  mines  of  Candelaria,  discovered  in  the  early  seventies,  which 
have  produced  millions  in  silver,  and  are  still  producing.  To  the  west 
of  Candelaria  is  situated  the  Teels  Borax  marsh  where  F.  M.  Smith 
(the  Borax  King)  made  his  start  in  borax  production.  This  marsh 
has  produced  millions  of  dollars  worth  of  borax.  On  the  line  of  the 
Nevada  &  California  Railway,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county,  and 
near  the  head  of  Walker  Lake,  is  the  town  of  Schurz,  the  headquarters  of 
the  Indian  Reservation  officials.  Walker  Lake  extends  north  and  south  a 
distance  of  26  miles  in  length  and  averages  four  miles  in  width. 

In  the  valley  at  the  south  end  of  the  lake  is  situated  the  County  Seat, 
Hawthorne,  a  veritable  oasis  in  the  desert.  The  soil  is  productive  and  is 
irrigated  with  water  brought  from  the  mountains  to  the  west.  Every 


MINERAL    COUNTY  959 

residence  is  surrounded  by  shade,  fruit  trees  and  gardens,  while  the 
rest  of  the  valley  is  arid,  the  waters  of  the  lake  being  slightly  high 
in  akali  for  irrigation  purposes.  Hawthorne  was  the  county  seat  of  Esmer- 
alda  County  prior  to  1907,  when  Goldfield  was  made  the  county  seat.  The 
forming  of  the  new  county  again  made  Hawthorne  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment. The  town  was  built  in  1881  on  the  advent  of  the  Carson  &  Colorado 
R.  R.,  afterward  the  Nevada  &  California  R.  R.,  and  was  division  head- 
quarters of  that  road.  To  the  east  of  Hawthorne,  on  the  line  of  the  R. 
R.,  is  the  town  of  Luning,  the  supply  point  for  the  copper-mines  of  that 
vicinity.  Twelve  miles  south  is  the  flourishing  town  of  Mina,  division 
point  of  the  railroad,  and  where  the  machine-shops,  round-house,  etc.,  are 
situated.  Surrounding  Mina  is  a  rich  mineral  country,  and  it  is  being 
vigorously  developed.  Three  miles  further  south  is  Sodaville  noted  for 
its  mineral  soda  springs.  Sodaville,  some  four  miles,  the  Narrow  Gauge 
R.  R.  leaves  the  main  line  and  runs  southwesterly  through  the  county 
and  on  through  Mono  and  Inyo  counties  to  Los  Angeles,  Cal.  Since  the 
creation  of  Mineral  County  it  has  been  prosperous.  The  valuation  of 
assessable  property  being  over  two  and  a  quarter  millions.  Expenses  are 
light.  Every  community  has  its  public  school  well  equipped  and  well 
taught.  There  are  thirteen  school  districts  in  the  county.  All  in  all  the 
youngest  county  in  the  State  has  a  bright  future. 


960  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

CHAPTER  LV. 
NYE  COUNTY. 
BY  P.  E.  KEELER. 

Nye  County  was,  by  act  of  the  territorial  legislature  of  Nevada,  carved 
out  of  Esmeralda  County,  in  the  year  1864,  and  was  named  in  honor  of 
Gov.  J.  W.  Nye.  Esmeralda  County  at  that  time  comprised  the  territory 
south  of  the  thirty-ninth  parallel  and  east  of  Mason  Valley.  Aurora  was 
a  thriving  camp,  but  of  the  land  to  the  east,  little  was  known.  True,  some 
old  maps  showed  the  line  through  Smoky  Valley  marked  "Fremont's  Trail 
in  1845"  and  along  it  were  the  names  of  San  Antonio  Peak,  Hot  Springs, 
Twin  Rivers  and  Smoky  Creek. 

In  1862-3  the  Reese  River  excitement  brought  in  many  settlers  and  the 
town  of  Austin  was  founded.  Prospecting  expeditions  were  undertaken 
southward  along  the  Toiyabe  range  beyond  the  limits  of  Lander  County. 
Discoveries  were  made  and  the  districts  of  Washington  and  Marysville 
on  the  western  slope  and  Twin  River  on  the  eastern  were  organized.  Up- 
on the  precipitous  slopes  of  this  range,  which  extends  from  8,000  to  12,000 
feet  in  height,  numerous  streams  arise  and  flow  down  to  the  adjacent 
valleys,  and  there  sink ;  but  Reese  River  runs  for  100  miles  to  the  north, 
and  along  its  course  ranches  were  located  and  settlements  made.  Con- 
tinuing the  exploration,  the  Shoshone  range  was  next  explored,  and  on  the 
western  slope  silver-bearing  rock  was  discovered  in  1863.  Union  district 
was  then  organized  and  the  town  of  lone  was  founded,  surrounded  by 
supposedly  rich  mines.  The  causes  which  led  to  the  organization  of 
Nye  County  are  partially  set  forth  in  the  petition  to  the  Territorial  Leg- 
islature signed  by  a  number  of  pioneers,  and  reads  as  follows: 

To  his  Excellency,  the  Governor  and  the  Honorable  members  of  the 
Legislature  of  the  Territory  of  Nevada : 

We,  the  undersigned  residents  of  Nevada  Territory,  respectfully  represent  that 
we  are  residents  of  a  newly-discovered  mining  district,  which  is  now  known  as 
"Union  District,"  that  the  same  is  situated  in  the  range  of  mountains  lying  between 
the  valley  of  Reese  River  on  the  east  and  the  valley  of  Smith  Creek  on  the  west. 


NYE    COUNTY  961 

We  are  distant  from  the  city  of  Austin  in  Lander  County,  in  a  southerly  direc- 
tion about  sixty  miles,  and  from  Aurora,  in  Esmeralda  County,  in  an  easterly  direc- 
tion, about  loo  miles.  Now,  we  your  petitioners  and  residents  of  this  district,  pray 
your  honorable  bodies  that  you  take  into  consideration  the  propriety  of  forming  a 
county  for  us,  believing  that  our  ends  and  the  ends  of  justice  will  be  better  sub- 
served by  so  doing. 

A  protest  by  numerous  residents  of  Lander  County  was  forwarded 
to  the  Governor  and  Legislature,  but  a  bill  was  nevertheless  introduced 
providing  for  the  creation  of  Nye  County.  In  the  favorable  report  on  this 
bill  we  find  the  statement  that  the  proposed  county  contained  from  1,000 
to  1,500  people. 

The  bill  became  a  law  February  16,  1864.  The  territory  embraced  was 
thus  described : 

"Beginning  at  the  intersection  of  the  thirty-ninth  parallel  of  north  latitude  with 
the  meridian  of  longitude  40°  30"  west  from  Washington ;  thence  running  east 
along  said  thirty-ninth  parallel  of  north  latitude  to  the  eastern  boundary  of  the 
Territory  of  Neyada ;  thence  running  south  along  said  eastern  boundary  to  the 
point  of  intersection  with  the  thirty-seventh  parallel  of  north  latitude ;  thence  run- 
ning along  said  thirty-ninth  parallel  of  north  latitude  west  to  the  California  line, 
and  northwest  along  said  California  line  to  the  point  of  intersection  with  the  merid- 
ian of  longitude  40°  30'  west  from  Washington ;  thence  running  north  along  said 
meridian  to  the  place  of  beginning." 

Subsequent  to  the  original  creative  Act  the  boundaries  of  Nye  County 
have  been  changed  six  times.  On  the  ninth  day  of  March,  1865,  half  a 
degree  was  ceded  to  Esmeralda  County,  making  the  eastern  boundary  of  the 
county  the  meridian  of  longitude  40°  30'  wes,t  from  Washington.  Febru- 
rary  26th,  1866,  a  large  part  of  the  southeastern  portion  of  Nye  was 
formed  into  Lincoln  County.  May  5th,  1866,  an  Act  was  approved  by  the 
President  of  the  United  States  extending  the  eastern  boundary  of  Nevada 
sixty  miles  into  Utah,  and  adding  to  this  State  all  its  present  area  south  of 
the  thirty-ninth  parallel  of  latitude.  This  addition  on  the  south  increased 
the  territory  of  Nye;  but  on  March  2nd,  1869,  a  portion  of  Nye  was 
added  to  White  Pine.  March  5th,  1869,  tne  western  boundary  of  the 
county  was  established  as  at  present.  In  1875  that  part  of  Nye  east  of  the 
one-hundred-and-fifteenth  meridian  west  from  Greenwich  was  added 
to  Lincoln  and  White  Pine.  The  area  is  18,432  square  miles.  April  2nd, 
1864,  in  accordance  with  the  creative  Act,  the  Governor  issued  his  pro- 
clamation locating  the  county  seat  at  lone  City,  and  appointing  the  first 
county  officers.  As  evidence  of  the  frugal  character  of  the  first  officers,  it 
is  recorded  that  the  modest  sum  of  $800  was  appropriated  for  the  con- 
struction of  a  County  Court  House.  The  wisdom  of  this  was  shown  when 


962  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

on  February  6th,  1867,  the  Legislature  passed  an  Act  removing  the 
county  seat  to  Belmont.  The  numerous  mines  and  rapid  development 
being  made,  attracted  wealth  and  population,  and  Belmont  soon  became 
an  important  center.  The  first  bonded  debt  was  created  in  1875,  at 
which  time  the  valuation  of  property  in  the  county  was  $1,500,000,  and 
the  population  2,000. 

The  topography  of  the  county  differs  little  from  that  of  the  major 
portion  of  Nevada,  consisting  of  valleys  running  north  and  south  and 
of  mountain  spurs  and  ranges.  In  its  earlier  years,  Nye  was  considered 
a  fine  grazing  country  and  thousands  of  cattle  grazed  annually  upon  the 
bunch  grass  and  white  sage  which  grew  profusely  over  large  portions 
of  the  county,  the  white  sage  in  particular  constituting  a  very  valuable 
winter  feed.  For  many  years,  however,  the  greater  portion  has  been 
looked  upon  as  desert,  inhabited  by  the  lizard  and  horned  toad,  while 
the  slinking  coyote  is  monarch  of  all  he  surveys. 

Duckwater  Valley  commences  about  seven  miles  south  of  the  north 
line  of  the  county  and  runs  southerly  into  Railroad  Valley.  It  is  three^ 
quarters  of  a  mile  wide  and  about  twelve  miles  long,  and  is  well  watered 
by  Duckwater  Creek.  It  consists  almost  entirely  of  meadow  land,  al- 
though all  kinds  of  grains  and  vegetables  may  be  produced.  It  is  noted 
for  the  apples  which  are  grown  there. 

Hot  Creek  Valley  runs  nearly  parallel  with  Railroad  Valley,  and 
is  about  eight  miles  wide  and  200  miles  long.  Its  water  supply  is  in- 
sufficient, being  obtained  from  small  creeks  and  springs.  Considerable 
numbers  of  cattle  and  horses  range  there  at  various  seasons  of  the  year. 

Monitor  Valley  lies  to  the  westward  of  Hot  Creek  Valley  and  extends 
about  seventy  miles  southerly  from  the  northern  boundary  of  the  county, 
and  is  about  eight  miles  wide.  It  is  watered  by  Pine  and  Mosquito  Creeks, 
and  several  other  small  streams.  The  raising  of  hay  and  cattle  are  the 
principal  industries. 

Ralston  Valley  commences  at  a  point  sixty  miles  south  of  the  northern 
line  of  the  county  near  the  town  of  Belmont,  and  runs  to  the  southern 
line.  It  is  about  eight  miles  wide,  contains  no  water  and  no  attempts  to 
settle  it  have  ever  been  made.  It  was  named  in  memory  of  Judge  James 
H.  Ralston  who  lost  his  life  through  starvation  and  exposure  on  the  edge 
of  the  valley  in  May,  1864. 


963 

Railroad  Valley  lies  between  the  White  Pine  Range  and  the  Pancake 
range  of  mountains,  and  is  twelve  miles  wide  and  200  miles  long.  There  is 
a  lack  of  water,  which  is  found  only  in  occasional  spots,  but  not  in 
sufficient  quantities  for  use  in  irrigation.  Indications  of  potash  here 
in  1911  have  led  to  extensive  location  of  the  valley  lands,  and  deep-boring 
has  taken  place  with  a  view  to  discovering  deposits  of  commercial  value, 
but  without  complete  success  as  yet. 

Reese  River  Valley,  which  extends  south  from  Lander  County  and 
reaches  thirty  miles  into  Nye,  is  eight  miles  wide,  well  watered  and 
produces  abundantly. 

Smoky  Valley  also  commences  in  Lander  County,  and  for  140  miles 
runs  southward  through  Nye,  being  about  fifteen  miles  in  width  and 
watered  by  numerous  small  streams  and  springs. 

As  one  glances  through  the  mining  records  of  Nye  County,  the 
names  of  mining  districts  at  this  date  almost  forgotten  are  found.  Blue 
Spring,  Danville,  Empire,  Grant,  Hot  Creek,  Jackson,  Jett,  Milk  Spring, 
San  Antonio,  Silver  Point,  North  Twin  River,  Springfield,  Summit,  Toi- 
yabe,  recall  but  a  memory,  and  the  traveler  in  those  sections  finds  only 
the  remnants  of  decaying  cabins  and  abandoned  workings.  Belmont  has 
been  abandoned  as  a  mining  camp,  and  its  few  residents  are  connected 
with  the  cattle  and  farming  industry  in  the  vicinity,  while  its  mills  have 
been  looted  of  all  useful  machinery  and  their  walls  have  crumbled  back  to 
earth.  Such  was  the  condition  of  the  mining  industry  when  the  new 
discoveries  were  made  which  have  brought  Nye  into  the  lead  of  the 
mining  counties  of  the  State,  following  the  discoveries  of  Tonopah.  It 
will  be  noted  that  I  have  used  the  word  in  the  plural,  "discoveries,"  and 
the  reason  will  become  apparent  later.  The  discovery  of  Tonopah  by 
Butler  on  May  igth,  1900,  was  by  far  the  most  important  event  in  the 
later  history  of  Nevada,  just  as  the  discovery  of  the  Comstock  was  the  most 
important  event  in  the  State's  earlier  history,  and  all  the  in- 
formation concerning  it  should,  therefore,  be  told  by  those  who  hear  or 
know  the  facts.  Again,  the  usually  accepted  story  of  the  Butler  discovery 
probably  does  not  state  the  whole  truth. 

The  ledges  at  Tonopah,  out-cropping  in  a  space  less  than  three  hundred 
yards  square,  but  nevertheless  prominent,  must  have  been  seen  by  pro- 
spectors and  cowboys  many  times  before  Butler  saw  them,  for  they 


964  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

were  in  plain  sight  from  the  trail  that  led  through  the  Sawtooth  Pass 
from  San  Antonio  Valley  to  Ralston  Valley. 

There  are  other  passes  across  the  San  Antonio  range,  but  this  was 
the  least  rough  and  certainly  the  lowest  pass  between  the  few  inhabited 
points  in  that  part  of  Nevada,  particularly  between  the  station  at  Stone 
Cabin,  about  forty  miles  east  of  Tonopah,  and  the  cattle  ranges  along 
lower  Peavine  Creek  in  San  Antonio  Valley,  which  extends  westerly 
toward  Silver  Peak,  and  Candelaria.  The  old  name  of  the  pass,  for  it 
is  now  called  Tonopah  Pass,  was  taken  from  the  early  name  given  by 
the  cowboys  quite  appropriately  to  the  high  volcanic  rim  now  known 
at  Mt.  Butler,  which  they  called  Sawtooth  Peak,  from  its  serrated  sum- 
mit. It  can  be  seen  from  great  distances  in  the  desert,  and  is  peculiarly  a 
landmark  easily  distinguishable  from  all  surrounding  mountains. 

"Float"  from  the  Valley  View  ledges  was  scattered  all  along  that  part 
of  the  pass  at  the  base  of  Valley  View,  or  Silver  Top  hill,  and  some 
of  it  was  very  rich.  But  it  was  all  black  or  brownish  black,  and  black 
ledges  were  held  in  no  favor  in  southern  Nevada,  where  there  is  a  number 
of  them  running  high  in  iron,  but  low  in  everything  else  but  silica.  So 
the  cowboys  and  prospectors  must  have  ignored  the  black-float  and 
the  black  ledges  it  came  from,  thinking  the  coloring  due  to  the  presence 
of  abundant  iron  compounds,  instead  of  compounds  of  manganese  and 
silver,  the  true  coloring  agents  of  the  rock.  Butler  found  location  monu- 
ments on  the  ground,  but  they  had  partly  fallen  down  and  were  weather- 
beaten  and  apparently  old.  He  found  no  location  notices. 

The  nearest  town  to  Sawtooth  Peak  was  Silver  Peak,  about  thirty-five 
miles  westerly.  Prospectors  went  out  from  that  town  in  all  directions. 
Along  there  in  the  nineties,  was  an  old  man  who  made  several  trips  to- 
ward Sawtooth  Peak,  and  who  reported  that  he  had  found  and  located 
some  ledges  of  black  quartz  near  its  base.  It  is  supposed  that  he  had 
some  idea  of  the  value  of  his  discovery  for  he  allowed  no  one  to  accompany 
him  on  his  trips  in  that  direction.  After  a  time  he  was  missing  from  Silver 
Peak,  and  has  never  been  seen  there  since.  Whether  he  left  on  a  trip 
out  into  the  desert  and  lost  his  life  there,  or  whether  he  simply  went 
away  from  Silver  Peak  to  some  more  attractive  place  of  abode,  no 
one  knows,  for  he  was  little  given  to  talk  and  did  not  disclose  his  plans. 
What  description  he  did  give  of  the  ledges  he  discovered,  however, 
fits  very  closely  those  at  Tonopah.  Several  years  after  the  old  man  had 


NYE     COUNTY  965 

disappeared,  an  Indian  known  as  Charlie  Fishman  told  the  assayer  at  the 
Silver  Peak  Mine  that  he  knew  where  there  were  some  big  black  quartz 
ledges;  that  they  looked  good  and  that  he  thought  they  might  contain 
gold.  This  Indian  is  a  half-breed  from  the  Fish  Lake  Valley  country  at 
the  foot  of  the  White  Mountains,  and  is  more  intelligent  and  restless  than 
most  Shoshones  and  Piutes.  He  knows  something  of  prospecting,  and  was 
in  the  habit  of  making  trips  for  that  purpose  on  horseback.  The  assayer, 
who  was  generally  known  as  "Van,"  to  the  whites,  and  "Mr.  Van"  to 
the  Indians,  was  himself  deeply  interested  in  the  country  surrounding  Sil- 
ver Peak,  and  encouraged  prospecting  to  the  extent  that  he  could  afford. 
He  asked  Fishman  how  long  it  would  take  him  to  make  the  trip  and  pro- 
spect the  ledges  for  gold.  Fishman  said  he  could  do  it  in  two  or  three 
weeks,  if  he  had  an  outfit.  The  assayer  supplied  Fishman  with  a  light 
wagon,  a  team  of  horses,  and  enough  supplies  for  three  weeks.  The 
Indian  said  he  knew  where  he  could  get  what  water  he  needed.  Van's  in- 
structions to  him  were  to  pan  for  gold  all  along  the  ledges. 

Fishman  returned  in  about  three  weeks  and  reported  that  he  had  panned 
the  ledges  as  well  as  he  could  and  that  he  had  gotten  but  one  color.  He 
brought  back  none  of  the  rock.  He  returned  to  the  assayer  what  was  left 
of  the  outfit  and  disappeared.  In  1901,  the  assayer  paid  the  newly  dis- 
covered Tonopah  a  visit.  He  had  heard  wonderful  tales  of  its  mineral 
wealth,  the  activity  of  its  leasers,  and  the  great  shipments  that  were 
furnishing  employment  for  scores  of  teamsters  and  hundreds  of  horses, 
and  wanted  to  see  for  himself.  He  inspected  the  leases  on  Mizpah  Hill 
and  then  crossed  over  to  the  Valley  View  Hill.  As  he  stood  on  the  edge 
of  the  first  lease  he  came  to  that  side  and  looked  down  into  the  open  cut 
where  the  ore  was  being  broken,  he  spied  Fishman  working  with  a  single- 
jack  and  drill.  He  called  to  him.  The  Indian  looked  up  and  said :  "Hello, 
Mr.  Van  how  are  you  ?  This  is  the  place  where  I  found  the  black  quartz." 
Van  turned  away  without  replying ;  walked  rapidly  down  the  hill ;  hitched 
up  his  team  without  a  word  and  left  Tonopah,  never  to  return. 

In  the  spring  of  either  1897,  1898,  or  1899,  Isador  Sara,  a  sheep- 
owner  was  driving  his  band  of  sheep  along  the  Monitor  to  the  San 
Antonio  range  of  mountains.  The  feed  about  the  present  site  of  Tonopah 
was  good  and  springs  between  what  is  now  known  as  Heller,  Butte, 
and  Mt.  Butler  furnished  abundance  of  water.  The  sheep  camp  was 
established  near  the  present  site  of  the  State  Bank  Building,  and  the  sheep 


966 

ranged  on  the  slopes  of  Mizpah  Hill.  Sara's  herder  had  done  some  pro- 
specting and  noticed  the  croppings  as  his  sheep  fed.  He  broke  off  some 
samples  and  tying  them  in  his  handkerchief  hung  them  on  the  side  of  the 
camp  burro.  About  this  time  the  weather  turned  very  warm  and  the 
springs  dried  up.  It  was  necessary  to  move  the  sheep  by  forced  marches. 
In  traveling,  the  samples  wore  a  hole  in  the  handkerchief  and  into  the 
burro's  side.  They  tied  them  up  again  and  hung  them  on  the  burro,  but 
again  the  chafing  wore  the  cloth  through  and  Sara,  becoming  disgusted, 
threw  the  samples  into  the  ditch.  The  herder  thought  the  samples  were 
very  rich.  They  came  from  the  Mizpah  and  Valley  View  croppings. 

Butler's  discovery  is  generally  attributed  to  the  straying  proclivities 
of  his  burros,  but  two  facts  should  be  considered  as  possibly  having 
some  bearing  on  it.  Butler  speaks  the  Shoshone  dialect  perfectly,  and 
dearly  loves  to  talk  to  any  Indian  or  group  of  Indians  he  may  encounter. 
He  has  always  treated  them  well  and  is  looked  upon  by  them  as  a 
friend.  Many  a  dollar  of  his  Tonapah  wealth  has  been  spent  upon  them 
in  late  years.  His  trip  was  ostensibly  taken  for  the  purpose  of  visiting 
the  Bell  &  Court  strike  at  Klondike,  in  the  range  of  low  hills  connecting 
the  San  Antonio  mountains  with  the  present  Diamond-field  region,  a  few 
miles  northerly  from  Goldfield.  The  most  direct  route  from  Belmont, 
and  in  all  respects  the  most  feasible  for  him,  was  down  Ralston  Valley 
to  the  spring  at  Rye  Patch,  thirty  miles  to  the  south  the  first  day,  then 
the  remaining  twenty-five  miles  or  so  the  next  day,  continuing  on  down 
the  Ralston  Valley  to  Cactus  Lake,  across  the  west  edge  of  the  lake 
to  Klondike  hills  and  across  them  to  the  Bell  &  Court  property.  Instead 
of  this  course,  which  lay  before  him  like  an  open  door,  almost  every  foot 
of  it  in  plain  view  from  the  mouth  of  the  canyon  at  Belmont,  he  crossed 
the  San  Antonio  Mountains,  through  a  high,  rough  pass  to  Tonapah 
Spring,  about  four  miles  north  of  the  present  town  of  Tonopah,  and 
then,  after  discovering  the  ledges,  crossed  the  range  again  around  Saw- 
tooth Peak  and  through  what  is  known  as  Gold  Mountain  Pass.  That  is  to 
say,  he  crossed  the  range  twice,  when,  had  he  no  other  object  in  view  than 
visiting  the  Bell  &  Court  discovery,  he  need  not  have  crossed  it  at  all,  and 
could  have  avoided  its  roughness  and  cut  off  eight  or  ten  miles  of  travel 
with  burros,  which  is  not  an  easy  and  comfortable  method  of  getting  from 
place  to  place.  The  probability  is  that  he  was  looking  for  ledges  he  had 
been  told  of  by  the  Indians,  and  that  he  found  them  where  he  expected  to 


NYE    COUNTY  967 

find  them,  with  a  little  assistance  from  the  straying  burros.  None  the 
less,  however,  the  credit  is  and  should  be  his,  for  the  making  of  a  dis- 
covery of  mineral  that  has  lifted  Nevada  out  of  the  lethargy  into  which 
the  State  was  slowly  sinking  into  oblivion. 

In  the  years  that  have  passed  since  this  discovery,  Tonopah  has  passed 
through  the  usual  struggles  of  the  desert  mining  Camp.  Electric  power  has 
been  brought  in  from  Owens  River,  eighty  miles  away.  Water  has  been 
piped  in  from  Rye  Patch,  eighteen  miles  distant.  A  sewer  system  has  been 
installed;  a  five-story  hotel,  and  five-story  office  building  erected.  A 
Masonic  Temple  has  been  secured  by  the  Masonic  bodies  at  a  cost  of 
$20,000.  A  High  School  building  is  being  erected  (1913)  at  a  cost  of 
$50,000.  Five  Stamp  Mills,  with  an  aggregate  of  200  stamps,  are  dropping 
on  the  ores  in  Tonopah,  while  two  mills  at  Millers,  14  miles  away,  with 
lob-stamps,  also  handle  Tonopah  ores,  from  ten  producing  miles  with  a 
monthly  output  of  over  $1,000,000.  The  population  is  at  present  about 
7,000. 

Bullfrog — Following  in  the  history  of  the  later  mining  camps  of  Nye 
County.  Frank  (Shorty)  Harris,  a  typical  desert  wanderer,  returning 
with  a  companion  and  the  inevitable  burros  of  the  prospector,  from  a  trip 
to  the  Keane  Wonder  country,  camped  at  Buck  Springs.  The  next  morn- 
ing Harris  started  to  prospect  some  boulders  of  quartz  and  in  a  few  minutes 
had  discovered  samples  of  what  afterward  became  known  as  the  genuine 
green  bullfrog  rock,  through  which  free  gold  was  scattered  with  a  lavish 
hand.  He  located  only  one  claim,  a  mill-site  and  water-right,  and 
proceeded  to  Goldfield,  the  nearest  town,  and  the  rush  was  on ;  and  proper- 
ties were  at  various  times  sold  for  considerations  reaching  in  the  aggre- 
gate to  over  a  million  dollars,  were  soon  located.  But  the  original  dis- 
coverer, in  a  moment  of  forgetfulness  due  to  over-indulgence,  parted  with 
his  interest  in  the  initial  discovery  for  $1,000.  In  its  palmy  days, 
Rhyolite,  the  principal  town  of  the  Bullfrog  District,  numbered  5,000 
inhabitants,  and  the  Montgomery-Shoshone  Mine,  with  its  large  Stamp 
Mill,  was  one  of  the  best  known  mines  of  the  State.  But  again  the  desert 
has  claimed  its  own. 

Manhattan — Popularly  known  as  the  "Pine  Tree"  camp  of  Nye  County, 
probably  attracted  more  attention  and  recorded  greater  progress  during 
the  year  1912  than  any  other  district  in  Nevada.  While  Tonopah  and 


968  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

Goldfield  led  by  a  wide  margin  in  amount  of  wealth  produced  from  the 
mines,  Manhattan  undoubtedly  made  greater  advancement  from  its  former 
position  than  was  witnessed  even  by  those  greater  camps.  From  a 
condition  of  comparative  uncertainty  and  almost  stagnation  which  had 
prevailed  for  several  years,  it  solved  the  mining  and  milling  problems 
before  it,  and  hewed  its  way  into  public  recognition,  sustained  by  many 
new  and  important  discoveries  of  ore  and  liberal  shipments  of  gold  to 
the  United  States  Mints. 

The  history  of  Manhattan  has  not  been  without  its  romantic  and 
kaleidoscopic  features.  The  first  gold  was  discovered  in  April,  1905,  by 
John  C.  Humphrey  and  partners,  in  a  ledge  of  silicified  lime  that  out- 
cropped prominently  near  the  base  of  what  is  now  known  as  "April  Fool" 
hill,  and  but  a  hundred  feet  from  the  old  Belmont-Cloverdale  wagon 
road.  The  scene  of  this  discovery  is  now  in  the  center  of  the  town 
of  Manhattan.  Shipments  from  the  apex  of  this  ledge  were  later  freighted 
to  Sodaville,  and  gave  returns  of  over  $100  per  ton.  An  influx  of 
prospectors  followed  the  original  discovery,  and  a  large  area  was  located. 
New  excitements  elsewhere  during  the  fall  caused  a  general  exodus,  and 
in  December  the  town  had  less  than  100  inhabitants.  A  shipment  of 
rich  ore  in  January,  1906,  created  a  new  rush,  and  in  March  the  district 
had  3,000  population.  This  boom  attracted  much  San  Francisco  capital, 
and  the  principal  properties  passed  into  the  control  of  men  of  the  coast  city, 
but  the  earthquake  of  April  18,  which  wrecked  San  Francisco,  also  ruined 
many  of  those  who  had  invested  in  Manhattan,  causing  cessation  of 
development  and  practical  abandonment  of  the  camp. 

Mining  was  at  a  standstill,  except  in  the  case  of  a  few  leases  that 
were  intermittently  being  operated  in  the  western  or  lower  end  of  the 
camp,  around  the  Union  No.  9  claim.  Among  those  which  helped  to  fill 
in  the  small  activities  of  the  camp  were  the  Evans  lease,  the  Lamb 
lease,  the  Shea  &  Putman  lease  and  the  Dexter  Leasing  company,  all  of 
which  operated  on  the  Union  No.  9  claim  of  the  Dexter  company.  Each  of 
them  were  profitable  producers  from  the  standpoint  of  the  leases. 

Discovery  of  rich  placer  diggings  along  the  main  gulch  immediately 
below  the  town  of  Manhattan  early  in  1909,  renewed  interest  in  the  dis- 
trict, and  led  to  a  revival  of  lode  mining  on  a  small  scale,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  extensive  activities  on  the  placers,  which  extend  down  the 
valley  for  several  miles.  To  Thos.  ("Dry-Wash")  Wilson,  who  had  pre- 


0 


NYE    COUNTY  969 

viously  cleaned  up  about  $40,000  in  less  than  90  days  "dry-washing"  on 
the  Sunnyside  ground  of  the  Round  Mountain  Mining  company's  holdings 
at  Round  Mountain,  belongs  the  credit  of  inaugurating  successful  oper- 
ations on  the  Manhattan  placers  by  installing  equipment  and  methods  cap- 
able of  handling  the  water  and  gravel  which  varied  from  40  to  70  feet 
to  bedrock.  The  value  of  the  gravel  ranges  from  $8  to  $30  per  yard,  and 
many  large  nuggets  have  been  found. 

Lode  mining  by  leases  spread  to  the  eastern  portion  of  the  camp 
and  resulted  in  a  number  of  good  discoveries  in  Litigation  Hill  and  on 
the  White  Caps.  The  Big  Four,  at  the  western  edge  of  the  town, 
also,  in  1911,  became  a  notable  producer  under  the  operation  of  the 
(Poak-Steen)  Cicala  lease,  and  gave  added  impetus  to  the  district.  This 
lease,  when  at  a  depth  of  400  feet  and  with  a  production  of  approximately 
$400,000  to  its  credit,  was  taken  over  by  the  Big  Four  Mining  com- 
pany April  4,  1912,  and  the  company  immediately  proceeded  to  sink  the 
shaft  to  500  feet,  where  the  large  ore  bodies  were  again  picked  up  by 
lateral  development  in  July.  A  notable  feature  in  the  revival  of  Manhat- 
tan was  the  fact  that  it  was  brought  about  almost  entirely  by  the  acti- 
vities and  successes  of  lessees  in  various  parts  of  the  camp.  All  of  the 
owning  companies  had  been  put  out  of  business  by  the  San  Francisco 
earthquake  and  the  panic  of  1907,  but  there  were  men  who  still  re- 
tained faith  in  the  resources  of  the  district,  and  their  leasing  operations 
brought  results  which  justified  their  efforts,  and  again  attracted  capital 
for  mining  development  and  modern  milling  facilities. 

Although  for  several  years  handicapped  by  inadquate  custom-mills 
and  high  milling  charges,  those  problems  have  been  gradually  solved. 
The  War  Eagle  mill,  with  10  stamps  of  50  tons  daily  capacity,  was  con- 
structed in  1910,  superseding  the  old  Canyon  mill  as  a  market  for  ore. 
The  treatment  consists  of  stamp-crushing,  amalgamation,  and  cyanide. 
In  1911  it  passed  into  control  of  the  War  Eagle  Mining  and  Milling  com- 
pany, with  D.  R.  Finlayson  as  general  manager.  The  Priest  mill,  of 
similar  capacity,  was  practically  completed  in  1910,  but  became  involved 
in  debts  and  did  not  begin  operations  until  January,  1912,  when  it 
was  taken  over  under  lease  by  the  Poak-Steen-Cicala  syndicate  for  treat- 
ment of  ore  from  their  lease  on  the  Big  Four.  It  was  later  purchased  by 
the  Manhattan  Ore  and  Reduction  company,  headed  by  Jno.  D.  Williden, 
of  Philadelphia. 


970  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

The  Associated  mill,  for  which  ground  was  broken  in  November,  1911, 
was  completed  and  placed  in  operation  April  i,  1912.  It  is  controlled 
by  prominent  mining  men  of  Tonopah  and  Manhattan,  headed  by  John  G. 
Kirchen,  and  conducted  under  the  management  of  its  designer,  Chas. 
Kirchen.  The  mill  is  situated  in  the  "upper"  or  eastern  end  of  the  camp, 
and  was  designed  especially  for  the  treatment  of  the  refractory  ores 
of  that  locality,  in  which  are  the  Manhattan  Consolidated  and  the  White 
Caps.  It  has  10  stamps,  or  a  capacity  of  50  tons  per  day,  and  the  values 
are  recovered  by  cyanide,  without  amalgamation. 

Before  the  close  of  the  year  1912,  the  Big  Four  company  will  have 
a  5O-ton  mill  in  operation,  of  its  own  construction.  Mining  operations 
by  owning  companies,  were  resumed  in  an  energetic  manner  on  a  num- 
ber of  properties  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1912,  and  considerable  new 
capital  was  invested  in  the  district,  with  excellent  results  to  those  who 
thus  showed  their  confidence  in  the  camp. 

Among  the  active  companies  in  1912,  were  the  Big  Four,  the  Dexter- 
Union,  the  Toro  Blanco,  the  Morning  Glory,  the  Manhattan  Amalga- 
mated, the  Manhattan  Earl,  the  Manhattan  Dorris,  the  Thanksgiving,  and 
the  Mineral  Hill  Consolidated.  The  most  prominent  leases,  all  of  which 
were  producing  pay  ore,  were  the  White  Caps  Syndicate  on  the  White 
Caps,  the  Steffner,  the  Mushett- Wittenberg,  and  the  Kendall-Douglas  on 
the  Manhattan  Consolidated,  the  Swanson,  and  the  Bath  Bros,  leases  on  the 
Earl,  the  Green  lease  on  Litigation  Hill  Merger,  the  Branson-Herd  on  the 
Dexter-Union,  Tarash-Lindsay  lease  on  Big  Four,  the  Putman,  Shea  & 
Kelliher  lease  on  the  Union  No.  9,  and  Stray  Dog,  the  Rakestraw  lease  on 
Union  No.  9,  the  Phillips  lease  on  Indian  Camp,  besides  a  number  of 
others  of  lesser  note  in  various  portions  of  the  district.  The  placers 
were  still  receiving  a  great  deal  of  attention  and  give  promise  to  make 
a  generous  yield  of  gold  for  several  years  to  come. 

Electric  power,  which  was  installed  by  the  Nevada-California  Power 
company  by  extending  their  lines  into  the  camp  in  1909,  has  played  an 
important  part  in  the  larger  development  of  the  district.  The  camp  has 
many  natural  advantages  for  mining  operations,  including  a  delightful 
climate,  an  abundance  of  water  for  milling  and  domestic  purposes, 
a  thick  growth  of  pine  timber  on  the  surrounding  hills,  and  ease  of 
access  by  automobile  and  freight  wagons,  although  located  45  miles  from 
Tonopah,  the  nearest  railway  point.  Most  of  the  ore  shoots  come  to  the 


NYE    COUNTY  971 

surface,  and  are  easily  found  by  intelligent  and  persistent  prospecting, 
which  makes  the  expense  of  preliminary  work  a  very  small  item.  The 
geological  formation  includes  slates,  limestones,  quartzite,  granite,  por- 
phyry and  rhyolite,  through  which  there  has  been  extensive  faulting, 
the  faults  being  responsible  in  a  large  degree  for  the  extensive  ore  bodies. 
Manhattan  is  one  of  the  most  picturesquely  situated  mining  camps  in 
Nevada.  The  little  town  nestles  in  the  forks  of  two  gulches  that  come 
down  in  a  gentle  slope  from  the  rolling  hills  above,  and  from  where  the 
gulches  join  and  continue  down  toward  the  Smoky  Valley.  The  string  of 
houses  follow  for  half  a  mile  or  more.  The  town  has  an  altitude  of 
about  7,250  feet  above  sea  level,  and  the  narrow  valley  in  which  it  is 
situated  is  followed  by  the  old  Belmont-Cloverdale  wagon  road,  which  has 
been  one  of  the  principal  highways  of  the  desert  since  the  early  sixties. 
The  rounded  hills  on  either  side  of  this  valley  rise  only  200  to  500  feet 
above  its  floor,  but  about  i^  miles  to  the  northwest,  they  grade  into 
the  rugged  mountains  forming  the  crest  of  the  Toquima  range,  which 
extends  northward  about  80  miles  further,  paralleling  the  Toiyabe  range 
to  the  west  and  separated  from  it  by  the  Big  Smoky  Valley. 

Round  Mountain. — One  of  the  most  interesting  low  grade  but  profit- 
yielding  camps  in  Nevada  is  Round  Mountain,  located  in  Nye  county,  65 
miles  north  of  Tonopah,  and  20  miles  from  Manhattan.  Among  the  several 
companies  there,  the  Round  Mountain  Mining  company  is  the  leader, 
but  it  has  some  good  neighbors  in  the  Round  Mountain  Sphinx,  the 
Round  Mountain,  Fairview,  Round  Mountain  Daisy,  and  others  of 
lesser  note.  The  strike  that  first  brought  the  attention  of  the  public 
to  Round  Mountain  was  made  in  the  spring  of  1906,  on  ground  located 
by  Louis  D.  Gordon,  and  on  a  lease  given  by  him  to  Scott,  Morgan,  and 
Scott  on  the  Sunnyside  No.  i  claim,  which  has  been  included  in  the 
holdings  of  the  Round  Mountain  Mining  company  since  its  organization 
during  that  year. 

Round  Mountain,  after  which  the  district  and  its  leading  company, 
take  their  name,  is  a  low,  round  top  mountain  of  porphyry  and  rhyolite, 
on  the  east  side  of  Smoky  Valley,  near  the  base  of  the  Toquima  range. 

The  property  of  the  Round  Mountain  Mining  company,  comprises  350 
acres,  which  were  acquired  in  1906  and  1907.  Since  its  incorporation, 
the  company  has  mined  and  milled  over  210,000  tons  of  ore  of  a 


972  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

gross  value  of  approximately  $2,000,000  and  a  net  operating  value  of 
about  $750,000,  out  of  which  it  has  paid  dividends  amounting  to  $328,- 
404.17,  and  has  in  its  treasury  a  surplus  of  more  than  $165,000.  During 
the  past  year  the  company  has  added  to  its  milling  facilities,  and  is  now 
milling  about  5,000  tons  a  month  as  compared  with  3,000  tons  per  month 
formerly.  The  ore  averages  between  $6  and  $10  per  ton,  but  owing  to  the 
large  ore  bodies  and  the  free  milling  character,  mining  and  milling  costs  are 
very  low.  The  property  is  developed  to  a  depth  of  900  feet  on  the  vein  and 
has  more  than  seven  miles  of  underground  workings,  with  a  very  large 
tonnage  of  ore  developed  in  the  mine.  The  company  is  capitalized 
at  1,000,000  shares,  par  value  $i,  of  which  870,000  shares  have  been 
issued.  The  officers  and  directors  are:  Jas.  R.  Davis,  President;  W.  H. 
Webber,  Vice-president;  H.  G.  Mayer,  Secretary;  L.  D.  Gordon,  and 
W.  H.  Bryant.  The  principal  offices  of  the  company  are  located  at 
Goldfield,  Nev.  In  addition  to  the  values  recovered  from  the  mines,  a  large 
amount  of  gold  has  been  recovered  by  lessees  working  the  placer  ground 
on  the  company's  property  below  the  outcrop  of  the  big  vein. 


ORMSBY    COUNTY  973 

CHAPTER  LVI. 

ORMSBY  COUNTY. 

BY  SAM  P.  DAVIS. 

Geographically,  Ormsby  is  the  smallest  county  in  the  state.  It  was 
named  after  Major  William  M.  Ormsby,  who  was  one  of  its  pioneers 
and  prominent  citizens,  and  who  met  his  death  at  the  battle  of  Pyramid 
Lake,  where  the  force  under  his  command  was  defeated  by  the  Indians. 

By  an  act  of  the  Territorial  Legislature,  approved  November  25th, 
1861,  the  boundaries  of  the  county  were  defined  as  follows: 

Beginning  at  the  northeastern  corner  of  Douglas  County,  and  run- 
ning in  an  easterly  direction  along  the  northern  boundary  thereof  to  a 
point  where  it  crosses  El  Dorado  Canyon ;  thence  down  the  center  of 
said  canyon  to  a  point  there  on  due  east  of  Brown  and  Cos  dam,  on 
Carson  river;  thence  in  a  westerly  direction,  crossing  Carson  river  at 
said  dam ;  thence  to  the  Half-Way  House,  between  Carson  and  Silver 
City;  thence  northwesterly  to  the  summit  of  the  mountains  east  of 
Washoe  Lake;  thence  in  a  westerly  course  along  said  summit  to  the 
tops  of  the  Sierras ;  thence  due  west  to  the  California  line  to  the  place 
of  beginning. 

It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Washoe  and  Lyon  counties,  on  the 
east  by  Lyon,  on  the  south  by  Douglas,  and  on  the  west  by  Placer 
County,  California.  The  total  area  of  the  county  is  172  square  miles, 
and  twenty-seven  of  these  are  under  water,  being  a  portion  of  Lake 
Tahoe.  Nearly  one  hundred  square  miles  are  covered  with  picturesque 
mountains  and  the  rest  is  valley  land  of  great  richness,  capable  of 
producing  all  kinds  of  fruits,  grain  and  vegetables. 

At  the  west  the  Sierra  Nevada  range,  whose  peaks  are  sometimes 
covered  with  snow  until  late  in  autumn,  rising  to  an  altitude  of  eight 
thousand  feet  above  the  sea.  These  mountains  were  originally  covered 
with  dense  growths  of  pines  and  cedars.  But  of  late  years  they  have 
been  denuded  by  the  lumberman's  axe.  Square  miles  of  these  forests 


974  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

were  cut  down  to  supply  timber  for  the  mines  of  the  Comstock. 
Happily  for  the  interests  of  the  country  a  second  growth  of  pine  is 
appearing  on  the  slopes  of  the  mountains  and  being  protected  by  law, 
and  at  some  future  day  the  forest  glories  of  the  past  will  be  restored. 

The  Pine  Nut  Mountains  are  at  the  south  and  east,  and  so  named 
from  their  growth  of  the  Nut-Pine,  but  they  have  also  been  denuded 
of  their  forest  growth  to  supply  the  needs  of  an  advancing  civilization. 

Once  a  thing  of  beauty,  they  are  now  bare  and  unattractive.  Gold 
has  been  found  in  both  these  ranges.  In  the  early  days  the  Pine-Nut 
range  was  the  home  of  cattle  rustlers  and  bandits  and  many  a  skeleton 
has  been  discovered  there  which  tells  of  robbery  and  murder  and 
crimes  whose  mysteries  will  never  be  solved. 

After  entering  Ormsby  County  the  valley  of  the  Carson  widens.  It 
is  covered  with  prosperous  farms  and  abounds  in  beautiful  scenery. 
It  is  known  as  Eagle  Valley,  and  has  an  area  of  about  twenty-five 
square  miles. 

The  altitude  of  the  Valley  at  Carson  City  is  4,015  feet  above  the  sea. 
The  Carson  river  runs  about  eighteen  miles  through  the  county.  It 
has  a  variable  flow.  In  the  spring  its  swollen  torrents  sometimes 
sweep  away  its  bridges  and  in  the  fall  it  dwindles  down  to  a  mere 
brook,  not  more  than  a  foot  in  depth.  Clear  Creek  is  a  mountain  tor- 
rent in  the  spring  from  the  melting  mountain  snows,  and  after  a  short 
course  runs  into  the  Carson.  Mill  Creek  is  a  still  smaller  stream  and 
there  is  another  in  El  Dorado  Canyon.  These  streams  constitute  the 
water  courses  of  Ormsby  County. 

In  addition  to  these  are  three  hot-springs  which  burst  out  of  the 
ground  with  water  hot  enough  to  boil  an  egg.  One  is  at  the  States 
Prison,  one  just  at  the  southern  edge  of  the  County,  and  the  other, 
more  commonly  known  as  Shaw's  Springs,  is  about  three  miles  north- 
east of  Carson  and  has  been  a  public  resort  for  many  years.  The  waters, 
are  highly  mineralized  and  medicinal  and  known  for  their  curative  qual- 
ities all  over  the  Coast. 

Prior  to  being  Ormsby  County  it  was  known  as  the  County  of 
Carson,  having  been  so  named  by  an  act  of  the  Territorial  Legislature 
January  I7th,  1852.  At  that  time  it  was  a  part  of  the  Territory  of 
Utah.  The  history  of  Ormsby  County  becomes  almost  entirely  the 
early  history  of  the  State. 


ORMSBY    COUNTY  975 

Carson  City,  the  county  seat  and  also  the  Capitol  city  of  the  State, 
took  its  name  from  that  picturesque  character,  Kit  Carson,  a  hunter, 
trapper,  explorer  and  venturesome  frontiersman  who  entered  the 
county  by  way  of  the  river  which  also  bears  his  name. 

The  first  people  to  make  a  permanent  stay  in  what  is  now  Carson 
City  were  Joseph  and  Frank  Barnard,  Frank  and  W.  L.  Hall,  A.  J. 
Rollins  and  George  Follensbye.  They  were  gold-hunters,  and  came 
from  the  placer  mines  of  California.  Realizing  that  the  country 
offered  advantages  for  trading  and  agriculture  they  set  up  a  station 
at  that  point.  This  was  in  Nov.,  1851.  Having  killed  an  eagle  they 
stuffed  the  bird  and  placed  it  over  the  front  of  the  station  as  a  sign  and 
this  gave  the  name  of  Eagle  Valley  to  the  surrounding  country.  The 
section  they  had  selected  was  without  a  name  or  a  government  and  a 
part  of  Utah. 

The  Legislature  that  created  the  county  of  Ormsby  selected  as  its 
first.  Commissioners  F.  A.  Tritle,  J.  S.  Albro  and  H.  F.  Rice.  The 
Commissioners  held  their  first  meeting  Dec.  24th,  1861,  with  Rice 
acting  as  Chairman.  Acting  under  the  general  statutes  they  organized 
the  first  election  precincts  designated  as  follows: 

No.  I Carson  City  at  Ormsby  House. 

No.  2 Empire   City   at  Kinney's  Hotel. 

No.  3 Clear  Creek  at  Haskell's  Saw  Mill. 

No.  4 at  Half  Way  House. 

The  following  were  appointed  as  Judges  of  Election :  Polls  No.  I — 
W.  G.  Bingham,  W.  D.  Torreyson  and  Seymore  Pixley;  Polls  No.  2 — 
H.  Kinney,  Abe  Jones  and  D.  C.  Clark;  Polls  No.  3— H.  G.  Haskell, 
R.  Walton  and  Charles  Jones;  Polls  No.  4— W.  F.  Bryant,  PI.  Howell 
and  George  Pringle. 

The  first  election  was  held  on  January  14,  1862,  at  which  time  nearly 
1,000  votes  were  cast.  To  illustrate  the  interest  taken  in  the  election 
there  were  fourteen  candidates  for  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace. 
The  following  officers  were  elected:  D.  J.  Gasherie,  Sheriff;  Parker 
H.  Pierce,  Clerk;  W.  D.  Torreyson,  Treasurer;  A.  H.  Pierson, 
Assessor;  S.  D.  King,  Recorder;  Rev.  A.  F.  White,  Superintendent  of 
Schools;  J.  S.  Lawson,  Surveyor. 

On  Sept.  3rd  of  the  same  year  Gavin  D.  Hall  and  J.  C.  Lewis  were 
elected  to  represent  Ormsby  County  in  the  State  Senate  and  Abram 


976  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Curry,  A.  D.  Treadway  and  W.  H.  Brumfield  went  to  the  lower  house. 
Carson  City  had  been  made  the  location  of  the  Capitol  in  1861,  and 
there  being  no  suitable  building  in  which  to  meet,  the  County  Com- 
missioners had  tendered  the  State  the  use  of  a  building  where  the 
State's  Prison  now  stands. 

Story  and  Lyon  County  were  at  the  same  time  in  competition  for 
the  prize,  but  the  offer  of  Ormsby  to  furnish  the  building  free  of 
charge  had  its  effect.  In  1864  an  attempt  was  made  to  remove  the 
Capital  to  Storey.  A  company  organized  with  considerable  capital 
laid  out  a  town  on  the  flat  below  Gold  Hill  and  named  the  place 
American  City.  They  next  offered  the  territory  a  bonus  of  $50,000  for 
the  State  Capital.  This  created  quite  a  stir  and  the  main  reason  ad- 
vanced for  the  change  of  location  was  that  Ormsby  County  had 
broken  faith  with  the  people  of  the  territory  in  offering  a  building 
for  the  meeting  of  the  Legislature  free  of  charge  and  then  asking  a 
rental  of  $4,500  per  session  for  its  use.  Such  a  storm  was  raised  over 
the  matter  that  E.  B.  Rail,  Wellington  Stewart  and  other  citizens  of 
Ormsby  called  upon  their  County  Commissioners  to  resign.  The  re- 
quest was  specially  addressed  to  Adolphus  Waitz,  the  Chairman  of 
the  Board.  The  correspondence  between  Waitz,  and  the  citizens 
who  sought  his  resignation,  was  very  bitter,  and  some  lively  person- 
alities were  indulged  in.  The  matter  was  before  the  Legislature  and 
charges  were  made  of  the  use  of  money  to  keep  the  Capital  at  Carson. 
During  the  debate  the  editor  of  the  Carson  Post  stated  editorially  that 
he  had  personally  collected  some  of  the  money  used  to  buy  votes  and 
threatened  to  expose  any  one  else  who  did  likewise. 

This  was  the  first  attempt  to  remove  the  Capital  from  Carson  City, 
but  it  was  by  no  means  the  last.  Storey  County  continued  to  hanker 
after  the  prize  and  some  years  after  the  State  Capital  was  built  there 
was  an  odd  impromptu  attempt  to  take  it  to  Virginia  City,  which 
nearly  succeeded. 

One  night  Joseph  T.  Goodman,  Rollin  Daggett,  publishers  of  the 
Territorial  Enterprise,  were  out  painting  the  town  with  Jonas  Seeley, 
a  prominent  attorney.  They  finally  hired  a  hack  and  when  the  driver 
asked  them  where  they  wished  to  go  they  were  at  first  at  a  loss  to  re- 
ply, as  they  had  imbibed  considerable  liquor  and  were  careless  as  to 
their  destination.  Finally  Daggett  suggested  a  ride  to  Carson  City. 


ORMSBY    COUNTY  977 

It  was  then  midnight  and  the  driver  of  the  hack  demanded  fifty 
dollars  for  the  trip,  which  was  at  once  paid.  On  the  way  down  Seeley 
ventured  to  ask  Daggett  what  they  were  going  to  Carson  for  and  the 
latter  sleepily  replied :  "We  are  going  down  there  to  remove  the  Capi- 
tal to  Virginia  City."  This  struck  all  hands  as  a  good  and  sufficient 
reason  for  the  trip,  and  so  it  was  agreed. 

Arriving  early  in  the  morning  they  took  a  short  rest  and  rising 
about  nine  o'clock,  they  invaded  the  halls  of  legislation  and  announced 
their  mission.  They  had  money  to  burn  and  soon  champagne  was 
flowing  freely  in  every  saloon  in  Carson.  They  invaded  the  Gov- 
ernor's office  with  baskets  of  wine  and  the  same  afternoon  a  bill  was 
introduced  in  the  Assembly  providing  for  the  removal  of  the  Capital 
from  Carson  City  to  Virginia  City.  It  passed  the  Assembly  with  a 
whoop  and  went  in  due  course  to  the  Senate.  Goodman,  who  had 
great  influence  with  Abraham  Curry,  secured  the  promise  of  his  vote 
in  the  Senate  for  the  removal  bill.  With  Curry's  vote  they  could 
pass  the  bill  and  the  citizens  of  Carson  gave  up  the  fight  when  they 
counted  noses  in  the  Senate. 

But  a  strange  thing  happened  which  saved  the  day  for  Ormsby. 
The  night  before  the  vote  was  to  be  taken  Goodman  and  Curry  were 
walking  in  from  the  Hot  Springs,  and  as  they  neared  the  edge  of 
town  Goodman  noticed  that  Curry  was  in  tears.  When  asked  for 
the  reason  of  his  emotion  Curry  replied  that  the  Capital  building  was 
his  architectural  child.  The  idea  of  its  removal  had  preyed  upon  his 
feelings  and  he  desired  to  be  released  from  his  promise  to  vote  for 
Goodman's  bill.  Curry  broke  down  completely  when  he  asked  for  a 
release  from  his  promise  and  Goodman,  who  was  a  man  of  fine  senti- 
ment, replied :  "Abe,  I  respect  your  sentiments  and  release  you.  I  had 
rather  lose  this  fight  than  trample  on  your  feelings." 

Next  day  the  Virginia  City  delegates  were  still  celebrating  what 
they  regarded  as  a  sure  victory,  but  when  the  vote  was  taken  in  the 
Senate  it  was  one  short  and  Carson  won.  Goodman  explained  to  his 
associates  why  he  had  released  Curry  from  his  promise  and  Curry 
was  never  afterward  blamed  for  it.  Years  afterward  Reno  made  sev- 
eral attempts  to  secure  the  Capital  and  used  the  threat  of  removal  as 
a  lever  to  secure  favorable  legislation  for  Washoe  County. 

More  recently,  Winnerrmcca  made  a  fight  for  it  and  Senator  Bell 


978  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

led  the  battle.  He  passed  a  bill  in  the  Senate  to  submit  it  to  a  vote 
of  the  people,  but  it  failed  in  the  House,  and  in  the  last  session  of  the 
Legislature  the  matter  of  the  Capital's  location  was  settled  for  all 
time  by  the  passage  of  a  bill  introduced  by  H.  R.  Mighels,  an  Assem- 
blyman for  Ormsby,  providing  for  a  $60,000  addition  to  the  Capital 
building.  This  bill  passed  readily,  as  the  repeated  efforts  to  move  the 
seat  of  State  government  was  becoming  generally  obnoxious  to  the 
taxpayers  of  the  State,  who  were  in  no  humor  to  foot  the  bills  which 
would  result  from  such  a  course. 

THE  EARLY  PIONEERS. 

Of  all  the  early  pioneers  of  Ormsby  County  the  name  of  Abram 
Curry  stands  most  prominent.  He  came  over  the  Sierras  in  1858 
from  California  and  planned  to  settle  in  Genoa.  The  place  was  then 
known  as  Mormontown,  and  Curry  planned  to  buy  some  lots  and  specu- 
late. The  people  with  whom  he  attempted  to  do  business  were  not 
easy  as  to  terms  and  Curry  regarded  their  price  as  too  high.  They 
wanted  $1,000  cash  in  hand  for  a  corner  lot  and  would  consent  to  no 
reduction.  After  they  had  coldly  refused  to  reduce  a  single  dollar  in 
their  price  Curry  mounted  his  horse,  remarking: 

"I  will  go  farther  down  the  valley  and  start  a  town  of  my  own." 
Next  day  he  was  in  Eagle  Valley  to  redeem  his  promise.  Joined  by 
B.  F.  Green,  Frank  M.  Proctor  and  J.  J.  Musser,  companions  who  had 
crossed  the  mountains  with  him,  he  bought  a  ranch  of  Mr.  Mankin. 
Its  eastern  limits  were  the  Warm  Springs  and  States  Prison  grounds 
and  its  western  boundaries  extended  to  where  Minnesota  street  now 
is.  Curry  and  his  companions  paid  Mankin  $500  down  and  some 
horses  and  mustangs  for  the  ranch.  Mankin  had  numerous  creditors 
who  were  on  his  trail  as  soon  as  they  heard  of  the  sale,  but  he  got 
away  in  the  night  on  a  grey  stallion  with  his  children  and  an  Indian 
boy.  He  had  an  old  standing  trouble  with  the  Piute  Indians  of  the 
section  and  claimed  to  have  killed  fifty  of  them.  He  had  a  very 
hard  reputation  at  the  time  and  was  a  rough,  illiterate  man  who  was 
always  quarreling  with  his  neighbors.  He  was  an  athlete  and  foot- 
racer,  a  crack  rifle-shot,  and  generally  regarded  as  a  dangerous  man 
to  have  in  a  community.  All  in  all,  the  citizens  of  Eagle  Valley  were 
glad  to  know  that  he  had  left  the  country  for  good. 


ORMSBY    COUNTY  979 

In  Sept.,  1858,  Curry  laid  out  the  town  site  of  Carson.  The  popu- 
lation of  the  valley  was  so  scant  at  the  time  that  all  of  them  gathered 
at  a  dance  would  not  occupy  more  than  three  sets. 

Carson  City  soon  became  a  sort  of  central  station  for  travelers,  specula- 
tors and  prospectors.  The  Eagle  Ranch,  as  it  is  called,  became  a  gen- 
eral trading  post.  Many  emigrant  trains  from  the  east  went  by  this 
route  in  the  early  days.  Stock  were  driven  over  that  trail  until  1857 
the  grass  had  been  entirely  eaten  up  by  the  roots  and  tfie  tide  of 
travel  passed  over  other  routes. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  Carson  were  J.  T.  Griffith  and  Dr.  B. 
L.  King,  after  whom  Kings  Canyon  was  named.  He  came  in  '52  and 
ran  a  public  resort  where  the  Carson  Brewery  now  stands.  Richard 
Rose  soon  followed  and  Rose  Canyon  bears  his  name.  Major  Ormsby 
came  in  '57  and  gave  the  county  its  name.  S.  A.  Nevers  is  credited 
with  having  erected  the  first  dwelling  house  in  Carson  City.  Henry 
Ful  stone  arrived  in  '58  with  his  family.  Also  John  Bath,  Aaron 
Treadway,  Warren  Wasson,  Samuel  Nevers,  W.  D.  Torreyson,  H. 
H.  Bence  and  Sam  Wright  were  among  the  first  comers.  Wright 
was  an  undertaker,  soon  became  a  political  boss  and  was  finally 
appointed  to  be  Superintendent  of  the  U.  S.  Mint. 

EARLY  INDUSTRIES. 

Saw  Mills. — Teaming,  mining  and  logging  were  the  first  industries 
of  Ormsby  County,  with  some  tendency  to  agriculture.  Timber  cut 
in  the  Sierras  was  floated  down  the  Carson  River  and  piled  up  at  Em- 
pire. "Dutch  Nick"  was  about  the  earliest  settler  in  Empire  and 
when  Mark  Twain  wanted  to  hoax  the  San  Francisco  papers  he 
wrote  a  harrowing  account  of  a  man  who  killed  a  number  of  people 
in  Virginia  City  and  then  mounted  a  horse,  ran  for  miles  through  a 
forest  between  Comstock  and  Empire  and  dropped  off  his  horse  in 
front  of  "Dutch  Nick's"  with  his  throat  cut  from  ear  to  ear.  The 
whole  affair  was  a  pure  invention  on  Twain's  part,  and  as  there  was 
not  a  tree  higher  than  a  man  between  Empire  and  Virginia  City,  the 
forest  section  of  the  yarn  was  considered  the  worst  part  of  the  story. 
Empire  City  became  known  as  "the  seaport  town"  because  of  the 
water  that  laved  its  shores  and  sometimes  washed  its  streets  in  the 
spring  floods. 


980  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

The  first  saw-mill  was  built  by  Mr.  Gregory  on  Mill  Creek  west  of 
Carson  in  '59.  It  was  the  first  steam-power  ever  used  in  the  State. 
The  heavy  machinery  was  transported  at  great  expense  over  the 
mountains.  The  mill  was  run  to  a  capacity  of  15,000  feet  a  day  on 
advance  orders.  Customers  waited  weeks  for  a  chance  to  get  their 
timber  turned  into  lumber.  Alexander  Ashe  erected  the  next  mill  on 
the  same  creek  run  by  water-power.  Thompson  and  Treadwell 
erected  another  mill  about  a  mile  from  Gregory's  and  of  equal  capac- 
ity. It  also  manufactured  shingles  and  with  a  planing  machine  pre- 
pared dressed  lumber  for  building  purpo-ses.  The  price  per  1,000  feet 
of  lumber  ran  as  high  as  $200  and  was  readily  paid.  These  figures 
lured  other  men  into  the  business  and  soon  lumber  and  planing  mills 
began  to  multiply  along  the  Creek. 

In  1862  there  were  three  on  Clear  Creek  southwest  of  Carson,  cost- 
ing over  $10,000  apiece.  They  turned  out  from  15,000  to  30,000  feet 
daily.  Next  the  Lake  Bigler  Lumber  Co.  went  into  business  at  Lake 
Tahoe.  The  company  was  managed  by  A.  L.  Pray,  C.  R.  Barrett  and 
N.  D.  Winters.  The  Monitor  Mill  was  erected  in  Kings  Canyon  in 
'63.  Steve  Gage,  who  was  afterward  largely  identified  with  the 
S.  P.  R.  R.  Co.  as  a  lobbyist  and  tax-man,  had  a  mill  on  Clear  Creek. 
In  1862  Hobbs,  Russel  and  Co.  built  a  saw-mill  near  Empire  at  a  cost 
of  $20,000.  The  Legislature  granted  this  company  an  exclusive  fran- 
chise for  using  the  Carson  River  for  rafting  logs,  firewood  and  lum- 
ber. The  timber  sawed  at  this  mill  came  from  Alpine  County,  Cali- 
fornia, eighty  miles  away.  It  required  about  forty  days  to  make  the 
drive  down  the  river.  Upward  of  5,000,000  feet  of  lumber  were 
handled  this  way  annually. 

Yerington  and  Bliss  in  later  years  almost  monopolized  the  lumber 
industry  of  the  country.  They  had  their  large  mills  at  Glenbrook 
and  rafted  most  of  the  timber  across  the  lake.  The  profits  of  the  lum- 
ber business  was  so  enormous  in  those  days  that  much  wanton  de- 
struction of  timber  was  the  rule  and  large  tracts  of  forest  lands  were, 
devastated  to  swell  the  fortunes  of  the  lumbermen. 

Mining  and  Milling. — With  the  development  of  mining  on  the  Corn- 
stock  came  the  need  of  mills  to  handle  the  rich  ore.  The  first  ore 
extracted  from  the  Ophir  and  Mexican  mines  at  Virginia  City  was 
carried  on  the  backs  of  mules  across  the  mountains  to  Grass  Valley 


ORMSBY    COUNTY  981 

and  San  Francisco.  It  is  recorded  that  one  mule  packed  $2,000  worth 
of  ore  on  his  back  from  Virginia  City  to  San  Francisco.  But  there 
was  plenty  of  ore  in  the  mines  that  could  not  stand  these  costly  trans- 
portations and  the  water-power  on  the  Carson  River  seemed  to  offer 
the  best  solution  of  the  problem. 

A  small  mill  was  constructed  on  the  Carson  River  near  Empire. 
This  was  in  the  spring  of  '60  and  the  mill  was  subsequently  enlarged 
to  the  Mexican  Mill,  or  the  Silver  State  Reduction  Works.  In  '61  a 
small  mill  for  reducing  ore  was  built  on  Clear  Creek  and  in  the  same 
year  Mr.  Ashe  built  a  mill  in  Gregory  Canyon  which  was  afterward 
called  Ashe  Canyon.  The  mill  was  wiped  out  by  a  flood  in  the  winter 
of  61-62.  A  ten-stamp  mill  was  then  erected  by  Childs  and  Hunt  on 
Mill  Creek.  The  main  mill  for  reducing  Comstock  ores  was  the  Mexi- 
can mill  after  it  was  enlarged.  Its  motive  power  was  water  brought 
four  and  a  half  miles  in  a  ditch  having  a  capacity  of  4,000  cubic  feet 
per  minute.  The  breast  wheel  was  28  feet  in  diameter,  the  largest 
on  the  coast,  and  furnished  200  h.  p.  The  fall  of  the  water  was  22 
feet  and  it  ran  44  stamps,  crushing  75  tons  of  ore  daily,  double  the 
amount  of  any  mill  then  operating  in  the  territory.  Later  on  the  same 
mill  was  run  by  a  turbine  wheel  and  handled  120  tons  daily. 

Many  years  later  a  suit  was  brought  by  Fox  et  al,  charging  that  the 
mill  was  so  operated  that  about  50  per  cent,  of  the  values  ran  off 
into  the  slum  pond,  to  be  diverted  from  the  stockholders  and  later 
to  be  grabbed  by  the  management.  This  suit  was  tried  before  Judge 
Hebberd  in  San  Francisco  and  the  revelations  caused  a  great  scandal 
at  the  time.  Meads'  Mill  was  located  near  Empire  and  ran  sixteen 
stamps.  In  '62  the  Merrimac  Mill  was  built  by  Bryant  and  Elsworth 
two  miles  below  Empire  at  a  cost  of  $50,000. 

One  mile  further  down  the  Copper  Canyon  Mill  was  erected  in  '62 
by  Van  Fleet,  Tucker,  Moor,  Kendrick  and  Clarke  to  mill  Yellow 
Jacket  ore.  Next  was  the  Vivian  Mill,  owned  by  Spery  &  Co.,  running 
16  stamps.  Below  this  was  the  Morgan  Mill,  owned  originally  by 
William  M.  Stewart,  John  Henning,  Jas.  Morgan  and  C.  F.  Wood.  It 
crushed  30  tons  daily.  Baldwin  and  Co.'s  Mill  at  Empire  City  ran 
sixteen  stamps.  These  mills  were  enlarged  to  meet  the  needed  re- 
quirements and  in  1874  the  mills  in  Ormsby  County  were  handling 
a  combined  output  of  500  tons  daily. 


982  THE     HISTORY     OF     NEVADA 

Mining  never  reached  very  large  proportions  in  Ormsby.  In  the 
outlying  hills  which  formed  the  base  of  the  mountains,  however, 
small  veins  of  gold  have  occasionally  been  found,  and  now  and  then 
a  prospector  brings  in  coarse  gold  taken  from  some  creek  nearby,  but 
never  in  paying  quantities.  The  first  mine  to  be  opened  on  an  ex- 
tensive scale  in  Ormsby  was  the  North  Carson.  It  was  discovered 
about  three  miles  due  north  of  Carson  in  the  hills  east  of  the  Hot 
Springs.  In  1874  the  stock  was  in  demand  in  Carson  and  was  finally 
put  on  the  stock-board  in  San  Francisco,  where  it  reached  $7.50  a 
share.  In  1876  assays  of  the  ore  made  at  the  Branch  Mint  in  Car- 
son showed  values  running  from  $5.00  to  $2,132.17  per  ton.  In  spite 
of  the  richness  of  the  ore  taken  out,  most  of  which  netted  $600  at  the 
Douglas  Mill  in  Dayton,  it  gave  no  return  to  the  stockholders  and 
assessments  were  levied  one  after  the  other  until  the  stockholders  re- 
fused to  be  further  bled  and  then  came  troubles  between  factions  in 
the  company.  Suddenly  the  superintendent,  who  had  been  living  very 
high  for  some  months,  at  the  company's  expense,  disappeared  with  a 
lady  friend  between  two  nights  and  the  property  on  which  nearly 
$30,000  had  been  spent,  closed  down. 

Some  years  later  Mrs.  Langtry,  the  English  actress,  bought  a  piece 
of  property  near  the  mine  and  sank  an  artesian  well,  which  encoun- 
tered a  ledge  of  ore  seven  feet  in  thickness  at  a  depth  of  160  feet.  It 
was  identical  in  appearance  with  Comstock  ore  and  assayed  $620  per 
ton. 

This  find  caused  considerable  excitement  at  the  time  and  there  was 
a  rush  to  locate  claims  in  the  vicinity.  Over  one  hundred  locations 
were  made  during  the  next  thirty  days  and  work  was  resumed  on  the 
North  Carson  mine  in  the  upper  tunnel.  The  mine  changed  hands 
several  times  during  the  next  few  years,  but  no  systematic  work  was 
done  until  Whitman  Symmes,  of  Virginia  City,  secured  control  of 
the  property  and  he  is  now  spending  considerable  money  on  its  develop- 
ment. The  lower  tunnel  is  being  extended  to  the  main  shaft  and 
.good  ore  is  being  encountered.  A  power-line  has  been  run  from  Car- 
son City  to  the  mine,  a  distance  of  three  miles,  and  electric  drills  are 
running  night  and  day. 

The  Voltair,  Eagle,  Clear  Creek,  Niagara  and  Athens  mines.,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Carson,  were  worked  at  different  times  but  abandoned 


ORMSBY    COUNTY  983 

for  lack  of  money  to  thoroughly  develop  them.  Of  late  Brunswick 
Canyon  has  made  some  excellent  showing  in  copper  and  James  Yer- 
ington  secured  considerable  Canadian  capital  to  erect  a  custom  smelter 
on  the  Carson  River,  near  Brunswick  station. 

The  United  Mining  Co.,  in  the  same  vicinity,  has  developed  its 
copper  properties  through  Mr.  Harry  Cowden  to  a  depth  of  over 
400  feet,  with  an  excellent  showing  of  permanent  values. 

In  '59  and  '60  there  was  considerable  excitement  over  discoveries 
in  the  Sullivan  District,  in  the  Pine  Nut  mountains  south  of  Carson. 
Later  on  gold  ore  was  found  in  the  Zern  mine  running  several  thous- 
and dollars  to  the  ton.  Considerable  work  was  done  there  and  Charles 
Lane,  the  California  capitalist,  made  an  attempt  to  bring  water  in 
and  work  the  placer  deposits,  but  he  finally  abandoned  the  project 
because  of  the  prohibitory  prices  put  upon  everything  in  the  vicinity. 
The  main  ledge  in  Pine  Nut  has  never  been  found.  William  Zern, 
the  discoverer  of  the  rich  gold  ore,  lost  his  life  there  from  a  cave-in 
in  a  tunnel  where  he  was  working. 

During  several  years  past,  ore  which  carries  more  than  half  its 
weight  in  gold  has  been  brought  to  Carson  by  Bud  Barkley  from  some 
point  in  the  mountains  west  of  Carson.  From  the  fact  that  the  find 
lies  on  land  owned  by  the  Robert  estate,  acquired  by  private  owner- 
ship prior  to  the  mineral  reservation  act  of  Congress  passed  in  1873, 
reserving  all  mineral  land  for  locators,  the  ledge  discovered  by  Bark- 
ley  can  only  be  worked  by  permission  of  the  Robert  Estate.  Some 
of  the  gold  exhibited  in  Carson  was  so  phenomenally  rich  as  to  re- 
semble the  product  of  a  furnace.  Numerous  attempts  have  been  made 
to  induce  Barkley  to  disclose  the  location  of  the  ledge,  but  without 
success.  Several  attempts  have  also  been  made  to  enter  into  some 
arrangement  with  the  Robert  estate  by  which  the  mine  could  be  de- 
veloped and  worked  on  shares.  Numerous  agreements  have  been 
drawn  by  the  Robert  estate  attorneys  for  Barkley  to  sign.  Whenever 
these  contracts  have  been  submitted  to  Barkley's  legal  advisors  they 
have  deterred  him  from  signing  on  the  ground  that  the  contracts  in- 
variably contained  jokers  to  ultimately  deprive  him  of  all  interest  in 
the  property.  Meanwhile  the  Roberts  have  put  scores  of  prospectors 
in  the  field  to  find  the  gold  ledge,  which  is  supposed  to  be  worth 
millions  of  dollars.  For  awhile  many  people  supposed  the  ledge  was 


984  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

a  "pipe  dream"  of  Barkley's.  This  idea,  however,  was  dissipated  when 
he  confided  his  secret  to  Alexander  Ardery,  Superintendent  of  the 
V.  &  T.  R.  R.  Co.  He  took  him  to  the  spot  where  he  made  the  orig- 
inal discovery  and  showed  it  to  him  that  some  one  might  know  the 
locality  in  case  of  his  death.  Mr.  Ardery  confirms  Mr.  Barkley's 
statement  that  one  of  the  richest  gold  ledges  ever  discovered  lies  in 
the  Sierra  mountains  but  a  few  miles  from  Carson  City. 

AGRICULTURE. 

Ormsby  has  always  been  more  of  an  agricultural  county  than  any- 
thing else.  In  the  early  rush  the  high  price  of  all  staple  commodities 
naturally  drove  the  people  to  cultivate  the  soil.  In  1858  flour  sold  as 
high  as  $28  for  a  hundred-pound  sack.  All  kinds  of  vegetables  were  in 
proportion.  Meat  was  at  times  so  scarce  that  it  could  not  be  had  at 
any  price  and  jack-rabbits  became  a  steady  diet  for  many  people. 
Among  the  first  to  till  the  soil  were  the  Mormons,  and  many  of  them 
left  valuable  lands  when  Brigham  Young  issued  a  call  to  bring  them 
back  to  Utah. 

In  Carson,  Treadway's  Ranch  became  the  best  known  ranch 
in  the  county  and  for  years  nearly  all  the  Storey  County  picnics  for 
the  Miners'  Union,  and  other  large  bodies,  were  held  there.  It  is  now 
owned  by  Henry  Bath.  The  Nevers  and  Bath  ranches  west  of  the 
city  were  also  models.  On  the  Gilson  ranch  the  largest  apples 
were  grown  that  were  ever  placed  on  exhibition  on  this  Coast. 
Originally  Carson  City  was  founded  on  ranch  land  and  town  lots 
were  given  away  to  induce  people  to  settle.  The  Methodist  Church 
block  went  for  $25  cash  and  a  pair  of  boots.  A  fourth  interest  in 
the  Warm  Springs  went  for  25  Ibs.  of  butter.  The  land  is  now  under 
cultivation  from  Carson  to  the  States  Prison  and  all  the  ranches 
in  the  vicinity  of  Carson  are  in  a  perfect  state  of  cultivation.  The 
Holstein  ranch  north  of  Carson  was  so  named  from  the  fact  that  its 
owner,  Sam  Davis,  imported  the  first  thoroughbred  HcJstein  cattle 
ever  brought  to  the  State.  The  more  recent  ranches  now  maintained 
in  Ormsby  County  are  known  as  the  Thorn,  Robinson,  Quill,  Ander- 
son, Hidenrich,  Blockwell,  Walsh  and  Raycraft  ranches. 


ORMSBY    COUNTY  985 

EARLY  SOCIAL  LIFE  AND  RECREATIONS. 

From  the  very  earliest  times  the  people  of  Carson  were  given  to 
social  pleasures  and  general  recreation.  As  early  as  1858  they  were 
whiling  away  their  evenings  with  dances.  In  Henry  Fulston's  private 
diary  the  following  is  found,  in  recording  the  doings  of  himself  and 
neighbors  in  1858:  "Jan.  I2th.  Turned  tailor  to-day  and  cut  out  Joe 
a  pair  of  buckskin  pants.  Mines  not  doing  much  and  times  awfully 
dull,  but  there  are  plenty  of  dances  here  and  the  charge  per  couple  is 
five  dollars."  The  social  pace  set  by  the  early  settlers  has  always  been 
maintained  and  Carson  has  always  been  noted  for  its  gay  social  life, 
its  prolific  hospitality  and  general  tendency  for  public  enjoyment. 
Dancing  was  always  a  favorite  pastime  and  for  a  while  the  big 
pavilion  where  the  Capital  now  stands  was  used  for  public  dances  at 
least  three  nights  in  the  week.  In  the  early  days  a  race  track  was 
built  and  some  of  the  fastest  horses  on  the  Coast  have  performed 
here.  The  old  Moore  Theater,  which  was  the  first  playhouse  in  the 
city,  was  often  utilized  for  prize  fights,  contests  between  dogs  and 
bears,  cock  fights,  wrestling  matches  and  such  recreation.  It  was 
finally  supplanted  by  the  Opera  House. 

The  frequency  of  small  prize-fights  led  to  the  passage  of  a  bill  which 
went  into  effect  during  Gov.  Sadler's  administration,  providing  a 
license  of  $1,000  paid  for  each  finish-fight  held  in  the  State.  The 
"Battle  of  the  Century,"  as  it  was  called,  took  place  at  the  Carson 
race  track  under  the  management  of  Dan  Stewart.  It  took  place 
on  St.  Patrick's  Day  between  Robert  Fitzsimmons  and  James  Cor- 
bett.  For  weeks  prior  to  the  event  the  City  of  Carson  was  filled  with 
sporting  men  and  newspaper  correspondents  from  all  parts  of  the 
world.  Main  street  was  alive  with  people  day  and  night.  The  huge 
signs  displaying  from  the  headquarters  of  the  different  newspapers 
gave  Carson  the  appearance  of  a  section  of  San  Francisco.  For  weeks 
the  vilest  weather  imaginable  prevailed,  but  the  morning  of  the  con- 
test broke  clear  and  calm  and  the  most  perfect  day  of  the  year  was 
the  result.  It  has  always  been  claimed  that  Carson  always  had  good 
weather  on  St.  Patrick's  Day  and  this  was  no  exception  to  the  rule. 

An  English  syndicate  made  a  deal  with  the  principals  that  it  would 
give  $200,000  for  the  moving  pictures  if  the  fight  lasted  twenty 


986  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

rounds.  As  it  lasted  but  fourteen  the  English  firm  refused  to  take  the 
pictures  and  they  were  thrown  on  Dan  Stewart's  hands.  He  made 
over  a  million  dollars  out  of  them  with  his  proverbial  good  luck.  It 
cost  him  upwards  of  $50,000  to  get  his  men  in  the  ring  and  the  at- 
tendance in  the  amphitheatre  was  not  over  $8,000.  It  is  claimed 
that  an  agreement  was  made  between  the  principals  to  extend  the 
fight  to  twenty  rounds,  and  that  Corbett  took  advantage  of  his  op- 
ponent in  the  sixth,  and  catching  him  off  his  guard,  attempted  to  end 
the  fight.  If  there  was  any  sort  of  a  frame-up  to  extend  the  fight 
for  the  picture  firm  it  was  certainly  disregarded  after  that  and  both 
men  fought  savagely  to  win.  In  the  fourteenth  round  Fitzsimmons 
landed  his  famous  solar  plexus  blow  and  won  the  fight  and  championship 
of  the  world. 

THE  VIRGINIA  AND  TRUCKEE  RAILROAD. 

By  an  act  of  Legislature  approved  Jan.  27th,  1869,  the  County 
Commissioners  of  Ormsby  were  authorized  to  issue  $200,000  in  bonds 
to  aid  the  Virginia  and  Truckee  Railroad.  These  bonds  were  de- 
livered to  William  Sharon  in  December,  1869.  Other  counties  joined 
Washoe  and  Storey  and  the  combined  assistance  of  these  counties 
enabled  Sharon  to  build  and  own  the  best-paying  railroad  of  its  length 
in  the  world.  It  was  52  miles  long  and  at  times  cleared  a  thousand 
dollars  a  day.  There  was  considerable  opposition  on  the  part  of  some 
of  the  taxpayers  against  making  a  present  of  the  road  to  Sharon  or 
his  associates.  It  was  a  clean  gift  of  the  people  to  men  who  made  a 
monopoly  of  the  line  and  taught  a  valuable  lesson  in  the  ownership 
of  public  utilities.  Had  the  bonds  been  retained  by  the  counties  and 
the  road  owned  by  the  people  who  raised  the  money  to  build  it,  the 
dividends  would  have  paid  all  the  expenses  of  maintaining  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  three  counties  through  which  the  line  runs. 

Public  Buildings. — In  1862  the  County  Commissioners,  rented  the 
lowest  story  of  a  building  owned  by  C.  Adams  and  used  it  for  a 
Court  House.  On  the  following  October  "The  Great  Basin  Hotel," 
on  the  corner  of  Carson  and  Musser  streets,  was  purchased  of  Abram 
Curry  for  $42,500  and  used  for  a  Court  House.  A  jail  was  added  at 
a  cost  of  about  $6,000.  It  was  partly  destroyed  by  fire  in  1870.  It 
stands  now  practically  as  it  did  after  being  repaired.  The  Legislature 


ORMSBY    COUNTY  987 

of  1861  created  a  State  Board  of  Prison  Commissioners  and  a  couple 
of  years  later  leased  the  Curry  property  at  Warm  Springs  to  be  util- 
ized for  a  prison.  Curry  was  the  first  warden.  He  took  $80,000  worth 
of  bonds  for  the  place. 

The  Carson  Mint  was  built  in  1867.  The  machinery  arrived  the 
following  year.  Its  first  superintendent  was  Abram  Curry.  It  earned 
a  reputation  of  great  efficiency  and  economy  until  the  discovery  in 
1892  of  a  $90,000  shortage.  The  U.  S.  Government  sent  detectives  and 
experts  to  Carson  and  soon  several  arrests  were  made.  Johnnie  Jones, 
one  of  the  trusted  employees  of  the  institution,  and  James  Heeney, 
were  tried.  An  attempt  was  made  to  fasten  the  guilt  on  the  new 
management  which  had  come  in,  but  a  defect  in  the  stamping  dies 
indicated  when  the  crooked  work  was  accomplished.  The  gold  bars 
had  been  remelted  and  after  a  greater  part  of  the  gold  had  been  re- 
moved, silver  was  substituted  and  the  bars,  while  correct  in  weight, 
were  falsely  stamped  as  to  value.  The  die  which  stamped  the  figure 
four  was  broken  down  with  use  and  the  time  of  the  breaking  of  the 
horizontal  line  of  the  4  being  definitely  fixed,  it  was  clear  to  the  jury 
that  all  bars  stamped  with  a  perfect  figure  4  were  treated  prior  to  a 
certain  date  and  all  stamped  with  a  defective  figure  4  were  subse- 
quently treated.  This  irrefutable  evidence  fixed  the  guilt  on  Jones 
and  Heeney  and  they  were  sentenced  to  seven  years  each. 

It  was  also  charged  that  silver  bullion  worth  but  60  cents  an  ounce 
was  taken  from  the  Mexican  Mill  at  Empire  and  brought  to  the 
Mint  at  night,  where  it  was  coined  into  dollars  worth  $1.35  per  ounce. 
It  was  further  charged  that  this  went  through  the  Bullion  and  Ex- 
change Bank  and  from  there  into  the  State  Treasury,  to  be  exchanged 
for  gold  coin.  When  William  Westerfield  was  elected  State  Treas- 
urer he  found  $80,000  in  new  silver  dollars  of  the  date  of  the  previous 
year  in  the  treasury.  As  there  had  been  no  money  coined  during  the 
previous  year  in  the  Carson  Mint  an  investigation  was  made.  The 
papers  charged  crookedness  and  the  defendants  of  the  previous  ad- 
ministration held  that  the  silver  had  come  to  the  offices  in  taxes. 
The  books  showed  but  a  little  over  $15,000  in  taxes.  During  the  trial 
of  the  Mint  cases  William  Pickler  was  found  dead  in  his  bed  and  his 
alleged  suicide  followed  the  finding  of  some  bullion  buried  in  his  yard. 
It  was  claimed  that  the  bullion  was  planted  to  .throw  suspicion  on 


THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

him  and  a  woman  hired  to  poison  him.  A  man  named  Price,  who  had 
been  connected  with  the  Mint,  was  found  dead  in  Golden  Gate  Park, 
San  Francisco.  It  was  supposed  to  be  a  suicide,  but  since  the  Mint 
trials  circumstances  have  come  to  light  which  leads  to  the  theory  that 
Price  was  put  out  of  the  way  because  he  knew  too  much  of  the  thefts 
and  that  he  might  have  implicated  some  who  were  never  even  in- 
dicted. The  charges  relative  to  the  presence  of  Carson  Mint  dollars 
in  the  State  safe,  which  had  never  been  officially  coined,  was  never 
investigated  by  the  Government. 

The  defense  in  the  cases  claimed  that  the  values  had  run  off 
through  Cole  Atherton's  potato  patch  and  it  is  alleged  spent  $5,000 
salting  the  potato  patch  with  gold  to  assist  in  proving  their  theory. 
It  required  three  trials  to  convict  the  defendants  and  they  served 
their  terms.  During  the  trial  Langerman,  a  witness  for  the  Govern- 
ment, testified  that  Trenmore  Coffin,  an  attorney  for  the  defense,  had 
bribed  him  to  leave  the  country.  Coffin  was  indicted  by  the  Federal 
Grand  Jury,  but  escaped  because  of  a  flaw  in  the  indictment.  Robert 
Clarke  was  retained  by  the  Government  to  assist  in  the  prosecution, 
and  to  him  was  due  the  credit  of  the  conviction  of  the  defendants. 

U.  S.  District  Attorney  Jones,  who  was  accused  of  lukewarmness  in 
the  discharge  of  his  duties,  was  not  long  afterward  shot  and  killed 
by  Guy  Guinon  in  front  of  the  latter's  house  in  Carson.  He  charged 
Jones  with  paying  improper  attentions  to  his  sister,  but  the  Coroner's 
jury  exonerated  him. 

Ground  was  broken  for  the  State  Capitol  Building  on  April  2ist, 
1870.  The  cornerstone  was  laid  April  23rd  with  imposing  public 
ceremonies.  The  structure  was  built  according  to  contract  and  there 
was  no  graft  in  its  construction.  It  stands  to-day  practically  in  as 
good  condition  as  the  day  it  was  finished.  The  State  Printing  Office 
is  located  in  the  rear  of  the  CapitoLBuilding. 

NEVADA  STATE  LIBRARY. 

On  November  29th,  1861,  there  was  an  act  passed  creating  a  Terri- 
torial Library,  and  appointing  the  Territorial  Auditor  as  ex  officio 
Librarian;  and  creating  a  fund  for  the  Library  from  all  fees,  from 
the  Supreme  Court  and  fees  from  all  attorneys  admitted  to  practice 
law. 


ORMSBY    COUNTY  989 


The  Library  grew  slowly,  until  February  Hth,  1865,  after  Nevada 
was  admitted  to  the  Union.  An  act  was  then  passed  whereby  all  the 
monies  from  the  State  Treasurer,  Controller,  Governor,  Secretary  of 
State,  and  Clerk  of  the  Supreme  Court  offices,  were  turned  in  to  the 
Library  fund,  making  a  total  for  the  purchase  of  books  for  the  first 
year  of  the  Library  of  nearly  five  thousand  dollars. 

The  books  purchased  during  the  first  year  amounted  to  over  eight 
hundred  volumes,  the  books  in  those  days  being  very  expensive,  as 
one  item  shows  one  hundred  and  fifteen  books  costing  seventeen  hun- 
dred dollars,  and  the  express  bill  for  same  was  over  two  hundred 
dollars. 

The  different  States  at  that  time  did  not  pay  the  express  as  they  do 
now,  and  the  Library  Commission  thought  seriously  of  stopping  the 
different  publications  from  other  States  and  ordering  them  direct 
from  some  law  book  house  and  sending  them  across  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama,  which  was  slower  but  cheaper. 

In  1879  tne  Library  was  moved  to  a  room  in  the  west  front  of  the 
Capitol  and  was  placed  under  the  supervision  of  the  Supreme  Court.  It 
was  during  this  period  that  some  of  the  most  valuable  books  in  the 
law  library  were  purchased.  The  books  began  to  accumulate  so  rap- 
idly and  the  condition  of  the  Library  became  so  crowded  and  the 
books  were  so  very  hard  to  locate  that  the  Legislature  ordered  the 
first  catalogue,  which  was  compiled  by  Miss  Jennie  Fisher,  and  pub- 
lished in  1890.  The  Library  then  contained  some  18,000  books  and 
had  extended  to  the  whole  west  front  of  the  Capitol. 

The  year  1905  the  Library  was  in  such  a  crowded  condition  that  the 
Legislature  passed  an  act  creating  a  building  fund  to  erect  a  Library 
building,  and  a  beautiful  building  octagonal  in  design,  was  built  of 
steel  and  granite,  ninety  feet  in  diameter,  three  stories  high  and  fitted 
throughout  with  steel  cases  and  furniture.  This  is  the  present  home 
of  the  Library. 

The  Library  was  moved  to  the  new  building  in  1907  and  a  new  card 
catalogue  was  made  under  the  Dewey  system,  whereby  all  books  are 
separated  into  ten  main  classes  and  each  of  these  classes  into  nine 
divisions,  so  that  each  book  on  a  separate  subject,  has  a  different 
class  number  and  is  easy  to  find  by  the  card  index. 

The  Library  is  in  a  very  flourishing  condition;  at  present  it  con- 


990  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

tains  over  61,000  catalogued  volumes  and  it  is  going  forward  at  a 
very  rapid  rate.  The  law  department  contains  over  33,000  volumes, 
and  lawyers  from  different  States,  and  experts  from  some  of  the  large 
book  houses,  rank  it  among  the  best  law  libraries  in  the  U.  S.  The 
Library  in  its  present  state  can  accommodate  about  forty  thousand 
additional  volumes,  and  with  the  extension  of  the  steel  cases  there  will 
be  room  for  thousands  of  volumes  for  a  number  of  years. 

THE  STATE  ORPHANS'  HOME. 

On  the  3rd  day  of  March,  1869,  the  Legislature  passed  an  act  for 
the  erection  of  a  suitable  building  for  the  care  and  maintenance  of 
orphans  of  the  State  of  Nevada,  and  all  full  orphans  and  half  orphans 
were  eligible  for  admission.  The  sum  of  $15,000  was  appropriated  by 
the  Legislature,  which  delegated  the  State  Treasurer,  State  Controller 
and  Surveyor  General  as  a  Board  of  Directors,  to  carry  out  this  act. 

The  citizens  of  Carson  donated  16  acres  of  land  in  the  city  limits  for 
the  purpose  of  erecting  the  building,  which  was  completed  and  ac- 
cepted on  the  27th  day  of  September,  1870.  On  the  first  day  of  Oc- 
tober the  Nevada  Orphan  Asylum,  then  situated  at  Virginia  City, 
was  notified  that  all  orphans  in  their  charge  would  be  received  at  this 
home  and  all  expenses  in  moving  them  would  be  paid  by  the  State. 
On  the  28th  day  of  October,  1870,  the  first  children  were  admitted. 

July  4th,  1902,  fire  was  discovered  in  the  attic  of  the  main  building 
and  in  a  very  short  time  it  was  burned  to  the  ground.  Seventy-nine 
children  were  inmates  at  the  time  and  all  were  cared  for.  At  a 
session  of  the  Legislature  in  1903  the  sum  of  $38,000  was  appropriated 
for  the  erection  of  a  new  building,  which  was  soon  found  inadequate. 
Additional  funds  were  therefore  necessary  for  its  completion  and  its 
cost  to  the  State,  including  the  furnishing  of  the  same,  was  $85,000. 

Eight  hundred  and  twenty-five  children  have  been  admitted  and 
cared  for  since  its  establishment  and  up  to  this  date  but  five  deaths 
are  recorded. 

This  home  is  being  maintained  strictly  from  the  public  funds  of 
the  State  and  is  in  every  respect  carried  on  as  a  non-sectarian  institu- 
tion. Philanthropists  of  the  State  of  Nevada  or  of  any  other  State 
have  never  thought  anything  of  Nevada  orphans.  All  classes  of 
children  are  now  admissible  to  this  home ;  that  is,  full  orphans,  half 


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ORMSBY    COUNTY  991 

orphans  and  neglected  children,  and  they  are  maintained  and  cared  for 
to  the  age  of  16  for  boys  and  to  the  age  of  18  for  girls. 

The  Sagebrush  Club,  opposite  the  U.  S.  Mint,  is  a  public  club  sup- 
ported by  the  citizens  of  Carson  and  is  in  a  very  flourishing  condition. 
It  is  purely  a  social  organization  and  twice  a  month  "Ladies'  Night" 
brings  the  people  of  the  town  together  for  social  recreation.  Strangers 
entertained  at  this  club  carry  away  the  pleasantest  recollections  of 
the  lavish  hospitality  of  Carson  people. 

The  Leisure  Hour  Club  is  another  of  the  regular  institutions  of 
the  city  and  in  May  last  ground  was  broken  for  a  new  building  to  be 
occupied  by  the  members  of  the  club,  which  is  a  social  and  literary 
organization  combined. 

LAW  AND  ORDER. 

In  the  early  days  lawless  characters  were  very  plentiful  in  Ormsby 
County  and  a  Vigilance  Committee  was  organized  to  rid  the  county 
of  undesirable  characters.  A  hint  from  the  committee  generally 
caused  the  recipient  to  seek  other  localities  at  very  short  notice. 

In  1875  a  number  of  incendiary  fires  following  in  rapid  succession 
caused  great  excitement  in  Carson  City  and  the  streets  were  patrolled 
by  armed  men  at  night.  Several  hard  characters  suspected  of  com- 
plicity in  these  incendiary  fires  were  ordered  to  leave  the  city  and 
all  but  one  obeyed  the  summons.  The  one  who  paid  no  attention  to 
the  warning  of  the  "601"  was  a  baseball  player  who  was  in  the 
habit  of  sleeping  in  the  engine  house  of  the  Curry  Co.  He  was 
taken  from  his  bed  by  a  party  of  masked  men  on  the  night  of  the 
i6th  of  December,  1875,  and  hanged  from  the  cross-beam  of  the  ceme- 
tery gate.  On  his  breast  was  pinned  a  placard  bearing  the  simple 
inscription  "601".  It  is  claimed  that  some  of  the  leading  citizens 
of  Carson  were  in  this  necktie  party  and  it  is  the  general  belief  that 
an  innocent  man  was  hanged. 

In  times  past  Carson  has  boasted  of  many  newspapers.  The  Tribune, 
the  Past,  the  Record  and  the  Index  sprang  into  existence  and  passed 
away;  and  at  present  the  Appeal,  an  evening  paper,  and  the  News,  a 
morning  paper,  supply  the  needs  of  the  community  in  furnishing  the  cur- 
rent events  of  this  day. 


992  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

THE  STATES  PRISON. 

The  first  Board  of  States  Prison  Commissioners  was  created  by 
the  Territorial  Legislature  of  1861.  Abram  Curry,  who  had  furnished 
a  place  for  the  meeting  of  the  Legislature,  next  provided  the  territory 
with  a  place  for  its  prisoners.  He  leased  the  Government  his  Warm 
Springs  and  a  stone  quarry  a  couple  of  miles  southeast  of  Carson. 
He  was  elected  Warden  of  the  institution.  He  took  $80,000  worth  of 
bonds  for  the  place.  In  1864  an  Act  was  approved  providing  for  a 
Territorial  Prison.  Some  building  was  purchased  of  Curry  which  was 
destroyed  by  fire  in  May,  1867.  Robert  Howland  was  the  next 
Warden. 

After  Nevada  became  a  State  an  Act  was  passed  providing  for  a 
State  Prison  with  the  Lieutenant-Governor  as  Warden.  The  law  also 
prohibited  barbarous  and  inhuman  punishments  for  convicts. 

A  stone  prison  was  built  from  the  stone  taken  from  the  quarry  and 
there  was  little  of  note  transpiring  until  the  outbreak  of  December 
i,  1870.  In  this  outbreak  McCleur,  a  prisoner  who  attempted  to 
escape,  was  shot  and  killed,  together  with  another  convict  named 
Shea,  who  was  shot  by  a  guard. 

On  September  17,  1871,  there  was  another  outbreak  and  Gov.  Den- 
ver and  four  of  the  guards  were  badly  wounded.  F.  M.  Isaacs,  a 
guard,  and  Matthew  Pixley,  a  prominent  citizen  of  Carson,  who  volun- 
teered to  assist  the  guards  in  the  suppression  of  the  revolt,  were 
killed.  Twenty-nine  desperate  characters  escaped  and  were  hunted 
for  months  through  California  and  Nevada.  Some  were  killed  and 
some  captured  and  after  being  brought  back  were  tried  and  executed. 
So  great  was  the  excitement  in  Carson  that  all  able-bodied  men  rallied 
to  the  assistance  of  the  prison  officials  and  the  militia  was  called  out. 

What  was  known  as  "the  States  Prison  War"  followed  in  '73.  Owing 
to  the  ambiguity  of  the  law,  Frank  Denver,  the  Warden,  refused  to 
give  up  the  keys  to  his  successor.  P.  C.  Hayden.  He  also  refused  to 
admit  Governor  Bradley,  the  Attorney-General,  or  the  Secretary  of 
State,  which  comprised  the  Prison  Board.  Bradley,  who  was  known 
as  "Old  Broadhorns,"  at  once  ordered  Major-General  Van  Bokkelen  to 
assemble  an  armed  force  of  sixty  men  and  some  artillery  and  put 
Hymen  in  charge  of  the  institution,  even  at  a  cost  of  human  life. 


ORMSBY    COUNTY  993 

Van  Bokkelen  went  to  the  prison  with  his  men  and  planted  his  artil- 
lery for  action  when  Denver  capitulated,  saying  that  to  resist  would 
sacrifice  human  life  and  allow  the  prisoners  to  escape. 

Mr.  Hymen  established  a  boot  and  shoe  factory  in  the  prison  and 
at  the  close  of  the  term  a  very  satisfactory  showing  was  the  result. 
The  earnings  were  $47,417.71  and  the  actual  cost  of  maintenance 
$44,887.11. 

Gen.  Batterman  succeeded  Hymen.  On  October  29,  1877,  there  was  . 
another  outbreak  and  convict  Ole  Johnson  was  killed  and  Daniel 
Matheny  wounded.  In  this  outbreak  Capt.  Mathewson  was  seized  by 
the  prisoners  and  held  up  as  a  shield  between  the  prisoners  and  the 
guards.  While  in  this  position  Mathewson  gave  the  order  to  the 
guards  to  disregard  him  and  fire.  They  did  so,  but  not  until  they 
were  called  upon  by  him  three  times  to  do  so.  Mathewson  was  shot 
through  the  arm.  The  convict  Johnson  received  twenty-seven  slugs 
and  died  in  a  few  hours.  The  shots  quelled  the  revolt. 

The  most  interesting  thing  in  connection  with  the  history  of  the 
prison  is  the  establishment  of  the  "Honor  System"  by  Ray  Baker, 
who  took  charge  in  1911  and  began  the  inauguration  of  many  startling 
reforms.  He  established  a  road-camp  where  prisoners  were  allowed  to 
live  for  weeks  unguarded,  while  they  worked  on  the  road. 

THE  PRISON  FOOTPRINTS. 

Next  to  the  marvelous  mineral  deposits  of  the  State,  the  thing  that 
has  most  attracted  the  attention  of  the  outside  world  to  Nevada  is 
unquestionably  that  remarkable  display  of  fossil  footprints  in  the 
quarry  at  the  State  Prison  at  Carson  City. 

Almost  from  the  time  of  their  discovery  they  were  transformed  into 
something  more  than  mere  fossils — that  is,  they  became  a  veritable 
bone  of  contention  among  scientists ;  and,  though  the  strife  over  them 
has  now  raged  for  more  than  forty  years,  the  vital  point  has  never 
been  definitely  settled.  Every  once  in  a  while  some  new  disputant — 
born  since  the  contention  was  first  begun,  in  most  cases — fancying 
he  has  been  given  new  lights,  will  tear  open  the  slowly  healing  ques- 
tion and  set  it  to  bleeding  afresh. 

There  never  was  any  particular  controversy  about  the  mastodon, 
saurian  or  bird  tracks.  They  were  too  self-evident  to  admit  of  any 


994  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

quibble  for  even  scientists  to  quarrel  over;  and,  besides,  the  mastodon 
was  considerate  enough  to  leave  a  lot  of  his  bones,  which  rendered 
his  identity  indisputable.  But  the  creature  whose  tracks  resemble 
human  footprints  was  the  one  that  made  the  hot  trail.  Was  it  a  gigan- 
tic man  or  a  huge  sloth?  That  is  the  question  over  which  the  scien- 
tists have  raged,  and  will  probably  continue  to  rage  until  doomsday, 
unless  the  remains  of  the  mysterious  creature  itself  should  chance  to 
be  found  and  thus  put  an  end  to  the  wrangle. 

In  the  late  '705  Arthur  McEwen  induced  Professor  Joseph  Le  Conte, 
of  the  University  of  California,  and  Dr.  Harkness,  of  the  California 
Academy  of  Sciences,  to  come  to  Carson  and  take  a  look  at  the  foot- 
prints. Dr.  Harkness  made  casts  of  the  most  distinct  of  the  man- 
like tracks  and  had  the  whole  series  of  them  reproduced  on  canvas  for 
the  Academy  of  Sciences.  He  unhesitatingly  expressed  his  belief  that 
the  tracks  were  those  of  a  human  being.  Professor  Le  Conte  was  not 
so  positive — in  fact,  he  straddled  the  question,  as  he  did  all  matters 
where  science  was  likely  to  come  in  conflict  with  biblical  traditions. 

But  when  they  returned  to  Californa  and  Dr.  Harkness  presented 
the  casts  and  drawings  to  the  Academy  of  Sciences  and  announced  his 
conclusions,  the  Carson  Fossil  Footprint  war  broke  out  in  deadly 
earnest.  Professor  Davidson,  president  of  the  Academy,  took  issue 
with  him  at  once  and  so  bitter  did  the  feeling  of  the  two  leaders  and 
their  partisans  become  that  the  learned  institution  was  split  wide 
open  and  the  breach  caused  by  the  dissension  has  never  been  com- 
pletely closed  to  this  day. 

From  San  Francisco  the  war  spread,  until  there  was  scarcely  a 
scientific  man  of  any  prominence  in  the  United  States  or  throughout 
the  world  who  did  not  take  part  in  it.  Yet,  for  all  that  has  been  writ- 
ten on  the  subject,  nothing  can  be  regarded  as  authoritative.  The 
arguments  advanced  in  favor  of  the  human  origin  of  the  footprints  are 
just  as  sound  and  conclusive  as  those  put  forward  to  prove  they  were 
made  by  a  sloth,  and  yet  not  a  bit  more  so — thus  leaving  the  matter  as 
much  beset  with  doubt  as  it  was  at  the  beginning. 

LOTTERY  LEGISLATION. 

For  more  than  thirty  years  attempts  have  been  made  to  establish  a 
State  lottery  in  Nevada.  By  reason  of  a  clause  in  the  State  Constitu- 


ORMSBY    COUNTY  995 

tion  prohibiting  lotteries,  these  efforts  were  always  doomed  to  failure. 
The  first  attempt  was  made  by  Robert  Keating  and  his  associates  of 
Virginia  City,  by  the  passage  of  a  bill  giving  him  and  his  partners  a 
franchise  to  run  a  lottery.  The  case  was  taken  to  the  Supreme  Court 
and  the  law  decided  to  be  unconstitutional.  In  1887  another  attempt 
was  made  to  establish  a  lottery  by  amending  the  Constitution.  The 
resolution  passed  two  successive  Legislatures  and  there  seemed  a 
strong  trend  of  public  opinion  in  its  favor  from  the  fact  that  outside 
lotteries  were  extracting  a  great  deal  of  money  from  the  people  of 
Nevada,  which  a  State  lottery  would  keep  at  home. 

Presently  a  decided  opposition  began  to  be  manifested  by  the 
newspapers  until  a  majority  of  papers  in  the  State  were  denouncing 
the  scheme  as  the  sum  total  of  all  iniquity.  Investigations  were  made 
by  the  Home  Lottery  Co.  and  a  detective  sent  to  San  Francisco.  He 
posed  as  an  agent  of  a  Havana  lottery  and  in  that  way  opened  nego- 
tiations with  a  number  of  papers  to  fight  the  home  lottery.  He  suc- 
ceeded in  securing  letters  which  showed  that  the  opposition  of  the 
newspapers  who  were  denouncing  the  lottery  on  moral  grounds  was 
founded  upon  another  basis. 

The  various  outside  lotteries,  notably  the  Louisiana  Lottery  of  New 
Orleans,  and  the  Little  Louisiana  of  San  Francisco,  were  fighting  the 
Nevada  Lottery  with  plenty  of  money  and  their  agents  were  skillful 
enough  to  secure  the  aid  of  clergymen  who  denounced  it  from  the 
pulpit.  After  the  passage  of  the  necessary  resolutions  by  the  Legis- 
lature the  matter  was  submitted  to  a  special  election  in  the  dead  of 
winter.  The  taxpayers  resented  the  extra  tax  of  some  fifty  thousand 
dollars  for  what  they  regarded  as  a  special  interest  and  defeated  the 
scheme  by  about  600  majority. 

Not  discouraged  by  this  failure,  another  attempt  was  made  to  estab- 
lish a  lottery  in  1901.  Dan  Stewart,  the  prize  fight  promoter  and 
turfman,  was  the  moving  power  in  the  fight. 

He  deposited  $150,000  with  his  agents  in  Nevada  and  placed  $250,000 
in  a  New  York  bank,  in  case  of  further  necessity,  and  the  fight  began 
in  the  Legislature  on  the  old  lines.  By  this  time  the  people  of  the 
State  were  generally  against  the  establishing  of  a  lottery  in  Nevada 


996  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

and  petitions  were  sent  to  Carson  asking  members  to  vote  against  it. 
Before  the  lines  for  the  fight  were  fairly  formed  an  anti-lottery  resolu- 
tion was  introduced  in  the  House  and  passed  by  a  decided  majority. 
No  further  attempt  has  been  made,  nor  is  it  likely  that  any  future 
attempt  will  ever  be  indulged  in. 


STOREY    COUNTY  997 


CHAPTER  LVII. 

STOREY  COUNTY. 

BY  JAMES  V.  COMERFORD. 

The  early  history  of  Storey  County,  before  it  received  its  name,  is 
inextricably  interwoven  with  that  of  western  Utah,  now  called  Nevada, 
of  "The  Land  of  Snow."  Its  existence  as  a  county  is  due  to  the  discovery 
of  the  Comstock  Lode  and  the  Bonanza  mines. 

The  story  of  this  discovery  overshadows  the  history  of  the  conquest 
of  Mexico,  the  battles  of  Napoleon  for  power  and  territory,  or  the  search 
for  the  Golden  Fleece.  It  made  millionaires  of  miners  and  "muckers" 
of  millionaires.  Storey  County  is  situated  in  the  west  central  part  of 
Nevada.  It  was  named  after  Capt.  Edward  Faris  Storey,  a  frontiersman 
who,  after  the  death  of  Major  Ormsby  at  the  battle  of  Pyramid  Lake, 
raised  a  force  of  riflemen,  and  on  June  2,  1860,  attacked  the  fortified  camp 
of  the  Piutes  and  defeated  them.  He  was  afterward  shot  by  an  Indian 
from  ambush,  the  bullet  piercing  his  lungs,  and  he  died  the  same  day. 

Storey  was  made  a  county  by  an  act  of  the  first  territorial  legislature, 
the  same  being  approved  November  25,  1861. 

Virginia  City,  the  principal  town  of  Storey  County,  and  for  years  the 
largest  in  the  State,  lies  on  the  eastern  slope  of  Mt.  Davidson  at  an 
altitude  of  over  6,000  feet  above  sea  level.  It  commands  a  magnificent 
view  of  the  surrounding  country  and  a  great  panorama  of  multicolored 
and  snow-capped  mountains  to  the  west  and  south.  In  the  gap  between 
the  mountains  lies  the  desert  and  a  fringe  of  green  to  indicate  the  course 
of  the  Carson  River.  The  air  is  so  clear  that  at  times  one  can  see  one 
hundred  and  eighty  miles  from  Mt.  Davidson. 

Gold  Hill,  the  next  town  of  importance,  lies  immediately  south  of 
Virginia  Gty,  separated  from  it  by  a  rise  known  as  "the  Divide,"  the 
windiest  part  of  the  State.  The  mines  were  discovered  by  chance. 
Emigrants  passing  along  the  trail  to  California  stopped  and  prospected 
the  ground  near  Hall's  Station,  where  Dayton  now  stands,  but  they  did 


998  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

not  find  enough  to  cause  them  to  remain,  and  they  pushed  on.  Others 
took  their  places,  and  in  the  spring  of  1857-8  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men  were  working  in  the  canyon.  On  January  28,  1859,  a  rich  strike 
was  made  in  Gold  Hill  by  "Old  Virginia"  H.  T.  P.  Comstock  and 
others.  At  the  same  time  work  was  being  done  in  Six-Mile  Canyon  and 
a  few  days  later  rich  ore  was  found  where  the  Ophir  was  since  located. 
This  was  about  a  mile  or  more  north  of  the  first  discovery.  The  dis- 
coverers were  Peter  O'Reilly  and  Patrick  McLaughlin.  Comstock  gave 
a  portion  of  the  find  to  Emanuel  Penrod,  but  claimed  about  everything 
else  in  sight.  Comstock  was  a  good  advertiser,  like  Amerigo  Vespucci, 
and  fastened  his  name  to  everything  in  sight. 

Later  came  the  Grosch  brothers,  who  discovered  silver  where  gold 
only  was  supposed  to  exist,  and  this  gave  a  great  impetus  to  mining  in 
that  vicinity.  Sandy  Bowers  was  one  of  the  first  locators,  and  the  story 
of  his  sudden  rise  to  opulence,  his  reckless  extravagance  and  final  pov- 
erty is  of  human  interest.  His  daughter,  Persia,  died  at  the  age  of 
sixteen  and  was  buried  near  the  Bowers  Mansion  on  the  west  side  of 
Washoe  Valley.  Mrs.  Bowers  became  a  seeress  and  made  a  scanty 
living  on  the  old  Ledge,  and  in  San  Francisco  by  divination. 

In  July,  1859,  a  Washoe  Valley  rancher  took  some  pieces  of  blue-clay, 
thrown  away  as  waste  on  the  Ophir  dump,  to  Grass  Valley,  where  he  gave 
the  specimens  to  Judge  Walsh,  who  had  them  assayed.  This  ore  went 
$1,595  m  silver  and  $4,790  in  gold.  The  Judge  and  a  friend  started  out 
next  morning  for  "the  diggins,"  and  this  led  the  memorable  rush  to 
Washoe. 

No  pen  could  hope  to  portray  the  whole  of  this  wonderful  excitement. 
From  a  purely  human  interest  standpoint  scenes  and  episodes  of  this 
rush  are  deep-dyed  with  the  richest  color  of  comedy,  pathos  and  tragedy. 
Acts  of  heroism  and  cowardice,  self-denial,  selfishness,  straightforward- 
ness, intrigue,  honor  and  shame  are  here  seen  side  by  side.  Fortune 
played  strange  tricks  in  those  early  days,  and  the  moods  and  passions 
of  men  were  seen  under  changing  lights,  as  she  smiled  or  frowned.  The 
first  discoverers  gained  little  and  that  little  they  lost. 

Comstock  sold  his  interest  for  $10,000,  but  soon  lost  it.  He  then  left 
the  territory  and  in  September,  1870,  committed  suicide  near  Bazeman, 
Montana.  McLaughlin  sold  his  interest  for  $3,500,  which  he  soon  lost, 
and.  after  working  as  a  cook  in  different  localities,  died  a  tramp.  O'Reilley 


STOREY    COUNTY  999 

held  his  interest  until  he  got  $50,000,  built  a  hotel  and  gambled  in  stocks 
until  he  went  broke.  He  spent  some  years  tunneling  for  gold  in  Douglas 
County,  under  the  guidance  of  spirits,  and  ended  his  days  in  a  private 
asylum  in  California. 

"Mannie,"  or  Emanuel  Penrod,  was  the  last  survivor  of  the  original 
locators.  He  died  in  Vallejo,  California,  in  April,  1912.  Mannie  was  some- 
thing of  a  character,  and  in  1909,  when  the  Comstock  held  its  golden  jubi- 
lee, he  was  invited  to  be  present,  as  the  only  surviving  original  locator. 
When  he  received  the  invitation  he  was  engaged  in  driving  a  tunnel  into  a 
mountain  side  in  Elko  County.  The  committee  forwarded  his  expenses 
and  provided  liberally  for  the  trip.  In  the  grand  street  parade  which 
took  place  July  4,  1909,  Mannie,  along  with  Oscar  Steel,  James  Roberts 
and  Frank  Dickerson,  occupied  the  place  of  honor,  riding  in  a  gaily 
decorated  carriage  next  the  Governor  and  staff.  He  was  given  a  great 
reception  and  ovation  and  entertained  many  of  his  old  friends  with  tales 
of  the  birth  of  the  wonderful  Washoe  District,  which  he  founded.  When 
Mr.  Penrod  departed,  after  the  celebration  was  over,  he  was  still  filled 
with  confidence  that  some  day  he  would  return  to  the  old  Ledge  a 
wealthy  man.  But  he  did  not  survive  long  enough  to  fulfill  his  prophecy, 
and  at  the  celebration  he  was  the  sole  remaining  figure  contemporary 
with  the  days  when  no  one  ever  dreamed  of  the  countless  millions  which 
they  bartered  away  for  a  mere  pittance.  He  has  gone  to  his  final  rest. 
Requiescat  in  pace.  , 

After  the  big  rush  began  many  hard  characters  held  a  powerful  sway 
on  the  Comstock  until  the  year  1871,  when  the  "601"  was  formed.  This 
vigilance  committee  was  composed  of  honest,  determined  citizens  who 
decided  to  take  the  law  into  their  own  hands.  One  of  their  most  sensa- 
tional lynchings  was  the  stringing  up  of  Perkins  to  the  rafters  of  Piper's 
Opera  House.  Perkins  shot  a  man  for  some  trivial  remark  he  made  and 
he  was  spirited  away  to  Carson  by  the  authorities.  He  was  brought 
back  to  be  tried  in  the  District  Court  at  Virginia  City  and  was  hardly 
inside  the  county  boundaries  before  he  was  taken  by  the  "601"  and  hung 
in  the  Opera  House.  No  sooner  did  the  body  swing  clear  than  a  dozen 
or  twenty  shots  were  fired  into  it.  McKee  Rankin,  the  famous  actor, 
and  the  mother  of  Maud  Adams  were  playing  there  at  the  time. 

The  town  became  quieter  after  that.  The  statement  has  been  made 
that  the  first  sixty  graves  in  Virginia  City  were  filled  by  murdered  men, 


iooo  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

but  no  authority  can  be  found  for  it.  At  present,  however,  the  popula- 
tion of  the  cemeteries  of  the  Comstock  is  in  excess  of  those  living  in  the 
vicinity,  and  it  is  no  unusual  sight  to  see  the  superscription  "murdered" 
on  the  tombstones. 

In  1859  and  1860  the  shelters  of  the  inhabitants  were  of  the  crudest 
character  possible.  Some  of  the  gold-seekers  lived  in  holes  dug  in  the 
side  of  the  mountain.  One  "billiard  parlor"  was  of  this  type  and  did  a 
good  business.  It  was  located  where  the  present  Corporation  House 
now  stands.  In  1860  about  four  hundred  people  were  camping  in  Vir- 
ginia City.  The  first  house  in  Gold  Hill  was  built  by  "Dutch  Nick" 
Ambrose,  near  the  Gold  Hill  croppings.  The  first  house  in  Virginia 
City  was  erected  at  the  corner  of  A  Street  and  Sutton  Avenue  by  John 
L.  Newman.  The  first  International  Hotel  was  built  at  the  corner  of 
Union  and  B  Streets,  and  its  first  day's  receipts  were  $700. 

In  April,  1860,  flour  was  from  $30  to  $40  per  100  pounds;  sugar 
62  cents,  candles  75  cents,  shovels  $5  and  picks  $6,  powder  $i  a  pound, 
eggs  $3  a  dozen.  In  1861  Virginia  had  a  population  of  about  2,700  and 
Gold  Hill  1,300.  In  1864,  five  years  after  the  first  discovery,  Virginia 
City  had  a  population  of  5,000.  Twenty-one  miles  of  shafts  and  drifts 
had  been  excavated  and  over  60  mills  were  working  on  the  Comstock 
ores.  Great  fortunes  were  being  taken  from  the  ground.  Imperial  had 
produced  $2,750,000,  Overman  $3,250,000,  Hale  and  Norcross  $11,000,- 
ooo,  Gould  and  Curry  $15,500,000,  Chollar  and  Potasi  $16,000,000,  Yellow 
Jacket  $16,500,000,  Savage  $16,500,000,  Ophir  $20,000,000,  Crown  Point 
$22,000,000,  Belcher  $26,000,000,  and  others  in  sums  ranging  from  thou- 
sands to  millions. 

The  majority  who  came  in  the  first  rush  were  young  men.  The  greater 
number  were  under  thirty  years  of  age  and  many  under  twenty-five. 
As  a  result  many  strong  and  life-enduring  friendships  were  formed.  In 
1874  a  continuous  row  of  houses  extended  from  the  upper  part  of  Vir- 
ginia City  through  to  Gold  Hill  and  far  down  into  the  canyon.  They 
held  a  total  population  of  nearly  forty  thousand.  A  great  influx  of 
people  was  due  at  this  time  to  the  discovery  of  "The  Big  Bonanza"  in 
the  Con  Virginia  and  California  mines.  These  mines  subsequently  pro- 
duced, for  the  next  fourteen  years,  an  average  of  $1,500,000  per  month. 
The  total  output  of  these  two  mines  was  about  $180,000,000  and  they 
continued  paying  enormous  dividends  for  years. 


STOREY    COUNTY  .1001 

Con  Virginia  was  at  one  time  as  low  as  15  cents  a  share,  and  it  went 
to  $800  a  share  even  after  it  had  been  cut  up  into  five-for-one  with  a 
stock  dividend.  Mackay,  Fair,  Flood,  and  O'Brien  were  known  as  the 
Big  Four.  With  the  wealth  taken  from  the  mines,  San  Francisco  was 
built  and  palaces  of  the  Comstock  mine  owners  began  to  rise  in  stately 
magnificence  on  Nob  Hill.  The  Palace  and  Fairmount  Hotels  were 
built  from  these  dividends  and  the  building  of  the  Pacific  Cable  and  the 
great  Postal  Telegraph  systems  came  from  this  source. 

When  the  "Bonanza"  was  discovered,  some  200  miles  of  work  had 
been  done  on  the  Comstock,  and  enough  timber  buried  in  the  depths  of 
the  Lode  to  house  a  population  of  half  a  million  people.  The  tendency 
of  the  ground  to  cave  necessitated  this  enormous  use  of  timber  and  the 
western  slopes  of  the  Sierras  were  practically  denuded  to  furnish  the 
supply. 

Phillip  Deideshimer  was  the  inventor  of  the  square  system  of  tim- 
bering, without  which  the  mines  would  have  been  worked  but  a  few 
hundred  feet  in  depth.  He  solved  the  vexed  problem  when  development 
on  the  Ledge  threatened  to  be  at  a  standstill.  He  also  wrote  the  report 
on  the  extent  and  richness  of  the  bonanza  discovered  in  California  and 
Con  Virginia  and  it  is  claimed  that  this  report  caused  the  demonetization 
of  silver  by  the  German  Government. 

Many  disastrous  fires  followed  the  introduction  of  timbering  in  the 
mines.  The  worst  was  the  Yellow  Jacket  fire  in  Gold  Hill  in  April  24, 
1869,  in  which  forty-five  men  lost  their  lives.  It  was  claimed  at  the 
time  that  Senator  Sharon  instigated  the  work  of  firing  the  mine  to  depress 
the  stock,  and  Adolph  Sutro  took  advantage  of  the  fire  to  show  how 
lives  could  be  saved  through  his  tunnel.  The  next  notable  fire  was  in 
the  Curry,  June  24th  1888.  Several  miners  lost  their  lives,  being  unable 
to  escape  to  adjoining  mines,  and  the  blame  of  the  disaster  was  laid  at 
the  door  of  the  practice  of  keeping  adjoining  mines  isolated  and  not 
connected  by  drifts  which  might  be  made  use  of  in.  case  of  fire. 

Many  disastrous  fires  have  occurred  on  the  surface.  The  greatest  was 
in  1875.  The  fire  wiped  out  some  $12,000,000  worth  of  property,  and 
most  of  the  hoisting  works  went  up  in  the  blaze.  The  stock  depression 
following  the  conflagration  was  very  disastrous  to  the  entire  Coast.  The 
work  of  rebuilding,  however,  began  immediately  and  finer  and  better 
buildings  resulted.  The  new  Court  House  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $75,000, 


ioo2  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

the  International  Hotel  at  a  cost  of  $125,000.  This  was  furnished  regard- 
less of  expense,  and  its  magnificent  chandeliers,  ceiling-high  mirrors  and 
mahogany  furniture  made  it  a  hostelry  for  the  wealthy.  Most  of  the 
intrigues  and  big  mining  deals  were  incubated  within  its  walls,  and 
could  they  speak  now,  a  new  history  of  the  Ledge  might  be  written  of 
unsurpassed  interest.  All  of  the  churches  were  rebuilt — and  better  than 
ever. 

The  first  mill  erected  to  crush  Comstock  ore  was  built  by  A.  B.  Paul 
near  Silver  City,  May  24,  1860.  From  that  on  they  steadily  increased 
until  mills  varying  from  three  to  sixty-stamps  lined  the  canyons,  dotted 
the  Carson  River  and  lined  the  shores  of  Washoe  Lake.  The  ore  was 
transported  from  the  Comstock  by  team  mostly  in  quartz  wagons  drawn 
by  twelve  or  sixteen  horses.  The  milling  methods  were  crude  and  expen- 
sive and  scarcely  any  ore  worth  less  than  $16  a  ton  was  considered  worth 
treating.  Wasteful  methods  were  the  rule,  and  the  loss  of  precious 
metals,  including  the  quicksilver  used  in  amalgamation,  was  enormous. 
The  chief  ingredients  used  in  amalgamation  were  quicksilver  and  copper 
sulphate,  though  every  available  concoction  was  used  experimentally, 
including  mixtures  of  drugs  and  sagebrush-tea. 

In  some  of  the  richer  ores  as  much  as  five  pounds  of  quicksilver  was 
used  to  the  ton.  Blanket  tablemen  reaped  a  rich  harvest  from  the  "slimes 
and  tailings."  The  Union  Mill  and  Mining  Company  soon  controlled 
most  of  the  mills  and  the  extensive  operations  of  this  monopoly  are 
treated  fully  in  another  portion  of  this  work.  Legal  battles  over  disputed 
claims  were  very  numerous  and  scores  of  lawyers  reaped  fortunes  from 
these  litigations.  In  many  cases  the  disputants  never  bothered  to  go 
into  court  but  settled  the  matter  with  guns  and  pistols,  and  many  a  claim 
had  its  dead  man  to  bury  after  the  squabble  was  over.  The  bloodiest 
battle  over  a  claim  was  fought  at  the  Justice  Waller  shaft  at  Gold  Hill, 
October  3,  1874,  where  several  men  were  killed.  The  Miners'  Union, 
after  its  organization,  did  much  to  put  a  stop  to  these  methods  of  settling 
miners'  rights. 

The  Virginia  Miners'  Union  was  organized  in  December,  1866,  and 
the  Gold  Hill  Union,  July  4,  1867.  The  most  amicable  relations  have 
always  existed  between  the  unions  and  the  mine  owners.  The  wages 
have  always  been  $4  a  day.  These  unions  numbered  4,375  members  in 
June,  1875.  There  is  a  by-law  in  the  constitution  of  the  unions  that  it 


STOREY    COUNTY  1003 

cannot  disband  until  the  number  is  reduced  to  seven.  Whenever  it  reaches 
that  membership  the  seven  meet,  divide  the  money  in  the  treasury,  and 
the  union  goes  out  of  existence.  The  wise  heads  that  conceived  that 
idea  knew  what  they  were  doing,  evidently. 

Fuller  accounts  of  the  many  things  lightly  touched  upon  here  appear 
in  the  widely  scattered  writings  of  many  brilliant  men  who  formed  a 
powerful  coterie  in  the  early  days.  All  of  these  men  were  connected 
more  or  less  with  the  press,  chiefly  the  Territorial  Enterprise,  the  Virginia 
Chronicle  and  the  Gold  Hill  News.  Among  the  list  may  be  mentioned 
Mark  Twain,  Dan  De  Quille,  Joseph  T.  Goodman,  Charley  Goodwin, 
Rollin  M.  Daggett,  Bret  Harte,  Sam  Davis,  Edward  Townsend,  T.  E. 
McCarthy,  Arthur  McEwen,  Alf.  Doten  and  others  more  or  less  known 
who  made  history  on  the  old  Ledge. 

The  order  of  the  names  implies  no  opinion  of  the  individual  merit  or 
personal  preference.  Their  writings,  if  gathered  together  and  compiled, 
a  word  here,  a  line  there,  a  bit  of  sparkling  wit  and  a  touch  of  pathos, 
with  reference  to  the  strange,  wild,  unusual  life  on  the  early  Comstock, 
would  weave  into  a  drama  touching  the  greatest  depths  of  despair  and 
the  fullest  achievements  of  hope  known  to  man;  for  the  events  and  inci- 
dents that  characterized  the  workshop  of  the  wonderful  Lode  were  such 
as  showed  human  nature  in  its  lowest  degradation  and  the  highest  aspects 
of  sublimity. 

It  was  a  great  stage  on  which  mighty  actors  have  played  their  parts 
and  passed  on.  Her  garnered  wealth  has  quickened  the  pulse  of  civiliza- 
tion and  revived  the  drooping  industries  of  the  world.  The  power  of  her 
Midas  touch  will  be  felt  during  coming  centuries.  Her  glory  rests  upon 
the  achievements  of  the  past,  but  the  future  will  recall  those  glories  long 
after  the  men  have  been  forgotten  who  plucked  their  wealth  from  the 
restless  tide  of  frenzied  finance  that  dashed  its  breakers  against  the  rocky 
sides  of  old  Mt.  Davidson. 


1004  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

CHAPTER  LVIII. 

WASHOE  COUNTY 

BY  MAJOR  G.  W.  INGALLS. 

INCIDENTS  IN  EARLY  SETTLEMENT. 

This  county  takes  its  name  from  the  aboriginal  tribe  who  inhabited 
the  strip  of  country  extending  along  the  base  of  the  Sierra  Moun- 
tains, from  the  head  of  Carson  River  to  the  Truckee.  The  section 
embraces  a  series  of  valleys,  of  which  Carson,  Eagle,  Pleasant,  Steam- 
boat and  the  Truckee  are  the  principal  ones,  and  including  the  adja- 
cent mountains,  which  is  still  the  home  of  this  people. 

The  name  "Washoe"  was  applied  to  most  of  the  country  now  em- 
braced within  the  boundaries  of  our  State.  It  was  the  wish  and  opinion 
of  some  of  the  members  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  held 
in  Carson  City,  that  the  proposed  State  should  be  known  as 
"Washoe"  a  majority,  however,  thought  differently,  hence  the  name 
"Nevada."  But  it  is  a  fact  that  formerly  people  in  California  and 
other  States  knew  and  referred  to  the  great  Comstock  and  surround- 
ing country  as  the  "Washoe  Mining  District."  This  was  especially 
true  during  the  years  1859-60  and  '61,  notwithstanding  Congress  in 
March,  1861,  created  a  new  Territory  and  called  it  "Nevada."  This 
action  by  Congress  practically  settled  the  name  and  those  favoring 
"Washoe"  made  their  last  effort  in  1863.  When  the  Territory  was 
organized  by  the  Territorial  Legislature  of  November,  1861,  among 
its  first  acts  it  divided  the  territory  into  nine  counties.  From  and 
after  this  date  the  sentiment  in  favor  of  Washoe  gradually  subsided,  so 
that  for  more  than  fifty  years  the  name  properly  applied  referred  to 
Washoe  County.  Of  course,  the  name  still  applies  to  a  tribe  of  Indians, 
to  the  old  county  seat  of  the  county,  Washoe  City,  and  to  Washoe  Lake, 
as  well  as  to  Washoe  Valley. 

The  year  1860  brought  with  it  many  changes  from  the  plodding 


WA1SHOE    COUNTY  1005 

and  quiet  ways  of  the  early  settlers  in  Washoe  Valley.    The  products 
of  the  soil,  which  for  years  had  but  a  nominal  value,  and  largely  a 
matter  of  barter,  were  now  in  demand  at  very  high  prices,  and  gold 
and  silver  coins  were  freely  exchanged  for  grain,  hay  and  all  kinds 
of  farm  and  garden  produce.    This  was  illustrated  near  Ragtown  on 
the  Carson  River  in  1860.    A  train  of  twenty-seven  wagons  had  just 
crossed  the  "Great  American  Desert"  and  was  camped  a  few  miles  up 
the  river,  where  they  encountered  good  water  and  grass,  just  above 
Ragtown.    Near  the  camp  was  a  huckster  from  California  by  the  name 
of  B.  C.  Raynous,  who  had  gone  down  to  meet  the  incoming  immi- 
grants with  fresh  vegetables,  as  well  as  flour  and  other  necessaries  of 
life.     Of  the  party  was  the  family  of  Sam  Smith  from  Iowa.       Mrs. 
Smith  soon  heard  that  fresh  vegetables  were  to  be  had  from  the  huck- 
ster and  told  Sam  to  go  over  to  the  "store"  and  get  some  potatoes 
for  a  change.     Sam,  in  response,  hunted  up  the  family  purse,  which, 
by  the  way,  was  not  at  all  plethoric,  and  started.    Arriving  in  front  of 
the  huckster's  layout  he  accosted  the  dealer,  saying:     "Hello,  Captain! 
Have  you  any  potatoes?"     Being  informed  that  potatoes  were  kept 
in  stock,  Sam  next  inquired  the  price.    The  dealer  said  he  was  selling 
them  at  "fifteen  cents."     Sam  promptly  said,  "Give  me  a  bushel." 
The  dealer  readily  divined  the  fact  that  Sam  did  not  fully  comprehend 
the  situation,  so  he  said:  "Stranger,  I  guess  you  are  'off'  a  little; 
potatoes  are  sold  by  the  pound  and  not  by  the  bushel."     "I  will  take 
a  pound,"  Sam  almost  instantly  said.    The  cental  system  in  the  sale 
of  potatoes  was  new  and  interesting  to  all  "tender  feet"  then. 

On  arriving  at  Carson  City  they  found  produce  and  provisions  much 
cheaper;  that  is  to  say,  potatoes  could  be  had  for  ten  cents  a  pound. 
All  kinds  of  farm  produce  was  selling  at  about  the  same  high  rates, 
so  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  farmers  in  Washoe  Valley  were  prosperous. 
Their  farms  were  often  as  valuable  as  the  silver  mines.  Hay  was  a  legal 
tender  on  the  Comstock  at  from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  per  ton  for  fair  quality  and  even  salt  grass  and  dried  tules  were  in 
demand. 

Looking  back  to  the  time  of  fifty  years  ago  it  cannot  be  said  that 
the  valley  has  materially  changed  in  general  appearance.  The  valley 
was  then  divided  into  farms  and  holdings  very  much  like  now.  But 
the  change  wrought  in  the  foothills  and  mountains  on  the  west  and 


ioo6  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

south  are  great.  Then  all  were  covered  with  an  immense  growth  of 
forest  trees  which  in  a  few  years  were  converted  into  wood  and  lum- 
ber for  the  Comstock.  Indeed,  for  a  number  of  years  these  forests 
supplied  their  entire  demand.  In  1860  it  was  decided  by  many  of  the 
leading  mining  companies  of  the  Comstock  to  build  their  mills  and  re- 
duction works  in  the  valley  near  the  timber  and  mountain  streams. 
The  ores  were  hauled  down  from  Virginia  and  Gold  Hill,  while  the 
same  teams  took  back  wood  and  lumber  as  back  freight. 

Franktown,  in  Washoe  Valley,  was  one  of  the  earliest  settled  places 
in  Western  Utah,  several  Mormon  families  having  located  there  in 
1848.  It  was  a  pleasant  little  hamlet  situated  on  the  west  side  of  the 
valley  and  still  bears  the  impress  of  its  founders.  One  of  the  first 
saw-mills  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Sierras  was  located  at  Frank- 
town  and  owned  by  J.  Ross.  In  1862  there  were  twenty  saw-mills  in 
the  county,  producing  two  million  feet  of  lumber  per  week;  the  prices 
ranged  from  $35  to  $50  per  thousand  at  the  mills.  The  lots  of  Frank- 
town  originally  contained  four  or  five  acres  each,  supplied  with  water 
carried  in  channels  through  the  public  streets.  The  houses  were  built 
of  hewn  logs,  presenting  a  rude,  primitive  aspect,  and  on  every  hand 
there  were  to  be  seen  the  evidences  of  primitive  life.  This  town  re- 
mained the  principal  city  in  the  county  for  many  years.  There  was  a 
very  large  amount  of  well-timbered  land,  also  of  agricultural  and 
grass-lands — of  the  former  not  less  than  one  hundred  thousand  acres, 
and  of  the  latter  not  less  than  thirty  or  forty  thousand  acres. 

Ophir  City. — In  the  fall  of  1860  the  Ophir  Silver  Mining  Company 
began  the  erection  of  extensive  reduction  works  two  miles  south  of 
Franktown,  where  they  spent  over  half  a  million  on  their  works  for 
the  extraction  of  the  precious  metals.  But  as  the  then  four  or  five 
saw-mills  in  the  valley  could  not  supply  the  increasing  demand  for 
lumber,  the  company  first  erected  a  saw-mill  of  their  own  and  thus 
produced  most  of  the  material  used  in  the  extensive  quartz  mill  which 
they  built  immediately  surrounding  it.  Millwrights,  carpenters, 
masons,  machinists  and  common  laborers  were  in  great  demand. 
Work  was  pushed  through  the  entire  winter,  so  that  in  May,  1861,  the 
works  were  started  and  immense  amounts  of  gold  and  silver  were 
added  to  the  world's  stock  of  those  metals.  Captain  William  L.  Dall 
was  superintendent.  T.  B.  Shamp,  afterward  a  Senator  from  Washoe, 


WASHOE    COUNTY  1007 

was  the  secretary.  Hundreds  of  men  were  employed  around  the 
works.  The  same  spring  the  company  sold  part  of  their  lands  to  Cap- 
tain H.  A.  Cheever  and  C.  S.  Potter  for  a  town  site  near  the  works. 
As  soon  as  the  lots  were  surveyed  they  were  sought  for  art  round 
prices  and  the  town  of  Ophir  was  built  up  very  rapidly. 

First  School  House  Started. — The  Town-site  Company  erected  a 
neat  and  substantial  schoolhouse  and  donated  it  to  the  town,  so  that 
during  the  summer  of  1861  the  first  term  of  public  school  was  held, 
with  Miss  Addie  Ferguson  as  teacher.  Previously,  by  common  con- 
sent, the  people  held  an  election  for  school  trustees  and  elected  George 
H.  Douglas,  A.  Denio  and  H.  H.  Beck  as  such  officers.  The  inhab- 
itants increased  very  rapidly,  so  that  before  winter  came  again  the 
place  was  one  of  considerable  importance  and,  notwithstanding  there 
was  no  law,  the  community  was  the  most  law-abiding  and  best  regu- 
lated to  be  found  anywhere.  Every  one  seemed  bent  on  following 
the  golden  rule  and  treated  his  neighbor  with  Christian  forbearance, 
even  though  it  was  not  then  known  that  there  was  a  single  Christian 
or  church  member  in  the  town.  In  some  respects  the  community  was 
a  motley  gathering,  for  there  were  people  from  all  States  in  the  Union, 
as  well  as  from  many  nations  of  the  globe,  including  native  Indians, 
not  taxed,  and  men  from  Ohio.  By  mutual  consent,  but  without 
special  agreement,  everybody  minded  his  own  business  and  police 
courts  were  not  needed. 

Odd  Nickwmnes  Given  Settlers. — A  large  number  of  the  residents 
were  known  by  nicknames  given  them  on  account  of  some  personal 
peculiarity.  Very  few  took  any  pains  to  know  the  true  name  of  his 
neighbor.  Henry  S.  Smith  was  known  as  "Brick  Top"  on  account  of 
his  red  hair.  G.  W.  Atkinson  passed  as  "Old  Tennessee."  When  the 
Sunday  School  was  organized  it  was  discovered  that  "Noisy  Dave" 
was  none  other  than  Dave  Ehler,  "Big  Nobe,"  when  arrested  for  fish- 
ing on  Sunday,  admitted  his  true  name  to  be  N.  M.  Jellerson.  M.  C. 
Sloan  was  known  as  "Pike."  The  true  name  of  "Sailor  Jack"  was 
John  Saunders.  Charley  Howard  answered  to  the  name  of  "Texas." 
Dave  Bittenger  was  always  hailed  as  "Finnigan."  The  real  name  of 
"Buckeye  George"  was  Sam  Hawkins.  "Farmer  Jim"  signed  his 
name  as  J.  H.  Sturtevant.  "Handsome  Brady"  signed  the  pay-roll  as 
Michael  Brady.  A  young  woman  waiting  on  table  at  the  Ophir 


ioo8  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

House  was  known  to  most  of  the  boys  as  the  "Monitor,"  and  Susan 
Fleming,  possibly  on  account  of  her  size,  was  referred  to  by  the 
ungodly  as  "The  Great  Eastern."  Then  there  was  "Big  Pete,"  "Slim 
Jim,"  "Boston  Charley,"  "Dutch  Ike,"  "Spooney  Saunders"  and  "Dub- 
lin Pete."  In  some  instances  their  true  names  were  never  known  in 
that  community.  When  the  registry  law  went  into  effect  later  on 
most  of  those  remaining  made  a  record  of  their  true  names,  although 
the  fellow  who  passed  for  a  long  time  as  "Old  Blue  Mass"  finally 
established  his  true  name,  when  he  joined  the  church,  to  be  Doctor 
Hogan. 

Washoe    City   was    started    in    the    winter    of    1 860-61    and  in  early 
spring  the  necessary  surveys  were  made  and  at  once  the  place  began 
to  grow  and  for  half  a  dozen  years  no  place  in  the  State  was  more  pros- 
perous.   Money  was  plentiful  and  nearly  every  person  engaged  in  any 
kind  of  business  did  well.     It  then  being  the  county  seat,  the  place 
assumed  importance  as  a  political  center,  although  for  the  first  two 
or  three  years  partisanship  in  politics  was  unknown.    All  candidates 
for  office  made  a  go-as-you-please  race,  and,  as  a  rule,  the  ones  most 
popular  on  personal  account  got  the  most  votes.    The  sack  was  then 
unknown  and  the  system  of  central  committees  had  not  yet  obtained, 
so   there   were   no   assessments    of    candidates    and    no   one  ever  com- 
plained of  being  sold  out  by  his  party.     Nearly  every  office  to  be 
filled  had  from  two  to  five  candidates  seeking  the  place.    No  political 
conventions,  hence  no  swapping  or  trading,  and  the  political  boss  was 
yet  to  come.     Charley  Smith  was  the  first  Sheriff  of  the  county  and 
T.  A.  Read,  of  Franktown,  was  one  of  the  first  County  Commissioners, 
and  F.  A.  Ent  carried  the  keys  to  the  first  county  treasury.     During 
his  time  he  lived  in  Franktown  and  carried  the  county  funds  back 
and  forth  to  the  county  seat,  where  he  went  at  stated  times  to  pay  off 
and  receive  funds  belonging  to  his  office.     P.  E.  Shannon  filled  the 
office,  first  of  County  Clerk  and  later  Recorder.     He,  like  so  many 
others,  made  a  reputation  for  himself  in  Washoe  and  then  went  to 
San  Francisco.     James  H.   Sturtevant  and  Sol.   Geller  looked  after 
the  interest  of  the  people  of  the  county  in  the  Legislature.     During 
the    winter    of    1862    one    G.  W.    Derickson    established    the    Washoe. 
Times,   a   weekly   publication.       He   was   killed  soon    after   by   a   man 
named  Horace  F.  Swazey,  who  lived  at  Ophir,  and  the  paper  then 


WASHOE    COUNTY  1009 

went  into  the  hands  of  General  Allen,  uncle  of  Mr.  Derickson.  The 
killing  was  the  result  of  a  wordy  altercation  in  the  printing  office,  near 
the  middle  of  the  day,  where  Swazey  went  to  demand  a  retraction  by 
the  editor  for  abusive  language  published  concerning  him.  Swazey, 
as  a  correspondent  at  Ophir,  had  plagiarized  by  copying  a  funny 
article  from  some  Eastern  paper  and  tried  to  palm  it  on  the  Times 
man  as  original.  In  this  he  signally  failed  and  Mr.  Derickson  exposed 
the  writer  in  the  next  issue  of  the  paper  and  charged  him  with  being 
an  imbecile  and  an  ass.  This  caused  Swazey  to  demand  a  retraction. 
Both  men  were  armed,  but  the  editor  being  a  man  of  more  than  ordi- 
nary nerve,  drove  Swazey  out  of  the  office.  Swazey  retreated  up  the 
street,  and  several  hours  afterward,  seeing  Derickson  outside  of  his 
office  on  the  sidewalk,  he  deliberately  fired  from  in  front  of  the  Mc- 
Farland  Livery  Stable,  a  distance  of  more  than  a  hundred  yards,  and 
killed  the  editor  on  the  spot.  Swazey  got  out  of  town  and  escaped 
to  Sierra  Valley,  but  some  weeks  later  was  arrested  and  indicted. 
On  his  trial  he  was  ably  defended  by  Charley  De  Long  and  finally 
went  free.  The  principal  ground  of  defense  was  a  novel  one,  but 
worthy  the  resources  of  the  able  attorney  who  urged  it.  Briefly  stated 
it  was :  That  the  defendant  could  not,  and  did  not,  fire  the  fatal  shot 
with  malice  or  with  intent  to  kill,  as  the  deceased  was  too  far  removed 
and  he  could  not  with  any  hope  or  expectation  of  striking  the  object, 
have  fired  the  shot ;  that  it  was  as  if  he  had  fired  at  a  man  five  miles 
away  and  simply  a  snapshot  showing  bravado,  and  nothing  more. 
But  the  intelligent  jury  thought  they  saw  merit  in  the  point. 

Business  men  came  to  Washoe  City  from  many  places  on  the  coast. 
Stores,  hotels  and  saloons  multiplied  rapidly,  as  well  as  all  other  kinds 
of  business.  Isaac  Mears  and  J.  H.  Kinkead  were  among  the  first  to 
open  a  mercantile  house,  under  the  firm  name  of  "Mears  &  Kinkead." 
Then  came  "Erlanger  &  Wertheimer,"  "Lamber  &  Co.,"  "Haskell  £ 
Clarke"  and  "I.  S.  Bostwick."  All  the  firms  carried  heavy  stocks  of 
general  merchandise.  In  fact  it  was  necessary  then  to  stock  up 
heavily,  especially  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  for  during  the  Winter  the 
freight  charges  were  very  high,  owing  to  the  condition  of  the  roads 
over  the  mountains,  and  nearly  all  material  coming  in  during  the 
winter  cost  all  the  way  from  ten  to  twenty-five  cents  a  pound  freight 
charges,  Forty  dollars  a  barrel  for  flour  was  not  unusual;  in  fact, 


ioio  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

during  the  early  Spring  of  1860,  the  staff  of  life  brought  as  high  as 
two  hundred  dollars  a  barrel,  or  a  dollar  a  pound.  But  then  we  had 
free  coinage  those  days  and  even  with  high  prices  for  all  kinds  of 
provisions,  very  few,  if  any,  went  hungry.  Then  all  merchandise  and 
machinery  was  freighted  from  California  on  big  wagons  drawn  by 
from  six  to  sixteen  horses,  mules  or  oxen.  During  the  months  of 
September  and  October  the  merchants  stocked  up  heavily  for  the 
winter  trade.  After  the  winter  supply  was  all  in,  the  storekeeper  was 
happy.  Let  the  storms  come,  the  merchant  was  ready.  On  these 
occasions  Mr.  Erlanger  was  in  the  habit  of  scanning  the  Sierra  Nevada 
Mountains  every  morning  on  getting  to  his  place  of  business  to  see 
what  the  prospects  were  for  a  storm,  and  every  time  he  found  a  cloud 
he  would  give  this  order  to  his  salesmen :  "Hey,  there,  boys !  Mark 
up  flour  and  ground  barley  another  cent  a  pound."  Of  course  the 
customers  stood  the  raise.  Mr.  Erlanger  not  only  made  a  reputation 
in  Washoe,  but  money  as  well.  Charley  Lambert  made  a  small  for- 
tune in  Washoe  City.  For  four  years  he  served  the  county  in  the 
Legislature  as  Senator  and  then  retired  to  the  more  genial  climate  of 
California.  D.  B.  Boyd  was  a  clerk  with  Lambert  &  Co.  I.  S.  Bost- 
wick  had  the  reputation  of  sanding  his  sugar,  but  he  made  a  bushel  of 
money  and  carried  it  to  the  Bay.  Haskell  &  Clarke  made  money  and 
died  in  Washoe.  Mr.  Mears  left  the  county  many  years  ago.  His 
partner,  Mr.  Kinkead,  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  was  a  leading  citizen 
of  Virginia  City.  He  was  the  first  Postmaster  of  Washoe  and  was 
succeeded  by  Nat  Holmes.  Among  the  earliest  hotel  and  saloon- 
keepers were  James  Pearson,  Jim  Roberts,  Sam  Southworth,  J.  P. 
Winfrey  and  others. 

Galena,  situated  about  four  miles  northwest  of  Washoe  City,  con- 
tained for  a  number  of  years  as  patriotic  a  lot  of  citizens  as  ever  made 
up  a  community  anywhere.  A  place  as  radically  for  the  Union  as  ever 
was  the  States  of  Massachusetts  or  Rhode  Island,  and  was  frequently 
referred  to  as  the  "Eastern  Tennessee"  of  Washoe  County.  Practic- 
ally all  belonged  to  the  Union  party  during  the  war,  notwithstanding 
a  large  majority  of  them  had  previously  been  Democrats  or  Whigs. 
This  unanimity  of  political  sentiment  was  partially  shown  at  the 
September  election  in  1862,  when  the  Union  ticket  received  381  votes 
out  of  a  possible  384;  only  three  votes  for  the  opposition.  But  then 


WASHOE    COUNTY  1011 

the  majority  of  the  party  was  organized  and  led  by  such  men  as  Fred 
Stadtmuller,  R.  M.  Shackelford,  Tom  Prince,  John  M.  Thomas,  W.  N. 
Beldon,  A.  J.  Hatch,  Wallace  Caldwell,  Henry  Tiffany,  Doctor  Kords, 
Judge  C.  C.  Goodwin,  and  many  others  of  like  influence  and  reputation. 
The  town  of  Galena  was  simply  headquarters  of  quite  an  extensive 
lumbering  camp.  Prince  &  Brown  owned  and  operated  several  saw- 
mills, as  did  several  others  of  those  named  above,  including  John 
Thomas  and  Wallace  Caldwell.  Mr.  Stadtmuller  was  the  principal 
merchant  in  the  town  and  made  a  small  fortune,  as  fortunes  were  then 
rated.  Judge  Goodwin  tried  his  virgin  hand  at  quartz-milling  in 
Galena  Creek.  According  to  his  own  report  he  lasted  quick  and  in 
the  fall  of  1863  he  went  into  politics  and  was  elected  Probate  Judge. 
John  Thomas,  after  leaving  Galena,  married  Jennie  Champion  of 
"Little  Bangor"  and,  some  years  later,  removed  to  Southern  California, 
engaging  in  the  sheep  and  wool  business.  Tom  Prince  was  twice 
elected  to  the  Legislature  from  Washoe  City,  after  which  he  married 
Miss  Davis  of  Carson  and  moved  to  Contra  Costa  County,  California. 
Wallace  Caldwell  left  the  State  about  25  years  after,  also  serving  a 
term  in  the  Assembly.  A.  J.  Hatch  was  a  surveyor  and  civil  engineer. 
He  served  as  County  Surveyor,  and  in  1870  was  elected  to  the  Assem- 
bly, where  during  the  session  of  1871  he  did  much  towards  getting  the 
land  laws  into  system.  In  1878  he  was  elected  Surveyor-General  of 
Nevada,  and  served  a  four-year  term,  soon  after  which  he,  too,  like 
most  of  Nevada's  successful  business  men,  sold  his  interests  here  and 
moved  to  California,  where  he,  for  a  time,  engaged  in  the  dried-fruit 
industry.  Several  years  ago  he  closed  his  earthly  career  and  his  name 
is  now  numbered  with  the  silent  dead.  W.  W.  Beldon  for  a  time  held 
the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  Galena  and  in  1864  was  elected  to 
the  State  Constitutional  Convention,  where  he  assisted  in  framing  our 
organic  law.  Some  years  later  he  also  left  our  State,  and  since  then 
also  passed  over  to  the  great  majority.  At  the  territorial  election  in 
September,  1864,  Dick  Shackelford  was  the  Republican  candidate  in 
Washoe  County  for  Sheriff,  but  was  defeated  by  a  close  majority  by 
T.  A.  Reid,  of  Franktown.  At  the  next  election  in  November  of  the 
same  year  he  was  chosen  one  of  the  three  members  of  the  Assembly 
from  Washoe  County,  and  served  in  the  first  Legislature  of  the  State 
during  the  winter  of  1864-5,  m  which  he  championed  the  candidacy 


ioi2  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

of  his  old  friend  Judge  Whitman  for  United  States  Senator.  Not  long 
afterward  he  moved  from  Nevada  and  located  in  Hollister,  California. 
Doctor  Kords,  while  a  resident  of  Galena,  practiced  medicine  as  a  pro- 
fession and  engaged  in  the  poultry  business  as  a  diversion.  He  estab- 
lished a  reputation  while  there,  and  then  went  to  California,  where  he 
amassed  a  fortune.  Mr.  Stadtmuller  died  in  San  Francisco.  Judge 
Goodwin  has  made  his  home  with  the  saints  in  Salt  Lake  City  for 
many  years,  where  he  added  fame  to  the  good  name  he  earned  in 
Washoe.  But  what  of  Galena — alas,  Galena  is  no  more.  The  old 
timers  left,  and  its  glory  departed  and  the  immense  pine  forests  were 
cut  down  to  supply  the  demand  of  the  Comstock  for  wood  and  timber. 
Other  places  in  the  valley  had  claims  on  the  seat  of  county  government 
as  being  "more  central."  Ophir  was  then  a  very  prosperous  and  grow- 
ing town  and  felt  slighted  when  Washoe  City  got  the  prize,  and  even 
Franktown  had  its  claim  for  preferment  not  so  much  on  account  of 
its  size,  but  generally  because  it  was  the  first  located  town  in  the 
county,  and  further,  claimed  that  it  was  nearer  the  center. 

Washoe  City  in  1864  was  then  in  its  greatest  prosperity,  and  con- 
tained about  2,500  people.  Ophir  had  1,200  inhabitants,  and  Frank- 
town  and  vicinity  about  500,  Mill  Station  and  surroundings  about  300. 
In  addition  to  these  places  there  was  still  another  community,  in  the 
valley  claiming  individuality  known  as  Little  Bangor,  situated  about 
a  mile  south  of  Franktown.  As  an  additional  item  of  the  general  im- 
portance of  the  Valley  at  the  time,  it  may  be  noted  that  in  the  general 
election  in  1864,  Washoe  Co.  cast  over  700  votes,  Ophir  over  300, 
Franktown  something  over  200,  and  Mill  Station  about  150,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  votes  cast  at  the  half-way  house  on  the  Ophir  grade, 
between  the  Valley  and  Virginia  City.  The  Washoe  Valley  asserted 
great  influence  in  many  ways,  including  politics,  and  had  much  to  do 
in  the  organization  of  the  State  government.  As  regards  partisan 
politics,  a  large  majority  of  the  people  could  always  be  counted  on  in 
favor  of  sustaining  the  Union  and  Uncle  Abe  Lincoln  in  his  efforts  to 
put  down  the  rebellion.  Money  was  plentiful,  everybody  that  wanted 
work  was  being  employed  at  good  wages,  and  prosperity  was  seen  on 
every  hand. 

One  of  the  Ophir  company's  works  at  Ophir,  together  with  the 
range  belonging,  was  assessed  for  taxation  purposes  at  $400,000.  The 


WAjSHOE    COUNTY  1013 

Franktown  Ore  Balls  Mill  at  $90,000.  At  Washoe  City  there  were 
located  and  in  operation  quite  a  number  of  large  and  extensive  quartz 
mills  costing  from  $50,000  to  $200,000  each.  Notably  among  them  was 
the  Newark  Mill  and  the  Manhattan  reduction  works,  under  the  super- 
vision of  Colonel  Avre,  the  Minnesota  Mill,  built  by  Judge  North,  the 
Buckeye  mill,  owned  and  operated  by  W.  W.  Shelley,  the  Atchinson 
Mill,  built  and  owned  by  J.  H.  Atchison  and  S.  S.  Atchison.  Some 
little  distance  west,  on  Galena  creek,  was  located  a  quartz  mill  built 
and  owned  by  William  Alford,  who  always  referred  to  his  plant  as  a 
"schrushing  mill,  sir."  In  Pleasant  Valley,  a  few  miles  north  of 
Washoe,  was  located  the  Temelec  Mill  built  and  owned  by  Judge 
Wallace;  and  just  below  the  little  concentrating  mill  built  by  Gover- 
nor Stevenson,  was  located  and  for  a  time  operated  the  Willow  Creek 
Smelting  Works.  These  several  ore-working  plants  cost  several  mil- 
lions of  dollars,  and  employed  many  hundreds  of  men.  In  the  moun- 
tains and  foothills,  west  of  the  valley,  were  located  a  score  or  more  of 
saw-mills  making  lumber  for  the  local  and  Comstock  markets.  Hun- 
dreds of  teams  were  busy  hauling  wood  and  lumber  to  Virginia  and 
Gold  Hill,  and  bringing  back  thousands  of  tons  of  Comstock  ore  for 
the  quartz  mills.  The  farmers  in  the  valley  had  a  home  market  for 
everything  they  could  produce  at  fabulous  prices.  The  people  com- 
posing the  community  of  Washoe  Valley,  as  well  as  Washoe  City, 
were  what  may  be  called  homogeneous. 

During  the  years  1860-61  it  seemed  that  professional  men  were  not 
needed,  as  nearly  every  person  was  a  stranger  to  his  neighbor  and 
everybody  else,  by  common  consent ;  everybody  minded  his  own  busi- 
ness, and,  as  a  matter  of  course,  lawyers  were  not  in  demand.  Every- 
body was  a  law  unto  himself  and  the  golden  rule  was  more  the  law 
then  than  at  any  time  since — and  then,  too,  as  long  as  there  were  no 
lawyers,  courts  were  not  in  demand,  and  so  it  appeared  with  regard 
to  doctors.  People  seemed  to  get  along  without  being  sick  and  even 
accidents  occurred  but  seldom,  possibly  from  the  fact  that  surgeons 
were  not  to  be  had.  The  same  may  be  said  with  regard  to  ministers  of 
the  gospel — with  the  exception  of  Uncle  George  Smith  of  Pleasant 
Valley  and  Abendigo  Johns  of  Genoa,  two  of  the  Joseph  Smith  order 
of  Latter  Day  Saints,  who  once  in  a  while  preached  to  the  ungodly 
of  Washoe,  they  had  no  preachers.  In  the  few  years,  however,  the 


ioi4  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

sentiment  of  the  whole  community  was  changed.  The  people  got  to 
know  each  other,  and  the  better  they  became  acquainted  the  more  they 
mistrusted  one  another.  Hence  courts  were  in  demand  and  with  the 
establishment  of  legal  tribunals  came  the  lawyers.  When  the  people 
became  sociable  they  talked  of  fancied  ailments  and  the  doctors 
came.  As  the  many  restraints  incident  to  strangeness  wore  oft",  the 
people  compared  notes  each  with  his  neighbor  until  they  made  the 
discovery  that  the  whole  community  was  ungodly  in  the  extreme  and 
liable  to  go  to  Hades,  and  this  condition  brought  the  ministers. 

Under  the  act  of  the  Territorial  Legislature  of  November,  1861, 
Probate  and  Justices  Courts  were  established  in  the  several  counties 
of  the  Territory.  Charles  S.  Potter  of  Ophir  was  appointed  for 
Washoe  County,  and  at  stated  times  held  Probate  Court  at  Washoe 
City.  Then  came  the  lawyers.  Among  the  very  first  in  the  valley  was 
Judge  Watson,  formerly  from  Watsonville,  California.  He  lived  in 
Ophir,  but  practiced  in  all  the  courts  of  the  Territory.  Then  came 
Tom  Cox  and  H.  A.  Gaston,  who  formed  a  co-partnership  under  the 
firm  name  of  "Cox  &  Gaston."  About  the  same  time  two  young  law- 
yers came  who  did  business  as  "DeWitt  &  Haydon."  But  this  firm 
did  not  remain  in  business  long.  Both  were  of  the  "secesh"  order,  and 
too  frequently  made  known  their  sympathies  with  the  South  in  the 
Rebellion.  Haydon  was  from  Arkansas,  while  it  was  said  DeWitt 
hailed  from  somewhere  in  New  England,  the  most  rabid  pro-slavery 
man  of  the  two.  John  S.  Bowker,  afterwards  Justice  of  the  Peace  in 
Reno,  was  Deputy  County  Clerk  under  C.  C.  Conger.  He  and  DeWitt 
had  a  dispute  one  day  in  the  Clerk's  office  which  ended  by  DeWitt 
stabbing  Bowker.  For  a  number  of  days  his  life  was  despaired  of,  but 
he  finally  got  well.  The  assassin,  DeWitt,  was  arrested,  but  the  feel- 
ing being  so  strong  against  him  in  Washoe  City,  he  caused  the  pre- 
liminary investigation  to  be  transferred  to  Ophir,  where  Justice  of 
the  Peace  Beck  held  him  under  a  bond  to  appear  before  the  Grand 
Jury.  But  he  soon  after  left  for  other  parts. 

About  this  time  J.  W.  North  and  James  F.  Lewis  located  in  Washoe 
City  and  together  practiced  law  under  the  firm  name  of  "North  & 
Lewis."  Law  business  was  plentiful  and  the  fraternity  prospered.  J. 
W.  North  soon  after  was  appointed  by  President  Lincoln  one  of  the 
three  District  Judges  of  the  Territory,  while  James  F.  Lewis,  after 


WASHOE    COUNTY  1015 

serving  a  term  as  District  Attorney  for  the  county,  was  elected  one  of 
the  three  first  Supreme  Judges  of  the  State  and  served  for  eight 
years.  A  little  later  came  Tom  Fitch,  the  eloquent,  who  combined 
law  with  politics.  It  was  never  known  whether  Torn  made  any  con- 
siderable money  as  a  lawyer,  but  he  did  have  the  reputation  of  having 
a  whole  lot  of  fun.  For  some  years  he  and  Tom  Cox  were  the  leaders 
of  the  Washoe  Bar  and  almost  invariably  were  they  pitted  against 
each  other.  Cox  was  the  better  counselor,  while  Fitch  got  the  credit 
for  being  the  more  brilliant  advocate.  During  these  times,  too,  the 
Bar  was  graced  by  George  Nourse,  who  was  later  elected  as  the  first 
Attorney  General  of  the  State,  which  office  he  filled  with  great  ability 
for  two  years,  and  soon  after  moved  to  San  Francisco.  But  the  list  of 
attorneys  of  the  Washoe  Bar  during  early  times  would  not  be  com- 
plete without  the  name  of  T.  W.  Healey,  who  came  to  Washoe  a 
young  man  of  more  than  ordinary  promise.  Most  of  the  time  his 
practice  was  limited,  but  being  young  and  robust  he  could  wait,  and 
he  did.  One  of  his  principal  clients  was  James  M.  Gatewood,  an  old 
pioneer,  not  only  of  Washoe,  but  California.  "Jim  Gatewood,"  as 
everybody  called  him,  was  of  a  kind  of  whom  there  were  few,  a  born 
philosopher  and  always  an  enigma.  To  strangers  he  always  appeared 
morose  and  disinclined  to  sociability,  while  the  fact  was  that  no  one 
in  the  valley  was  of  a  more  genial  nature,  but  always  acting  as  if  he 
was  afraid  people  would  think  he  was  assuming  virtues  he  did  not 
possess.  His  philosophy  may  be  illustrated  by  incidents  like  the 
following: 

H.  H.  Beck  on  one  occasion,  thinking  he  had  need  of  a  lawyer,  asked 
Jim  as  to  who  he  thought  was  the  most  competent  to  entrust  with  the 
business  on  hand.  Jim  promptly  said:  "Go  and  get  Col.  A.  C.  Ellis, 
and,  by  the  way,  Beck,  let  me  tell  you  that  my  experience  is  just  this : 
If  you  need  a  lawyer  get  a  good  one,  and  when  you  want  a  damn  fool 
attend  to  it  yourself."  Between  Jim  Gatewood  and  Lawyer  Healey 
there  seemed  to  exist  a  bond  of  sympathy  disconnected  from  the  con- 
dition of  attorney  and  client,  and  while  very  dissimilar  in  many  re- 
spects, there  were  grounds  upon  which  they  fully  agreed.  In  their 
opinion  Dame  Fortune  was  a  fickle  jade  and  both  agreed  that  the 
wealth  of  this  world  was  none  too  equally  divided.  In  short,  there 
were  times  with  them  even  during  the  flush  times  that  "grass  was 


ioi6  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

short,"  so  it  chanced  that  the  two  concluded  to  reduce  expenses  to 
their  lowest  terms  by  setting  up  what  they  called  a  bachelor's  hall.  A 
comfortable  little  cabin  was  rented  on  the  outskirts  of  Ophir  for  the 
winter  of  1864,  and  their  worldly  goods  and  chattels  moved  in.  Each 
took  his  turn  in  the  art  of  cooking  and  the  care  of  the  house,  and  all 
went  well  until  they  discovered  that  the  supply  of  wood  was  about 
exhausted.  Wood  was  plentiful  in  the  mountains  not  far  away,  but 
they  had  no  wagon  with  which  to  bring  it  to  camp.  A  short  consulta- 
tion resulted  in  their  going  to  Jim  Sturtevant  and  asking  him  to  haul 
them  a  few  loads.  To  this  Mr.  Sturtevant  demurred  and  said :  "Boys, 
I  am  as  lazy  as  you  are ;  haul  your  own  wood."  They  explained  they 
had  no  team.  Sturtevant  then  told  them  to  take  his  two  yoke  of  cattle 
and  haul  all  they  wanted.  This  matter  being  arranged,  Judge  Healey 
and  Jim  Gatewood  started  up  the  canyon,  Jim  doing  the  driving  while 
the  Judge  held  down  the  wagon.  All  went  well  going  up  hill.  The 
wagon  was  soon  loaded  and  the  team  headed  down  the  grade,  but  here 
trouble  commenced.  The  wagon  crowded  the  wheel  cattle  so  that  the 
team  jack-knifed  and  an  upset  was  imminent.  But  the  oxen  were 
finally  halted  and  it  was  then  arranged  that  the  Judge  should  take  a 
position  on  the  off-side  of  the  cattle  and  assist  in  keeping  the  team 
straight  and  in  the  middle  of  the  road.  When  all  was  ready  Jim 
admonished  the  "damn  bulls"  to  act  decently  and  they  started  down 
the  road.  But  the  cattle  were  nervous  and  restless.  The  outfit  got 
going  faster  and  faster  until  it  was  evident  that  unless  the  team  was 
halted  dire  destruction  was  sure  to  come.  Jim  called  to  the  Judge  to 
stop  the  cattle,  at  the  same  time  doing  all  he  could  in  that  direction 
himself.  Matters  got  worse  and  Jim  got  excited  and  finally  yelled  out 
to  Healey,  "Stop  them,  Judge,  stop  them;  why  in  damnation  don't 
you  stop  them?"  This  profanity  was  too  much  for  the  Judge,  so  he 
stopped  short  and  yelled  back  to  Jim :  "Stop  them  yourself,  I  am  no 
damn  bull  driver!  I  am  a  Kentucky  gentleman,  sir!" 

Soon  after  Governor  Nye  issued  his  proclamation  in  November, 
1861,  dividing  the  Territory  into  three  Judicial  Districts  and  assigning 
the  three  Judges  appointed  by  President  Lincoln,  the  law  business 
began  in  earnest.  The  Courts  being  established  and  lawyers  being 
plentiful,  many  otherwise  good  people  could  not  resist  the  temptation, 
and  litigation  was  rife.  Gordon  N.  Mott  was  assigned  to  the  First 


WA'SHOE    COUNTY  1017 

District,  which  embraced  Washoe  County,  while  Dighton  Corson  came 
by  appointment  from  Washington  and  acted  as  United  States  District 
Attorney.  The  duty  of  the  District  Attorney  was  to  prosecute  all  who 
sinned  against  the  laws  of  the  United  States  as  well  as  those  causing 
an  infraction  of  the  Statutes  of  the  Territory.  Under  the  act  of  the 
Territorial  Legislature  of  1861,  gambling  was  strictly  prohibited. 
Poker  playing  was  a  crime  and  all  banking  games  were  liable  to  a 
heavy  fine.  However,  but  few  transgressors  ever  suffered,  unless  the 
fees  paid  attorneys  for  defending  the  accused  be  taken  into  considera- 
tion. At  each  session  of  the  Court  the  Grand  Jury  would  find  indict- 
ments against  every  person  keeping  a  gambling-house.  Every  trans- 
gressor was  brought  into  Court,  where  he  pleaded  "not  guilty"  and 
his  attorney  filed  demurrers.  These  two  things  usually  carried  the 
cases  over  until  next  term.  The  law  was  not  popular  then,  and  even 
the  Judge  acted  as  if  loath  to  enforce  it.  Indeed,  it  was  quite  the 
custom  of  the  Court  while  sitting  in  judgment  during  the  day,  to  play 
poker  two-thirds  of  the  night  with  the  accused. 

During  these  years  the  local  Bar  was  greatly  augmented  by  their 
brethren  from  Virginia  City  and  Carson.  From  the  former  place  came 
Charley  H.  Bryan,  Wm.  M.  Stewart,  and  his  partner,  A.  H.  Baldwin, 
Will  Campbell,  Judge  Pitzer,  R.  S.  Mesick,  H.  K.  Mitchell,  Todd 
Robinson,  Judge  Brumfield,  Frank  Tilford  and  several  others.  From 
Carson  came  such  well  known  attorneys  as  ex-Governor  J.  Neely 
Johnson,  Hal  Clayton,  William  Patterson,  Jonas  Seeley  and  Thomas 
E.  Haydon.  But  an  overruling  Providence  was  kind  even  to  lawyers, 
for  most  of  those  named  above  filed  their  last  brief  long  ago  and  so 
their  trials  and  tribulations  in  this  world  are  no  more.  Judge  Haydon 
came  to  Washoe  County  to  stay  about  forty  years  ago.  Hank  Mitchell 
went  to  California,  where  he  enjoyed  the  good  reputation  earned  in 
Nevada.  Numerous  additions  were  made  to  the  local  Bar  during 
1862-63,  including  Wales  L.  Knox.  In  1865  a  new  law  firm  was 
established,  then  known  as  "Webster  &  Walker."  Mr.  Walker  came 
to  the  county  from  Truckee.  Judge  Webster  crossed  the  plains  from 
Iowa  the  year  before,  bringing  his  family  with  him.  His  advent  into 
the  Washoe  burg  was  treated  becomingly,  but  when  he  announced 
that  he  was  a  lawyer,  there  was  surprise,  for  every  one  then  thought 
he  was  the  greenest  attorney  they  had  ever  seen,  and  the  more  they 


ioi8  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

saw  of  him  proved  their  first  impression  was  correct.  He  remained, 
however,  and  made  a  competency.  In  1866  Mr.  Webster  was  nomi- 
nated on  the  Democratic  ticket  for  District  Attorney  of  the  county 
and  ran  against  Judge  Goodwin.  After  a  spirited  campaign  Judge 
Goodwin  was  defeated.  A  few  days  after  the  election  the  two  met 
and  Mr.  Webster  hailed  his  old  friend  and  competitor  with:  "Hello, 
Judge,  I  guess  the  people  failed  to  vote  for  you  because  they  knew 
you."  To  which  sally  Judge  Goodwin  retorted :  "Oh,  no,  Judge  Web- 
ster, not  at  all ;  but  the  fact  is,  the  damned  fools  voted  for  you  because 
they  didn't  know  you." 

Among  the  first  physicians  in  the  valley  were  Doctor  Allen,  Doctor 
Bonham,  Doctor  G.  A.  Weed  and  Doctor  J.  S.  Stackpole.  Of  their 
ability  in  the  profession  no  one  knew  and  very  few  cared.  The  doctors 
honored  the  community  with  their  presence  and  the  people,  wishing 
to  be  sociable,  gave  them  employment.  Of  course,  it  was  soon  discov- 
ered that  the  community  was  without  a  graveyard.  But  this  is  digres- 
sion. Doctor  W.  P.  L.  Winiham  soon  after  established  a  drug  store 
and  the  graveyard  came  in  due  time.  Of  the  comparative  ability  of 
the  several  doctors  little  was  known.  The  law  requiring  a  diploma  to 
be  filed  in  the  Recorder's  office  had  not  obtained.  Many  of  those, 
thinking  they  needed  a  prescription  for  something  they  thought  ailed 
them,  were  of  the  opinion  that  Doctor  Weed  or  Doctor  Stackpole  were 
the  best  and  safest  to  be  consulted.  But  among  the  masses  generally 
it  was  agreed  that  Doctor  Stackpole  was  a  failure  in  cases  requiring 
surgical  skill  or  "carpentering,"  as  the  boys  called  it.  Three  of  those 
doctors  above-mentioned  were  hoist  by  their  own  petard  or  something 
else,  while  Doctor  Weed  practiced  his  profession  in  the  State  of 
Washington.  Later  on  came  other  doctors,  including  Doctors 
Mitchell,  Bishop  and  Hogan.  The  advent  of  Doctor  Mitchell  marked 
an  epoch  in  physics,  medicine  and  lotions.  He  brought  with  him  a 
metaphysical  vocabulary  strictly  his  own,  so  that  it  was  often  said 
that  one  of  his  technical  disquisitions  to  an  ailing  patient  was  as  good 
as  a  dose  of  pills.  But  while  he  was  not  like  other  doctors,  he  was 
among  people  who  were  not  all  alike,  so  that  at  least  some  regarded 
him  as  filling  a  long-felt  want.  In  1869  Chauncey  Haskill  took  sick 
while  boarding  with  Mrs.  Roff.  Doctor  Mitchell  was  called.  He 
came  and  diagnosed  the  case:  the  verdict  being:  "Too  much  bilious- 


WASHOE    COUNTY  1019 

bile  on  the  stomach,  my  dear  man."  The  next  time  Mrs.  Roff  met  the 
good  doctor  she  asked  him  concerning  the  welfare  of  her  boarder. 
The  doctor  told  her  about  as  above  stated,  but  assured  her  there  was 
no  immediate  danger,  although  great  care  must  be  taken,  and  added 
that  "the  disease  was  of  such  a  licentious  nature  that  the  outcome  was 
uncertain."  Chan  Haskell  pulled  through. 

But  Dr.  Mitchell  did  not  live  in  vain.  His  energy  and  perseverance 
were  destined  to  be  rewarded  later.  When  Mr.  I.  H.  Ball  of  Pleasant 
Valley  lay  sick  unto  death  the  doctor  was  called.  Mr.  Ball  had  suf- 
fered a  long  illness  with  fever  and  was  attended  by  an  eminent  physi- 
cian from  Virginia.  Finally  the  Virginia  doctor  told  his  patient  to 
make  his  will,  for  he  would  surely  die,  and  gave  up  the  case.  Then 
Dr.  Mitchell  came  on  the  scene.  He  diagnosed  the  case  carefully, 
asked  questions,  and  then,  quoting  from  a  speech  made  by  the  devil 
two  thousand  years  ago,  he  said:  "My  dear  sir,  you  shall  not  surely 
die."  And  he  didn't. 

There  was  an  irrepressible  conflict  between  the  simon-pure  Mor- 
monism  and  the  sect  known  as  the  Latter-day  Saints.  These  were  the 
church  people  in  Washoe  Valley,  when  the  maddening  rush  came  in 
1860  and  1861,  and  it  is  not  strange  that  even  the  devout  Latter-day 
Saints  should  he  be  carried  away  in  the  general  excitement  occasioned 
by  the  influx  of  the  thousands  of  newcomers  bent  on  making  fortunes 
out  of  the  newly  discovered  mines  of  the  Comstock.  Churches  there 
were  none.  Of  Christians  the  numbers  were  not  many.  And  still,  as 
already  said,  the  community  averaged  in  a  moral  way  fully  up  to  any 
standard  since  then  established.  If  there  was  any  praying  done  it  was 
in.  secret  and  not  in  an  ostentatious  manner.  To  find  a  man  who 
would  refuse  to  take  a  drink  at  a  bar  was  rare  and  it  was  not  uncom- 
mon for  new  arrivals  to  be  looked  upon  as  ministers  or  deacons  until 
opportunity  was  afforded  for  a  sitting  at  the  card  table,  when  the  sup- 
posed teacher  of  godliness  proved  that  he  was  no  better  than  those 
with  whom  he  associated. 

Among  the  early  ministers  in  Washoe  City  was  a  nice  little  clergy- 
man by  the  name  of  William  Dyer,  who  was  sent  out  from  some  place 
in  the  East  as  a  missionary  among  the  supposed  heathens.  He  taught 
Christ  from  the  standpoint  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  He  was  gentle- 
manly, devout  and  courteous.  Small  physically,  had  it  not  been  for  a 


IO20 

black  beard,  he  could  readily  have  personated  a  woman.  He  preached 
alternately  in  Washoe  City  and  Ophir.  In  a  short  time  he  won  the 
favor  of  all  whom  he  met  and  no  doubt  did  his  best  to  make  himself 
useful  in  his  mission.  The  miners  and  lumbermen  always  greeted  him 
with  a  hearty  "How  do  you  do,  Parson?"  and  very  often  asked  him  to 
"take  something,"  which  was  then  the  custom  of  the  country.  Of 
course  he  always  refused,  but  in  such  a  quiet  way  that  caused  many  a 
wood-chopper  to  apologize  by  urging  him  to  accept  a  dollar  or  two  in 
lieu  of  a  drink.  On  one  of  his  visits  to  Ophir  he  found  old  "Pike" 
busy  with  a  pair  of  young  steers,  which  he  was  breaking  in  to  work 
under  the  yoke.  The  cattle  were  nervous  and  the  weather  very  warm, 
while  to  say  Pike  was  hot  was  drawing  it  mild.  Pike  was  swearing  a 
blue  streak  and  lambasting  the  cattle  for  all  they  were  worth.  The 
minister  looked  on  awhile  and  then  approaching  the  irate  Missourian 
he  said :  "My  good  friend,  would  not  moral  suasion  be  of  use  under  the 
present  excited  condition  of  those  cattle?"  Pike  was  thunderstruck 
for  a  moment  and  could  say  nothing.  He  put  down  his  goad-stick  and 
said :  "Deacon,  the  boys  all  say  you  are  a  devilish  good  preacher,  but  it 
is  manifest  to  me  that  you  never  drove  bulls." 

But  Brother  Dyer  got  along  quite  well,  and  as  a  rule  the  little 
School  House  was  well  filled  when  he  preached  in  Ophir  and  the 
financial  support  from  the  boys  was  all  that  could  be  expected.  But, 
the  good  man  had  a  grievous  failing,  which,  while  it  was  natural  at 
times,  seemed  extravagantly  unnatural.  It  consisted  in  an  inability 
to  properly  emphasize  certain  words  in  a  sentence,  and  this  caused 
him  the  loss  of  one  of  his  best  paying  parishioners.  A  big  strapping 
fellow,  known  in  the  town  as  Kentuck,  took  offense  one  Sunday  and 
abruptly  left  the  church  in  the  midst  of  the  service.  A  few  hours 
afterward  a  friend  asked  him  why  he  disgraced  the  town  by  such 
unseemly  actions  in  leaving  the  church  during  the  preaching.  "Well," 
said  Kentuck,  "I  left  because  I  don't  like  to  hear  a  minister  swear 
while  preaching,  I  can  do  that  myself."  The  friend  said  there  must  be 
a  mistake,  as  he  had  listened  to  the  preachng  and  heard  no  swearing. 
Kentuck  said :  "Well,  I  don't  know  what  you  Yanks  call  it,  but  down 
in  the  blue  grass  region  of  Kentucky  they  call  it  swearing,  and  I  be- 
lieve they  know."  "But  what  did  he  say  that  makes  you  think  the 
minister  was  profane?"  "Well,  I  will  tell  you,"  said  Kentuck. 


- 


WA'SHOE    COUNTY  1021 

"Didn't  you  notice  that  he  stated  in  just  so  many  words  that  'David 
was  beloved,  by  God,'  and  if  that  ain't  taking  the  name  of  our  Maker  in 
vain  then  I'm  an  Injun."  Brother  Dyer  was  told  of  the  incident,  but  it 
was  some  time  before  he  could  be  made  to  see  the  point,  and  even  then  it 
seemed  impossible  for  him  to  repeat  the  sentence  without  placing  unusual 
stress  or  emphasis  on  the  last  two  words. 

Other  ministers  came  in  due  time,  among  them  T.  G.  McGrath  of 
the  Methodists,  and  later  Brother  Hitchcock  and  Warren  Nims  of  the 
same  faith.  Washoe  City  built  a  fashionable  meeting-house  and  a 
parsonage  adjoining.  Other  denominations  were  well  represented  for 
a  time,  including  the  Catholics.  Before  the  advent  of  the  clergy  into 
the  Valley  the  people  treated  each  other  as  friends,  and  in  a  neigh- 
borly manner.  After  they  came  a  good  many  folks  seemed  to  forget 
the  amenities  of  this  life.  At  any  rate,  the  good  intentions  of  the 
preachers  had  but  little  influence  on  such  old  timers  as  John  Bowman, 
who,  as  the  pioneer  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  Washoe  City  treated  his 
office  like  a  sick  oyster — always  open — and  went  so  far  as  to  swear 
men  on  Sunday.  O.  H.  Gallup  was  not  much  better.  He  was  the 
Nasby  for  a  number  of  years,  and  kept  cigars  and  tobacco  in  stock, 
which  he  sold  for  more  than  cost.  Indeed,  it  was  currently  reported 
for  some  time  that  he  sold  more  five-cent  cigars  for  two  bits  than  any 
living  American.  But  his  financial  success  did  not  inflate  his  vanity. 
Jim  Pierson  kept  a  hotel  and  sold  refreshments  over  the  bar  for  all 
the  traffic  would  bear.  J.  D.  Roberts  built  and  kept  the  Lake  House. 
Jim  may  have  been  intended  for  the  ministry;  if  so  he  missed  his 
calling.  When  the  ministers  left  the  valley  Jim  went  to  Carson.  Bill 
Williams  kept  a  saloon — open  day  and  night.  His  liq(uors  were  of  the 
latest  pattern.  When  asked  if  the  whiskey  was  good,  Bill  would 
answer,  "You  bet  it  is  good;  I  made  it  myself."  Uncle  Sammy  Mc- 
Farland  kept  a  livery  stable  in  connection  with  an  extensive  lumber 
business.  He  was  not  as  handsome  as  Jack  Foulks  or  Henry  Mattney, 
but  always  a  genial,  good  citizen.  All  three  of  the  last  named  are  no 
more  forever  so  far  as  this  world  is  concerned.  Charley  and  Frank 
Burroughs  made  wagons  and  did  blacksmithing  on  the  square.  Old 
Louie  Epstlin  kept  a  restaurant  and  furnished  the  hungry  with  baked- 
heart  and  boiled-tongue,  but  in  his  peculiar  dialect  and  manner  of 
expression  many  of  his  boarders  were  at  a  loss  to  know  if  he  meant 


1022  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

what  he  said  of  these  meats  or  not.  Ike  Cook  kept  a  general  store  in 
which  he  frequently  forgot  some  of  the  Ten  Commandments.  But  all 
these  old  settlers  were  no  better  and  no  worse  by  reason  of  the 
churches.  Sunday  closing  with  the  business  houses  was  not  generally 
the  order.  *  * 

Up  to  1863  little  was  heard  of  partisan  politics  and  even  at  the  elec- 
tion of  that  year  many  voters  refused  to  be  counted  either  as  Demo- 
crats or  Republicans.  But  the  next  year  everybody  got  into  line  and 
hair-pulling  began.  This  condition  of  affairs,  in  the  minds  of  a  few 
conservatives,  was  brought  about  by  reason  of  the  presence  of  the 
professional  men  who  were  charged  with  instigating  strife  for  selfish 
purposes;  at  any  rate  the  go-as-you-please  candidates  for  local  offices 
were  not  heard  of  again. 

H.  H.  Beck,  Andrew  Sauer  and  Ross  Lewers  in  1860  backed  them- 
selves up  against  the  mountains  on  the  west  side  of  the  valley  with 
the  evident  intention  to  make  homes  in  the  then  wilderness,  and  most 
righteously  they  kept  the  pledge.  Of  all  the  many  thousands  who 
have  come  and  gone,  not  one,  if  alive,  can  fail  to  say  they  knew  these 
men,  and  it  may  be  said,  too,  that  each  one  was  at  all  times  regarded 
as  a  good  citizen,  with  an  ambition  to  build  up  and  maintain  a  law 
abiding  community.  Many  others  of  the  days  of  1860  are  still  alive, 
but  not  in  the  valley  or  at  least  not  in  the  same  place  they  occupied 
then.  "Thee"  Winters  in  October,  1860,  officiated  as  a  Captain  of  a 
Carson  Guard  of  about  fifty  citizens,  that  assisted  the  Sheriff  in  the 
hanging  of  John  Carr,  who  had  been  convicted  of  murdering  a  Honey 
Lake  rancher.  This  first  official  hanging  in  western  Utah  took  place 
immediately  on  the  spot  where  the  murder  was  committed,  at  a  point 
200  yards  west  of  where  the  Carson  High  School  is  now  located. 
Some  apprehension  was  felt  that  the  friends  of  the  murderer  would 
rescue  him  at  the  last  moment.  But  danger  or  no  danger,  it  would 
have  required  a  daring  lot  of  men  to  have  broken  the  hollow  square 
formed  by  Winters  and  his  guard,  in  the  center  of  which  Carr  made 
his  last  speech  on  the  scaffold.  "Thee"  was  young  then,  and  looked 
the  soldier  all  over.  Andrew  Sauer  was  a  next  door  neighbor  to  Mr. 
Winters  for  years,  where  he  raised  an  interesting  family  of  boys  and 
girls  that  were  truly  American.  Ross  Lewers  has  been  a  fixture  in 
the  valley  so  long  that  the  term  "Nestor"  is  applicable. 


WASHOE    COUNTY  1023 

In  1864  partisan  politics  became  a  full-fledged  fixture  in  the  valley, 
and  even  then  a  few  of  the  leading  men  of  the  old  settlers  took  sides 
with  great  reluctance.  But  by  the  time  the  general  election  took  place 
nearly  all  had  openly  declared  themselves,  and  for  several  weeks 
times,  in  a  political  way,  were  warm.  Nearly  every  man  was  ready  to 
charge  the  "other  side"  with  conduct  unbecoming  a  good  citizen.  In 
the  minds  of  many,  there  were  traitors,  "secesh"  and  "copperheads," 
while  the  accused  retorted  with  the  charge  of  "black  Republican," 
"abolitionists"  and  "nigger  worshippers."  "Uncle  Abe"  was  the 
watchword  of  one  side  and  "Little  Mac"  of  the  other.  In  September 
the  Democrats,  to  further  their  cause,  concluded  to  have  a  grand  bar- 
becue at  Washoe  City.  The  leading  Democrats  met  and  appointed  a 
special  committee  charged  with  the  responsibility  of  seeing  that  the 
affair  should  be  ship-shape  and  worthy  of  the  occasion.  Of  this  com- 
mittee Doc  Winham  was  the  head,  with  So.  Geller,  Pete  Miller,  Rube 
Perkins,  George  Hepperly,  Uncle  George  Huffaker  and  several  others 
as  members.  Pete  Miller  said  "we  will  have  a  barbecue  after  the  good 
old  style  of  Missouri — plenty  to  eat  with  something  to  wash  it  down." 
George  Hepperly  wanted  the  affair  to  be  conducted  after  the  style  in 
Illinois — plenty  to  eat  and  a  horse-race  or  two.  Every  one  offered 
suggestions  to  the  chairman,  who  suggested  that  some  eminent 
speakers  be  invited  to  grace  the  occasion.  This  was  agreed  to  and  the 
work  began.  A  subscription  was  started  and  money  was  liberally 
subscribed.  Judge  Jussie  D.  Pitzer,  Todd  Robinson  and  Hal  Clayton 
were  written  to  and  asked  to  come.  H.  Harl  furnished  a  fat  steer  to 
be  roasted  whole;  Harry  Jenkins  brought  down  a  nice  calf;  Charley 
Mann,  of  Ophir,  contributed  a  nice  hog,  and  several  sent  in  sheep  and 
lambs;  Al.  White  and  Jim  Roberts  rolled  over  to  the  camp  ground  a 
few  kegs  of  beer ;  Joe  Jones  hired  Joe  Ackerman  to  make  up  two  bar- 
rels of  lemonade.  Each  contributor  as  he  came  to  Doc  Winham,  the 
chairman,  with  his  offering,  would  congratulate  him  on  the  grand 
prospects  of  "our  barbecue,"  and  Jim  Gatewood  said,  "You  bet,  our 
barbecue  will  be  up  to  the  style  in  Kentucky."  The  money  contribu- 
tions were  sufficient  to  buy  all  the  etceteras,  such  as  bread,  cakes,  pies 
and  the  stuffing  for  the  roasts.  So  on  the  evening  before  the  appointed 
clay  everything  was  well  in  hand,  and  several  suggested  to  Doc  Win- 
ham  that  the  great  success  of  "our  barbecue"  would  make  him  Cover- 


1024  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

nor.  The  great  day  came  at  last  and  was  ushered  in  with  the  booming 
of  cannon,  and  when  the  sun  peeped  over  Mount  Davidson  it  saw 
three  or  four  roasting-pits  on  Court  House  Square,  with  a  dozen  busy 
men  preparing  the  meat  for  the  coming  feast.  Tables  were  built  and 
evergreen  boughs  shaded  them.  The  speakers'  stand  was  conveniently 
arranged,  and  all  went  well  and  looked  prosperous  until  near  noon. 
The  "big  eat"  was  to  begin  at  i  o'clock.  But  at  noon  there  appeared 
less  hilarity  than  was  expected.  The  chairman  of  the  committee 
looked  worried.  The  expected  multitude  had  not  so  far  materialized. 
The  feast  was  nearly  ready.  The  tables  were  spread.  At  i  o'clock  the 
meats  were  done,  boiled,  cooked  and  roasted.  Loaves,  pies  and  bullock 
enough  to  feed  two  regiments,  and  not  two  hundred  men  in  sight. 
They  waited  one  hour  longer  and  then  the  order  was  given  to  fall  in. 
Some  there  were  who  relished  the  good  things,  but  the  management 
ate  sparingly  or  not  at  all.  "Failure"  was  written  on  the  face  of  every 
member  of  the  committee.  Everybody,  including  black  Republicans, 
were  invited  to  partake  and  save  the  waste,  but  the  "fragments"  were 
enough  to  fill  more  than  seven  basketfuls.  The  feast  of  good  things 
was  over  and  the  day  came  to  an  end,  but  Doc  Winham's  reward  came 
not  for  many  a  long  day.  During  all  the  managing  and  planning  the 
affair  was  referred  to  by  all  his  helpers  as  "our  barbecue,"  but  from 
that  time  on  whenever  Geo.  Hepperly,  Jim  Gatewood,  Pete  Miller  and 
the  others  met  the  jolly  Doctor  they  would  say  to  him,  "Well,  Doc., 
your  damned  old  barbecue  was  a  fizzle." 

Of  course  there  was  more  or  less  back-biting,  with  charges  and 
counter-charges  as  to  who  was  to  blame.  "Rough"  Elliott  thought  it 
was  absurd  to  think  of  attracting  a  large  crowd  of  Democrats  with 
lemonade.  Others  gave  other  reasons,  but  when  it  came  the  turn  of 
"Big  Mouth"  Murphy  he  settled  the  whole  shooting-match  by  saying, 
"Who  in  thunder  but  a  'dam-phool'  would  appoint  a  meat  barbecue  for 
the  party  on  a  Friday  when  half  the  Democrats  are  incapacitated?" 
To  many  the  failure  of  the  barbecue  was  ominous  of  the  general  result 
at  the  election.  Nevada  went  Republican  and  so  did  Washoe  County. 

Old  Timers  of  the  Long  Ago. — Among  the  very  first  mechanics  to 
open  show  in  Washoe  City  was  Joseph  E.  Jones,  commonly  known 
ever  since  as  Joe  Jones,  or,  as  the  Danes  who  worked  for  him  used  to 
call  him,  "Yo  Yones."  Joe  built  a  little  blacksmith-shop  at  the  ex- 


WASHOE    COUNTY  1025 

treme  north  end  of  Little  Washoe  Lake  near  the  Lake  House  owned 
by  Jim  Roberts.  He  came  to  Washoe  with  enough  money  to  stock 
his  shop,  and  being  a  good  mechanic,  had  all  the  work  he  and  several 
hired  helpers  could  do.  This  business  he  followed  until  1863,  when  he 
and  George  Lameraux  engaged  in  teaming  to  Virginia.  Soon  after 
Mr.  Lameraux  sold  his  interest  to  Joe,  who,  for  a  number  of  years,  did 
an  extensive  business  in  hauling  wood  and  lumber  to  the  Comstock 
and  ore  back  to  the  mills.  Having  made  a  considerable  sum  of  money, 
and  concluding  it  was  not  well  to  be  alone,  in  1864  he  married  Miss 
Mary  Allen,  daughter  of  Dr.  Allen  of  Washoe.  Several  years  later 
Joe  took  a  lively  interest  in  local  politics  and  was  twice  elected  Sheriff, 
which  office  he  filled  for  years  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  county  and 
honor  to  himself. 

Possibly  the  most  popular  man  of  the  old  timers  was  Jeremiah  S. 
Schooling  or  "Jerry"  Schooling,  of  whom  it  was  often  said  that  he 
never  had  an  enemy.  Always  the  same  in  temper,  he  was  liked  by  all 
who  knew  him  and  a  favorite  among  women  and  children.  He,  too, 
was  a  mechanic,  but  did  not  engage  in  that  business  in  Nevada.  As  a 
partisan  in  politics  he  was  always  considerate  of  the  opinions  of 
others.  During  his  first  residence  in  the  county  he  avoided  the  sug- 
gestions to  hold  office  himself,  but  was  ever  ready  to  assist  his 
friends.  Very  soon  after  followed  the  White  Pine  mining  excite- 
ment, and  while  living  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State  he  was  nominated 
in  1879  at  Elko  for  State  Treasurer  and  elected.  In  1874  he  was  re- 
elected,  and  for  eight  years  served  the  State  as  one  of  the  most  con- 
scientious, honorable  and  competent  officers  the  State  has  known,  and 
in  marked  contrast  to  at  least  one  predecessor  as  well  as  one  successor 
to  that  office.  With  him  the  office  was  a  trust  and  he  a  servant.  Jerry 
afterward  settled  again  in  Washoe  County  and  engaged  in  business, 
during  which  time  he  was  elected  State  Senator  and  served  his  term 
with  personal  distinction  and  honor  to  an  appreciative  constituency. 
Very  few  men  did  more  to  build  our  State.  But  his  race  in  this  life  is 
run.  His  good  deeds  and  kindly  acts  live  in  the  memories  of  the  old 
timers. 

Among  other  old  timers  were  such  men  as  B.  G.  Clow,  John  P. 
Richardson,  Dean  B.  Lyman,  Chancy  Haskell,  Nat  Holmes,  M.  L. 
Yeager  and  Jake  Becker.  Barney  Clow  was  a  man  who  strictly 


1026  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

minded  his  own  business  and  expected  everybody  else  to  do  the  same. 
In  the  fall  of  1860  Barney  was  doing  business  in  Carson  City  in  what 
is  known  as  the  Peterson  Hay  Yard,  and  it  was  there  that  H.  H.  Beck 
first  saw  him  and  noted  an  incident  that  went  to  show  that  Barney 
was  a  man  of  few  words.  Early  in  September  of  that  year  Mr.  Beck 
came  to  Carson  from  "over  the  plains"  "dead  broke  and  no  blankets." 
For  three  days  Beck  diligently  hunted  for  work  without  success. 
Finally  on  the  third  day  he  concluded  that  a  little  stratagem  might  be 
of  use,  so  he  fixed  it  up  in  his  mind  to  go  down  to  the  hay-yard  and, 
tell  Barney  that  he  (Beck)  had  been  sent  by  a  friend  of  Barney's. 
Considerably  elated  over  his  own  cunning,  Beck  went  into  the  yard 
and  approaching  Barney,  who  was  just  then  engaged  in  swearing  at 
some  careless  "bull  puncher,"  he  waited  a  moment  and  then  asked : 
"Are  you  Mr.  Clow?"  Barney  immediately  and  without  turning 
around  answered,  "Yes,  what  do  you  want?"  Beck  answered,  "A 
friend  of  yours  uptown  told  me  that  you  needed  a  good  man  and  that, 
no  doubt,  you  would  give  me  a  job."  Barney  turned  round  and 
snapped  out,  "Who  was  it?"  This  stumped  Beck  for  a  moment,  but 
being  ready  to  lie  it  out,  said,  "Well,  truly,  Mr.  Clow,  I  don't  remem- 
ber his  name."  Barney  settled  the  whole  matter  with  this,  "Well,  you 
go  back  and  tell  him  he  is  a  damned  liar." 

John  P.  Richardson  was  there  doing  a  profitable  business  and  had  a 
host  of  friends.  When  the  town  went  into  decay  John  left  the  valley 
with  considerable  means,  but  bad  health  at  times  and  disastrous  in- 
vestments since  then  have  had  their  full  effect.  Dean  B.  Lyman  came 
to  Washoe  City  early  in  the  '6os  and  for  a  long  time  was  a  foreman 
under  Colonel  Avery  in  the  management  of  the  New  York  and  Man- 
hattan Mills,  and  while  so  engaged  gained  such  a  reputation  as  but  few 
men  ever  get  in  this  world,  giving  entire  satisfaction  to  his  superiors, 
while  those  under  his  command  regarded  him  as  a  just  task  master,  and 
he  was  liked  accordingly.  In  making  out  their  statement  of  property 
to  the  Assessor  in  1863  the  general  management  tried  to  evade  a  just 
assessment  and  asked  Lyman  to  make  the  necessary  affidavit.  Dean 
looked  at  the  figures  and  said :  "If  you  want  these  figures  verified  do 
it  yourselves;  I  won't." 

Mike  Yeager  clerked  for  Lambert  &  Co.  until  1863,  when  the  firm 
was  changed  to  "Lambert,  Mason  &  Yeager,"  with  Mike  as  a  partner 


WASHOE    COUNTY  1027 

In  1866  he  was  elected  County  Clerk  and  served  two  years.  When 
Jerry  Schooling  assumed  office  as  State  Treasurer  he  made  Mr.  Yeager 
deputy,  in  which  capacity  the  two  old  friends  served  together  as  prin- 
cipal and  deputy  for  eight  years.  Among  the  worst  things  said  of 
Mike  is  that  he  "went  to  California  to  spend  his  money."  Nat  Holmes 
was  the  postmaster  for  a  while  and  kept  the  office  in  connection  with 
a  little  store.  Nat  at  times  was  accused  of  "bluffing,"  but  he  met  his 
match  one  day  when  he  met  Charley  Joy.  Some  dispute  arose  between 
the  two,  when  Nat  rushed  up  to  Charley  and  said:  "Charley  Joy,  I 
want  you  to  know  that  I  weigh  a  ton."  Charley  called  him  in  this 
wise :  "Nat,  I  think  you  are  a  sucker  and  I'll  bet  you  nine  dollars  you 
don't  weigh  forty  pounds."  In  1861  the  Washoe  Brewery  was  built 
by  two  Germans,  who  later  sold  out  to  George  Becker,  who,  with 
Jake,  conducted  the  business  of  brewing  for  a  number  of  years  and 
made  what  was  then  considered  good  beer.  It  was  a  favorite  resort 
for  all  who  liked  beer  or  indulged  in  the  "Dutch  lunches"  always  free 
to  the  patrons. 

Had  any  one  in  1862  or  1863  prophesied  the  great  changes  wrought 
during  the  last  four  decades  he  and  his  heirs  and  assigns,  without 
doubt,  would  have  been  hustled  to  the  insane  asylum  under  a  com- 
mission of  lunacy.  No;  no  one  thought  of  anything  but  the  great  pos- 
sibilities. The  settlements  were  increasing;  discoveries  of  new  gold 
and  silver  mines  were  daily  occurrences.  Mill-sites  and  water-powers 
were  sought  for  at  round  prices,  and  new  quartz  mills  for  the  reduc- 
tion of  ores  were  constantly  being  planned.  Town  property  was  valu- 
able and  corner  lots  in  constant  demand,  and  it  was  a  matter  of  specu- 
lation as  to  how  large  and  important  the  several  towns  and  villages 
of  the  county  would  some  day  become,  so  that  it  would  have  been 
dangerous  for  any  one  to  predict  failure  in  the  efforts  of  the  Townsite 
Company  of  Washoe  City  to  make  it  a  place  of  metropolitan  import- 
ance. This  Townsite  Company  consisted  in  part  of  the  Atchison 
brothers — John  H.  and  Samuel  S. — together  with  Jake  Gries  and  Peter 
Rice.  The  original  plat  contemplated  and  reserved  a  block  in  the 
center  for  a  Courthouse  and  Jail;  blocks  and  lots  were  set  aside  for 
schools  and  churches.  Surveys  were  made  for  a  complete  system  of 
waterworks,  and  all  went  merry  for  a  time.  That  the  end  came  as  it 
did  is  now  well  known.  Of  those  who  were  there  and  saw  it  grow 


1028  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

like  Jonah's  gourd,  and  then  wither  and  die,  many  are  dead,  and  many 
more  moved  away. 

The  Harris  brothers — Herman  and  Ben — kept  a  dry  goods  store  on 
E  street,  six  doors  north  of  the  Courthouse,  where  all-wool-and-a- 
yard-wide  goods  were  exchanged  for  gold  and  silver  at  a  price  con- 
siderably above  cost.  Like  so  many  others,  they  made  lots  of  money 
and  left  for  San  Francisco. 

Next  door  to  the  Harris  store  was  a  clothing  emporium  presided 
over  by  a  nobby  little  fellow  known  as  Marcus  Weinberger.  On  the 
opposite  side  of  the  street  was  an  opposition  store  that  made  times 
lively  for  Marcus,  so  that  he  was  not  slow  in  asserting  that  that  other 
fellow  was  a  swindler,  and  thinking  it  his  duty  to  protect  the  un- 
wary, he  put  up  a  sign  at  his  own  door,  with  a  warning  to  this  effect ; 
"If  you  want  to  be  swindled,  don't  go  into  the  opposite  store:  step 
right  in  here."  R.  R.  Johnson  was  there,  too.  He  was  the  greatest 
conundrum  ever  produced  in  the  West.  He  always  insisted  on  being 
called  "Colonel,"  and,  indeed,  but  few  knew  any  name  for  him  other 
than  Colonel  Johnson.  The  Colonel  was  then  an  old  man,  judging 
from  physical  appearances,  although  he  ever  insisted  he  was  but  in  his 
prime  and  would  never  admit  of  more  than  50  years,  but  it  was  an 
easy  matter  to  prove  by  his  own  experiences,  as  told  by  himself,  that 
he  was  from  150  to  200  years  old.  If  the  Colonel  had  been  judged 
by  the  legal  quibble  of  lawyers  that  "a  lie  is  not  a  lie  unless  uttered  to 
injure  or  defraud,"  then  it  may  be  said  he  was  a  good  citizen  and  a 
Christian  gentleman,  but  if  not,  then  otherwise,  for  he  was  known 
to  tell  things  that  passed  the  limit  of  credulity.  He  was  born  near 
Columbus,  Ohio,  and  took  pride  in  being  strictly  an  "Ohio  man."  He 
was  a  nephew  of  the  Colonel  Johnson  whom  history  credits  with 
shooting  the  famous  Indian  chief  Tecumseh,  and  he  would  spend  hours 
in  descanting  on  the  prowess  of  "Uncle  Dick."  "He  attended  school 
and  often  played  marbles  with  Rufus  Choate,  Daniel  Webster  and 
Wendell  Phillips"— so  he  said. 

H.  B.  Cossitt,  a  moderately  young  attorney,  came  to  Washoe  City 
in  1863  from  Downieville,  where  he  had  practiced  in  company  with 
W.  M.  Stewart,  Tod  Robinson,  J.  J.  Musser  and  others.  Mr.  Cossitt. 
being  of  a  genial  disposition,  soon  made  many  friends  among  the 
residents,  and  being  strikingly  handsome  in  person,  he  soon  gaine4 


WASHOE    COUNTY  1029 

a  place  in  the  affections  of  the  ladies.  The  Washoe  bar  welcomed 
him  and  he  soon  secured  a  place  that  yielded  him  a  revenue. 

In  1874  the  Judge  was  elected  District  Attorney  of  the  county  and 
filled  the  office  with  honor  and  dignity. 

Anderson's — Was  a  stage  station  situated  at  what  is  now  known  as 
"Spark's  Ranch,"  three  miles  south  of  Reno  near  Moano  Springs. 

Auburn — Was  laid  out  and  named  in  1865  by  an  English  company,  who 
erected  a  2O-stamp  mill  about  a  mile  northeast  of  Reno.  The  mine  proved 
of  little  value;  after  extensive  tunnel  work  had  been  done  the  company 
sold  considerable  stock,  which  proved  worthless. 

Big  Canyon — Where  now  a  postoffice  is  located  instead  of  at  Dewey, 
undoubtedly  takes  its  name  from  the  canyon,  which  was  named  for  its 
size. 

Brooklyn  was  a  small  place  located  in  1875,  midway  between  Reno  and 
Verdi  south  side  of  Peavine  Mountain.  Named  by  the  United  Brooklyn 
Mining  Company,  which  ran  a  tunnel  and  intended  spending  considerable 
money  in  developing  several  mining  claims  in  this  section  of  Peavine  Min- 
ing District.  The  enterprise  proved  unprofitable  after  much  money  was 
expended  and  the  camp  was  abandoned. 

Browns — A  station  on  the  V.  &  T.  Ry.,  seven  miles  southeast  of  Reno. 
Has  a  school  house.  Reno  is  express  and  telegraph  station.  Felix 
Brown  established  the  station. 

Buffalo  Meadows — A  postoffice  100  miles  north  of  Reno  on  Western 
Pacific  Railway.  Is  centre  of  a  stock  raising  district.  Has  a  public  school 
and  two  hotels.  Was  established  in  1865. 

Clarks — A  station  on  the  Southern  Pacific  Railway,  18  miles  east  of 
Sparks.  Settled,  1862,  by  James  Clark,  the  boss  of  Chinamen  laborers  on 
Southern  Pacific  Railway.  The  town  took  its  name  from  Mr.  Clark,  on 
the  authority  of  R.  L.  Fulton  and  others. 

Crystal  Peak  was  laid  out  in  1864— lies  partly  in  Nevada  and  California 
— is  in  Dog  Valley  and  three  miles  north  of  Verdi.  In  1868  had  a  popula- 
tion of  1,500.  The  Crystal  Peak  Company  which  laid  out  the  town,  owned 
lumber  and  mining  interests  ten  to  fifteen  miles  west  of  the  town  on  a 
mountain.  The  town  was  named  Crystal  Peak  because  of  crystal- 
lized gold  quartz  was  found  in  the  mountain  worked  by  the  company. 
Coal  was  discovered,  several  companies  worked  the  same,  but  it  was  dem- 
onstrated it  was  of  too  recent  origin  to  be  of  value  for  mechanical  or  do- 


1030  THE     HISTORY     OF     NEVADA 

mestic  use.  The  saw  mills  have  been  operating  almost  continuously  to 
date  and  the  cutting  of  timber  extended  nearly  25  miles  from  Verdi.  The 
entire  population  of  Crystal  Peak  has  left  and  not  a  house  remains  to  mark 
its  former  glory. 

Deep  Hole  is  at  the  north  end  of  Smith  Creek  Desert,  115  miles  north 
of  Reno,  nine  miles  northwest  of  Gerlach,  on  Western  Pacific  Railway, 
which  is  its  telegraph,  express  and  shipping  station.  It  was  named  after 
several  deep  springs  near  by. 

Derby  is  situated  on  the  Southern  Pacific  Railway,  is  27  miles  east  of 
Reno  and  19  miles  west  of  Hazen.  It  was  established  during  the  construc- 
tion of  the  United  States  reclamation  work  and  named  by  the  railroad 
company  for  an  employee  of  the  company  named  Derby.  It  became  noted 
for  the  numerous  shooting  scrapes  during  the  construction  of  the  govern- 
ment work.  Has  school  house,  postoffice,  telephone  and  has  daily  stage 
line  to  Olinghouse.  Population,  50. 

Dewey — A  mining  camp,  31  miles  northeast  of  Reno,  established 
during  the  Spanish-American  war,  and  named  in  honor  of  Admiral 
Dewey. 

Franktown — Station  and  postoffice  on  the  V.  &  T.  Ry.,  21  miles  south 
of  Reno,  county  seat.  Has  telephone,  telegraph  and  express,  school  house, 
hotel.  Second  oldest  town  in  the  county.  Named  after  Frank  Poirier,  by 
his  neighbors,  when  it  was  first  settled  in  1854-5.  First  school  house 
erected  in  Washoe  County  was  in  Franktown.  It  was  later  sold  to 
"Lucky  Bill"  and  he  removed  it  to  Genoa.  It  was  finally  used  for  a  stable. 

Gerlach — A  town  on  the  Western  Pacific  Railway,  125  miles  northeast 
of  Reno,  438  miles  northeast  of  San  Francisco,  483  miles  west  of  Salt 
Lake  City,  94  miles  west  of  Winnemucca,  Nev. ;  railroad  division  point. 
Stages  from  this  town  to  Eaglesville,  Cedarville,  Bidwell-Modoc  Co.,  Cali- 
fornia. Population,  500.  Has  express,  Western  Union  telegraph,  hotels, 
several  stores,  school  house.  Shipping  point  for  many  towns  north  and 
west. 

Galetut — Started  in  1860  by  A.  J.  and  R.  S.  Hatch.  Was  for  several 
years  a  flourishing  lumber  camp.  Received  its  name  from  extensive  de- 
posit of  galena.  The  mill  established  there  was  quite  famous  for  the  great 
body  of  mineral  and  investment  of  capital,  but  to  date  has  not  proved  very 
successful  in  treatment,  owing  to  refractory  character  of  the  ore. 


WASHOE    COUNTY  1031 

Hayfed — Station  on  Southern  Pacific  Railway,  ten  miles  east  of  Sparks, 
which  has  postoffice,  express  and  telegraph. 

Huffakers — Station  on  V.  &  T.  Ry.,  seven  miles  south  of  Reno.  In 
1859  G.  W.  Huffaker  and  L.  P.  Drexler  engaged  in  the  cattle  business  and 
settled  on  the  Truckee  Meadows.  In  1860  the  pioneer  express  established 
a  station  here.  A  postoffice  was  located  here  in  1862  and  G.  W.  Huffaker 
was  postmaster. 

Hunter's  Crossing  is  the  same  place  as  has  since  been  called  Mayberry 
Crossing,  for  Mr.  James  Mayberry  who  now  owns  it.  A  man  named 
John  Hunter  owned  a  toll  bridge  at  this  crossing,  selling  out  later  to 
Mr.  Mayberry.  "•.*.*«£. 

Incline — Situated  on  northeast  shore  Lake  Tabor,  located  1882.  Was 
source  of  supplies  for  lumbering  interests.  In  1898  business  declining, 
postoffice  was  removed.  Lumber  was  flumed  to  Lake  View  Station  and 
shipped  to  Virginia  City. 

Kepler — Station  on  the  Western  Pacific  Railway,  two  miles  west  of 
Sandpass  and  46  miles  west  of  Gerlach,  has  express  and  telegraph. 

Lawton's  is  a  station  four  miles  west  of  Reno,  which  was  built  by 
Sam  Lawton,  who  still  owns  the  place. 

Lakes  Bridge  was  first  known  as  "Fuller's  Crossing,"  from  the  fact 
that  it  was  owned  by  two  brothers  named  Fuller.  Mr.  M.  E.  Lake  traded 
his  Honey  Lake  ranch  for  this  property  at  this  bridge — much  traffic  passed 
over  it  during  the  early  days.  This  is  the  original  site  of  Reno. 

Little  Bangor  was  a  mining  and  lumber  camp,  established  by  Bragg  & 
Folsome  in  1863.  It  was  also  called  Bangor  because  several  citizens  were 
there  from  Bangor,  Maine. 

Mt.  Rose,  situated  southwest  of  Reno  on  Mt.  Rose — location  of  United 
States  Observatory — named  by  party  of  visitors  from  Washoe  City — one 
of  them  was  Miss  Rose  Hickman.  Mr.  H.  S.  Ham,  editor  of  paper  of 
Washoe  City,  was  one  of  the  excursion  party.  He  suggested  the  name  at 
the  time.  Work  has  been  greatly  extended  and  the  station  more  per- 
manently established  by  Prof.  J.  E.  Church,  under  direction  of  the  Nevada 
University. 

Marmot,  a  station  on  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  in  southern  part  of 
Washoe  County,  settled  1890;  here  marble  works  were  located. 

Maltby  was  simply  a  stage  station  this  side  of  Verdi.  There  were 
quite  a  number  of  these  stations,  as  horses  were  changed  often  on  the 


1032  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

stage  trips.  A  man  by  the  name  of  J.  S.  M'altby  owned  this  stage  station. 

Mackay  and  Fair  was  a  lumber  camp,  employing  from  five  hundred  to 
eight  hundred  men,  and  was  established  in  1863  by  James  Mayberry  for 
Mackay  and  Fair  of  the  Comstock,  hence  its  name.  The  place  was  also 
known  as  Mayberry  Camp.  There  was  a  daily  mail  but  no  postoffice. 

Mill  Station  was  a  lumber  station  situated  on  the  road  between  Carson 
City  and  Washoe  City,  and  was  settled  about  1860  or  1861.  Several  mills 
were  located  there  giving  the  place  its  name. 

Nixon — A  station  on  Fernley  Lassen  Railway,  58  miles  northeast  of 
Reno,  three  miles  from  United  States-Nevada  Indian  Agency,  18  miles 
north  of  Wadsworth.  Started,  1913.  Pai-Ute  Indian  population,  600, 
who  live  in  houses,  cultivate  land  and  raise  horses,  cattle  and  hogs ;  United 
States  school  buildings. 

Nevada  Indian  Agency  and  Reservation,  18  miles  north  of  Wadsworth, 
three  miles  from  Nixon,  on  the  Fernley  and  Lassen  Railroad. 

Olinghouse,  a  mining  camp  and  postoffice,  30  miles  east  of  Reno  and 
eight  miles  southeast  of  Derby. 

Ophir,  saw  mill  camp  on  Washoe  Lake,  five  miles  east  of  Franktown 
on  V.  &  T.  Ry.,  was  started  1860 — when  Ophir  Mining  Company,  of  Vir- 
ginia City  erected  a  quartz  mill  and  reduction  works.  Wood  was  hauled 
from  this  station  to  Virginia  City ;  was  cut  on  hills  back  of  Ophir.  Had  a 
population  at  one  time  of  500.  Had  a  postoffice  in  1863.  The  place 
declined  and  disappeared  1865. 

Peavine,  sometimes  called  Poeville,  from  the  name  of  John  Poe,  a  min- 
ing man,  the  discoverer  of  a  rich  mining  claim  in  1863  and  was  situated  in 
the  Peavine  mining  district  about  nine  miles  northwest  of  Reno  in  Peavine 
Mountain  District. 

Phil,  a  station  on  the  Western  Pacific  Railway,  eight  miles  west  of  Ger- 
lach,  which  is  its  postoffice,  telegraph  and  express  station. 

Purdy — Station  on  N.  C.  O.  Railway  on  Long  Valley  Creek,  17  miles 
northwest  of  Reno,  which  is  the  banking  point.  Has  hotel,  postoffice, 
telephone,  express  and  telegraph. 

Pyramid  City — Town  laid  out  1876;  population,  300  at  one  time;  stage 
line  to  Reno.  Pyramid  Lake  which  is  40  miles  long  and  10  miles  wide, 
discovered  by  General  J.  C.  Fremont  in  1844.  Rising  from  middle  of 
the  lake  was  a  great  rock  estimated  600  feet  in  height,  in  form  like  the 
Pyramid  of  Cheops,  therefore  the  lake  was  called  Pyramid.  At  the  south 


^T?^*9^-a^-5^2^^ 


WASHOE    COUNTY  1033 

end  was  a  fresh  water  inlet  instead  of  an  outlet,  the  latter  does  not  exist 
now.    Excellent  fish  abound  in  this  lake,  affording  food  for  Indians. 

Reynard — A  station  on  the  Western  Pacific  Railway,  21  miles  west  of 
Gerlach,  its  postoffice;  100  miles  north  of  Reno,  county  seat.  Express 
and  telegraph  offices. 

Roop — A  postoffice  near  California  State  line  on  Smoke  Creek,  25 
miles  north  of  Sandpass  on  Western  Pacific  Railway  and  125  miles  north 
of  Reno.  It  is  situated  in  the  central  portion  of  Washoe  County  on  its 
western  boundary  line.  It  was  settled  in  1860,  took  its  name  from  Roop 
County,  formerly  the  Northern  Division  of  what  is  now  Washoe  County. 
Roop  County  took  its  name  from  Isaac  Roop,  who  was  elected  Governor 
of  Provisional  Government  by  people  of  Western  Utah,  1859. 

Sandpass — Postoffice  and  station  on  the  Western  Pacific  Railway,  44 
miles  southwest  of  Gerlach,  has  express  and  telegraph  stations. 

Sana — A  station  on  the  Western  Pacific  Railway,  33  miles  southwest 
of  Gerlach;  telegraph,  telephone  and  express  stations. 

Sheepshead — A  postoffice  in  Smoky  Creek  Valley,  20  miles  north  of 
Sandpass  on  Western  Pacific  Railway  and  N.  C.  O.  Railway,  71  miles 
north  of  Reno.  Stock  raising  is  principal  business. 

Sturtevant  was  an  important  stage  station  owned  by  J.  H. 
Sturtevant,  an  old  historic  character  of  Washoe  County.  It  was  located  a 
few  miles  from  Clark's,  and  was  established  at  a  very  early  time  when 
this  part  of  the  country  was  first  settled.  This  station  was  of  importance, 
due  to  the  fact  that  all  the  travelers  from  Virginia  City  and  the  places 
adjacent  came  here  to  catch  the  overland  train  in  the  early  days.  A  great 
deal  of  garden  produce  was  raised  at  the  ranch  at  this  station,  and  sent  to 
Virginia  City. 

Steamboat  Springs — A  station  on  the  V.  &  T.  Ry.,  1 1  miles  southeast 
of  Reno,  has  local  and  long  distance  telephone,  express ;  farming  principal 
business.  Located  here  is  the  celebrated  mineral  springs,  covering  a  space 
of  more  than  a  mile  in  length  and  one-third  of  a  mile  in  breadth.  The  area 
is  covered  with  a  cloud  of  steam  springing  in  jets  from  apertures  in  the 
rocks,  resembling  the  escape  from  a  high-power  engine.  Postoffice  was 
started  in  1880.  The  station  took  its  name  from  the  springs.  It  is  in  the 
midst  of  a  very  beautiful  valley  and  is  a  popular  resort  for  invalids  be- 
cause of  the  medicinal  properties  of  its  waters.  A  fine  hotel  of  20  rooms 
was  operated  at  the  springs  for  several  years,  but  was  destroyed  by  fire ; 


1034  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

loss,  $50,000.  The  springs  were  located  in  1860  by  Felix  Monet,  a  French- 
man. Large  quantities  of  pure  sulphur  have  been  taken  from  places 
around  the  springs. 

Wadszvorth — Situated  on  the  Southern  Pacific  Railway  at  the  big  bend 
of  the  Truckee  River,  at  a  point  formerly  known  as  Lower  Emigrant 
Crossing.  It  is  35  miles  northeast  of  Reno  and  on  the  line  of  the  Fernley 
and  Lassen  branch  of  Southern  Pacific  Railway,  three  miles  from  Fernley. 
Has  several  good  stores  and  churches.  Was  end  of  division  of  Southern 
Pacific  Railway  and  had  round  house  and  repair  shops  in  1903.  The 
Southern  Pacific  Railway  Company  removed  the  division  to  Sparks.  The 
place  was  named  by  Southern  Pacific  Railway  Company  after  General 
Wadsworth,  a  distinguished  division  commander  in  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion. 

Webster — Parties  interested  in  the  Peavine  District,  laid  out  a  town  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  mines,  which  they  had  dubbed  Webster  after  Daniel 
Webster. 

Washoe — A  postoffice  and  station  on  V.  &  T.  Ry.,  16  miles  south  of 
Reno,  which  is  the  county  seat  and  its  banking  point.  It  was  the  original 
county  seat  of  Washoe  County  and  was  started  in  1860.  April  3,  1871, 
by  an  act  of  the  Legislature  was  declared  the  county  seat  of  Washoe 
County. 

Reno. — The  first  county  seat  of  Washoe  County  was  at  Washoe  City, 
but  was  removed  to  Reno  by  a  vote  of  the  people  in  1870,  and  by  an 
act  of  the  Legislature,  April  3,  1871.  Reno  was  founded  by  the  Cen- 
tral Pacific  Railroad  Company  in  1868,  and  named  in  honor  of  General 
Reno,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  South  Mountain.  It  has  been  twice 
nearly  destroyed  by  fire,  once  in  1873  and  again  in  1879.  A  Court  House 
was  erected  of  brick  in  1872-3  and  a  Poor  Farm  and  Hospital  were  pro- 
vided by  the  County  Commissioners  in  1875.  In  1877  a  free  iron  bridge 
was  constructed  across  the  Truckee  River,  in  place  of  a  toll-bridge,  which 
had  been  in  use  since  1863.  The  first  settlement  on  the  site  of  Reno 
was  made  by  C.  W.  Fuller  in  1859,  who  kept  a  hotel,  and  built  the  first 
bridge  across  the  Truckee,  at  this  place  in  1860.  Fuller  also  owned  a 
toll-road,  and  sold  the  whole  property  to  M.  C.  Lake,  from  whom  the 
place  took  the  name  of  Lake's  Crossing. 

The  city  of  Reno  lies  beneath  the  foothills  of  the  Sierras  where  the 
Southern  Pacific  begins  its  ascent  to  the  summit,  less  than  fifty  miles 


WASHOE    COUNTY  1035 

away.  From  the  beautiful  asphalt  streets,  lined  with  magnificent  shade 
trees,  the  snow-capped  mountains  are  in  plain  view  winter  and  summer. 
The  city  is  located  in  a  luxuriant  valley  along  the  banks  of  the  Truckee 
River,  which  furnishes  an  unlimited  supply  of  pure  mountain  water  as 
it  comes  from  its  source  in  Lake  Tahoe,  some  sixty  miles  up  the  moun- 
tain. The  fall  from  its  source  to  Reno  is  over  two  thousand  feet.  The 
waters  of  the  river  have  been  harnessed  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
age.  Electrical  power  has  been  developed  and  is  used  to  run  city  and 
suburban  cars.  Reno  has  been  justly  christened  the  "Biggest  Little 
City  on  the  Map."  It  is  the  metropolis  of  Nevada,  Eastern  California 
and  Southeastern  Oregon.  In  the  matter  of  improved  streets  and  side- 
walks, Reno  is  up  to  date  with  asphalt  and  macadamized  streets,  thirty- 
five  miles  of  cement  sidewalks,  thirty-six  miles  of  water  mains,  sixteen 
miles  of  gas  mains,  thirty  miles  of  sewers  and  fifty-five  miles  of  streets. 
Its  school  buildings  are  of  the  mission  style  of  architecture,  especially 
attractive,  and  are  planned  with  special  reference  (i)  to  the  health, 
comfort,  and  convenience  of  pupils  and  teachers;  (2)  to  the  demands 
of  industrial  ideas  in  modern  education;  and  (3)  to  absolute  protection 
against  loss  of  life  by  fire. 

The  State  University  is  located  here,  and  its  buildings  and  extensive 
grounds  lie  at  an  elevation  north  of  the  city,  from  which  a  magnificent 
view  is  presented  of  a  large  cultivated  and  beautiful  valley  to  the  south, 
east,  and  west,  and  extending  to  the  snow-crested  Sierras.  Connected 
with  the  University  is  the  College  of  Agriculture  and  the  Experiment 
Station  Farm. 

Reno's  assessed  value  for  1911  was  $9,978,116  and  for  the  county  $17,- 
759,031.  This  assessment  is  based  on  a  valuation  of  about  50  per  cent, 
thereby  making  the  real  value  for  the  city  and  county  about  $20,000,000 
and  $35,000,000,  respectively.  County  and  city  property  in  Reno  is  valued 
at  $1,793,300. 

The  census  of  1910  gave  Reno  a  population  of  10,867,  a  gain  of  141 
per  cent,  over  the  previous  census,  and  for  the  county  17,434.  Its  popu- 
lation, based  on  the  1912  directory,  is  12,500. 

In  addition  to  its  public  park  is  Belle  Isle,  a  most  attractive  spot,  situ- 
ated in  the  heart  of  the  city,  on  a  wooded  island  in  the  Truckee  River, 
embowered  in  foliage,  shrubs,  and  flowers,  where  in  summer  the  public 
indulge  in  open-air  amusements,  and  in  winter  in  skating. 


1036  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Reno  is  also  the  financial  center  of  the  State.  Its  five  banks  reported 
at  the  close  of  business,  September  4,  1912,  as  follows:  Capital,  $1,920,- 
ooo;  surplus  and  undivided  profits,  $572,473.40;  deposits,  $7,026,233.82. 
Since  the  organization  of  the  clearing-house,  November,  1907,  the  clear- 
ings show  a  total  of  $72,761,794.81.  A  comparison  of  the  receipts  of 
Reno's  postoffice  since  1900  shows:  Year  ending  June  30,  1900,  $11,- 
681.56;  year  sending  June  30,  1912,  $53,220.66. 

The  main  overland  route  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  passes 
through  Reno.  It  is  also  the  terminus  of  the  Virginia  &  Truckee  Rail- 
road running  to  the  south,  and  the  Nevada,  California  &  Oregon  Railroad 
running  to  the  north,  making  it  the  natural  distributing  point  and  jobbing- 
center  of  Nevada  and  that  part  of  California  lying  on  the  eastern  slopes 
of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains.  It  is  the  largest  city  between  Salt  Lake 
and  Sacramento. 

One  of  Reno's  greatest  assets  is  the  famous  power  and  trout  stream, 
the  Truckee  River,  fed  by  the  eternal  snows  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas,  with 
a  fall  of  2,442  feet  between  Lake  Tahoe  and  Pyramid  Lake,  affording 
a  water-power  equalled  by  few  cities  in  the  world,  and  which  is  being 
utilized  as  fast  as  the  demands  of  industry  call  for.  Its  power-plants  now 
supply  light  and  power  as  far  south  as  Yerington,  to  the  copper  mines 
and  smelter  of  Mason  Valley,  to  Virginia  City  and  the  mines  of  the  Corn- 
stock  lode.  Power-stations  have  been  constructed  at  various  points  on 
the  river,  but  do  not  generate  one-tenth  of  the  power  that  could  be  ob- 
tained. Within  five  miles  of  the  city  of  Reno  it  would  be  possible  to  de- 
velop 40,000  horse-power  if  needed.  This  means  that  Reno  has  most 
exceptional  advantages  as  an  industrial  town.  Power  is  bound  to  be  low 
in  cost  always,  and  the  supply  never  failing. 

RENO   COMMERCIAL  CLUB. 

On  the  seventh  day  of  December,  1907,  this  club  filed  its  articles  of  in- 
corporation in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  State  at  Carson  City,  and  on 
that  date  it  became  a  body  corporate  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Ne- 
vada. The  objects  and  purposes  for  which  it  was  organized  are:  To 
encourage  educational  and  social  intercourse,  disseminate  information, 
foster  peace,  harmony  and  fair  dealing,  promote  the  interests  of  capital 
and  labor,  and  aid  in  the  civic,  social,  and  material  upbuilding  of  the  City 


WASHOE    COUNTY  1037 

of  Reno  and  the  State  of  Nevada,  and  acquire,  hold  and  dispose  of  all 
personal  and  real  property  incident  to  its  said  objects  and  purposes. 

Its  membership  is  composed  of  men  in  all  walks  of  life,  endowed  with 
the  spirit  of  civic  and  State  pride,  who  are  willing  to  devote  time  and 
money  to  the  accomplishment  of  benefits  of  a  public  or  general  character 
which  would  aid  in  the  material  and  social  upbuilding  of  the  State. 

The  control  of  the  affairs  of  the  club  is  vested  in  a  board  of  fifteen 
directors,  five  of  which  retire  yearly.  The  officers  and  members  of  the 
first  board  of  directors  were :  A.  J.  McCone,  president ;  J.  B.  Menardi, 
vice-president;  F.  W.  Thomas,  treasurer;  A.  B.  Gray,  secretary;  W.  P. 
Seeds,  W.  H.  Simmons,  W.  L.  Cox,  S.  M.  Sample,  J.  Van  Derwerker, 
T.  J.  Steinmetz,  R.  L.  Fulton,  F.  J.  Shair,  F.  M.  Lee,  E.  C.  O'Brien  and 
J.  F.  Waterhouse. 

Its  present  officers  and  directors  are :  F.  J.  Shair,  president ;  R.  L. 
Fulton,  vice-president;  A.  C.  Frohlich,  treasurer;  C.  T.  Stevenson,  sec- 
retary ;  J.  S.  Mitchell,  A.  M.  Britt  Paul  D.  Roberts,  Dr.  M.  R.  Walker, 
T.  J.  Steinmetz,  W.  H.  Johnston,  Sardis  Summerfield,  R.  C.  Turrittin, 
W.  S.  Settle,  F.  L.  White,  F.  M.  Lee  and  E.  L.  Drappo. 

Its  clubrooms,  occupying  the  entire  west  wing  of  the  third  floor  of  the 
Odd  Fellows'  building,  are  handsomely  furnished,  commodious  and  well 
equipped  for  the  requirements  of  the  club.  Other  associations  hold  their 
meetings  in  the  rooms  of  the  club,  as  do  the  citizens  of  Reno,  for  dis- 
cussion and  action  on  matters  of  public  welfare. 

The  club  is  in  active  co-operation  with  all  national  and  State  organiza- 
tions of  the  country  on  economic  and  industrial  matters.  It  exchanges 
courtesies  and  has  affiliations  with  all  the  leading  similar  organizations 
throughout  the  Union,  thereby  bringing  its  members  in  closer  touch  with 
citizens  of  other  States,  and  enlarging  business  and  social  relations.  It 
sends  delegates  to  the  various  commercial  and  industrial  conventions  and 
congresses  for  discussion  and  securing  of  the  proper  legislation  by  the 
National  Congress  on  those  matters  that  affect  the  business  and  the  busi- 
ness* welfare  of  the  country  at  large. 

The  club's  efforts  are  continually  directed  to  the  encouragement  of 
new  enterprises,  the  securing  of  capital  for  new  industries  and  invest- 
ment, the  dissemination  of  literature  telling  of  the  resources  of  the  State, 
the  building  of  good  roads  and  co-operation  with  other  States  for  a  Na- 
tional Highway,  the  immigration  of  settlers  upon  the  agricultural  lands 


1038  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

of  the  state,  and  for  more  intensive  farming,  expansion  of  the  dairy  in- 
terests, fruit-growing  and  all  matters  that  pertain  to  making  the  State 
of  Nevada  a  greater  and  grander  Commonwealth. 

YOUNG  MEN'S  CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATION. — Although  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  movement  has  been  conducted  in  the  United  States 
and  other  countries  for  over  a  half  century,  it  was  not  until  the  year  1910 
that  a  branch  became  permanently  organized  in  the  State  of  Nevada. 
Reno  lays  claim  to  the  first  Y.  M.  C.  A.  in  this  State.  For  some  time 
previous  to  the  above-mentioned  year  there  had  been  a  deep  desire  on 
the  part  of  several  Reno  men  to  have  a  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion, fully  equipped  and  strongly  organized.  With  the  co-operation  of 
Mr.  C.  G.  Titus,  representing  the  International  Committee  of  the  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  of  North  America,  a  united  effort  was  made  by  the  citizens  of  Reno 
to  organize  and  secure  a  building  through  which  the  association  could  be 
of  help  to  the  men  and  boys  of  this  community.  In  ten  days'  time,  from 
May  18  to  28,  1910,  the  sum  of  $117,000  was  subscribed  for  the  project; 
$87,000  of  this  being  in  cash  subscriptions  from  1,353  persons,  and  $30,- 
ooo  being  the  value  of  a  lot  given  by  the  late  Senator  George  S.  Nixon. 
Nearly  all  the  contributors  were  residents  of  Reno,  although  considerable 
aid  came  from  other  parts  of  the  State. 

On  November  12,  1911,  the  new  building  was  dedicated  with  appropri- 
ate exercises,  and  the  work  was  started.  This  building  is  modern  through- 
out and  contains  a  gymnasium,  swimming  pool,  bowling  alleys,  handball 
court,  locker  rooms,  shower  baths,  reading  and  social  rooms,  billiard 
room,  offices,  assembly  room,  boys'  club  room,  dormitories,  etc.  The 
membership  at  this  writing  numbers  nearly  five  hundred  men  and  boys. 

The  U.  S.  Postoffice — Was  completed  and  occupied  April  29,  1909,  at 
a  cost  of  $87,000,  furnishing  $8,000,  total,  $95,000. 

The  Elks'  Home — Was  completed  1903,  costing  $65,000. 

The  Masonic  Hall — was  completed  1905,  costing  $95,000. 

The  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows'  Building — Was  completed 
1907  and  occupied  in  1908,  costing  $175,000. 

The  Gazette  Building — Was  finished  in  1905  at  a  cost  of  $90,000,  fur- 
nishing $35,000,  total  $125,000. 

The  New  Virginia  St.  Bridge — Was  completed  October  15,  1905,  at 
a  cost  of  $39,000. 


WASHOE    COUNTY  1039 

The  New  Washoe  County  Court  H'ouse — Was  completed  and  occu- 
pied June  i,  1911.  Total  expense  of  construction,  $250,000;  total  fur- 
nishing, $25,000. 

The  New  City  HaHl — was  completed  April  30,  1907,  at  a  cost  of  $50,- 
ooo. 

Sparks. — The  Southern  Pacific  shops  at  Sparks  are  among  the  most 
important  on  that  line.  They  are  the  same  size  and  capacity  as  the  Ogden 
shops,  and  furnish  employment  to  between  five  and  six  hundred  men. 

The  general  repair  work  of  the  Salt  Lake  division  of  the  Southern 
Pacific  is  done  at  Sparks,  and  it  is  estimated  that  the  grounds  and  im- 
provements at  the  Sparks  shops  cost  the  Southern  Pacific  $1,500,000. 
They  have  all  the  latest  improvements,  including  electric  cranes,  and  are 
up-to-date  in  all  details.  The  round-house  is  fitted  with  all  the  latest 
appliances  and  has  forty  stalls. 

Sparks  boasts  of  a  population  of  2,500  people,  and  is  a  modern  rail- 
road town.  The  monthly  pay-roll  is  from  $100,000  to  $125,000,  and  is 
an  important  factor  to  the  Reno  merchant.  The  excellent  car-service  be- 
tween Sparks  and  Reno  affords  the  people  of  Sparks  an  opportunity  to 
shop  in  Reno. 

Verdi  at  present  contains  a  population  of  600  people.  There  are  two 
churches  in  the  town  and  other  denominations  hold  worship  there. 

Mr.  Terwilliger  occupies  the  responsible  position  of  manager  of  the 
Verdi  Lumber  Company,  also  its  secretary' and  treasurer.  He  has  350 
men  under  his  direction,  of  which  number  the  majority  are  in  Verdi, 
employed  in  the  mill  and  box  factory,  while  the  next  greatest  number  are 
in  the  logging  camps.  There  are  a  number  of  other  employees  in  each 
town  in  Nevada  where  the  company  maintains  an  agency. 

The  payroll  at  Verdi  is  approximately  $25,000  a  month,  in  Reno  $1,500 
and  at  each  of  the  other  agencies  about  $800. 

J.  F.  Condon,  who  during  the  Lonkey  regime  was  manager  of  the 
company,  is  now  president.  Al  Revert  is  vice-president.  The  mill  at 
Verdi,  while  not  the  largest,  is  one  of  the  most  modern  and  complete  in 
the  West.  It  is  now  cutting  about  75,000  feet  of  lumber  daily. 

There  is  no  more  healthful  town  in  the  State,  for,  coupled  with  a  sup- 
ply of  pure  water,  there  is  the  ozoned  air  from  the  pine  forests  and  the 


1040  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

perennial  snow-banks.     For  the  size  of  the  town  it  is  unexcelled  in  its 
sewage  disposal  system  and  its  electric  lighting. 


ESTIMATED   VALUE  OF   COUNTY   AND   CITY    PROPERTY. 

WASHOE  COUNTY. 

Court  House  and  Grounds $250.000.00 

County  Jail 25,000.00 

Pest  House  and  Grounds 2,000.00 

County   Bridges    150,000.00 

Hospital  and  Grounds 50,000.00 

Tools  and  Implements 5,000.00 

School  Buildings  and  Grounds 450,000.00 


Total $932,000.00 


CITY  OF  RENO. 

City  Hall  and  Grounds $75,000.00 

Central   Fire    Station ,  25,000.00 

South  Side  Fire  Station 35,000.00 

Second  and  Scott  Street  Bridge 24,000.00 

Riverside  Park  and  Others 30,000.00 

Stone  Quarry,  40  Acres 2,000.00 

Dumping  Ground,   10  Acres 600.00 

Furniture   and   Fixtures 10,000.00 

Personal  Property,  Tools,  etc 5,000.00 

Engines,  Horses  and  Equipment,  Fire  Department 42,000.00 

Stable,  Storehouse  and  Grounds 2,500.00 


Total $251,100.00 


STATE  PROPERTY  IN  WASHOE  COUNTY. 

STATE  UNIVERSITY. 

University  Buildings   $350,000.00 

Equipment  162,000.00 

Library    40,000.00 

Campus   50,000.00 

Experiment  Station   30,000.00 

Athletic  Grounds  and  Improvements 25,000.00 

Total..  ...$657,000.00 


WA'SHOE    COUNTY  1041 

INSANE  ASYLUM. 

Grounds   $60,000.00 

Asylum  Buildings   125,000.00 

Equipments,  €tc 55,000.00 

Power  and  Water  Rights 15,000.00 


Total $255,000.00 


STATE  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 

Grounds  and  Race  Track $35,000.00 

Buildings   12,000.00 


1042  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 


CHAPTER  LVIX. 

WHITE  PINE  COUNTY. 

BY  DAN  M.  MCDONALD. 

The  story  of  the  remarkable  mineral  production  from  the  treasure- 
laden  hills  of  White  Pine  County  sounds  like  a  strange,  beautiful  dream. 
The  history  of  the  wonderful  Commonwealth,  embracing  an  area  of 
8,200  square  miles,  naturally  divides  itself  into  two  parts,  the  Age  of 
Silver  and  the  Age  of  Copper. 

The  discovery  of  an  extraordinary  body  of  rich  chloride  ores  at  Treas- 
ure City  in  1868  excited  the  greed  and  interest  of  all  within  hearing, 
and  the  tales  of  the  richness  of  big  excitement  seemed  almost  incredible. 
Electrified  by  the  prospects  of  wealth  beyond  the  dreams  of  human 
avarice,  multitudes  headed  for  the  new  Mecca.  It  would  take  a  wealth 
of  flattering  adjectives  to  adequately  describe  the  wealth  of  this  section. 
It  is  generally  known  that  the  richest  mass  of  silver  ore  ever  extracted 
in  the  history  of  western  mining  camp  was  taken  from  the  Eberhardt 
mine.  A  pocket  worth  $3,200,000  was  removed  from  an  opening  seventy 
feet  long  and  forty  feet  wide,  no  portion  of  which  was  more  than  twenty- 
eight  feet  below  the  surface.  Thirty-two  hundred  tons  of  this  bonanza 
material  milled  $1,000  a  ton,  despite  the  crude  milling  facilities  in  vogue 
at  that  time.  Truly,  the  white  metal  was  predominant.  Almost  forty 
years  later,  after  the  ephemeral  excitements  of  Treasure  City,  Hamilton 
and  other  camps  had  passed,  the  theater  of  mining  operations  was  trans- 
ferred to  Ely,  where  copper  was  destined  to  reign  supreme.  Ely  is  the 
home  of  mammoth  undertakings.  To  give  the  district  its  just  deserts 
one  must  wander  into  the  realm  of  the  superlatives.  It  boasts  of  the 
most  wonderful  mining  proposition  in  the  world  in  point  of  low  cost 
production.  The  volume  of  low  grade  ore  disclosed  on  the  holdings  of 
the  Nevada  Consolidated  is  so  stupendous  that  it  almost  bewilders  the 
imagination  in  an  attempt  to  grasp  its  empiric  extent.  It  is  estimated 
that  the  possessions  of  the  Guggenheim  interests  contain  130,000,000  tons 


WHITE    PINE    COUNTY  1043 

of  copper  ore  of  an  average  grade  less  than  two  per  cent.  The  mag- 
nificent ore  output  is  measured  by  trainloads  instead  of  tons.  The  cheap 
manner  of  handling  copper  is  due  to  the  fact  that  steam  shovels  mine  it 
for  less  than  fifteen  cents  a  ton.  To  give  an  idea  of  the  capacity  of  these 
shovels  it  may  be  said  that  one  machine  does  the  work  of  500  men  em- 
ployed underground. 

The  idea  of  handling  the  copper  porphyrys  as  a  commercial  success 
was  unknown  to  mining  practice  a  few  years  ago,  and  it  remained  for 
the  ingenuity  of  western  mining  engineers  to  bring  to  light  within  a  few 
miles  of  our  own  doors  one  of  the  greatest  combined  ore  tonnages  on 
the  globe.  One  need  not  search  the  dictionary  for  diminutives  in  treating 
of  Ely,  as  the  great  copper  camp  has  long  since  discarded  its  swaddling 
clothes.  It  is  the  general  belief  that  the  copper  magnates  spent  fifteen 
million  dollars  in  the  development  of  their  mines,  the  construction  of  a 
railroad  and  the  building  of  a  huge  smelting  plant  before  their  properties 
reached  a  producing  stage.  The  narration  of  the  fabulous  wealth  that 
has  been  wrung  from  the  ore-bearing  territory  as  one  of  the  pioneers 
in  a  new  line  of  commercial  endeavor  has  the  ring  of  an  old-time  fairy 
tale.  The  increased  use  of  electricity  for  the  purpose  of  communication 
and  the  transmission  of  power  at  great  distances  caused  a  renewal  in  the 
use  of  the  metal  which  Ely  miners  had  looked  at  in  despair  which  was 
destined  to  usher  in  a  new  era  in  the  mining  industry  of  the  county. 

White  Pine  County  was  included  within  the  boundaries  of  Lander  until 
1869,  when  the  Legislature  authorized  the  sanction  of  the  two  bodies 
politic.  The  county  and  mining  district  bearing  the  same  name  received 
their  designation  from  the  predominant  forest  trees  abounding  in  that 
locality.  The  White  Pine  District,  was  first  organized  in  the  fall  of  1865, 
but  was  not  the  scene  of  successful  mining  operation  until  the  rich  mines 
on  Treasure  Hill  were  located  two  years  later.  An  Indian  named  Napias- 
Jim,  who  brought  a  piece  of  chloride  rock  to  Al  Leathers  and  other 
prospectors,  was  induced  to  disclose  the  location  of  the  rich  find,  which 
was  afterward  known  as  the  Hidden  Treasure  mine.  The  news  of  the 
remarkable  discovery  precipitated  a  meteoric  excitement  and  resulted  in 
the  concentration  of  thousands  in  that  quarter.  Within  a  short  time  the 
White  Pine  District  swirled  into  one  great  boom,  with  each  little  com- 
munity as  the  garden  gate  to  the  land  of  promise.  Displaying  a  marked 
indifference  to  sickness  and  climate,  the  pilgrim  army  utilized  every 


1044  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

possible  means  of  locomotion  to  reach  the  new  Mecca.  The  multitude 
established  themselves  at  Treasure  City  in  huts  and  caves,  nine  thousand 
feet  above  sea  level,  during  the  severe  winter  of  1868-69,  when  the 
thermometer  was  hovering  below  the  zero  mark,  and  an  epidemic  of 
smallpox  broke  out  to  add  to  their  sufferings.  In  1870  one  hundred  and 
ninety-nine  companies,  besides  numerous  leases,  were  working  in  the 
White  Pine  District.  The  output  from  the  lead-belt  was  handled  by 
nine  smelters  of  various  capacities.  Because  the  ores  contained  such  a 
large  percentage  of  the  black  metal,  the  ventures  failed  to  disclose  any 
profits,  the  finished  product  being  but  little  better  than  the  crude  material. 
During  the  height  of  the  excitement,  the  population  of  Hamilton  was 
placed  between  ten  and  twelve  thousand.  It  was  made  the  county  seat 
at  the  time  of  the  creation  of  the  county.  Treasure  City  was  credited 
with  6,000  inhabitants.  Both  communities  were  visited  by  disastrous 
fires,  from  which  neither  ever  recovered.  All  but  two  of  the  business 
houses  at  Hamilton  were  swept  away  by  a  fire  of  incendiary  origin  in 
June,  1873,  causing  a  loss  of  $600,000.  Treasure  City  suffered  a  similar 
misfortune  a  year  later,  and  only  a  small  portion  of  the  town  was  ever 
rebuilt.  The  prosperity  of  the  White  Pine  District  was  decisive  enough 
to  satisfy  the  most  speculative  mind.  The  mines  were  exceedingly  rich, 
and,  while  they  were  entered  among  the  list  of  dividend-payers,  produced 
bullion  in  abundance.  During  the  second  year  after  discovery  the  value 
of  the  gross  output  exceeded  a  million  and  a  half.  At  the  close  of  1873 
the  production  from  the  mines  amounted  to  $8,767,784.  There  was 
considerable  bullion  turned  out  during  this  period,  statistics  of  which 
are  unobtainable.  The  most  striking  feature  of  the  silver  deposits  were 
their  remarkable  richness  at  the  surface  and  their  failure  to  attain  any 
great  depth.  A  boulder  of  horn-silver  weighing  forty  tons  is  said  to 
have  been  found  in  the  Eberhardt  mine,  and  it  is  claimed  to  be  the  largest 
mass  ever  discovered.  Numerous  others  of  less  weight  were  extracted, 
but  still  worth  a  fortune.  The  bulk  of  the  production  from  the  White 
Pine  District  is  credited  to  Treasure  City,  a  profit  of  $22,000  having 
been  derived  from  the  treatment  of  milling  ores  of  a  lower  and  occurring 
below  the  richer  ores. 

In  an  effort  to  thoroughly  explore  the  ground,  a  tunnel  was  run  through 
the  Eberhardt  and  Aurora  mines  by  an  English  company  with  little 
success.  With  a  marked  decline  in  the  price  of  silver  in  1887,  and  the 


WHITE    PINE    COUNTY  1045 

exhaustion  of  ore  bodies  heretofore  easily  accessible,  there  was  almost 
a  complete  suspension  of  mining  operations  and  a  general  exodus  of  the 
population  to  other  parts.  Crude  methods  of  milling  and  prohibitive 
transportation  charges  have  wrought  havoc  with  the  prosperity  of  the 
White  Pine  District.  Those  who  remained  in  the  old  camp  devoted  their 
attention  to  lead  mining.  A  change  in  market  conditions  made  it  possible 
to  ship  the  high  grade  ores  at  a  profit.  The  shipments  from  the  lead-belt 
have  amounted  to  145,000  tons,  the  ores  averaging  65  per  cent,  lead  and 
20  ounces  in  silver.  The  Rocco-Homestake,  the  Young  Treasure  and 
other  properties  have  been  steady  shippers  for  years.  Some  consignments 
were  sent  to  Perth  Amboy,  New  Jersey,  the  mine  owners  receiving  a 
good  margin  on  their  ores.  On  account  of  their  desirability  for  fluxing- 
purposes,  the  ores  from  Hamilton  have  commanded  a  handsome  royalty. 
A  remarkable  feature  about  the  later  history  of  Hamilton  is  that  no 
capital  other  than  that  extracted  from  the  mines  has  been  used  in 
development  work.  If  the  camp  were  afforded  the  advantages  of  a  rail- 
road it  would  be  possible  to  market  thousands  of  tons  of  low-grade  ores 
now  lying  on  the  dumps.  In  spite  of  the  handicaps  that  Hamilton  has 
been  compelled  to  contend  with,  the  district  has  produced  more  than  half 
the  lead  ores  mined  in  Nevada  during  the  last  fifteen  years. 

Many  of  the  old-time  mining  camps  that  came  into  prominence  in  the 
early  days  are  now  forgotten,  save  in  the  reminiscences  of  the  pioneers. 
With  the  failure  of  the  promising  ore  bodies  on  Treasure  Hill,  fortune- 
seekers  began  to  prospect .  the  unexplored  section  in  search  of  new 
bonanzas.  Enthusiastic  and  excited  camps  sprang  up,  and  for  a  time 
flourished  like  the  traditional  green  bay-tree.  White  Pine  County  was 
prolific  of  boomlets  and  dotted,  with  many  small  camps,  the  majority 
having  a  fleeting  existence  and  then  passing  into  oblivion.  Twenty  new 
districts  were  organized  within  four  years  after  the  establishment  of  the 
county. 

Cherry  Creek,  which  produced  several  millions  in  the  later  seventies, 
was  discovered  in  1872.  The  town  has  remained  stationary  in  population 
for  the  last  thirty  years.  The  Star  mine,  the  leading  disburser  of  div- 
idends during  halcyon  days,  was  purchased  in  1897  by  the  Glasgow  and 
Western  Exploration  Company,  and  a  noticeable  revival  in  mining  fol- 
lowed the  completion  of  the  deal.  The  property  has  been  worked  on  a 
small  scale  since  that  time,  but  has  never  attained  a  producing  stage. 


1046  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

High-grade  gold  ores  have  been  found  in  Egan  Canyon,  and  the  mineral 
showings  are  extremely  gratifying  to  the  owners,  when  it  is  considered 
that  only  a  limited  amount  of  development  work  has  been  accomplished. 
After  its  discovery  in  1876,  Ward  grew  rapidly,  and  within  a  year  had 
a  population  of  1,500.  The  silver-lead  ores,  remarkable  for  their  rich- 
ness, were  successfully  handled  in  a  furnace,  which  was  built  by  the 
Martin  White  Mining  Company.  Handsome  dividends  were  paid  to  the 
stockholders  for  a  short  time.  With  a  depreciation  in  lead  values  and 
the  difficulty  of  obtaining  fluxing  material,  it  became  necessary  to  close 
down  the  furnace.  The  ores  were  of  a  rebellious  nature,  and  the  company 
was  compelled  to  purchase  lead  ores  from  Robinson  and  Muncy  ana 
pure  bullion  from  the  Hunter  District.  A  twenty-stamp  mill  was  after- 
ward erected  at  a  cost  of  $85,000  and  proved  a  failure  after  an  additional 
$35,000  had  been  expended  in  experimental  purposes.  Ward  was  com- 
pletely deserted  for  twenty-five  years.  The  holdings  of  the  late  Martin 
White  and  his  associates  and  contiguous  ground  were  taken  over  by  the 
Nevada  United  Mines  Company  in  1906.  During  the  last  six  years  half 
a  million  dollars  has  been  spent  in  proving  the  resources  of  the  property. 
A  survey  for  a  railroad  was  completed  in  1910,  and  adequate  facilities 
for  shipping  the  low-grade  ore  are  needed  to  place  the  camp  in  the  front 
ranks  as  a  producer. 

Osceola  has  been  noted  for  its  placer  diggings  since  1872,  and  has  a 
production  of  $3,000,000  in  gold  to  its  credit.  Water  for  hydraulic  pur- 
poses was  obtained  from  the  different  streams  that  find  their  source  on 
Mount  Wheeler,  and  considerable  wealth  was  extracted  from  the  gravel 
beds  near  Osceola  through  this  method  of  mining.  A  nugget  worth  in 
the  neighborhood  of  $3,000  was  found  in  1876  by  a  miner  in  the  employ 
of  John  Verzab,  now  a  resident  of  Lane  City.  Believing  that  he  was 
entitled  to  his  new-found  wealth,  the  miner  concealed  the  nugget  near 
the  scene  of  its  discovery  and  returned  to  Ward,  where  he  was  employed 
during  the  winter  months.  A  guilty  conscience  smote  the  man  who  had 
found  a  treasure  that  had  been  stored  away  by  nature,  and  he  returned 
the  gold-bearing  rock  to  the  owner  of  the  ground,  receiving  a  small 
reward  for  his  honesty. 

The  hills  around  Osceola  are  traversed  by  many  quartz  ledges  rich  in 
gold.  Although  silver  ore  was  discovered  in  Taylor  in  1873,  the  camp 
did  not  attract  much  attention  until  ten  years  later,  when  the  Argus  and 


WHITE    PINE    COUNTY  1047 

Monitor  mines  were  placed  upon  a  producing  basis.  Taylor  was  a  thriv- 
ing place  for  several  years,  but  the  low  price  of  silver  and  the  expenses 
entailed  in  the  treatment  of  the  ores  caused  a  complete  suspension  of 
mining  activity.  An  effort  is  now  being  made  to  interest  Eastern  cap- 
italists in  the  old-time  properties.  The  United  States  Tungsten  Cor- 
poration was  organized  in  1910  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  controlling 
the  world's  supply  of  tungsten.  The  dreams  of  the  promoters  were  never 
realized,  as  the  company  became  involved  in  financial  entanglements 
shortly  after  the  first  carload  of  concentrates  had  been  shipped  to 
eastern  points.  A  mill  for  the  treatment  of  ores  was  available  in  1911. 
The  existence  of  ores  containing  a  large  percentage  of  tungstic  acid 
south  of  Osceola  was  first  discerned  by  Walter  D.  Buntin  and  Charles 
W.  Gaby,  who  disposed  of  their  mineral  territory  to  James  H.  Mariott. 
Marriott  sold  the  claims  in  1909  to  A.  Turner,  who  spent  considerable 
money  in  development  work.  The  properties  are  now  controlled  by  the 
Tonopah  Mining  Company. 

A  depression  in  many  lines  of  business  followed  the  failure  of  many 
of  the  old  camps.  There  was  a  noticeable  decrease  in  population  through- 
out the  county.  Ward  and  Taylor  wore  the  aspects  of  deserted  villages. 
In  other  towns,  where  a  portion  of  the  population  remained,  two  out  of 
three  of  the  brick  or  board  houses  were  vacant,  and  the  paneless  windows 
sealed  with  clapboards.  Here  and  there  stood  the  remains  of  a  district 
devastated  by  fire  and  never  rebuilt. 

Those  who  in  years  gone  by  beheld  before  them  a  world  of  luxury  of 
which  hitherto  they  had  only  dreamed  were  destined  to  endure  many 
lean  and  dark  years.  They  remained  merely  in  scraping  the  pudding. 
The  county  passed  from  a  condition  of  real  life  to  one  of  dormancy.  The 
entouragement  of  wealth  in  which  the  oldtimers  had  lived  vanished  like 
the  enchanter's  palace  when  the  enchanter  had  died.  The  impression 
one  received  on  viewing  a  majority  of  the  camps  was  that  of  a  deserted 
habitat  of  days  long  past.  It  was  not  a  sad-faced  group  that  cast  its 
lot  with  old  White  Pine.  Those  who  had  little  or  none  were  "stuck," 
marooned  and  couldn't  get  away.  In  those  days  a  silver  dollar  looked 
bigger  than  the  moon  and  as  far  out  of  reach.  There  is  a  song  of  parting, 
an  intensely  pathetic  song,  which  contains  the  lines,  "All  the  tomorrows 
shall  be  as  today" — meaning  equally  gloomy.  The  epitome  of  gloom 
found  no  sympathy  with  the  free-handed  and  open-hearted  pioneers,  who 


1048  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

were  responsible  for  many  deeds  of  charity  that  have  gone  unrecorded 
by  a  thankless  world.  It  was  not  the  lethargy  of  despair  that  overcame 
the  people.  It  was  a  determination  to  win  out  which  could  not  be  denied. 

While  other  classes  of  business  starved  or  took  the  bankruptcy  route 
during  the  years  of  gloom,  the  stage  line,  which  ran  from  Eureka  to 
Pioche  and  passed  through  Ely  was  the  only  concern  in  the  county  that 
was  making  money.  Gilmer  and  Salsbury  operated  the  stage  lines  in 
White  Pine  County  for  the  greater  part  of  this  period  and  received  $51,000 
a  year  from  the  Government  for  carrying  the  mail.  To  land  an  assign- 
ment of  this  nature  from  Uncle  Sam  required  the  furnishing  of  a  bond 
for  $65,000,  a  long  list  of  guarantors  being  essential.  Properly  qualified 
signers  were  as  a  rule  not  available,  and  it  was  the  common  practice 
of  stage  companies  to  complete  the  list  with  fictitious  names,  or  have 
persons  with  no  financial  standing  in  their  community  endorse  for  any 
number  of  thousands  their  fancy  might  dictate.  On  one  occasion  the 
bond  of  Gilmer  and  Salsbury  was  declared  forfeited  for  a  breach  of 
contract.  "Doc."  Ellison,  a  rancher  in  the  White  River  Valley,  was 
among  the  number  invited  by  the  Post  Office  Department  to  qualify 
for  the  amount  he  had  signed  on  the  bond.  Ellison  thought  it  was  a 
huge  joke  for  the  Government  to  demand  the  money  for  which  his  name 
was  down,  for  he  had  no  assets  of  any  nature.  The  Federal  authorities 
never  realized  a  single  cent  on  the  security  furnished  by  the  stage  com- 
pany. To  give  an  illustration  of  actual  conditions  in  the  county  it  is 
only  necessary  to  refer  to  a  letter  written  by  County  Clerk  William 
Laurenson  in  response  to  an  inquiry  from  the  Census  Bureau  asking 
for  statistics  as  to  the  amount  of  liquors  used  in  the  county  hospital 
during  1889.  Laurenson's  reply  was  brief,  reading  as  follows :  "Hospital 
bought  five  gallons  of  mighty  common  whiskey  in  1889.  This  was  used 
by  patients  who  died  the  same  year.  Hospital  closed  in  December;  no 
patients  left."  When  a  county  hospital  is  deserted  you  can  bet  that  chill 
penury  has  the  county  on  the  hip. 

The  history  of  the  rise  and  development  of  Ely  reads  like  a  romance. 
The  first  find  of  metallic  wealth  was  that  of  gold  and  silver  ores  in 
1869  by  Thomas  Robinson,  the  founder  of  the  district  bearing  his  name. 
Mineral  City  was  started  in  the  center  of  Robinson  Canyon  and  had  the 
customary  mushroom  growth  of  many  western  mining  camps.  Within 
a  year  after  its  discovery,  twelve  hundred  locations  had  been  made. 


WHITE    PINE    COUNTY  1049 

After  being  almost  deserted  in  1870,  Mineral  City  enjoyed  a  new  lease 
of  life  two  years  later,  the  population  numbering  200.  The  mining 
records  were  kept  by  A.  R.  (Buckskin)  Watson,  who  in  later  years 
played  a  prominent  part  in  the  development  of  the  district.  For  many 
years  only  a  few  families  remained  in  that  locality.  It  is  twenty-eight 
years  since  the  first  building  was  erected  on  the  present  townsite  of  Ely. 
Joseph  Featherstone  conducted  the  first  stage  station  and  postoffice,  and 
for  several  years  the  old  building  that  stood  at  the  southeast  corner  of 
Aultman  and  Murray  Streets  was  the  only  structure  within  the  present 
city  limits.  After  the  burning  of  the  county  seat  at  Hamilton  in  1885, 
it  was  removed  to  Ely  two  years  later,  and  the  town  became  a  permanent 
fixture  on  the  map. 

Numerous  stories  have  been  circulated  as  to  the  source  from  which 
Ely  received  its  name.  At  least  half  a  dozen  persons  have  been  men- 
tioned as  being  entitled  to  the  distinction  of  being  the  one  whose  name 
was  given  to  the  great  copper  camp.  The  most  probable  story  is  that 
the  county  seat  of  White  Pine  County  was  named  after  John  Ely,  a 
native  of  Illinois,  who  died  in  Montana  in  poverty-stricken  circumstances, 
after  a  most  adventurous  career  in  the  West,  with  his  fortunes  ranging 
from  that  of  a  millionaire  to  a  pauper.  Ely  was  a  magnificent  specimen 
of  a  frontiersman,  standing  six  feet  three  inches  in  his  stockings.  During 
the  time  that  the  notorious  Captain  Slade  was  so  feared  in  the  West, 
Ely  was  his  partner.  Together  they  amassed  a  fortune  in  Montana,  but 
after  Slade  was  hanged  by  the  vigilantes,  Ely  migrated  to  Nevada.  He 
bought  several  claims  from  William  Raymond  in  Lincoln  County.  This 
transaction  led  to  a  partnership  and  resulted  in  the  development  of  the 
famous  Raymond  and  Ely  mine  in  the  Pioche  District.  They  bought 
the  property  for  $3,500.  Ely  gave  his  watch  in  part  payment,  and  within 
sixty  days  the  balance  was  forthcoming.  The  mine  produced  $20,000,000. 

San  Francisco  capitalists  offered  Raymond  and  Ely  $700,000  for  their 
mineral  holdings  in  Pioche.  Raymond  refused  to  sell  his  interest,  but 
Ely  accepted  $350,000  for  his  share  in  the  valuable  mine.  Ely  removed 
to  Salt  Lake  and  lived  in  luxury  for  a  few  years.  He  extended  his 
operations  throughout  Utah  and  more  than  trebled  his  Pioche  fortune. 
In  the  early  seventies  Ely  went  to  Paris  and  became  associated  with  a 
group  of  French  promoters  in  Guiana  mines.  The  adventure  was  ill- 
advised,  Ely  losing  his  entire  fortune.  His  wife  deserted  him  on  his 


1050  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

return  to  the  French  capital,  and  when  he  returned  to  the  United  States 
on  money  supplied  by  a  friend,  his  brother,  Charles,  and  intimate  asso- 
ciates of  his  more  prosperous  days  refused  to  recognize  him.  These 
actions  cut  Ely's  sensitive  nature  to  the  quick  and  he  proceeded  to  drown 
his  sorrows  and  disappointments  in  liquid  tumult.  Then  Ely  regained 
his  fortune  on  a  lucky  plunge  in  mining,  and  consummated  many  suc- 
cessful deals  in  the  western  country. 

Ely  had  loaned  $5,000  to  A.  J.  Underbill  with  which  to  purchase  the 
land  now  embraced  in  the  Ely  townsite,  together  with  the  Selby  smelting 
plant,  which  was  located  on  the  old  Chainman  mill-site.  The  county 
seat  was  still  located  at  Hamilton,  and  in  recognition  of  the  favor  that 
had  been  extended  to  him  in  time  of  need  Underbill  decided  to  honor  his 
benefactor  by  christening  the  new  seat  of  the  county  government  Ely. 
Compared  with  the  monumental  smelting  plants  of  today,  the  effort  of 
the  Selbys  was  a  mere  pigmy.  Its  maximum  capacity  was  thirty  tons 
daily.  The  Selbys  and  their  associates  had  located  ground  that  was  in 
extent  over  3,000  acres  and  covered  the  holdings  of  the  big  companies 
operating  in  Ely  today. 

The  State  Legislature  of  1887  authorized  White  Pine  County  to  issue 
$10,000  worth  of  bonds  for  the  building  of  a  new  Courthouse,  jail  and 
hospital.  H.  A.  Comins  and  Sol.  Hilp  were  appointed  by  the  solons  at 
the  State  capital  to  assist  the  commissioners  in  the  erection  of  the  new 
buildings.  Mr.  Comins  went  to  San  Francisco  to  dispose  of  the  bonds, 
but  unexpected  obstacles  were  encountered  and  the  journey  proved  un- 
successful. The  entire  bond  issue  was  sold  to  residents  of  the  county 
at  par.  W.  G.  Lyons  purchased  the  bulk  of  the  bonds  and  was  not 
dubious  about  the  county's  future  even  though  the  treasury  was  in  a 
depleted  condition.  All  the  bonds  were  subscribed  for  in  July,  1887. 
Before  the  county  building  was  ready  for  occupancy  some  of  the  county 
officials  used  a  portion  of  Sol.  Hilp's  store  for  the  transaction  of  official 
business.  A  session  of  court  was  held  in  the  new  structure  before  the 
roof  was  finished.  The  board  of  county  commissioners  at  that  time  con- 
sisted of  W.  C.  Gallagher,  M.  F.  Boyle  and  Alex.  Muir,  and  they  had 
many  difficulties  to  centend  with  in  a  financial  way,  after  Ely  had  been 
selected  as  the  seat  of  the  county  government.  The  discovery  of  high- 
grade  ores  in  the  White  Pine  District  did  not  prove  to  be  of  such 
inestimable  benefit  to  the  new  county  as  one  would  imagine.  Although 


WHITE    PINE    COUNTY  1051 

the  money  that  found  its  way  into  the  treasury  from  the  proceeds  of 
mines  almost  equalled  the  total  amount  .collected  from  all  other  sources, 
scrip  was  issued  to  pay  off  the  floating  indebtedness  as  early  as  1869. 
The  affairs  of  the  county  were  conducted  in  a  high-handed  and  extravag- 
ant manner.  A  county  treasurer  had  quietly  retired  in  1870  and  an 
audit  of  his  books  disclosed  a  defalcation  of  $24,000.  A  reward  of  $1,000 
failed  to  effect  his  capture.  Those  were  the  days  for  the  rapid  touch 
and  the  quick  getaway,  and  the  touching  was  good  and  tangible.  The 
resources  of  the  infant  county  had  disappeared  so  rapidly  that  the  com- 
missioners were  compelled  to  issue  scrip  to  meet  the  current  expenses. 
The  amount  of  outstanding  scrip  in  1872  approximated  $113,000.  Specu- 
lators in  these  certificates  had  corralled  the  outstanding  supply  and  forced 
a  measure  through  the  Legislature  in  1873  providing  for  the  refunding 
of  the  floating  debt  through  the  issuance  of  bonds  bearing  interest  at 
10  per  cent.,  reaping  a  large  financial  reward  as  a  result  of  the  nefarious 
transaction.  In  1877  a  bill  was  fathered  in  the  Legislature  by  H.  A. 
Comins  which  provided  for  the  redemption  of  scrip.  The  passage  of 
the  act  was  beneficial  to  many  counties  that  were  on  the  verge  of  bank- 
ruptcy and  enabled  them  in  course  of  time  to  pay  off  all  their  floating 
indebtedness.  During  the  first  few  years  after  the  removal  of  the  county 
seat  to  Ely,  scrip  was  issued  to  jurors  in  payment  of  mileage  and  jury 
fees,  and  was  worth  from  fifteen  to  twenty  cents  on  the  dollar.  At  that 
time  the  county  had  a  floating  indebtedness  of  $70,000  and  a  bonded 
indebtedness  of  a  like  amount.  It  used  to  be  a  common  occurrence  for 
jurors  upon  receiving  their  pay  in  scrip  to 'indulge  in  a  game  of  poker 
or  seven-up  with  the  scrip  as  stakes.  The  game  would  generally  continue 
until  one  of  the  members  of  the  venire  had  acquired  all  of  the  much 
detested  medium  of  exchange,  enough  to  pay  off  his  expenses. 

As  White  Pine  County  became  more  prosperous,  the  scrip  increased 
in  value.  During  1897  scrip  to  the  amount  of  $1,778  was  redeemed.  As 
soon  as  $500  was  available  in  the  sinking  fund  the  county  treasurer  was 
instructed  to  advertise  for  sealed  bids  for  the  deliverance  of  the  scrip. 
Although  the  salaries  and  current  expenses  were  in  arrears  at  that  time, 
the  commissioners  had  succeeded  in  reducing  the  bonded  indebtedness 
$13,650,  while  $5,635  represented  the  quota  that  was  paid  to  bondholders 
in  1897.  Between  1899  and  1906  scrip  was  never  redeemed  for  less  than 
sixty  cents  on  the  dollar,  and  frequently  was  accepted  by  the  treasurer  at 


1052  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

almost  its  face  value.  The  bonded  and  floating  debt  was  completely 
eliminated  by  those  who  were  responsible  for  Ely's  new  era.  The  Legis- 
lature of  1903  passed  an  act  providing  for  a  floating  debt  tax  for  the 
payment  of  outstanding  scrip.  Application  was  made  to  the  commis- 
sioners to  refund  the  floating  debt,  but  without  actual  encouragement  In 
June,  1906,  A.  D.  Campton  and  Charles  S.  Chandler,  who  had  purchased 
$14,356.45  worth  of  scrip,  formerly  the  property  of  the  late  William 
Hayes,  presented  a  written  demand  to  the  commissioners  for  the  redemp- 
tion of  the  certificates  of  indebtedness,  but  the  county  board  refused  to 
accede  to  their  request.  A  writ  of  mandate  was  issued  by  Judge  George 
S.  Brown  in  1909,  compelling  the  commissioners  to  issue  bonds  bearing 
interest  at  five  per  cent,  in  paying  off  the  scrip.  This  procedure  marked 
the  end  of  the  era  of  scrip. 

Ely  was  originally  worked  as  a  gold  proposition,  the  yellow  metal 
appearing  in  the  upper  workings.  The  Joana  mine,  owned  by  A.  R. 
Watson,  was  the  first  to  attract  the  attention  of  outside  mining  men  to 
the  new  gold-bearing  territory.  After  the  first  strike  had  been  made, 
and  when  it  was  generally  known  that  the  property  was  of  unusual  merit, 
litigation  began  which  ran  through  the  courts  for  a  number  of  years  at 
great  expense  and  annoyance  to  the  owner.  The  mine  was  tied  up  and 
nothing  could  be  done  until  a  decision  had  been  handed  down.  While 
the  case  was  pending,  several  prominent  mining  men  made  an  examina- 
tion of  the  Joana  at  different  times.  It  is  believed  that  the  Joana  met 
with  their  expectations,  but  legal  proceedings  always  interfered  and  pre- 
vented a  consummation  of  any  deal,  which  would  have  netted  the  old 
prospector  a  sum  sufficient  to  have  maintained  him  in  luxurious  circum- 
stances. Although  Watson's  title  to  the  Joana  was  eventually  sustained. 
his  resources  were  severely  taxed,  and  the  mine  fell  into  the  hands  of 
attorneys  who  had  represented  him  at  the  trial  and  creditors.  The 
amount  taken  out  in  the  aggregate  from  the  Joana  was  something  over 
$15,000.  The  ores  were  treated  in  a  mill  at  Ely,  which  was  poorly  con- 
structed, and  the  only  appliance  for  the  saving  of  the  gold  values  was 
copper  plates.  Less  than  half  of  the  gold  was  saved  by  this  method  of 
working,  as  shown  by  constant  assays  of  the  "tailings."  Watson  died 
near  the  scene  of  his  early  mining  activities  comparatively  poor.  The 
Chainman  mine,  owned  by  W.  N.  McGill,  W.  G.  Lyons,  James  P.  McOmie 
and  A.  J.  Underbill,  was  in  the  limelight  during  the  early  nineties.  It 


WHITE    PINE    COUNTY  1053 

was  the  general  impression  that  the  mine  would  attain  high  rank  as  a 
producer  of  the  precious  metals.  The  owners  erected  a  milling  plant  in 
Ely,  but  such  a  large  percentage  of  the  ore  values  was  lost  in  the  tailings 
that  the  undertaking  was  not  a  financial  success. 

Ely  awoke  for  a  brief  period  from  its  sequestered  quietude  in  1897,  and 
was  transformed  into  a  community  bristling  with  life,  when  the  late 
Charles  D.  Lane  obtained  a  bond  and  option  on  the  Chainman  mine. 
The  destinies  of  the  new  company  were  placed  in  the  hands  of  his  son, 
Thomas  T.  Lane,  who  made  only  a  spasmodic  attempt  to  develop  the 
mineral  holdings  and  manage  the  other  interests  controlled  by  the  family. 
During  his  connection  with  the  Chainman,  Lane  expended  $168,000,  a 
portion  of  this  money  being  utilized  in  the  construction  of  a  power-plant 
and  water-ditch  and  the  building  of  a  mill.  The  California  millionaire 
also  placed  Ely  in  communication  with  the  outside  world,  financing  a 
telephone  line  to  Eureka.  Ely  seemed  doomed  again  to  a  long  period  of 
inactivity  after  Lane  had  abandoned  all  his  mining  enterprises  on  the 
mine,  which,  it  was  expected,  would  bring  about  a  rejuvenation  of  the 
camp. 

The  Ely  Mining  and  Milling  Company,  a  flotation  of  Salt  Lake  cap- 
italists, bought  the  Robust  group  of  mines  from  R.  A.  Riepe  and  the 
estates  of  Henry  Riepe  and  "General"  Thomas  for  $10,000.  After  spend- 
ing considerable  money  in  an  effort  to  open  up  ore  bodies  of  merit,  the 
company  erected  a  cyanide  plant,  but  the  ores  were  not  susceptible  to  the 
treatment  provided.  The  mill  was  closed,  having  run  on  ore  for  a  brief 
period,  and  has  since  lain  idle,  another  token  of  the  mismanagement  and 
incompetency  of  mining  promotions.  The  excitement  precipitated  by 
Charles  D.  Lane  had  subsided,  and  for  the  next  three  years  Ely  was  a 
"dead  one."  In  1900  the  Chainman  was  purchased  by  a  coterie  of  New 
York  and  Pennsylvania  capitalists  for  a  cash  consideration  of  $150,000. 
A  mill  costing  in  the  neighborhood  of  $100,000  was  installed  to  reduce 
the  ores.  The  plant  was  rendered  useless,  as  the  presence  of  copper  in 
the  sulphides,  when  a  little  depth  had  been  reached,  made  the  work 
unprofitable.  The  Chainman  group,  the  Joana  and  other  contiguous 
claims  were  absorbed  by  the  Chainman  Consolidated  Copper  Company 
in  1906,  and  will  form  a  part  of  the  big  copper  merger  recently  completed 
by  the  Cole-Ryan  and  Gunn-Thompson  interests. 

During  the  time  that  he  was  prominently  identified  with  the  Chainman, 


1054  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Dix  W.  Smith,  of  Elmira,  New  York,  incorporated  the  McKinley  Mining 
and  Smelting  Company.  The  assets  of  the  flotation  included  a  group 
of  twenty-three  patented  mines  which  had  been  owned  by  the  late  William 
McKinley,  the  martyred  president,  and  his  brother-in-law,  George  D. 
Saxton.  The  mines  were  allowed  to  remain  dormant  for  twenty  years 
by  the  owners,  who  had  controlled  the  ground,  since  the  first  excitement 
in  the  Robinson  District.  The  promoters  worked  the  ground  in  a  desul- 
tory manner  for  several  years,  when  developments  were  suspended.  The 
holdings  of  the  McKinley  Company  were  acquired  in  1906  by  the  Copper 
Mines  Company.  The  gold-mining  ventures  proving  unsuccessful,  the 
claim  owners  began  to  devote  their  energies  to  copper,  the  metal  which 
they  had  looked  at  with  despair,  and  which  was  to  prove  the  want  which 
would  awaken  the  camp  to  a  newer  and  more  intense  life.  While  the 
camp  was  languishing,  claims  were  located  and  abandoned  many  times. 
The  first  attempt  to  work  territory  within  the  recognized  copper  belt 
occurred  in  1899,  when  Joseph  Bray  bought  a  group  of  claims  on  the 
present  site  of  the  steam-shovel  pit  from  Thomas  Rockhill,  Newton  Boyd 
and  Thomas  Johnson,  for  Mulford  Martin,  of  New  York.  Through 
the  instrumentality  of  Frank  Paul,  Joseph  L.  Girous  was  induced  to 
invest  several  thousand  dollars  near  Pilot  Knob  Mill,  the  mines  in  that 
section  forming  the  nucleus  of  the  present  mineral  possessions  of  the 
Giroux  Consolidated.  Although  they  had  wealth  at  their  elbows,  the  old- 
time  claim  owners  offered  their  locations  for  a  mere  pittance  to  any 
prosperous-looking  stranger  that  came  along. 

The  actual  development  of  the  copper  zone  began  in  1900,  when  Edward 
F.  Gray  and  David  P.  Bartley  obtained  an  option  on  the  Ruth  mine 
from  D.  C.  McDonald  and  Water  Rynearson  for  $1,200.  They  had  hit 
upon  the  real  clue  to  the  mineral  wealth  of  the  district.  Surface  out- 
croppings  encouraged  them  to  sink,  and,  unassisted,  they  demonstrated 
that  the  Ruth  possessed  sufficient  merit  to  justify  the  expenditure  of 
further  money  in  development  work.  M.  L.  Requa,  of  Oakland,  whose 
father  was  a  prominent  figure  on  the  Comstock  during  the  halcyon  days, 
realized  the  future  possibilities  of  the  low-grade  porphyries  by  concen- 
tration, when  there  was  considerable  skepticism  as  to  their  profitable 
operation  even  if  they  were  treated  on  a  large  scale,  and  was  responsible 
for  millions  being  spent  here.  He  was  prominently  identified  with  the 
Ely  District  for  a  period  of  five  years.  A  consolidation  of  the  New 


WHITE     PINE    COUNTY  1055 

York  and  Nevada  Copper  Company,  with  mines  at  Copper  Flat,  and  the 
\\  I  lite  Pine  Copper  Company,  owning  the  Ruth  group,  was  effected  under 
the  Requa  management,  and  the  success  of  the  Nevada  Consolidated  is 
sufficient  proof  that  the  merger  was  well  advised. 

Before  any  boom  had  ever  struck  Ely,  and  when  the  camp  was  prac- 
tically non-producing,  J.  Parke  Channing,  an  engineer  of  world-wide 
prominence,  whose  specialty  is  the  cost-sheet,  made  a  careful  and  accurate 
investigation  of  the  vast  ore  deposits  in  the  Ruth  and  other  adjacent 
properties  in  1905.  At  the  time  the  sampling  was  done  ten  million  tons 
had  been  blocked  out.  So  great  had  been  the  development  of  the  mines, 
and  so  remarkable  were  the  ore  bodies,  that  the  Guggenheims  decided 
to  "come  in"  after  Channing  had  reported  favorably  on  the  Ruth  mine 
and  declared  that  there  were  at  least  ten  million  tons  of  copper  ore  aver- 
aging two  and  one-half  per  cent.,  which  could  be  worked  profitably  on 
a  large  scale.  The  tremendous  ore  tonnage  not  only  insured  the  building 
of  the  Nevada  Northern,  but  necessitated  the  erection  of  one  of  the 
largest  concentrating  and  smelting  plants  in  the  world.  There  is  no 
prospect  that  the  present  generation,  or  several  to  come,  will  ever  see  the 
copper  deposits  worked  out. 

The  Ely  District  had  been  practically  unknown  prior  to  1906.  Nevada 
had  no  copper  production  worthy  of  mention  at  that  time.  A  few  hun- 
dred thousand  pounds  had  been  gleaned  from  occasional  custom  shippers. 
The  knowledge  of  the  existence  of  immense  deposits  of  copper  in  this 
section  had  remained  for  almost  half  a  century  locked  beneath  the  sterile 
soil  of  the  surrounding  hills.  When  the  great  awakening  came,  and  the 
fame  of  the  district  was  being  borne  on  the  wings  of  the  wind,  Ely 
enjoyed  a  spectacular  boom,  which  for  intensity  could  be  compared  only 
to  that  of  the  White  Pine  District  at  the  time  of  the  big  silver  excitement. 
It  was  the  era  of  anxious  crows  and  easy  money.  The  town  never  saw 
such  a  spending  jag.  The  population  more  than  trebled  after  the  advent 
of  the  railroad,  hundreds  coming  ;n  on  every  train  to  reap  their  share 
of  the  anticipated  profits.  Every  line  of  business  activity  was  affected. 
The  boom  was  in  full  bloom.  Seldom  had  there  been  such  a  field  for 
promotion;  seldom  such  a  blind  faith  in  speculative  fancy.  When  the 
rush  was  at  its  height,  there  were  forty-eight  different  companies  operat- 
ing in  the  district.  Some  of  the  suavest  dispensers  of  superheated 
atmosphere  that  ever  reeled  off  a  heart-to-heart  monologue  were  doing 


1056  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

business  in  Ely.  Miners  holding  locations  on  the  edge  of  the  big  prop- 
erties, or  even  in  close  proximity,  could  always  sell  for  a  good  price,  even 
if  only  a  limited  amount  of  development  work  had  been  accomplished. 
Situation  was  a  more  valuable  asset  in  disposing  of  mining  claims  during 
the  frenzied  period  than  a  mineral  showing  of  merit.  Those  who  had 
an  abiding  faith  in  the  future  of  the  district  and  played  a  waiting  game 
were  amply  rewarded  for  their  constancy,  having  found  themselves  mas- 
ters of  from  $5,000  to  $200,000  in  cold  cash. 

Real  estate  values  soared  to  unprecedented  figures.  Two  years  pre- 
vious lots  within  the  city  limits  went  begging.  Sales  were  rare  occur- 
rences, and  property  was  a  drug  on  the  market.  W.  G.  Lyons,  one  of 
the  owners  of  the  Ely  townsite,  died  in  1904,  and  his  heirs  were  willing 
to  dispose  of  his  realty  holdings  for  $2,500.  A.  D.  Campton,  the  remain- 
ing partner,  acquired  the  interest,  after  several  pioneer  residents  had 
expressed  an  unwillingness  to  dabble  in  real  estate  at  the  county  seat. 
The  phenomenal  advance  in  the  price  of  real  estate  during  1906  exceeded 
all  expectations.  The  two  lots  upon  which  the  Northern  Hotel  is  located 
were  purchased  by  the  hotel  company  for  $15,000,  and  the  party  who 
disposed  of  the  property  made  a  profit  of  $14,200.  A  business  lot  on 
Aultman  Street  was  sold  five  times  within  a  year,  the  initial  price  being 
$1,200,  while  the  party  who  now  holds  title  to  the  ground  separated 
himself  from  $9,500.  A.  D.  Campton,  the  owner  of  the  townsite,  sold 
hundreds  of  lots  when  Ely  was  at  its  zenith  and  accumulated  a  fortune 
estimated  variously  from  $200,000  to  $4,200,000  from  his  numerous  real 
estate  transactions.  The  development  of  the  big  copper  propositions  had 
a  marked  effect  on  the  population  of  the  county,  and  the  city  of  Ely  in 
particular.  The  census  returns  for  1910  indicated  that  there  were  7,441 
people  in  the  county,  an  increase  of  279  per  cent,  over  the  handful  that 
were  enumerated  during  the  previous  decade.  Ely  could  not  muster  more 
than  525  on  the  census  rolls  in  1900,  while  ten  years  later  the  population 
had  increased  almost  five-fold,  2,600  people  being  accounted  for  by  the 
census  marshals.  The  increase  in  White  Pine  County  was  three  times 
as  large  as  the  average  growth  of  the  State.  Yes,  Ely  is  growing.  The 
outlook  fully  warrants  a  marked  increase  in  population  within  the  next 
few  years.  There  is  a  permanency  to  the  community  unknown  in  other 
camps  of  short  life.  It  has  long  since  been  a  city  of  homes.  Hundreds 
of  workingmen  employed  at  the  mines  or  smelter  live  in  Ely,  which  is 


WHITE    PINE    COUNTY  1057 

centrally  located.  Ely  has  a  perfect  water-system,  that  is  remarkable  for 
its  purity.  The  water  supply  is  unfailing,  and  excellent  fire  protection 
is  afforded.  A  modern  sewerage  system  and  cement  sidewalks  were 
among  the  public  improvements  made  by  the  city  during  1909.  Ely  is 
noted  as  a  place  where  capital  can  be  invested  with  full  assurance  of 
receiving  adequate  returns.  Educational  facilities  have  not  been  neglected. 
A  central  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1907  at  a  cost  of  $35,000  to  accom- 
modate the  increased  population  of  school  age.  The  last  session  of  the 
Legislature  provided  for  a  bond  issue  of  $50,000  to  insure  the  completion 
of  a  high  school  building,  which  will  be  erected  this  summer.  The  Court- 
house grounds  are  recognized  as  one  of  the  prettiest  spots  in  the  State. 

Ely  has  the  largest  payroll  of  any  mining  camp  in  the  State,  $315,000 
being  distributed  every  month  by  the  six  big  companies  doing  business 
here.  This  great  volume  of  wealth  is  poured  into  the  waiting  pockets 
of  a  large  army  of  workmen  that  are  fast  bringing  fame  to  Ely  as  the 
lowest-cost  producing  camp  in  the  world.  A  reduction  of  rates  on  cattle 
shipments  during  the  last  three  years  has  made  Ely  the  headquarters 
for  stockmen  within  a  radius  of  150  miles.  In  1910,  2,400  head  of  cattle 
were  forwarded  from  Ely,  three  counties  in  the  State  contributing  to 
the  large  shipment.  Ely  is  a  favorite  stopping  place  for  automobile 
tourists  who  are  making  transcontinental  tours,  and  has  been  placed  on 
the  Midland  Trail,  one  of  the  most  important  auto  routes  across  the 
United  States. 

In  the  Nevada  Consolidated  the  country  is  presented  with  one  of  the 
world's  largest  copper  propositions.  It  is  a  mere  youngster,  having  been 
converted  into  the  breadwinner  class  within  the  last  five  years.  It  was 
demonstrated  within  a  short  period  of  time  that  pure  copper  could  be 
produced  one  cent  a  pound  less  than  the  estimate  of  J.  Parke  Channing, 
but  it  has  required  expert  treatment  and  added  a  new  epoch  to  the 
metallurgy  of  the  world.  Moving  a  big  mountain  is  the  mighty  work 
that  is  being  done  in  Ely  since  operations  began  in  the  steam-shovel  pit 
in  1908;  105,510,821  tons  of  ore  and  a  large  amount  of  overburden  has 
been  removed  from  the  mammoth  excavation.  The  ore  reserves  are  never 
decreasing,  as  more  extensive  bodies  are  being  opened  every  year.  The 
value  of  the  gross  output  since  the  Nevada  Consolidated  reached  a  pro- 
ducing stage  during  the  last  quarter  of  1908  is  $38,931,347.23. 

In  addition  to  the  deposits  of  ore  at  Copper  Flat,  the  Nevada  Con- 


1058  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

solidated  ships  about  1,000  tons  of  ore  a  day  from  Veteran  mine,  where 
the  caving  system  is  employed  in  the  extraction  of  the  ores.  Great  bodies 
of  ore  have  been  blocked  out  in  the  Ruth  and  Star-Pointer  shafts,  which 
have  not  been  touched  since  the  commencement  of  mining  operations. 

In  April,  1912,  the  record  production  from  the  big  glory-hole  was 
broken.  The  output  reached  the  enormous  figure  of  14,168  tons.  It 
required  253  big  cars  to  transport  this  high  tonnage  over  the  ore  line  to 
the  Concentrator  at  McGill.  If  this  stupendous  production  could  be 
maintained,  the  value  of  the  ore  would  eclipse  that  of  any  gold  mine  in 
the  United  States.  No  engineering  difficulties  were  encountered  in  the 
building  of  the  Nevada  Northern  Railroad  from  Cobre  to  Ely,  a  distance 
of  141  miles.  The  road  is  practically  level  for  its  entire  length,  no  grades 
of  any  importance  being  encountered.  To  guarantee  the  cheap  trans- 
portation of  ores,  the  route  through  Robinson  Canyon  to  the  Concentrator 
was  constructed.  This  road  required  many  fills  and  cuts  in  its  course, 
and  was  as  difficult  to  build  as  that  portion  of  the  Nevada  Northern 
through  Steptoe  Valley  was  easy  of  construction.  The  ore  line  was  ren- 
dered unusually  costly  on  account  of  the  building  of  two  tunnels.  The 
officials  deemed  it  advisable  to  make  the  road  as  straight  and  short  as 
possible  because  of  the  heavy  tonnage  that  is  being  transported  daily. 
The  maximum  grade  does  not  exceed  three  per  cent.  In  addition  to  the 
regular  passenger  service  to  outside  points,  the  Nevada  Northern  runs 
suburban  trains  to  McGill  and  the  mines,  a  convenience  that  is  appre- 
ciated by  all  residents  of  the  district. 

The  reduction  works  of  the  Guggenheim  interests  are  located  at 
McGill.  It  was  built  jointly  by  the  Nevada  Consolidated  and  Cumberland 
Ely,  the  latter  company  owing  forty  per  cent,  before  a  merger  of  the  two 
corporations  was  successfully  consummated.  The  plant  has  always  been 
worked  at  a  higher  capacity  than  originally  rated.  Modifications  have  re- 
sulted in  increasing  the  efficiency  of  the  Concentrator,  until  it  is  capable  of 
handling  10,000  tons  a  day,  when  the  eight  units  are  in  operation.  During  a 
single  month  the  production  of  blister  copper  has  exceeded  six  million 
pounds,  the  cost  being  6.34  cents  a  pound,  the  lowest  mark  ever  attained  in 
the  history  of  copper  mining.  The  annual  point  has  passed  the  sixty  million 
mark.  Another  large  Concentrator  and  smelting-plant  is  assured  for  the 
Ely  district  through  the  organization  of  the  Consolidated  Copper  Mines 
company,  an  eight-million  dollar  corporation,  which  will  absorb  the 


WHITE    PINE    COUNTY  1059 

Giroux  Consolidated,  the  Copper  Mines,  the  Butte  and  Ely,  and  the  Chain- 
man  Consolidated  companies.  The  properties  to  be  merged  consis£  of 
160  claims  in  the  heart  of  the  principal  copper  belt,  and  includes  practi- 
cally all  the  developed  and  partially  developed  ore  bodies  except  those 
controlled  by  the  Nevada  Consolidated.  The  basis  of  the  respective  ex- 
change of  shares  was  determined  by  Edwin  F.  Gray,  who  for  five  years 
was  in  direct  charge  of  Nevada  Consolidated  operations,  and  A.  J.  Sale, 
mining-engineer  for  the  Giroux  company,  both  of  whom  are  familiar  with 
the  geology  and  ore  possibilities  of  the  district.  The  terms  of  exchange 
are  as  follows:  One  share  of  new  for  each  two  and  one-half  shares  of 
Giroux  Consolidated ;  one  share  of  new  for  each  three  and  one-eighth  of 
Copper  Mines ;  one  share  of  new  for  each  six  and  one-half  shares  of  Butte 
and  Ely;  and  one  share  of  new  for  each  twenty-five  shares  of  Chain- 
man  Consolidated.  In  addition  to  its  mineral  holdings,  the  consolida- 
tion owned  4,445  acres  of  agricultural  land,  formerly  embraced  in  the 
Shallenbarger  and  Comins  ranches,  and  also  controls  the  waters  of  Steptoe 
creek,  the  only  stream  available  with  a  gravity  flow.  The  Chainman  is 
the  only  one  of  the  four  properties  that  can  boast  of  large  deposits  of  iron 
ore,  containing  all  the  necessary  elements  for  fluxing  material,  which  will 
be  extremely  desirable  for  future  smelting  operations, 

It  is  the  belief  of  engineers,  who  completed  the  arrangements  for  the  ex- 
change of  shares,  that,  through  the  union  of  interests,  a  company  will  be 
created  with  ore-bodies  of  sufficient  magnitude  to  justify  the  installation 
of  reduction  work  commensurate  with  the  Steptoe  plant  at  McGill.  They 
also  recommend  that  a  series  of  tests  be  carried  on  with  a  view  to  obtain- 
ing a  higher  extraction  of  ore-values  from  the  copper  porphyrys  than  is 
now  possible  through  present  methods  of  concentration.  Neither  the 
Giroux  nor  Copper  Mines  own  plants  for  the  treatment  of  ores.  The 
Giroux  has  been  producing  from  900  to  1200  tons  a  day  of  copper- 
ore  averaging  2  per  cent.,  while  the  output  from  the  Copper  Mines  has 
been  limited.  The  ores  of  both  companies  were  treated  at  McGill  by  the 
Steptoe  Valley  Smelting  and  Mining  Company.  It  has  been  demonstrated 
to  the  satisfaction  of  the  stockholders  that  neither  of  the  companies  can 
save  all  the  profits  to  accrue  from  the  reduction  and  treatment  of  ores 
unless  they  are  amply  equipped  to  carry  on  the  work  on  a  stupendous 
scale,  and  own  an  adequate  smelting  plant. 

The  fertile  lands  in  Spring,  Steptoe,  Snake  and  White  River  valleys 


1060  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

were  sought  out  shortly  after  the  silver  excitement  at  Treasure  City, 
and  supplied  the  different  mining  camps  with  everything  that  a  northern 
climate  can  produce.  For  a  long  period  the  agricultural  possibilities  of 
the  county  were  neglected,  but  the  "Back  to  the  Soil"  movement  has  been 
given  considerable  impetus  in  recent  years.  Although  numerous  home- 
steads have  been  taken  up  lately,  there  are  still  thousands  of  acres  of  farm- 
ing land  yet  uncultivated.  Unfailing  streams  furnish  a  dependable  water 
supply,  the  crops  are  certain,  and  the  best  market  in  the  State  exists 
in  the  Ely  district.  The  development  of  a  market  within  easy  reach  has 
resulted  in  renewed  activity  throughout  the  farming  communities,  and  the 
county  in  general  is  more  prosperous  now  than  at  any  time  since  the 
White  Pine  district  was  in  the  halo  of  its  glory. 

The  high  mountains  in  the  county  receive  a  heavy  precipitation  of  snow, 
and  yield  a  large  amount  of  water  that  flows  down  into  the  valleys,  moisten- 
ing the  ground,  producing  excellent  range  for  stock,  and  furnishing  a 
good  supply  for  irrigation.  Fruit-raising  is  no  longer  an  experiment.  One 
of  the  richest  and  finest  apple  sections  in  the  State  is  in  Snake  Valley. 
Many  varieties  of  fruit  such  as  peaches  and  apricots  do  well  here, 
and  are  sure  of  bearing.  It  is  claimed  that  there  has  not  been  a  complete 
failure  of  the  fruit  crop  in  this  section  for  more  than  thirty  years.  Stock- 
raising  has  been  an  important  industry  in  the  county,  and  some  of  the 
best  ranges  in  the  State  are  located  here.  In  the  valleys  and  lower  moun- 
tains, grasses  grow  in  abundance,  while  in  almost  every  portion  of  the 
county  the  white-sage  and  browse  afford  excellent  winter  feed.  Besides 
the  stock  owned  in  this  county,  thousands  of  sheep  are  annually  driven 
from  Elko  county  and  farther  north  to  winter  in  the  valleys  of  White 
Pine,  where  the  snowfall  is  always  light,  and  the  feed  good. 


PART  II. 
BIOGRAPHICAL 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1063 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


JOHN  W.  MACKAY  was  born  in  Dublin,  Ireland,  November  28th,  1831. 
Whfle  yet  a  child  he  was  brought  to  New  York  City  by  his  parents,  and  he  lived 
with  them  in  Park  Row,  working  in  the  ship-building  trade  as  an  apprentice, 
until  early  in  1852,  when  he  went  to  New  Orleans  and  from  there  sailed  for 
Chagris,  crossed  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  and  from  Panama  he  went  by  steamer 
to  San  Francisco.  In  the  summer  of  that  year  he  went  up  the  Sacramento 
River,  landed  at  Marysville  and  started  to  walk  to  Nevada  City.  While  on 
the  road,  "Curley  Bill,"  the  stage  driver,  gave  him  a  free  ride  for  a 
part  of  the  way — something  which  Mr.  Mackay  never  forgot  and  his 
son  ever  remembered.  Later  they  took  care  of  "Curley  Bill"  until  his  death.  From 
1852  up  to  the  fall  of  1859  Mr.  Mackay  mined  at  Downieville,  Forest  City,  Sierra 
City  and  en  American  River,  making  a  specialty  of  placer  and  drift  mining  with 
varied  fortune.  In  December,  1859,  he  and  "Jack"  O'Brien  went  over  the  Sierra 
Nevada  Mountains  from  Downieville  to  Virginia  City,  Carson  County,  Utah.  Car- 
son County  was  made  a  Territory  in  i86t,  called  Nevada  Territory,  and  becoming 
the  State  of  Nevada  in  1864.  On  his  arrival  in  Virginia  City  he  went  to  work  in 
Cook  Tunnel,  at  first  as  a  miner  at  $4  a  day,  but  he  soon  became  most  expert  in 
timbering  a  mine  to  sustain  the  roof,  and  because  "of  his  efficiency  received  $6 
per  day.  He  gradually  accumulated  money,  and  in  1861,  with  John  Henning,  he 
went  to  Aurora  and  bought  the  Esmeralda  Claim.  This  venture  proving  a  failure, 
he  returned  to  Virginia  City  and  joined  with  J.  M.  Walker  in  building  the  Peta- 
luma  Mill  at  Gold  Hill,  which  turned  out  to  be  a  profitable  enterprise.  Mr. 
Walker  introduced  Mr.  Mackay  to  James  C.  Flood  and  William  S.  O'Brien,  of  San 
Francisco.  These  four  carried  on  operations  for  several  years,  and  then  James 
G.  Fair  became  a  member  of  the  group,  each  having  a  one-fifth  interest.  Mr. 
Walker  finally  said  that  he  was  rich  enough,  so  he  sold  his  one-fifth  interest 
to  Mr.  Mackay  and, went  back  to  the  State  of  Virginia,  of  which  his  brother 
was  Governor.  This  gave  Mr.  Mackay  a  two-fifths  interest  in  the  business.  The 
four  men — Mackay,  Fair,  Flood  and  O'Brien — obtained  control  of  the  Gould  and 
Curry.  Best  and  Belcher,  Consolidated  Virginia  and  California  mines.  Mackay 
and  Fair  studied  the  characteristic  features  of  the  great  lode  to  ascertain  if  the 
indications  might  lead  to  valuable  ore  bodies.  .  Neither  Mackay  nor  Fair 
had  any  previous  experience  with  ledges  or  schooling  as  geologists.  What  they 


1064  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

acquired  in  the  way  of  mining  lore  was  in  the  hard  school  of  experience.  It  was 
the  theory  of  Mackay  and  Fair  that  the  old  workings  in  the  Consolidated  Virginia 
and  California,  if  explored,  would  reveal  a  good  deal  of  low  grade  ore  which  had 
been  passed,  but  which  might  be  profitably  worked  with  reduced  cost  in  transpor- 
tation and  reduction.  After  six  months'  exploration  very  little  had  been  realized, 
and  it  was  determined  that  they  should  go  to  the  bottom  of  the  Curry  shaft,  1,200 
feet  deep,  and  drift  north,  on  the  theory  that  it  would  be  through  virgin  ground. 
Then,  if  the  Ophir  and  Mexican  surface-ores  had  any  counterpart  in  the  depths, 
by  the  strike  of  the  vein,  it  would  probably  be  on  the  line  of  such  drift.  This  was 
done  and  the  drift  passed  from  the  Curry  shaft  150  feet  north  through  the  Curry 
ground,  the  700  feet  of  the  Best  and  Belcher,  and  150  feet  into  the  Con- 
solidated Virginia  (all  the  way  through  blasting  rock),  where  the  "big  Bonanza" 
was  struck  about  30  feet  below  its  apex.  Had  the  drift  been  40  feet  higher, 
the  Bonanza  might  have  remained  undisturbed  to  this  day.  The  world 
knows  the  result.  From  that  single  ore  body  $119,000,000  in  gold  and  silver  was 
taken,  and  $67,000,000  paid  in  dividends.  Mf.  Mackay  married  Marie  Louise 
Bryant  (daughter  of  Colonel  Daniel  E.  Hungerford,  a  Mexican  war  veteran),  in 
1867  at  Virginia  City.  They  continued  to  live  there  until  1874,  when 
they  went  to  San  Francisco,  but  Mr.  Mackay  himself  passed  most  of  his  time  in 
Virginia  City.  In  1876  they  went  abroad  and  lived  in  London  and  Paris.  Mr. 
Mackay  frequently  returned  to  Virginia  City  and  later  to  New  York  City  to  take 
charge  of  his  cable  and  telegraph  interests,  but  he  was  often  in  London  where 
Mrs.  Mackay  resided  and  still  resides  at  No.  6  Carlton  House  Terrace.  Mrs. 
Mackay  was  a  widow  when  Mr.  Mackay  married  her,  and  by  her  former 
husband  had  one  daughter,  now  the  Princess  di  Stiglianno  Colonna.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Mackay  had  two  sons,  trie  elder  of  whom,  John  William  Mackay,  was 
throw  from  a  horse  and  killed  on  October  18,  1895.  The  younger  son, 
Clarence  H.  Mackay,  still  survives  and  devotes  himself  to  carrying  on 
the  vast  enterprises  which  he  inherited  from  his  father.  By  his  bearing 
no  man  was  ever  less  affected  by  the  sudden  coming  of  a  great  fortune 
than  John  W.  Mackay.  His  heart  was  always  open  to  charity  and 
the  furthering  of  any  good  cause.  During  the  six  months  after  the 
great  fire  in  Virginia  City,  by  the  express  desire  of  Mr.  Mackay,  Bishop  Monogue 
drew  upon  him  for  the  poor  of  the  city  checks  to  the  amount  of  $150,000,  and 
every  one  was  honored.  For  years  he  met  the  expenses  of  the  Sisters'  Orphan 
Hospital  at  Virginia  City  at  about  $S,ooo  a  month.  He  gave  money  silently  and 
helped  deserving  people  in  every  direction,  sending  the  assistance  in  roundabout 
ways  so  that  the  source  could  not  be  traced.  He  was  altogether  a  great  man,  so 
great  that  the  accumulation  of  a  mighty  fortune  only  made  him  more  considerate, 
gentle  and  generous.  His  pathway  was  lined  with  charities  made  without  ostenta- 
tion or  one  trace  of  false  pride.  Though  born  in  Ireland,  there  was  never  a  more 
intense  American.  All  he  had  was  at  the  service  of  his  adopted  country.  He 
was  an  industrial  king  by  nature,  a  high-souled,  royal-hearted  gentleman.  No 
disappointment  could  cast  him  down;  in  the  face  of  danger  he  could  not  be 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1065 

daunted;  in  battle  he  would  have^  .ridden  into  the  jaws  of  death  with  unblanched 
face.  Mr.  Mackay  was  twice-tendered  the  United  States  Senatorship  from  Nevada 
— once  in  1874  and  ageirfin  1880 — but  he  declined.  In  politics  Mr.  Mackay  was 
a  Republican-^After  the  coming  of  his  great  fortune  his  desire  for  years  was 
to  invest  it' safely,  where  it  would  yield  a  reasonable  income,  but  at  the  same 
time  supply  a  great  host  of  people  with  generous  employment.  At  one  time 
he  seriously  contemplated  the  building  of  a  line  of  great  transatlantic  steamers. 
Finally,  however,  he  turned  to  submarine  cables  and  land  telegraph  lines.  This 
was  an  entirely  new  field  for  him  and  one  in  which  he  had  not  had  the  slightest 
experience.  Yet  he  succeeded  marvelously. 

This  brings  us  to  the  second  part  of  his  career,  as  distinct  and  separate  from 
the  first  part  as  though  it  had  been  the  career  of  an  entirely  different  man.  Here 
we  realize  that  men  of  achievement  are  important  not  only  for  what  they  do  but 
how  they  do  it.  Personal  characteristics  show  us  the  man,  and,  after  all,  the 
human  side  of  a  noted  man  is  as  interesting  and  instructive  as  his 
deeds.  Mr.  Mackay  was  a  man  of  very  decided  characteristics.  His  pleasure 
in  life  was  in  working  out  big  things.  In  one  of  Frederick  the  Great's  discussions 
with  his  friends,  the  remark  was  made  that  he  is  the  happiest  man  who  has  the 
means  and  opportunity  to  accomplish  great  things.  Certainly  that  was  Mr.  Mac- 
kay's  pleasure.  From  mining  he  turned  to  an  entirely  new  field — the  laying  of 
submarine  cables  and  building  of  telegraph  lines.  He  found  in  1884  a  strongly 
entrenched  monopoly — the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company — with  no  oppo- 
sition on  the  Atlantic  Ocean  and  only  a  few  scattering,  badly  organized  and  in- 
solvent competitors  on  land.  He  was  attracted  by  the  opportunity  to  do 
a  master  workman's  work,  and  he  had  the  means  to  do  it.  Accordingly  in  1884, 
he  laid  two  submarine  cables  from  America  to  Europe,  through  The  Commercial 
Cable  Company  which  he  had  organized  in  1883.  At  once  the  "cable  combine"  made 
war  on  him.  Cable  rates  were  reduced  to  a  ruinous  basis.  The  war  lasted  eighteen 
months,  and  when  it  ended  he  had  maintained  his  ground,  had  dictated  the  terms 
of  peace  and  was  never  afterward  disturbed.  Jay  Gould  said  there  was 
no  use  trying  to  beat  Mackay,  because  the  latter  would  spend  all  his  money 
in  fighting  and  then  go  and  dig  some  more  out  of  the  ground  and  start  in  fighting 
again.  And  Gould  knew  that  no  quarter  was  asked.  Two  years  later,  in  1886, 
Mr.  Mackay  organized  the  Postal  Telegraph-Cable  Company,  and  commenced 
the  construction  of  land  telegraph  lines  throughout  the  United  States.  It  had 
been  the  boast  of  the  Western  Union  that  no  telegraph  company  in  competition 
with  them  had  ever  paid  a  dividend.  And  that  was  true  up  to  that 
date.  The  trouble  was  that  no  competitive  company  had  ever  been 
able  to  cover  the  whole  United  States,  and  the  public  would  not 
patronize  a  telegraph  line  that  did  not  reach  all  important  points. 
Accordingly  Mr.  Mackay  pushed  out  rapidly  in  all  directions.  Here  cer- 
tainly was  a  big  thing,  and  it  required  millions  as  well  as  courage  and  brains. 
To-day  it  is  paying  good  dividends,  while  the  Western  .Union  has  dropped  its 
dividend  from  five  to  three  per  cent.  The  third  step  in  building  up  the  Postal 


io66  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

Telegraph-Commercial  Cable  System  was  in  laying  a  cable  from  San  Francisco 
across  the  Pacific  Ocean  to  Honolulu,  Manila,  China  and  Japan — 10,000  miles. 
Mr.  Mackay  was  engaged  in  this  at  the  time  of  his  death  in  1902.  The  work  has 
been  carried  to  completion  by  his  son,  Clarence  H.  Mackay,  and  the  Postal  Tele- 
graph-Commercial Cable  System  now  extends  over  two-thirds  of  the  way  around 
the  world,  namely,  from  London  and  Paris,  across  the  Atlantic,  the  United 
States,  and  the  Pacific  to  China  and  Japan.  It  is  a  proud  record.  It  is  a  great 
feat;  a  worthy  accomplishment  of  a  modest  man  of  bold  and  large  ideas,  sturdily 
and  steadily  carrying  out  his  plans  day  by  day  against  seemingly  insurmountable  ob- 
stacles and  opposition.  Another  characteristic  of  Mr.  Mackay  was  his  liking 
for  other  men  of  his  type.  He  was  a  friend  of  such  men  as  Gen- 
eral Grant,  General  Sherman,  General  Sheridan,  C.  P.  Hunt:ngton,  and  that 
wonderful  group  of  Pacific  Coast  men — "men  with  the  hearts  of  Vikings  and  the 
simple  faith  of  a  child."  They  all  felt  at  home  with  Mr.  Mackay,  and  at  the  time 
of  his  death  the  walls  of  his  office  were  covered  with  fine  large  photographs  of  dis- 
tinguished men  from  all  parts  of  America,  who  had  known  him  personally  and 
presented  him  with  these  pictures.  He  was  always  ready  to  help  them.  When  Mr. 
Huntington  ajppealed  to  Mr.  Mackay  to  accept  the  position  of  director  in  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Company  in  order  to  render  the  road  more  popular, 
Mr.  Mackay  did  so  without  hesitation,  and  from  that  day  Mr.  Huntington  had  an 
easier  time  of  it.  But,  after  all,  the  finest  trait  in  Mr.  Mackay's  character  was 
his  sterling  honesty.  A  dishonorable  or  dishonest  act  he  was  incapable 
of.  He  often  said  to  his  associates  in  the  telegraph  and  cable  business :  "Keep 
your  name  good  if  you  haven't  a  dollar."  He  never  speculated;  never  borrowed 
a  dollar.  When  he  died  his  estate  did  not  find  a  single  debt  to  pay.  He  lived 
simply,  carried  on  his  vast  operations  simply,  confined  himself  to  single  enter- 
prises, and  devoted  himself,  heart,  soul  and  fortune,  to  working  them  out.  In 
1902  Mr.  Mackay  was  spending  the  summer  in  London  with  his  wife  and  looking 
after  the  European  side  of  his  telegraph  and  cable  interests.  While  there  he  died 
suddenly,  July  20th,  1902,  in  the  seventy-second  year  of  his  age.  His  wife,  step- 
daughter, and  his  son,  Clarence  H.  Mackay,  survive  him. 

HON.  TASKER  LOWNDES  ODDIE  was  born  in  Brooklyn,  New  York, 
October  24,  1870.  From  early  childhood  he  lived  in  East  Orange,  New  Jersey, 
where  he  attended  school.  From  the  age  of  sixteen  to  nineteen  he  lived  the 
life  of  a  cowboy  on  a  ranch  in  Nebraska,  where  he  became  imbued  with  the 
spirit  of  the  West  which  resulted  in  his  taking  up  his  life  in  the  Western 
country  later.  On  returning  frojn  Nebraska  he  engaged  in  business  life  in  New 
York  City  and  held  responsible  positions  of  trust.  During  this  time  he 
attended  night  law  school,  from  which  he  was  graduated,  and  in  1895  was 
admitted  to  the  New  York  Bar.  In  1898  he  came  to  Nevada  in  the  interest  of 
his  New  York  employers  to  investigate  conditions  in  their  mining,  railroad, 
banking  and  other  interests  in  that  State.  He  uncovered  a  gigantic  system  of 
frauds  which  were  being  perpetrated  on  his  employers,  and  as  a  result  they 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1067 

recovered  large  sums  of  money  which  they  had  lost.  The  following  year  he 
embarked  in  the  mining  field  for  himself,  and  went  into  the  almost  inaccessible, 
sparsely  inhabited,  mountainous  districts  of  Southern  Nevada,  and  underwent 
hardships  and  privations  for  a  number  of  years,  working  hard  all  the  time  at 
the  most  difficult  manual  labor.  In  this  way  he  learned  the  practical  side  of 
mining  and  at  the  same  time  studied  the  scientific  side.  During  this  time,  in 
1900,  he  became  interested  in  the  original  discovery  of  the  Tonopah  mines  with 
his  friend,  the  famous  Jim  Butler,  their  discoverer,  and  amassed  a  fortune  in 
this  enterprise.  He  was  manager  of  these  great  properties  for  the  first  five 
years,  during  which  time  they  were  splendidly  developed  into  enormous  pro- 
ducers of  gold  and  silver.  In  this  work  he  was  ably  assisted  by  Fred  J. 
Siebert,  a  mining  engineer  of  remarkable  ability.  Goldfield  and  other  important 
mining  camps  were  soon  discovered  as  the  result  of  the  opening  up  of  the 
Tonopah  District,  and  millions  of  dollars  a  year  have  been  produced  by  each 
of  these  camps  ever  since.  The  effect  of  their  discovery  and  development  has 
meant  the  building  of  hundreds  of  miles  of  new  railroads,  the  building  of  towns 
and  the  awakening  of  the  mining  industry  in  the  Western  country.  He  person- 
ally helped  numbers  of  men  to  fortunes  and  has  always  taken  a  keen  interest 
in  the  prospector  and  has  grub  staked  scores  of  them.  He  was  largely  inter- 
ested in  mining  in  Goldfield  and  a  number  of  other  mining  camps  and  was 
heavily  interested  in  banks,  ranches,  stock-raising  and  other  industries  in  the 
State  when  the  panic  of  1907  caught  him  unprepared  to  weather  the  financial 
storm,  as  he  had  so  many  properties  on  hand  in  the  development  stage.  He 
is  still  following  the  mining  game  and  confidently  expects  to  regain  his  lost 
fortune.  From  1901  to  1903  he  was  District  Attorney  for  Nye  County,  from 
1904  to  1908  State  Senator,  and  has  been  Governor  since  January  i,  1911.  His 
term  will  expire  January  i,  1915. 

HON.  FRANK  HERBERT  NORCROSS,  lawyer  and  jurist,  is  a  native  Ne- 
vadan.  He  was  born  on  a  farm  near  Reno,  May  n,  1869,  the  day  following  the 
driving  of  the  last  spike  at  Promonotory,  Utah,  which  marked  the  completion  of 
the  Pacific  railroads.  The  parents  of  Judge  Norcross  were  pioneers  both  of  Cali- 
fornia and  Nevada.  His  father,  Thomas  W.  Norcross,  a  native  of  Maine,  came 
to  California  in  1850  and  engaged  in  mining  and  lumbering.  A  decade  later  his 
mother,  then  Caroline  Sherman  Peckham,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  joined  rela- 
tives icsiding  in  San  Francisco.  In  the  early  '6os  both  parents  of  Judge  Norcross 
came  to  Nevada,  where  they  were  shortly  thereafter  married.  Thomas  Norcross 
for  a  number  of  years  was  engaged  in  lumbering,  but  later  turned  his  attention 
to  farming.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Nevada  State  Agricultural, 
Mining  and  Mechanical  Society,  which  was  later  merged  into  the  State  Agricultural 
Society.  Judge  Norcross  is  not  only  a  son  of  parents  who  were  Pacific  Coast 
pioneers,  but  he  is  also  a  descendant  of  pioneers  of  the  Atlantic  Coast.  One  of 
his  parental  ancestors  upon  his  father's  side  was  Captain  Barbour,  who  settled  in 
Plymouth  Colony  in  1635.  Upon  his  mother's  side  he  is  a  descendant  of  Philip 


io68  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Sherman,  who  settled  at  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  prior  to  1640.  Judge  Norcross 
attended  the  public  schools  of  Nevada  until  the  establishment  of  the  State 
University  at  Reno,  from  which  institution  he  graduated  in  1891  with  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  of  Arts  with  the  first  class  upon  whom  degrees  were  conferred. 
Twenty  years  later,  his  Alma  Mater  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Laws.  While  still  a  student  of  the  University  he  was  elected  County  Surveyor 
of  Washoe  County,  serving  the  full  term.  Upon  graduation  he  spent  a  year  in 
teaching  in  the  public  schools  and  was  for  a  short  time  acting  principal  of  the 
Reno  public  schools,  then,  as  now,  the  largest  in  the  State.  In  the  summer  of 
1892  he  secured  an  appointment  as  a  clerk  in  the  Federal  Census  Office  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  which  enabled  him  to  take  the  lectures  at  the  Law  Department  of 
Georgetown  University,  where  he  was  graduated  a  L.  L.  B.  with  the  class  of  1894. 
He  at  once  returned  to  Nevada,  was  admitted  to  the  Bar,  and  elected  District 
Attorney  of  Washoe  County,  an  office  which  then  transacted  a  larger  volume  of 
business  than  was  done  in  the  same  office  in  all  the  other  counties  of  the  State 
combined.  Two  years  later  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  State  Assembly,  in 
which  body  he  served  as  chairman  of  two  committees — judiciary  and  education. 
He  led  the  fight  in  the  Assembly  to  carry  an  amendment  to  the  Constitution 
granting  suffrage  to  women,  which  was  finally  lost  by  a  tie  vote.  He  was  the 
only  member  of  his  county  delegation  who  voted  against  the  famous  prize  fight 
law.  From  1897  to  1905  he  vras  engaged  in  private  practice  of  the  law  at  Reno, 
and  was  for  several  years  in  partnership  with  Judge  John  S.  Orr.  At  the  general 
election  in  1904  he  was  elected  a  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  for  a  term  of 
six  years,  the  last  two  of  the  term  being  the  Chief  Justice.  In  1910  he  was  re- 
elected  without  opposition,  a  compliment  only  paid  to  one  other  Justice  in  the 
history  of  the  court.  His  term  will  expire  January  i,  1917.  In  1895  Judge 
Norcross  was  married  to  Miss  Adeline  Louise  Morton  of  Carson  City,  who  is 
also  a  native  Nevadan.  Miss  Morton  wa  a  graduate  of  the  Nevada  State  Normal 
School  of  the  class  of  1890.  They  have  one  daughter,  Adele  Cutts  Norcross,  now 
in  her  seventeenth  year.  Judge  Norcross  has  one  brother,  Charles  A.  Norcross, 
the  present  Commissioner  of  Industry,  Agriculture  and  Irrigation  for  Nevada,  and 
one  half-brother,  George  E.  Peckham,  a  properous  farmer,  residing  near  Reno. 
Outside  of  his  professional  and  official  duties,  Judge  Norcross  has  taken  an  active 
interest  in  social  and  political  matters.  For  many  year  he  took  an  active  interest 
in  the  State  Militia  and  at  one  time  was  Captain  of  Company  C  of  the  National 
Guard,  located  at  Reno.  He  was  one  of  the  prime  movers  for  the  establishment  of 
a  free  public  library  at  Reno  and  served  as  chairman  of  its  first  board  of  directors. 
He  is  chairman  of  the  Nevada  State  Council  of  the  National  Civic  Federation  and 
a  member  of  the  Committee  of  One  Hundred  of  the  New  York  University  Hall 
of  Fame,  which  committee  has  the  selection  of  those  eminent  Americans  who  are 
entitled  to  permanent  places  in  the  American  Hall  of  Fame.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  American  Bar  Association,  a  member  of  the  Commission  on  Uniform  State 
Laws,  and  vice-president  of  the  American  Institute  of  Criminal  Law  and 
Criminology.  The  Judge  is  an  occasional  contributor  to  journals  and  law  maga- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1069 

zines  as  'well  as  a  public  speaker  of  some  distinction.  His  address  on  Criminal 
Law  Reform  delivered  before  the  San  Francisco  Bar  Association  in  1909  was 
widely  commented  upon  and  resulted  in  an  invitation,  which  was  accepted,  to 
become  an  associate  editor  of  the  Journal  of  the  American  Institute  of  Criminal 
Law  and  Criminology.  In  March,  1908,  a  committee  consisting  of  Governor 
Cummins  of  Iowa,  Mr.  Hannis  A.  Taylor,  ex-Minister  to  Spain,  and  Mr.  Scott 
C.  Bone,  editor  of  the  Washington  Herald,  as  a  committee  for  the  purpose, 
awarded  to  Judge  Norcross  the  prize  of  one  thousand  dollars,  offered  through  the 
National  Magazine  of  Boston,  for  the  best  article  in  support  of  the  election  of 
President  Roosevelt  to  a  second  elective  term.  Fraternally,  Judge  Norcross  is  a 
Mason  and  an  Elk.  In  the  Masonic  Fraternity  he  has  taken  an  active  interest. 
He  is  a  Past  Master  and  a  Past  Grand  Master  and  has  had  conferred  upon  him 
the  33rd  degree  of  the  Ancient  Accept  Scottish  Rite.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
Kerak  Temple,  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine. 

CHARLES  A.  NORCROSS,  State  Commissioner  of  Industry,  Agriculture 
and  Irrigation  during  the  administration  of  Governor  Oddie,  was  bom  near 
Glendale,  Washoe  County,  Nevada,  November  6,  1866.  He  is  a  brother  of 
Justice  Norcross,  of  the  Nevada  Supreme  Court,  and  a  half-brother  of  George 
E.  Peckham,  a  prominent  rancher  near  Reno,  who,  in  1894,  was  the  nominee  of 
the  Peoples'  Party  for  governor.  The  parents  were  from  New  England  and 
descendants  of  distinguished  families  in  the  history  of  Massachusetts  and 
Maine.  In  1868  the  family  removed  to  a  homestead  four  miles  south  of  Reno, 
which  in  the  succeeding  years  was  reclaimed  into  a  valuable  farm,  and  here 
Charles,  under  the  tutilage  of  his  half-brother,  learned  a  good  deal  about  hard 
work  and  some  practical  farming.  He  attended  the  Huffakers'  country  school 
until  16,  then  spent  a  year  at  Napa  College,  after  which  a  year  of  farming, 
then  two  years  at  the  State  University,  two  years  of  farming,  two  years  of 
school  teaching,  then  back  to  the  farm.  The  State  University  some  twenty 
years  later  granted  him  an  honorary  degree.  In  1892  he  was  elected  to  the 
i6th  session  of  the  Nevada  Legislature.  The  following  year  he  went  to  Ken- 
nedy, Humboldt  County,  and  engaged  in  mining.  February  26,  1896,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Lydia  Lonkey,  of  Verdi.  Shortly  afterwards  he  was  appointed 
a  clerk  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  United  States  Senate  and  removed 
to  Washington,  where  he  remained  until  1904.  While  in  Washington  he  took 
the  law  lectures  at  Georgetown  University  and  was  promoted  to  Enrolling 
Clerk  of  the  Senate,  which  position  he  resigned  in  December,  1904.  The  same 
year  he  purchased  the  Reno  Evening  Gazette,  selling  it  a  year  later  to  engage 
in  mining  in  Southern  Nevada.  After  the  usual  ups  and  downs  in  mining,  the 
panic  of  1897  left  him  in  the  same  financial  status  as  many  others ;  namely, 
considerably  worse  off  than  nothing.  He  was  appointed  Commissioner  of 
Industry,  Agriculture  and  Irrigation  by  Governor  Oddie  on  April  i,  1911.  In 
connection  with  work  in  this  department  Mr.  Norcross,  at  the  Governor's 
suggestion,  undertook  a  reform  of  the  revenue  system  of  the  State,  which, 


1070  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

after  two  sessions  of  the  Legislature,  was  finally  consummated  in  the  present 
Tax  Commission  Act,  of  which  he  is  the  author. 

GEORGE  EDWARD  PECKHAM  is  a  prosperous  farmer  residing  on 
Truckee  Meadows,  near  Reno.  He  was  born  in  Fall  River,  Mass.,  March  8, 
1851.  He  is  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  oldest  New  England  families,  one  of 
his  ancestors,  Philip  Sherman,  having  settled  at  Portsmouth,  Rhode  Island, 
prior  to  1640.  His  father  died  in  September,  1854,  and  six  years  later  his 
mother,  Caroline  Sherman  Peckham,  with  George  and  his  only  sister,  joined 
relatives  in  San  Francisco,  coming  to  the  Pacific  Coast  by  way  of  the  Isthmus. 
In  April,  1864,  with  his  mother,  he  came  to  the  Territory  of  Nevada,  locating 
at  Galena,  a  lumbering  town  near  the  then  prosperous  city  of  Wasnoe.  Soon 
after  George,  then  but  a  boy  of  about  fourteen  years,  took  up  a  mail  route 
from  Washoe  to  Galena  which  another  had  given  up.  Not  being  able  to 
afford  a  horse,  he  carried  the  mail  on  foot,  covering  a  distance  of  about  thirty 
miles  a  day.  The  eagerness  of  the  men  in  the  lumber  camps  to  get  the  war 
news  often  found  the  boy  carrier  heavily  loaded  with  daily  and  weekly  papers, 
besides  the  letters  and  magazines.  In  December,  1865,  his  mother  and  Mr. 
Thomas  W.  Norcross  were  married  and  the  family  moved  to  Truckee  Meadows, 
where  Mr.  Norcross  was  running  a  saw-mill  on  the  Truckee  River,  near 
Glendale.  Here  George  worked  for  about  two  years,  one  winter  of  which 
was  spent  in  attending  the  public  schools.  This  completed  his  school  educa- 
tion, which  was  less  than  seven  months'  attendance  after  he  was  twelve  years 
old.  In  January,  1868,  the  family  established  a  permanent  residence  upon  what 
is  now  a  part  of  the  Peckham  farm.  Here  was  born  a  half  brother,  Frank 
H.  Norcross,  now  a  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court.  Another  half  brother, 
Charles  A.  Norcross,  now  State  Commissioner  of  Industry,  Agriculture  and 
Irrigation,  was  born  at  Glendale.  Mr.  Peckham  was  united  in  marriage  Feb- 
ruary 10,  1876,  to  Emma  Jane  Shepphard,  a  native  of  Ontario,  Canada.  Six 
children  now  living  have  blessed  their  union:  Ethel  May,  George  Arthur, 
Harriet  A.,  James  Garfield,  Alfred  Rufus  and  William  F.  Ethel  is  now  Mrs. 
Joseph  Frey,  Jr.;  Harriet  is  Mrs.  C.  W.  Brooks.  James  Peckham  is  alsd 
married.  Nine  grandchildren  add  to  the  happiness  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peckham. 
George  Peckham,  although  deprived  of  the  advantages  of  an  extended  school 
education,  has  always  been  a  great  student  and  reader.  Possessed  of  a  re- 
markable memory,  he  is  probably  one  of  the  best  posted  men  in  Nevada.  He 
has  been  a  frequent  contributor  to  the  press,  particularly  upon  the  subject  of 
finance.  He  was  the  candidate  of  the  Populist  party  for  Governor  in  1894.  He 
served  the  people  of  Washoe  County  as  an  Assemblyman  and  member  of  the 
Committee  on  Ways  and  Means  during  the  Legislative  Session  of  1901. 

HON.  GEORGE  S.  NIXON,  who  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  June  5,  1912, 
was  born  at  Newcastle,  Placer  County,  Cal.,  on  the  second  day  of  April,  1860. 
His  parents,  J.  H.  and  Mary  (Estill)  Nixon,  having  crossed  the  Plains  in  1851, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1071 

locating  at  Doten's  Bar,  Cal.,  where  the  father  became  one  of  the  representa- 
tive farmers  of  his  locality.  Senator  Nixon  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
in  Newcastle,  remaining  here  until  he  was  twenty  years  of  age.  He  studied 
telegraphy  and  came  to  Nevada,  locating  first  at  Brown's  and  then  at  Hum- 
boldt  House,  and  entered  the  employ  of  the  Southern  Pacific  R.  R.  as  station 
agent.  In  1883  he  went  to  Bellville  on  the  Carson  and  Colorado  raflrond, 
where  he  acted  as  station  agent  for  one  year.  In  1884  he  resigned  his  position 
with  the  railroad  and  accepted  a  position  with  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Reno,  and  in  1886  he  removed  to  Winnemucca,  where  he  organized  the  First 
National  Bank.  For  several  years  he  was  the  active  manager  of  the  institu- 
tion and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  the  largest  owner  of  the  stock  of  that 
institution.  Senator  Nixon  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Kate  Imogene 
Bacon,  a  native  of  Princeton,  111.,  January  30,  1887.  To  this  union  was  born 
one  son,  Bertram  Estill,  born  November  19,  1887.  In  1906  the  family  re- 
moved to  Reno,  where  Mr.  Nixon  erected  an  imposing  residence,  the  finest  in 
Nevada,  on  the  banks  of  the  Truckee  River.  Mr.  Nixon  served  as  a  member 
of  the  Nevada  Legislature  from  Humboldt  County  in  1891.  He  was  elected 
to  the  United  States  Senate  January  25,  1905,  to  succeed  Senator  William  M. 
Stewart.  He  was  re-elected  to  the  Senate  January,  1911.  His  term  would 
have  expired  March,  1917.  As  a  representative  of  Nevada  in  the  Halls  of 
Congress  Senator  Nixon  won  fame,  for  his  every  effort  was  for  the  right  and 
for  the  upbuilding  of  the  nation.  During  the  mining  excitement  in  Southern 
Nevada  Mr.  Nixon  became  associated  with  George  Wingfield,  organizing  the 
Goldfield  Consolidated  Mines  Company.  They  also  established  the  John  S. 
Cook  and  Company  Bank  of  Goldfield.  Mr.  Nixon  was  president  of  the 
Tonopah  Banking  Corporation,  the  Carson  Valley  Bank  of  Carson  City,  The 
Nixon  National  Bank  of  Reno,  and  the  First  National  Bank  of  Winnemucca. 
He  had  extensive  realty  interests  in  Reno,  Winnemucca,  Lovelock  and  other 
parts  of  the  State.  Fraternally  Mr.  Nixon  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
Lodge,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  B.  P.  O.  E. 

JOSEPH  F.  NENZEL,  one  of  the  public-spirited  and  successful  mining 
men  of  Nevada  and  discoverer  of  the  mining  camp  of  Rochester,  was  born 
March  9,  1877,  at  La  Crosse,  Wis.  He  is  a  son  of  George  Nenzel,  a  native  of 
Germany,  who  came  to  America  in  1863  and  settled  in  Madison,  Wis.  He  was 
a  cabinet-maker  by  trade,  serving  an  apprenticeship  in  his  native  land.  After 
locating  in  Wisconsin  he  afterwards  engaged  in  the  basket  manufacturing  busi- 
ness. His  death  occurred  in  1900.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  Julian 
Nenzel,  also  a  native  of  Germany.  There  were  seven  children.  Joseph  F.  ac- 
quired his  education  in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  attended  St.  John's 
University  at  St.  Cloud,  Minn.  At  an  early  age  he  learned  the  blacksmithing 
trade,  which  he  followed  for  some  years.  He  served  in  the  Spanish-American 
War  in  1898-99,  he  being  a  member  of  Company  "L,"  First  South  Dakota 
Regiment.  He  saw  service  in  the  Philippines  for  one  year  and  was  discharged 


1072  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

in  San  Francisco  in  1899.  He  immediately  returned  to  the  Black  Hills,  where 
he  followed  mining  for  six  years.  In  November,  1906,  he  removed  to  Nevada 
and  was  successful  in  mining  in  Seven  Troughs  district,  and  later  he  spent  two 
years  in  Churchill  County,  where  he  was  identified  with  mining.  In  1911  he 
located  permanently  in  Humboldt  County  and  in  July,  1912,  he  made  the  big 
strike  at  Rochester.  He  is  president  of  the  Rochester  Mines  Company,  Nenzel 
Crown  Point  Mining  Company  and  the  Rochester-Weaver  Mining  Company. 
Mr.  Nenzel  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ora  Stevens,  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, on  June  15,  1904.  To  this  union  was  born  Joseph,  October  20,  1906, 
and  Hutchinson,  May  30,  1909.  In  politics  Mr.  Nenzel  is  affiliated  with  the 
Democratic  party.  He  served  as  Constable  during  his  residence  in  Seven 
Troughs  and  was  appointed  by  Lieut.-Gov.  Ross,  April  14,  1913,  on  the  Gov. 
ernor's  Staff,  with  rank  of  Colonel.  He  is  a  man  of  strong  purpose,  unfaltering 
determination  and  unquestioned  honesty,  and  he  certainly  deserves  great  credit 
for  what  he  has  done,  having  steadily  worked  his  way  upward  from  a  humble 
financial  position  until  he  is  now  accorded  a  place  among  the  leading  business  men 
of  the  Commonwealth. 

HON.  WILLIAM  CHARLES  PITT,  who  is  the  founder  of  the  Lovelock 
Mercantile  and  Banking  Company,  one  of  the  largest  establishments  in  the 
State,  and  who,  by  his  business  ability,  has  built  up  an  enterprise  which  is  an 
honor  to  the  town  and  State,  is  a  son  of  W.  C.  and  Jane  (Coke)  Pitt.  His 
father  came  to  America  and  located  at  Jackson,  Mich.,  in  1858.  He  served 
throughout  the  Civil  War  as  a  member  of  the  Twenty-fourth  Wisconsin  Vol- 
unteer Infantry  and  was  taken  prisoner  at  Chickamauga.  He  passed  eighteen 
months  in  Libby  and  Andersonville  prisons,  and  being  a  Freemason  he  was 
allowed  certain  privileges  and  served  as  bookkeeper  for  one  of  the  Southern 
officers.  After  the  war  he  came  to  Paradise  Valley,  where  he  died  in  1881.  His 
wife  died  in  Michigan  in  1866.  Hon.  W.  C.  Pitt  was  born  near  Milwaukee,  Wis., 
April  10,  1859.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  after  which, 
at  the 'age  of  fourteen,  he  went  to  Mississippi  and  Kentucky,  where  he  remained 
for  a  time,  working  in  the  cotton  fields.  He  returned  to  Michigan  and  just 
before  his  twentieth  birthday  he  removed  to  Nevada,  locating  in  Lovelock. 
Here  Mr.  Pitt  found  employment  at  ranching  for  two  years,  after  which  he 
bought  a  small  piece  of  land.  He  has  added  to  his  real  estate  until  he  now 
owns  twenty-five  hundred  acres.  Mr.  Pitt  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Capitolia  Moses,  a  native  of  Michigan,  and  six  children  have  been  born  to 
them.  Ada,  wife  of  F.  E.  Baker,  of  Rochester,  Nev.;  Bessie,  wife  of  Charles 
Romwall,  of  Petaluma,  Cal.;  Mable,  wife  of  F.  C.  Biddleman,  of  Lovelock; 
Daniel  W.,  attending  college;  Clarence  Leland,  now  residing  in  Nevada,  and 
Charles,  now  deceased.  On  Mr.  Pitt's  twenty-first  birthday  he  was  elected 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  which  office  he  held  for  ten  years.  He  has  served  in  the 
State  Assembly  for  three  terms  and  as  State  Senator  one  term.  Fraternally  he 
is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows,  the  B.  P.  O.  E.,  K.  of  P.  and  of  Humboldt 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1073 

Lodge  No.  27,  F.  and  A.  M.,  at  Lovelock.    He  is  Past  Grand  Chancellor  of 
Nevada. 


HON.  M.  S.  BONNIFIELD,  of  Winnemucca,  for  a  number  of  years  Judge 
of  the  Supreme  Bench  of  the  State,  is  numbered  among  the  early  pioneers, 
having  crossed  the  Plains  to  the  territory  in  1862.  Judge  Bonnifield  is  a  native 
of  West  Virginia,  his  birth  having  occurred  September  14,  1833.  He  received 
his  education  in  Alleghany  College,  of  Meadville,  Pa.,  and  after  his  gradua- 
tion he  was  elected  president  of  Richard  College,  serving  in  that  capacity  for 
one  year.  He  removed  to  Kansas  in  1856,  where  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar 
by  the  celebrated  Judge  La  Compt,  and  after  practicing  his  profession  in  Kan- 
sas for  two  years  he  removed  to  Ottumwa,  Iowa,  where  he  resumed  his  legal 
duties.  In  1861  he  crossed  the  Plains  to  Red  Bluff,  California.  The  journey 
was  made  with  horses,  taking  three  months.  While  a  resident  of  Meadville, 
Pa.,  Judge  Bonnifield  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Laura  Ames,  and  she 
accompanied  him  on  his  long  trip  across  the  Plains  to  California.  In  1862 
they  went  to  Rumboldt  County,  where  the  judge  has  continued  to  make  his 
home,  and  throughout  this  long  period  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  law,  with  the  exception  of  the  time  he  spent  on  the  Supreme  Bench  of  the 
State  He  supported  the  Free-soilers  in  Kansas  and  served  that  State  as  a 
State  Senator.  Afterward  he  allied  his  interests  with  the  Democracy  and  in 
1892  became  one  of  the  active  organizers  of  the  Silver  Party.  He  has  repre- 
sented Humboldt  County  in  the  two  Sessions  of  the  State  Senate,  and  in 
1892  he  was  made  presidential  elector  and  was  selected  to  carry  the  vote  of 
this  State  to  Washington,  D.  C.  In  1894  Mr.  Bonnifield  was  elected  Judge 
of  the  Supreme  Court  on  the  Silver  Party  ticket  and  served  for  six  years. 
Mrs.  Bonnifield  was  called  to  her  final  rest  in  1887  and  in  1889  Mr.  Bonnifield 
married  Mrs.  Nellie  Lovelock.  He  was  made  a  Master  Mason  in  Iowa  in 
1885  and  he  is  also  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. ' 

WILLIAM  SUTHERLAND  BONNIFIELD,  Jr.— Among  the  progressive 
young  attorneys  of  Nevada  special  mention  is  due  W.  S.  Bonnifield,  Jr.  He 
was  born  in  Winnemucca,  November  n,  1885,  and  a  son  of  William  S.,  an  at- 
torney who  is  one  of  the  representative  lawyers  of  the  State.  He  received 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Winnemucca  and  the  high  school  of 
Berkeley,  Cal.,  after  which  he  read  law  in  his  father's  office  for  four  years 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Carson  City  in  1907.  He  returned  to  Winne- 
mucca, where  he  established  an  office,  and  today  stands  high  among  the  legal 
fraternity.  Mr.  Bonnifield  was  appointed  United  States  Commissioner  by 
Judge  Farrington  in  1007,  which  office  will  not  expire  until  1915.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Virginia  Campbell,  a  native  of  Virginia,  July  i, 
1910.  Their  one  child,  Helen  Eileen,  was  born  August  30,  1911.  Mr.  Bonni- 
field is  a  member  of  the  Moose  Lodge  of  Winnemucca. 


1074  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

HON.  GEORGE  S.  BROWN  is  numbered  among  the  representative  attorneys 
of  the  Silver  State  and  has  made  his  home  in  Nevada  since  1897.  He  is  a  native 
of  New  York,  his  birth  occurring  November  26,  1865,  in  Brooklyn.  He  attended 
the  public  schools  of  Rochester,  where  his  parents  removed  when  he  was  quite 
young.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  went  to  Providence,  R.  I.,  where  he  attended  and 
graduated  from  Brown's  University  in  1888.  He  then  attended  Columbia  Law 
School  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  New  York  State,  May,  1890.  He  came 
west  and  located  in  Tacoma,  Wash.,  where  he  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law  in 
that  city  and  Everett  from  1890  to  1897,  when  he  removed  to  Elko,  Nevada,  to  take 
charge  of  the  legal  department  of  a  mining  corporation,  remaining  in  Elko  until 
January,  1911.  He  then  came  to  Reno  and  entered  the  law  firm  of  Mack  &  Green, 
where  he  remained  until  May  i,  1912,  when  he  formed  a  co-partnership  with  Samuel 
W.  Belford  under  the  firm  name  of  Brown  &  Belford.  While  Judge  Brown  was 
a  resident  of  Elko  County  he  served  for  eight  years  as  District  Judge  of  the  Fourth 
Judicial  District.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  P.  Foster,  April 
30,  1895.  To  this  union  three  children  were  born — one  dying  in  infancy,  the  two 
living  are  Philip  F.,  born  December  7,  1896,  and  Margaret  C,  born  October  19,  1902. 
Judge  Brown  is  now  serving  as  president  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  of  Reno. 

ALBERT  F.  ADAMS,  M.  D.,  who  is  numbered  among  the  prominent  physi- 
cians in  Eastern  Nevada,  was  born  May  24,  1879,  in  Oregon.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  and  Washington  State  College,  graduating  in 
1900.  He  then  attended  the  Cooper  Medical  College,  graduating  in  1904.  He 
spent  one  year  in  the  Sacramento  Railroad  Hospital,  and  afterwards  became 
identified  with  the  Pacific  Mail  Steamship  Company  as  chief  surgeon  for  one 
year.  Dr.  Adams  removed  to  Ely,  Nevada,  in  July,  1907,  where  he  has  since 
been  practicing  his  profession.  He  is  a  member  of  the  county  and  State 
medical  societies  and  the  American  Medical  Association.  He  served  as  city 
physician  for  three  years,  also  as  county  physician.  He  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Florence  Rose  Griffin,  a  native  of  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  Decem- 
ber 28,  1906.  To  this  union  have  been  born  two  children,  Alberta  Martha 
Florence,  born  June  5,  1910,  and  Albert  Franklin,  Jr.,  born  October  14,  1911. 
Dr.  Adams  is  affiliated  with  the  Eagles,  Moose,  K.  of  P.,  Yeomen  and  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

HON.  H.  F.  BARTINE.— The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  had  a  most  honor- 
able and  distinguished  career  as  a  public  man.  He  was  born  March  21,  1848, 
in  the  City  of  New  York;  he  removed  with  his  parents  to  New  Jersey  when 
ten  years  of  age.  A  mere  boy,  but  little  past  his  fifteenth  birthday,  he  en- 
listed on  July  20,  1863,  as  a  private  soldier  in  the  Eighth  Regiment  New 
Jersey  Volunteers,  for  service  in  the  great  Civil  War.  The  regiment  was  a 
seasoned  one  and  was  then  at  the  front  as  a  part  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
where  it  remained  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Mr.  Bartine  participated  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1075 

about  a  dozen  battles  and  practically  the  entire  siege  of  Petersburg.  At  the 
great  struggle  in  the  Wilderness  he  was  severely  wounded,  a  partially  spent 
ball  striking  him  almost  directly  over  the  heart.  He  was  sent  to  the  hos- 
pital, but  returned  to  his  regiment  in  a  little  less  then  three  months,  al- 
though it  was  six  months  later  before  the  wound  was  entirely  healed.  He 
came  to  Nevada  in  the  early  spring  of  1869,  engaging  in  various  industrial 
pursuits.  His  public  life  may  be  said  to  have  begun  in  1876,  when,  in  the 
political  campaign  of  that  year,  he  obtained  recognition  as  one  of  the  most 
eloquent  and  forceful  platform  speakers  in  the  State.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1880  and  at  the  ensuing  election  was  chosen  District  Attorney  of  Qrmsby 
County,  holding  the  office  for  the  period  of  two  years.  He  at  once  took  a 
leading  place  in  his  profession,  being  regarded  as  especially  strong  in  the  dis- 
cussion of  legal  questions,  and  scarcely  less  effective  as  a  jury  lawyer.  In 
the  fall  of  1888  he  was  elected  to  Congress  and  was  re-elected  in  November, 
1890.  He  served  two  full  terms,  the  last  one  expiring  on  March  4,  1893.  He 
acquired  a  national  reputation  as  an  advocate  of  the  complete  restoration  of 
silver  to  monetary  use.  This  reputation  was  enhanced  and  extended  by  his 
later  work  as  editor  of  the  "National  Bimetallist,"  published  first  in  Chicago 
and  afterward  in  Washington,  D.  C.  In  1902  he  became  a  candidate  upon 
the  Democratic  and  Silver  Party  tickets  for  the  office  of  Justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  State,  but  was  overwhelmed  by  the  Roosevelt  tidal 
wave  that  rolled  over  the  country  in  that  year.  He  held  the  position  of  State 
Tax  Examiner  from  September,  1904,  to  December  31,  1905.  He  was  ap- 
pointed Railroad  Commissioner  in  March,  1907,  was  reappointed  in  January, 
1909,  and  appointed  for  a  third  term  in  January,  1912,  the  last-named  term  end- 
ing in  February,  1915.  On  March  23,  1911,  the  Public  Service  Commission  was 
created  and  the  Railroad  Commission  became  ex  officio  the  Public  Service 
Commission  as  well.  Since  their  creation,  Mr.  Bartine  has  been  continuously 
chairman  of  both  commissions,  and  the  member  who,  under  the  law,  must 
be  an  attorney  well  versed  in  railroad  law.  The  work  of  these  commissions 
has  been  most  important  and  under  the  legal  guidance  of  Chief  Commissioner 
Bartine,  the  commission  is  now  regarded  as  having  no  superior  in  aggressive 
force  and  intelligent  strength  west  of  the  Mississippi  River,  if,  indeed  it  stands 
second  to  any  in  the  country.  Mr.  Bartine,  or  "Judge,"  as  he  is  usually  called, 
has  a  wife  and  three  daughters.  His  home  for  thirty-eight  years  has  been  in 
Carson  City,  the  Capital,  and  he  is  a  Democrat  in  politics. 

HON.  KEP  PITTMAN,  Junior,  Senator  from  the  State  of  Nevada,  who  took 
office  on  the  29th  day  of  January,  1913,  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of  the  late 
Senator  George  S.  Nixon,  which  term  expires  on  March  4,  1917,  was  born  at 
Vicksburg,  Mississippi,  on  the  igth  day  of  September,  1872.  He  is  the  son  of 
William  Buckner  Pittman  and  Catherine  Key  Pittman.  Mr.  Pittman  on  both 
sides  of  the  family  is  descended  from  old  Southern  stock.  William  Buckner 
Pittman  was  a  descendant  of  the  North  Carolina  Pittmans,  on  his  father's 


1076  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

side,  and  on  his  mother's  side  was  descended  from  the  Buckners  of  Kentucky. 
Mr.  Pittsman's  mother,  on  her  father's  side,  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  Francis 
Scott  Key,  and  on  her  mother's  side  was  descended  from  the  Marshalls  of 
Virginia.  William  Buckner  Pittman  served  through  the  entire  Civil  War  as  a 
Confederate  officer,  surrendering  at  Vicksburg.  Although  he  died  at  the  early 
age  of  47,  he  had  won  a  reputation  as  one  of  the  foremost  lawyers  of  the 
South.  Key  Pittman  was  educated  by  private  tutors  and  at  the  Southwestern 
Presbyterian  University,  Clarksville,  Tenn.  After  the  completion  of  his  college 
education,  in  1890,  finding  family  ties  severed  by  death  and  conditions  in  the 
South  discouraging  for  one  of  an  energetic  temperament,  Mr.  Pittman  decided 
to  cast  his  lot  in  the  new  and  rapidly  developing  States  of  the  West.  He 
commenced  the  practice  of  law  in  the  State  of  Washington  in  1892  as  a  partner 
of  August  M.  Moore.  From  the  beginning  of  his  career  to  the  present  time 
he  has  not  only  enjoyed  the  best  practice,  but  has  been  recognized  as  an  ac- 
tive, able  and  successful  lawyer.  In  1897,  impatient  at  the  financial  conditions 
then  existing  in  the  West,  as  a  result  of  the  panic  of  1893,  and  from  the  mere 
love  of  the  strenuous  life,  Mr.  Pittman  joined  the  mad  rush  through  the  Klon- 
dyke.  Unused  to  physical  labor,  he  adapted  himself  to  the  change  of  conditions 
without  effort.  For  six  weeks  he  daily  packed  heavy  loads  of  provisions  across 
the  tedious  Skagway  trail.  He  and  his  associates  whipsawed  their  own  lum- 
ber, built  their  own  boats  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Yukon,  later  sailed  down 
the  lakes,  ran  canyons  and  rapids,  and  arrived  at  Dawson  at  the  beginning  of 
an  Arctic  winter.  Here  Mr.  Pittsman  was  prevented  from  practicing  his  pro- 
fession  by  reason  of  certain  laws  of  Canada  with  regard  to  citizenship  and 
residence,  which  Mr.  Pittman  was  unable  and  unwilling  to  comply  with. 
Under  these  conditions  he  worked  two  years  at  physical  labor  as  a  common 
miner,  exposed  to  all  the  hardships  of  an  Arctic  climate.  Whilst  he  was 
unable  to  practice  law  at  Dawson,  he  was  counsel  for  the  Australians  who 
attacked  the  corruption  of  the  government  officials  at  Dawson,  and  succeeded 
in  having  such  officials  replaced  and  needed  reforms  instituted.  In  1899  Mr. 
Pittman  went  to  the  new  mining  camp  of  Nome,  District  of  Alaska.  He  was 
immediately  thrown  into  the  active  legal  and  political  life  of  the  camp.  In  the 
fall,  there  being  8,000  people  at  Nome  and  no  form  of  government,  he  par- 
ticipated in  the  organization  of  a  "consent"  form  of  government,  to  preserve 
law  and  order  and  health  during  the  nine  months  when  its  residents  would 
be  shut  out  of  the  world  by  miles  of  ice.  By  appointment  he  became  the 
first  District  Attorney  under  this  consent  form  of  government,  and  by  the 
enforcement  of  the  laws,  which  depended  solely  upon  consent  for  their  author- 
ity, protected  the  community  against  lawlessness,  epidemics  and  conflagrations. 
In  1901  Mr.  Pittman  became  one  of  the  leading  counsel  for  the  miners  in 
their  fight  against  a  conspiracy  to  rob  them  of  their  property,  so  vividly  de- 
scribed in  Rex  Beach's  novel,  "The  Spoilers."  Later  in  1901,  believing  that 
the  principal  litigation  in  Alaska  was  finally  determined,  Mr.  Pittman  went  to 
the  new  mining  camp  of  Tonopah,  Nevada,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1077 

permanent  home  in  that  State.  His  reputation  as  a  mining  lawyer  had  pre- 
ceded him  and  he  immediately  acquired  a  large  mining  and  corporation  prac- 
tice. He  became  identified  not  only  as  general  counsel,  but  as  an  officer  and 
stockholder  of  the  principal  mining  and  industrial  companies  in  the  State. 
He  has  been  closely  identified  with  the  building  up  of  the  State  telephone 
company  and  is  vice-president  of  Nevada  First  National  Bank  of  Tonopah. 
Whilst  he  has  never  sought  any  other  political  office  than  that  of  United 
States  Senator,  he  has  been  honored  on  numerous  occasions  by  appointments 
by  the  Governors  of  the  State  of  Nevada  and  the  Supreme  Court  of  thte 
State  to  represent  the  State  at  expositions,  irrigation  and  mining  congresses 
and  congresses  of  jurists  and  lawyers.  Mr.  Pittman  two  years  ago  became 
the  nominee  of  the  Democratic  party  in  his  State,  after  a  hotly  contested 
primary,  in  which  his  opponents  for  the  position  of  nominee  for  United  States 
Senator  were  the  most  prominent  Democrats  of  his  State.  His  campaign 
against  the  late  Senator  George  S.  Nixon,  while  active  and  brilliant,  was 
marked  with  such  fairness  that  upon  his  defeat  the  Republicans  in  the  Legis- 
lature, by  unanimous  resolution,  congratulated  Mr.  Pittman.  In  the  recent 
election  Mr.  Pittman  was  the  unanimous  nominee  of  his  party,  and  the  ener- 
getic and  brilliant  campaign  made  by  him  attracted  the  attention  of  his  party 
throughout  the  country.  Mr.  Pittman  belongs  to  many  social  and  secret 
societies.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon  college  fraternity  and  a 
thirty-second  degree  Mason.  Mr.  Pittman  was  married  to  Mimosa  June  Gates 
at  Nome  in  1900.  Miss  Gates  was  a  descendant  of  a  prominent  California 
family  and  a  resident  of  Eureka,  of  that  State.  In  1898  Miss  Gates  was  with 
her  brother,  Humbolt  Gates,  at  Dawson,  where  Mr.  Gates  owned  one  of  the 
richest  mining  claims  in  the  new  district.  Here  Mr.  Pittman  met  Miss  Gates 
and  here  they  became  engaged.  In  1900,  Mr.  Pittman  being  unable,  on  ac- 
count of  his  legal  duties,  to  leave  Nome,  induced  Miss  Gates  and  her  brother 
to  come  to  Nome,  where  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pittman  were  united  in  marriage.  Mrs. 
Pittman  has  taken  an  active  part  in  Nevada  society  and  is  fond  of  outdoor 
sports,  particularly  riding  and  motoring. 

FRANK  M.  CHURCH.  A  review  of  the  prominent  attorneys  and  of  the  men 
who  have  played  an  important  part  in  the  great  mining  centers  of  Nevada  would 
be  deficient,  without  a  sketch  of  Frank  M.  Church,  of  Goldfield.  He  is  well  known 
in  mining  localities  and  was  born  at  Camden,  New  Jersey,  June  8,  1865.  He  was 
educated  in  the  grammar  schools,  attended  Bucknell  Academy  at  Lewisburg,  Penn- 
sylvania, for  a  period  of  one  year,  Georgetown  College  four  years,  graduating  in 
1896  with  the  degree  of  B.  of  S.  He  attended  the  Columbian  Law  School  at 
Washington,  D.  C,  graduating  in  1898  with  degrees  of  B.  of  L.  and  M.  of  L.  He 
took  up  the  practice  of  law  in  Washington,  remaining  there  until  1905,  when  he 
removed  to  Goldfield,  Nevada.  He  became  associated  in  the  practice  of  law  with 
the  late  Senator  William  M.  Stewart  in  the  fall  and  winter  of  1906-07,  and  looked 
after  the  legal  affairs  at  Rhyolite,  and  in  the  latter  part  of  1907  he  returned  to 


1078  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Goldfield,  where  he  has  since  practiced  his  profession.     Mr.  Church  is  a  thirty- 
second  degree  Mason  and  a  member  of  the  Moose. 

FRED  M.  CLARK  was  born  at  Columbia  Falls,  Maine,  April  23,  1867.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  school,  after  which  he  attended  the  Westbrook 
Seminary.  He  received  his  first  business  training  in  a  dry  goods  store,  where  he 
remained  one  year,  after  which  he  followed  various  occupations,  *nd  in  1881  he 
removed  to  Frisco,  Utah,  where  he  was  employed  by  the  Horn  Silver  Mining  Co. 
in  the  mines  and  in  the  office,  and  in  September,  1885,  he  came  to  Nevada  and 
located  in  Taylor,  where  he  became  identified  with  the  C.  S.  King  &  Co.  drug 
store.  He  then  went  with  J.  F.  Cupid  as  bookkeeper  for  three  years.  He  later 
purchased  the  drug  store  of  C.  S.  King  &  Co.  at  Taylor,  Nevada,  and  in  1895 
Mr.  Clark  started  the  first  drug  store  in  Ely.  He  was  elected  to  the  State  Legis- 
lature in  1903  and  served  one  term.  In  1907  he  was  elected  and  served  as  the 
first  Mayor  of  Ely,  receiving  the  largest  vote  ever  cast  for  that  office.  He  has 
always  been  largely  interested  in  mining.  Fraternally  Mr.  Clark  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  Lodge,  he  being  a  member  of  the  Blue  Lodge  of  Ely  and  the  Con- 
sistory and  Shrine  of  Reno.  He  is  also  affiliated  with  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Salt 
Lake  City  and  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  of  White  Pine  County.  He  was  married  Novem- 
ber I,  1905,  to  Miss  Siona  E.  Bonniville,  a  native  of  San  Francisco,  Cal.  Their 
one  daughter,  Carol  W.,  was  born  March  12,  1907. 

ARTHUR  ASHTON  CODD,  one  of  Nevada's  highly  respected  and  representa- 
tive mining  men,  who  has  been  prominently  identified  with  the  wonderful  develop- 
ment and  progress  made  at  Rochester,  was  born  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  March 
7,  1870.  He  is  a  son  of  William  and  Ann  (Thompson)  Codd,  both  natives  of 
England.  His  father  was  one  of  the  foremost  men  of  his  locality  and  was  a 
landscape  gardener.  Arthur  came  to  America  at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  accom- 
panied by  his  parents,  and  went  direct  to  San  Bernardino  County,  Cal.,  and 
located  in  what  is  now  Riverside.  When  the  townsite  was  plotted  Mr.  Codd's 
father  was  largely  instrumental  in  beautifying  the  town  by  laying  out  the  parks, 
streets,  and  planting  of  trees.  He  was  a  large  orange-grower.  The  father  died 
in  1909,  and  the  mother  died  December  30,  1900.  Arthur  A.  received  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  in  Riverside,  Stockton  Business  College  and  Normal  Institute, 
graduating  in  1894.  He  took  up  bookkeeping  and  became  identified  with  the 
Studebaker  Carriage  Company  in  San  Francisco  as  bookkeeper  and  cashier  for  a 
period  of  fourteen  years.  He  resigned  this  position  in  1904  during  the  gold 
excitement  at  Goldfield,  where  he  removed,  and  was  appointed  Deputy  District 
Mining  Recorder  under  Claud  M.  Smith,  an  old  college  classmate,  and  served  about 
four  years  in  a  most  capable  and  satisfactory  manner.  He  also  served  as  secretary 
and  treasurer  for  the  Potlatch  and  Velvet  Mining  Companies,  which  was  later 
taken  over  by  the  Goldfieli  merger,  in  which  company  M'r.  Codd  is  a  stockholder. 
Early  he  directed  his  efforts  towards  educational  matters  in  Goldfield,  was  the 
promoter  of  the  public  school  system  of  that  city,  and  served  as  Clerk  of  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1079 

School  Board  during  his  staj  in  that  camp.  In  November,  1908,  he  removed  from 
Goldfield,  and  in  the  fall  of  1909  he  came  to  Reno,  where  he  was  elected  on  the 
Republican  State  ticket  as  Regent  of  the  Nevada  State  University,  he  being  the 
only  candidate  elected  on  the  State  ticket.  Mr.  Codd  established  an  office  in 
Reno,  where  he  is  actively  engaged  in  the  mining  business.  He  was  one  of  the 
enterprising  men  during  the  Rawhide  mining  excitement  and  has  been  interested 
in  the  mines  of  Northern  California.  Mr.  Codd  has  carved  his  name  deeply  on 
the  mining  and  business  records  of  Rochester.  He  is  president  of  the  Rochester 
Hills  Mining  Company,  which  owns  three  claims,  called  the  Aurora  Group,  and 
they  also  have  leased  No.  Two  on  Nenzel  Hill.  Arthur  A.  Codd  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Susan  R.  Patterson,  a  native  of  Stockton,  Cal.,  November  10, 
1896.  To  this  union  have  been  born  three  children:  Lois,  born  December'  18, 
1897;  Ashton,  born  March  22,  1900;  Monroe,  born  August  15,  1907.  Fraternally 
Mr.  Codd  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  Lodge,  being  a  member  of  the  Blue  Lodge, 
Chapter,  a  Knight  Templar,  Scottish  Rite,  and  the  Shrine.  At  the  present  time 
he  holds  the  office  of  Warden  of  Temple  and  the  office  of  Illustrious  Oriental 
Guide  of  the  Shrine.  He  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  Reno  Commercial 
Club,  while  Mrs.  Codd  takes  an  active  part  in  the  club  and  social  life  of  Reno. 

EUGENE  R.  CRAMPTON  was  born  at  Virginia  City,  October  16,  1876. 
He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  University  of  Nevada. 
His  father,  Henry  J.,  a  native  of  Illinois,  started  the  Commercial  Soap  Com- 
pany, which  has  been  successful  from  the  start,  and  he  died  in  1910;  his 
mother,  a  native  of  California,  died  in  1908.  There  were  four  children  in 
the  parents'  family,  Eugene  R.,  the  present  manager  of  the  company;  R. 
Burgess,  associated  with  his  brother  in  business;  Lucy,  wife  of  Roy  Burrows, 
of  Reno,  and  Philip  H.,  attending  college.  Eugene  R.  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Ida  B.  Marsh,  of  Reno,  November  26,  1904.  Their  one  child,  Erna,  was 
born  October  16,  1906.  In  politics  Mr.  Crampton  is  a  Republican  and  is  a 
member  of  the  K.  of  P.  and  Woodmen  of  the  World.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crampton 
are  members  of  the  Congregational  Church  of  Reno. 

WILLIAM  THOMAS  CUDDY,  one  of  the  prominent  business  men  of 
Southern  Nevada,  was  born  at  Marcellon,  Columbia  County,  Wis.,  April  10, 
1849.  He  was  born  on  the  farm  and  received  a  limited  education;  at  an  early 
age  he  engaged  in  the  soda-water  business  for  two  years  and  in  September, 
1872,  he  removed  to  Nevada  and  settled  in  Eureka  Mill,  Lyon  County.  He 
worked  for  nine  years  here  under  William  King,  who  was  superintendent  of 
the  mill.  From  here  he  removed  to  Silver  City,  Lyon  County,  and  clerked  for 
Samuel  Ripley  for  two  years.  After  which  he  and  George  Phillips  engaged 
in  business.  Mr.  Phillips  not  being  of  age,  his  father  broke  the  partnership 
and  business.  Mr.  Cuddy  then  worked  for  Ripley  again  for  about  one  year. 
He  engaged  in  business  again  and  finally  bought  the  Bonanza  Hotel  at  Silver 
City,  which  he  operated  for  six  years.  Mr.  Cuddy  sold  out  and  returned  to 


io8o  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Portage,  Wis.,  and  was  engaged  in  the  hotel  business  there  for  three  years. 
He  sold  the  hotel  and  purchased  the  homestead  where  he  was  born,  ten  miles 
from  Portage,  which  he  still  owns.  In  1900  he  returned  to  Nevada,  located 
in  Tonopah  and  in  1902  he  opened  the  grocery  store  now  known  as  Cuddy 
&  Stock.  For  eight  years  he  has  served  Nye  County  as  Commissioner.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.,  the  Eagles  and  the  Moose  of  Tonopah.  Mr. 
Cuddy  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Katie  Cunningham,  of  Wisconsin,  Oc- 
tober 22,  1889.  Their  two  children  are  William  Thomas,  born  May  i,  1896, 
and  John  Martin,  born  January  15,  1898,  both  attending  college  in  Wisconsin. 

CHARLES  BELKNAP  HENDERSON,  son  of  J.  J.  Henderson  and  Sarah 
Henderson,  and  a  grand  son  of  Governor  Bradley,  and  a  nephew  of  C.  H.  Bel- 
knap,  for  many  years  a  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Nevada,  is  one  of  the 
foremost  men  of  Nevada  in  social,  political,  business  and  professional  circles. 
He  was  born  in  the  City  of  San  Jose  on  June  8,  1874,  and  received  his  academic 
education,  after  having  finished  the  public  schools  of  Elko,  Nevada,  at  the 
University  of  the  Pacific  at  San  Jose.  In  1892  and  1893  he  was  a  student  at 
Stanford  University  and  in  the  fall  of  1893  he  entered  the  University  of  Michi- 
gan, graduating  from  its  legal  department  in  1895  with  the  degree  of  L.L.  B. 
In  1896  he  took  post  graduate  work  in  the  University  of  Michigan  to  fit  him 
more  completely  for  work  in  his  chosen  profession.  After  his  graduation  he 
commenced  the  practice  of  law  in  San  Francisco  and  later  moved  to  Nevada, 
where  he  soon  became  and  still  remains  a  prominent  member  of  the  Nevada 
Bar.  As  District  Attorney  of  Elko  County  for  four  years  he  conducted  and 
was  identified  with  many  important  criminal  cases,  in  addition  to  his  civil  prac- 
tice. In  1901  Mr.  Henderson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ethel  B.  Smith, 
the  daughter  of  one  of  Elko  County's  most  prominent  and  influential  citizens. 
Two  promising  sons,  Wellington  and  Charles  B.,  Jr.,  have  blessed  the  union. 
Mr.  Henderson  has  always  taken  much  interest  in  political  and  civic  matters. 
He  has  represented  Elko  County  in  the  Legislature  and  since  1906  has  been  a 
regent  of  the  State  University.  When  the  Spanish  War  broke  out  he  was 
commissioned  a  Lieutenant  of  Troop  M  of  the  Second  Regiment  of  United 
States  Volunteer  Cavalry  and  was  one  of  those  who  nearly  succumbed  to 
the  typhoid  fever  in  Florida  and  was  invalidaded  home.  In  addition  to  his 
professional  work,  Mr.  Henderson  has  been  actively  engaged  in  business  and 
has  varied  and  substantial  business  interests.  He  is  largely  interested  in  the 
Henderson  Banking  Company  and  the  Elko  Water  and  Light  Corporation. 
He  has  also  large  holdings  in  some  of  the  largest  ranching  and  stock  raising 
corporations  in  the  west,  namely  the  Nevada  Land  and  Live  Stock  Company, 
The  Palo  Alto  Land  and  Live  Stock  Company  and  the  Antelope  Valley  Land 
and  Cattle  Company. 

DAVID  HICKEY,  the  efficient  master  mechanic  and  assistant  superintend- 
ent in  charge  of  mechanical  affairs  of  the  Salt  Lake  division  of  the  Southern 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1081 

Pacific  Railroad,  was  born  in  Addison,  Steuben  County,  New  York,  December 
25,  1852.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  State 
and  at  an  early  age  he  became  identified  with  the  Erie  Railroad  at  Susquehanna, 
Pa.,  where  he  learned  the  machinist  trade.  In  1874  he  went  with  the  L.  S. 
&  M.  S.  R.  R.,  with  headquarters  at  Elkhart,  Ind.,  where  he  served  for  one 
year  as  machinist,  and  in  May,  1875,  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Union 
Pacific  Railroad  at  Laramie,  Wyoming,  as  machinist,  where  he  remained  until 
January,  1900,  filling  the  positions  of  machinist,  locomotive  fireman,  engineer, 
round-house  foreman  and  district  foreman.  Mr.  Hickey  entered  the  service  of 
the  Southern  Pacific  road  at  Ogden,  January,  1900,  as  round-house  foreman 
and  district  foreman,  and  was  transferred  to  Sparks,  Nevada,  in  September, 
1907,  and  by  his  diligent  work  and  attention  to  business  was  promoted  to 
master  mechanic  and  assistant  superintendent  in  charge  of  mechanical  affairs 
of  the  Salt  Lake  division,  which  position  he  now  holds.  Mr.  Hickey  was 
married  to  Miss  Ellen  E.  Fee  of  Laramie,  Wyoming,  in  1879.  Their  two 
children  are  Mamie,  wife  of  W.  J.  Bocher,  of  Ogden,  Utah,  and  Frank  E.,  at 
present  construction  foreman  at  Sparks.  Mr.  Hickey  is  a  member  of  the 
Knights  of  Columbus  and  the  Woodmen  of  the  World.  The  family  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Catholic  Church. 

MALVIN  E.  HILL,  a  native  of  Nevada,  was  born  at  Winnemucca  January 
21,  1880.  He  is  a  son  of  John  J.  and  Malvina  (Miller)  Hill.  To  this  union 
were  born  seven  children.  John  J.  Hill,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  pro- 
gressive and  public-spirited  man  and  served  as  State  Printer  from  1872-76. 
He  was  a  partner  with  Ed.  Kelly  in  the  old  Humboldt  Register  at  Unionville, 
which  was  afterward  moved  to  Winnemucca  and  the  name  of  the  paper  was 
changed  to  the  Silver  State.  He  served  as  recorder  of  Humboldt  County  from 
1882  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1902.  The  mother  of  Malvin 
E.  died  in  1897.  His  father  came  to  California  via  the  Isthmus  route  when  a 
mere  boy  with  his  parents.  They  located  in  California  and  at  an  early  age  he 
started  in  life  for  himself,  coming  to  Nevada.  Malvin  E.  attended  the  public 
schools  in  1896.  He  entered  the  First  National  Bank  of  Winnemucca  as  a 
clerk  and  was  promoted  to  bookkeeper  and  teller  and  in  1904  he  removed  to 
Tonopah  and  became  identified  with  the  Nye  and  Ormsby  County  Bank  as 
bookkeeper  and  was  promoted  to  teller.  May  I,  1905,  he  associated  himself 
with  the  Tonopah  Banking  Corporation  and  opened  their  books.  He  left 
Tonopah  and  on  February  i,  1906,  he  went  to  Manhattan  and  took  charge 
of  the  Manhattan  Branch  of  the  Nye  and  Ormsby  County  Bank,  remaining  in 
this  position  until  August  31,  1906,  when  he  became  interested  in  mining  for  a 
short  time.  November  12,  1906,  he  associated  himself  with  the  John  S.  Cook 
Bank  of  Goldfield.  So  satisfactory  has  been  the  work  of  Mr.  Hill  in  the 
banking  business,  especially  with  his  present  bank,  that  he  has  been  promoted 
various  times,  until  November  26,  1909,  he  was  promoted  to  cashier.  Mr.  Hill 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Opal  Miller,  of  Winnemucca,  May  12,  1904,  who 


io82  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

died  in  Tonopah  August  16,  1905.     He  is  a  Republican  and  is  a  member  of 
Goldfield  Lodge,  No.  1072,  B.  P.  O.  E. 

ISAAC  A.  ALEXANDER,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Ogden,  Utah,  July  12,  1883.  His 
parents  removed  to  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  where  he  received  his  education  in 
the  public  and  high  schools.  He  afterward  attended  the  University  of  Utah, 
graduating  in  1906,  with  the  degree  of  A.  B.  He  attended  the  Jefferson  Medi- 
cal College  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  graduating  with  the  degree  of  M.  D.  in  1910. 
He  served  as  interne  at  the  Blockley  City  Hospital  at  Philadelphia  for  six 
months,  and  as  interne  at  St.  Marks,  Salt  Lake  City,  for  twenty  months.  He 
began  the  practice  of  medicine  at  Garfield,  Utah,  where  he  remained  some  time, 
and  in  1912  he  removed  to  Ely,  Nevada,  where  he  has  since  practiced.  He 
has  served  as  county  physician  in  Ely  and  is  affiliated  with  the  Moose,  Odd 
Fellows  and  Yeomen.  He  is  a  member  of  Omega-Upsilon-Phi,  a  national  medi- 
cal fraternity  of  Jefferson  Medical  College,  and  is  examining  physician  for 
many  of  the  leading  life  insurance  companies  of  the  United  Staes. 

JAMES  G.  ALLEN,  one  of  the  successful  real  estate  men  in  Eastern 
Nevada,  was  born  in  Kentucky  November  25,  1882.  He  was  reared  on  a  farm 
in  the  Blue  Grass  State,  where  he  received  his  education  in  the  public  and  high 
schools.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he  went  to  Texas,  where  he  found  employ- 
ment on  his  brother's  ranch  in  Fannin  County.  He  afterward  removed  to 
Madera  County,  California,  where  he  remained  for  some  months,  and  then 
located  in  Lakeview,  Oregon,  where  he  remained  until  1910.  During  his  stay 
in  Oregon  he  was  identified  with  the  Weyerhaeuser  Lumber  Company,  and 
later  with  the  Oregon  Valley  Land  &  Irrigation  Company.  April  10,  1910,  he 
removed  to  Winnemucca,  Nevada,  engaging  in  the  real  estate  business.  Mr. 
Allen  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Clara  G.  Myers,  of  Quincy,  California, 
March  31,  1910.  Their  one  son,  Jackson  Myers  Allen,  was  born  December  24, 
1916.  Fraternally  Mr.  Allen  is  a  member  of  the  Loyal  Order  of  Moose  of 
Winnemucca. 

HON.  LEM.  ALLEN. — A  history  of  Nevada  would  be  incomplete  without 
a  sketch  of  the  life  of  Hon.  Lemuel  Allen,  at  one  time  Lieutenant-Governor 
of  the  State.  He  was  born  in  Harrison  County,  Ohio,  April  12,  1839,  but  the 
same  year  his  parents  moved  to  Van  Buren  County,  Iowa,  where  he  was 
reared  on  a  farm.  In  1859  he  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Ann  Peugh,  with 
whom  he  has  lived  most  happily  for  54  years.  To  this  union  were  born  nine 
children.  In  1862  they  settled  seven  miles  above  Fort  Churchill.  December 
i,  1863,  they  settled  near  Carson  Lake,  at  what  they  called  "Wild  Cat''  sta- 
tion on  the  old  Pony  Express  Road,  taking  his  father,  Cranston  Allen,  as 
partner.  His  father's  family  came  out  the  following  year.  The  death  of 
Cranston  Allen  occurred  the  summer  of  1908.  In  1867  Lem  Allen  and  family 
moved  to  the  St.  Clair  ranch,  which  he  owned,  and  where  he  lived  until  1912, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1083 

when  he  sold  the  large  ranch  holdings  and  with  his  wife  moved  to  Reno. 
From  his  youth  Mr.  Allen  had  an  ambition  to  study  law,  though  circum- 
stances never  permitted  him  to  follow  this  desire,  though  he  made  a  study 
along  this  line  as  best  he  could,  and  in  1871  was  elected  District  Attorney  of 
Churchill  County.  He  was  re-elected  to  this  office  several  times,  represented 
the  county  in  the  State  Legislature  both  in  the  Senate  and  Assembly  times 
without  number,  and  at  one  time  held  the  office  of  Lieutenant-Governor.  In 
1908  he  was  again  elected  a  member  of  the  Assembly.  Mr.  Allen  has  always 
been  an  ardent  Democrat  and  has  taken  an  active  part  in  the  political  affairs 
of  his  day.  He  is  a  man  of  forceful  character,  always  outspoken,  of  original 
ideas  and  possessing  the  courage  to  express  them.  Many  a  poor  man  has 
received  help  from  the  hand  of  Lem  Allen  and  he  is  justly  numbered  among 
the  valued  citizens  of  his  State. 

WILLIAM  C.  ALLEN,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  February  19, 
1858,  at  Lafayette,  Ind.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools, 
graduating  from  high  school,  after  which  he  learned  the  candy-making  trade, 
which  he  followed  for  some  years.  He  then  took  up  bookkeeping,  which 
vocation  he  followed  for  nine  years.  He  has  been  prominently  identified  in 
the  railroad  contracting  business  for  eighteen  years.  In  1909  he  removed  to 
Nevada,  remaining  here  for  a  time.  He  lived  in  California  for  one  year,  and 
in  1910  he  returned  to  Nevada,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  purchased 
forty-one  acres  on  the  Virginia  road  which  he  has  brought  to  a  high  state  of 
cultivation.  Mr.  Allen  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  Coulter,  a 
native  of  Frankfort,  Ind.,  May,  1911,  daughter  of  James  W.,  one  of  the  highly 
esteemed  bankers  of  Frankfort,  he  being  president  of  the  First  National  Bank 
of  that  city.  Mr.  Allen  is  a  Democrat  in  politics  and  is  president  of  the 
school-board  in  the  Anderson  District.  Fraternally  he  is  affiliated  with  the 
B.  P.  O.  E.  and  Moose. 

PETER  ANKER,  who  resides  at  Lovelock,  Nevada,  is  one  of  the  leading 
agriculturists  of  Humboldt  County.  He  was  born  in  Denmark,  January  7, 
1852,  received  a  limited  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  land  and 
at  the  age  of  fourteen  he  learned  the  carpenters'  trade,  which  he  followed  for 
four  years.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  came  to  America  and  located  in  Solano 
County,  where  he  obtained  work  on  the  farm,  and  at  his  trade  for  fourteen 
months.  He  then  removed  to  Washoe  City,  where  he  was  employed  in 
building  flumes  for  one  year.  He  then  went  to  Carson  City  and  was  employed 
by  the  Virginia  and  Truckee  Railroad  in  building  bridges  for  four  years.  In 
January,  1877,  he  removed  to  Lovelock,  where  he  was  engaged  to  erect  a 
barn  at  Big  Meadows.  After  seeing  the  land  he  was  so  impressed  with  th^ 
possibilities  there  that  he  purchased  a  squatter's  right  and  took  up  farming. 
He  later  pre-empted  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  and  has  since  added  to  his 
holdings,  till  he  now  has  eight  hundred  acres  of  general  ranch  and  alfalfa 


io84  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

land,  and  in  1912  he  put  in  four  hundred  acres  of  sugar  beets.  Mr.  Anker  is 
a  Republican  and  has  served  as  County  Commissioner  for  four  years.  He 
also  served  as  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature  during  the  Twenty-second 
Session.  January  n,  1880,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Julia  Faas,  a  native  of 
Iowa.  Five  children  have  been  born  of  this  union,  Hannah,  Philip,  Minnie, 
Chester  and  Florence.  Mr.  Anker  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge, 
having  joined  in  Carson  in  1873.  He  was  made  a  Mason  in  Humboldt  Lodge 
No.  27,  F.  and  A.  M.,  at  Lovelock,  Nevada. 

MOSS  ARCHAMBEAULT  was  born  in  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  July  28,  1869. 
His  father  was  Joseph  C,  and  mother,  Delia  (Reardon)  Archambeault.  They 
were  the  parents  of  five  children.  The  father  was  a  merchant  in  San  Jose 
for  some  years  and  died  in  1894.  Previous  to  going  to  San  Jose  he  was  en- 
gaged in  business  during  the  early  days  in  Gold  Hill.  Moss  was  educated  in 
San  Jose;  after  finishing  school  he  went  to  Mexico  with  Thomas  H.  Seby, 
Jr.,  and  became  interested  in  mining  in  Mexico,  which  he  followed  for  seven 
years.  He  returned  to  California  and  went  to  Dutch  Flat,  where  he  did 
placer  mining  for  six  years.  1903  he  removed  to  Reno  and  engaged  in  busi- 
ness. He  is  a  member  of  the  Eagles,  Knights  of  Columbus,  Woodmen  of 
the  World  and  Moose.  He  married  Miss  Metha  Voight,  of  Dutch  Flat,  July 
3,  1901,  and  their  three  children  are  Charles,  Eugene  and  Robley.  Mr.  Arch- 
ambeault is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  Reno. 

ALEXANDER  M.  ARDERY,  born  at  Ogdensburg,  New  York,  August  16, 
1850,  crossed  the  plains  with  his  parents  in  1861,  locating  at  Placerville,  Cal., 
where,  in  1864,  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the  California  States  Telegraph  Co. 
as  messenger  boy.  December,  1870,  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Virginia 
&  Truckee  Railroad  Co.  as  telegraph  operator  and  assistant  dispatcher,  and, 
subsequently,  in  December,  1881,  was  appointed  chief  dispatcher,  August,  1883; 
master  of  transportation,  May,  1909;  was  elected  superintendent,  and  De- 
cember 10,  1910,  vice-president  and  general  manager.  Mr.  Ardery  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Ferris,  of  Car'son  City,  Nevada,  September  29, 
1880;  they  have  two  daughters,  Martha,  now  Mrs.  Frederick  A.  Seymour,  of 
Manila,  P.  I.,  and  Miss  Ruth. 

EDWIN  ARKELL  was  born  at  Stroud,  Gloucestershire,  England,  March  6, 
1856.  He  acquired  his  education  in  a  private  college  called  Spillman's  Court 
College.  His  father,  James,  was  a  farmer,  brewer,  brick  manufacturer,  and  was 
also  in  the  real  estate  business;  he  died  in  1876.  Mr.  Arkell's  mother  Charlotte 
died  in  1881.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  left  the  old  country  in  February, 
1879,  and  went  direct  to  Leadville,  Colorado,  where  he  became  identified  with 
mining.  He  bought  an  interest  in  the  May  Queen  mine  for  $250  and  a 
month  later  sold  it  for  $25,000.  He  then  went  to  Buffalo  Peaks  and  spent 
his  fortune  prospecting,  and  left  that  camp  with  a  span  of  "bronks"  as  his 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1085 

sole  asset.  He  then  prospected  in  San  Juan  County;  he  went  to  Pueblo, 
Colorado,  and  acted  as  time  keeper  for  a  few  months,  and  in  1883  he  went 
back  to  Buffalo  Peaks,  where  he  located  two  claims  near  Leadville  and  sank 
a  shaft  to  water-level  and  was  drowned  out.  He  then  went  to  Aspen,  Col., 
where  he  worked  in  a  mine,  and  afterward  sold  real  estate.  He  was  the  first 
mining  stock  broker  in  Aspen,  where  he  cleared  $100,000  in  the  brokerage 
business  in  Itfss  than  two  years.  He  went  to  Cripple  Creek  and  took  up  160 
acres  in  the  mineral  belt,  which  he  sold  in  a  few  days  at  an  advance  of 
$5,000.  During  the  Tonopah  excitement  he  sent  two  men  to  Nevada;  they 
stopped  in  Reno  and  secured  some  claims  in  the  Wedekind  district;  after 
working  in  this  district  for  five  years  his  crowd  became  discouraged  and  all 
quit  except  Mr.  Arkell.  The  property  was  sold  at  Sheriff's  sale  and  Mr. 
Arkell  got  parties  to  buy  it,  and  they  organized  the  Nevada  United  Mines 
Company,  which  controls  sixty-eight  and  a  half  acres.  Mr.  Arkell  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Enola  E.  Bracken,  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  in  1886. 
She  is  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Bracken,  who  discovered  the  famous  Bonnie 
Bell  mine  at  Aspen,  Col.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arkell  have  three  children,  James 
Edwin,  Amy  L.,  and  Ernestine  Ethel.  His  son  James  E.  married  Miss  Retta 
Pritchard,  only  daughter  of  Dr.  Pritchard  of  Reno,  Nevada. 

CHRISTIAN  O.  BURKERT,  a  resident  of  Manhattan,  Nye  County,  was  born 
October  16,  1866.  He  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  Penn- 
sylvania, February  13,  1894;  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  January 
24,  1905;  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  Nevada,  January  31,  1907,  and  in  the  Circuit 
Court  of  the  United  States,  District  of  Nevada,  November  7,  1906. 

AARON  DENIO  CAMPTON.  Among  the  men  who  have  played  an  important 
part  in  the  early  history  of  Nevada,  and  who  is  numbered  among  the  highly 
respected  men  of  White  Pine  County,  special  mention  is  due  Aaron  Denio  Campton. 
He  was  born  at  Mineral  Point,  Wis.,  March  u,  1848,  and  is  a  son  of  Robert  and 
Lucinda  (Denio)  Campton.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Wisconsin  and  his  mother 
was  born  in  Illinois.  The  father  of  Mr.  Campton  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade, 
and  came  to  California  via  Cape  Horn  in  1849,  and  settled  in  a  place  in  northern 
California  which  was  afterward  named  Camptonville,  in  his  honor.  Here  he 
followed  his  vocation  as  a  blacksmith.  He  returned  to  his  native  State  in  1854, 
where  he  died  in  1855.  In  1859  the  mother,  accompanied  by  her  four  children, 
came  to  Nevada  and  settled  in  Carson  City  when  there  was  but  four  houses 
fnere.  Here  they  remained  a  few  weeks,  and  started  overland  to  California, 
and  located  in  Oroville,  where  they  remained  but  a  short  period,  and  then 
returned  to  Carson  City,  where  they  remained  until  1869.  Mrs.  Campton  was 
united  in  marriage  while  in  Carson  City  to  J.  B.  Cormack.  During  their  residence 
in  Carson,  Aaron,  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  served  as  page  and  messenger 
during  the  first  Constitutional  Convention,  which  was  held  in  Carson  City.  He 
also  served  as  page  in  the  first  Senate.  In  1869  Mr.  Campton  removed  to 


io86  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Hamlinton,  where  he  remained  several  months,  when  he  went  to  Steptoe  Valley, 
where  he  found  employment  at  teaming  and  also  rode  the  range.  He  later 
became  associated  with  the  Ward  mine,  where  he  worked,  after  which  he  became 
assayer  for  the  Ward  property.  He  served  as  surveyor  for  the  D.  &  R.  G.  Rail- 
road and  was  elected  County  Clerk,  serving  during  1883-1885.  He  served  as 
County  Recorder  from  1885  to  1889  and  in  1887  he  came  to  Ely.  He  purchased  the 
townsite  and  disposed  of  several  hundred  lots.  In  1906  he  removed  to  Berkeley, 
where  he  remained  for  fifteen  months,  and  then  took  up  his  home  in  Pasadena, 
where  he  is  now  located.  Mr.  Campton  has  twice  married.  The  first  union  was  to 
Miss  Sarah  Rutledge  in  1875,  and  she  died  in  1878.  To  this  union  was  born 
Mollie,  wife  of  Francis  M.  Root  of  Ely,  and  Saddie,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
fifteen.  Mr.  Campton's  second  marriage  was  to  Ella  M.  Mathewson  of  Hamlinton, 
Nev.  To  this  marriage  were  born  Bessie,  born  September  18,  1890,  and  Irene,  born 
March  10,  1897.  In  politics  Mr.  Campton  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Pasadena,  Cal.  He  is  vice-president  of  the  Campton  Com- 
mercial Company  of  Ely,  the  largest  general  merchandise  store  in  southern 
Nevada,  which  also  controls  branch  stores  in  Ruth,  Kimberly  and  McGill,  Nev. 

FRANK  CAMPBELL,  one  of  the  best  known  and  representative  business  men 
of  Reno,  was  born  August  15,  1871,  at  McLeansboro,  111.  He  attended  the  public 
schools  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  he  came  to  the  Sagebrush  State  and  located 
in  Reno.  On  his  arrival  here  he  found  employment  for  some  months  at  ranching. 
He  then  entered  the  mercantile  business  and  clerked  until  1900,  when  he  established 
himself  in  the  grocery  business  at  Virginia  and  Fourth  streets,  where  he  has  since 
remained,  and  is  also  largely  identified  with  the  agricultural  and  mining  interests 
of  the  State.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  and  the  Modern  Wood- 
men. He  joined  the  State  militia  in  1893  and  was  a  member  of  Company  C, 
Nevada  National  Guards,  and  in  1898  he  enlisted  in  Company  C,  First  Battalion, 
of  the  Nevada  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  he  was  appointed  First  Lieutenant  of  his 
company.  Mr.  Campbell's  parents  were  natives  of  Illinois.  His  father,  James  M., 
was  one  of  the  prominent  farmers  of  southern  Illinois.  His  death  occurred  in 
1910.  His  mother,  Eliza  E.  (Mitchell)  Campbell,  resides  in  Illinois  with  her 
daughter. 

ALBERT  J.  CARPENTER  ,  one  of  the  representative  men  of  White  Pine 
County,  and  who  is  now  serving  as  County  Treasurer,  was  born  July  24,  1881,  at 
Covington,  Va.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  private  schools  of  his  native 
State.  Early  in  life  he  became  identified  with  the  Norfolk  &  Western  Railroad 
for  two  years  in  the  train  service  and  afterward  associated  himself  with  the 
Union  Pacific  road  in  the  same  department,  where  he  remained  for  a  period  of 
five  years.  In  1908  he  went  with  the  Nevada  Northern,  where  he  served  as 
conductor,  and  in  1911  he  was  chosen  by  the  people  of  White  Pine  County  as 
County  Treasurer.  In  politics  Mr.  Carpenter  is  a  Democrat  and  has  been  an 
active  worker  in  the  ranks.  Fraternally  he  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  lodge, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1087 

K.  of  P.,  Eagles,  Moose,  and  a  member  of  the  Railroad  Conductors.  Mr.  Car- 
penter was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Louisa  M.  Riepe  of  Ely,  Nev.,  August  4, 
1910.  To  this  union  has  been  born  Albert  J.,  Jr.,  born  June  9,  1911.  The  family 
are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Carpenter,  Henry 
Riepe,  died  in  1894  and  was  numbered  among  the  prominent  men  in  this  locality 
who  owned  some  of  the  best  mines  in  this  section.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Carpenter 
was  again  married  to  J.  A.  Maguson,  a  well-to-do  stockman  and  mine  owner,  and 
who  is  one  of  the  progressive  citizens  of  Ely. 

CAPTAIN  L.  N.  CARPENTER,  one  of  the  successful  farmers  who  resides  in 
Lovelock,  and  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  War,  has  resided  in  Nevada  since  1868.  He 
was  born  in  Winnebago  County,  Illinois,  September  17,  1842.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  State,  and  when  the  Civil  War 
broke  out  he  was  identified  with  the  lumbering  interests  of  that  State.  He  enlisted 
in  1861  as  a  private  in  Company  E,  Eighteenth  Wisconsin  Infantry,  and  was  soon 
elected  Second  Lieutenant.  His  first  engagement  was  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  where 
his  regiment  lost  four  hundred  men  in  killed,  wounded  and  missing.  The 
Captain  of  his  company  was  killed  and  the  First  Lieutenant  wounded,  and  Mr. 
Carpenter,  but  twenty  years  of  age,  was  made  Captain  of  his  company,  and  served 
in  that  capacity  until  the  close  of  the  war.  After  the  battle  of  Shiloh  he  was 
at  the  siege  of  Corinth,  and  in  the  Vicksburg  campaign,  and  at  the  relief  of 
Chattanooga  with  General  Sherman.  On  October  5,  1864,  he  was  captured  at  Alla- 
toona  Creek,  Ga.,  whence  he  was  taken  prisoner  to  Columbia,  S.  C,  but  effected 
his  escape  on  the  27th  of  the  same  month,  and  after  forty-seven  days  of  traveling 
at  night  and  resting  in  the  daytime  he  reached  the  Union  lines  at  Allatoona,  Ga. 
He  re-enlisted  and  joined  his  command  in  South  Carolina  and  was  at  the  head  of 
his  company  until  the  war  was  shortly  brought  to  an  end.  In  1868  he  located  at 
Lovelock,  Nev.,  where  he  engaged  in  stock-raising  and  general  farming,  and  now 
owns  over  three  thousand  acres  of  land.  In  politics  Captain  Carpenter  has  always 
been  a  Democrat.  He  has  served  as  County  Commissioner  for  six  years,  and 
in  1908  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate  and  again  in  1912,  and  throughout  his 
time  in  office  he  has  put  forward  every  effort  in  his  power  to  advance  the  best 
interests  of  the  Commonwealth.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and 
received  his  Master's  degree  during  the  Civil  War.  He  is  now  a  member  of 
Humboldt  Lodge  No.  27,  F.  &  A.  M.,  at  Lovelock,  and  a  member  of  Winnemucca 
Chapter.  In  1875  Captain  Carpenter  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nellie  Love- 
locks, a  native  of  California.  Three  sons  and  a  daughter  have  been  born  of  this 
marriage,  W.  W.,  D.  C,  C.  C,  and  Ella  May. 

ANDREW  J.  CARTWRIGHT  was  born  in  California,  December  6,  1871.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  Chico  public  and  State  normal  schools,  graduating 
from  the  latter  in  1895.  He  taught  school  in  California,  after  which  he  spent 
eight  months  in  Alaska.  Returning  to  Nevada,  he  taught  school  in  Hamlinton 
for  five  terms  at  various  times  and  was  then  made  principal  of  the  Ely  schools 


io88  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

for  a  period  of  six  years.  He  resigned  in  December,  1906,  and  in  November, 
1906,  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  Justice  off  the  Peace,  which  office  he  now 
holds.  Mr.  Cartwright  was  united  in  marriage  to  Agnes  M.  Zadow,  a  native  of 
Hamlinton,  Nev.,  December  26,  1901.  To  this  union  has  been  born  Lucille,  born 
October  8,  1901.  Mr.  Cartwright  served  one  term  as  the  first  Police  Judge  of  Ely. 
His  father,  Elias  J.,  was  a  native  of  Ohio  and  his  mother,  Sarah  M.,  were  united 
in  marriage  in  Illinois  and  crossed  the  plains  with  an  ox  team  in  1852,  and  again 
with  horses  at  a  later  date,  and  located  in  California,  where  the  father  w'as 
identified  in  mining  and  later  ranched  on  the  Feather  River. 

EDWARD  PETER  CARVILLE.  Prominent  among  the  young  attorneys  of 
Eastern  Nevada,  and  who  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  his  fellow  citizens,  is 
Edward  Peter  Carville,  of  Elko.  He  is  a  native  of  Mound  Valley,  Nevada, 
where  he  was  born  Ma^y  14,  1885.  He  pursued  his  education  in  the  public  schools, 
graduating  in  1906,  and  in  order  to  gain  a  broader  literary  and  legal  knowledge 
he  entered  Notre  .Dame  College  in  Indiana  'and  graduated  from  the  law  depart- 
ment in  1909  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  on  December  23,  1909.  He  took  up 
the  practice  of  law  at  Elko.  On  November  18,  1912,  Mr.  Carville  formed  a  co- 
partnership with  Chas.  A.  Cantwell,  under  the  firm  name  of  Cantwell  &  Carville, 
and  on  January  i,  1913,  he  took  the  office  of  District  Attorney  of  Elko  County. 
His  political  allegiance  is  given  to  the  Democracy,  and  in  the  work  of  the  party 
he  takes  an  active  and  helpful  interest.  Mr.  Carville  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Irma  Marie  Callahan,  a  native  of  South  Bend,  Ind.,  August  29,  1909.  One 
son  was  born  by  this  union — Edward  Deming  Carville,  born  October  15,  1912. 
Mr.  Carville  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

ANTON  P.  CEANDER,  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Nevada  Sheet  Metal 
Works,  was  born  in  Denver,  Colo.,  November  23,  1872.  He  acquired  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  and  later  attended  Business  College.  He  learned  the  sheet 
metal  trade  at  an  early  age  and  followed  that  vocation  in  Denver  for  twelve  years 
and  five  years  in  San  Francisco.  In  1905  he  removed  to  Reno  and  established  the 
present  business,  which  was  incorporated  with  the  following  officers :  President, 
H.  J.  Darling;  vice-president,  F.  L.  Dejarlais;  secretary  and  treasurer,  Anton  P. 
Ceander.  Our  subject  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  Miss  Mary  Girard, 
of  Denver,  Colo.,  who  died  March  21,  1905."  There  was  one  child  born  to  this 
union,  Thelma,  born  April  18,  1904.  Mr.  Ceander's  second  marriage  was  to  Teckla 
Anderson,  of  Hobart,  Ind.,  in  1909.  Mr.  Ceander  is  a  member  of  the  Woodmen 
of  the  World. 

HENRY  ALEXANDER  BROWN,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  London,  Canada,  in  1867, 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  the  Western  University  of  that  place  and 
the  Medico-Chirurgical  College,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.  He  served  as  interne  and 
alternating  assistant  surgeon  to  the  Illinois  Charitable  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary, 
Chicago,  111.,  clinical  assistant  to  the  Royal  London  Ophthalmic  Hospital,  London, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1089 

England,  and  in  the  medical  department  of  the  United  States  Army  during  the 
Spanish-American  War.  Dr.  Brown  is  a  member  of  the  Oxford,  England,  Ophthal- 
mological  Congress,  American  Medical  Association,  Nevada  State  and  Washoe 
Count}'  Medical  Societies.  He  has  kept  in  the  front  ranks  of  his  profession  by 
taking  frequent  special  courses  in  the  principal  cities  of  this  country  and  Europe. 
Dr  Brown  came  to  Nevada  in  January,  1909,  and  has  built  up  a  high  class  and 
lucrative  practice  in  diseases  of  the  eye,  ear,  nose  and  throat.  He  is  oculist  and 
aurist  for  the  Southern  Pacific  Company  at  Reno,  is  a  32nd  degree  Mason  and 
a  Shnner.  Dr.  Brown  was  married  in  November,  1909,  to  Miss  Bertha  Bender, 
second  daughter  of  Mr.  Charles  T.  Bender  and  Julia  Fassett  Bender,  and  have  one 
son,  Duart  Vinson  Brown,  born  December  7,  1912.  He  is  recognized  as  one  of 
the  leading  members  of  his  profession,  and  a  citizen  interested  in  all  civic  improve- 
ments and  the  growth  and  betterment  of  his  city. 

HON.  HUGH  HENRY  BROWN  was  born  at  Steubenville,  Ohio,  May  4,  1872, 
the  eldest  son  of  Robert  McCutcheon  and  Louise  C.  Brown.  His  father,  a  veteran 
of  the  Union  Army,  is  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  His  mother's  people  vrere  Mary- 
landers.  The  son  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  city.  He  was 
at  Wooster  University,  1890-1892.  Then  followed  a  year  of  journalistic  work. 
He  was  at  Stanford  University,  1893-1896,  graduating  with  the  degree  of  A.  B. 
at  Law.  He  was  admitted  to  the  California  Bar  August,  1906.  Thereafter  he 
formed  an  association  with  the  well-known  San  Francisco  firm  of  Reddy,  Campbell 
&  Metson,  with  whom  he  continued  until  1902,  in  which  year  he  came  to  Tonopah 
and  formed  the  Nevada  firm  of  Campbell,  Metson  &  Brown,  with  offices  in  Tono- 
pah, Goldfield  and  Rhyolite.  The  firm  occupied  an  important  position  in  the  legal 
history  of  the  State  during  the  past  eight  years.  The  firm  dissolved  in  1910. 
Hugh  H.  Brown  took  over  the  firm's  affairs.  His  clientage  includes  the  Tonopah 
Belmont  Development  Company,  The  Tonopah  Mining  Company  of  Nevada,  The 
Montana-Tonopah  Mines  Company,  Desert  Power  &  Mill  Company,  and  the  Tono- 
pah and  Goldfield  Railroad  Company,  together  with  the  associated  interests  of 
these  concerns  in  other  parts  of  the  State  and  in  adjoining  States.  He  was 
President  of  the  Nevada  Bar  Association  in  the  first  year  of  its  organization, 
1911-1912;  a  member  of  the  Nevada  State  Banking  Board;  the  American  Bar 
Association;  the  American  Academy  of  Political  Science;  the  Elks  and  Shriners. 
He  attended  the  epublican  National  Convention  in  Chicago,  as  a  delegate  in 
1908  and  as  an  alternate  in  1912.  In  1904  he  married  Miss  Marjorie  Moore,  of 
San  Francisco.  They  have  two  sons,  Hugh  H.  Brown,  Jr.,  and  Marshall 
Roberts  Brown. 

JAMES  T.  BOYD.  Prominent  among  the  attorneys  of  Washoe  County  is 
Jarries  T.  Boyd.  He  was  born  June  29,  1866,  at  New  Orleans,  removed  to 
California  in  1878,  and  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Lassen 
County,  Cal.,  and  studied  under  private  tutors.  He  also  studied  law  and  was 
admitted  to  the  Bar  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  California,  1893.  He  practiced 


THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

his  profession  through  California  and  Nevada,  and  in  1901  he  removed  to  Reno, 
where  he  has  since  resided,  and  practiced  his  profession.  Fraternally  Mr. 
Boyd  is  affiliated  with  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  has 
served  Washoe  County  in  the  Nevada  State  Senate  during  the  session  of 
1907-8.  He  served  as  District  Attorney  of  Lassen  County,  Cal.,  for  four  years. 
While  in  the  Nevada  Senate  he  was  the  author  of  the  present  Railroad  State 
Commission  bill,  and  he  also  framed  the  State  police  bill.  Mr.  Boyd's  adminis- 
tration of  the  affairs  of  State  has  given  the  best  of  satisfaction. 

WALTER  R.  BRACKEN  was  born  April  26,  1873,  at  Steubenville,  Jefferson 
County,  Ohio.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  and  graduated 
in  1897  from  the  Washington  Jefferson  College  of  Washington,  Pa.  He  took 
a  course  in  Civil  Engineering  and  became  identified  with  the  Salt  Lake  Rail- 
road. He  was  one  of  the  first  men  to  locate  in  Las  Vegas  when  the  town  was 
created,  and  was  appointed  its  first  Postmaster,  which  office  he  still  holds. 
The  original  post-office  was  located  at  the  Stewart  Ranch,  but  has  been  moved 
on  different  occasions,  and  in  May,  1905,  the  post-office  was  moved  to  more 
modern  and  commodious  quarters,  corner  Fremont  and  Second  street.  Mr. 
Bracken  is  a  member  of  the  Blue  Lodge  of  Las  Vegas,  and  the  Consistory  at 
Reno.  He  is  also  affiliated  with  the  B.  P.  O.  E.,  Eagles,  and  Fraternal  Broth- 
erhood. He  married  Miss  Annie  Johnson,  May,  1905,  daughter  of  Hiram 
Johnson  of  Eureka,  a  pioneer,  and  highly  respected  citizen  of  that  locality. 

JOHN  R.  BRADLEY.  One  of  the  most  favorably  known  and  representative 
citizens  of  the  State  of  Nevada  was  John  R.  Bradley.  He  was  the  son  of  the 
late  Governor  L.  R.  Bradley,  and  was  born  near  the  City  of  Richmond,  Vir- 
ginia, March  17,  1835.  When  ten  years  of  age  his  parents  moved  from  Virginia 
to  Missouri.  In  1852  with  his  father  he  crossed  the  Plains  to  California,  driving 
a  large  band  of  cattle.  In  the  early  sixties  the  family  removed  to  Nevada,  and 
settled  in  Elko  County,  where  he  and  his  father  engaged  extensively  in  the 
cattle  business.  He  afterward  entered  into  partnership  with  George  Russell, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Russell  &  Bradley.  The  firm  conducted  a  mercantile 
business  in  Elko  for  several  years.  This  business  was  afterward  disposed  of. 
Russell  &  Bradley  continued  extensively  in  stock-raising  until  1895,  when  the 
partnership  was  dissolved.  Mr.  Bradley  continued  in  the  stock  business  as  a 
partner  in  the  firm  of  Bradley  &  Sons  and  Mason  &  Bradley.  In  1899  Mr. 
Bradley  disposed  of  his  holdings  to  his  son,  Lewis  L.  Bradley,  and  removed 
to  Reno,  where  he  was  the  head  of  the  J.  R.  Bradley  Company  of  Reno,  but 
gave  no  personal  attention  to  the  business.  In  politics  Mr.  Bradley  was  a 
Democrat,  and  served  the  people  of  Elko  County  as  County  Commissioner. 
In  1856  he  visited  Missouri  and  was  united  in  marriage  in  1857  to  Mary  Eliza- 
beth Hitt.  To  this  union  were  born  two  sons,  Lewis  L.  and  Jeff  Bradley,  and 
two  daughters,  Maud,  wife  of  Jay  Clemmons  of  Reno,  and  Dita,  wife  of  Frank 
B.  Glenn,  of  San  Francisco.  Fraternally  Mr.  Bradley  was  a  member  of  Elko 
Lodge  No.  15,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  died  at  his  home  in  Reno  February  14,  1002. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1091 

SELAH  GRAHAM  LAMB,  Sheriff  of  Humboldt  County,  is  one  of  the  rep- 
resentative men  of  Nevada.  He  was  born  at  Point  Reyes,  Cal.,  March  9,  1866. 
At  the  age  of  eight  years  he  carried  the  mail  from  Marshals  to  Tomalice  for 
one  year,  after  which  he  attended  the  public  school  and  received  a  limited  edu- 
cation. He  was  employed  by  Miller  and  Lux  in  California  for  four  years.  In 
1887  he  removed  to  Nevada  and  became  associated  with  the  Golconda  Cattle 
Company,  remaining  in  the  employ  of  this  company  for  fourteen  years.  He 
then  associated  himself  with  Bliss  Bros.,  cattle  men,  for  one  year.  Mr.  Lamb 
was  elected  to  the  office  of  Sheriff  in  the  fall  of  1902  and  took  office  January  6, 
1903.  He  has  discharged  the  duties  of  his  office  so  creditably  that  he  has  held 
it  continuously.  Sheriff  Lamb  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nellie  May 
Perkins,  a  native  of  Lovelock,  August  18,  1898.  To  this  union  were  born  two 
sons — William  Kent  and  Selah  Raymond — who  are  attending  school.  Fratern- 
ally Sheriff  Lamb  is  affiliated  with  the  K.  of  P.  and  the  Eagles  of  Winnemucca. 

HON.  FRANK  P.  LANGAN,  District  Judge  of  the  First  Judicial  District  of 
the  State  of  Nevada,  and  one  of  the  representative  men  of  Virginia  City,  has 
the  honor  of  being  a  native  son,  which  is  a  distinction  that  can  be  claimed  by 
few.  He  was  born  on  American  Flat,  Storey  County,  November  5,  1865.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Gold  Hill,  St.  Mary's  College 
of  San  Francisco  and  Hastings  Law  College,  Cal.,  graduating  from  the  latter 
in  1886.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  of  California  in  1887,  and  commenced 
practicing  his  profession  in  Nevada  later  in  1887.  He  has  practiced  in  Storey 
County  and  elsewhere  in  Nevada  from  1887  to  1907.  At  the  general  election 
in  the  fall  of  1906  he  was  chosen  District  Judge  of  the  First  Judicial  District, 
comprising  the  counties  of  Storey,  Ormsby,  Douglass,  Lyon  and  Esmeralda. 
He  was  re-elected  to  the  same  office  in  the  fall  of  1910  to  preside  over  the 
counties  of  Lyon,  Storey,  Douglass  and  Ormsby  Counties.  Judge  Langan 
has  been  a  resident  of  Storey  County  all  his  life- and  few  men  are  more  thor- 
oughly informed  concerning  the  mining  development  of  this  portion  of  the 
State.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Louise  Merkle,  of  Virginia  City, 
May  29,  1898.  Six  children  have  blessed  this  union,  Frances  Louise,  born 
July  i,  1899;  Norma  Alice,  born  November  6,  1900;  James  Arthur,  born  Oct.  27, 
1902;  John  Everett,  born  Nov.  29,  1904;  Mary  Maxine,  born  May  31,  1906; 
Margaret  Theodora,  born  May  25,  1908.  Judge  Langan  has  taken  a  keen 
interest  in  educational  matters  and  is  a  member  of  the  honorary  board  of 
visitors  of  the  Nevada  University.  He  served  Storey  County  as  a  member  of 
the  Nevada  Legislature  in  1889,  was  elected  to  the  office  of  District  Attorney 
of  Storey  County,  and  served  for  three  terms,  and  as  Deputy  District  Attorney 
for  two  terms.  Fraternally  he  is  affiliated  with  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  B.  P.  O.  E.,  and 
Eagles. 

HENRY  H.  LANGE,  one  of  Carson  Valley's  representative  and  highly 
esteemed  citizens,  is  a  native  of  Germany,  having  been  born  in  that  country 


1092 

April  26,  1857.  In  1882  he  came  to  the  Carson  Valley  and  found  employment 
at  farm  work  for  seven  years.  He  then  purchased  the  Burckmann  Ranch, 
consisting  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  He  has  since  sold  twelve  acres. 
Mr.  Lange  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Douglas  County  Creamery,  the  Alpine  Land 
&  Reservoir  Co.,  and  the  Minden  Bank.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Sophie 
Kammermann,  a  native  of  Germany,  in  1890.  There  were  born  five  children — 
Freida,  died  at  the  age  of  two  years,  four  months;  Mary,  Henry,  Fred  and 
William,  who  reside  at  home.  In  politics  Mr.  Lange  is  a  Democrat,  and  has 
served  as  School  Trustee  for  one  term.  The  family  are  members  of  the 
German  Lutheran  Church. 

HARRY  C.  LEAVITT  was  born  at  Angola,  Ind.,  July  3,  1865.  At  an  early 
age  his  parents  removed  to  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  where  Harry  received  his  educa- 
tion. At  an  early  age  he  worked  for  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company. 
At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  became  connected  with  the  Northern  Pacific  Rail- 
road for  two  years  in  office  work.  He  was  then  transferred  to  Portland,  where 
he  remained  for  eleven  years.  He  was  with  the  O.  R.  &  N.  R.  R.,  and  then 
the  Southern  Pacific  in  Portland,  and  was  transferred  to  San  Francisco  and 
again  to  Reno  in  1905.  In  1908  he  started  the  Nevada  Freight  Claim  Bureau 
for  the  adjustment  and  interests  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  merchants,  he  being 
an  expert  along  these  lines.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  is  a  member 
of  the  Reno  Commercial  Club.  Mr.  Leavitt  was  married  to  Catherine  Davis, 
of  San  Francisco,  in  1901.  Their  children  are  Elsie,  Walter,  Olive  and  Owen. 

FRANK  MOORE  LEE  is  a  native  of  California  and  was  born  on  a  farm  in 
Long  Valley,  January  10,  1867.  His  father  was  Levi  W.  Lee  and  his  mother 
Julia  De  Ette  Moore,  who  drove  a  team  across  the  Plains  from  Wisconsin  in 
the  early  sixties  to  Virginia  City.  When  a  small  boy  his  parents  moved  to 
Reno,  Nevada,  where  he  and  his  brothers,  Eugene  and  Ben,  were  educated  in 
the  public  schools.  He  was  married  to  Ada  Finlayson  at  Reno,  on  January  19, 
1892,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Marjorie  Lee.  Mr.  Lee  engaged  in  the  livery 
and  stock-shipping  business  in  1883  with  his  father,  who  had  established  the 
business  in  1873,  and  continued  in  the  business  until  1886,  when  his  father  died. 
He  then  accepted  a  position  in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Reno,  and  he  later 
became  a  director  and  was  assistant  to  the  cashier  of  the  Washoe  County 
Bank,  which  is  the  successor  of  the  First  National.  In  1901  he  became  the 
cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Winnemucca,  Nevada,  which  he  and 
Senator  Geo.  S.  Nixon  had  organized  in  1886.  In  1906  he  was  associated  with 
Senator  Nixon,  George  Wingfield  and  others  in  organizing  the  Nixon  National 
Bank  of  Reno,  which  is  one  of  the  largest  capitalized  banks  in  the  West,  and 
serving  as  its  first  cashier  until  in  1909,  when  he  succeeded  to  the  executive 
position  of  active  vice-president,  which  position  he  now  holds.  Mr.  Lee  is  also 
vice-president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Winnemucca.  He  was  elected  the 
first  president  of  the  Reno  Clearing  House  Association  when  it  was  organized 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1093 

in  1907,  and  has  the  distinction  of  being  elected  the  first  president  of  the 
Nevada  Bankers  Association  when  it  was  organized  in  1908,  and  now  serving 
the  association  as  one  of  its  Executive  Committee.  He  has  held  no  political 
office.  He  is  a  Mason,  Knight  Templar,  Shriner  and  an  Elk,  and  has  taken  an 
active  part  in  the  Reno  Commercial  Club,  having  served  as  its  president,  and 
now  active  as  one  of  its  board  of  directors. 

FRANK  W.  LEE  was  born  at  Waukesha,  Wis.,  May  8,  1886.  He  is  a  son  of 
William  H.  Lee,  one  of  the  representative  men  of  his  locality,  who  died  in 
Colorado,  March  17,  1896.  The  mother  of  Frank  W.  resides  in  Los  Angeles. 
The  parents  moved  to  Colorado,  where  our  subject  acquired  his  education  in 
the  public  school,  after  which  he  became  identified  in  mining  in  various  parts 
of  Colorado.  He  removed  to  Nevada  and  settled  near  Eureka,  where  he 
remained  for  about  two  years,  and  then  came  to  the  Goldfield  region  for  three 
years.  He  made  several  trips  to  Tonopah,  and  in  1911  he  removed  to  this 
camp,  where  he  has  since  resided  and  is  now  the  proprietor  of  the  Model  Cigar 
Store.  For  seven  years  Mr.  Lee  has  prospected,  leased  and  worked  in  the 
mills  of  Nevada  and  is  well  known  in  the  mining  localities  of  this  State.  His 
three  brothers  are  Lloyd  P.,  machinist  in  Goldfield;  Charles  M.,  a  mining  man 
of  Goldfield,  and  Harry  H.,  a  mill  man  in  Goldfield. 

HARRY  M.  LEONARD.  Prominent  among  the  representative  men  of 
Humboldt  County  is  Harry  M.  Leonard,  who  since  1907  has  served  the  people 
in  a  capable  manner  as  County  Assessor.  He  was  born  in  Silver  City,  Idaho, 
August  7,  1875.  When  at  the  age  of  one  his  parents  removed  to  Nevada  and 
settled  at  Oreana  near  Lovelock.  His  father,  Charles  S.,  was  a  prominent  mill 
man  and  died  in  June,  1911,  and  the  mother  died  in  1904.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  became 
engaged  as  clerk  in  the  mercantile  business  in  Winnemucca,  which  he  followed 
for  seven  years.  He  then  became  identified  with  the  Southern  Pacific  Rail- 
road, and  filled  a  position  in  the  train  service  for  twelve  years.  In  1907  he  was 
appointed  to  fill  a  vacancy  as  County  Assessor,  and  was  elected  and  has  served 
two  terms  since.  Mr.  Leonard  was  married  in  1904  to  Miss  Vera  Guthrie,  of 
Winnemucca.  To  this  union  were  born  two  daughters,  Vera  and  May. 

JAMES  M.  LEONARD.  Among  the  business  men  of  Virginia  City  none  is 
more  prominent  than  James  M.  Leonard,  who  for  many  years  has  t>een  identi- 
fied with  the  Gold  Hill  Water  Company,  and  who  is  regarded  as  one  of 
Virginia  City's  most  successful  and  esteemed  citizens.  He  was  born  at  West- 
field,  Mass.,  September  u,  1875.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  that 
city  and  removed  to  New  York,  where  he  became  associated  with  the  Corn- 
stock  Tunnel  Company.  In  1896  he  removed  to  Nevada,  locating  in  Virginia 
City,  where  he  became  identified  with  the  Gold  Hill  Water  Company  under  the 
late  Captain  John  B.  Overton.  On  Mr.  Overton's  retirement  as  superintendent 


1994  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

of  the  company,  Mr.  Leonard  was  promoted  to  the  position  as  superintendent, 
which  he  now  holds.  Mr.  Leonard  is  a  member  of  the  Reno  Lodge,  B.  P. 
O.  E.  He  married  Miss  Jessie  M.  Hobart,  of  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  May  2, 
1899.  Their  two  children  are  James,  Jr.,  and  Jessie. 

ROBERT  LEWERS  was  born  in  Washoe  Valley,  Nevada,  June  19,  1862.  His 
early  life  was  passed  on  the  farm  in  that  valley,  and  his  education  was  obtained 
in  the  public  schools  of  that  region.  Most  of  his  career  has  been  passed  in  the 
school  room.  He  began  teaching  in  the  Mill  Station  public  school  in  1882,  con- 
tinuing there  for  the  year,  then  next  in  the  Sutro  schools  from  1884  to  1885 ;  in 
the  schools  of  Dayton  from  1886  to  1890.  And  from  that  date  he  has  served  with 
distinction  in  the  University,  being  Registrar  until  1906;  Professor  of  Political 
Economy  and  Principal  of  the  Commercial  School  from  1890  to  1911;  Professor 
of  Elementary  and  International  Law  and  Teacher  of  Commercial  Subjects  from 
1911  to  the  present  time,  a  position  which  he  still  occupies. 

HON.  HENRY  M.  LILLIS  is  one  of  the  men  who  have  played  an  important 
part  in  the  upbuilding  of  Southern  Nevada,  and  was  born  February  14,  1856,  at 
Lansing,  Mich.  His  parents  removed  to  St.  Croix,  Wis.,  when  Henry  was  young, 
and  he  attended  the  public  schools,  graduating  from  the  high  school  in  1870.  He 
also  attended  the  State  Normal  School  of  Riverfalls,  Wis.;  graduated  and  re- 
ceived a  teacher's  diploma  and  taught  school  in  Osceola  and  South  Farmington. 
He  then  removed  to  San  Antonio,  Texas,  and  later  to  Tacoma,  Wash.,  where  he 
taught  in  the  first  ward  school  for  a  period  of  nine  years.  He  studied  and  read 
law  in  the  office  of  James  M.  Ashton,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  Washing- 
ton in  1885.  He  was  a  member  of  the  State  Constitutional  Convention  of  the 
State  of  Washington  from  Pierce  County  in  1889,  and  was  a  member  and  First 
Lieutenant  of  Troop  B  of  Washington  National  Guards  for  three  years.  He  was 
identified  with  the  Linham  Lumber  and  Trading  Company  and  was  sent  from 
Tacoma  to  Delagoa  Bay,  South  Africa,  as  agent  for  the  company,  for  five  years, 
in  receiving  timber  from  the  Northwest  for  the  miners  in  South  Africa  He  re- 
turned to  this  country  and  settled  in  California  for  one  year  and  then  went  to 
Tonopah,  where  he  was  in  the  building  and  contracting  business  for  some  time. 
He  removed  to  Las  Vegas,  and  erected  many  of  the  substantial  businesses  and 
homes  in  Las  Vegas.  He  was  first  appointed  and  then  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace 
and  is  now  serving  his  third  term.  Socially  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic,  B.  P. 
O.  E.,  K.  of  P.,  and  Eagles.  In  politics  he  is  a  Repubican,  and  in  April,  1912,  he 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  the  long  term. 

ALBERT  C.  LINDSKOG.  Prominent  among  the  business  men  of  Ely. 
Nevada,  is  Albert  C.  Lindskog.  He  was  born  January  3,  1866,  at  Chicago.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native'  city,  after  which  he 
learned  the  jewelry  trade  at  St.  Joe,  Mo.  Here  he  spent  five  years,  and  he  then 
removed  to  Salt  Lake  City  and  other  places  in  the  West  where  he  followed 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1095 

his  vocation.  In  April,  1906,  he  removed  to  Nevada,  and  located  in  Ely,  where 
he  engaged  in  business.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  B.  P.  O.  E.,  No.  85,  of  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.  Mr.  Lindskog  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Blanche  Ellis,  a  native  of  Michigan,  June  17,  1891.  Their  three 
children  are  Ernest,  born  May  9,  1892;  Carrie,  born  June  25,  1898,  and  Helen, 
born  March  18,  1908. 

GEORGE  W.  LLOYD.  Prominent  among  the  energetic,  far-seeing  and 
successful  mining  engineers  of  the  West  is  George  W.  Lloyd,  of  Reno.  He 
was  born  at  Weymouth,  Mass.,  October  8,  1854,  educated  in  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  State,  after  which  he  served  for  five  years  in  the  City  Surveyor's 
office  at  .Boston.  In  1876  he  removed  to  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  where  he  engaged 
in  railroad  construction  for  four  years  throughout  the  State.  In  the  winter 
of  *79-'8o  he  went  to  Leadville,  Col.,  where  he  followed  mining  engineering  for 
twenty  years.  In  1900  he  went  to  Idaho,  where  he  spent  one  summer,  and  in 
1906  he  removed  to  Nevada,  locating  at  Olinghouse,  where  he  had  charge  of  a 
mining  property  for  one  year.  Mr.  Lloyd  was  appointed  United  States  Mineral 
Surveyor  in  Colorado  in  1880,  and  held  the  office  until  1900.  He  now  holds 
the  same  commission  for  California  and  Nevada.  He  came  to  Reno  in  1908. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lillie  May  Folsom,  a  native  of  Iowa,  in 
1891.  Their  one  daughter,  Marie  Wilder  Lloyd,  was  born  in  Colorado  in  1892. 
Mr.  Lloyd  is  largely  interested  in  mining  throughout  Nevada. 

RICHARD  B.  LLOYD  was  born  at  Springfield,  111.,  March  16,  1859.  He 
received  his  education  in  his  native  State,  and  at  an  early  age  he  took  up 
mechanical  engineering  and  learned  his  trade  in  Springfield,  111.  He  served  as 
chief  engineer  of  Swift  and  Company  in  Chicago  several  years,  after  which  he 
became  connected  with  the  Edgemore  Iron  Works  of  Wilmington,  Delaware, 
for  nine  years,  and  acted  as  their  representative,  coming  to  California  in  1906. 
Since  that  time  Mr.  Lloyd  has  been  connected  with  the  Pacific  Fruit  Express 
Company  as  mechanical  engineer  under  the  San  Francisco  office.  He  is  a 
member  of  Blue  Lodge  of  Los  Angeles  and  the  Consistory  of  Reno.  He  was 
married  to  Miss  Jessie  Cox,  of  Elgin,  111.,  March  6,  1882.  Their  two  sons, 
Ernest  and  Claude,  are  both  mechanical  engineers  and  reside  in  the  East.  He 
has  general  supervision  of  the  Las  Vegas  ice  plant  and  acts  as  agent  for  the 
company  which  furnishes  ice  for  the  refrigeration  of  cars  on  the  Salt  Lake,  the 
Las  Vegas  and  Tonopah,  and  the  Tonopah  Tide-water  Railroads.  Mr.  Lloyd 
has  assisted  in  the  construction  of  the  Las  Vegas  and  other  ice  plants  for  this 
and  other  companies. 

ROY  T.  LOCKETT.  A  review  of  the  representative  citizens  of  Clark 
County  and  of  the  men  who  have  played  an  important  part  in  the  upbuilding 
ol  Las  Vegas  Valley  generally,  would  be  deficient  without  a  sketch  of  Roy  T. 


1096  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Lockett.  He  was  born  in  Schuyler  County,  Mo.,  in  '1881.  At  the  age  of 
sixteen  his  parents  removed  to  Kansas,  where  they  were  engaged  in  farming. 
They  removed  to  California,  where  they  resided  seven  years,  and  engaged  in 
the  hotel  business  in  San  Joaquin  Valley.  Mr.  Lockett  came  to  Las  Vegas  in 
1905  and  erected  the  Charleston  hotel,  which  he  conducted  until  1910,  when  he 
took  the  office  of  Under  Sheriff,  which  office  he  still  holds.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Carrie  Bosworth,  of  San  Francisco,  June  28,  1906.  To  this 
union  was  born  Delores,  February  7,  1909.  Under  Sheriff  Lockett  is  identified 
with  the  Eagles  Lodge,  No.  39,  of  Fresno,  Cal.,  and  the  B.  P.  O.  E.,  No.  1062, 
of  Tonopah. 

i 

CLARENCE  LOGAN  was  born  at  Virginia  City,  July  4,  1869.  His  parents 
came  from  Nova  Scotia  and  crossed  the  Plains,  locating  in  Placer  County,  Cal., 
in  1860.  His  father,  George  W.,  was  one  of  the  early  men  on  the  Comstock 
and  died  in  1886.  The  mother  died  in  1910.  A  brother  of  our  sketch  is  a 
graduate  from  the  Boston  Mining  School  and  a  civil  engineer.  He  built  the 
mill  at  Silver  Peak,  the  Mexican  mill  at  Virginia  City,  and  the  Black  Oak  mill. 
He  has  a  brother  in  Tonopah  who  is  identified  with  the  mines,  and  another 
brother  who  is  in  the  real  estate  business  in  Texas.  Clarence  was  educated  in 
Virginia  City.  He  learned  the  machinist  trade  and  was  master  mechanic  of 
the  Tonopah  Mining  Company  for  two  years.  He  then  served  as  agent  for 
the  Risdon  Iron  Works  in  Nevada  for  five  years  and  sold  a  large  amount  of 
machinery  that  went  to  Goldfield  and  Tonopah.  Mr.  Logan  came  to  Reno  in 
1908  and  engaged  in  the  automobile  business.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican, 
and  is  active  in  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  Lodge.  He  is  a  charter  member  of  the  Reno 
Commercial  Club.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Louise  Becker,  of 
Reno,  December,  1910.  Their  one  daughter,  Maxine  Louise,  was  born  Septem- 
ber 28,  1911. 

HERMAN  LOOSE,  who  is  one  of  the  representative  business  men  of 
Lovelock,  was  born  in  Germany,  July  27,  1856.  He  received  his  education  in 
his  native  land,  and  in  1883  he  came  to  America,  settling  in  Allegheny,  Pa., 
where  he  remained  for  two  years,  after  which  he  removed  to  Delano,  Kern 
County,  Cal.,  remaining  for  a  period  of  fifteen  years,  where  he  was  identified 
with  ranching.  In  1898  he  went  to  San  Mateo,  Cal.,  where  he  remained  for 
two  years.  He  then  came  to  Nevada  and  located  in  Lovelock,  and  in  1900 
established  the  Lovelock  Bottling  Works.  Mr.  Loose  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  Lodge  of  Lovelock.  His  two  children  are  Albert  and  Idaline.  He 
has  been  actively  engaged  in  mining  for  some  time  and  now  owns  six  claims 
in  the  Jessup  district  in  Churchill  County  and  has  sunk  a  shaft  over  two  hun- 
dred feet  deep.  Mr.  Loose  still  has  a  ranch  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
in  Fresno  County,  California. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1097 

CHARLES  S.  CHANDLER.  Prominent  in  the  legal  fraternity  of  Nevada  is 
Charles  S.  Chandler,  born  in  Wingville,  Baker  County,  Oregon,  March  10,  1876. 
He  attended  the  district  school  until  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age,  when  he 
entered  the  Oregon  Agricultural  College  at  Corvallis,  graduating  with  the  class 
of  1894,  receiving  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Scientific  Agriculture,  and  in  1895 
he  received  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science.  He  taught  school  in  Baker  County, 
Oregon,  one  year,  and  from  1896  to  1899  he  attended  Stanford  University,  graduat- 
ing in  May,  1899,  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  Law.  He  attended 
Hastings  College  of  Law  in  San  Francisco  from  1899-1901,  graduating  in  May 
of  1901  with  the  degree  of  LL.  B.  Mr.  Chandler  became  connected  with  the  law 
office  of  Lindley  and  Eickhoff  of  San  Francisco  in  1899  and  continued  until  1905, 
when  he  removed  to  Ely,  where  he  practiced  his  profession.  December,  1906, 
became  associated  with  B.  L.  Quayle  under  the  firm  name  of  Chandler  and 
Quayle.  Mr.  Chandler  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  he  is  a  32nd  degree  Mason. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Florence  P.  Watson,  of  San  Francisco,  in 
1904.  The  firm  are  attorneys  for  various  large  corporations  of  Ely,  Nevada, 
including  the  Nevada  Consolidated  Copper  Company,  Steptoe  Valley  Smelting  and 
Mining  Company,  the  Nevada  Northern  R.  R.  and  the  Giroux  Consolidated  Mines 
Company. 

HON.  JOHN  ALFRED  ASHER,  M.D.,  was  born  in  Freeport,  111.,  July 
21,  1874.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  and  high  schools  of  Free- 
port,  111.  He  attended  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  of  the  Illinois 
State  University,  graduating  in  1897.  He  has  practiced  in  various  parts  of 
Nevada.  In  1903  he  removed  to  Sparks  and  was  appointed  County  Physician 
in  1906.  In  1908  he  was  appointed  health  officer  and  in  1910  he  was  elected  to 
the  State  Senate  for  a  four-year  term.  Dr.  Asher's  broad  experience  has 
gained  him  prominence  throughout  the  State.  He  is  identified  with  the  Ma- 
sonic Order  and  belongs  to  the  Blue  Lodge,  Chapter  and  Commandery,  the 
Eastern  Star,  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  He  is  also  a  member 
of  the  following  boards:  Member  of  Board  of  Honorary  Visitors  of  the 
State  University  and  a  member  of  Board  of  Pension  Examiners.  In  1898  Dr. 
Asher  was  married  to  Miss  Josephine  Keelly,  of  Carson  City,  Nev.,  and  their 
children  are  Bardner  and  Vernon.  Mrs.  Asher  is  a  member  of  the  Eastern 
Star  and  the  Century  Club  of  Reno. 

WILLIAM  N.  PHILLIPS,  superintendent  of  the  gas  and  water  department 
of  the  Reno  Power,  Light  and  Water  Company,  was  born  at  California,  Mis- 
souri, June  26,  1880.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  in  his 
native  town  and  at  an  early  age  he  removed  to  the  Coast,  working  in  various 
cities.  He  was  identified  with  the  Union  Iron  Works  of  San  Francisco,  the 
Floriston  Paper  Mills  and  the  Loyalton  Lumber  Company,  December,  1904. 
He  removed  to  Reno  and  engaged  with  the  Reno  Power  and  Light  Company 
as  engineer  and  later  was  promoted  to  the  position  of  superintendent  of  the 


1098  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

gas  and  water  department.  Mr.  Phillips  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elva 
Rice,  of  Reno,  May  18,  1902.  To  this  union  were  born  two  children,  Joseph- 
ine Elizabeth,  born  March  12,  1911,  and  one  child  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Phillips 
was  largely  instrumental  in  the  installation  and  perfecting  of  the  crude  oil 
gas  machinery,  which  is  now  used  in  the  Carson  City  and  Reno  plants. 

SAMUEL  PLATT,  born  in  Carson  City,  November  17,  1874,  educated  in 
Carson  City  High  School  and  Columbia  University  Law  College.  Elected 
Nevada  State  Assembly,  1901;  re-elected  1903  and  appointed  Speaker;  ap- 
pointed by  President  Roosevelt  January  9,  1906,  United  States  Attorney  for 
the  District  of  Nevada,  and  reappointed  by  President  Taft  on  January  19,  1910. 
Appointed  Special  Assistant  to  the  Attorney  General  of  the  United  States 
April,  191 1 ;  served  as  Deputy  Secretary  of  State  and  United  States  Referee  in 
bankruptcy. 

JACQUES  MIRAMON  was  born  in  France,  January  20,  1865.  He  left  his  native 
country  and  went  to  Brazil,  where  he  engaged  in  business.  He  removed  to 
Reno  in  1902,  where  his  father  and  brother  were  engaged  in  the  laundry  busi- 
ness. The  brother  died  1893.  Our  subject  and  his  sister,  Mrs.  K.  Duque,  of 
Reno,  purchased  the  father's  interest  and  the  father  returned  to  his  native 
country  after  spending  fourteen  years  in  America.  Jacques  was  educated  in 
France.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows,  Woodmen  of  the  World  and 
Druids.  He  was  married  in  the  Argentine  Republic  to  Filomena  Lorenzo  in 
1892.  Both  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  Reno. 

COL.  ALBERT  CHARLES  LUNDY.  On  May  23,  1880,  in  the  primitive 
surroundings  of  a  mining  camp,  he  was  born,  where  he  grew  to  the  vigor  of  a 
manly  life.  It  was  during  his  early  manhood  that  the  Spanish-American  war 
was  declared.  With  a  desire  to  serve  his  country  and  an  ambition  for  military 
honors,  he  enlisted  as  a  private,  went  with  the  army  to  Cuba,  where  he  took 
part  in  seven  months  of  active  service,  during  which  time  his  promotion  was 
rapid.  He  was  transferred  to  the  Philippine  Islands,  where  he  attained  the 
rank  of  Captain,  and  upon  his  final  discharge  from  the  service  he  returned  to 
the  United  States.  Tonopah  was  then  in  its  early  days  with  its  inviting  possi- 
bilities, and  in  its  activities  the  Colonel  entered;  where  aside  from  business  he 
became  prominent  in  all  athletic  sports,  and  in  a  mountain  climbing  contest  he 
won  for  his  backers  and  himself  $15,000.  His  military  service  had  been  so 
marked  that  on  the  formation  of  the  Nevada  State  Police  he  was  appointed 
to  the  command  of  the  reserve  forces  in  recognition  of  his  military  ability, 
upon  which  he  became  and  still  is  an  honored  member  of  the  staff  of  the 
Governor  as  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  State  Military,  and  has  the  rank  of 
Colonel.  In  1907  he  removed  to  Reno  and  engaged  in  the  automobile  business, 
in  which  he  has  won  success.  December,  1912,  Mr.  Lundy  disposed  of  his 
interests  in  the  automobile  business  to  devote  his  time  exclusively  to  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1099 

manufacture  of  a  new  gas  engine  of  which  he  is  the  patentee.  His  sterling 
qualities  of  energy  and  judgment  were  fully  demonstrated  in  an  automobile 
race  with  his  40  horse-power  Dorris  against  Tex  Rickard  with  his  70  horse- 
power Stevens,  for  a  wager  of  $1,000  on  a  dry  lake  near  the  City  of  Goldfield, 
in  which  the  Colonel  was  an  easy  winner.  The  Colonel  is  a  Republican,  a 
member  of  the  Masons  and  Workmen,  a  leader  in  business,  and  holds  four 
world's  records  for  running  in  Australia,  South  America,  England  and  France, 
and  has  won  records  in  the  United  States  Army.  His  wife,  Mrs.  Fletcher  L. 
Gregory  Lundy,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  is  a  leader  in  the  social  and  club  life 
of  Nevada. 

ROSCOE  PERRY  CHANDLER,  D.  D.  S.,  one  of  the  well-known  professional 
men  of  Reno,  Nevada,  was  born  at  Natick,  Mass.,  March  26,  1864.  He  received 
his  early  education  in  the  public  schools,  and  at  the  age  of  twelve  his  parents, 
removed  to  Riverside,  California,  where  his  lather  became  identified  in  the 
orange-growing  industry  of  that  section,  and  is  numbered  among  the  representative 
men  in  Redlands,  Cal.,  where  he  now  resides,  Dr.  Chandler's  mother  having  died 
in  1900.  He  took  up  the  study  of  dentistry  and  followed  his  profession  in  various 
cities  in  California.  He  took  the  examinations  and  was  admitted  to  practice  his 
profession  by  the  Nevada  Dental  Board,  of  which  he  is  a  member.  In  politics  he 
is  a  Republican.  Fraternally  he  is  identified  with  the  Foresters  and  Woodmen 
of  the  World.  Dr.  Chandler  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nancy  N.  Case,  a 
native  of  Nebraska,  in  the  fall  of  1888.  To  this  union  were  born  Ruby  L.,  age 
twenty-two,  who  is  now  clerking  in  the  Reno  Post  Office,  and  Mildred  M., 
age  nine. 

J.  LOZANO,  official  court  reporter  of  Washoe  County,  was  born  December 
19,  1877,  at  Ophir,  Placer  County,  Cal.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  Placer  County,  after  which  he  attended  the  Sierra  Normal 
College  at  Auburn,  California.  He  took  up  the  study  of  shorthand,  removed 
to  Nevada,  locating  in  Reno,  where  he  received  the  appointment  of  official 
court  reporter  of  Washoe  County,  taking  office  in  1903,  which  position  he  has 
sincd  held.  He  first  served  under  Hon.  B.  F.  Curler.  In  politics  Mr.  Lozano 
is  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party.  He  was  elected  by  the  people  of  his 
county  and  served  in  the  State  Legislature  during  the  Session  of  1913-14. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge,  B.  P.  O.  E.,  Moose,  Eagles 
and  the  Woodmen  of  the  World.  He  also  has  the  distinction  of  being  a 
member  of  the  Native  Sons  of  California.  Mr.  Lozano  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Lettie  P.  Glace,  of  California,  August  20,  1904.  Their  four  children 
are  Marion,  born  January  31,  1906;  Dolores,  born  May  20,  1909;  Edwin,  born 
June  23,  1911,  and  Nell  Juanita,  born  March  13,  1913.  The  latter  child  being 
named  by  a  resolution  adopted  by  the  members  of  the  State  Legislature,  of 
which  Mr.  Lozano  was  a  member.  As  a  token  the  members  of  the  Assembly 
presented  Nell  Juanita  with  a  handsome  silver  set  to  commemorate  the  event 
of  her  birth. 


I  loo  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

DANIEL  J.  O'LEARY  was  born  at  Modesto,  Cal.,  December  4,  1882.  He 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  graduating  from  high  school  in  1903.  He 
is  the  son  of  Patrick  and  Mary  O'Leary,  to  whom  were  born  seven  children. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  began  his  career  with  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad 
and  was  identified  with  the  clerical  force  in  the  chief  clerk's  office,  where  he 
remained  for, three  years.  He  removed  to  Tonopah  and  Manhattan,  where  he 
remained  two  years  in  the  employ  of  the  National  Ice  Company.  His  com- 
pany then  transferred  him  to  Rawhide,  where  he  remained  two  years.  He 
came  to  Las  Vegas  in  the  interest  of  his  company,  which  position  he  still 
holds,  and  has  charge  of  the  local  delivery.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat. 
He  was  married  December  29,  1909,  to  Miss  Isabella  Veronica  Boland,  of 
Butte,  Montana.  Their  one  son,  John  Warren,  was  born  October  27,  1910. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  O'Leary  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  this  city. 

THOMAS  ERVIN  KEPNER  was  born  in  Minnesota,  October  29,  1869.  He 
graduated  from  the  University  of  Minnesota  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  that  State  in  June,  1894.  Two  years  later  he  received  the 
degree  of  Master  of  Laws.  He  is  a  veteran  of  the  Spanish-American  War.  He 
came  to  Nevada  in  1907,  and  located  at  Reno,  where  he  is  in  active  practice  of 
his  profession.  He  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  K.  P.  fraternities.  On 
June  4,  1911,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mae  Curnow,  youngest  daughter  of  James 
Curnow,  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  the  State.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kepner  have  one 
daughter,  Cora  Mae. 

GAEL  S.  HOAG. — It  would  be  difficult  to  name  a  man  of  Eastern  Nevada 
more  popular  with  his  fellow  men  than  Gael  S.  Hoag,  of  Ely.  He  was  born 
at  Keeseville,  New  York,  October  28,  1866.  His  parents  removed  to  Denver, 
Colo.,  where  Gael  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools.  He  afterward 
attended  the  University  of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor.  He  returned  to  Denver, 
where  he  was  identified  in  the  newspaper  field  in  Denver  and  Cripple  Creek  for 
eighteen  years.  In  September,  1906,  he  removed  to  Ely,  Nevada,  where  he  has 
since  been  in  the  real  estate,  insurance  and  mining  brokerage  business.  For 
the  past  two  years  he  has  been  especially  active  in  the  good  road  movement 
and  has  done  much  to  improve  the  road  conditions  in  Eastern  Nevada.  Fra- 
ternally Mr.  Hoag  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  lodge,  he  being  a  thirty-second 
degree  Mason.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Seva  Smith  of  Carbondale, 
111.,  September,  1891.  Their  two  children  are  Sanford,  born  December,  1893, 
and  Helen,  born  September,  1899.  Mr.  Hoag  is  secretary  of  the  Nevada  State 
Automobile  Association  and  president  of  the  Ely  Auto  Club. 

LOUIS  L.  BLUMENTHAL,  who  is  too  well  known  in  the  mining  centers 
of  Southern  Nevada  to  need  special  introduction,  was  born  at  Nashville,  Tenn., 
in  1867.  He  is  a  son  of  Philip  Blumenthal,  one  of  the  representative  and  old- 
time  business  men  of  Nashville,  locating  in  that  city  when  a  mere  boy.  He 


BIOGRAPHICAL  noi 

died  in  1901.  Louis  L.  attended  private  and  military  schools  and  at  an  early 
age  he  learned  the  mercantile  business  in  his  father's  store.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-six  he  was  appointed  under  the  Cleveland  administration  as  U.  S. 
Inspector  of  Customs,  and  chairman  of  the  Civil  Service  Commission  in 
Alaska,  which  office  he  held  for  ten  years.  In  1901  he  returned  from  Alaska 
and  located  at  Tonopah.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to  take  an  interest  in 
mining  and  also  to  engage  in  the  mercantile  business.  In  1909  Mr.  Blumen- 
thal  disposed  of  his  interests  in  the  store  and  has  since  confined  himself  to 
mining  interests,  and  at  one  time  he  served  as  vice-president  of  the  North 
Star  properties.  He  is  past  supreme  chancellor  of  the  K.  of  P.  of  Tonopah 
and  was  one  of  the  men  instrumental  in  organizing  the  lodge.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.,  the  Eagles  and  the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  was 
married  to  Miss  Sadie  Loeb  of  Portland,  Oregon,  in  1896.  Mr.  Blumenthal 
is  largely  interested  in  real  estate  and  mining  and  he  served  as  public  ad- 
ministrator for  three  terms.  His  wife  accompanied  him  and  remained  in 
Alaska  for  some  years.  She  is  active  in  the  social  and  club  life  in  Tonopah. 
During  the  time  of  the  epidemic  in  Tonopah  Mrs.  Blumenthal  was  active  in 
caring  for  the  sick  and  aided  materially  in  various  ways  during  the  stressful  period. 

ROBERT  G.  POHL  was  born  at  Austin,  Nevada,  March  16,  1878.  He  is  a 
son  of  Robert  and  Kate  (Glasser)  Pohl.  His  father  is  a  native  of  Germany 
and  his  mother  of  Pennsylvania.  The  father  went  to  Austin  in  1872  and 
married  in  1874.  There  were  nine  children  in  the  family,  all  residing  in 
Nevada,  excepting  Emma,  who  is  a  resident  of  Big  Pine,  Cal.  The  names 
of  the  others  are  Fred,  Will,  Ernest,  Gertrude,  Kate,  Bertha  and  Louise.  The 
latter  has  served  as  vice-principal  of  the  Tonopah  High  School  for  several 
years.  The  parents  of  our  subject  are  still  residents  of  Austin  and  his  father 
is  one  of  the  old  and  respected  citizens  of  that  place.  Robert  G.  acquired  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  Austin  and  later  was  identified  with  the  post 
office  service  in  Battle  Mountain  and  in  Tonopah.  He  has  also  worked  in  the 
post  office  at  Austin  under  his  father,  who  ran  a  store  and  was  post  master 
at  that  place.  He  served  as  assistant  in  the  Tonopah  office  under  W.  J.  Sin- 
clair and  W.  W.  Booth.  He  was  elected  County  Clerk  in  1908  and  again  in 
1910,  and  will  be  a  candidate  for  a  third  term  in  1912.  In  politics  he  is  a  Re- 
publican. Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  No.  1062,  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Tonopah. 
Mr.  Pohl  was  united  in  marriage  to  Ruby  Meehan,  a  native  of  Plumas  County, 
Cal.,  September  9,  1904. 

JOSEPH  L.  KEYSER.  Numbered  among  the  representative  business  men  of 
Eastern  Nevada  is  Joseph  L.  Keyser.  He  was  born  in  Missouri  in  1851,  where  he 
was  reared.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  and  in  1868-69  he 
attended  William  Jerell  College  at  Liberty,  Clay  County,  Mo.  He  came  West, 
locating  in  Elko,  June  13,  1872,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  Mr.  Keyser 
has  been  engaged  in  the  undertaking  business  in  his  town  for  many  years.  He 


1 102  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

is  a  graduate  of  Eliab  Myers  College  of  Embalming  in  1903,  and  attended  Prof. 
Horace  Eckles'  School  of  Embalming  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.  Mr.  Keyser  for  some 
years  was  identified  with  building  and  contracting  in  his  town.  He  served  as 
Justice  of  the  Peace  by  appointment  in  1886  and  served  one  term.  In  1902  he 
took  over  the  undertaking  business  established  by  A.  J.  Pullman,  and  now  has 
one  cf  the  most  commodious  and  best  equipped  buildings  in  Nevada  for  that 
purpose.  In  politics  Mr.  Keyser  upholds  the  doctrines  of  the  Democratic  party. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  and  has  been  Master  of  No. 
15,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Elko  for  four  years.  He  is  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
Baptist  Church,  in  which  he  takes  an  active  part.  December  30,  1875,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  F.  Yeates,  a  native  of  Wisconsin  and  a 
pioneer  of  Nevada.  Their  three  children  are :  John  Harold,  Charles  Paul,  Jessie, 
wife  of  S.  R.  Steele  of  Elko.  Mr.  Keyser  is  a  member  of  the  State  Board  of 
Embalmers. 

HON.  JOHN  K.  CHAMBERS  was  born  at  Savanna,  Andrew  County,  Mis- 
souri, September  20,  1847.  His  parents  removed  to  California  when  he  was  five 
years  of  age  and  located  at  Petaluma,  where  he  attended  the  Lippitt  Institute, 
graduating  in  1872.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  the  State  of  California,  April 
I5>  l&73-  He  removed  to  Bellingham,  Washington,  where  he  practiced  law  for  a 
period  of  ten  years.  In  1902  he  located  in  Tonopah,  and  when  Manhattan  was 
started,  he  was  appointed  Judge,  serving  for  three  years,  and  practiced  in  Man- 
hattan for  five  years.  He  returned  to  Tonopah,  where  he  has  practiced  since 
in  connection  with  his  son,  Thomas  K.  Judge  Chambers  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  Fraternity,  and  he  is  part  owner  of  the  San  Francisco-Tonopah  Mine, 
adjoining  the  Montana  property.  He  is  also  interested  in  various  other  mining 
companies.  His  son,  Thomas  K.,  was  born  July  12,  1880,  at  Covelo,  Mendocino 
County,  Cal.,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  January  25,  1912,  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Nellie  Frizell,  of  Mount  Vernon,  Washington,  May  16,  1912.  Our 
subject  was  married  to  Miss  Ella  Conrad,  a  native  of  California,  November  28, 
1879.  Their  daughter,  Grace,  is  the  wife  of  John  Gofer,  a  contractor  of  Oakland, 
California,  and  their  one  child,  George,  was  born  May  19,  1905. 

HENRY  POLIN  was  born  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  May  i,  1885.  He  attended 
the  public  schools  in  his  native  city;  afterward  he  removed  to  Cripple  Creek, 
Colo.,  with  his  parents,  where  he  engaged  in  business.  In  1907  he  removed  to 
Goldfield  and  with  his  brother  Louie  started  the  stationery  and  magazine 
store  in  the  Post  Office  Building,  where  they  carry  a  complete  stock.  Another 
brother,  Askel,  is  manager  of  Polin  Bros,  ranch,  consisting  of  640  acres  in 
Oklahoma,  which  is  considered  one  of  the  finest  and  most  modern  ranches 
in  the  State.  The  mother  of  Messrs.  Polin  makes  her  home  with  Askel  on  the 
ranch. 

JAMES  POLLOCK  was  born  October  II,  1851,  at  Bayfield,  Canada,  fifty 
miles  from  London.  His  education,  which  was  limited,  was  acquired  at  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1103 

district  school.  His  parents  were  farmers  and  James  assisted  upon  the  farm. 
He  came  to  Nevada  and  located  for  a  time  in  Virginia  City,  where  he  followed 
mining.  He  afterward  purchased  a  ranch  of  six  hundred  acres  northeast  of 
Sparks,  where  he  lived  for  many  years.  In  July,  1904,  he  was  appointed 
Justice  of  the  Peace  by  the  County  Commissioners.  In  1905  he  was  appointed 
Police  Judge.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Modern  Wood- 
men of  America.  Judge  Pollock  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Delia  Wall, 
a  native  of  Ireland,  and  she  came  to  America  with  her  brother  and  located  in 
San  Francisco,  where  she  resided  for  many  years.  Judge  Pollock  was  married 
in  Virginia  City  October  19,  1875.  To  this  union  was  born  Sarah  May,  born 
January  28,  1880,  at  present  teaching  school  at  North  Truckee.  Mrs.  Pollock 
is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

ANDREW  ARRILD,  a  native  of  Denmark,  was  born  November  10,  1851. 
He  received  his  education  in  the  old  country  and  in  1874  he  left  his  native 
land,  coming  to  America,  and  to  the  Carson  Valley.  For  seven  years  he 
worked  in  a  quartz  mill,  after  which  he  removed  to  Bodie,  Cal.,  engaging  first 
in  the  dairy  business  and  later  in  the  livery  business  for  fourteen  years.  He 
made  his  home  in  Bodie  and  in  1901  he  removed  to  Gardnerville,  where  he 
followed  teaming  for  two  years,  after  which  he  leased  a  ranch,  which  he 
operated  for  five  years.  In  1910  Mr.  Arrild  was  elected  Sheriff,  which  office 
he  still  holds,  and  has  also  served  as  County  Assessor.  In  1880  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sina  Stendrup,  a  native  of  Denmark.  She  died 
January  9,  1912.  There  were  five  children  born  to  this  union,  and  only  one 
living — Ella — wife  of  James  A.  Currie,  a  business  man  of  Gardnerville,  Nev. 
The  family  attend  the  German  Lutheran  Church. 

HON.  FRANK  E.  BROCKLISS  is  one  of  Douglas  County's  highly  re- 
spected citizens.  He  is  a  native  of  Nevada  and  \vas  born  at  Sheridan,  October 
30,  1867.  He  received  his  education  in  this  State,  after  which  he  read  law  in 
Judge  Murphy's  office  in  Carson  City  for  two  years.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
Bar  on  March  7,  1902.  He  opened  an  office  in  Genoa,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  In  his  chosen  profession  he  has  been  eminently  successful.  He  has 
served  Douglas  County  as  District  Attorney  for  several  years.  In  1894  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  State  Assembly  for  one  term.  Judge  Brockliss  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Annie  M.  Johnson,  June  I,  1902.  Mrs.  Brockliss  is  a 
daughter  of  the  late  Chris.  Johnson,  one  of  Nevada's  highly  respected  and 
representative  agriculturists,  who  was  a  large  land-owner  in  the  Carson  Valley. 
To  this  union  were  born  Frances  and  Grace. 

DAVID  A.  ASPLAND,  one  of  the  progressive  and  public-spirited  men  of 
Goldfield,  was  born  at  Lincolnshire,  England,  July  26,  1866.  He  acquired  a 
common  school  education  in  the  old  country,  after  which  he  removed  to  Can- 
ada, where  he  engaged  in  railroad  work.  He  became  identified  with  the  Grand 


1 104  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Trunk  and  the  Canadian  Pacific  roads  for  a  period  of  seven  years  as  clerk, 
agent  and  operator.  In  1896  he  associated  himself  with  the  Oregon  Short- 
line  for  ten  years.  In  1906  he  removed  to  Goldfield,  and  took  a  position  with 
the  Tonopah  and  Goldfield  road  as  city  ticket  agent,  being  the  first  to 
have  charge  in  Goldfield,  and  in  February,  1911,  he  was  appointed  general 
agent  of  the  road,  which  position  he  still  holds.  Mr.  Aspland  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  Lodge  and  the  Elks.  He  now  holds  the  office  of  Senior  Warden 
of  Lodge  No.  30  of  Goldfield.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Mc- 
Nevin,  of  Chatam,  Ontario,  November  8,  1893.  Their  one  son,  Douglas,  was 
born  September  3,  1894.  Mrs.  Aspland  is  a  member  of  the  Woman's  Club  of 
Goldfield. 

FRANK  A.  DOHERTY,  County  Recorder  and  Auditor  of  Clark  County, 
one  of  the  men  who  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who  know  him,  was  born  at 
Providence,  R.  I.,  July  20,  1874.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  in  his 
State,  and  at  an  early  age  he  entered  newspaper  work  and  was  identified  with 
many  of  the  metropolitan  papers  in  the  East  and  in  California.  He  served  as 
Inspector  of  Customs  for  the  Government  in  Chicago  and  he  was  identified 
with  the  abstract  business  in  Arizona.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
Searchlight  Bulletin  in  1902  and  served  as  recorder  of  Searchlight  mining- 
district  for  a  period  of  five  years.  In  1909  he  came  to  Las  Vegas  and  opened 
the  office  of  recorder  in  June  and  in  the  fall  of  1910  was  elected  County 
Recorder  and  Auditor.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  and  socially  is  a  member 
of  the  B.  P.  O.  E. 

PETER  DOHR,  one  of  the  successful  business  men  of  Reno,  was  born  at 
Appleton,  Wis.,  in  1874.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  in  his 
native  town.  He  started  life  early,  and  in  1898  he  removed  to  Montana,  where 
he  engaged  in  business  for  four  years.  In  1902  he  removed  to  Reno,  and  he 
was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Reno  Brewery,  and  has  since  been  identified 
with  that  establishment.  He  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Reno,  and  a 
charter  member  of  the  F.  O.  E.  in  Montana.  Mr.  Dohr  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Elizabeth  Mauer,  of  Appleton,  Wis.,  May  22,  1901.  Two  children 
were  born  to  this  union,  Raymond  and  Rowland.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dohr  are 
members  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  Reno. 

EDWIN  F.  DONAVAN,  a  representative  rancher  and  mining  man  of 
Holbrook,  Nevada,  is  a  native  of  Michigan,  and  was  born  July  2,  1853.  In  1865 
his  parents  came  to  the  Pacific  Coast  via  the  Panama  route  and  located  in 
Butte  County,  Cal.,  where  his  father  followed  ranching  and  stock  raising.  He 
died  in  1891,  and  Mr.  Donavan's  mother  died  in  1908  at  Holbrook,  aged  82 
years.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  followed  placer  mining  in  California  for 
some  time.  He  then  operated  a  hotel  at  Oroville,  Cal.,  for  six  years,  when  he 
went  to  San  Francisco  and  served  on  the  police  force  for  five  years.  Later  he 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1105 

mined  in  Sonora,  Cal.,  for  some  time  and  removed  to  Bridgeport,  Mono 
County,  Cal.,  where  he  went  into  partnership  with  J.  A.  Brown,  who  has  served 
as  county  treasurer  of  Mono  County  for  eighteen  years.  They  bought  the 
Golden  Gate  mine  and  erected  a  three  stamp  mill  and  sold  out  in  May,  1912. 
Mr.  Donavan  is  still  largely  interested  in  mining  and  owns  and  operates  the 
Mountain  House  hotel  at  Holbrook.  Mr.  Donavan  has  been  twice  married,  the 
first  union  was  to  Miss  Ada  Geer,  of  Walla  Walla,  Wash.,  who  died  in  1891. 
Four  children  were  born  to  this  union,  three  of  whom  died.  Robert,  age 
twenty-one,  is  attending  business  college  at  Reno.  Mr.  Donavan's  second 
marriage  was  to  Mrs.  Mae  E.  Stricklin,  a  native  of  Oregon,  in  1902.  To  this 
union  was  born  one  son,  Joseph  A.,  age  ten  years. 

ALF  DOTEN  was  born  in  Plymouth,  Mass.,  July  21,  1829,  of  an  old  Puritan 
family,  in  whose  lineage  were  united  lines  of  descent  from  many  of  the  May- 
flower company  of  1620.  He  sailed  for  California  around  Cape  Horn  in  1849 
and  spent  the  next  fourteen  years  in  placer  mining  and  ranching  in  that  then 
•unsettled  country.  Mr.  Doten  came  to  Nevada  in  1863,  locating  first  at  Como, 
where  his  forcible  and  vigorous  letters  to  the  Como  Sentinel  and  the  Virginia 
Daily  Union  attracted  attention  and  led  to  his  engagement  as  local  editor  of 
the  latter  paper.  In  1865  he  entered  the  service  of  the  Virginia  Territorial 
Enterprise,  remaining  with  the  latter  until  he  became  editor  of  the  Gold  Hill 
Daily  News.  While  with  the  Union  and  the  Enterprise  Mr.  Doten  was  a  friend 
and  associate  of  Mark  Twain  at  the  time  when  the  latter  was  just  beginning  to 
show  the  genius  which  afterward  made  him  the  most  prominent  figure  in 
American  literature.  Mr.  Doten  was  married  at  Lake  Tahoe  in  1874  to  Miss 
Mary  Stoddard,  of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  then  a  teacher  in  the  Gold  Hill  schools. 
From  1882  to  1884  Mr.  Doten  was  editor  of  the  Reese  River  Reveille  at  Austin, 
Nevada,  but  in  1884  he  removed  to  Reno,  where  his  family  have  resided  ever 
since.  To  the  end  of  his  life,  which  occurred'  in  Carson  City,  Nov.  12,  1903, 
Mr.  Doten  was  an  active  figure  in  newspaper  work. 

JAMES  C.  DOUGHTY,  postmaster  of  Elko,  has  proved  most  capable  in  the 
discharge  of  his  duties,  his  administration  of  the  affairs  of  the  office  giving 
general  satisfaction  for  the  past  six  years.  He  was  born  in  California,  October 
8,  1866,  and  is  a  son  of  James  C.,  who  crossed  the  Plains  in  1856,  passing 
through  what  is  now  the  State  of  Nevada,  which  was  then  an  undefined  part 
of  the  Territory  of  Utah.  Its  population  was  almost  entirely  made  up  of 
miners  or  men  connected  in  some  way  with  that  industry,  and  indirectly  deriv- 
ing their  support  in  that  way.  The  father  of  our  subject  went  on  to  Cali- 
fornia, where  he  remained  until  the  Civil  War  broke  out.  He  enlisted  and  took 
an  active  part  in  fighting  the  Indians  in  Nevada.  He  was  stationed  at  Union- 
ville  and  Fort  Churchill,  and  established  Fort  McDermott,  and  was  placed  in 
command  after  McDermott  was  killed  in  1865.  He  finally  settled  in  Elko 
County  in  1867,  where  he  died  at  Carlin  in  1891,  and  his  wife  died  in  1897. 
James  C,  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Elko  and  Reno.  He 


no6  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

took  up  railroading,  and  was  in  the  employ  of  the  S.  P.  R.  R.  for  eight  years  as 
engineer.  He  taught  school  in  Elko  for  six  years  and  was  identified  with  the 
First  National  Bank  of  Elko  for  three  years.  Mr.  Doughty  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Minnie  Pettinger,  a  native  of  Virginia  City,  May  14,  1905. 
He  is  affiliated  fraternally  with  the  Masonic  Lodge,  Odd  Fellows  and  K.  of  P. 
He  was  Grand  High  Priest  of  Royal  Arch  Masons,  1909-10;  Grand  Master  of 
Masons,  1910-11,  and  served  as  Grand  Patron  of  the  Eastern  Star,  1912-13. 

WILLIAM  OSCAR  DRESSER,  one  of  the  most  progressive  and  representa- 
tive business  men  of  Southern  Nevada,  was  born  at  Bellair,  Ohio,  February  26, 
1861.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  removed  to  Colorado,  where  he  was  educated 
in  the  Pueblo  public  schools.  After  acquiring  a  limited  education  he  went  to 
San  Juan,  where  he  followed  mining  for  twenty  years.  He  was  one  of  the  men 
who  assisted  in  laying  out  the  town  of  Telluride,  Col.,  and  was  identified  with 
the  mines  of  that  locality,  and  opened  the  first  express  company  in  Telluride 
for  J.  L.  Sanderson.  The  Overland  Stage  Co.  at  that  time  operated  all  over 
the  States  of  California,  Colorado  and  Wyoming,  and  the  line  that  ran  into 
Telluride  connected  with  the  railroad  at  Allamosa.  Mr.  Dresser  having 
charge  of  the  line  and  express  business  after  the  Denver  and  Rio  Grande  took 
over  the  express  business.  He  opened  and  managed  the  business  in  1882  and  in 
1887  it  was  taken  over  by  the  railroad.  He  went  to  Alaska  in  1903  to  examine 
the  Bonanza  copper  mine,  located  at  the  headwaters  of  the  Chitna.  Returning 
to  Denver  he  engaged  in  the  furniture  business  and  shortly  after  in  Cripple 
Creek.  He  removed  to  Nevada  and  located  at  Ryolite,  and  on  December  14, 
1906,  he  opened  a  furniture  store,  shipping  the  first  carload  of  furniture  to  that 
camp,  remaining  there  for  three  years.  When  conditions  changed  in  Ryolite 
Mr.  Dresser  decided  to  cast  his  lot  with  Tonopah  and  he  moved  seven  carloads 
of  furniture  and  the  building  to  this  camp.  He  married  Miss  Katherine 
Bueschell  of  Iowa,  December  5,  1908.  Their  one  son,  John  William,  won  the 
first  prize  at  the  baby  show  held  at  San  Francisco  during  the  winter  of  1911, 
and  was  presented  with  a  gold  medal,  which  was  handsomely  engraved,  to 
commemorate  the  occasion.  Mrs.  Dresser  is  an  active  worker  in  the  Christian 
Science  Church. 

THOMAS  J.  DRON  was  born  December  31,  1879,  in  Austin,  Nevada.  He  is 
a  son  of  Alexander  and  Margaret  Ann  (Jones)  Dron.  His  father  was  a  native 
of  Scotland  and  his  mother  of  England.  They  came  to  America  and  located 
in  Virginia  City.  The  father  was  identified  with  the  mines  of  Virginia  City; 
afterwards  he  removed  to  Austin,  where  he  engaged  in  mining  and  was  killed 
in  the  Frost  shaft  at  Austin.  The  other  children  in  the  family  are  Alexander, 
of  San  Francisco ;  George,  residing  in  Austin,  and  Louise,  wife  of  Oscar  Bakke, 
now  residing  in  Round  Mountain.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  educated  in 
the  Austin  public  schools,  after  which  he  drove  stage,  clerked  and  worked  in 
the  mills.  In  1901  he  removed  to  Tonopah,  where  he  worked  in  the  mines 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1107 

and  clerked  for  three  years.  In  August,  1905,  he  came  to  Manhattan  and 
engaged  in  the  grocery  business  and  sold  the  first  bill  of  goods  in  the  camp. 
He  married  Louisa  Moss,  of  Austin,  in  November,  1903.  Their  two  children  are 
Le  Roy  and  Lorena  Louise.  Mr.  Dron  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of 
Tonopah. 

MICHAEL  FAY,  one  of  the  progressive  and  representative  ranchers  and 
stockmen  of  the  upper  Carson  Valley,  was  born  in  Wayne  County,  N.  Y.,  October 
27,  1853.  His  parents  came  to  the  Pacific  Coast  via  the  Panama  route  and  located 
in  California  for  fifteen  years,  where  they  did  ranching  in  the  Sacramento  Valley. 
The  parents  of  Mr.  Fay  are  both  dead.  He  came  to  Nevada  in  1876  and  located 
in  the  Walker  River  section,  where  he  found  employment  at  ranching  for  seven 
years.  He  then  located  in  the  upper  Carson  Valley,  where  he  worked  out  for  four 
years.  He  was  united  in  marriage  November  14,  1879,  to  Miss  Mary  Eleanor 
Berry,  a  native  of  Nebraska,  who  crossed  the  Plains  and  came  to  the  Carson 
Valley  and  settled  on  the  present  Fay  ranch  about  fifty  years  ago.  Four  children 
have  blessed  this  union.  George  Henry,  who  resides  on  the  home  ranch  (He 
served  in  the  State  Legislature  in  1910,  and  married  Miss  Stella  McGuire  of 
Carson  City)  ;  Lilliam  Nevada,  wife  of  B.  C.  Leadbetter,  a  mining-engineer,  who 
resides  in  South  Africa ;  Irma  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Dr.  F.  T.  Brown  of  Oakland ; 
and  Ernest  Wilber,  who  resides  at  home.  Mrs.  Fay's  father  died  November  29, 
1902,  and  her  mother  died  May  17,  1887.  Mr.  Fay  was  the  first  in  the  Carson 
Valley  to  install  an  electric  plant  on  his  ranch,  giving  power  and  light.  He  also 
furnishes  light  for  various  ranchers  in  his  locality.  His  son,  Ernest,  is  largely 
interested  in  and  breeds  first-class  stock.  The  ranch  was  originally  purchased  by 
Mrs.  Fay's  father  and  is  known  as  the  Lute  Olds  ranch. 

GEORGE  HOLCOMB,  who  is  successfully  engaged  in  general  farming, 
stock  raising  and  dairying  in  Washoe  County,  is  a  son  of  Grove  R.  Holcomb, 
and  in  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  the  latter  we  present  to  our  readers 
one  of  the  representative  citizens  of  Nevada.  Grove  R.  Holcomb  was  a  native 
of  Iowa,  where  he  received  a  limited  education.  At  the  age  of  thirteen  he 
crossed  the  Plains  accompanied  by  his  parents,  who  settled  in  Gridley,  Cal. 
The  trip  across  the  continent  took  four  months.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one 
Grove  R.  engaged  in  the  cattle  business  and  was  successful.  About  the  age 
of  thirty-five  he  came  to  this  State  and  became  interested  in  the  lumber  busi- 
ness in  Virginia  City  with  a  man  named  Neil.  This  business  continued  for  ten 
years,  when  Mr.  Holcomb  removed  to  Truckee  Meadows  and  purchased  four 
hundred  acres,  he  being  one  of  the  first  ranchers  to  take  up  his  residence  in 
this  locality  and  he  was  one  of  the  first  to  engage  in  the  growing  of  Alfalfa. 
He  died  in  1905.  He  always  took  an  interest  in  the  Republican  ranks  and  for 
two  terms  served  as  Supervisor.  Since  the  father's  death  the  children  have 
purchased  the  Huffaker  and  Lamb  ranches,  making  all  told  sixteen  hundred 
acres  in  the  family.  The  subject  of  our  sketch  received  his  education  in  the 


iio8  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Reno  public  schools,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the  stock  business,  which  he 
followed  until  1902,  when  assumed  charge  of  the  father's  interests.  He  was 
married  November  16,  1910,  to  Ada,  daugher  of  Enoch  Morrill,  of  Berkeley, 
Cal.  In  the  parents'  family  there  were  eight  children — William,  Thadd,  Budd, 
Daisy  (wife  of  C.  H.  Burke  of  Reno),  Myrtle  (wife  of  T.  W.  Stevenson  of 
Reno),  Kate,  George  and  Albert,  who  reside  in  Oregon.  The  various  interests 
are  merged  into  the  G.  R.  Holcomb  Estate  Company.  Each  year  they  have 
about  six  thousand  sheep  and  one  thousand  range  cattle.  The  government 
furnished  a  military  escort  at  the  time  the  father  and  mother  crossed  the 
Plains,  as  the  Indians  at  that  time  were  on  the  war  path. 

Hon.  ALFRED  W.  HOLMES  was  born  in  Nova  Scotia,  January  i,  1864. 
He  was  educated  in  Nova  Scotia  and  at  an  early  age  he  learned  the  plastering 
trade,  which  he  has  followed  all  his  life.  He  removed  to  Wyoming  in  1884 
and  followed  his  trade,  and  in  1889  he  came  to  Reno.  He  was  chosen  by  the 
people  to  represent  them  in  the  State  Senate  and  elected  in  1904,  1906,  1908 
and  in  1912.  Senator  Holmes  has  taken  a  keen  interest  in  the  Masonic  lodge, 
he  being  a  thirty-third  degree  Mason.  He  is  past  master  of  Reno  Lodge  No. 
13,  F.  and  A.  M.,  past  potentate  of  Kerak  Temple  of  Reno,  and  wise  master 
of  Washoe  Chapter  Rose  Croix.  Senator  Holmes  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Emma  Arvidson,  in  1900.  Mrs.  Holmes  has  served  as  past  president  of  St. 
Marguerites  Society  of  the  Congregational  Church  and  past  president  of  the 
Rebecca  Assembly,  Ladies  of  the  Maccabees.  On  different  occasions,  Senator 
Holmes  has  served  as  delegate  to  the  State  Republican  County  Conventions 
and  has  been  past  representative  of  the  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows 
of  Nevada.  He  is  the  father  of  the  Foreign  Corporation  bill,  passed  in  1909, 
and  a  member  of  executive  council  of  the  Nevada  Historical  Society. 

HARRY  W.  CULBERTSON.— One  of  the  representative  men  of  Mason, 
Nevada,  was  born  at  Bristol,  Elkhart  County,  Ind.,  October  9,  1876.  He  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Nebraska,  where  his  parents  re- 
moved when  he  was  twelve  years  of  age.  Finishing  his  education,  he  became 
identified  with  the  grocery  business  at  Grand  Island  for  ten  years.  He  then 
removed  to  Park  City,  Utah,  where  he  remained  three  years,  and  worked  at 
the  lumber  business.  Mr.  Culbertson  came  to  Ely  in  April,  1906,  and  started 
the  Ely  lumber  and  coal  business,  where  he  remained  for  over  four  years,  and 
managed  the  business.  In  November,  1910,  he  went  to  Mason,  Nevada,  and 
acted  as  manager  for  the  Mason  Townsite  Company,  Mason  Lumber  and  Coal 
Company  and  the  Mason  Water-Light  Company.  When  the  bank  was  organ- 
ized in  November,  1911,  he  took  the  position  of  cashier  and  is  also  one  of  the 
directors.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Yerington  and 
the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  and  a  member  of  the  Mason  school  dis- 
trict board,  Mr.  Culbertson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Maud  M,  Gray,  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1109 

New  York  State,  June  7,  1905.    Their  two  sons  are  Alan  Gray,  born  August  10, 
1908,  and  William  Robert,  born  May  14,  1910. 

BENJAMIN  CUNNINGHAM,  M.  D.,  a  prominent  physician  of  Reno,  was 
born  in  Massachusetts  January  30,  1869.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
in  Gloucester,  Mass.,  Tufts  College,  Medford,  Mass.,  and  received  his  M.  D. 
Degree  at  Harvard.  He  served  one  year  in  the  Carney  Hospital  in  Boston. 
He  went  to  Cripple  Creek,  Col.,  in  1895,  and  to  Reno  in  1907,  where  he  has 
had  a  general  practice  since.  Dr.  Cunningham  is  a  member  of  the  Washoe 
County  and  Nevada  State  Medical  Societies,  and  the  American  Medical  Asso- 
ciation, and  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  was  married  to  Miss 
Clara  Shaw  of  Woodstock,  New  Brunswick.  Their  three  children  are  Augustus 
Frederick,  John  W.,  and  Benjamin  F.,  Jr.  The  doctor  is  an  active  member  of 
the  Reno  Commercial  Club. 

M.  B.  ASTON  was  born  and  reared  in  Tennessee.  After  passing  through  the 
public  schools  he  attended  Warren  College,  Bingham  School,  the  University  of 
Tennessee,  and  the  University  of  North  Carolina,  being  graduated  from  the 
last-named  institution  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  While  preparing 
for  the  practice  of  law  his  election  as  president  of  a  college  led  him  into  edu- 
cational work  by  which  he  was  diverted  from  his  original  purpose.  Coming 
west  fifteen  years  ago,  he  engaged  successively  in  commercial  pursuits,  writ- 
ing and  publication.  This  last  brought  him  in  1904  to  Goldfield,  where  he  has 
since  resided.  In  April,  1905,  he  joined  in  the  Bullfrog  rush  and  with  Clay 
Tallman  opened  an  office  for  mining,  law  and  real  estate  in  Rhyolite,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Aston  and  Tallman,  This  was  maintained  during  the  boom 
years  and  until  his  Goldfield  office  required  all  his  time.  In  Goldfield  he  was 
at  first  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Aston  and  Sear,s,  and  later  that  of  Aston  and 
Chilson.  Mr.  Aston  is  an  observer  of  public  affairs  rather  than  a  participant 
in  their  functions.  Though  an  old-line  Republican  at  the  time,  he  was  com- 
missioned a  Colonel  on  Gov.  Sparks'  staff  and  during  the  last  presidential 
campaign  served  as  a  member  of  the  State  Central  Committee  of  the  Progres- 
sive Party  and  also  as  Chairman  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  Esmeralda 
County.  He  is  a  member  of  several  secret  orders  and  is  now  Eminent  Com- 
mander of  Malta  Commandery  No.  3,  K.  T. 

HARRY  HUNT  ATKINSON  was  born  at  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  May  22, 
1881.  His  education  was  acquired  in  the  public  and  high  schools  of  Salt 
Lake  City,  after  which  he  attended  Stanford  University,  graduating  in  1903 
with  degree  of  A.  B.  Spring  of  1903  to  1905  he  engaged  in  the  railroad  and 
public  land  surveys  employed  in  the  mineral  and  agriculture  division  of  the 
U.  S.  Surveyor  General's  office  of  Salt  Lake  City.  He  has  also  served  as 
assistant  examiner  of  surveys  of  the  United  States.  He  was  also  identified 


1 1  io  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

with  the  Monmouth  Copper  Co.  at  Kennet,  Cal.,  for  some  time.  In  1905-06 
he  took  a  post  graduate  course  in  the  law  department  of  Stanford  University 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  San  Francisco,  April  6,  1906.  He  went  to 
Wyoming  in  irrigation  survey  work  for  a  short  time  and  in  September,  1906, 
he  removed  to  Tonopah,  Nevada,  where  he  has  practiced  his  profession  since. 
In  November,  1908,  he  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  of  this  township  and 
re-elected  in  1910.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge,  B.  P. 
O.  E.,  K.  of  P.  and  the  Eagles  of  Tonopah,  Nevada.  In  politics  Judge  Atkin- 
son is  a  Republican.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Katherine  Jackson, 
November  28,  1908,  and  their  two  children  are  Robert  Stansbury,  born  July 
28,  1910,  and  Harry  Hunt,  Jr.,  born  March  4,  1912. 

HON.  ALBERT  DOUGLASS  AYRES.— A  native  of  California,  born  June 
25,  1874,  the  descendant  of  a  distinguished  ancestory,  one  of  whom  was  promi- 
nent in  the  American  Revolution.  Mr.  Ayres  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  and  the  University  of  California,  admitted  to  the  bar  of  his  native 
State,  and  commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Oakland,  Cal.,  in  1897^ 
continuing  there  in  business  until  he  removed  to  Reno,  Nevada,  in  1900,  where 
he  has  since  practiced  his  profession  with  ability  and  success.  He  has  served 
as  assistant  district  attorney  of  Washoe  County  with  honor.  He  is  an  ardent 
Republican,  and  as  such  was  elected  to  the  25th  Legislature  of  Nevada,  and 
served  in  the  regular  and  special  sessions,  acting  as  chairman  of  the  judiciary 
committee,  with  fidelity  to  his  constituents.  He  is  prominent  in  fraternal 
circles  as  an  Odd  Fellow,  Moose,  Son  of  the  American  Revolution  and  a  32nd 
degree  Mason;  in  all  of  which  he  is  active.  Mr.  Ayres  is  interested  in  so- 
ciology, problems  of  labor,  promoting  the  welfare  of  the  laboring  class  by 
appropriate  legislation,  and  for  the  betterment  of  his  fellow  man.  He  is  one 
of  the  leading  and  successful  lawyers  of  Nevada.  A  keen  student  of  legal 
problems,  of  an  analytical  mind,  an  interesting  and  fluent  speaker  in  and  out 
of  court,  the  possessor  of  a  large  fund  of  general  information  and  legal  knowl- 
edge, which  he  knows  how  to  use  to  the  best  advantage.  His  grandfather, 
Dr.  Daniel  Ayres,  a  celebrated  surgeon  of  his  time,  was  the  first  health 
officer  of  New  York  City;  his  father,  Irvin  Ayres,  and  Annie  Poor  Ayres,  his 
mother,  were  among  the  sturdy  citizens  of  California.  The  ancestry  of  Hon. 
Albert  Douglass  Ayres  on  his  paternal  and  maternal  sides  were  prominent  in 
the  colonial  days  and  during  and  subsequent  to  the  War  of  the  Revolution. 
Mr.  Ayres  is  married  and  has  three  children. 

ALEXANDER  BAIRD,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Braidwood, 
111.,  April  14,  1874.  His  father,  James,  came  to  Nevada  and  located  first  at 
Unionville,  where  he  was  joined  by  his  wife  and  three  children  some  months 
afterward.  The  family  came  to  Cherry  Creek  in  1880,  and  later  located  at 
Taylor,  where  the  father  worked  at  mining.  Mr.  Baird's  father  was  born 


BIOGRAPHICAL  mi 

July  n,  1846,  and  died  December  23,  1892.  He  married  Isabell  Stevenson,  who 
was  born  September  20,  1854,  both  natives  of  Scotland.  The  parents  of  Mr. 
Baird  were  married  in  Illinois  May  12,  1870.  To  this  union  were  born  ten 
children;  three  died  in  infancy;  the  living  are  James  S.,  born  June  8,  1872; 
Alexander,  born  April  14,  1874;  Robert  A.,  born  July  9,  1875;  William,  born 
August  7,  1882;  Orval  R.,  born  August  31,  1884;  Arthur  P.,  born  July  27, 
1886;  George  W.,  born  June  17,  1889.  Alexander  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  White  Pine  County,  after  which  he  followed  mining  and  rode  the 
range.  He  was  elected  Sheriff  of  White  Pine  County  for  two  years  and 
served  in  the  State  Assembly  during  the  23rd  Session  in  1907.  He  after- 
ward followed  mining  for  two  years,  and  in  1909  was  elected  City  Marshal, 
serving  two  years.  He  then  was  identified  with  the  Ely  Packing  Company.  He 
was  elected  and  served  in  the  Legislature  again  in  1912.  In  politics  Mr.  Baird 
is  a  Republican  and  he  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Reno,  I.  O.  O.  F.  and 
K.  of  P.  He  was  married  November  13,  1898,  to  Ella  Rowe  Gallagher  and 
she  died  May  4,  1900.  To  this  union  was  born  Robert  Kent,  born  October 
24,  1899. 

OSMOND  GEORGE  BATES  was  born  at  Salem,  Mo.,  March  11,  1879.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  St.  Louis  and  the  Washington 
University,  graduating  with  the  class  of  1899.  He  became  identified  with  the 
Mercantile  interests  of  St.  Louis,  and  served  as  secretary  of  the  Fillmore 
Milling  Company  of  Fillmore,  Mo.,  and  later  with  a  business  corporation  in 
Evanston,  Wyoming.  In  1903  Mr.  Bates  formed  a  co-partnership  with  Charles 
P.  Blythe  and  engaged  in  the  grocery  and  meat  business  in  Salt  Lake  City, 
which  continued  until  1905,  when  he  removed  to  Ely,  Nevada.  He  then  en- 
gaged in  the  real  estate  and  mining  business,  which  he  continued  for  one  year. 
In  May,  1906,  he  became  associated  with  J.  L.  Wilson  (now  deceased)  in  the 
furniture  and  undertaking  business,  under  the  firm  name  of  Wilson-Bates 
Furniture  Co.,  which  was  incorporated  in  1906.  Politically,  Mr.  Bates  is 
affiliated  with  the  Republican  party,  and  was  elected  Councilman  from  the 
First  Ward  in  1911.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  and  I.  O.  O.  F. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mabel  Bray,  a  native  of  Montana,  July 
21,  1909.  To  this  union  were  born  Osmond  George,  born  July  9,  1910,  and 
Donald  Brayton,  born  September  6,  1912.  Mrs.  Bates'  aunt,  Miss  Jessie  Bur- 
nett, is  now  serving  as  Postmistress  at  McGill,  Nevada. 

GRAHAM  H.  BEEBE,  secretary  and  treasurer  of  The  White  Company  of 
Reno,  was  born  at  Tomah,  Monroe  County,  Wisconsin,  September  13,  1881. 
His  parents  removed  to  Tulare  County,  Cal.,  where  Mr.  Beebe's  father  was 
active  in  banking  and  real  estate  circles.  Graham  H.  acquired  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  Porterville,  Cal.,  and  Leland  Stanford  Jr.  University. 
After  leaving  college  he  became  identified  with  the  Fresno  Republican  on 


1 1 12  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

the  editorial  staff.  Resigning  this  position  on  the  Fresno  paper  he  accepted 
a  position  on  one  of  the  leading  papers  in  Palo  Alto,  Cal.  In  October,  1905, 
Mr.  Beebe  removed  to  Reno,  where  he  accepted  a  position  in  the  advertising 
department  of  the  Nevada  State  Journal,  later  assuming  the  management.  He 
severed  his  connection  with  the  Journal  in  1909,  and  took  an  interest  in  The 
White  Company.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  Mr.  Beebe  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Charlotte  E.  Rowen,  of  Palo  Alto,  Cal.,  August  n,  1904. 
Their  one  child,  Dorothy  Elizabeth,  was  born  May  21,  1905. 

JAMES  HIRAM  CHENEY  was  born  August  26,  1836,  in  Courtland  County, 
N.  Y.  When  a  boy  seventeen  years  old  he  went  to  California  via  the  Isthmus 
of  Panama,  with  his  parents,  who  took  up  Government  land  in  Alameda  County 
when  it  was  a  question  whether  or  not  the  land  was  worth  having  at  any  price. 
When  the  Civil  War  broke  out  he  enlisted  at  Port  Costa  in  the  Second  California 
Cavalry  and  was  discharged  more  than  three  years  later  at  Camp  Douglas,  Utah. 
Much  of  Mr.  Cheney's  army  life  was  spent  in  Nevada,  being  stationed  at  Fort 
Churchill  and  various  other  places,  where  the  Indians  required  the  watchful  eye 
of  the  Government  troops  to  keep  them  in  subjection.  While  a  soldier  he  dis- 
covered the  Raymond  &  Ely  mine  near  Pioche,  from  which  many  millions  of 
treasure  have  been  taken.  One  day  when  off  duty,  to  while  away  the  time,  he 
started  out  over  the  hills  to  prospect,  and  by  the  merest  chance  struck  his  pick 
into  some  rich  ore.  Realizing  that  he  had  made  a  valuable  discovery,  he  covered 
it  up,  later  filed  upon  it,  and  as  his  duty  as  a  soldier  compelled  him  to  leave  that 
vicinity  soon  afterward,  he  left  his  papers  with  a  lawyer,  from  whom  he  could 
never  recover  them.  After  his  discharge  from  the  army  he  returned  and  tried 
to  substantiate  his  claim,  but  found  that  others  had  obtained  possession  of  it, 
who  in  the  course  of  time  realized  a  fortune  from  a  blow  struck  at  random  by 
Mr.  Cheney.  Soon  after  the  close  of  the  war  he  took  up  his  residence  at  Carson 
City,  and  was  for  many  years  an  employee  of  the  U.  S.  Mint.  In  1877  he 
married  Miss  Laura  M.  Stewart,  a  native  of  Iowa,  who  came  to  Nevada  in  1873. 
Three  children  were  born  to  them,  one  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  The  other  two, 
Raymond  Stewart  and  Minor  Eugene.  Failing  health  making  a  change  of  climate 
necessary,  he  removed  to  Livermore,  Cal.,  in  1888,  where  he  died  February  15, 
1895.  It  would  not  be  fitting  to  close  this  brief  review  of  Mr.  Cheney's  life 
without  a  few  words  in  regard  to  his  political  affiliations.  Though  voting  with 
the  Republican  party  many  years,  he  was  very  democratic  in  his  ideas,  and  did 
not  believe  in  special  privileges  to  a  chosen  few.  Against  this  he  many  times 
protested,  though  he  sacrificed  much  in  doing  so.  To-day  he  would  be  called  a 
"Progressive  Republican,"  one  who  had  exceeded  the  speed  limit,  but  in  that  day 
and  age  in  the  State  of  Nevada  progressiveness  was  not  popular.  When  her 
legislators  and  other  public  servants  were  corrupted  with  gold  and  paid  to  do  the 
bidding  of  a  few,  the  voice  that  was  raised  against  it  found  no  response  from  the 
majority.  If  those  who  have  passed  on  can  look  back  on  ythe  doings  of  this 
world,  it  must  be  gratifying  to  Mr.  Cheney  to  know  that  Nevada  has  to  some 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1113 

extent  redeemed  herself  and  that  the  principles  for  which  he  stood  so  staunchly 
have  been  adopted  by  those  who  condemned  him  for  his  belief  in  equal  rights  to 
all.  Soon  after  his  death  his  widow,  with  her  two  young  sons,  went  to  Southern 
California  to  live,  and  Mrs.  Cheney  has  for  many  years  been  a  resident  of 
Pasadena. 

RAYMOND  STEWART  CHENEY,  eldest  son  of  James  Hiram  Cheney,  and 
one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  Las  Vegas,  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
of  Carson  City  and  Livermore,  California.  He  chose  the  profession  of  a  druggist 
and  in  that  capacity  has  been  employed  in  various  places  in  California  and  Nevada. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity,  Blue  Lodge,  Commandery,  Knights 
Templar,  and  Shrine.  In  August,  1908,  he  was  married  to  Catherine  Claire  Tahey, 
in  Landsburg,  California,  Miss  Tahey  being  a  daughter  of  Patriah  Tahey,  at  one 
time  a  prominent  mining  man  of  Virginia  City.  One  child,  Raymond  Charles, 
who  died  in  infancy,  was  born  to  them. 

MINOR  EUGENE  CHENEY  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Livermore 
and  San  Diego,  Cal.  After  leaving  school  he  began  work  on  the  U.  S.  Govern- 
ment Geological  Survey,  platting  the  territory  from  Needles  to  Yuma,  along  the 
Colorado  River.  After  two  years  of  this  work  he  entered  the  service  of  the 
Santa  Fe  Railroad,  and  after  nearly  six  years  of  employment  with  them,  became 
associated  with  his  brother  in  the  drug  business  in  Las  Vegas,  where  they  have 
been  since  September  i,  1911.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Golden  Star  Lodge,  No.  38, 
K.  of  P.,  Pasadena,  Cal. 

GARDNER  CHISM  was  born  in  Dresden,  Maine,  August  29,  1824,  and  was 
of  Scotch  ancestry.  He  was  educated  in  his  native  town,  where  he  remained  until 
he  was  twenty-five  years  of  age.  He  made  three  trips  to  California,  twice  by  the 
way  of  Cape  Horn  and  once  by  the  Isthmus.  He  worked  at  mining  for  a  time 
and  then  went  to  Oregon,  where  he  engaged  in  lumbering.  At  the  time  of  the 
Indian  War  he  resided  in  Oregon  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  war.  He  raised 
sheep,  which  he  drove  overland  to  the  Virginia  market,  continuing  in  the  sheep 
business  for  about  ten  years.  He  then  removed  to  Reno,  Nevada,  in  1880,  and 
purchased  a  large  ranch  adjoining  the  city,  and  in  1890  Mr.  Chism  engaged  in 
the  dairy  business.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Alice  A.  Hitchcock,  in 
1876,  a  native  of  New  York  State.  To  this  union  were  born  seven  children,  four 
of  whom  are  living,  viz.:  John  H.,  born  1878;  he  married  Miss  Choice  Brookins 
of  Reno,  January  i,  1902.  Edward  W.,  born  1881,  residing  at  home  and  member 
of  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Reno.  Harry  H.,  born  in  1883 ;  he  married  Mary  Bacon 
of  Reno,  May,  1910;  and  Gardner  L.,  born  in  October,  1893,  attending  school.  In 
1907  Mr.  Chism,  Jr.,  started  a  factory  for  the  manufacture  of  ice-cream  and  ices, 
which  he  sells  to  the  wholesale  trade  throughout  Nevada  and  part  of  California, 
and  the  annual  output  runs  about  twenty  thousand  gallons.  Gardner  Chism  was 
a  Democrat,  but  never  aspired  to  office.  He  was  postmaster  at  one  time  in  Oregon. 


1 1 14  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

HON.  ROSWELL  K.  COLCORD,  ex-Governor  of  Nevada,  has  been  a 
resident  of  the  State  since  1863.  He  is  a  native  of  Maine,  having  been  born  in 
Waldo  County,  April  25,  1839.  He  received  his  education  in  Seaport,  Maine, 
after  which  he  took  a  course  in  mechanical  engineering  and  later  he  learned 
the  ship-carpenter's  trade.  In  1851  his  father  visited  California,  where  he  spent 
two  years.  Again,  in  1856,  his  father  made  the  trip  to  California,  taking  Ros- 
well  with  him,  who  was  but  seventeen  years  of  age.  They  became  interested  in 
mining  in  Tuolumne  County  for  some  time.  The  father  returned  to  his  former 
home  and  the  son  journeyed  to  Nevada.  Upon  locating  in  this  State  Mr.  Colcord 
engaged  in  building  bridges  and  mills,  and  soon  ranked  among  the  most  promi- 
nent mechanical  engineers  and  contractors,  and  has  been  identified  with  the 
most  important  triumphs  in  mechanical  construction  throughout  Nevada.  He 
served  as  superintendent  of  the  Imperial  Mine,  which  was  one  of  the  best 
mines  in  Nevada  at  the  time,  and  was  general  manager  of  the  English  Com- 
pany's properties  at  Aurora,  which  produced  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  in 
bullion  in  sixty  days.  He  was  superintendent  of  the  consolidated  mines  of  the 
Esmeralda  Company.  While  acting  as  Governor  he  was  also  ex-officio  regent 
of  the  State  University,  and  while  in  that  capacity  he  succeeded  in  having  a 
department  of  mechanical  engineering  founded.  During  the  general  strike  in 
1893  President  Cleveland  sent  United  States  soldiers  to  protect  the  mail  routes 
in  Nevada  and  Gov.  Colcord  received  a  telegram  from  Reno  asking  if  he  would 
call  out  the  State  Militia  to  assist  the  U.  S.  troops  if  required.  He  replied 
"Yes"  and  that  he  would  take  personal  command.  By  the  State  Legislature 
he  was  made  chairman  of  the  State  Board  of  Assessors  and  Equalizers  of  Taxes. 
October  14,  1898,  he  was  appointed  by  President  McKinley  superintendent  of 
the  U.  S.  Mint  at  Carson  City.  Gov.  Colcord  was  united  in  marriage  on  the  25th 
of  April,  1868,  to  Miss  Mary  F.  Hopkins.  To  this  union  was  born  Stella  G., 
Hallie  and  Ethel.  Fraternally  he  has  been  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  Lodge  since 
1865  and  was  Master  of  Silver  Star  Lodge  in  Gold  Hill  in  1866.  He  joined  the 
Chapter  that  year  and  has  since  passed  all  the  degrees  in  that  order.  In  1889 
he  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Stevenson  Commissioner  from  Nevada  to  the  Paris 
Exposition. 

HON.  HENRY  A.  COMINS.  In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  Henry 
A.  Comins  we  present  to  our  readers  one  who  has  a  very  wide  acquaintance 
and  who  is  honored  and  esteemed  by  all  who  know  him.  He  was  born  in 
Penobscot  County,  Me.,  June  10,  1836.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the 
academy  of  his  native  county  and  Westbrook  Seminary,  near  Portland,  Me. 
He  came  to  California  via  the  Isthmus  route,  landing  in  San  Francisco  May, 
1858.  He  went  to  the  mines  of  Tuolumne  County,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
mining  in  Calavaras  and  Tuolumne  counties  for  four  years.  The  following  year 
he  engaged  in  the  lumber  business.  The  spring  of  1863  he  crossed  the  moun- 
tains to  the  head  of  Carson  river,  and  came  down  the  river  with  a  log  drive  and 
landed  at  Empire  City,  July  i,  1863.  He  was  employed  by  the  Carson  River 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1115 

Lumber  Company,  and  later  he  became  manager  of  the  Lower  Carson  River 
Lumber  Co.  In  1869  he  migrated  to  White  Pine  County  owing  to  the  mining 
excitement  at  Treasury  Hill.  He  engaged  in  business  with  John  C.  Russell 
under  the  firm  name  of  Russell  &  Comins  in  Hamilton,  Ward,  and  in  Pioch  for 
a  short  period.  The  firm  continued  in  business  from  1869  to  1881.  Mr.  Comins 
engaged  in  the  lumber  business  in  Cherry  Creek  for  four  years.  In  1885  he 
removed  to  Steptoe  Creek,  where  he  engaged  in  the  lumber  business,  ranching 
and  stock  business.  He  disposed  of  his  ranch  and  came  to  Ely  in  1907.  He  is 
a  director  and  Vice-president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Ely  and  has  been 
largely  interested  in  the  mercantile  and  real  estate  interests  of  White  Pine 
County.  In  1875  he  was  elected  to  serve  White  Pine  County  in  the  lower  house, 
and  in  1877-79  he  served  as  State  Senator  from  his  county,  and  again  in  1889- 
1899,  inclusive.  He  has  served  as  school  trustee  in  Hamilton,  Cherry  Creek, 
Steptoe  and  Ely  and  is  now  on  the  county  and  district  school  boards.  Mr. 
Comins  was  united  in  marriage  to  Minnie  M.  Stauts,  of  Philadelphia,  December 
12,  1867.  Four  children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  two  of  whom  died  in 
infancy.  Those  living  are  Henrietta,  born  October  20,  1868,  wife  of  A.  N. 
McDonald,  of  Ely,  and  Minnie  M.,  born  October  19,  1872,  wife  of  D.  C. 
McDonald,  of  Ely,  Nevada.  Mr.  Comins  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  lodge, 
he  being  a  32nd  Degree  Mason. 

DANIEL  COLL  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1848,  received  his  education  in  his 
native  land  and  came  to  America  in  1870,  locating  in  New  Jersey.  He  followed 
the  moulding  trade  until  1874,  when  he  went  to  San  Francisco  via  the  Isthmus 
route.  He  followed  his  trade  in  San  Francisco  for  a  time  and  came  to  Nevada, 
locating  first  in  Virginia  City  and  then  Eureka,  where  he  mined  in  both  camps. 
He  then  returned  to  California  overland  and  mined  for  a  time.  Returning  to 
Nevada  he  followed  mining  in  White  Pine  and  Elko  Counties.  He  ran  the 
Cottage  hotel  in  Elko  County  for  eighteen  years.  In  1893  he  removed  to  Reno, 
where  he  has  remained  since.  Mr.  Coll  has  mining  interests  still  in  different 
parts  of  Nevada.  1884  he  married,  and  his  children  are  Charles,  William,  Grace, 
Edna,  wife  of  R.  J.  McFadden,  and  Daniel,  Jr.,  of  Reno.  Mr.  Coll  is  a  Demo- 
crat and  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  and  Knights  of  Pythias. 

PERCY  SCOTT  BOOTH,  a  native  of  New  York  City,  N.  Y.,  was  born 
May  20,  1882.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  afterward  at- 
tending the  Pratt  Institute  of  Brooklyn,  New  York.  After  his  schooling  he 
identified  himself  with  the  accounting  deparment  in  the  transportation  field 
and  served  in  the  leading  railroad  and  steamship  offices  in  New  York  City  for 
a  period  of  four  years.  He  removed  to  Denver,  Col.,  became  interested  in 
mining  and  later  went  to  San  Juan  for  a  brief  period.  He  desired  to  see  more 
of  the  west  and  spent  some  time  in  Arizona  and  New  Mexico.  August  I,  1905, 
he  came  to  Tonopah,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  served  as  chief  clerk 


ui6 


THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 


for  the  Tonopah  Mining  Company  and  later  auditor  for  the  Nevada  Telephone 
and  Telegraph  Company,  with  headquarters  in  Tonopah.  April  15,  1912,  he 
accepted  the  office  of  auditor  of  the  Tonopah  Extension  Mining  Company, 
which  position  he  now  holds.  Mr.  Booth  is  a  32d  degree  Mason  and  a 
Shriner.  He  was  appointed  County  Commissioner  of  Nye  County  by  Gov. 
Oddie  in  June,  1911,  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of  Tim  O'Connell,  deceased. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Stella  Cocke  of  Kansas  City,  Missouri, 
June  6,  1908. 

CHARLES  E.  BOSWELL  was  born  at  Fowler,  Ind.,  October  31,  1863.  He 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  at  the  age  of  twenty  he  removed  to 
Montana,  where  he  was  engaged  on  the  stock  ranges  of  that  State  for  eleven 
years.  He  then  became  identified  with  railroad  contracting,  which  he  fol- 
lowed for  some  time.  He  removed  to  Reno,  Nevada,  and  engaged  with  the 
Reno  Mill  and  Lumber  Company  as  salesman  and  collector,  which  position 
he  still  holds.  Socially  he  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Reno. 
Mr.  Boswell  was  married  to  Miss  Bessie  Stewart,  a  native  of  Montana,  in 
1896.  Their  one  daughter,  Mildred,  was  born  May  5,  1900.  The  father  of 
Mr.  Boswell,  Charles  P.,  was  a  farmer  in  Indiana,  and  died  January  5,  1912. 
His  mother,  Elizabeth  (Squires)  Boswell,  is  a  native  of  Kentucky.  Our  sub- 
ject has  one  sister,  Mildred,  wife  of  Edward  Cooper,  residing  at  Manchester, 
Ind. 

ADAMS,  FRANKLIN  BROWN,  of  Goldfield,  Nevada,  son  of  James  Madison 
Brown  and  Amanda  Melvina  (Pingrey)  Brown,  was  born  in  Littleton,  in  the 
Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  February  4th,  A.  D.  1857,  in  which  State  his 
ancestors  had  lived  for  about  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  years.  He  received 
the  usual  New  England  education  and  training.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Bar, 
July  i,  1891,  with  the  right  to  practice  law  in  all  the  courts  of  Massachusetts,  and 
was  afterwards  admitted  to  practice  in  the  United  States  Circuit  Court.  He  opened 
a  law  office  in  Westborough  and  enjoyed  a  large  practice.  He  was  at  the  head  of 
the  town  government  for  five  years,  receiving  the  solid  vote  of  the  rank  and  file 
of  all  political  parties,  and  was  Town  Counsel  for  several  years.  He  served  as 
Justice  of  the  Peace  from  1889  until  he  came  to  Goldfield,  Nevada,  in  1896,  a  period 
of  over  seventeen  years.  He  has  a  calm,  judicial  temperament  and  a  keen  sense 
of  justice,  well  fitting  him  for  service  on  the  bench.  He  was  married  May  8,  1894, 
to  Mahalah  Annie  Adams,  of  Houlton,  Maine.  They  have  two  sons,  Rolf  Eric 
Brown,  born  March  24,  1896,  and  Paul  Erwin  Brown,  born  November  n,  1898. 
Since  residing  in  Goldfield  he  has  devoted  his  attention  to  the  practice  of  law  and 
to  mining.  He  has  been  a  loyal  and  consistent  Democrat  for  years.  He  was  elected 
Public  Administrator  of  Esmeralda  County  in  1908  and  re-elected  in  1910,  receiving 
the  largest  majority  of  any  county  officer  on  the  ticket.  He  has  been  a  member  of 
the  Baptist  Church  since  he  was  thirteen  years  of  age  and  belongs  to  many  fra- 
ternal organizations,  being  especially  active  as  a  Freemason.  He  was  Master  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1117 

Siloam  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Westborough,  Mass.,  in  1888,  District  Deputy 
Grand  Master  of  the  Twentieth  Masonic  District  in  1890  and  1891  and  Grand 
Patron  of  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star  in  1893-4.  He  is  a  member  of  Massachu- 
setts Consistory,  S.'.P.'.R.'.S.'.32°  and  Aleppo  Temple,  A.'.A.'.O.'.N.'.M.'.S.'. 
of  Boston,  Mass.  He  is  High  Priest  of  Goldneld  Chapter  No.  10,  R.  A.  MS., 
Master  of  Nevada  Council,  R.  &  S.  M.,  for  the  past  five  years  and  Commander  of 
Malta  Commandery  No.  3,  K.  T.,  in  1909  and  1910.  These  last  two  bodies  were 
organized  through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Brown.  He  is  proud  of  the  history  of 
Nevada  and  deeply  interested  in  its  prosperity  and  development. 

EDWARD  BROWN.  Numbered  among  the  well  and  favorably  known  mining 
men  of  Nevada  is  Edward  Brown,  of  Tonopah.  He  was  born  in  Fayette  County, 
Maine,,  September  4,  1858.  His  parents  removed  to  Baldwin,  Douglass  County, 
Kansas,  when  Edward  was  a  child.  His  father,  Hartson  R.,  was  a  prominent 
merchant  of  his  locality  and  died  in  1887.  Mr.  Brown's  mother  died  in  1909;  both 
parents  having  died  in  Kansas.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  acquired  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  that  State  and  early  in  life  he  learned  the  milling  trade, 
which  he  followed  up  to  the  time  he  removed  to  Nevada.  In  1882  he  located  in 
Esmeralda  County  and  became  identified  with  mining,  which  he  followed  for  some 
years.  He  has  valuable  mining  and  real  estate  interest's  in  the  State.  In  1901  Mr. 
Brown,  with  Mr.  Cutting,  had  lease  No.  19  on  the  Mizpah  vein,  which  they  worked 
for  about  one  year. 

RICHARD  W.  BASSMAN,  who  was  born  December  2,  1875,  is  a  son  of 
Henry  and  Mary  Bassman,  both  of  German  descent.  The  father  coming  to 
this  country  via  the  Panama  route  in  1870.  In  1875  the  father  was  united  in 
marriage  and  the  same  year  he  purchased  a  ranch  consisting  of  two  hundred 
or  more  acres.  He  served  as  Supervisor  of  Alpine  County  for  one  term  and 
has  served  as  school  trustee.  In  the  parents'  family  there  are  four  children 
living — Lawrence,  of  Lovelock,  a  rancher;  Delia,  wife  of  William  Stodieck,  of 
Carson  Valley;  Ida,  wife  of  Louis  Ruhenstroth,  of  Carson  Valley,  and  our 
subject.  Richard  W.  was  married  to  Annie  Tholke,  a  native  of  Germany,  in 
1904.  Their  three  sons  are  Earnhardt,  Henry  and  Richard,  all  living  at  home. 
In  politics  Mr.  Bassman  is  a  Republican  and  he  is  a  stockholder  in  the 
Farmers'  Bank  of  Carson  Valley,  Minden  Creamery,  Carson  Valley  Hay  & 
Produce  Co.,  and  the  local  telephone  company.  The  family  attend  the  German 
Lutheran  Church. 

JAMES  W.  O'BRIEN.  It  would  be  difficult  to  name  a  citizen  of  Nevada 
who  has  been  more  active  along  educational  lines  than  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  He  was  born  in  El  Dorado  County,  Cal.,  September  10,  1858,  and  is  a 
son  of  James  and  Eliza  M.  (Geoghegan)  O'Brien,  both  natives  of  Lexington, 
Ky.  The  parents  and  two  older  children  crossed  the  Plains  in  the  early  days 
and  located  in  El  Dorado  Co.  Later  they  resided  in  Sacramento,  Marysville, 


in8  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Oroville  and  Chico,  Cal.  Mr.  O'Brien's  father  was  one  of  the  leading  physi- 
cians and  a  highly  respected  citizen  of  his  locality  and  practiced  his  profession 
in  various  cities  of  California.  James  W.  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
of  California,  and  graduated  from  the  high  school  in  San  Francisco.  After 
finishing  his  education  he  identified  himself  with  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad 
in  the  transportation  department,  he  having  served  in  this  capacity  in  Wads- 
worth,  Sacramento,  and  when  the  town  of  Sparks  was  created  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  this  point,  where  he  has  since  resided.  Mr.  O'Brien  has  always  taken 
a  keen  interest  in  educational  matters  and  served  on  the  school  board  at 
Wadsworth  for  twenty  years,  and  is  now  serving  as  clerk  of  the  board  in 
Sparks.  In  politics  Mr.  O'Brien  is  a  Republican,  but  he  never  aspired  to  public 
office.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  T.  Woodward,  of  Oakland, 
Cal.,  February  7,  1883.  To  this  union  were  born  six  children — Edward,  a 
physician  residing  at  Richmond,  Cal.;  Josephine,  who  resides  at  Portland,  Ore.; 
Albert  M.,  a  surveyor  with  the  S.  P.  R.  R. ;  Alice  W.,  Edwina  J.,  and  Harold, 
residing  at  home.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  Sparks. 

CLEVELAND  HALL  BAKER  was  born  at  Eureka,  Nevada,  June  26,  1883, 
son  of  G.  W.  and  Mary  A.  Baker,  pioneer  residents  of  Nevada.  Mr.  Baker 
was  a  graduate  of  the  public  schools  of  Oakland,  Cal.,  the  Anderson  Uni- 
versity Academy,  the  Belmont  School  and  the  Leland  Stanford  Jr.  University, 
taking  the  degree  of  A.  M.  Mr.  Baker  was  engaged  for  a  time  in  newspaper  work 
in  San  Francisco ;  then  studied  law  in  Reno  and  San  Francisco,  and  in  1907  began 
the  practice  of  law  at  Tonopah,  Nevada.  He  was  appointed  assistant  district  at- 
torney and  in  1908  was  elected  district  attorney  of  Nye  County  by  a  majority 
of  two  to  one.  As  district  attorney  he  made  a  most  successful  record  and 
in  1910  was  elected  attorney-general  of  Nevada,  being  the  only  Democratic 
nominee  for  an  important  office  elected  in  the  State  that  year.  In  the  very 
beginning  of  his  brilliant  career  Cleveland  H.  Baker  was  stricken  by  death 
at  Carson  City,  Nevada,  December  6,  1912,  aged  30  years.  The  death  of 
Attorney-General  Baker  was  a  source  of  universal  and  genuine  regret  in 
Nevada,  his  native  State.  Wherever  he  went  he  made  friends  and  in  what- 
ever work  he  engaged  he  quickly  was  marked  as  one  of  unusual  ability.  All 
who  knew  him  predicted  a  bright  future,  and  his  sudden  call  to  "that  un- 
discover'd  country,  from  whose  bourne  no  traveler  returns,"  was  a  great 
shock  to  the  people  not  only  of  Nevada,  but  his  friends  in  California  and 
the  West.  Cleveland  Hall  Baker  was  a  32d  degree  Mason,  a  Mystic  Shriner 
and  a  member  of  the  Bohemian,  Family  and  Union  League  Clubs  of  San 
Francisco,  and  the  Sage  Brush  Club  of  Nevada.  He  was  married  in  Oakland, 
Cal.,  November  18,  1908,  to  Pansy,  daughter  of  Senator  Geo.  <C.  Perkins  of 
California. 

ALFRED  C.  BANNISTER  was  born  in  Oakland,  Cal.,  May  20,  1878.  His 
father,  Alfred,  was  a  native  of  England,  where  he  was  identified  with  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1119 

London  banks  as  an  expert  accountant.  In  1859  he  was  sent  as  an  expert 
to  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  for  the  London  and  San  Francisco  Bank,  Limited. 
He  is  now  seventy-four  years  of  age  and  has  held  the  position  of  trust  with 
this  bank  since  1859.  Mr.  Bannister's  mother  was  Rose  Hammond,  a  native  of 
England,  and  she  was  the  mother  of  five  children.  Alfred  C.,  the  only  child 
identified  with  Nevada,  was  educated  at  the  Lincoln  school  in  Oakland.  After 
his  schooling  he  engaged  in  the  bicycle  business  in  Oakland  for  a  period  of 
nineteen  years.  Owing  to  his  wife's  health  he  removed  to  Reno,  where  she 
died  February  8,  1906.  Mr.  Bannister  has  three  children,  Violet,  born  August, 
1901;  Vollaire,  born  October,  1903,  and  George,  born  February,  1906.  Mr. 
Bannsiter  established  a  bicycle  business  in  Reno  July  23,  1910.  He  has  always 
taken  a  keen  interest  in  athletic  sports  and  was  captain  of  the  Oakland 
Wheelmen  in  1899. 

ARTHUR  H.  BARLOW,  who  resides  at  Mason,  Nevada,  has  the  distinc- 
tion of  being  a  native  son.  He  was  born  at  Welington  May  15,  1874.  His 
father,  Richard  Barlow,  a  native  of  Essex,  England,  came  to  Nevada  in  1862. 
He  was  interested  in  the  mercantile  business  in  Aurora  and  was  interested  in 
mining.  He  died  in  1884.  Mr.  Barlow's  mother,  Emma  Holeman,  was  a  native 
of  Wisconsin.  She  crossed  the  plains  from  Mineral  Point,  Wisconsin,  to 
Aurora,  Nevada,  is  still  living,  and  makes  her  home  in  Oakland,  Cal.  There 
were  nine  children  in  the  parents'  family,  of  which  seven  are  living.  The  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Aurora  and 
Hawthorn,  and  Oakland,  Cal.  Early  in  life  he  followed  mining  and  various 
occupations.  In  1902  he  became  identified  with  Edwards  and  Cutting  in 
Tonopah  for  one  year.  He  then  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  mining  busi- 
ness under  the  firm  name  of  Edwards  &  Barlow,  operating  in  Tonopah,  Raw- 
hide and  Greenwater,  Cal.  November,  1909,  Mr.  Barlow  removed  to  Mason, 
Nevada,  and  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business.  At  present  he  is  engaged  in 
real  estate  and  mining.  In  1910  he  located  the  flood  waters  of  the  east  and 
west  forks  of  Walker  River,  and  promoted  an  irrigation  project.  January, 
1912,  he  turned  over  his  water-rights  and  took  stock  in  what  is  now  the 
Walker  River  Power  and  Canal  Co.  Mr.  Barlow  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P. 
O.  E.  of  Reno.  He  is  a  County  Commissioner  of  Lyon  County,  being  elected 
in  the  fall  of  1912  for  a  four-year  term.  He  was  married  to  Misjs  Adele 
Bucking  July  9,  1907,  of  Hollywood,  Cal.,  and  their  three  children  are  Ruth 
F.,  Alden  H.  and  Holeman  F. 

JOHN  R.  CUNNINGHAM,  M.  D.,  was  born  at  Johnstown,  N.  Y.,  June  20, 
1865.  His  parents  moved  to  Beaver  Dam,  Wis.,  when  John  R.  was  two  years 
of  age.  His  parents  were  among  the  thrifty  farmers  in  that  locality  and  re- 
mained in  Beaver  Dam  for  twelve  years.  After  which  they  migrated  to  Cam- 
bria, Wis.,  where  they  remained  until  their  death.  The  father  of  Dr.  Cunning- 
ham died  in  February,  1912,  and  his  mother  died  ten  years  previous.  The 


1 120  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

subject  of  our  sketch  was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  gradu- 
ated in  1888  from  the  Chicago  College  of  Pharmacy,  which  is  connected  with 
the  Illinois  University.  He  graduated  from  the  Rush  Medical  College  of  Chi- 
cago in  1891.  He  began  practicing  his  profession  corner  Sist  and  Halsted 
streets,  where  he  remained  for  fifteen  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Stock- 
yard Division  of  the  State  Medical  Society  and  at  one  time  had  charge  of  a 
drug-store,  corner  5ist  and  Wentworth  avenue,  for  three  years.  September  23, 
1905,  Dr.  Cunningham  came  to  Nevada,  locating  in  Tonopah,  where  he  ,im- 
mediately  started  to  practice,  and  has  been  successful  from  the  start.  He 
served  as  county  physician  and  health  officer  for  four  years.  He  is  a(  member 
of  the  Nye  County  Medical  Society  and  served  as  President  in  1911.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Nevada  State  Medical  Society.  He  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Catherine  Ryan  of  Chicago  in  1896,  who  died  in  1907.  Dr.  Cun- 
ningham is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  Tonopah  and  fraternally  is 
affiliated  with  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  Knights  of  Columbus,  both  of  Tonopah, 
Nevada. 

HON.  BENJAMIN  CURLER  was  born  in  Addison  County,  Vt.,  September 
27,  1834.  He  was  educated  in  B.  B.  Allen's  High  School,  Vergennes,  Vt.,  and 
he  acquired  his  legal  education  in  Illinois  and  Nevada.  In  1855  he  removed  to 
Rock  Island  County,  111.,  where  he  taught  school  and  studied  law.  In  1856  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rhoda  A.  Thompson,  formally  a  school 
teacher,  a  native  of  New  Haven,  Vt.,  and  a  daughter  of  James  Thompson,  a 
representative  man  of  that  place.  His  wife  accompanied  him  on  his  trip  across 
the  Plains  and  they  located  at  Carson  City,  Nevada,  where  Mr.  Curler  became 
engaged  in  building.  He  later  removed  to  Churchill  County,  where  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  last  Territorial  Legislature,  and  later  he  was  chosen 
District  Attorney  of  Churchill  County,  serving  two  years,  and  District  Attor- 
ney of  Nye  County  for  two  years,  and  District  Attorney  for  Esmeralda  County. 
In  1866  he  was  elected  District  Judge  of  the  district  comprising  Nye  and 
Churchill  Counties,  serving  in  that  capacity  for  eight  years.  1867  he  removed 
to  Belmont,  the  county  seat  of  Nye  County.  In  1890  he  removed  to  Reno, 
where  he  has  since  carried  on  a  general  law  practice.  Seven  children  were 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Curler,  but  three  are  now  living,  Benjamin  F.,  an  attor- 
ney, residing  at  Elko;  Alice,  wife  of  S.  H.  Rosenthal,  of  Reno,  and  Bertha  L., 
wife  of  George  T.  Robson.  Mr.  Curler  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  and 
has  been  a  representative  of  the  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge.  He  is  a  Past  Grand 
Chancellor  of  the  K.  of  P.,  and  was  a  representative  to  the  Sovereign  Grand 
Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows  in  1888-1889. 

MICHAEL  COHEN,  who  has  been  identified  with  Nevada  for  many  years,  is 
numbered  among  the  representative  men  in  White  Pine  County.  He  was  born 
December  25,  1838,  in  Prussia.  He  attended  the  schools  of  his  native  country 
and  went  to  England  at  the  age  of  thirteen;  here  he  remained  for  about  four 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1121 

years.  In  1857  he  came  to  America  and  located  in  New  York  City  for  a  time, 
and  in  1859  he  came  to  California  via  the  Isthmus  route.  He  remained  in  San 
Francisco  for  a  few  months,  and  in  1860  he  came  to  Nevada  and  located  in 
Virginia  City  and  worked  for  Bonner  Bros,  for  four  years.  He  removed  to 
San  Francisco  and  clerked  in  a  dry  goods  store  for  four  years  and  returned  to 
Nevada  in  1869,  locating  in  Eureka,  where  he  clerked  for  several  months. 
Later,  in  1869,  he  went  to  Hamilton,  where  he  remained  until  1871,  when  he 
went  to  Pioch,  where  he  remained  four  years.  He  returned  to  Eureka  and 
remained  until  1883,  when  he  went  to  Ward  and  later  to  Taylor  and  Ely.  He 
remained  in  Ely  until  1889,  when  he  went  to  Pioch,  where  he  remained  for  five 
years.  Mr.  Cohen  started  a  merchandise  store  in  De  Lamar,  which  he  con- 
ducted for  six  years.  In  1900  he  returned  to  Ely  and  operated  a  store  until 
1910,  when  he  retired  from  active  business.  In  1912  he  was  elected  County 
Commissioner.  He  was  married  to  Philipina  Cohen,  a  native  of  Prussia, 
December  20,  1887. 

i 

HENRY  L.  BECK,  a  member  of  one  of  the  old  and  honored  families  of 
Nevada,  was  born  at  Washoe  City,  April  15,  1870.  He  is  a  son  of  Henry 
H.,  a  native  of  Ohio,  who  crossed  the  Plains  in  the  early  days  to  seek  his 
fortune  among  the  mining  districts  of  the  west.  He  died  in  1907.  Mr.  Beck's 
mother,  a  native  of  Nova  Scotia,  died  in  1008.  Our  subject  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  at  Reno  and  in  1887  he  engaged  in  the  milling 
business,  which  vocation  he  has  since  followed.  In  1906  he  removed  to  Min- 
den  and  took  charge  of  the  Minden  Flour  Milling  Company's  mill  as  manager 
and  head  miller.  In  1896  he  was  married  to  Miss  Clara  Dressier,  daughter 
of  A.  F.  Dressier,  one  of  the  representative  men  of  the  State.  Their  one  son, 
Fred  Dressier  Beck,  was  born  in  1897.  Mr.  Beck  -is  a  member  of  the  Min- 
den School  Board.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  at 
Genoa. 

NEALY  H.  CHAPIN  was  born  in  Oquawka,  Illinois,  September  8,  1875.  His 
boyhood  was  spent  in  Medicine  Lodge,  Kansas,  and  Denver,  Colorado,  and  in 
1894  he  graduated  with  honors  from  the  East  Denver  High  School.  He  was 
employed  for  six  years  in  the  Denver  &  Rio  Grande  Railroad  Company's  general 
offices  in  Denver  and  in  1901  he  went  to  Morenci,  Arizona,  where  he  spent  six 
years  in  the  supply  department  of  the  Detroit  Copper  Mining  Company.  In  the 
spring  of  1907  he  came  to  Ely,  which  was  then  at  the  height  of  the  boom  following 
the  development  of  its  copper  mines.  In  company  with  W.  A.  Leonard,  formerly 
of  Clifton,  Arizona,  he  purchased  the  Ely  Record,  a  weekly  newspaper,  which  he 
and  his  partner  have  since  conducted.  He  made  his  first  entry  into  politics  in  the 
fall  of  1912,  when  he  was  elected  by  the  Republicans  as  one  of  the  two  State 
Senators  from  White  Pine  County.  In  the  Legislature  of  1913  he  took  especial 
interest  in  educational  matters  and  was  in  charge  of  the  Free  Text-book  bill 
introduced  by  the  White  Pine  delegation.  He  also  introduced  a  bill  amending 


1 122  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

the  Pure  Food  law  of  Nevada,  and  a  number  of  other  measures  of  progressive 
tendencies. 

FRED  D.  OLDFIELD. — Numbered  among  the  representative  men  of  White 
Pine  County  is  Fred  D.  Oldfield,  the  present  County  Clerk.  He  was  born 
March  22,  1882,  in  Utah.  He  is  a  son  of  Joseph  William  and  Laura  J.  Oldfield. 
The  parents  of  our  subject  removed  to  Nevada  when  he  was  eighteen  months 
old  and  settled  in  Osceola,  then  a  prosperous  mining  camp.  Mr.  Oldfield's 
father  was  one  of  the  pioneer  mining  men  of  this  locality  and  he  died  in  1906. 
The  mother  of  Fred  D.  makes  her  home  in  Ely.  Mr.  Oldfield  acquired  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  this  county,  after  which  he  followed  min- 
ing for  some  years.  He  was  elected  County  Clerk  and  took  office  in  the  spring 
of  1905.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows,  Eagles,  Woodmen 
of  the  World  and  the  Rebeccas. 

WILLIAM  T.  OLMSTEAD,  one  of  the  representative  men  in  Southern 
Nevada,  was  born  at  Norwalk,  Conn.,  September  10,  1866.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  and  in  1896  he  removed  to  Utah  and  located 
in  Salt  Lake  City,  where  he  became  identified  with  R.  E.  L.  Collier  in  U.  S. 
survey  work.  In  1905  Mr.  Olmstead  removed  to  Goldfield  and  started  U.  S. 
mineral  survey  work,  his  son,  Seymour  G.,  being  associated  with  him  in  busi- 
ness. The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  united  in  marriage  in  1887  to  Marguerite 
C.  Denis.  She  died  in  November,  1909.  To  this  union  were  born  three 
children,  Seymour  G.,  born  November  28,  1889,  and  two  who  died  in  infancy. 

HON.  JOHN  S.  ORR.— Widely  and  favorably  known  in  the  State  of  Nevada 
and  conspicuous  in  the  role  of  names  of  men  who  have  conferred  honor  upon 
the  legal  profession,  stands  that  of  John  S.  Orr  of  Reno.  He  was  born  in 
Guernsey  County,  Ohio,  July  29,  1856,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  he  removed  to 
Holden,  Missouri,  where  his  father.  Jonathan  P.,  practiced  law  and  was  num- 
bered among  the  representative  men  of  his  locality.  He  died  in  1911.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Ohio 
and  Normal  School  in  Warrensburg,  Mo.,  after  which  he  taught  school  in 
Missouri  and  later  in  Oregon  for  several  years.  He  took  up  the  study  of  law 
while  a  resident  of  Oregon  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  by  the  Supreme 
Court  of  that  State  in  1892.  He  removed  to  Klamath  Falls,  Oregon,  where 
he  began  the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  was  elected  County  Judge  of 
Klamath  County  for  a  term  of  four  years.  In  1901  Judge  Orr  came  to  Reno 
and  formed  a  co-partnership  with  Hon.  Frank  H.  Norcross,  which  continued 
until  Judge  Norcross  was  elected  to  the  supreme  bench,  which  was  in  the  fall 
of  1904.  Judge  Orr  continued  the  practice  of  law  for  two  years,  when  he  was 
elected  Judge  of  the  Second  Judicial  District,  which  then  comprised  Washoe, 
Churchill  and  Humboldt  Counties.  In  1910  he  was  re-elected  to  the  same  office 
by  a  very  large  majority.  In  January  he  resigned  the  office  to  re-enter  upon 
the  practice  of  his  chosen  profession.  Judge  Orr  was  united  in  marriage  to 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1123 

Miss  Iva  E.  Simpson  of  Reno,  January,  1898,  and  a  daughter  of  one  of  Reno's 
most  prominent  citizens,  J.  E.  Simpson,  a  pioneer  druggist.  To  this  union  were 
born  Marshall  S.,  William  W.  and  Elma  R.  In  the  Legislature  Session  of 
1905,  Judge  Orr  served  the  people  of  his  county  in  the  Assembly.  Fraternally 
he  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  Lodge,  being  a  member  of  the  Blue  Lodge, 
Chapter,  and  a  Knight  Templar.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows. 

JOHN  T.  ORR,  one  of  the  respected  and  old-time  citizens  of  Reno,  was  born 
near  Effingham,  Ireland,  August  25,  1833,  and  died  January  13,  1903.  His 
father  died  when  John  T.  was  quite  young  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  he  came 
West  and  located  in  Yreka,  Cal.  He  engaged  in  mining  in  Northern  Cali- 
fornia for  some  time  and  then  removed  to  Montana,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
mining  business.  Finally  he  left  Montana  and  settled  in  Eureka,  where  he  ac- 
quired valuable  mining  interests  in  the  early  days.  He  was  injured  while  in 
Eureka  and  after  that  he  did  not  take  an  active  part  in  business,  but  personally 
took  charge  of  his  interests  in  Eastern  Nevada.  1880  he  came  to  Reno,  where 
he  had  business  interests,  but  made  his  home  in  San  Francisco  until  1888.  Mr. 
Orr  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Elda  Simpson  in  1888,  when  he  removed 
to  Reno  and  took  up  his  residence  there.  One  daughter,  Elda,  is  a  student  attend- 
ing the  University  of  Nevada.  Mrs.  Orr's  first  husband,  J.  E.  Simpson,  was 
one  of  the  earliest  druggists  in  Reno,  and  died  February,  1877.  He  was  from 
a  prominent  Quaker  family  of  Ohio.  The  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Orr  was  a 
noted  man  and  took  an  active  part  in  peace-making  with  the  Indians  through- 
out the  East  and  founded  the  Quaker  Colony  in  Indiana.  Her  father,  who 
resided  near  Indianapolis,  was  the  largest  nursery-man  in  the  State.  Mrs. 
Orr,  previous  to  her  marriage,  was  Miss  Elda  Williams,  of  English  descent. 
She  is  an  active  worker  in  the  Episcopal  Church. 

J.  D.  O'SULLIVAN  is  numbered  among  the  pioneers  of  the  State  and  is 
one  of  the  representative  men  residing  near  Reno.  He  was  born  March  I, 
1835,  in  Ireland,  where  he  received  his  education,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  he 
came  to  America  January  i,  1857,  and  remained  in  New  York  until  1860.  He 
sailed  from  New  York  to.  the  Pacific  Coast  by  the  way  of  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama  in  1860.  He  went  to  Sacramento,  where  he  found  employment,  and 
later  to  Virginia  City.  On  the  igth  of  March,  1864,  he  located  on  his  present 
ranch,  comprising  two  hundred  and  forty  acres.  He  cleared  the  sage-brush 
from  his  land  and  secured  water  from  the  English  mill.  Later  he  built  the 
O'Sullivan  ditch  and  secured  a  large  supply  of  water.  He  later  sold  the 
O'Sullivan  ditch  and  now  is  supplied  with  water  from  the  Orr  ditch.  On  the 
22nd  of  August,  1860,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Cosriff,  a  native 
of  Ireland,  who  died  the  2Qth  of  December,  1870.  The  children  are  Dennis, 
who  resides  on  the  farm,  and  his  two  children  are  James  Motley  and  Mary 
Claire;  Margaret,  who  died  at  the  age  of  thirty;  John  J.,  a  rancher,  who  has 
one  daughter,  Mary  Patricia,  and  James  R.,  who  is  married  and  has  two 


1 124  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

children,  Marie  Nevis  and  Margaret  Neil.  In  March,  1872,  Mr.  O'Sullivan  was 
again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Bridget  Farley,  who  died 
October  17,  1908. 

AMASA  L.  PARKER  was  born  at  Bentonsport,  Van  Buren  County,  Iowa, 
April  8,  1849.  His  father,  William  K.  Parker  (deceased),  was  born  in  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  and  was  a  merchant  tailor.  He  removed  to  Utah  in  1850,  where 
he  followed  his  business  for  many  years.  Amasa  acquired  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  Salt  Lake  City.  In  1862  he  came  to  Nevada  and  found  em- 
ployment with  the  overland  stage  and  mail  company,  and  drove  from  Salt 
Lake  City  to  Reece  River.  He  followed  this  vocation  until  the  railroads  were 
built.  He  then  followed  teaming  and  freighting.  He  engaged  in  the  sheep 
business  in  Utah  and  later  in  Nevada.  He  engaged  in  the  livery  business  in  Ely 
during  the  boom  days,  which  he  conducted  "for  several  years.  Mr.  Parker 
served  as  County  Commissioner  of  White  Pine  County  for  four  years  and 
he  was  chosen  Mayor  in  May,  1911,  which  office  he  now  holds.  He  was  united 
in  marriage  in  1870  to  Rachel  Guiber,  a  native  of  England,  and  who  came  to 
America  in  1866.  To  this  union  have  been  born  seven  children.  Amasa  died  at 
the  age  of  five  years;  Cora  M.,  wife  of  Joseph  Newman  (deceased);  Charles 
Benjamin,  a  resident  of  California ;  Daisy,  wife  of  H.  V.  Burleigh,  with  the 
Oregon  Short  Line  R.  R.;  Margaret,  wife  of  Dr.  Walter  E.  Weddle,  of  Reedley, 
Cal.;  Amy  J.,  wife  of  George  D.  Powers,  of  Reno,  and  Dorothy,  a  teacher  in 
Stanford  University  at  Palo  Alto,  Cal. 

JULIUS  R.  PARRY  was  born  in  Reno  October  18,  1885.  He  attended  the 
public  schools  of  this  city,  after  which  he  attended  the  University  of  Nevada 
for  three  years  and  Stanford  University  one  year.  He  became  identified  with 
mining  and  followed  this  vocation  from  1907  to  1909.  He  erected  a  convention 
hall  which  seated  2,800  people,  which  was  used  for  amusement  and  political 
purposes.  He  became  associated  with  his  father,  Robert  W.,  who  had  charge 
of  the  stock-yards  and  had  mining  interests,  when  he  went  in  the  Sheriff's 
office  and  acted  as  clerk  for  a  time.  Later  he  was  appointed  City  Clerk  to  fill 
an  unexpired  term  of  six  months,  after  which  he  was  elected  to  the  position 
for  a  two-year  term.  Mr.  Parry  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  and  the 
Reno  Commercial  Club.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Alice  Wool- 
dridge  of  Auburn,  Cal.,  January  19,  1910. 

SAMUEL  C.  PATRICK. — Prominent  among  the  newspaper  men  of  East- 
ern Nevada  is  Samuel  C.  Patrick,  editor  of  the  White  Pine  News.  He  was 
born  February  23,  1878,  at  Washburn,  111.  He  completed  the  course  of  study 
in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  attended  the  Iowa  Wesleyan  University 
at  Mount  Pleasant,  Iowa.  He  began  his  newspaper  career  at  Mt.  Pleasant, 
after  which  he  became  associated  with  various  papers  in  Iowa,  Missouri,  Colo- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1125 

rado,  Utah  and  Nevada.  He  became  associated  with  the  White  Pine  News  in 
1909  and  continued  on  its  staff  until  July,  1910,  when  the  daily  paper  was 
suspended  and  he  became  interested  in  the  publication  with  C.  S.  Grain  as  his 
partner.  Upon  Mr.  Grain's  retirement  two  years  ago,  Mr.  Patrick  assumed 
full  control  of  the  paper  and  is  its  present  editor  and  manager.  Mr.  Patrick 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Florence  Roper,  of  Mount  Pleasant,  Iowa, 
April  30,  1898. 

EDWARD  O.  PATTERSON,  County  Clerk  and  Treasurer  of  Ormsby 
County,  was  born  at  Silver  Mountain,  Alpine  County,  Cal.,  August  18,  1867. 
He  is  a  son  of  Robert  and  Ellie  (Calhoun)  Patterson.  His  father  was  largely 
interested  in  mining  projects  in  the  State  and  located  in  Virginia  City  in  1868. 
Edward  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  the  Oakland  Military  Academy 
and  the  University  of  Nevada.  At  an  early  age  he  was  identified  with  the  hotel 
business  and  later  he  learned  the  printers'  trade  at  Elko,  which  he  followed  for 
some  years.  In  1907  he  was  elected  to  his  present  office.  Mr.  Patterson  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Leona  Dare  Burke,  of  Carson  City,  in  1900.  To 
this  union  were  born  Martha  June,  born  June  14,  1901;  Leona  Dare,  born 
October  23,  1903,  and  Edward  O.,  born  February  3,  1905.  Mr.  Patterson  is 
receiver  for  the  Nye  and  Ormsby  County  Bank. 

FRANK  M.  PAYNE,  one  of  the  representative  and  time-honored  citizens  of 
Reno,  was  born  October  12,  1846,  in  Pennsylvania.  He  attended  the  common 
schools  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  he  came  to  California  via  the  Isthmus 
route.  He  first  located  at  Milford,  Cal.,  where  he  remained  for  two  years, 
and  followed  carpenter  work.  1871  he  removed  to  Reno,  where  he  has  fol- 
lowed his  trade  and  house-moving  ever  since.  He  has  worked  all  over 
Nevada  and  never  has  had  an  accident.  Mr.  Payne  was  twice  married.  In 
1872  he  married  Ida  Moe,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  on  the  3Oth  of  September, 
1885,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Lillie  M.  Rogers,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania. 
To  this  union  was  born  their  son  Harvey,  January  27,  1891,  in  the  employ  of 
the  State  as  Surveyor  since  1908.  He  attended  the  University  of  Nevada  for 
three  years.  Mrs.  Payne  is  an  active  woman  in  the  W.  C.  T.  U.  and  Ladies' 
Aid  Society  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

CHARLES  L.  NOBLE,  County  Clerk  of  Churchill  County,  was  born  in 
Carthage,  Hancock  County,  111.,  February  18,  1877,  where  he  received  his  edu- 
cation He  became  telegraph  operator  and  was  identified  with  various  rail- 
roads in  that  capacity  from  1895  to  1907.  He  removed  from  Hazen  to  Fallon  in 
1907  and  in  1908  he  was  elected  County  Clerk  and  in  1910  he  was  re-elected  to 
the  same  position.  Mr.  Noble  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Bertha  Dern, 
of  Delphi,  Ind.,  September,  1900.  Their  one  daughter,  Dorothy,  was  born  Septem- 
ber 26,  1903.  Mr.  Noble  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Fallon. 


1 126  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

HON.  GEORGE  NORTON  NOEL,  for  three  terms  District  Attorney  of  Storey 
County,  was  born  at  Gold  Hill,  April  3,  1873.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
public  and  high  schools,  after  which  he  studied  law  under  W.  E.  F.  Deal  in  Vir- 
ginia City,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  at  the  age  of  twenty-one.  He  was 
elected,  the  following  year,  to  the  State  Legislature,  and  was  appointed  Speaker 
pro  tern.,  and  was  selected  as  chairman  of  the  judiciary  committee.  He  was 
elected  District  Attorney  of  Storey  County  at  the  age  of  twenty-three  for  one 
term.  He  went  into  active  practice  for  a  time  and  was  appointed  Secretary  of 
State  under  W.  G.  Douglass.  At  the  expiration  of  his  term  he  returned  to 
Virginia  City  and  resumed  his  law  practice.  In  1896  he  was  again  elected  District 
Attorney,  and  again  in  1908  he  was  elected  to  that  office.  Judge  Noel  has  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  duties  of  that  position  and  has  proved  an  efficient  and 
competent  official.  His  office  expired  January  i,  1913.  Socially  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  Lodge,  Odd  Fellows,  Encampment  of  Odd  Fellows,  Eagles,  Moose, 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and  the  Divide  Hose  Company  of  Virginia  City. 
He  vras  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Frances  Louise  Sparkes,  December  4,  1899. 
To  this  union  were  born  three  children,  Catherine  Emily,  George  Norton,  Jr.,  and 
Raymond  Joseph.  Judge  Noel  and  family  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

JOSEPH  BIANCHINI,  a  native  of  Switzerland,  was  born  November  16, 
1857.  He  acquired  a  limited  education  in  the  old  country  and  in  1873  he  went 
to  Holland,  where  he  remained  for  a  period  of  six  years,  working  at  various 
trades  and  occupations.  In  1880  he  came  to  America  and  went  directly  to 
San  Luis  Obispo,  Cal.,  where  he  remained  for  about  twenty  years,  following 
ranching.  May  27,  1900,  he  came  to  Reno,  where  he  worked  for  wages  for 
three  years.  He  then  purchased  the  Johnson  ranch,  four  miles  from  Reno, 
where  he  has  since  lived.  He  married  and  six  children  were  born  to  the 
union.  His  wife  died  in  1897.  His  sons  Peter  and  Louis  reside  in  Sparks. 
Eugenia,  wife  of  Robert  Frazer,  resides  in  Oil  Center,  Cal.  Josie,  wife  of  A. 
A.  Malmstrom,  resides  in  Anaheim,  Cal.;  Olivia,  wife  of  James  Yocum,  lives 
in  Sparks.  Esther,  wife  of  L.  E.  Allard,  also  resides  in  Sparks. 

GEORGE  B.  BIDLEMAN,  who  has  one  of  the  finest  stock  and  general 
ranches  in  Washoe  County,  and  who  is  one  of  the  representative  ranchers  in 
this  locality,  was  born  in  Virginia  City,  November  26,  1875.  He  is  a  son  of 
Ferdinand  and  Nettie  Bidleman,  both  natives  of  Baltimore,  Maryland.  Tha 
father  came  to  Virginia  City  in  the  early  Eighties  and  became  identified  with 
mining,  and  also  operated  a  small  dairy  during  the  early  days.  He  died  in 
1902.  The  mother  resides  with  George  B.  on  the  ranch.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  in  Virginia  City.  He  became  in- 
terested in  mining,  was  identified  with  ranching  and  engaged  in  the  butcher 
business.  Mr.  Bidleman  and  his  brother  purchased  the  Twaddle  Brothers' 
ranch  on  the  Truckee  Meadows,  about  five  miles  southeast  of  Reno,  consisting 
of  two  hundred  and  fifty-six  acres,  and  in  April,  1912,  George  B.  took  over  his 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1127 

brother's  interest.     Mr.  Bidleman  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  of 
Reno. 

BENSON  DILLON  BILLINGHURST,  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruc- 
tion of  Reno,  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  his  birth  having  occurred  at  McArthur, 
August  15,  1870.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  and  high  schools  of 
Lancaster,  Ohio,  and  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  University  of  Delaware,  Ohio,  gradu- 
ating in  1897  with  the  degree  of  A.  B.  He  removed  to  Danville,  Illinois, 
where  he  became  principal  of  the  city  schools,  which  position  he  held  until 
1900.  He  then  went  to  Prescott,  Arizona,  where  he  held  the  position  of 
Superintendent  of  Schools  until  he  removed  to  Seattle,  where  he  entered  the 
law  depaitment  of  the  University  of  Washington,  graduating  from  that  de- 
partment with  the  degree  of  LL.  B.,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  by  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Washington  in  1908.  In  July,  1908,  he  took  charge  of  the 
Reno  schools,  which  position  he  still  holds.  During  Professor  Billinghurst's 
administration  as  head  of  the  Reno  schools  there  have  been  erected  four  new 
graded  school  buildings  and  the  high  school.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Carrie  Burns,  of  Bloomington,  111.,  August  25,  1893.  Their  two  children  are 
Ruth,  born  December  3,  1900,  and  Florence  Harriet,  born  October  i,  1906. 
Mr.  Billinghurst  is  an  active  member  of  the  Reno  Commercial  Club.  The 
family  are  members  of  the  Congregational  Church. 

WILLIAM  E.  BILLINGS.— A  review  of  the  representative  men  of  White 
Pine  County  would  not  be  complete  without  a  sketch  of  William  E.  Billings, 
now  serving  as  District  Attorney  of  this  county.  He  was  born  in  San  Joaquin 
County,  Cal.,  January  17,  1880.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Contra  Costa  County,  and  Lowell  high  school  of  San  Francisco, 
graduating  from  the  latter  in  1897.  He  attended  Stanford  University  and  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  A.  B.  in  1903,  and  the  degree  of  LL.  B.  in  1905.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  California  in  1904.  He  prac- 
ticed his  profession  in  San  Francisco  until  the  great  fire  in  1906,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Ely  in  June  that  year.  He  was  a  member  of  the  law  firm  with 
Chandler  and  Quayle.  In  November,  1912,  Mr.  Billings  was  elected  district 
attorney  and  took  office  January  i,  1913.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of 
the  K.  of  P.  and  Eagles  and  the  Phi-Delta-Phi,  a  college  fraternity  of  Stanford 
University.  In  politics  Judge  Billings  is  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Alward,  daughter  of  Frank 
Alward,  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  December  31,  1908.  To  this  union  was  born  one 
daughter,  Elizabeth,  born  January  15,  1910. 

JOHN  W.  BLAIR,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Visalia,  Cal.,  in 
1862,  where  he  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools.  He  has  been 
identified  with  the  mining  interests  of  Nevada,  and  also  served  some  years 


1 128  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

in  the  railroad  shops  of  the  Southern  Pacific  and  Santa  Fe  railroads.  He 
spent  some  time  in  Nevada  in  1886  and  in  1893  he  came  to  Lovelock,  where  he 
has  since  remained.  During  the  Tonopah  excitement  Mr.  Blair  was  interested 
in  business  in  that  camp.  He  is  now  the  manager  for  John  G.  Taylor,  who  has 
extensive  land  interests  near  Lovelock.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Fraternal  Brother- 
hood. In  1912  Mr.  Blair  was  a  candidate  for  the  State  Senate. 

ALFRED  BLUMDELL  is  one  of  the  honored  and  highly  respected  busi- 
ness men  of  Sparks.  He  was  born  in  Evanston,  Wyoming,  December  13. 
1877.  He  is  a  son  of  Richard  and  Mary  Ann  (Mitchell)  Blumdell.  His  parents 
are  natives  of  London,  England.  They  came  to  America  in  1869  and  located 
in  New  York  State,  coming  west  some  years  later.  They  finally  located  in 
Wadsworth,  Nevada,  where  the  father  worked  at  his  trade  as  coppersmith; 
he  died  in  1882  and  his  wife  died  1912.  Alfred  came  to  Reno  in  1905  and  be- 
came identified  with  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  as  engineer;  he  followed 
this  occupation  seven  years,  when  he  resigned,  and  spent  one  year  in  Cali- 
fornia. He  returned  to  Sparks  and  was  connected  with  the  Construction 
Department  of  the  Nevada  Railroad,  between  Wadsworth  and  Olinghouse,  for 
eight  months,  when  he  returned  to  Sparks  and  engaged  in  the  men's  furnish- 
ing business.  He  was  elected  Mayor  of  Sparks  in  1911  for  a  two-year  term. 
Ml.  Blumdell  was  married  to  Miss  Emma  Steiner,  of  Lander  County,  Nevada, 
January  2,  1907.  Their  two  children  are  Laverne,  born  October  26,  1907,  and 
Frederick  Norman,  born  June  19,  1910.  In  politics  Mr.  Blumdell  is  a  Repub- 
lican. His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Eastern  Star,  the  Daughters  of  Rebekah, 
attends  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  is  active  in  the  social  life  of  Reno  and 
Sparks. 

CORD  HENRY  BEHRMANN  is  a  German  by  birth.  He  was  born  Febru- 
ary 15,  1870.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  in  his  native 
land,  after  which  he  took  up  farming  and  worked  out  for  some  time.  At  the 
age  of  eighteen  he  came  to  the  Carson  Valley,  where  he  worked  at  ranching 
for  ten  years.  He  then  engaged  in  business  at  Waterloo  for  seven  years  and 
in  the  fall  of  1905  he  purchased  a  ranch  from  Peter  Wilslef.  In  politics  Mr. 
Behrmann  is  a  Republican.  April  16,  1898,  he  was  married  to  Miss  K.  W. 
Dickhoff,  also  a  native  of  Germany,  who  came  to  America  in  1897.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Behrmann  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church. 

HON.  CHARLES  HENRY  BELKNAP,  one  of  Nevada's  most  prominent 
men,  is  a  native  of  the  Empire  State,  having  been  born  July  20,  1841,  and 
comes  from  Puritan  ancestors  who  emigrated  from  England  to  this  country 
at  a  very  early  date.  Judge  Belknap  received  his  education  in  public  and  pri- 
vate schools  and  in  the  Polytechnic  Institute  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  In  1865  he 
came  to  Nevada,  where  he  completed  his  law  studies,  being  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  the  spring  of  1869,  and  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Virginia 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1129 

City.  In  1873  he  was  appointed  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  he  also 
served  two  terms  as  Mayor  of  Virginia  City.  In  1880  he  was  further  honored 
and  elected  Supreme  Judge  of  the  State,  and  for  twenty-three  years  he  filled 
that  position,  up  to  1905.  In  1873  Judge  Belknap  was  married  to  Miss  Vir- 
ginia Bradley,  daughter  of  ex-Gov.  L.  R.  Bradley,  and  five  children  have 
been  born  of  this  union.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge. 

HERBERT  Z.  PETERS  was  born  at  Lancaster,  Ohio,  October  30,  1881. 
He  was  educated  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  and  attended  Otterbin's  College  at  West- 
erville,  Ohio,  taking  a  course  in  mining.  He  came  west  and  located  in  the 
Black  Hills,  South  Dakota,  where  he  followed  chemical  work  and  mining  for 
some  time.  In  1905  he  removed  to  Goldfield,  where  he  was  identified  in  min- 
ing and  operated  a  chemical  office  and  did  assaying.  He  belongs  to  the  B.  P. 
O.  E.  of  Tonopah.  July  n,  1911,  he  leased  the  Manhattan  Home  Water  Co., 
which  supplies  the  camp  with  water.  He  and  his  partner,  Mr.  Thomas,  have 
added  everything  in  the  machinery  line  and  the  firm  is  known  as  Peters  and 
Thomas. 

DEE  PETTY,  one  of  the  representative  business  men  of  Las  Vegas,  Nevada, 
who  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who  know  him,  was  born  at  Hubbard, 
Nebraska,  September  29,  1885.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  State.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  learned  the  jewelry  trade,  which 
vocation  he  has  always  followed.  He  was  engaged  in  business  in  Reno  for 
two  years  and  January  10,  1910,  he  removed  to  Las  Vegas,  where  he  engaged 
in  business  and  carries  an  exclusive  and  up-to-date  stock.  He  is  watch  in- 
spector for  the  Salt  Lake  and  Las  Vegas  and  Tonopah  railroads  and  is  inter- 
ested in  lands  near  the  city  of  Las  Vegas,  which  he1  is  improving  and  intends 
to  put  out  a  commercial  orchard.  He  is  interested  in  anything  that  will  ad- 
vance the  conditions  in  Southern  Nevada. 

JAMES  NESBITT  was  born  October  12,  1841,  and  George  Nesbitt  was  born 
January  14,  1844,  both  natives  of  Ireland.  They  came  to  America  at  an  early 
age  and  located  in  California  for  a  time,  and  then  George  Nesbitt  removed  to 
Arizona,  engaging  in  mining,  and  later  went  to  Pioche,  Nev.,  where  James 
Nesbitt  was  located  in  business.  They  engaged  in  the  mercantile  Business 
about  1873.  In  1895  they  removed  to  De  Lamar,  Nev.,  where  they  opened  a 
branch  store,  which  was  the  largest  establishment  there.  They  branched  out 
in  mining  and  being  one  of  the  original  owners  of  the  Big  De  Lamar  mine 
located  at  De  Lamar.  After  having  a  mill  running  for  some  time  they  sold 
their  interest  to  Captain  De  Lamar,  but  they  still  retained  large  mining  in- 
terests in  that  locality  and  controlled  the  water-system  which  they  put  in. 
They  were  large  holders  of  Agriculural  lands  in  Southeastern  Nevada,  having 
a  large  ranch  at  Hiko  and  another  large  ranch  twenty  miles  south  of  Pioche. 
They  owned  another  mine  which  was  a  heavy  producer  of  lead  and  silver  ore 


n3o  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

in  the  early  days.  In  1905  they  started  a  branch  store  in  Columbia,  near  Gold- 
field,  and  were  very  successful.  James  Nesbitt,  the  senior  member  of  the 
firm,  died  in  1903,  and  George  Nesbitt  continued  the  business  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  May  28,  1908.  The  business  in  Columbus  and  De  Lamar  was 
then  closed  out  by  the  administrators  of  James  and  George  Nesbitt,  and, both 
estates  were  closed.  In  the  family  of  George  Nesbitt  there  were  two  sons 
and  four  daughters.  The  sons  are  G.  Edgar  and  Joseph  James.  G.  Edgar  was 
born  March  29,  1887.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  San  Jose,  Cal. 
After  his  schooling  he  became  identified  with  the  grocery  business  and  in 
April,  1912,  he  and  his  brother,  Joseph  J.,  opened  their  present  store  in  Gold- 
field.  He  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  a  Knight  Templar.  His  brother 
Joseph  was  born  April,  1890;  he  also  was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  after 
which  he  engaged  in  the  grocery  business,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Elks  Lodge. 
The  daughters  of  our  subject  are  Anna,  wife  of  A.  G.  Flemming,  of  Spokane, 
Wash.;  Mattie  B.,  a  teacher  in  the  Ryolite  public  schools  and  a  graduate  from 
the  normal  school  of  Reno.  Letitia  and  Fannie  are  attending  the  State  normal 
school  at  San  Jose,  Cal.  The  children  of  James  Nesbitt  are  George  W.,  of  Salt 
take  City;  James,  a  graduate  of  the  U.  of  N.  in  1905,  and  is  now  bookkeeper 
for  the  Tonopah  and  Goldfield  market.  Robert  is  bookkeeper  for  Nezbitt 
Bros.  John  and  Sam  are  attending  school. 

JOHN  NEWMARKER  was  born  in  Germany,  1846.  He  came  to  America 
and  resided  in  Clarion,  Armstrong  and  Butter  Counties,  Penn.  He  learned  file 
carpenters'  trade  at  an  early  age.  In  1875  he  came  to  Nevada,  locating  in  Vir- 
ginia City,  where  he  assisted  in  building  the  Odd  Fellows  Hall.  He  worked  at 
his  trade  in  San  Francisco  and  Sacramento  for  a  time.  In  1896  he  purchased 
forty-five  square  miles  of  range-land;  of  this  amount  there  was  two  hundred 
acres  of  farming  land.  He  married  Bertha  Siebold  in  1872.  To  this  union  were 
born  eleven  children,  eight  of  whom  are  living:  Henry,  Edward,  Benjamin, 
John,  Fred,  Emma,  wife  of  Edgar  Hunter;  Lena,  wife  of  Wm.  Wilbur;  Lillian, 
wife  of  Blain  Grey;  Nettie  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen.  Mr.  Newmarker  owns 
640  acres  of  land  at  Glendale;  200  acres  of  this  is  farming  land  and  the  balance 
mining  land;  has  spent  over  six  thousand  dollars  so  far  in  mining.  1906  he 
was  elected  Councilman  from  the,  Fourth  Ward.  He  resigned  after  the  first 
term,  owing  to  his  hearing.  During  his  time  in  office  he  was  largely  instru- 
mental in  having  sewers,  streets  and  sidewalks  put  in.  He  is  a  member  of  the, 
B.  P.  O.  E.  and  Odd  Fellows  of  Reno. 

LEWIS  LEE  BRADLEY.  Upon  the  pages  of  Nevada's  History  is  engraved 
the  name  of  Lewis  Lee  Bradley.  He  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  men  in 
Eastern  Nevada.  He  was  from  a  family  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  this  State 
politically,  sociallly  and  commercially,  from  its  first  settlement.  He  was  a  son 
of  the  late  J.  R.  Bradley  and  a  grandson  of  ex-Governor  L.  R.  Bradley,  and 
he  had  an  acquaintance  as  extensive  as  any  man  in  the  Commonwealth.  He 
was  born  in  Stockton,  Cal.,  Nov.  17,  1866.  When  but  five  years  of  age  his 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1131 

parents  removed  to  Elko  and  later  to  Austin,  where  they  resided  for  several 
years,  after  which  he  went  to  Mineral  Hill.  Mr.  Bradley  attended  the  public 
schools,  after  which  he  became  a  student  in  the  Pacific  Business  College  in 
San  Francisco.  After  completing  his  education  he  embarked  in  the  cattle 
business  at  the  age  of  eighteen  and  assumed  the  management  of  the  Mason  & 
Bradley  Cattle  Co.,  now  the  Mary's  River  Land  &  Cattle  Co.,  at  Deeth.  Some 
years  ago  Mr.  Bradley  purchased  the  Commercial  Hotel  at  Elko,  Nev.,  which 
has  an  atmosphere  of  comfort  hard  to  describe.  On  the  25th  of  February, 
1891,  Mr.  Bradley  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  H.  Armstrong,  a 
native  of  Star  Valley,  and  a  daughter  of  Bejamin  Armstrong,  who  was  one 
of  the  prominent  men  in  Eastern  Nevada.  There  were  two  daughters  born 
of  this  marriage — Beulah,  now  the  wife  of  J.  Snelson,  who  assumed  the  man- 
agement of  the  hotel,  and  Alice  May,  who  resides  at  home.  Fraternally  Mr. 
Bradley  was  affiliated  with  Elko  Lodge  No.  15,  F.  &  A.  M.,  having  joined  in 
1900,  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  In  politics  he  supported 
the  Democratic  party,  but  never  aspired  to  office.  Mr.  Bradley  died  at  Carson 
City. 

JOHN  EDWARDS  BRAY  was  born  of  Irish  parents  in  Danville,  Vt., 
October  8,  1852.  Educated  in  the  Vermont  public  schools  and  Cornell  Univer- 
sity. Taught  school  in  Vermont  two  winters  while  a  high  school  studemt. 
Worked  as  farmhand  and  house  carpenter  later  to  earn  money  for  law  school 
course,  studying  law  in  spare  hours;  changed  plan  and  went  to  Cornell.  Came 
to  Nevada  in  1876.  Engaged  in  public  school  work  continuously  to  present 
time  (1913),  with  exception  of  three  years  devoted  to  business.  Principal  in 
Dayton  schools  five  and  one-half  years,  Virginia  City  five  years,  Reno  thirteen 
years;  also  Principal  in  Sutro,  Gold  Hill  and  Winne'mucca.  University  Regent 
two  years;  Deputy  State  Superintendent  1907-1910;  appointed  State  Superin- 
tendent of  Schools  by  Governor  Dickerson  September,  1910,  for  unexpired 
term  of  Hon.  Orvis  Ring,  deceased;  elected  State  Superintendent  in  November, 
1910,  for  four-year  term.  Married  December  25,  1888,  to  Miss  Minnie  M. 
Leslie,  a  native  Nevadan.  At  the  time  of  her  marriage  Mrs.  Bray  was  a 
successful  and  noted  Nevada  teacher.  She  is  of  genial  and  kindly  disposition, 
loves  children,  and  is  a  great  favorite  with  all  who  know  her.  Three  children 
were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bray — two  daughters  and  a  son,  the  latter  dying  in 
infancy;  the  elder  daughter  an  honor  graduate  of  University  of  Nevada,  now 
(1913)  a  high  school  teacher;  the  younger,  a  senior  in  Mills  College,  California. 
Mr.  Bray  is  a  ready  speaker  and  writer;  is  editor  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
Nevada  School  Journal.  He  classifies  himself  as  an  aggressive  progressive  in 
education,  and  has  had  large  influence  in  shaping  public  school  work  and 
legislation  in  Nevada. 

CLARENCE  GRANT  PIERSON,  proprietor  and  general  manager  of  the 
Pierson  Mill  and  Lumber  Company,  of  Reno,  was  the  first  white  boy  born 


n32  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

in  Arizona  on  March  5,  1872.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of  Redlands  and 
Sturgis  Academy  of  California.  On  the  completion  of  his  schooling  he  worked 
at  general  ranching  and  in  the  orange  groves  of  California  for  about  ten 
years,  and  then  removed  to  Verdi,  Nevada.  He  entered  the  service  of  the 
Verdi  Lumber  Company,  filling  various  positions  for  about  nine  years,  until  he 
rose  to  the  position  of  the  general  supervision  of  the  plant,  which  he  resigned 
to  accept  employment  with  the  Self  and  Sellman  mill  and  building  company, 
which  position  he  held  for  four  years,  and  on  February  j,  1911,  he  purchased 
the  plant,  which  has  since  been  reorganized  as  the  Pierson  Mill  and  Lumber 
Company.  He  is  a  Republican,  but  has  never  accepted  any  office.  On  May 
31,  1002,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Hattie  E.  Rhodes,  of  Reno, 
Nevada,  and  has  one  child,  Eleanor,  born  April  7,  1905.  They  are  active  in  church 
affairs.  Mr.  Pierson  is  a  descendant  of  Abraham  Pierson,  the  first  president 
of  Yale  College. 

JOSEPH  CHARLES  PIERCY  was  born  in  France  September  5,  1860.  He 
came  to  America  in  1870  and  located  in  Washington,  D.  C.  He  was  educated 
in  the  public  school  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  took  the  Civil  Service 
examinations  and  worked  for  the  Government  in  Washington  for  some  years. 
He  was  transferred  to  various  stations  in  the  Weather  Bureau  Department  and 
opened  stations  in  various  parts  of  the  country.  1906  he  came  to  Tonopah  and 
established  the  station  for  Southern  Nevada.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge.  He  was  married  to  Maria 
Francis  Knott  September,  1882,  who  died  March  22,  1910.  Mr.  Piercy  was  a 
delegate  to  the  weather  bureau  convention,  which  was  held  in  Omaha  in  1898. 

JOSEPH  CLIFTON  PIERCY  was  born  at  Sandusky,  Ohio,  June  27,  1884. 
He  is  a  son  of  Joseph  Charles  and  Frances  (Knott)  Piercy.  Our  subject 
received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  North  Platte,  Nebraska,  after 
which  he  took  a  course  in  the  Creighton  University,  at  Omaha.  June,  1909,  he 
started  in  the  drug  business  in  Tonopah,  where  he  has  since  been  identified 
as  one  of  the  representative  business  men.  In  politics  Mr.  Piercy  is  a  Demo- 
crat and  he  was  elected  by  the  people  of  Nye  County  to  represent  them  in  the 
State  Assembly  in  1910.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ella  Roche,  of 
Chicago,  June  18,  1908.  Their  two  children  are  Joseph  Clifton,  Jr.,  born  May 
26,  1909,  and  Francis  Martin,  born  August  15,  1911.  He  holds  the  office  of 
vice  dictator  of  the  Moose  of  Tonopah  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P., 
the  Eagles,  Fraternal  Brotherhood  and  Woman  of  the  Woodcraft.  His  wife 
is  active  in  the  Baptist  Church. 

GEORGE  BRODIGAN,  Secretary  of  State,  was  born  in  Sonora,  Tuolumne 
County,  Cal.  His  parents  were  natives  of  Ireland,  and  came  to  America  from 
Australia  in  1849,  locating  in  California,  where  the  father  engaged  in  mining 
and  was  with  Bill  Bodie,  one  of  the  discoverers  of  Bodie.  Later  he  removed 
to  Virginia  City,  where  he  teamed  during  '59-'6o.  He  took  an  active  part 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1133 

during  the  Indian  Wars  in  Nevada  and  died  in  1897.  Our  subject  acquired  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  California  and  Nevada,  after  which  he 
attended  the  University  of  Nevada.  He  then  took  charge  of  the  Territorial 
Enterprise  and  was  business  manager  for  some  time,  after  which  he  engaged 
in  about  every  vocation  open  to  young  men  in  Nevada,  including  printing, 
railroading,  mining,  cyaniding,  milling,  hote  Iman,  traveling  salesman,  etc.,  and 
is  happy  in  the  conviction  that  he  was  at  least  fairly  successful  in  each.  For  six 
years  Mr.  Brodigan  served  Esmeralda  County  as  Auditor  and  Recorder.  In 
1910  he  was  elected  Secretary  of  State.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Margaret  Boneysteele,  a  native  of  West  Virginia,  January  30,  1911. 

PELEG  BROWN,  one  of  the  well  known  and  most  substantial  ranchers  in 
Washoe  County  and  a  Nevada  pioneer  of  1857,  was  born  in  Middletown,  R.  I., 
July  14,  1836.  He  received  his  education  at  the  public  schools  and  academy.  At 
the  age  of  twenty  he  started  to  cross  the  plains  in  company  with  his  brother, 
Joshua,  the  latter  bringing  stock  from  Kentucky.  The  Brown  brothers  were  in 
company  with  a  big  train  and  that  winter  Peleg  spent  the  winter  at  Mormon 
Station  (now  Genoa),  in  1857,  while  his  brother  returned  for  more  stock.  Owing 
to  the  trouble  with  the  Indians,  Joshua  had  to  remain  in  Kansas  for  one  year,  and 
the  following  year  he  made  the  trip  again,  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  two 
children.  Peleg  remained  in  Nevada  for  three  years,  when  he  returned  to  his 
native  home  for  a  visit.  Remaining  on  the  New  England  Coast  but  a  few 
months,  he  started  out  again  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  Silver  State.  The  second 
trip  was  by  the  Isthmus  route,  he  being  among  the  first  to  bring  alfalfa  seed  to 
Nevada.  The  following  year  after  his  arrival  to  this  State,  in  1858,  Mr.  Brown 
bought  the  John  Winters  squatter's  claim  and  added  to  his  holdings  until  he 
had  640  acres,  and  he  resided  on  the  original  homestead  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  September,  1878.  This  ranch  having  one  of  the  earliest  water 
rights  in  Nevada.  Mr.  Brown  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Gill,  of  Fort 
Wayne,  Ind.,  January  18,  1863,  at  Washoe  City,  Nev.  To  this  union  were  born 
five  children,  Albert  G.,  who  has  the  management  of  the  home  place,  and  who 
married,  December  9,  1891,  Miss  Emma  Parnell,  Ross,  Julia,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  six  and  one-half  years,  Laura  E.,  Charles  P.,  who  died  in  1900,  aged 
twenty-nine  years,  Millie  J.,  wife  of  Joseph  Wheeler,  of  Santa  Cruz,  Cal. 

HON.  WILSON  BROUGHER,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  was  born  July  19, 
1854.  He  is  a  son  of  William  and  Susan  (Snyder)  Brougher.  He  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools  of  Iowa.  He  removed  to  Nevada  at  the  age  of  twenty-one 
and  went  to  Nye  County,  where  he  was  employed.  He  was  elected  Sheriff  of  Nye 
County  on  the  Republican  tacket,  which  office  he  held  for  two  terms,  afer  which  he 
was  elected  and  served  as  Auditor  and  Recorder.  No  higher  testimonial  of  his 
capability  in  that  position  can  be  given  than  the  statement  of  the  fact  that  he  was 
elected  to  the  office  for  six  consecutive  terms,  serving  for  twelve  years.  He 
resigned  that  position  to  accept  the  nomination  for  State  Senator  formed  by 


1 134  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Ormsby  County.  He  was  elected  by  a  majority  of  117  votes.  At  the  time  of  the 
first  discovery  at  Tonopah  Mr.  Brougher  became  one  of  the  first  owners  of  the 
Mizpah,  Bureau,  Valley  View,  Desert  Queen,  Sand  Grass  and  Red  Plume  claims, 
these  being  eight  of  the  original  claims  in  a  group.  He  is  now  largely  interested 
in  the  various  mines  in  that  locality.  In  1902  Mr.  Brougher  purchased  the  Arlington 
Hotel  at  Carson  City.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Julia  Cannon,  a 
native  of  Illinois,  in  1885.  To  this  union  have  been  born  Ida  S.,  Alice  J.,  Nellie 
M.  and  William  Henry.  Mr.  Brougher  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the 
Blue  Lodge  and  Chapter.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows. 

WILLIAM  E.  BROWN  was  born  in  Eau  Clair  County,  Wisconsin.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools,  and  at  an  early  age  entered  the  mercantile  business. 
In  1893  he  removed  to  California,  locating  in  Stockton,  and  Sonora,  where  he 
remained  for  twelve  years.  In  1905  he  came  to  Reno  and  became  identified  with 
the  Flanigan  Warehouse  Company  as  president  He  is  a  member  of  the  Reno 
Commercial  Club.  Mr.  Brown  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Tillie  Schmitt,  of 
Stockton,  Cal.,  in  1896.  Their  two  children  are  Phillis,  age  thirteen,  and  Norman, 
age  eleven.  Mrs.  Brown  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church  and  the  Century 
Club  of  Reno. 

FLOYD  H.  BRUCE,  local  manager  for  the  Nevada  California  Power  Company, 
at  Tonopah,  Nev.,  was  born  at  Aurora,  Ind.,  April  30,  1870.  He  attended  the 
public  schools  and  high  school,  graduating  from  the  latter  in  1888.  After  his 
schooling  he  engaged  in  the  electrical  business  and  was  identified  with  this 
business  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  for  five  years.  He  worked  for  various  electrical 
companies  throughout  the  East  and  from  1892  to  1895  he  had  the  management  of 
the  water  and  power  plant  at  Austin,  Texas.  He  removed  to  St.  Louis  and  for 
two  years  was  connected  with  the  Laclede  Power  Company.  In  October,  1906, 
he  came  to  Tonopah,  Nev.,  and  worked  for  the  Nevada  Power  Mining  and  Milling 
Company,  now  the  Nevada  California  Power  Company,  and  in  May,  1910,  was 
appointed  local  manager  for  Tonopah  and  Millers.  Mr.  Bruce  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Anna  Petmecky  of  Austin,  Texas,  July  9,  1895. 

PETER  BUOL,  Mayor  of  Las  Vegas,  was  born  at  Chicago,  111.,  October  i, 
1873.  He  attended  the  public  schools,  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  became  identified 
with  the  dining-car  service  on  the  Wisconsin  Central  Railroad,  which  position  he 
held  for  four  years.  He  then  went  with  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad  in  the  same 
capacity,  where  he  remained  for  ten  years,  running  between  Chicago  and  Los 
Angeles,  serving  as  dining-car  conductor  and  chef.  He  then  followed  various 
occupations,  filled)  positions  of  trust  for  some  years,  and  in  May,  1904,  he  came 
to  Las  Vegas,  Nev.,  and  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  insurance  business.  July 
6,  1911,  he  was  elected  Mayor  of  Las  Vegas  for  a  two-year  term.  He  has  been 
United  States  Commissioner  since  190=;,  which  office  he  still  holds.  He  was  united 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1135 

in  marriage  to  Miss  Lorena  V.  Patterson,  of  Boonville,  Mo.,  September  24,  1900. 
Their  one  daughter,  Dorothy  Elizabeth,  was  born  January,  1912.  Mayor  Buol  was 
the  first  man  in  the  valley  to  set  out  a  commercial  orchard.  He  has  fifteen  acres 
of  peaches,  and  has  large  holdings  of  land  in  the  Las  Vegas  Valley.  He  was  the 
first  to  develop  artesian  water  and  put  down  the  first  well  demonstrating  the  fact 
that  flowing  wells  could  be  had  in  the  valley. 

JAMES  BURKE,  one  of  the  pioneer  contractors  in  Reno,  was  born  in  Ireland, 
April  12,  1841.  He  came  to  America  in  1868  and  located  in  New  York  City,  where 
he  followed  his  trade  of  brick  and  stone  mason  for  some  years.  In  March,  1876, 
he  came  to  Reno,  Nev.,  and  joined  his  brother,  who  had  been  located  in  Reno  pre- 
viously. They  at  once  formed  a  co-partnership  and  have  since  been  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  brick  and  in  the  contracting  business.  Burke  Brothers  had  the 
contract  for  the  erection  of  the  first  four  brick  buildings  built  by  the  University 
of  Nevada.  They  have  erected  many  of  the  finest  business  houses  and  homes 
in  Reno  and  other  places  in  the  State.  One  of  the  more  recent  jobs  erected  by 
Burke  Brothers  is  the  N.  C.  O.  Railroad  depot  of  Reno,  one  of  the  finest  in  the 
West  for  its  size.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Johanna  Sullivan,  a  native 
of  Massachusetts,  in  1885.  Three  children  were  born  to  this  union,  John  D., 
Josephine  and  Mary  Ann.  The  family  attend  and  are  members  of  the  Catholic 
Church.  Mr.  Burke  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Benevolent  Legion  and  the 
Knights  of  Columbus. 

PETER  BURKE,  one  of  the  foremost  men  in  the  building  line  in  Nevada,  was 
born  March  16,  1847,  in  Ireland.  At  the  age  of  twenty-five  he  came  to  America 
and  remained  in  New  York  City  for  a  period  of  four  years,  where  he  was  engaged 
at  his  trade  of  brick  mason.  In  1874  he  was  foreman  on  the  Folsom  prison,  at 
Folsom,  Cal.,  for  about  one  year.  In  July,  1875,  he  came  to  Reno,  where  he 
followed  his  trade  and  formed  a  co-partnership  with  his  brother,  and  they  com- 
menced contracting  and  started  the  brick  manufacturing  business.  They  are  still 
in  the  contracting  and  brick  business  in  Reno.  Mr.  Burke  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Mary  L.  McDermont,  of  Reno,  in  May,  1886.  She  was  formerly  from 
Illinois,  and  came  West  with  her  parents,  who  resided  on  the  Comstock  for  some 
time.  Their  children  are  May,  John,  James,  Vincent,  Aloysius,  Raymond  and 
Margaret.  Mr.  Burke  and  family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  he 
is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Columbus.  Burke  Brothers  erected  the  four  first 
buildings  at  the  University,  the  South  Side  School,  the  N.  C.  O.  Railroad  depot 
and  many  other  prominent  buildings  and  residences  in  Reno. 

JAMES  S.  LYONS,  who  is  successfully  engaged  in  general  farming  near 
Steamboat  Springs,  Washoe  County,  was  born  in  County  Meath,  Ireland, 
December  6,  1864.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  and  private  schools 
of  his  native  land.  At  the  age  of  twenty  he  came  to  America  and  located  in 


n36  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Cambridge,  Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  found  employment  at  farm- 
ing for  five  years.  He  came  West  in  1890  and  located  at  Deeth,  Nevada.  He 
farmed  for  a  time,  after  which  he  went  with  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  in 
the  machine  shop  and  ran  an  engine  until  1894.  He  then  rented  a  farm  in  Elko 
County  for  two  years,  after  which  he  purchased  a  ranch,  remaining  here  until 
1904,  when  he  removed  to  Washoe  County  and  bought  the  old  Hardan  ranch 
at  Steamboat.  He  disposed  of  the  Hardan  ranch  February,  1912,  and  in  April 
the  same  year  he  purchased  what  was  known  as  the  Crane  ranch,  consisting  of 
two  hundred  and  fifteen  acres,  on  the  Virginia  road,  which  has  one  of  the 
oldest  water  rights  in  Nevada.  Mr.  Lyons  was  married  November  3,  1892,  to 
Miss  Effie  Lawrence,  of  Star  Valley,  Elko  County.  Their  six  children  are 
Lawrence,  Shanley,  Mildred,  Gerald  J.,  Clarence  T.,  Lucille,  and  James  S.,  Jr. 
He  has  served  as  Past  Master  at  Steamboat  Springs  for  two  years,  and  he  is  a 
member  of  the  school  board  of  his  district.  Mr.  Lyons  and  family  are  members 
of  the  Catholic  Church. 

FRANK  V.  McAVOY,  one  of  the  representative  business  men  of  Reno,  was 
born  in  Boston,  Mass.,  October  13,  1868.  He  is  a  son  of  William  M.  and 
Catherine  McAvoy.  His  parents  removed  from  Boston  to  Red  Cloud,  Ne- 
braska, when  Frank  was  two  years  of  age.  He  was  educated  in  the  public 
school  in  the  Red  Cloud,  Nebraska.  After  his  schooling  he  worked  at  the 
jewelry  trade  for  a  time  and  in  1886  he  went  to  Denver,  Colo.,  where  he  was 
engaged  with  the  Denver  Light  and  Power  Company  for  two  years.  Then  to 
Colorado  Springs,  where  he  became  identified  with  the  El  Paso  Electric  Light 
Company  for  three  years.  He  then  went  to  Cripple  Creek  and  worked  for  the 
Gold  Belt  Power  and  Light  Company  for  a  time.  Removing  to  Mexico  he 
was  connected  with  the  London  Mexican  Mining  Company,  in  the  State  of 
Sinaloa  for  two  years.  Then  to  California  and  engaged  with  the  Floriston 
Paper  Company  as  night  superintendent  for  six  years.  1905  he  came  to  Reno 
and  started  in  the  electrical  business,  and  on  December  19,  1907,  was  incor- 
porated under  the  name  of  the  Reno  Electrical  Works.  In  politics  Mr.  McAvoy 
is  a  Democrat  and  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  K.  of  P.  Lodges.  He 
married  Miss  Nana  E.  Edwards,  of  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  May  21,  1903.  Their  three 
children  are  Albert,  Minnie  and  Grace.  Mr.  McAvoy  is  the  only  member  of 
the  National  Electrical  Contractors  in  the  State  of  Nevada. 

JOHN  H.  McCORMACK,  one  of  the  representative  business  men  of  Reno, 
was  born  in  Ypsilanti,  Mich.,  1860.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools,  after  which  he  learned  the  marble-cutting  trade,  which  vocation  he 
has  followed  and  is  engaged  in  at  the  present  time.  He  has  been  a  resident  of 
Nevada  since  1884  and  has  taken  a  keen  interest  in  its  industrial  and  civJd 
growth,  and  is  rightly  regarded  as  one  of  the  progressive  business  men  of 
Reno.  He  is  president  of  the  Western  Marble  and  Granite  Company  and  of 
the  Nevada  Loan  and  Trust  Company,  which  was  organized  in  1907.  He  is 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1137 

proprietor  of  the  McCormack  Hotel  of  this  city.  Fraternally  he  is  a  Mason, 
and  has  filled  all  the  chairs  of  the  subordinate  and  the  grand  lodge.  He  is  a 
member  of  DeWitt  Clinton  Commandery,  No.  i,  and  Karack  Temple,  and 
for  four  years  was  High  Priest  of  Reno  Chapter;  was  Past  Grand  High  Priest 
and  Past  Grand  Master  of  the  Masonic  Order  of  the  State.  He  is  one  of  the 
charter  members  of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World.  He  married  Miss  Gertrude 
A.  Peacock,  April  17,  1889.  To  this  union  was  born  one  son,  Henry  P.,  who  is 
now  a  student  at  the  University  of  Nevada.  The  parents  of  Mr.  McCormack 
are  natives  of  Scotland  who  came  to  Canada  and  thence  to  the  United  States. 

PATRICK  J.  McDONNELL,  M.D.  In  naming  the  prominent  physicians 
of  Southern  Nevada  special  mention  belongs  to  Patrick  McDonnell.  He  was 
born  at  Archbald,  Penn.,  December  17,  1879.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  Archbald,  Penn.;  High  School  in  Scranton,  Penn.,  and  the 
Wesleyan  University  at  Middletown,  Conn.,  graduating  from  the  latter  in  1904 
with  degree  of  A.  B.  He  graduated  from  the  Johns  Hopkins  Medical  College 
of  Baltimore  in  1908.  He  spent  eighteen  months  in  the  Providence  Hospital, 
at  Washington,  D.  C.,  and  took  special  work  in  New  York  City.  In  1910  he 
came  to  Tonopah,  Nevada,  and  formed  a  co-partnership  with  Dr.  Edward  S. 
Grigsby.  Dr.  McDonnell  is  identified  with  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Tonopah  and  is 
a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Columbus.  He  belongs  to  the  Alpha  Delta  Phi 
college  fraternity  and  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  Tonopah. 

ALEX  McDONALD,  a  pioneer  resident  of  the  county,  was  born  on  Prince 
Edward  Island,  Canada,  of  Scotch  parentage,  in  1852,  and  migrated  to  Iowa 
when  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age.  He  was  holding  a  responsible  position 
with  the  Union  Pacific  when  he  was  attracted  to  Nevada  in  1876  by  the  report 
of  wonderful  mineral  discoveries.  Be  was  among  the  first  to  settle  at  Ward, 
when  that  camp  was  at  the  zenith  of  its  prosperity.  With  the  failure  of  the 
silver-lead  mines  in  that  community  he  cost  his  fortunes  with  Cherry  Creek, 
and  was  engaged  in  the  blacksmithing  and  livery  business  for  thirteen  years. 
In  1890  he  removed  to  Ely,  which  had  been  created  the  county  seat  a  few  years 
previous,  and  has  since  followed  blacksmithing.  Although  he  has  never  held 
any  public  office,  Mr.  McDonald  has  always  taken  an  active  interest  in  school 
affairs,  and  was  a  member  of  the  board  of  school  trustees  for  ten  years. 
During  his  incumbency  in  office  the  structure  now  used  as  a  county  high 
school  and  a  pretentious  brick  building  for  the  lower  grades,  costing  $35,000, 
were  erected. 

DANIEL  C.  McDONALD.— It  would  be  difficult  to  name  a  citizen  of  south 
eastern  Nevada  who  is  more  widely  known  among  his  fellow  mining  men  and 
who  enjoys  the  confidence  and  trust  of  those  with  whom  he  is  associated  than 
Daniel  C.  McDonald.  He  is  a  native  of  Nova  Scotia,  his  birth  having  occurred 


n38  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

September  8,  1859.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Nova 
Scotia  and  New  Bedford,  Mass.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  started  west  with 
the  view  of  going  to  San  Francisco,  but  stopped  at  Elko,  Nevada,  and  has  been 
a  resident  of  the  sage  brush  State  since.  He  became  identified  with  mining 
at  an  early  age  and  found  employment  in  the  mines  and  smelters  in  Eureka, 
Tybo,  Pioche  and  other  camps.  He  spent  much  time  in  prospecting  and  came 
to  the  Robinson  district  in  1883.  He  became  active  in  mining  operations  in 
1885  and  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  original  locator  of  the  Ruth  and  Mc- 
Donald Ely  Copper  Co.,  the  Success  Mining  Co.,  in  which  Senator  Thomas 
Kearns  and  David  Keith  of  Salt  Lake  are  interested,  and  various  other  im- 
portant properties.  In  politics  Mr.  McDonald  is  a  Democrat  and  served  in 
the  State  Legislature  in  1895.  He  served  as  Mayor  of  Ely  for  one  term  and 
is  now  chairman  of  the  County  Commissioners  of  White  Pine  County.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  American  Mining  Congress.  Was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Minnie  M.  Comins,  daughter  of  ex-Senator  H.  A.  Comins,  October  10,  1894. 
To  this  union  were  born  Ruth,  born  October  13,  1896,  and  Roy  Neil,  born 
February  4,  1907. 

DAN  M.  McDONALD,  who  has  been  identified  with  the  different  news- 
papers in  the  Ely  District  for  almost  seven  years,  was  born  at  Cherry  Creek 
in  1885  and  removed  with  his  parents  to  Ely  five  years  later.  At  the  age  of 
twelve  years  he  was  a  familiar  figure  around  the  White  Pvne  News  office,  and 
was  connected  with  that  paper  in  various  capacities  for  many  years.  Mr. 
McDonald  is  a  member  of  the  class  of  1906  at  the  University  of  Nevada, 
taking  English  literature  as  his  major  subject.  He  was  editor  of  the  college 
paper  during  his  Junior  and  Senior  years,  and  was  the  choice  of  his  class  for 
the  editorship  of  the  Artemisia,  the  annual  issued  by  the  graduating  class, 
which  was  unfortunately  destroyed  during  the  San  Francisco  earthquake. 
During  his  undergraduate  days  he  was  connected  with  both  the  Journal  and 
Gazette.  When  the  Ely  Mining  Expositor  was  started  in  the  autumn  of  1906 
he  did  the  first  editorial  and  reportorial  work  on  that  paper,  and  was  em- 
ployed on  the  same  publication  during  portions  of  1910  and  1911.  He  ac- 
cepted the  position  of  editor  of  Copper  Ore,  a  weekly  published  at  McGill,  in 
October,  1911,  and  also  held  a  position  as  reporter  on  the  White  Pine  News 
during  the  same  period.  i 

SAMUEL  G.  PORTEOUS  was  born  in  England  in  1840  and  at  the  age  of 
nineteen  removed  to  British  Columbus  and  engaged  in  mining  throughout  the 
Northwest.  He  came  to  Virginia  City  and  walked  much  of  the  way  trom 
Sacramento  in  1865.  He  learned  the  painters'  trade  and  engaged  in  business 
in  Virginia  City  from  1865  to  1896.  He  removed  to  Reno  late  in  1896  and 
engaged  in  business.  Mr.  Porteous  cast  his  first  vote  for  U.  S.  Grant.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  His  son,  Samuel  W.,  was  born  in  Victoria,  B.  C, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1139 

in  1865,  and  is  now  identified  with  his  father  in  business  in  Reno.  Samuel  W. 
is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Esther 
Biggs  of  Reno  in  1900.  Their  two  children  are  Grace  and  Ruth. 

•t 

BERT  L.  QUAYLE,  one  of  the  prominent  attorneys  of  White  Pine  County, 
Nevada,  was  born  in  Salt  Lake  City  November  15,  1878.  He  acquired  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  Oakland,  Cal.,  and  later  attended  the  Uni- 
versity of  California,  graduating  in  1899  with  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science. 
He  attended  Hastings  College  of  the  law,  graduating  in  1902  with  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Law.  He  was  admitted  to  Bar  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  Cali- 
fornia in  1901.  He  took  up  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  California  and 
was  identified  with  Judge  Lindley  for  a  period  of  five  years.  He  removed  to 
Ely,  White  Pine  County,  in  1906,  and  in  December  of  that  year  became  asso- 
ciated with  C.  S.  Chandler  under  the  firm  name  of  Chandler  and  Quayle.  In 
politics  Mr.  Quayle  is  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party. 

JAMES  RAYCRAFT,  one  of  the  prominent  business  men  of  Carson  City, 
was  born  in  Hannibal,  Missouri,  in  1862.  His  parents,  Joseph  and  Ellen 
(Quinlan)  Raycraft,  both  natives  of  Ireland,  came  to  America  with  their 
parents  in  childhood.  They  were  reared  and  married  in  McHenry  County, 
111.  Mr.  Raycraft  had  the  distinction  of  "crossing  the  Plains"  with  his  parents 
when  but  a  few  months  old.  The  immense  train  of  emigrants,  of  which  they 
were  members,  was  well  equipped  and  contained  over  three  hundred  people. 
Joseph  Raycraft  was  chosen  captain  of  this  party  of  pioneers.  This  was  his 
second  trip  to  the  much-heralded  gold  fields  of  California,  the  previous  visit 
having  been  made  in  1852.  Eventually  the  family  located  in  Genoa,  Nev.,  and 
here,  their  family  of  eight  stalwart  sons,  each  over  six  feet  in  statue,  and 
three  daughters,  grew  to  manhood  and  womanhood.  James  Raycraft,  the 
seventh  son  of  this  family,  located  in  Carson  City  in  1885,  where  he  has  since 
been  successfully  conducting  a  livery  and  stage  business  and  later  garages. 
His  five  sons  are  his  assistants  in  these  businesses.  James  Raycraft  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Madge  Morris,  of  Empire,  Nev.,  in  1886.  Their  children 
are  Morris,  Hubert,  Arthur,  Joseph,  Marguerite,  Dorothy  and  Kenneth.  Mr. 
Raycraft  is  one  of  the  Democratic  leaders  in  his  party  and  represented  Ormsby 
County  in  the  Legislature  in  the  Twenty-fourth  Session,  1909.  He  has  ex- 
tensive farming  and  mining  interests  in  the  State  and  is  numbered  among  the 
representative  and  substantial  citizens. 

CHARLES  R.  REEVES  was  born  in  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  February,  1871,  and 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Dallas,  Tex.,  and  Purdue  University.  He  read 
law  with  Judge  James  T.  Adams  of  Gainsville,  Texas,  and  was  admitted  to 
practice  in  Idaho  and  Texas.  While  practicing  law  in  Idaho  he  went  to  Texas 
and  enlisted  in  the  Third  Texas  Infantry  for  the  Spanish  war,  and  went  to 


1 140  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Cuba  and  Porta  Rica,  serving  nineteen  months,  and  was  discharged  October 
26,  1898.  He  then  joined  the  iSQth  Indiana  and  served  as  a  lieutenant  in  the 
Constabalor  Companies  and  was  finally  discharged  August  17,  1899.  He  went 
to  Ely  when  the  camp  was  small  and  became  associated  with  Paul  Bros,  and 
Neil  Monroe,  and  later  with  the  Giroux  Consolidated  for  several  years  as  at- 
torney and  outside  business  manager.  1902  he  served  White  Pine  County  as 
Deputy  District  Attorney  and  was  elected  District  Attorney  in  1908,  serving 
two  years  in  each  office.  He  removed  to  Reno  January,  1911,  where  he  has 
since  been  engaged  in  law  practice.  Captain  Reeves  is  the  Department  In- 
spector of  the  Spanish-American  War  Veterans.  He  has  practiced  law  in 
every  county,  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  Nevada,  and  in  the  Federal  Court.  He 
has  studied  mining  engineering  and  is  interested  in  mines  in  Nevada.  Febru- 
ary 6,  1911,  he  was  appointed  a  Lieutenant-Colonel  on  the  Governor's  Staff, 
serving  until  July  26,  1912,  at  which  time  he  resigned  to  organize  the  Nevada 
National  Guard,  and  was  immediately  elected  Captain  of  Company  A,  which 
position  he  now  holds  as  the  senior  officer  in  the  Guards.  While  a  member  of 
the  Governor's  Staff  he  secured  the  G.  A.  R.  encampment,  which  met  in  Reno 
in  the  spring  of  1913. 

CHARLES  E.  MOOSER,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  in  1865. 
He  was  educated  in  Geneva,  Switzerland,  and  is  a  graduate  of  Geneva  College. 
He  served  as  physician  for  two  years  in  the  French  Hospital  in  San  Francisco 
and  is  a  graduate  of  Cooper  Medical  College.  Recognizing  the  possibilities  of 
Reno  he  became  identified  with  its  progressive  people,  where  he  has  for  eleven 
years  p  acticed  his  profession  and  established  a  reputation  for  efficiency  in  the 
Health  Department.  Dr.  Mooser  is  a  member  of  the  American  Medical 
Association,  the  Washoe  County  Medical  and  the  Nevada  State  Medical  So- 
cieties; of  the  Nu-Sigma-Nu  Medical  fraternity  and  the  French  Hospital  Asso- 
ciation. Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge,  K.  of  P.,  B.  P. 
O.  E.,  Odd  Fellows,  Modern  Woodmen.  He  is  Grand  Secretary  of  the  Druids 
of  the  State  and  a  member  of  the  Native  Sons  of  California.  He  was  married 
to  Miss  Lulu  Edwards  of  Oakland,  Cal.,  in  June,  1902,  who  is  a  member  of  the 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution.  Dr.  Mooser's  father  was  an  architect 
of  prominence  in  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  and  was  the  architect  of  the  first  brick 
building  erected  in  Virginia  City.  He  was  a  pioneer  of  California  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  famous  Vigilance  Committee. 

COL.  JAMES  H.  KINKEAD,  deceased.  In  the  year  in  which  the  Territorial 
organization  of  Nevada  was  effected,  1861,  he  became  one  of  its  citizens.  He 
was  born  in  Lancaster,  Ohio,  March  20,  1843,,  and  was  of  Scotch  and  German 
lineage.  Colonel  Kinkead  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Lan- 
caster, Ohio,  and  in  Kenyon  College  at  Gambier,  that  State.  He  also  pursued 
a  business  course  at  Duff's  Commercial  College,  and  when  but  eighteen  years  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1141 

age  located  in  Nevada.  He  came  by  water  to  California  and  spent  some  time 
in  Marysville,  Cal.,  acting  as  bookkeeper  and  accountant.  Arriving  in  Nevada  in 
1861  he  first  became  engaged  in  merchandising  at  Washoe  City,  where  he  remained 
in  business  for  some  years,  where  he  met  with  gratifying  results.  Later  he  sold 
out  and  turned  his  attention  to  the  discharge  of  official  duties.  He  was  appointed 
Deputy  Sheriff  of  Washoe  County,  filling  that  position  for  eight  years,  after 
which  he  returned  to  private  life.  He  became  interested  in  mining  at  Pyramid 
Lake  and  remained  there  for  about  eight  years.  In  1885  he  went  to  Virginia 
City,  and  for  several  years  he  was  the  superintendent  of  the  Best  and  Belcher 
mines,  also  the  Utah,  Occidental  and  Kentuck.  Later  he  invented  a  mill  known 
as  the  Kinkead  process  for  working  low-grade  ores  at  a  profit.  This  proved  a 
Success  and  mills  of  this  character  have  been  in  use  for  many  years.  In  March, 
1864,  Colonel  Kinkead  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Jane  Allender,  a 
native  of  Iowa.  To  this  union  were  born  four  children,  Catherine,  Allen,  Minerva 
and  H.  J.  Mr.  Kinkead  was  a  valued  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and 
held  memberships  in  the  Blue  Lodge  and  Chapter,  and  in  the  former  he  was 
Past^M*st£rT  He  served  as  Judge  Advocate-General  on  the  staff  of  Governor 
Sparks  with  the  rank  of  Colonel.  He  departed  this  life  June  9,  1912. 

RUFUS  H.  KINNEY,  one  of  the  pioneer  residents  of  Washoe  County,  was 
born  in  Charlotte,  Michigan,  on  March  u,  1840.  He  served  as  tax  collector 
and  treasurer  of  his  county  in  Michigan.  He  obtained  his  education  in  the 
country  school  in  Eaton  County,  Michigan.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  years  he 
took  charge  of  his  father's  farm  until  he  came  to  Nevada  in  1870.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Spencer,  of  Battle  Creek,  Michigan,  May 
2,  1870.  On  his  arrival  in  Washoe  County  he  started  ranching,  where  he 
made  his  home  for  nearly  forty  years.  He  served  as  City  Councilman  in  the 
First  Ward  for  four  years  and  in  1878  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  County 
Commissioner.  He  was  elected  to  the  Assembly  and  served  three  terms.  In 
1902  he  was  again  elected  to  fill  the  office  of  County  Commissioner.  He  was  a 
prominent  Mason  and  a  member  of  Charlotte  Lodge,  No.  120,  F.  and  A.  M. 
and  Eaton  Rapids,  Chapter  No.  27,  R.  A.  M.,  and  he  attained  the  Royal  Arch 
degrees.  He  was  also  a  member  of  DeWitt  Clinton  Commandery  at  Virginia 
City,  Nevada.  Two  children  were  born  to  this  union,  Kate,  the  wife  of  Roy  L. 
Robison,  of  Sparks,  and  May  A.,  of  Reno.  Mr.  Kinney  died  at  his  residence 
on  Mill  street,  Reno,  August  26,  1911. 

GEORGE  E.  KITZMEYER,  one  of  the  prominent  business  men  of  Carson 
City,  was  born  in  that  city  November  18,  1875.  He  is  a  son  of  George  W. 
Kitzmeyer  (deceased),  a  native  of  Germany,  who  came  to  America  when  a 
young  man  and  located  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  who  came  to  Nevada,  locating 
in  Carson  City  during  the  boom  days.  Here  he  followed  his  trade  as  a  harness 
maker,  engaging  in  business  with  his  brothers  Daniel  G.  and  Christian.  Later 


1 142  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

he  engaged  in  the  furniture  business  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  his  62nd  year.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  Louisa  (Wallace)  Kitzmeyer, 
also  of  German  extraction.  The  parents  were  married  in  Carson  City  and  nine 
children  were  born  of  this  union,  of  whom  three  are  living — George  E.,  our 
subject;  Laura,  wife  of  William  McLaughlin,  of  Los  Angeles,  and  Anna,  wife 
of  L.  C.  Ford,  of  Los  Angeles.  George  E.  acquired  his  education  in  the 
public  schools,  after  which  he  became  identified  with  his  father  in  the  furniture 
business  until  his  father's  death,  then  he  took  the  management  and  continued 
the  business  for  two  years,  when  he  disposed  of  the  furniture  business  and 
engaged  in  the  undertaking  business  in  Carson  City,  with  a  branch  in  Virginia 
City.  Mr.  Kitzmeyer  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  being  a  member 
of  the  Blue  Lodge  and  Chapter.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Eagles  and 
Woodmen  of  the  World.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Ida  McLaughlin,  of  Los  Angeles,  July  24,  1901.  To  this 
union  were  born  Zelma,  born  May  29,  1902,  and  Nina,  born  August  29,  1904. 
Mr.  Kitzmeyer  served  as  First  Sergeant  in  Company  D,  First  Nevada  Battalion, 
during  the  Spanish-American  War.  He  was  elected  County  Commissioner  for 
a  four-year  term  and  took  office  January,  1910.  He  is  president  of  the  Carson 
School  Board. 


FRED  KLOTZ,  County  Recorder  and  Auditor  of  Douglas  County,  was  born 
in  Germany,  November  29,  1843.  He  received  his  early  education  in  the  old 
country.  He  came  to  America  in  1867,  locating  in  Philadelphia,  later  in  Oregon, 
and  then  in  San  Francisco.  He  came  to  Nevada  May  6,  1874,  and  took  up  his 
residence  in  Genoa,  where  he  has  since  resided.  Mr.  Klotz  learned  the  harness- 
making  trade  in  the  old  country  and  followed  this  vocation  in  the  different  cities 
in  this  country  where  he  located.  January  4,  1897,  he  took  the  office  of  County 
Recorder  and  Auditor,  which  offices  he  has  held  continually  to  the  present  time. 
He  has  executed  the  duties  in  such  a  capable  manner  that  he  has  never  had 
opposition.  He  married  Miss  Katherine  Schramm,  a  native  of  Germany, 
October  13,  1872,  who  died  November  23,  1906.  To  this  union  were  born  eight 
children,  all  of  whom  are  living.  Mr.  Klotz  is  a  Democrat,  and  has  served  as 
school  trustee  from  1888  to  1902.  The  family  attend  the  German  Lutheran 
Church. 

CHRISTIAN  M.  KRUMMES,  at  present  Justice  of  the  Peace  of  Douglas 
County,  is  a  native  of  Denmark.  He  was  born  May  u,  1861.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  old  country,  and  at  an  early  age  learned  the  blacksmithing 
trade.  In  1879  he  came  to  America  and  located  in  Boston,  Mass.,  for  a  time, 
and  then  went  to  Nebraska  and  followed  his  trade  for  about  one  year.  In 
1880  he  located  in  Gardnerville  for  a  time,  then  went  to  California,  where  he 
spent  two  years.  Finally  he  returned  to  the  Carson  Valley  and  engaged  in 
business  in  Genoa,  and  about  1886  he  started  a  shop  in  Gardnerville,  where  he 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1143 

has  since  resided.  In  politics  Mr.  Krummes  is  a  Democrat.  He  was  elected 
Constable  in  1892,  which  office  he  held  four  years,  and  in  1910  he  was  elected 
Justice  of  the  Peace.  He  was  united  in  marriage  in  1887  to  Miss  Annie  Ander- 
son, a  native  of  Germany.  Their  four  children  are  Peter,  who  is  engaged  in 
business  in  Minden;  Sadie,  a  stenographer  in  Oakland;  Simon,  attending  the 
University  of  Nevada,  and  Anna  May,  at  home.  Judge  Krummes  has  been 
engaged  in  the  undertaking  business  for  seventeen  years  in  Gardnerville.  The 
family  attend  the  German  Lutheran  Church. 

ALVIN  MILO  LAMB,  a  pioneer  in  Nevada  who  crossed  the  State  in  1859 
when  on  his  way  to  California,  and  in  1863  he  returned  to  this  State,  where  he 
has  resided  ever  since.  He  was  born  in  New  York  State  September  14,  1833. 
His  parents  removed  from  New  York  and  settled  in  Wisconsin,  where  Alvin 
M.  was  educated,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-six  he  crossed  the  Plains  and  came 
to  California.  He  left  his  home  in  Wisconsin  on  the  4th  of  April,  1859,  and 
arrived  in  Placerville,  Cal.,  on  the  I4th  of  September  following.  He  followed 
mining  for  a  time  and  then  went  to  teaming.  He  resided  in  Placerville  until 
April,  1863,  when  he  went  to  Virginia  City.  He  worked  in  the  mines  for  a 
time  and  then  engaged  in  sawing  timber,  and  after  a  short  time  he  drove  a 
logging  team  in  the  mountains.  For  five  seasons  he  followed  this  work  and 
then  purchased  six  team  of  oxen;  with  them  he  hauled  timber  from  the  mills 
to  Virginia  City.  In  1869  he  had  ten  yoke  of  oxen  and  with  these  he  hauled 
the  first  locomotive  used  on  the  Virginia  and  Truckee  Railroad  at  Virginia 
City;  that  engine  is  still  running  on  the  road.  It  required  four  days  to  move  it 
to  Virginia  City.  In  1871  he  purchased  280  acres  of  land.  In  1877,  in  connection 
with  others,  he  engaged  in  building  steamboat  ditch.  He  was  married  in  1868  to 
Miss  Phoebe  L.  Howard,  who  died  in  1886.  The  following  year  he  married  Mrs. 
Cornelia  Crook.  Mr.  Lamb's  first  marriage  was  the  first  to  occur  in  Nevada.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Republican. 

JOHN  M.  FULTON,  a  native  of  Ohio,  was  born  in  Ashland,  December  6, 
1849.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  and  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  years  he  entered  the  railroad  service  of  the  Atlantic  and  Great 
Western,  where  he  was  identified  in  various  capacities.  He  later  entered  the 
employ  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railway  as  locomotive  engineer  and  later  as 
Master  Mechanic.  He  removed  to  Nevada  in  1884  and  took  charge  of  the 
motor  power  and  car  department  of  the  Nevada-California-Oregon  Railroad 
Company,  and  was  afterward  appointed  Master  of  Transportation  for  this  road. 
He  severed  his  connection  with  this  company,  after  which  he  became  identified 
with  the  Southern  Pacific  Company  as  Division  Freight  and  Passenger  Agent, 
and  now  occupies  the  position  of  Assistant  General  Freight  and  Passenger 
Agent.  Mr.  Fulton  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Theodora  Waters  Stubbs, 
daughter  of  Dr.  J.  E.  and  Ella  S.  Stubbs,  in  February,  1903.  Their  one  son, 
John  Martin,  Jr.,  was  born  November  29,  1904. 


1 144  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

JOHN  H.  GALLAGHER,  Councilman  from  the  Third  Ward,  who  is  now 
serving  the  people  of  Ely  in  an  efficient  manner,  was  born  at  Eberhardt, 
Nevada,  February  14,  1874.  He  is  a  son  of  William  and  Ella  (Rowe)  Galla- 
gher. His  father  is  a  native  of  New  Brunswick,  and  his  mother  was  born  in 
Vermont.  John  H.  was  educated  in  White  Pine  County,  after  which  he  assisted 
on  the  home  ranch  in  Duck  Creek.  In  1898  he  removed  to  Idaho,  where  he 
ranched  and  became  interested  in  mining  for  eight  years.  He  married  Miss 
Margaret  Harris,  a  native  of  Nevada,  September  9,  1898.  To  this  union  have 
been  born  Violet,  born  October  30,  1899;  Florence,  born  September  7,  1901, 
and  William,  born  October  16,  1903.  Mr.  Gallagher  returned  to  Nevada  in 
1906  and  engaged  in  the  wholesale  and  retail  hay  and  grain  business  in  Ely. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  He  was  elected  Councilman  from  the  Third 
Ward  in  1911.  He  served  on  the  School  Board  while  a  resident  of  Idaho. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World.  Mr.  Gallagher 
and  his  brother,  Guy  L.,  have  extensive  interests  in  lead  mines  in  Duck  Creek 
section.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

WILLIAM  C.  GALLAGHER,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Eastern  Nevada,  and 
who  is  numbered  among  the  representative  citizens,  was  born  at  Sack- 
ville,  New  Brunswick,  June  u,  1850.  He  received  his  education  at  the 
Mt.  Allison  Academy  at  Sackville,  New  Brunswick.  He  came  West  in  April, 
1870,  and  located  in  Hamilton,  where  he  found  employment  and  clerked  for 
Carpenter  &  Company  at  Eureka.  He  afterward  entered  the  employ  of  the 
Eberhardt  and  Aurora  Mining  Company  at  Eberhardt,  where  he  remained  for 
three  years.  He  removed  to  Eureka  again  and  engaged  in  the  wood  and 
draying  business  until  1875,  when  he  went  to  Duck  Creek  and  engaged  in 
ranching.  Here  he  remained  until  1904,  when  he  removed  to  Ely.  In  1885  he 
was  elected  County  Commissioner  of  White  Pine  County,  which  office  he  held 
for  sixteen  years.  Mr.  Gallagher  was  elected  to  the  Senate  from  White  Pine 
County  in  1904  and  served  four  years.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  Frater- 
nally he  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  Lodge,  he  being  a  Thirty-second  Degree 
Mason.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows,  K.  of  P.,  Eastern  Star  and 
Rebecca  Lodges.  He  was  married  to  Ella  S.  Rowe,  of  Peacham,  Vermont, 
March  18,  1873.  To  this  union  was  born  nine  children,  of  whom  five  are  living, 
namely,  John  H.,  Guy  L.,  Laura  M.,  Charles  D.  and  Minnie  M.  The  family 
attend  the  Episcopal  Church. 

MICHAEL  B.  GARAGHAN,  one  of  the  representative  and  highly  respected 
citizens  of  White  Pine  County,  was  born  in  Ireland,  September  20,  1844.  His 
parents  came  to  America  and  located  in  New  York  City  and  later  in  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio,  where  Michael  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools.  He 
afterward  became  accountant  in  a  wholesale  store  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  In 
June,  1868,  he  came  to  Nevada,  where  he  was  in  charge  of  the  office  for  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1145 

Hyko  Silver  Mining  Company's  property.  Here  he  continued  for  three  years. 
In  1870  Mr.  Garaghan  was  chosen  by  the  people  from  Lincoln  County  to 
represent  them  in  the  State  Legislature.  He  has  always  been  identified  with 
the  mining  interests  of  Nevada.  In  June,  1872,  he  left  Pioch  and  made  a  trip 
through  the  East,  spending  a  good  deal  of  his  time  in  New  York  and  Cincin- 
nati. He  returned  to  Nevada  in  1875  and  in  1876  he  engaged  in  business  in 
Ward,  White  Pine  County,  and  later  was  in  business  at  Aurum,  this  county, 
in  connection  with  the  late  T.  C.  Poujade  up  to  1888.  He  has  since  been 
active  in  mining,  and  in  1893  he  removed  to  Ely,  where  he  now  resides.  Mr. 
Garaghan  has  served  White  Pine  County  as  Recorder  and  County  Clerk  for 
ten  years.  He  has  large  mining  interests  in  Hamilton  and  Robinson  districts. 

r 

HON.  WILLIAM  MUNSON  GARDINER.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a 
native  Californian.  He  was  born  in  the  City  of  Oakland,  August  8,  1871,  and 
was  educated  at  Hopkins  Academy  and  the  University  of  California.  He  left 
college  at  the  end  of  his  junior  year  to  take  up  the  study  of  law  with  the  then 
well-known  firm  of  Morrison,  Stratton  &  Foerster,  which,  by  successive 
changes,  is  now  the  firm  of  Morrison,  Dunne  &  Brobeck.  Mr.  Gardiner  was 
admitted  to  practice  by  an  examination  before  the  Commissioners  of  the  Cali- 
fornia Supreme  Court  in  June,  1895.  The  following  year,  after  Mr.  Stratton 
had  withdrawn  from  the  firm,  he  became  head  clerk  for  Morrison  &  Foerster, 
and  thereafter  was  closely  identified  with  important  matters  in  the  office  of 
that  firm  and  its  successors,  Morrison  &  Cope.  The  business  of  these  firms 
was  not  only  very  voluminous,  but  covered  all  branches  of  the  law,  and  Mr. 
Gardiner  states  that  the  experience  he  there  got  has  since  become  invaluable 
to  him,  covering  as  it  did  both  office  and  trial  work,  and  among  other  matters 
probate  work,  water  litigation,  all  branches  of  corporate  law,  banking,  trade 
marks,  and  the  then  comparatively  new,  unfair  competition  in  trade.  Early 
in  1902  Mr.  Gardiner  left  the  firm  of  Morrison  &  Cope  to  handle  exclusively 
the  legal  business  of  a  large  commercial  corporation,  and  in  connection  with 
this  he  was  largely  responsible  for  the  successful  direction  of  the  business 
affairs  of  his  client.  In  this  way  he  possesses  that  rare  asset  to  an  attorney,  a 
thorough  business  experience  and  a  combination  of  legal  knowledge  and  busi- 
ness ability.  About  three  years  ago  Mr.  Gardiner  moved  to  Reno  to  form  a 
partnership  with  his  boyhood  friend,  Albert  D.  Ayres,  whose  business  had  out- 
grown the  ability  of  one  man  to  take  care  of  it,  and  it  is  certainly  a  compliment 
to  Mr.  Gardiner's  integrity  and  ability  that  Mr.  Ayres  should  have  selected 
him,  a  stranger  in  the  community,  when  he  had  determined  upon  taking  in  a 
partner.  Since  his  residence  in  Reno  the  firm  of  Ayres  &  Gardiner  has 
enjoyed  a  splendid  practice  and  marked  success  in  the  matters  entrusted  to 
it.  Mr.  Gardiner  has  been  made  Dictator  of  the  local  lodge  of  the  Loyal  Order 
of  Moose,  and  has  enjoyed  wide  popularity  and  the  confidence  of  all  who 
know  him.  In  the  fall  of  1912  Mr.  Gardiner  became  a  candidate  for  Assembly- 
man from  Washoe  County  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  and  of  the  four  Demo- 


1 146  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

crats  elected  he  was  second  in  number  of  votes  polled.     In  the  Assembly  he 
was  elected  caucus  chairman  and  also  Speaker  pro  tern. 

BABTISTE  JOSEPH  GENESY,  a  representative  business  man  of  Reno, 
was  born  at  Murphey's  Camp,  Calaveras  County,  Cal.,  May  5,  1858.  His  father 
died  when  Babtiste  was  six  years  of  age.  His  mother  removed  to  Virginia  City 
with  her  four  children  and  engaged  in  the  hotel  business.  He  was  educated  in 
Virginia  City  and  at  an  early  age  he  learned  the  plumbing  trade  with  Mr.  John 
Gillig,  an  old  resident  of  Virginia  City.  Mr.  Genesy  belonged  to  Company  A, 
National  Guards,  and  afterward  was  a  member  of  Battery  A  shooting  team. 
He  always  was  active  in  military  affairs  of  the  State.  He  was  engaged  with 
Mr.  Gillig  for  twenty-two  years.  He  started  as  apprentice  and  was  the  oldest 
man  in  the  shop  and  for  many  years  acted  as  foreman.  In  1893  he  came  to 
Reno  and  established  a  plumbing  and  general  household  establishment  which 
he  now  runs.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Blue  Lodge  Chapter  Commandery  and 
Shrine  and  has  held  various  offices  in  the  different  branches  of  Masonry,  and 
has  filled  all  chairs  in  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge.  Mr.  Genesy  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Abbie  Tate,  of  Goldhill,  March  3,  1883.  To  this  union  three 
children  have  been  born,  Leon,  Paul  and  Alice.  His  son  Leon  married  Miss 
Virginia  Tally,  and  their  two  children  are  Virginia  and  Marian. 

LEWIS  A.  GIBBONS.  Among  the  attorneys  of  Nevada  none  is  more 
widely  known  and  none  enjoys  the  confidence  and  trust  of  those  with  whom 
he  is  associated  than  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  He  was  born  November  i, 
1874,  in  Yalo  County,  Cal.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
his  native  State,  Pierce  Christian  College  of  College  City,  Cal.,  and  the  Hast- 
ings College  of  Law,  graduating  from  the  latter  in  1896.  He  immeditaely  took 
up  the  practice  of  law  in  San  Francisco,  where  he  remained  until  1906,  when  he 
removed  to  Tonopah,  and  was  prominently  identified  with  that  camp  until 
November,  1909,  when  he  removed  to  Reno,  where  he  has  since  resided,  and 
practiced  his  profession.  He  formed  a  co-partnership  with  Henry  M.  Hoyt 
under  the  firm  name  of  Hoyt  &  Gibbons.  Politically  Mr.  Gibbons  is  affiliated 
with  the  Republican  party.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge 
and  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  He  was  united  in  marrriage  to  Miss  Florence  Fairchild,  of 
San  Francisco,  California,  July  25,  1900.  To  this  union  was  born  two  children, 
Virginia  and  Lewis  A.,  Jr.  The  law  firm  of  Hoyt  &  Gibbons  are  attorneys 
for  various  large  corporations  in  Nevada,  including  Wells-Fargo  Express 
Company  of  Utah  and  Nevada,  George  S.  Nixon  Estate,  George  Wingfield  and 
the  various  banks  in  Reno,  Carson  City,  Winnemucca  and  Goldfield. 

SAMUEL  C.  GIBSON,  M.D.,  was  born  September  9,  1857.  His  father, 
Alexander  Gibson,  was  a  physician  and  surgeon,  and  in  1846  he  graduated  from 
the  Jefferson  Medical  College,  of  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania.  He  removed  to 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1147 

Missouri,  where  he  practiced  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1900.  Samuel 
C.  was  educated  at  the  Steelville  Academy  and  the  Missouri  University  (School 
of  Mines)  and  the  Missouri  Medical  College,  graduating  in  March,  1879.  He 
came  to  California  and  located  in  Anderson,  Shasta  County,  where  he  remained 
for  five  years.  He  then  removed  to  Alturas,  Modoc  County,  Cal.,  where  he 
practiced  for  ten  years.  In  1895  he  located  in  Reno,  where  he  has  since 
remained.  He  has  served  as  President  of  the  State  Board  of  Health,  Chief 
Surgeon  of  the  N.  C.  &  O.  Railroad,  and  Health  Officer  of  Washoe  County. 
He  is  a  director  of  the  Farmers  and  Merchants  National  Bank,  Medical  Exami- 
ner for  the  Equitable,  New  York;  Mutual,  of  New  York,  Prudential  and  other 
life  insurance  companies.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge.  Dr. 
Gibson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  E  Roycroft,  of  Red  Bluff,  Cali- 
fornia, in  1882.  Their  four  children  are  Agnes,  wife  of  E.  H.  Chester,  of  Sac- 
ramento; Samuel  A.,  a  cadet  attending  West  Point  Military  Academy;  Thomas 
R.,  a  clerk  in  the  Washoe  County  Bank,  and  Robert  Lee,  a  student  attending 
the  University.  Dr.  Gibson  was  appointed  in  1904  Superintendent  of  the  State 
Hospital  for  mental  diseases  and  was  removed  by  a  Republican  board  in  1911. 

JAMES  G.  GIVENS  was  born  in  Lincoln  County,  Kentucky,  in  1856.  He 
was  reared  on  a  farm  and  educated  in  Center  College,  Danville,  Kentucky, 
graduating  in  1878.  He  took  a  post  graduate  course  in  the  University  of  Vir- 
ginia, then  graduated  in  law  from  the  University  of  Louisville  in  1880.  He 
practiced  law  in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  for  ten  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
City  Council  and  was  identified  with  the  political  life  of  both  city  and  State. 
He  became  interested  in  the  development  of  the  coal  and  iron  resources  of 
Eastern  Kentucky  and  finally  gave  up  the  law  in  order  to  give  his  whole  time 
to  this  business.  He  built  the  first  coke  ovens  in  Eastern  Kentucky  and  did 
much  to  make  that  section  what  it  is  to-day,  one  of  the  greatest  coal  and  iron 
centers  in  the  country.  In  1898  he  went  West  and  became  an  influence  in  the 
promotion  of  various  interests,  mining  principally,  in  Washington  and  Alaska. 
His  health  failed  here  and  he  was  forced  to  seek  a  warmer  climate  and  came 
to  Nevada  in  1908,  where  he  has  entered  actively  in  the  business  of  the  upbuild- 
ing of  the  State.  As  Secretary  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  American 
Mining  Congress  that  met  in  Goldfield  in  1909.  In  this  capacity  he  traveled 
all  over  this  State  securing  the  mineral  exhibit  that  is  now  one  of  the  attrac- 
tions at  Nevada's  University.  At  the  close  of  this  session  of  the  American 
Mining  Congress,  Mr.  Givens  came  to  Las  Vegas,  where  he  has  made  his  home 
ever  since.  He  has  been  instrumental  in  uplifting  conditions  generally  in  this 
section  of  the  country.  Through  his  influence  several  large  land  companies 
have  been  organized  and  the  development  of  the  arid  acres  of  Las  Vegas  Valley 
is  going  forward  in  a  way  that  proves  the  great  value  of  this  soil  and  climate  as 
an  asset  to  the  State.  In  1910  he  organized  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  Las 
Vegas  and  was  elected  the  first  President  of  the  same.  He  succeeded  himself 
the  ensuing  year.  Through  his  influence  people  and  money  have  been  brought 


1 148  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

into  this  valley  that  mean  much  for  the  country.  He  represented  this  State  at 
the  Los  Angeles  and  Chicago  Land  Shows  and  the  Irrigation  Congress  of  1912 
in  Chicago.  At  this  writing  he  is  a  member  of  the  Executive  Committee 
National  Irrigation  Congress.  Mr.  Givens  is  a  Knight  Templar,  Past  Grand  in 
Odd  Fellowship,  a  Presbyterian,  a  gentleman  by  birth  and  breeding,  and  a 
help  to  his  community  as  well  as  to  the  State  of  Nevada. 

DANIEL  McELROY,  one  of  the  well-known  and  representative  real  estate 
men  of  Eastern  Nevada,  was  born  in  Green  County,  Ohio,  August  24,  1865. 
He  received  his  education  in  the  Xena  public  schools.  At  an  early  age  he 
learned  the  flour  milling  trade  with  his  father,  who  was  one  of  the  highly 
esteemed  men  of  his  locality.  Mr.  McElroy  remained  with  his  father  in  the 
milling  business  until  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty-one,  when  he  went  to 
Princeton,  Ind.,  later  to  Kansas  City,  Omaha,  and  Salt  Lake  City.  In  1900 
he  removed  to  Elko,  where  he  became  identified  with  the  W.  T.  Smith  Co., 
and  had  the  management  of  their  flour-mill  for  five  years.  He  then  engaged 
in  the  real  estate  and  live  stock  business.  Fraternally  Mr.  McElroy  is  affil- 
iated with  the  Masonic  Lodge  and  has  held  various  chairs.  He  has  taken  all 
the  degrees,  including  the  Shrine.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Luella  Salisbury,  a  native  of  Kansas,  May  12,  1882,  who  died  in  1889.  Mr.  Mc- 
Elroy has  been  twice  married;  his  second  union  was  to  Miss  Janie  Eppard, 
of  Missouri,  in  1900.  By  his  first  marriage  there  were  three  children,  one  hav- 
ing died  in  infancy.  The  others  are  James  Frederick,  age  twenty-five,  who  is 
the  agent  for  the  W.  P.  R.  R.  at  Beowawe,  Nevada,  and  Elverton,  who  is  agent 
at  Campus  for  the  W.  P.  R.  R.  To  the  second  marriage  there  were  born  John, 
age  eight,  and  one  other  child,  who  died  at  the  age  of  one  year. 

/  CHARLES  GULLING,  the  secretary  and  manager  of  the  Reno  Mill  &  Lumber 
Co.,  was  born  October  14,  1855,  at  Oak  Valley,  Cal.  His  parents  having  come  to 
California  from  Ohio  by  the  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  to  San  Francisco,  early 
in  1855.  His  parents  removed  to  Chico,  California,  1859,  and  in  1863  his  father, 
being  attracted  by  the  great  Comstock  mining  excitement,  made  a  business  trip 
to  Virginia  City,  and  in  1866  moved  with  his  family  to  Nevada,  locating  at  Glen- 
dale,  and  in  1873,  removed  to  Reno,  since  which  time  his  home  has  been  in 
Nevada.  Charles  Gulling  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  graduated  from 
Healds  College.  He  taught  school  from  1875  to  1880.  In  1880  he  resigned,  and 
assisted  in  the  survey  of  the  N.  C.  O.  Railroad.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year 
he  became  identified  with  the  Crystal  Peak  Lumber  Company  at  Verdi,  Nevada, 
until  1887,  when  he  became  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Reno  Mill  &  Lumber 
Company,  and  has  since  been  its  secretary  and  manager.  Under  his  management 
the  company  grew  from  the  small  capitalization  of  $30,000  to  $300,000,  extending 
its  business  into  Plumas  County,  Cal.,  purchasing  what  vras  known  as  the  Old 
Band  Mill  property  near  Beckwith,  Cal.,  in  1898.  The  mill  was  enlarged  and 
moved  to  Loyalton,  and  was  operated  until  1910,  when  the  mill  and  timber  lands 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1149 

were  sold  to  the  Feather  River  Lumber  Company.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers 
of  the  Plumas  Box  &  Lumber  Company  in  1900  at  Loyalton,  Cal.,  which  was 
merged  into  the  California  Pine  Box  &  Lumber  Company  in  1907.  He  is  one  of 
the  builders  of  the  Orr  Ditch  &  Water  Company  and  has  acted  as  secretary 
almost  continuously  since  1880.  In  the  winter  of  1907  and  1908  he  was  one  of 
the  leaders  in  the  fight  in  the  State  Legislature  which  resulted  in  the  creation 
of  the  Nevada  State  Railroad  Commission,  the  chief  business  of  which  has  been 
to  compel  the  Southern  Pacific  Company  to  give  Reno  a  terminal  point.  It  was 
in  1908,  as  foreman  of  the  Grand  Jury  of  Washoe  County,  that  he  instituted  a 
thorough  examination  of  the  County  and  City  of  Reno,  which  resulted  in  the 
vast  betterment  of  the  system  of  business  in  vogue  and  infusing  civic  pride  and 
progression ;  the  chief  est  of  which  was  the  practical  eradication  of  Chinatown, 
located  in  the  heart  of  the  city.  He  was  one  of  the  leaders  and  chief  factors  in 
the  fight  in  the  city  election  and  before  the  Legislature  against  the  continuance  of 
gambling  in  the  State.  The  abolition  of  gambling  and  the  successful  results  of 
the  abolition  of  gambling  was  due  to  the  persistency  of  effort  and  the  vital 
influence  of  those  who  took  a  part  in  it.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
Building  and  Loan  Association  in  1889  and  has  been  one  of  its  trustees  continually 
since  its  organization  and  has  acted  as  its  president  for  many  years.  He  was 
also  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Grizzly  Creek  Ice  Company  in  1912  and  is 
acting  as  secretary  and  manager.  He  assisted  in  laying  out  the  town  of  Portola, 
Cal.,  a  division  point  on  the  Western  Pacific  Railway.  He  is  also  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  Reno  Press  Brick  Company.  Whilst  a  Democrat  in  national 
politics,  he  has  always  been  independent  in  local  politics  and  does  not  believe 
that  he  is  serving  his  party  best  by  supporting  an  unworthy  candidate  or  who 
would  not  serve  the  people  honestly,  and  this  is  dne  of  the  sources  of  his 
strength  among  his  fellow  citizens  of  all  shades  of  political  belief.  He  was  a 
director  when  the  Carnegie  Library  was  built  and  ever  since  has  been  a  member 
of  the  board.  On  December  23,  1883,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret 
Henry,  whose  children  are  Aline,  Harry  and  Charles,  the  latter  assisting  in  the 
office  of  the  Reno  Mill  &  Lumber  Company.  The  interest  of  Charles  Gulling  in 
public  reform  has  been  absolutely  unselfish  and  oftimes  against  his  business  in- 
terests. He  has  repeatedly  declined  nominations  for  office  when  an  acceptance 
would  have  assured  his  election.  A  notable  instance  was  his  refusal  to  accept 
the  Good  Government  nomination  for  Mayor  of  Reno  at  the  municipal  election 
of  1908. 

ANDREW  L.  HAIGHT.  Prominent  among  the  young  attorneys  of  White 
Pine  County  is  Andrew  L.  Haight.  He  was  born  at  Edmore,  Mich.,  July  17, 
1884.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Michigamme,  gradu- 
ating from  the  latter  in  1899.  He  attended  the  Ferris  Institute  at  Big  Rapids, 
Mich.,  during  1900  and  1901.  He  read  law  in  Hancock,  Mich.,  and  in  Chicago. 
In  1907  Mr.  Haight  was  admitted  to  the  bar  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  Nevada 
and  started  practice  in  Ely,  and  in  August,  1909,  he  became  associated  with 


1150  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Chas.  A.  Walker  in  the  law  business.  In  1912  Mr.  Haight  was  elected  to  the 
State  Legislature  and  served  the  people  of  White  Pine  County  during  the  26th 
Session.  In  May,  1913,  he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Oddie  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Directors,  having  in  charge  Nevada's  exhibits  at  the  Panama-Pacific 
and  Panama-California  expositions.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Olga  Bertha 
Woick  of  Chicago,  June  4,  1907.  To  this  union  was  born  Andrew  Norman, 
September  n,  1908.  Fraternally  Mr.  Haight  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  lodge, 
being  past  master  of  Ely  Lodge  No.  29  F.  and  A.  M. 

ERNEST  F.  HALL  was  born  at  Milford,  New  Hampshire,  July  16,  1856. 
He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Gold  Hill,  and  attended  the 
Santa  Clara  College,  1871-72.  He  became  identified  with  railroad  work  and 
was  agent  at  Keeler,  Cal.,  for  five  years.  During  his  residence  in  Gold  Hill 
he  was  prominent  as  a  musician  for  many  years.  For  three  years  he  held  the 
position  as  ticket  agent  and  operator  on  the  Virginia  and  Truckee  Railroad, 
and  afterward  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Hobart  Mills  Lumber  Company  as 
dispatcher  for  two  years.  He  removed  to  Manhattan  in  1907  from  Hobarf 
Mills  and  now  holds  the  position  as  manager  of  the  Nevada  Telegraph  and 
Telephone  Co.  Mr.  Hall  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sallie  Louise  Will- 
iams, of  Virginia  City,  February  2,  1882. 

HENRY  O.  HALL  was  born  in  Texas  December  9,  1877.  He  acquired  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  State.  He  removed  to  Tonopah 
and  Goldfield  in  1902,  where  he  remained  until  1906,  when  he  came  to  Ely 
In  1911  he  took  the  management  of  the  Northern  Hotel.  He  served  as  City 
Councilman  one  term,  when  Ely  was  incorporated.  In  politics  Mr.  Hall  is  a 
Democrat.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  the  Eagles. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Lillian  Ellis,  a  native  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  in 
April,  1908.  Mr.  Hall  has  mining  interests  in  White  Pine  County. 

GEORGE  J.  HANLON  was  born  in  Sacramento  County,  Cal.,  October  I, 
1885.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools.  After  his  schooling  he 
became  identified  with  the  jobbing  business  and  worked  for  various  firms  in 
Sacramento,  Los  Angeles,  and  San  Francisco.  In  October,  1910,  he  removed 
to  the  Carson  Valley,  where  he  purchased  a  hundred-acre  ranch.  Mr.  Hanlon 
has  farmed  in  the  Sacramento  County  and  now  owns  900  acres  on  the  Cosumne 
River.  In  politics  Mr.  Hanlon  is  a  Republican. 

MATHIAS  HANSEN  was  born  in  Germany  February  7,  1877.  In  1892  he 
came  to  America  and  settled  in  the  Carson  Valley,  where  he  found  employment 
at  ranching  until  the  fall  of  1901,  when  he  bought  the  Brocklis  ranch,  consisting 
of  480  acres,  this  being  one  of  the  first  farms  in  the  valley  to  be  put  under 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1151 

cultivation.  In  politics  Mr.  Hansen  is  a  Democrat  and  he  has  served  as  school 
trustee  of  the  Centerville  District.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Douglas  County 
Creamery.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Edith  Christensen  December  8, 

1901.  Their  five  children  are   Otto,   Inger,   Rubel,  Anna  and   Mathias.     Mr. 
Hansen  and  family  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church. 

GEORGE  WEBSTER  HARK  was  born  in  Carson  City  July  26,  1877,  and 
•was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Nevada,  graduating  from  the  high  school 
at  Carson  City  in  1891.  He  worked  in  the  manufacturing  business  in  San 
Francisco,  Cal.,  for  six  years,  and  then  engaged  in  the  wholesale  and  retail  meat 
business  with  his  father,  George  Hark,  for  eight  years,  until  in  1909,  when  he 
entered  the  engineering  department  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Company,  where 
he  remained  for  some  time,  when  he  became  superintendent  of  the  Washoe 
Deep  Well  Water  Co.  at  Sparks,  then  a  subsidiary  company  of  the  Washoe 
Power  and  Development,  with  whom  he  remained  until  this  company  was  ab- 
sorbed by  the  Reno  Power,  Light  &  Water  Co.,  remaining  in  the  employ  of  the 
latter  company  until  that  company  transferred  its  power  interests.  February, 
1910,  he  was  appointed  superintendent  of  the  Reno  Traction  Company, 
which  position  he  has  filled  with  ability,  during  which  time  he  has  inaugurated 
many  improvements  in  the  service.  His  father  served  in  the  Ohio  Infantry 
for  six  years  and  on  the  Governor's  staff  in  Nevada,  and  was  Chief  Weigher 
in  the  United  States  Mint  at  Carson  City,  and  one  term  in  the  Nevada 
State  Legislature.  George  Webster  Hark  is  a  past  chancellor  in  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  and  is  active  in  all  civic  affairs. 

HARLEY  A.  HARMON,  the  first  County  Clerk  of  Clark  County,  Nevada, 
was  born  in  Kansas,  May  9,  1882.  He  acquired  his  education  in  California, 
where  his  parents  removed  in  1891.  His  father,  Elmer  D.,  was  a  prominent 
attorney  in  Los  Angeles,  and  also  in  Kansas  in  the  early  days.  He  died  in 

1902.  His  mother,  Isabelle  (Kinch)  Harmon,  was  a  native  of  Delaware.    There 
were  two  children  in  the  parents'  family,  William  G.,  who  died  in  Los  Angeles 
in  1910,  and  our  subject.    After  finishing  school,  Harley  A.  was  identified  with 
various  papers  in  Los  Angeles,  in  the  advertising  and  circulation  departments, 
holding  various  positions  for  some  years.     He  afterward  became  connected 
with  the  mechanical  department  of  the  Salt  Lake  Railroad,  which  he  followed 
for  seven  years.     He  served  as  engineer  on  this  road  for  three  years.     Mr. 
Harmon  has  the  distinction  of  running  one  of  the  first  trains  to  Las  Vegas, 
during  the  construction  work.     He  came  to  Las  Vegas  to  remain  in  1907,  and 
in  1909  was  a  delegate  to  the  Democratic  Convention,  which  met  at  Pioche, 
and  he  was  chairman  of  the  southern  delegation  that  created  Clark  County. 
Was  appointed  first  County  Clerk  and  when  the  city  was  incorporated  he  was 
appointed  first  City  Clerk.    He  is  a  member  of  the  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive 
Engineers  and  socially  belongs  to  the  Eagles.     He  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Leona  Frances  Gates  of  Truckee,  California,  September  u,   1911.     Mr, 


1 152  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Harmon  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who  know  him  and  he  is  appreciated  for 
his  sterling  traits  of  character.  He  is  faithful  and  efficient  and  serves  the 
people  of  Clark  County  in  a  capable  manner. 

WILLIAM  N.  McGILL. — Prominent  among  the  men  who  have  played  a 
part  in  the  early  history  of  Nevada  is  William  N.  McGill.  He  is  too  well 
known  to  need  any  special  introduction  to  the  public,  and  is  numbered  among 
the  representative  men  in  Eastern  Nevada.  He  was  born  January  7,  1853, 
in  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and 
Lebanon  College  in  Ohio.  In  1870  he  came  west  and  was  identified  with  gov- 
ernment and  survey  work.  He  served  on  the  engineering  department  during 
the  construction  of  the  Sutro  tunnel  for  some  time.  He  followed  surveying  in 
Eastern  Nevada  until  1879  and  for  ten  years  he  was  engaged  in  mining.  In 
1886  he  became  identified  in  the  cattle  business  and  in  1898  he  became  asso- 
ciated with  ex-Gov.  Adams  and  they  organized  the  Adams  and  McGill  Com- 
pany. The  company  have  large  holdings  in  land,  which  extends  in  White 
Pine,  Lincoln  and  Nye  Counties.  Mr.  McGill  served  one  term  in  the  Nevada 
Legislature.  He  was  twice  married.  The  first  union  was  to  Mary  E.  Fauts  in 
1877.  To  this  union  was  born  four  children — namtely,  William,  Neil,  Kather- 
ine  and  Cleve.  The  second  marriage  occurred  in  1912  to  Jessie  F.  Laboiteaux, 
and  to  this  union  has  been  born  one  child,  Frances. 

WILLIAM  G.  McGINTY  was  born  in  Cobb  County,  Ga.  His  parents  re- 
moved to  Tennessee  and  later  to  Louisiana,  where  he  received  his  education 
in  a  private  school.  This  was  during  the  Civil  War.  William,  at  an  early  age 
learned  the  carpenter  trade  and  worked  in  various  cities  in  Louisiana.  In  1879 
he  went  to  Texas  and  in  1881  he  went  to  California  for  one  year.  He  removed 
to  San  Antonio,  Texas,  again,  where  he  erected  two  of  the  best  ward  schools 
in  the  State.  He  also  built  the  city  market  and  opera  house  at  Temple,  Texas. 
In  1886  he  went  to  Los  Angeles,  and  later  removed  to  Oakland,  Cal.,  where 
he  remained  several  years.  In  1905  he  removed  to  Reno,  where  he  erected 
the  Masonic  Temple,  and  in  1906  he  went  to  South  Eastern  Texas,  bought 
timber  lands  and  erected  a  large  saw-mill,  which  he  still  owns.  In  1910  he 
returned  to  Reno,  and  was  awarded  the  contract  for  the  erection  of  the  Reno 
High  School.  He  is  at  present  erecting  the  electrical  building  at  the  Univer- 
sity of  Nevada.  Mr.  McGinty  is  a  member  of  the  Blue  Lodge  No.  320,  of 
south  gate  of  Los  Angeles.  He  married  Miss  Mary  H.  Cobb,  of  Ringold, 
Louisiana,  in  1889.  To  this  union  were  born  six  boys  and  two  girls. 

CHARLES  MORRIS  McGOVERN,  finance  commissioner  of  Las  Vegas, 
Nevada.  Elected  June  i,  1911.  He  was  born  at  Freeport,  111.,  July  2,  1862. 
He  attended  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  accepted  a  position  as  sales- 
man in  a  shoe-store  for  a  time  and  then  took  up  railroad  work.  He  became 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1153 

identified  with  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  and  St.  Paul  road,  starting  as  a  brake- 
man,  and  later  was  promoted  to  conductor,  remaining  with  this  road  nine 
years.  He  came  West  and  for  a  period  of  four  years  at  Truckee,  Cal.,  he  held 
a  position  as  yard-master  on  the  Southern  Pacific.  He  went  with  the  Salt 
Lake  road  in  1896  as  brakeman  and  conductor  and  at  present  is  conductor  on 
the  Las  Vegas  and  Tonopah  road.  He  served  on  the  committee  that  drafted 
the  charter  creating  the  town  of  Las  Vegas.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Order 
of  Railway  Conductors  and  chief  conductor  of  division  520  O.  R.  C.  He  has 
been  a  delegate  to  the  national  conventions  held  in  Boston,  Mass.,  in  1909,  and 
Jacksonville,  Florida,  in  1911.  Socially  he  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  Mr. 
McGovern  was  married  to  Miss  Taresa  Gates,  of  Truckee,  Cal.,  May  25, 
1895.  Three  children  were  born  to  this  union.  Leona,  wife  of  Harley  Harmon 
of  Las  Vegas;  one  child  died  in  infancy  at  Truckee,  Cal.,  and  another  died 
at  the  age  of  eleven.  Mrs.  McGovern  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
the  Mesquite  Club  and  president  of  the  ladies'  auxiliary  of  the  O.  R.  C.  Mr. 
McGovern  has  served  on  the  Democratic  Central  Committee. 

ALEXANDER  McINTIRE,  M.  D.,  was  born  at  St.  Thomas,  Ontario,  Janu- 
ary 27,  1872.  He  attended  the  public  schools  in  Canada  and  the  Detroit  Medi- 
cal College,  graduating  in  1896.  He  started  to  practice  his  profession  in  De- 
troit, Mich.,  and  remained  there  for  a  period  of  five  years.  January,  1902,  he 
removed  to  Grand  Encampment,  Wyoming,  where  he  practiced  one  winter 
and  in  June,  1902,  he  came  to  Nevada  and  located  in  Tonopah,  where  he 
remained  for  two  years.  In  1906  he  went  to  Manhattan,  Nevada,  where  he 
has  since  resided.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Forresters  Lodge  of  Detroit,  Mich., 
and  the  Eagles  of  Manhattan,  Nev.  Dr.  Mclntire  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Blanch  Woodward,  of  Eminence,  Missouri,  July  12,  1909.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  drug  firm  in  Manhattan  known  as  the  Sullivan  Drug  Store,  Inc. 

HIRAM  ALBERT  McKIM  was  born  at  Kingston,  Ontario,  July  4,  1851. 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  learned  the  har- 
ness-making trade,  which  he  followed  for  a  time.  He  then  engaged  in  the 
agricultural  implement  business  with  his  brother  for  three  years.  In  April, 
1875,  he  came  West,  locating  in  Virginia  City,  and  worked  in  the  Chollar 
Mine  for  several  years.  He  then  engaged  in  the  harness  business  in  Vir- 
ginia City  for  three  years.  1881  he  removed  to  Eureka,  where  he  operated  a 
store  and  followed  his  trade  for  twenty-three  years.  He  then  opened  a  dry- 
goods,  boot  and  shoe  store  in  Eureka  and  in  1904  he  came  to  Tonopah,  mov- 
ing his  stock  overland.  1906  he  erected  a  modern  building  in  Tonopah,  where 
he  is  still  engaged  in  business.  While  a  resident  of  Eureka  he  was  secretary 
of  the  Silver  party  for  a  time,  but  he  afterward  returned  to  the  Republican 
ranks.  Mr.  McKim  is  largely  interested  in  mining  in  his  locality.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Maggie  Moriarty,  of  Virginia  City,  in  1881.  Their 


1 154  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

one  son,  Horton  Albert,  Jr.,  is  now  attending  college.     Fraternally  Mr.  Mc- 
Kim  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Tonopah. 

HOWARD  B.  McKISSICK,  deceased,  was  one  of  the  prominent  ranchers, 
stockmen  and  business  men  of  California  and  Nevada;  was  born  at  Suistfn, 
Cal.,  November  2,  1863.  He  received  a  common  school  education,  after  which 
he  became  identified  extensively  in  the  cattle  business  with  his  uncle,  Jacob 
McKissick,  who  was  one  of  the  respected  and  well-to-do  farmers  of  California, 
and  who  lived  until  he  was  ninety-one  years  of  age.  He  crossed  the  Plains  in 
1864.  Like  many  others,  he  followed  many  vocations  and  later  got  into  the 
stock  business,  which  he  followed  with  gratifying  success.  In  1887  the  pres- 
ent McKissick  Hotel  was  erected  for  an  opera  house  by  Jacob  McKissick,  the 
uncle  of  Howard  B.  After  much  planning,  a  beautiful  edifice  seating  eight 
hundred  persons  was  erected  on  the  site  where  the  hotel  now  stands.  There 
were  old-time  celebrities,  such  as  Ellen  Terry,  Fannie  Davenport,  Denman 
Thompson,  and  the  great  Booth,  who  played  in  this  house.  As  the  years  wore 
on  Jacob  McKissick  died,  leaving  the  property  to  his  heir,  Howard  B.  Mc- 
Kissick, who  recognized  the  need  of  a  good  family  hotel  in  Reno.  He  planned 
to  remodel  the  opera  house  into  a  hotel,  and  after  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1903,  Mrs.  McKissick  carried  out  her  husband's  plans  and  the  hotel  was 
opened  July  i,  1908,  under  the  management  of  Mrs.  McKissick.  In  addition 
to  managing  the  hotel,  she  operates  four  large  stock  ranches,  comprising 
seven  thousand,  five  hundred  acres  in  Madeline  Plains,  Secret  Valley  and  in 
Lassen  County,  Cal.,  of  which  six  thousand,  five  hundred  acres  is  agricultural 
land.  Mrs.  McKissick  is  extensively  engaged  in  stock-raising,  having  about 
three  thousand  head  of  cattle  on  the  various  ranches.  Howard  McKissick  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lulu  L.  Black,  January  10,  1892.  Mrs.  McKissick 
is  a  daughter  of  Albion  Black,  one  of  the  prominent  men  of  Lassen  County, 
who  had  extensive  mining  and  agricultural  interests  in  California.  To  this 
union  were  born  three  children,  Myrtle  M.,  born  March  6,  1893,  who  died 
May  3,  1907;  Ruth,  born  May  22,  1894,  attending  high  school,  and  Howard 
Francis,  born  November  18,  1902.  Mrs.  McKissick  and  children  are  members 
of  the  Christian  Science  Church  of  Reno. 

DAVID  McLEAN  was  born  in  Nova  Scotia.  His  parents  came  from 
Scotland  in  the  early  days  and  settled  in  Nova  Scotia.  David  received 
his  education  in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  learned  the  carpenters' 
trade,  finished  his  apprenticeship  in  1869  and  in  1871  he  started  for  California, 
but  learning  of  the  mining  excitement  in  White  Pine  County  he  left  the  train 
at  Elko  and  staged  to  Hamlinton,  which  was  in  March,  1871.  He  followed  his 
trade  and  did  contracting  and  in  the  spring  of  1874  the  town  of  Eureka  sprang 
up  and  he  went  there  and  did  contracting  for  six  years.  The  flood  in  Eureka, 
which  occurred  July  24,  1874,  caused  the  death  of  fourteen  people,  and  after 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1155 

this  occurred  he  took  up  teaming  and  operated  from  Palisade  to  Eureka.  This 
vocation  he  followed  for  fifteen  years.  In  1891  he  removed  to  Nye  County 
and  leased  a  ranch,  which  he  worked  for  four  years.  He  then  followed  his 
trade  at  De  Lamar  for  three  years.  Here  he  fell  from  a  building  and  was  un- 
able to  work  for  three  years.  He  teamed  in  Tonopah  for  one  year  and  later 
spent  a  year  in  Goldfield.  Mr.  McLean  came  to  Ely  where  he  followed  team- 
ing for  one  year,  when  he  was  elected  Constable,  and  he  has  served  three? 
terms.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  He  joined  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  in 
Hamlinton  in  1874  and  is  now  serving  as  Grand  Master  of  the  Odd  Fellows 
in  Nevada.  He  has  also  been  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  for  over 
twenty  years. 

WILLIAM  T.  GLEASON,  M.D.,  one  of  the  prominent  young  physicians  of 
White  Pine  County,  was  born  in  Michigan,  January  8,  1879.  He  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  entered  the  Sacred 
Heart  College  at  Watertown,  iWis.  He  then  attended  the  Rush  Medical  Col- 
lege of  Chicago,  111.,  graduating  from  the  medical  department  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Chicago  in  1902.  For  fourteen  months  he  served  as  interne  at  St. 
Mark's  Hospital  in  Salt  Lake  City.  For  five  years  he  practiced  in  Salt  Lake 
City,  and  in  1908  he  removed  to  Ely,  where  he  has  since  practiced  his  profes- 
sion. He  has  served  as  county  physician.  He  is  a  member  of  the  American 
Medical  Association  and  the  State  and  County  Associations.  Fraternally  Dr. 
Gleason  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Salt  Lake  City.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Hazel  Woodcock,  of  Ogden,  Utah.  March  5,  1908.  Dr. 
Gleason  is  a  member  of  the  Phi  Rho  Sigma  of  Rush  Medical  College,  Chicago. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Columbus  and  the  Catholic  Church  of  Ely. 

FRANK  GOLDEN  was  born  in  Ireland,  March  n,  1862,  and  emigrated  to 
America  at  an  early  age,  locating  in  Virginia  City,  where  he  became  engaged 
in  the  jewelry  business,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  he  opened  a  jewelry  store 
in  Virginia  City.  Soon  after  he  established  branch  stores  at  Carson  City  and 
Reno.  The  Reno  and  Carson  City  stores  are  still  operated  by  a  corporation. 
He  engaged  in  mining  and  in  a  few  years  accumulated  a  large  fortune.  In 
1901  he  removed  to  Reno  and  soon  began  the  erection  of  the  Golden  Hotel, 
which  was  opened  to  business  in  1902.  The  register  of  this  hotel  contains  the 
names  of  newspaper  and  magazine  writers  of  fame  and  the  world's  notables 
and  celebrities,  brought  to  Reno  by  the  Jeffries-Johnson  prize  fight,  which 
necessitated  the  running  into  the  hotel  of  seventeen  telegraph  lines.  On  July 
20,  1891,  he  married  Miss  Mamie  L.  Morris,  the  accomplished  daughter  of  the 
late  Judge  James  Morris,  of  Empire  City,  a  '49er  who  came  to  the  Pacific 
Coast  and  Nevada  via  the  Horn.  Four  children  are  the  issue  of  their  union, 
one  of  whom,  Frank  Golden,  Jr.,  is  the  manager  of  the  Golden  Hotel.  The 
life  of  Frank  Golden  was  an  eventful  and  successful  one,  aided  and  encouraged 


1 156  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

by  his  talented  wife;  enacted  amidst  active  population,  in  the  very  prime  of 
life,  from  which  he  crossed  the  great  divide  December  9,  1911.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Elks,  and  did  a  vast  amount  towards  the  upbuilding  of  Nevada. 

SAMUEL  W.  GOODALE,  the  efficient  chief  clerk  in  the  Surveyor-General's 
office  at  Reno,  was  born  at  Winterset,  Iowa,  June  20,  1872.  He  acquired  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  Iowa  and  later  in  Colorado,  where  his  parents 
removed  in  1887.  His  father,  Charles  C,  is  one  of  the  prominent  attorneys  of 
Lamar,  Colo.  Samuel  W.,  after  finishing  his  education,  followed  ranching  for  a 
time.  He  then  took  up  surveying,  which  he  followed  for  some  years  in  Colorado, 
he  being  identified  with  the  Surveyor-General's  office,  located  at  Denver,  for  six 
years.  In  1905  he  was  transferred  to  Reno,  where  he  holds  the  position  of  chief 
clerk  in  the  same  department.  In  1906  Mr.  Goodale  resigned  his  position  and 
took  up  private  surveying,  operating  in  the  Goldfield  and  Manhattan  districts. 
The  following  year  he  returned  to  Reno,  and  became  identified  with  the  govern- 
ment again,  which  position  he  still  holds.  In  politics  Mr.  Goodale  is  affiliated 
with  the  Republican  party.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Frances  Richardson, 
May  19,  1907.  Their  one  son,  Charles  C.,  is  attending  school. 

JACOB  GOODFRIEND  was  born  at  St.  Louis,  Mb.,  February  25,  1869.  He 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  St.  Louis,  and  at  an  early  age  he  worked 
for  the  Wm.  Barr  Dry  Goods  Co.,  of  that  city.  He  went  to  Sidney,  Nebraska, 
where  he  was  employed  in  the  clothing  business  for  a  time,  and  then  removed  to 
Denver,  Colo.,  and  engaged  in  business,  where  he  remained  for  ten  years.  He 
spent  two  years  in  San  Francisco  and  four  years  in  Alaska.  Returning,  he  located 
in  Gcldfield  in  1904.  Mr.  Goodfriend  has  been  identified  with  the  amusement 
houses  both  in  Goldfield  and  Tonopah  for  several  years.  He  married  Miss  E. 
Sparks  of  Boise,  Idaho,  in  1896.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  and 
Eagles. 

JAMES  T.  GOODIN,  a  representative  banking  man  in  Eastern  Nevada,  was 
born  in  Yolo  County,  Cal.,  August  7,  1870.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools,  after  which  he  attended  college.  He  was  elected  County  Recorder 
of  Yolo  County  and  served  eight  years.  In  1907  he  removed  to  Goldfield,  where 
he  remained  for  a  time,  and  later  in  1907  he  went  to  Lovelock,  where  he  became 
associated  with  the  First  National  Bank  of  Lovelock.  He  was  placed  at  the  head 
of  the  Bank  of  Vernon,  which  was  later  closed,  and  after  the  death  of  W.  T. 
Onyon,  Mr.  Goodin  was  promoted  to  assistant  cashier,  and  on  July  15,  1911,  he 
became  cashier,  which  position  he  has  since  occupied,  and  has  proven  a  painstaking 
and  conscientious  banker.  Mr.  Goodin  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Edna 
Stiltz,  a  native  of  California,  January  16,  1900.  Fraternally  Mr.  Goodin  is  a 
member  of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1157 

JOHN  HENRY  GOODMAN.  Prominent  among  the  business  men  of  Eastern 
Nevada  is  John  Henry  Goodman,  who  is  identified  in  the  mercantile  business  at 
McGill,  Nev.  He  was  born  December  n,  1883,  at  Provo,  Utah.  He  is  a  son  of 
William  Young  Goodman  and  Sarah  (Pike)  Goodman,  both  natives  of  England. 
The  parents  came  to  America  about  1878  and  located  at  Provo,  Utah,  where  the 
father  died,  1889.  The  mother  of  our  subject  still  resides  in  Provo,  Utah.  There 
were  eight  children  born  in  the  parents'  family.  John  Henry  Goodman  acquired 
his  education  in  the  public  schools.  Early  in  life  he  took  up  mining  at  Mercur, 
Utah,  and  followed  this  vocation  in  various  States.  He  came  to  Nevada  in  1906 
and  mined  and  prospected  in  the  Black  Horse  district.  In  1907  he  removed  to 
Ely  and  worked  for  the  Compton  Mercantile  Co.,  and  in  December,  1909,  he 
became  interested  in  the  McGill  Mercantile  Company.  He  still  is  interested  and 
has  valuable  mining  interests.  Politically  Mr.  Goodman  is  a  Republican,  and  fra- 
ternally he  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  and  Eagles.  He  was  married  to  Miss 
Emily  Fraser  of  Toolele,  Utah,  July  3,  1902.  Their  three  children  are  Ruth,  Leah 
and  Jean,  aged  respectively  ten,  eight  and  one  year. 

ALLEN  FREVERT  was  born  at  Carson  City,  July  3,  1879-  He  is  a  son  of 
Fred  Frevert,  one  of  the  early  settlers  in  the  Carson  Valley.  He  ranched  on  a 
large  scale,  was  active  in  the  Democratic  ranks,  and  held  various  county  posi- 
tions. He  died  in  1891-  The  subject,  Allen,  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  and  early  in  life  he  became  identified  with  the  Southern  Pacific 
Railroad  as  fireman  for  a  period  of  seven  years.  In  1901  he  entered  the  firm 
of  Hall  &  Company,  of  Tonopah,  Nevada,  which  was  incorporated  in  1909. 
His  partner,  H.  J.  Hall,  is  a  resident  of  San  Diego.  The  parents  of  Mr.  Frevert 
had  six  children,  George,  of  San  Francisco;  Ernest  died  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
five,  Louis,  a  mining  man;  Allen,  of  Tonopah;  Thresia,  wife  of  H.  P.  Patter- 
son, of  Carson  City,  and  Clara,  of  Carson  City.  Our  subject  is  a  member  of 

the  B.  P.  O.  E. 

» 

LAWRENCE  FREY  is  a  native  of  France  and  was  born  in  1835.  He  came 
to  America  at  the  age  of  sixteen  and  located  in  New  Orleans  for  a  brief  period 
and  then  went  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  He  only  remained  there  for  a  short  time 
and  removed  to  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa.  In  1856  he  left  Council  Bluffs  and 
started  overland  for  California,  making  the  trip  in  three  and  one-half  months. 
Reaching  Sacramento  he  went  to  work  at  the  butcher  trade,  following  this 
vocation  in  Sacramento  and  Folsom.  In  July,  1857,  he  crossed  the  mountains 
to  the  Carson  Valley  and  located  in  Genoa,  then  called  Mormon  Station.  He 
purchased  a  butcher  shop  from  John  Childs,  which  he  operated  up  to  1900. 
He  discontinued  the  market  and  gave  his  personal  attention  to  his  large  ranch 
interests.  He  has  been  a  stockman  as  well  as  doing  general  farming.  He 
disposed  of  his  ranch  in  1909  and  has  led  a  retired  life  sine*.  In  politics  Mr. 
Frey  is  a  Democrat.  He  has  twice  married,  the  first  union  being  to  Marguerite 
Preston,  who  died  in  1872.  His  second  marriage  was  to  Miss  Petrea  Ander- 


1 158  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

son,  a  native  of  Denmark.  There  have  been  ten  children  in  Mr.  Prey's  family, 
of  whom  four  are  living — Walter,  of  Gardnerville ;  Sarah  Marguerite,  wife 
of  George  Brown,  of  Gardnerville;  Francis,  who  resides  in  California,  and 
William,  of  Yerington. 

FREDERICK  FRICKE  was  born  in  Germany,  February  12,  1865,  and 
received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  land.  He  learned 
the  blacksmithing  trade  at  an  early  age  in  Germany.  After  following  this 
vocation  for  five  years  in  the  old  country  he  came  to  America  in  1883  and 
followed  his  trade  until  1901.  He  worked  in  Stockton  and  for  ten  years  he 
operated  a  shop  at  Tahoe,  and  also  had  a  shop  in  Gardnerville.  In  1902  he 
purchased  a  one-hundred-and-sixty  acre  ranch  near  Gardnerville.  Mr.  Fricke 
is  a  stockholder  in  the  Douglas  County  Creamery,  the  Alpine  Land  &  Reser- 
voir Co.,  and  the  Farmers'  Bank  of  Carson  Valley.  In  politics  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican, and  has  served  as  school  trustee  for  six  years.  Mr.  Fricke  was  married 
to  Maggie  Hussman  in  1896.  Their  three  children  are  Frederick  W.,  Ada  and 
Elda,  all  attending  school.  The  family  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran 
Church. 

ELMER  A.  FRISSELL,  the  subject  of  this  review,  was  born  at  Menominee, 
Wisconsin,  May  9,  1875.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and 
graduated  from  the  Van  Der  Nailen  School  of  Engineering  in  San  Francisco 
in  1900.  He  was  identified  with  the  Western  Pacific  Railroad  in  California  for 
two  years.  In  1905  he  removed  to  Nevada,  where  he  followed  his  work  with 
the  Western  Pacific  R.  R.  until  1907.  He  was  engaged  in  the  surveying  busi- 
ness for  himself  for  three  years.  In  1910  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of 
County  Surveyor,  which  office  he  has  since  filled  to  the  satisfaction  of  his 
fellow  citizens.  In  politics  Mr.  Frissell  is  a  Republican,  and  upholds  the 
docrtines  of  his  party.  In  his  fraternal  relations  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  Lodge,  and  at  present  holds  the  office  of  Grand  Pursevant  and  office 
of  Royal  Arch  Captain  of  the  Royal  Arch  Chapter.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Mae  Kelley,  of  San  Francisco,  December  21,  1907. 

AUGUST  C.  FROHLICH  was  born  August  29,  1879,  in  Pulmas  County, 
California.  His  father,  Mathias  Frohlich,  a  native  of  Alsace,  Loraine,  Ger- 
many, came  to  California  via  the  Isthmus  from  Louisiana  in  1852.  His  mother 
was  born  in  Wurtemberg,  Germany.  August  C.  Frohlich  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  of  Plumas  County  and  the  Business  College  of  Stock- 
ton, California.  When  he  as  seventeen  his  father  died.  August  took  charge  of 
the  family  and  was  its  support  on  a  small  fruit  ranch  near  Crescent  Mills,  Cali- 
fornia. He  worked  in  the  mines  near  the  home  and  on  the  neighboring  farms. 
On  the  completion  of  his  business  course  he  clerked  in  a  general  store  and 
acted  as  Postmaster  and  Agent  for  Wells,  Fargo  Company  at  Crescent  Mills 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1159 

for  two  years.  He  also  operated  a  stage  line  running  from  Beckwith  to  Indian 
Valley,  and  did  bookkeeping  at  Beckwith,  California.  He  came  to  Reno, 
Nevada,  and  attended  the  University  for  part  of  two  years.  Returning  to 
Beckwith  he  acted  as  agent  for  the  Nevada,  California  and  Oregon  Railway 
Company  for  one  year,  after  which  he  resumed  the  store  bookkeeping.  At 
this  time  he  secured  a  position  in  the  Washoe  County  Bank  at  Reno,  com- 
mencing his  duties  in  October,  1904,  as  clerk,  from  which  by  gradual  promo- 
tions he  became  and  is  now  acting  as  receiving  teller.  He  was  elected  as  a 
Republican  member  of  the  25th  Legislature  from  Washoe  County,  receiving 
the  highest  vote  of  any  of  the  twenty-seven  candidates.  In  recognition  of  his 
ability  he  was  elected  Speaker  of  the  Assembly,  which  was  evenly  divided, 
there  being  twenty-four  Republicans  and  twenty-four  Democrats,  with  one 
Independent.  In  his  campaign  for  Speaker,  the  only  promise  he  made  was  for 
a  square  deal,  which  was  evidenced  by  his  being  re-elected  Speaker  of  the 
Special  Session  which  was  held  the  next  year.  He  is  director  of  the  Reno 
Commercial  Club;  fraternally  he  is  a  Mason,  Elk,  Moose,  Druid,  Woodman  of 
America,  and  is  active  in  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  The  name  of  August  C.  Frohlich  is 
synonymous  with  honor  and  progressive  citizenship. 

HENRY  M.  FULMER,  one  of  the  representative  business  men  of  East  Ely, 
was  born  December  16,  1867,  at  Oil  City,  Pa.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the  stock  business  in  Missouri.  He 
removed  to  Nebraska,  where  he  engaged  in  the  cattle  and  grain  business  for 
six  years.  He  then  became  identified  with  the  McCormick  Harvester  Com- 
pany and  traveled  in  Wyoming,  Nebraska  and  South  Dakota  as  collector.  He 
then  removed  to  Nevada  and  located  in  Las  Vegas,  where  he  was  identified  in 
selling  the  town  site.  Here  he  remained  for  eighteen  months,  and  while  a 
resident  of  Las  Vegas  he  erected  the  first  brick  building  in  the  city.  He  then 
prospected  in  southern  Nevada  for  some  months,  and  finally  located  in  Los 
Angeles,  California,  in  1906,  where  he  was  associated  with  the  Southern  Cali- 
fornia Realty  Company  for  fourteen  months.  He  then  went  to  Ogden  for  a 
time,  but  returned  to  Nevada  and  staged  from  Eureka  to  Ely.  He  formed  ,a 
partnership  with  R.  R.  Ives  under  the  firm  name  of  Fulmer  &  Ives  previous  to 
the  building  of  the  N.  N.  R.  R.,  and  was  engaged  in  the  real  estate,  mining  and 
insurance  business,  and  the  firm  handled  the  properties  for  the  Ely  Town  Site 
Company.  The  firm  dissolved  partnership  in  1912.  In  politics  Mr.  Fulmer  is  a 
Republican  and  he  served  as  chairman  of  the  Republican  County  Central  Com- 
mittee for  four  years.  Fraternally  he  is  affiliated  withe  K.  of  P.  He  was 
married  to  Miss  Gertrude  Apple,  of  Clarandia,  Iowa,  December  25,  1912.  Their 
one  daughter,  Martha,  was  born  October  8,  1912. 

HON.  JACOB  H.  FULMER.  Prominent  among  the  men  of  White  Pine 
County  who  has  proved  most  capable  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  in  the  State 
Legislature  and  Senate  is  Jacob  H.  Fulmer.  His  administration  of  the  affairs 


n6o  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

of  State  has  given  general  satisfaction.  He  was  born  in  Macon  City,  Mo., 
June  24,  1872,  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  and  at  an  early  age 
he  removed  to  Nebraska,  where  he  was  largely  identified  with  the  State's 
political  history.  He  was  engaged  in  the  wholesale  and  retail  hay  and  grain 
business  at  Schuyler,  Nebraska,  for  a  number  of  years,  and  in  1904  he  removed 
to  Ely.  In  1911  he  was  chosen  to  represent  White  Pine  County  in  the  State 
Assembly  and  was  made  Chairman  of  the  Ways  and  Means  Committee.  In 
1912  he  was  again  honored  by  being  elected  to  the  State  Senate  for  a  four  year 
term.  1911  he  became  identified  with  the  Nevada  Northern  Railroad  in  the 
train  service,  and  he  is  also  interested  in  the  hotel  business  in  East  Ely.  In 
politics  Mr.  Fulmer  is  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party,  and  is  an  active 
worker  in  its  ranks.  Fraternallly  he  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  the 
K.  of  P.  Mr.  Fulmer  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Robina  Edger,  a  native 
of  Nebraska,  July  22,  1895.  To  this  union  two  daughters  have  been  born, 
Harriet,  born  September  24,  1898,  and  Bessie,  born  December  8,  1900.  Harriet, 
the  eldest  daughter,  had  the  honor  of  winning  the  declamation  contest  held  in 
Ely  April  28th  and  she  was  chosen  to  represent  the  East  Ely  High  School  at 
the  State  contest  held  at  the  University  of  Nevada,  May  9,  1913. 

WINFORD  LE  ROY  FULLER,  M.D.,  one  of  the  leading  physicians  of  Las 
Vegas,  was  born  at  Shenandoah,  Page  County,  Iowa,  in  1879.  His  parents 
removed  to  Oregon  when  Winford  was  a  young  lad.  His  father  was  a 
physician  in  Baker  City  for  many  years.  The  subject  of  our  sketch  attended 
the  public  schools  in  Baker  City,  Oregon;  High  School  in  California,  Heal- 
burgh  College,  and  the  University  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  graduating  in  1904.  He 
practiced  one  year  in  St.  Louis  and  removed  to  Baker  City,  Oregon,  where  he 
practiced  for  some  time,  and  went  to  Los  Angeles,  California,  where  he  was 
assistant  surgeon  in  the  county  hospital  for  six  months.  1909  he  removed  to 
Searchlight,  Nevada,  where  he  remained  for  three  years,  and  did  a  general 
practice  and  was  surgeon  for  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad,  and  had  charge  of  the 
mine  operative  hospital.  He  came  to  Las  Vegas,  where  he  has  practiced  since. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  American  Medical  Association.  Dr.  Fuller  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna  Matthieson,  of  Nebraska,  August  14,  1909.  To  this 
union  was  born  Winford  Le  Roy,  Jr.,  born  May  i,  1911.  Dr.  Fuller  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge,  No.  32,  of  Los  Vegas. 

LINLAY  HARPENDING,  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  Las  Vegas, 
was  born  in  Livingston  County,  Kentucky,  June  19,  1872.  His  parents  removed 
to  Kansas  when  Linlay  was  young  and  he  acquired  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  that  State.  He  started  in  life  by  going  to  Colorado,  where  he  be- 
came identified  in  mining  circles,  which  he  followed  for  eighteen  years  in  Colo- 
rado and  Nevada.  March,  1911,  he  located  in  Las  Vegas  and  started  a  lumber 
yard,  which  he  operated  until  recently.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Mae  Ross,  a 
native  of  Illinois,  March  20,  1907.  Their  one  child,  Iris,  was  born  in  February, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1161 

1908.  In  1905,  while  Mr.  Harpending  was  superintendent  of  the  Antelope  Min- 
ing Company,  he  collected  and  took  out  the  finest  collection  of  gold  specimens 
that  was  ever  exhibited  throughout  the  East,  and  was  the  first  to  ship  ore  from 
the  Round  Mountain  district. 

Hon.  COLE  L.  HARWOOD,  judge  of  the  Second  Judicial  District  Court  at 
Reno,  Nevada,  maintains  a  foremost  place  in  the  ranks  of  the  legal  fraternity  in  the 
State,  having  risen  to  a  position  of  prominence  in  this  calling,  in  which  ad- 
vancement is  only  secured  through  merit,  diligence  and  capability.  Judge 
Harwood  was  born  January  28,  1866,  in  Wisconsin.  His  education  was  ac- 
quired in  the  public  schools  of  Michigan,  the  native  State  of  his  parents,  and 
the  University  of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor.  In  1889  he  took  up  the  practice 
of  law  in  Texas,  where  he  remained  until  1895.  He  then  removed  to  New  York 
City,  where  he  followed  his  profession  until  1907,  when  he  came  to  Nevada. 
Judge  Harwood  was  united  in  marriage  August  i,  1893,  to  Miss  Helen  A.  At- 
kins, who  is  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  Michigan.  Their  two  children  are 
Paul,  born  October  29,  1899,  and  Alice,  born  October  14,  1902.  Judge  Harwood 
is  a  member  and  officer  in  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Reno;  is  a  Knight  Templar  and 
Shriner.  He  is  an  active  member  of  the  Reno  Commercial  and  Reno  Tennis 
Clubs.  He  organized  and  acted  as  first  president  of  the  Texas  Society  Sons 
of  the  Revolution;  is  a  member  of  th«  Washoe  and  Nevada  State  Bar  Associa- 
tions. Mr.  Harwood  is  a  vestryman  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of  Reno. 

JAMES  L.  HASH. — One  of  the  best  known  and  progressive  farmers  in 
Washoe  County  is  James  L.  Hash.  He  was  born  April  24,  1861,  and  is  a  son  of 
Alvin  Hash.  James  L.  was  born  at  Fayetteville,  Arkansas,  and  acquired  his 
education  at  the  State  University  of  Arkansas.  His  father  came  west  in  1878 
and  located  near  Reno.  He  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  rail- 
road land  four  and  one-half  miles  from  the  city.  He  disposed  of  his  holdings 
some  years  ago  and  died  in  1904.  He  was  largely  interested  in  the  bee-business. 
The  mother  of  Mr.  Hash  died  when  he  was  two  and  a  half  years  old.  Our 
subject  came  to  Reno  and  located  in  1882  and  for  the  last  twelve  years  he  has 
leased  the  entire  lake  ranch  near  Reno.  Mr.  Hash  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Martha  Douglass  of  Reno  March  12,  1889.  Their  one  daughter,  Vera,  was 
born  February  17,  1890.  Mr.  Hash  is  a  Republican;  in  1912  he  was  elected 
to  serve  Washoe  County  in  the  State  Assembly,  and  has  served  on  the  school 
board  in  his  district  for  many  years.  Socially  he  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E. 
and  the  Woodmen. 

CHARLES  HATTON  was  born  in  May,  1849,  at  Hillsdale,  Mich.  He  re- 
ceived his  education  at  Lyons,  Iowa,  in  the  public  schools  and  later  attended 
college  in  Fulton,  111.  He  studied  law  in  the  office  of  A.  T.  Wheeler  at  Lyons 
and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  September  i,  1870.  He  practiced  his  profes- 


n62  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

sion  at  Lyons  and  Clinton  for  a  time  and  in  1872  he  located  in  Wichita,  Kan., 
where  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Judge  H.  C.  Sluss.  Mr.  Hatton  served 
as  City  Attorney  in  Wichita  from  1874  until  1880  and  served  the  government 
as  Assistant  United  States  Attorney  for  the  District  of  Kansas  under  the  ad- 
ministrations of  Garfield,  Arthur  and  Cleveland.  In  1862,  at  the  age  of  thirteen, 
being  unable  to  enlist  in  the  regular  army,  he  attached  himself  to  Wilson's 
cavalry  and  soon  made  himself  a  member  of  Company  G,  9th  Illinois  Cav- 
alry. Later  on  he  became  a  regular  member  of  the  company  and  regiment 
mentioned  and  served  with  it  until  the  close  of  the  war.  In  1890  at  a  meeting 
of  the  members  of  the  department  of  Kansas  G.  A.  R.,  he  was  elected  to  the 
office  of  A.  A.  general  of  that  department,  serving  for  one  year.  Mr.  Hatton 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Louise  Davidson,  of  La  Claire,  Iowa,  in  1871. 
To  this  union  were  born  six  children.  Mr.  Hatton  is  a  Republican  in  politics, 
has  taken  an  active  part,  but  never  aspired  to  office.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
B.  P.  O.  E.,  K.  of  P.  and  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

WILLIAM  D.  HATTON,  junior  member  of  the  law  firm  Hatton  and  Hat- 
ton,  located  in  Goldfield,  was  born  October  10,  1876,  at  Wichita,  Kansas.  He 
acquired  his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  of  that  place.  His  law 
studies  were  carried  on  in  the  office  of  his  father  and  of  ex-Gov.  Stanley,  of 
Wichita,  and  in  1902  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  at  Denver,  Col.,  having  lo- 
cated in  the  Cripple  Creek  Mining  district  in  that  State  in  1897.  He  removed 
to  Goldfield  in  1904  and  was  joined  by  his  father  the  following  year.  The  busi- 
ness has  since  been  conducted  under  the  firm  name  of  Hatton  and  Hatton. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  appointed  on  the  school  board  to  fill  an  un- 
expired  term  and  his  commission  expired  in  May,  1912.  He  was  married  to 
Miss  Mary  McLaughlin  December  2,  1906.  To  this  union  were  born  William, 
James  and  Charles  Trainor.  Mrs.  Hatton  is  active  in  club  and  social  life 
in  Goldfield  and  is  a  member  of  the  Woman's  Club.  In  politics  Mr.  Hatton 
is  a  Republican  and  at  present  holds  the  office  of  Grand  Master  at  Arms  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  K.  of  P.  of  Nevada.  The  firm  Hatton  and  Hatton  enjoys  a 
good  legal  business  and  have  the  reputation  for  honesty  and  high  integrity 
all  over  the  State. 

JOSEPH  C.  HARRIS,  who  is  now  the  efficient  Sheriff  of  Elko  County,  was 
born  May  i,  1878,  at  Fort  Collins,  Colo.  His  father,  Thomas,  came  to  this 
State  in  1876  and  remained  for  a  time,  when  he  returned  to  Colorado.  Again 
in  1880  he  returned  to  Nevada  with  his  family  and  settled  in  Elko  County, 
where  he  bought  a  ranch,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home,  and  is  num- 
bered among  the  representative  farmers.  He  is  also  largely  interested  in  the 
stock  business.  Joseph  C.  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  after 
which  he  became  identified  with  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  for  a  time, 
and  when  the  Spanish-American  war  broke  out  he  enlisted  in  Colonel  Torrey's 
rough  riders  and  went  to  Florida,  where  he  was  mustered  out.  He  returned 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1163 

to  Nevada  and  served  as  a  guard  at  the  Nevada  State  Prison  for  a  period  of 
over  three  years,  when  he  went  to  Elko  and  was  appointed  under  Sheriff  by 
Sheriff  Clark  for  three  years.  In  1910  he  was  elected  Sheriff  of  Elko  County, 
where  he  is  still  looking  after  the  public  welfare.  Sheriff  Harris  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Ora  E.  Bright,  a  native  of  Carson  City.  To  this  union 
have  been  born  three  sons,  Harold,  Jesse  and  Raymond.  Fraternally  he  is  a 
member  of  No.  719  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Ogden,  Utah. 

OLEY  O.  HAUGNER,  one  of  the  time-honored  citizens  of  Nevada,  is  a 
native  of  Norway,  his  birth  having  occurred  October  12,  1855.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-one  he  came  to  America  and  first  located  in  Lafayette,  Wis.,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1880  he  removed  to  Nevada,  settling  in  Genoa.  At  an  early 
age  he  learned  the  shoemaking  trade  in  the  old  country  and  in  this  country. 
For  two  years  while  a  resident  of  Genoa  he  followed  ranching  and  for  one 
year  he  worked  in  a  quartz  mill  in  Alpine  County,  Cal.  He  then  went  to 
Lake  Tahoe,  where  he  worked  in  a  saw-mill  for  five  years.  He  opened  a 
shoe  store  at  Glenbrook  which  he  operated  for  a  year,  then  sold  out,  and  in 
1889  he  returned  to  Wisconsin  and  was  married  to  Clara  H.  Johnson.  He 
returned  with  his  bride  to  Lake  Tahoe  and  managed  the  hotel  for  three  years. 
In  1897  he  purchased  a  lot  in  Gardnerville,  erected  a  building  and  engaged  in 
business,  where  he  is  now  located.  There  are  five  children  in  Mr.  Haugner's 
family — Olliver,  Robert,  Carroll,  Walter  and  Blanch.  Mr.  Haugner  had  a 
thrilling  experience  in  the  mountains  at  the  time  of  the  great  snow  slide  in 
Genoa  about  twenty-five  years  ago.  He  went  on  snow  shoes  from  the  mill 
in  the  mountains  to  Genoa  for  supplies,  thereby  saving  the  lives  of  the  men 
who  were  unable  to  make  the  trip.  Mr.  Haugner  and  family  are  members  of 
the  German  Lutheran  Church. 

CARLTON  E.  HAVILAND  is  one  of  the  well-known  and  established  busi- 
ness men  of  Winnemucca.  He  was  born  in  Paradise  Valley  May  4,  1870. 
He  is  a  son  of  Mark  W.  and  Ellen  Haviland,  who  died  when  Carlton  E.  was 
but  five  years  old.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Michigan  and  was  prominently 
identified  as  a  stockman  and  miner  in  Nevada  in  the  early  days,  the  parents 
having  located  in  this  State  in  1868.  Carlton  E.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  re- 
ceived his  education  in  Michigan  and  in  Nevada;  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen 
he  engaged  in  the  stock  business,  which  he  followed  for  ten  years.  He  then 
became  interested  in  the  stage-line  business,  which  he  has  followed  for  sixteen 
years.  Mr.  Haviland  established  the  livery  business  in  Winnemucca  and  in 
1907  he  took  in  as  a  partner  C.  P.  Hoskins  and  now  operates  the  automobile  stage- 
line  together  with  the  livery  business.  Mr.  Haviland  is  interested  in  the  warehouse 
and  storage  business  at  Winnemucca.  The  firm  of  Haviland  &  Hoskins  is  also 
interested  largely  in  the  land  and  stock  business  at  Willow  Point,  having  five 
hundred  acres  of  land.  In  politics  Mr.  Haviland  has  always  served  the  Repub- 
lican party  until  1912,  when  he  supported  the  Progressives.  He  was  elected 


ii64  THE     HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

County  Commissioner  in  1904  and,  serving  one  term  in  1910,  he  was  again 
elected  to  the  same  office  for  the  long  term.  Fraternally  he  is  identified  with 
the  Masonic  Lodge,  Eagles  and  Fraternal  Brotherhood  of  Winnemucca.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lillian  Estelle  Nichols  of  Winnemucca  in  Sep- 
tember, 1898.  Their  three  children  are  Harold,  Vera  and  Dorothy. 

EDWARD  R.  COLLINS  was  born  at  Monmouth,  Illinois,  August  19,  1872. 
He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Illinois.  His  parents 
removed  to  Southern  Kansas,  where  they  were  identified  in  ranching,  and 
Edward  R.  continued  this  vocation  until  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty,  when 
he  went  to  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  and  became  connected  with  Swift  &  Co.  for  some 
years.  He  removed  to  Cripple  Creek,  Col.,  and  became  interested  in  mining; 
in  1903  he  located  at  Tonopah,  and  in  September,  1903,  he  came  to  Goldfield, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  He  was  appointed  Postmaster  in  December,  1905, 
which  office  he  has  since  held.  The  postal  banking  department  was  opened 
June  I,  1911,  which  is  under  Postmaster  Collins'  supervision.  That  he  has  given 
satisfaction  as  a  postmaster  is  a  matter  of  congratulation  among  the  Goldfield 
people.  Mr.  Collins  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ella  Hopper,  a  native  of 
Kentucky,  in  1884.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Goldfield  Lodge,  B.  P.  O.  E. 

TIM  CONNOLLY  was  born  at  Danville,  111.,  August  17,  1869,  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  Illinois,  and  at  an  early  age  became  identified  with 
mining,  which  he  has  followed  all  his  life.  He  has  mined  in  nearly  every  State 
of  the  Union,  and  in  1896  he  went  to  Alaska,  where  he  remained  until  1901. 
He  then  went  to  Mexico,  where  he  stayed  for  one  year  and  returned,  locating 
in  Arizona  and  California.  In  1904  he  removed  to  Nevada,  locating  in  Gold- 
field;  he  held  the  position  of  foreman  of  the  Francis  Mohawk  mine,  which  was 
one  of  the  large  producers  for  some  time.  He  was  elected  County  Commis- 
sioner, January,  1910,  for  a  two  year  term.  He  is  affiliated  with  the  B.  P.  O.  E. 
and  the  Knights  of  Columbus.  Mr.  Connolly  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mary 
Vose,  a  native  of  London,  England,  who  came  to  America  at  an  early  age  with 
her  parents,  locating  in  Missouri.  They  were  married  in  1891;  to  this  union 
were  born  seven  children;  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Connolly  are  members  of  the 
Catholic  Church.  He  has  played  an  important  part  in  the  great  mining  centers 
of  the  West,  and  is  well  known  among  the  mining  fraternity. 

HERMAN  R.  COOKE  was  born  at  Bastrop,  Texas,  January  31,  1873.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  attended  Whitman's 
College  at  Walla  Walla,  Washington.  He  read  law  in  the  office  of  Senator 
William  E.  Borah,  of  Boise,  Idaho.  Was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  practiced  in 
Boise  for  a  period  of  three  years.  In  1898  he  removed  to  Reno,  where  he  prac- 
ticed until  1906.  He  then  came  to  Tonopah,  where  he  has  since  resided.  In 
1903  Mr.  Cooke  represented  Washoe  County  in  the  State  Legislature  for  one 
term.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  Fraternally  he  is  identified  with  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1165 

B.   P.   O.   E.  and  Red   Men.     He  was  united  in  marriage  to   Miss  Anna   C. 
McSorley,  of  Mokelumne  Hill,  California,  June  21,  1911. 

WILLIAM  H.  COOPER  is  one  of  the  representative  business  men  of 
Lovelock  and  Humboldt  County.  He  was  born  at  Cloverdale,  Cal.,  January 
30,  1870.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  at  an  early  age 
started  to  learn  the  butcher  trade,  which  he  has  followed  all  his  life.  His 
career  has  been  honorable  and  successful  and  he  has  always  built  up  a  large 
and  prosperous  business  wherever  he  has  located.  In  the  fall  of  1904  he  came 
to  Nevada,  and  for  three  years  he  found  employment  with  the  Golconda  Cattle 
Company  of  Golconda,  Nevada,  and  in  1907  he  engaged  in  business  in  Lovelock. 
Mr.  Cooper  was  married  to  Miss  Anieta  McDonald,  a  resident  of  California,  in 
March,  1891.  Their  one  son,  Donald,  is  identified  with  his  father  in  the  meat 
business. 

FRED  CORDES,  of  Carson  Valley,  is  one  of  the  prominent  farmers  of  that 
locality.  He  is  located  near  Centerville.  He  was  born  in  Germany,  September 
21,  1862.  He  was  reared  and  educated  in  his  native  land.  He  emigrated  to  this 
country  in  1884  and  went  direct  to  the  Carson  Valley,  where  he  found  employ- 
ment at  ranching  for  six  years.  He  then  purchased  a  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  acres,  where  he  conducts  a  dairy  and  does  general  farming.  In  poli- 
tics Mr.  Cordes  is  a  Democrat  and  has  served  on  the  Centerville  School  Board 
for  two  terms.  In  December,  1892,  he  was  happily  married  to  Lena  Hibbing,  a 
native  of  Germany,  who  came  to  this  country  in  1890.  To  this  union  have  been 
born  nine  children,  two  of  whom  are  dead.  The  living  are  Fred,  Bertha,  Chris- 
topher, George  E.,  Freida,  Helen  and  Arthur — all  residing  at  home.  Mr. 
Cordes  has  one  brother,  Henry,  residing  near  Gardnerville,  the  only  relative 
living  in  America. 

JOSEPH  JOHN  COUGHLIN,  a  member  of  the  Light  and  Sewerage  Com- 
mission of  Clark  County,  was  born  February  2,  1859,  in  Ireland.  He  left  his 
native  land,  coming  to  America,  and  settled  in  New  York  City  until  1876  He 
started  in  life  early  in  New  York  as  messenger  boy  for  the  Pacific-Atlantic  and 
Franklin  Telegraph  Company,  which  he  followed  for  some  time,  after  which 
he  followed  various  occupations,  and  in  1877  he  removed  to  Cedar  Falls,  Iowa, 
and  farmed  until  1878.  Later  in  that  year  he  became  connected  with  the  Sioux 
City  and  St.  Paul  Railroad  in  the  construction  department  of  that  road  for  one 
year.  He  then  followed  steamboating  on  the  Missouri  river  until  1882,  then 
went  with  the  northern  Pacific  Railroad  in  the  building  and  bridge  department, 
which  he  continued  until  1904.  In  1905  he  became  identified  with  the  construc- 
tion department  of  the  Salt  Lake  Railroad  for  a  period  of  one  year  and  then 
with  the  Las  Vegas  and  Tonopah  Railroad,  which  position  he  held  as  superin- 
tendent of  bridges  and  buildings  for  one  year,  and  then  was  promoted  to  road- 


Ii66  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

master,  and  has  charge  of  bridges  and  water  supply,  which  position  he  now 
holds.  He  was  elected  Commissioner,  June,  1911,  for  a  two-year  term.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Democrat  and  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  He  married  Miss 
Annie  McDonna,  a  native  of  Ireland,  August  21,  1891.  There  were  five  children 
born  to  this  union.  Rose,  born  November  18,  1893;  Joseph,  born  February  15, 
1897;  Frankie,  born  December  24,  1900;  Ella,  born  October  6,  1903,  and  one 
child  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coughlin  are  both  members  of  the  Cath- 
olic Church. 

GEORGE  W.  COWING,  a  native  of  Carson  City,  was  born  December  19, 
1867.  His  father  Joseph,  a  native  of  Maine,  came  via  Panama  to  the  Coast  in 
1851,  and  to  Carson  City  in  1857.  In  the  early  days  the  father  of  Mr.  Cowing 
conducted  a  writing  school  in  Placerville  and  at  the  time  of  the  gold  discovery 
in  Virginia  City  he  made  the  trip  by  foot.  Later  he  took  up  land  near  Carson 
City  and  followed  ranching  and  carriage  painting  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
March  6,  1899.  Mr.  Cowing's  mother,  a  native  of  England,  came  to  America 
at  the  age  of  seven;  she  crossed  the  Plains  in  1862  with  her  mother  and 
brothers  and  has  since  resided  in  Nevada.  The  parents  of  Mr.  Cowing  were 
married  by  Governor  Nye  in  Carson  City  in  1862.  George  W.,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Carson.  He  clerked  in  a 
shoe  store  for  a  time  and  later  learned  the  carriage  painting  trade,  which  he 
followed  for  fourteen  years.  He  served  as  County  Clerk  and  County  Treasurer 
of  Ormsby  County  four  years.  In  1903  he  filled  the  position  as  assistant 
cashier  of  the  State  Bank  and  Trust  Co.,  of  Tonopah,  and  in  1904  he  served  as 
cashier  for  the  Nye  and  Ormsby  County  bank  at  Carson  City  five  years.  He 
resigned,  and  in  January,  1908,  was  appointed  City  Marshal  for  two  years. 
January,  1911,  he  resigned  and  accepted  the  position  of  deputy  to  the  Secretary 
of  State,  which  position  he  held  until  May  10,  1912,  when  he  was  appointed 
Warden  of  the  state  prison  by  the  Board  of  State  Prison  Commissioners.  He 
resigned  the  wardenship  of  the  state  prison  March  10,  1913,  and  was  appointed 
superintendent  of  the  Orphans'  Home,  taking  office  March  17,  1913.  Mr. 
Cowing  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Rippingham,  of  Virginia  City, 
November  6,  1892;  to  this  union  were  born  Ralph  H.,  born  January  24,  1901, 
and  George  R.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eight  years.  Mr.  Cowing  is  a  Royal  Arch 
Mason  and  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P. 

CLARENCE  S.  GRAIN,  who  is  now  serving  as  Sheriff  of  White  Pine  County, 
was  born  in  Powershiek  County,  Iowa,  September  18,  1867.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  public  schools.  At  an  early  age  he  learned  the  printer's  trade, 
which  he  followed  for  some  years  in  the  East.  In  1902  he  came  West,  ami 
located  in  California,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade,  and  later  removed  to 
Ogden.  In  1907  he  located  in  Ely,  and  became  identified  with  the  White  Pine 
News,  and  in  1910  he  with  S.  C.  Patrick  leased  the  News,  which  is  now  pub- 
lished at  East  Ely.  In  politics  Mr.  Grain  is  a  Republican.  While  a  resident  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1167 

Brooklyn,  Iowa,  he  was  appointed  postmaster  under  President  McKinley.  He 
was  appointed  Sheriff  of  White  Pine  County  August  u,  191 1,  and  at  the  general 
election  in  1912  he  was  elected  to  the  same  office.  Fraternally  he  is  affiliated 
with  the  Masons,  K.  of  P.  and  Odd  Fellows.  Sheriff  Grain  was  united  in 
marrriage  to  Margaret  Persis  McDonald,  a  native  of  Scotland,  in  1906. 

JAMES  CURNOW  is  numbered  among  the  pioneers  of  Nevada.  He  is  a 
native  of  England  and  was  born  March  7,  1843.  He  received  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  land  and  came  to  America  in  1867,  locating  for 
fifteen  months  in  Massachusetts,  after  which  he  removed  to  Nevada  and  located 
in  Virginia  City,  where  he  followed  his  trade  as  blacksmith.  In  1869  he  went  to 
Eureka  County  and  remained  until  1873.  He  then  went  to  Mineral  Hill,  where 
he  owned  a  dairy  route  until  1875.  He  then  removed  to  Pine  Valley,  where  he 
purchased  a  ranch  and  followed  this  vocation  until  1887.  He  then  purchased  a 
ranch  on  the  Truckee  Meadows,  which  he  operated  until  1904,  when  he  retired, 
and  has  since  made  his  home  in  Reno.  In  politics  Mr.  Curnow  has  always 
been  a  Republican,  but  never  aspired  to  office.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Odd 
Fellows  Lodge  and  has  filled  various  chairs  in  the  order.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  in  England  March  10,  1864,  to  Miss  Mary  James,  a  native  of  England. 
Mr.  Curnow  came  to  America  five  years  previous  to  his  family's  coming,  and  in 
1872  his  wife  and  two  children  came  and  joined  him  while  he  resided  in  Eureka 
County.  He  has  taken  an  active  interest  in  mining  and  has  various  mining  and 
agricultural  interests  in  the  State. 

DANIEL  ROBERT  HAWKINS  was  born  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  April  29, 
1846.  In  1851  his  parents  went  overland  to  Salt  Lake  City,  where  they  re- 
mained until  1856,  and  in  July  that  year  landed  in  Genoa,  then  known  as 
"Mormon  Station."  Mr.  Hawkins'  father  erected  the  saw-mill  for  Orson 
Hyde,  back  of  Franktown,  during  the  early  days,  and  died  in  California  in 
1882.  Mr.  Hawkins'  mother  died  in  Genoa  in  1906.  Daniel,  our  subject,  re- 
ceived a  limited  education  at  Franktown  and  Carson  City.  He  began  ranching 
early  in  life  and  did  prospecting  and  mining  in  Alpine  County,  Cal.  While 
attending  school  in  Carson  he  served  a,s  an  attache  during  the  territorial  Leg- 
islature in  1862;  also  in  1864.  Was  postmaster  at  Mammoth  Ledge  in  1865. 
He  served  as  Deputy  Sheriff  of  Alpine  County,  Cal.,  and  for  six  years  he  held 
the  office  of  County  Treasurer.  Mr.  Hawkins  was  united  in  marriage  in  1906  to 
Mrs.  Kate  Fowler.  Fraternally  he  has  been  affiliated  with  the  Odd  Fellows 
since  1871,  first  joining  Webster  Lodge  No.  119  in  Alpine  County,  Cal.,  and 
remaining  with  it  until  in  1896  he  was  the  sole  surviving  member.  Since  then 
he  has  affiliated  with  the  lodges  of  Douglas  County. 

ERNEST  H.  HAWKINS,  M.  D.— One  of  the  physicians  of  Nevada  who 
maintains  a  position  of  prominence  in  his  calling  is  Dr.  Ernest  H  Hawkins. 
He  is  a  native  of  Rural  Retreat,  Virginia,  his  birth  having  occurred  October 
23,  1867.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  town. 


n68  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

He  graduated  from  Gross  Medical  College  in  1900.  He  served  as  interne  in  St. 
Anthony's  Hospital,  of  Denver,  Colo.,  for  one  year.  He  practiced  his  profes- 
sion in  Leadville,  Colo.,  for  one  year.  He  has  taken  a  post  graduate  course 
in  New  York  City  from  the  N.  Y.  Postgraduate  School.  Fraternally  Dr.  Haw- 
kins is  affiliated  with  the  Masons,  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  Odd  Fellows.  He  was  ap- 
pointed County  Physician  and  Health  Officer  of  Douglas  County  and  has  served 
several  terms  and  now  holds  the  office  at  the  present  time. 

GEORGE  RUSSELL,  a  leading  merchant  and  business  man  of  Elko,  first  came 
to  Nevada  in  1860,  when  he  drove  a  pack  team  from  Placerville,  Cal.,  to  Virginia 
City.  He  has  been  engaged  in  various  lines  of  commercial  and  industrial  activity 
ever  since.  Merchandising,  farming  and  stock  business  has  been  the  occupation 
in  which  he  has  made  his  principal  success,  but  like  many  of  the  earlier  pioneers 
he  has  also  mined.  Mr.  Russell  was  born  in  Bengor,  County  Down,  Ireland,  on 
the  isth  day  of  April,  1837,  and  when  a  mere  boy  he  came  to  America,  and  in 
1852  he  sailed  for  California  via  Cape  Horn,  landing  in  San  Francisco  in  May, 
1853.  He  followed  mining  in  Placer  County,  Cal.,  for  some  years,  after  which  he 
ran  a  pack-train  from  Placerville  to  Virginia  City,  which  was  in  1860.  He 
returned  and  made  his  home  in  Placer  County,  where  he  served  as  Assessor  for 
two  years.  In  1863  he  removed  to  Eastern  Nevada,  where  he  was  identified  with 
the  freighting  business.  He  has  made  his  residence  in  Elko  County  many  years, 
where  he  has  large  ranch  and  cattle  interests.  For  twenty-five  years  he  was 
associated  with  the  firm  of  Russell  &  Bradley  of  Elko.  In  1909  Mr.  Russell 
purchased  the  controlling  interest  in  the  W.  T.  Smith  Company  general  mer- 
chandise store  of  Elko.  He  is  president  of  the  Russell  Land  and  Cattle  Com- 
pany. In  1893  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature  and  during  the 
World's  Fair  in  1903  Mr.  Russell  was  chosen  as  National  Commissioner  and 
served  as  chairman  of  the  Live  Stock  Commission.  He  was  Democratic  candidate 
for  Governor  of  the  State  of  Nevada  in  1898  but  was  defeated.  He  was  united 
in  marriage  in  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  in  1868,  to  Miss  Martha  A.  Marchand.  To  this 
union  were  born  five  children :  George,  Jr.,  identified  in  the  cattle  and  mercantile 
business  with  his  father;  Eliza  M.,  wife  of  Dr.  J.  R.  Eby  of  St.  Anthony,  Idaho; 
Margaret  R.,  wife  of  E.  R.  Newman  of  Elko,  who  is  manager  of  the  store; 
Ruth  A.  and  Mattie,  both  of  Elko.  Fraternally  Mr.  Russell  is  a  member  of  the 
Odd  Fellows. 

EDWIN  FERRIS.  Prominent  among  the  representative  men  of  Washoe 
County  is  Edwin  Ferris.  He  was  born  in  Henry  County,  111.,  August  8,  1942.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  academy  in  his  native  State.  In 
1864  he  crossed  the  Plains,  accompanied  by  a  large  train,  and  in  making  the  trip 
from  Omaha  to  Verdi  it  took  three  months.  Mr.  Ferris  settled  in  Plumas  and 
Lassen  Counties,  Cal.,  where  he  still  has  large  holdings.  He  owns  sixteen  hundred 
acres  in  Plumas  County  and  seven  hundred  and  eighty  acres  in  Lassen  County. 
He  is  largely  identified  in  the  stock  and  dairy  business  in  both  counties.  In  1900 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1169 

he  removed  to  Reno  and  purchased  the  Frey  ranch,  consisting  of  two  hundred  and 
eighty  acres,  almost  adjoining  Reno,  where  he  now  resides.  Mr.  Ferris  has  served 
the  people  of  Washoe  County  as  County  Commissioner  for  six  years,  and  at  the 
general  election  in  the  fall  of  1912  he  was  further  honored  to  fill  the  same  office 
for  a  four-year  term.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  the 
Odd  Fellows.  He  was  united  in  marriage  February  24,  1864,  to  Miss  Lucretia 
Leonard,  who  was  a  native  of  Illinois,  and  she  was  born  December  n,  1846.  To 
this  union  was  born  four  children :  George  L.,  born  January  4,  1868.  He  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Mary  Raker,  a  native  of  Lassen  County,  Cal.,  December  4,  1901. 
Their  two  children  are  Edith  Pauline,  born  November  18,  1903,  and  Merle,  born 
October  30,  1909.  Eva  was  twice  married,  the  first  marriage  being  to  O.  H.  Doyle, 
October  30,  1891,  the  second  union  being  to  F.  B.  Robinson  of  Long  Valley,  Cal. 
Eva  was  born  April  12,  1869,  and  to  the  first  union  was  born  Jessie  L.  Doyle,  born 
November  2,  1892.  The  children  of  the  second  marriage  are  Elmer  Robinson,  born 
June  27,  1899;  Clyde,  born  October  20,  1902;  Leonard,  born  September  13,  1904; 
Lewis,  born  February  2,  1907,  and  Ralph,  born  September  26,  1908.  Orvis  S.  Ferris, 
a  resident  of  Lassen  County,  was  born  March  26,  1871,  and  was  married  to  Emma 
Anson  of  Oregon,  March  26,  1902.  Their  children  are :  Mary  L.,  born  May  27,  1903 ; 
Nellie,  born  June  15,  1907;  Edwin,  born  February  9,  1910,  and  Emma,  born  January 
27,  1912.  Luella,  wife  of  A.  T.  Robinson  of  Lassen  County,  Cal.,  was  born  Septem- 
ber 12,  1873.  Their  one  child,  Raymond,  was  born  July  18,  1893,  and  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Mabel  Munson  of  Reno,  May  29,  1911;  their  one  child,  Lawrence 
Edwin,  was  born  April  8,  1912.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  served  as  Supervisor  of 
Lassen  County,  California,  for  a  period  of  four  years  and  for  several  terms  was 
a  member  of  the  School  Board  of  Lassen  County.  He  has  a  model  ranch  and  is 
numbered  among  the  substantial  and  representative  men  of  Nevada. 

THOMAS  F.  DUNAWAY,  Vice-president  and  General  Manager  of  the 
Nevada,  California  &  Oregon  Railroad  Company,  was  born  in  Morgantown,  West 
Va.,  June  28,  1851.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  entered  the  services  of  the  Union 
Pacific  Railroad  Company,  doing  section  work,  at  the  same  time  learning 
telegraphy.  In  1870  he  entered  the  service  of  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad  Company 
as  operator  and  was  promoted  to  Train  Dispatcher;  was  soon  after  appointed 
Chief  Dispatcher  of  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  Railroad,  acting  in  this  capacity  for 
six  years;  at  which  time  the  Missouri  Pacific  recognizing  his  competency, 
appointed  him  to  the  office  of  Train  Dispatcher  at  St.  Louis;  from  which 
position  he  was  promoted  by  the  company  to  the  Superintendency  of  its  lines 
in  Kansas  for  eight  years,  from  which  position  he  was  appointed  to  and 
entered  upon  a  larger  sphere  of  duties  as  the  General  Superintendent  of  the 
Colorado  and  Southern  Railroad  Company.  In  1900  he  was  called  to  the 
charge  of  the  Nevada,  California  and  Oregon  Railroad  Company,  then  only 
constructed  and  operated  for  one  hundred  and  thirty  miles  from  Reno,  Nevada, 
into  Northeastern  California;  since  which  time,  under  his  able  management,  the 
road  has  been  completed  to  Lakeview,  Oregon,  a  total  distance  of  two  hundred 


1 170  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

and  forty  miles,  opening  a  rich  mineral,  agricultural  and  grazing  country  of 
vast  and  certain  development.  Mr.  Dunaway  is  a  Republican  and  is  active  in 
Masonic  circles.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Jennie  P.  Gallagher,  of  Fayette 
County,  Pa.,  to  which  union  was  born  a  son  and  daughter.  William  Dunaway, 
following  the  successful  career  of  his  father,  commenced  railroad  work  at  the 
early  age  of  fourteen  years,  first  as  telegraph  operator  for  the  Colorado  & 
Southern  Railroad  Company,  where  after  one  year's  service  he  was  promoted 
to  the  position  of  Train  Dispatcher,  in  which  capacity  he  served  the  company 
for  two  years;  he  was  then  promoted  to  Train  Dispatcher  of  the  Ft.  Worth  and 
Denver  Railroad  Company.  In  1901  he  removed  to  Reno,  Nevada,  and  entered 
upon  the  duties  of  Dispatcher  of  the  Nevada,  California  and  Oregon  Railroad 
Company,  serving  for  one  year,  and  was  then  promoted  to  the  office  of  Train 
Master,  and  subsequently  was  appointed  Superintendent  early  in  1900;  which 
position  he  still  holds.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Blue  Lodge,  the  Shrine 
and  the  Consistory.  The  daughter,  Marguerite,  resides  with  her  father  and 
brother  in  Reno,  Nevada.  Jennie  P.,  the  wife  of  General  Manager  Dunaway, 
died  in  February,  1908,  after  .a  helpful  happy  life  with  her  husband  and 
children.  Mr.  Dunaway  is  identified  with  all  progressive  movements,  and  has 
aided  largely  in  the  upbuilding  of  Western  Nevada  and  Northeastern  Cali- 
fornia. He  is  of  sturdy  character  and  vital  energy,  and  his  interest  and  work 
assures  the  success  of  any  enterprise  which  he  directs. 

FELIX  DE  LONCHANT  was  born  in  Montreal,  Canada,  in  1852,  where  he 
acquired  his  education.  At  an  early  age  he  learned  the  carpenter  trade,  which 
he  followed  until  1869,  when  he  removed  to  Nevada,  locating  at  Carson  City 
until  1878,  when  he  removed  to  Reno,  where  he  followed  his  trade  and  did 
contracting  for  many  years.  He  is  a  Democrat,  but  never  aspired  to  office. 
Fred  J.,  the  eldest  son,  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  architects  on  the 
Coast  and  has  made  plans  for  many  prominent  buildings  in  Nevada.  Among 
some  are  the  Washoe  Court  House,  N.  C.  O.  R.  R.  depot,  Reno  Y.  M.  C.  A., 
Lyon  County  Court  House.  He  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Shay,  of  Virginia 
City,  June  16,  1907.  Their  son  Fred  was  born  April  16,  1908.  Our  subject  was 
married  at  Carson  City  in  1878  and  five  children  were  born.  One  died  at  the 
age  of  twelve,  and  four  are  living.  Mrs.  De  Lonchant  is  an  active  worker  in 
the  Ladies  of  the  Macabees,  St.  Agnes  Society  and  Catholic  Church  at  Reno. 
Mr.  De  Lonchant  built  most  of  the  bridges  across  the  Truckee  in  the  early 
days  and  followed  bridge  work  for  twenty  years,  and  from  1884  to  1893  he  had 
the  contract  to  furnish  cordwood  for  Virginia  City.  The  children  are  F.  J. ;  Philip, 
of  Reno;  Agnes,  wife  of  George  Donahue,  married  August  16,  1908;  their  one  son, 
Gerald,  born  August  2,  1911;  Eugena,  wife  of  Edward  Dunn,  of  Butte,  Montana, 
married  June,  1907. 

CHARLES  WESLEY  DICKENSEN  was  born  in  Kansas  City,  Mo., 
May  30,  1888.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Den- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1171 

ver,  Col,  where  his  parents  removed  from  Missouri.  Mr.  Dickensen,  after 
finishing  his  education,  removed  to  Ely,  where  he  became  identified  as  book- 
keeper for  the  Ely  Lumber  and  Coal  Company,  which  position  he  now  holds, 
and  where  he  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Ann  Elizabeth  Linsley,  October  19,  1909,  daughter  of  G.  H.  Linsley,  now  a 
resident  of  Ely,  Nev.,  and  a  prominent  man  of  this  locality.  To  this  union  was 
born  one  son,  Charles  Wesley,  born  November  6,  1910.  Fraternally  Mr.  Dick- 
ensen is  affiliated  with  Masonic  Lodge,  he  holding  membership  in  the  Blue 
Lodge,  Chapter  and  Consistory  of  Reno,  Nevada.  He  also  belongs  to  Karak 
Temple  and  holds  the  office  of  Junior  Warden  of  the  Blue  Lodge  of  Ely. 
Politically  he  is  an  active  worker  among  the  ranks  of  the  Democratic  party. 
He  was  elected  to  the  office  of  City  Clerk  May  3,  1911,  taking  office  May  10, 
1911,  and  again  in  1913.  Mr.  Dickensen  is  numbered  among  the  young  men 
who  are  working  for  the  betterment  of  conditions  generally  in  White  Pine 
County.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of  Ely. 


JOHN  HENRY  ROSENBROCK  is  a  native  of  Germany,  born  June  4,  1867.  He 
came  to  America  and  to  Douglas  County  in  1891  and  followed  ranching  until  1903. 
He  then  engaged  in  the  shoe  business,  which  he  has  since  continued.  Mr.  Rosen- 
brock  was  married  to  Miss  Minnie  Meyer,  a  native  of  Germany,  February  i,  1905. 
To  this  union  were  born  two  children :  Elda,  born  April  i,  1906,  and  Crete,  born 
February  24,  1910.  He  has  served  in  the  German  army  for  two  years  and  has 
the  distinction  of  serving  under  three  Emperors.  He  entered  the  army  in  1887 
under  Emperor  William  the  First,  then  his  son  Frederick  was  Emperor  for  ninety- 
nine  days,  and  then  William  the  Second  was  in  command.  This  happened  in  the 
brief  period  of  eight  months'  service  and  Mr.  Rosenbrock  was  presented  with  a 
solid  silver  medal  for  serving  under  the  three  Emperors,  this  being  the  only  time 
in  the  history  of  the  German  army  this  has  occurred. 


THOMAS  J.  D.  SALTER  is  one  of  the  sixth  generation  of  Salters  in  the 
United  States,  his  ancestors  having  settled  in  North  Carolina  before  the  Revolu- 
tionary War,  and  from  Colonial  days  the  Salter  family  has  sent  its  representa- 
tives into  various  walks  of  life  to  become  active  and  influential  residents  of  the 
Communities  with  which  they  have  been  connected.  Thomas  J.  D.  Salter  was 
born  in  Stewart  County,  Georgia,  in  1885.  He  is  the  son  of  Thomas  J.  and  Georgia 
(Fitzgerald)  Salter.  He  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Georgia, 
Alabama,  and  later  at  the  University  of  Denver.  He  came  to  Nevada  in  1906 
and  represented  Ormsby  County  in  the  State  Legislature  in  1911.  He  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Bar  in  1909  and  in  1911  formed  a  law  partnership  with  Clifford  E. 
Robins  of  Winnemucca,  under  the  firm  name  of  Salter  &  Robins,  where  they 
both  are  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law.  Mr.  Salter  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Josephine  Edna  Souchereau  of  Carson  City  in  March,  1912. 


1 172  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

ARTHUR  NELSON  SALISBURY  was  born  April  28,  1879,  at  Pleasant  Grove, 
Sutter  County,  Cal.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  in  Sutter 
County,  Sacramento  high  school,  and  graduated  from  the  Hastings  College  of 
Law  in  1902,  receiving  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Law.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
Bar  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  California  in  May,  1902,  and  admitted  to  the  Bar 
in  the  State  of  Nevada,  November  15,  1902.  Mr.  Salisbury  is  identified  with  James 
T.  Boyd  in  the  law  business  under  the  firm  name  of  Boyd  &  Salisbury.  Politically 
he  is  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party  and  has  served  as  secretary  of  the 
Republican  State  Central  Committee.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P. 
O.  E.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Bessie  Lowrey,  September  3,  1909. 

JAMES  D.  FINCH.  Born  December  30,  1877,  at  Washington,  D.  C.  After  a 
common  school  education,  in  1895,  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  became  associated  with 
the  lute  Senator  Wm.  M.  Stewart,  of  Nevada,  in  the  publication  of  the  Silver 
Knight,  a  weekly  newspaper,  published  at  the  National  Capital  in  the  interests  of 
the  cause  of  the  remonetization  of  silver.  Subsequently  the  Silver  Knight  and  the 
National  Watchman  were  consolidated  and  published  as  the  Silver  Knight-Watch- 
man and  finally  as  the  National  Watchman.  This  paper,  owned,  edited  and  pub- 
lished by  Senator  Stewart,  reached  a  circulation  of  one-hundred-thousand  copies 
weekly,  and  became  an  important  factor  in  the  fight  for  silver.  He  graduated  with 
the  degree  of  L.  L.  B.  and  took  a  post-graduate  course  in  law  at  the  National 
Law  School  at  Washington,  being  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  Nevada  in  1905.  After  the 
discontinuance  of  the  National  Watchman,  Mr.  Finch  acted  as  secretary  to 
Senator  Stewart  at  Washington  until  the  latter's  retirement  from  the  Senate  in 
1905.  In  April  of  that  year  he  came  to  Nevada  with  the  ex-Senator  and  went 
with  him  from  Carson  City  to  Bullfrog.  A  law  partnership  was  formed,  con- 
sisting of  Wm.  M.  Stewart,  George  Martinson  and  James  D.  Finch,  under  the 
style  of  Stewart,  Martinson  &  Finch.  Mr.  Finch  only  remained  at  Bullfrog  a  few 
months,  withdrawing  from  the  firm  and  returning  to  Washington,  where  he  became 
secretary  to  U.  S.  Senator  Francis  G.  Newlands.  In  March,  1907,  he  returned  to 
Nevada  to  accept  the  position  of  Official  Reporter  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
Nevada.  He  remained  in  this  position  until  May,  1908,  when  he  accepted  the 
position  of  secretary  to  Acting  Governor  Denver  S.  Dickerson,  upon  the  death  of 
Governor  John  Sparks.  At  the  end  of  Governor  Dickerson's  term  of  office,  in 
December,  1910,  he  resumed  the  practice  of  law  at  Carson  City.  In  1911  he  was 
appointed  Deputy  District  Attorney  of  Ormsby  County  and  held  that  office  until 
September,  1912,  when  he  was  elected  secretary  of  the  Democratic  State  Central 
Committee  and  acted  as  such  during  the  campaign  of  1912  at  the  headquarters  at 
Reno.  Prior  to  removing  to  Reno  in  the  fall  of  1912,  Mr.  Finch  had  been  nominated 
in  the  Democratic  primaries  of  Ormsby  County  for  the  office  of  District  Attorney 
without  opposition,  but  withdrew  as  a  candidate  previous  to  the  general  election, 
upon  his  moving  to  Reno  to  take  up  his  duties  as  secretary  of  the  State  Central 
Committee.  At  the  close  of  the  campaign  which  resulted  in  the  election  of  Key 
Pittman  as  U.  S.  Senator  and  P.  A.  McCarran  as  Supreme  Justice,  Mr.  Finch  look 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1173 

/ 

over  the  law  practice  of  Supreme  Justice-elect  McCarran  at  Reno.  Mr.  Finch  is 
a  member  of  Carson  Lodge  No.  i,  F.  &  A.  M.,  Reno  Lodge  No.  597  of  Elks,  Car- 
son Aerie  No.  1006  of  Eagles,  a  charter  member  of  the  Sagebrush  Club  of  Carson 
City,  and  a  member  of  other  social  and  literary  organizations.  He  married  Miss 
M'abel  Louise  Burdett  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  in  1899,  and  they  have  two  children, 
Stanley  Burdett,  born  at  Washington,  aged  n  years,  and  James  Carson,  born  at 
Carson  City,  aged  5  years. 

CHARLES  C.  RONNOW  was  born  in  San  Pete  County,  Utah,  July  29,  1865. 
He  is  the  son  of  Christian  P.  and  Amelia  Ronnow.  There  were  nine  children  in 
the  family,  and  all  are  residents  of  Nevada,  with  one  exception,  a  sister  who 
resides  in  Idaho.  Charles  C.  acquired  his  education  in  Utah  and  Nevada.  His 
parents  removing  to  this  State  in  1866  and  located  in  Panaca,  Lincoln  County, 
where  they  were  largely  identified  with  farming  interests  and  also  were  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  business.  His  father  died  April,  1911,  and  his  mother  died  in 
1900.  Charles  C.  atended  the  B.  Y.  University  of  Utah  and  taught  school  in 
Nevada  for  several  years.  After  which  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business, 
and  is  largely  interested  in  ranch  lands  with  Clark.  Bros,  of  Las  Vegas.  He  is 
chairman  of  the  County  Commissioners  and  chairman  of  the  Las  Vegas  School 
Board.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  He  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  for 
nine  years  and  was  Postmaster  fifteen  years  at  Panaca.  He  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Alice  E.  Wadsworth  of  Panaca,  June  17,  1891.  Their  two  children 
are :  Leland,  born  May  10,  1895,  and  Leon,  born  April  29,  1898.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ronnow  are  members  of  the  Panaca  ward  of  the  Latter  Day  Saints  and  he  served 
as  Bishop  of  that  ward  for  eight  years. 

ORRIN  C.  ROSS  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  October  5,  1838.  His  parents 
removed  to  Vermont  and  later  to  Illinois  and  Iowa.  In  1859  Mr.  Ross  crossed  the 
Plains  to  California  and  located  for  a  time  in  Sierra  County,  Cal.,  where  ha 
followed  mining  and  later  was  connected  with  the  logging  business.  In  1863  he 
came  to  Nevada  and  was  engaged  in  baling  hay,  which  occupation  he  followed  for 
seven  years.  He  bought  a  half  interest  in  a  stock  ranch  located  thirty  miles 
northwest  of  Reno,  his  partner  looking  after  that  interest.  Mr.  Ross  also  pur- 
chased his  present  ranch  about  this  time  and  has  resided  there  ever  since.  He 
was  married  to  Miss  Demeldia  Moore  of  Petaluma.  Cal.,  in  1871.  To  this  union 
were  born  four  children,  but  only  two  are  now  living,  Charles  and  Emma  P.,  now 
the  wife  of  A.  G.  Brown,  who  resides  south  of  Reno.  Mrs.  Ross  died  m  1882.  In 
1884  Mr.  Ross  was  again  married ;  his  second  wife  previous  to  marriage  was  Miss 
Ellen  McCormick,  a  native  of  Canada.  Their  union  was  blessed  with  two  children, 
Silas,  a  teacher  at  the  University  of  Nevada,  and  Vera,  wife  of  A.  E.  Whitehead, 
an  engineer,  residing  at  Sparks.  Mr.  Ross  served  as  County  Commissioner  at  one 
time  in  a  capable  manner.  In  1868  he  became  a  member  of  Reno  Lodge,  No.  13, 
F.  and  A.  M. 


1 174  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

JOHN  WALLACE  FERGUSON,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Churchill  County, 
was  born  in  Van  Buren  County,  Iowa,  March  22,  1852.  At  the  age  of  sixteen 
years  he  went  to  Santa  Rosa,  California,  and  in  1876  was  graduated  from  the 
Pacific  Methodist  College  at  that  place.  In  1878  he  settled  in  Churchill  County 
and  has  ever  since  resided  here,  taking  an  active  interest  in  public  affairs,  and 
always  recognized  as  a  man  of  strict  integrity.  For  four  years  he  engaged  in 
teaching  school,  at  the  same  time  investing  in  real  estate  near  what  is  now  the 
city  of  Fallen,  in  1878,  upon  which  he  and  his  family  still  reside.  For  four  years 
he  served  as  Clerk  and  Treasurer  of  Churchill  County,  at  one  time  being  candidate 
of  the  Republican  ticket  for  Lieutenant-Governor.  He  served  Churchill  County  in 
the  State  Legislature  in  the  sessions  of  1909  and  1913,  in  the  latter  being  honored 
as  Republican  floor  leader,  and  was  influential  in  shaping  the  legislation  of  the 
State.  In  this  session  he  was  largely  instrumental  in  eliminating  politics  and 
insisting  that  the  Legislature  work  along  the  lines  that  would  bring  the  best  results 
for  the  interests  of  the  people. 

CHARLES  P.  P'ERREL,  one  of  the  representative  men  of  Washoe  County,  was 
born  November  25,  1863,  at  Salem,  Oregon.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  Oregon  and  Willamette  University  of  Salem,  Oregon,  graduating 
in  1878.  He  learned  the  horseshoeing  trade,  which  he  followed  in  Washington, 
Oregon  and  Nevada  until  1903.  He  removed  to  Reno  in  February,  1888,  and 
purchased  the  shop  of  W.  H.  Caughlin,  which  he  continued  to  operate  until  1903, 
when  he  became  identified  with  the  police  duty  of  Reno,  and  he  continued  in  this 
office  until  the  fall  of  1904,  when  he  was  chosen  by  the  people  of  Washoe  County 
to  serve  as  Sheriff.  He  took  office  January  I,  1905,  and  held  the  office  continuously 
until  January  i,  1913,  he  being  the  only  Sheriff  ever  succeeding  himself  for  four 
continuous  terms,  Politically  Mr.  Ferrel  is  a  Republican.  Fraternally  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge,  B.  P.  O.  E.,  Eagles,  M'oose,  Odd  Fellows, 
K.  of  P.  and  the  Modern  Woodmen.  He  was  united  in  marriage  November  25, 
1894,  to  Miss  Lottie  M.  Boyd  of  Lake  City,  Modoc  County,  California.  Mr. 
Ferrel  made  an  exhibit  of  hand-made  horseshoes  at  the  Midwinter  Fair,  held  in 
San  Francisco,  which  captured  the  sweepstakes,  gold  medal  and  diploma  from  over 
twenty-seven  contestants  from  all  parts  of  the  world. 

WILLIAM  C.  RUDDELL  is  one  of  the  prominent  ranchers  and  stockmen  of 
Humboldt  County.  He  was  born  in  lov/a,  August  22,  1857,  where  he  received 
his  education.  In  April,  1864,  he  came  West,  accompanied  by  his  parents,  and 
located  in  Austin.  Mr.  Ruddell  came  to  Lovelock  and  purchased  five  hundred  acres 
adjoining  the  town  in  1887.  He  is  a  Democrat,  and  for  twelve  years  served  as 
County  Commissioner.  In  1888  he  was  married  to  Miss  Jennie  C.  Lovelock,  a 
daughter  of  George  Lovelock,  the  founder  of  the  town  of  Lovelock.  To  this 
union  were  born:  Mary  Alice,  wife  of  W.  H.  Austin  of  Fallen;  Jessie  Imogene, 
wife  of  H.  B.  D.  Hoysted  of  Lovelock;  William  C.,  Jr.,  and  Ruth  C. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1175 

RICHARD  B.  DAVIS,  one  of  the  best  known  men  in  the  various  mining 
camps  in  Nevada,  was  born  January  6,  1855,  in  Cambria  County,  Pennsylvania. 
He  is  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Martha  Davis,  who  were  the  parents  of  twelve 
children,  of  whom  ten  grew  to  manhood  and  womanhood.  Richard  B.  left 
Pennsylvania  and  came  West,  locating  near  Iowa  City,  Iowa,  where  he  fol- 
lowed farming  for  one  year.  He  worked  on  the  farm  during  his  early  life  and 
in  1878  he  came  to  Virginia  City,  worked  there  for  a  brief  period,  and  then 
went  to  work  on  the  Sutro  ranch,  where  he  remained  for  seven  years.  He 
then  went  to  work  at  the  Rock  Point  Mill  at  Dayton,  where  he  remained  for 
a  period  of  seven  years.  Governor  Stevenson  owned  the  mill,  which  was  leased 
to  Even  Williams,  and  Mr.  Davis  was  in  the  employ  of  both  men.  He  then 
worked  one  year  at  the  Eureka  mill,  after  which  he  worked  in  the  Sutro  tunnel. 
He  assisted  in  rebuilding  the  Eureka  mill  after  it  had  burned.  Mr.  Davis  then 
removed  to  Esmeralda  County  and  became  identified  in  mining,  being  inter- 
ested in  the  Silver  Star  district,  and  his  property  was  known  as  the  Bounce 
Mine.  He  was  associated  in  this  locality  for  seven  years.  On  Christmas  Eve, 
1900,  shortly  after  Tonopah  was  discovered,  he  came  to  this  camp  and  erected 
the  first  frame  structure  which  was  used  for  a  store  and  post  office.  The  firm 
was  known  as  Lothrop  &  Davis  from  the  time  they  came  to  his  camp.  Now 
the  firm  is  known  as  Lothrop-Davis  Co.,  Inc.  Mr.  Davis  is  active  in  Masonic 
circles,  and  a  member  of  the  Blue  Lodge,  Scottish  Rite,  Shrine,  and  the  Royal 
Arch  Chapter.  All  the  degrees  in  Masonry  were  taken  in  Tonopah.  He  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  for  over  thirty  years  and  served  as 
Grand  Patriarch  of  the  Grand  Encampment  of  Nevada  for  one  year.  The 
original  firm  constructed  and  operated  the  first  telephone  and  telegraph  line  in 
Tonopah  from  Sodaville  in  1902.  Mr.  Davis  married  Miss  Mary  M.  Lothrop  of 
Dayton,  Nevada,  January  4,  1891.  They  have  two  adopted  children,  Isabelle 
Daisy,  born  July  n,  1898,  and  Elizabeth  Amy,  born  October  10,  1906. 

ROY  L.  ROBISON,  County  Commissioner  of  Washoe  County,  was  born  at 
Marshalltown,  Iowa,  August  30,  1873,  He  is  a  son  of  George  W.  and  Martha  N. 
Robison.  His  parents  removed  to  Mason  Valley  when  he  was  very  young.  His 
father  followed  ranching  in  the  Mason  Valley  for  fifteen  years  and  then  removed 
to  Reno  and  purchased  a  ranch  where  the  town  of  Sparks  is  located.  His  ranch 
was  all  sold  off  in  town  lots.  There  were  fifive  children  in  the  family:  Roy,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  is  a  business  man  of  Sparks;  Edna  M.,  who  resides  with  the 
father;  Ruth,  wife  of  Alvin  T.  Rice  of  Sattley,  Cal. ;  George  A.,  who  resides  in 
British  Columbia,  and  Leon  S.,  a  resident  of  British  Columbia.  Roy  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools  in  Mason  Valley,  business  college  and  the  University  of 
Nevada.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  was  elected  County  Commissioner  of 
Washoe  County  in  the  fall  of  1910  for  a  two-year  term.  Socially  he  is  a  member 
of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  the  K.  of  P.  He  married  Miss  Kate  F.  Kinney.  Their 
four  children  are  Donald,  Kenneth,  Miriam  and  Kathryn.  His  wife  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Eastern  Star  and  Pythian  Sisters.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robison  are 
members  of  the  Congregational  Church  of  Reno. 


HON.  EDWARD  S.  FARRINGTON,  one  of  the  leading  attorneys  of  the 
Nevada  Bar,  was  born  in  Yreka,  Siskiyou  County,  Cal.,  September  6,  1856.  His 
parents  removed  to  Maine,  where  he  completed  his  education  in  Amherst  Col- 
lege. He  attended  the  Hastings  Law  School  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in 
1886.  He  taught  school  in  Elko  County.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  was  nominated 
on  two  occasions  for  Congress.  In  1892  Judge  Farrington  was  married  to  Mrs. 
Celia  Taber  of  Austin,  Nevada.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows. 

WILLIAM  L.  SAMUELS,  M.  D.,  one  of  the  prominent  physicians  of  Reno, 
was  born  November  n,  1874,  at  Jeffersonville,  Ind.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  town  and  later  attended  the  University  of  Louisville  at 
Louisville,  Ky.,  graduating  in  March,  1897.  He  practiced  medicine  in  Jefferson- 
ville, Ind.r  and  later  removed  to  Eureka,  where  he  had  charge  of  the  Eureka 
County  Hospital.  He  moved  to  Winnemucca  in  February,  1899,  remaining  there 
until  July,  1910,  where  he  had  a  general  practice.  He  has  served  as  Surgeon 
for  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  for  several  years  and  severed  this  connection 
September,  1911,  and  removed  to  Reno,  where  he  has  practiced  since.  Dr.  Samuels 
is  a  member  of.  the  Washoe  County  and  State  Medical  Societies  and  the  American 
Medical  Association.  He  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  and  has  held  the  office  of 
Grand  Chancellor  of  Nevada:  he  is  also  a  member  of  the  Loyal  Order  of  Moose. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Gail  Stout  of  Louisville,  Ky.,  July,  1897. 
Their  two  children  are :  Dolores,  born  November  24,  1899,  and  Frank,  born 
October  22,  1903.  Mrs.  Samuels  takes  an  active  part  in  the  club  and  social  life 
of  Reno  and  is  a  member  of  the  Century  Club. 

ERNST  PAUL  ESSER  was  born  at  Belmont,  Nye  County.  His  father,  Matthew, 
a  native  of  Germany,  was  one  of  the  representative  men  of  the  State,  and  largely 
interested  in  mining,  cattle  and  in  the  mercantile  line.  He  died  1896.  His  mother, 
Mary  (Ernst)  Esser,  a  native  of  Iowa,  died  in  1878.  There  were  two  children 
in  the  parents'  family,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  and  Amelia,  now  the  wife  of 
John  Conant  of  Oakland,  Cal.  Ernst  Paul  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
and  afterward  attended  college  at  Stockton,  Cal.  At  an  early  age  he  assisted  his 
father  at  ranching  and  in  the  cattle  business  for  some  years,  and  afterward 
became  identified  with  mining  in  the  Tonopah  and  Manhattan  districts.  In 
politics  Mr.  Esser  is  a  Republican,  and  in  1908  he  was  elected  County  Com- 
missioner for  a  four  years'  term.  He  has  also  served  for  four  years  as  City 
Trustee  and  in  1912  was  elected  to  serve  as  School  Trustee  for  a  two-year  term. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Therese  Maute  in  1897.  Their  one  son, 
William  M'aute,  was  born  April  19,  1904. 

HENRY  C.  ELGES,  in  the  Carson  Valley,  is  a  native  of  Germany.  He  was 
born  December  n,  1849.  He  came  to  America  with  his  two  sisters,  going  direct 
to  the  Carson  Valley,  landing  there  June  12,  1874.  He  found  employment  for  one 
year,  then  went  to  Fairview  and  attended  school  for  a  time.  He  then  went  to 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1177 

work  in  a  butcher  shop  in  Carson  and  later  engaged  in  business  in  Carson  and 
Genoa.  In  1878  he  rented  a  ranch  and  was  united  in  marriage,  August  i,  1878, 
to  Louisa  Wolff.  In  1882  he  purchased  the  G.  W.  Walker  ranch  of  two  hundred 
acres  and  has  followed  this  vocation  since  1878.  There  were  seven  children  born 
to  this  union,  of  whom  five  are  dead.  Those  living  are  Henry,  a  rancher  in 
the  Carson  Valley,  and  Amanda,  wife  of  C.  G.  Altman.  In  politics  Mr.  Elges  is 
independent.  He  has  never  held  a  public  office,  but  has  acted  as  school  trustee 
of  his  district.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Alpine  Land  &  Reservoir  Co.,  the 
butter  company,  and  the  mill  at  Minden,  and  of  the  Carson  Valley  Hay  &  Produce 
Company.  The  family  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church. 

JOHN  ADAMS  ROGERS.  It  would  be  difficult  to  name  a  citizen  of  Winne- 
mucca  more  popular  with  his  fellowmen  than  John  Adams  Rogers,  who  is  now 
serving  as  Postmaster.  He  was  born  in  Bucyrus,  Ohio,  October  21,  1855.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  public  schools.  In  1880  he  came  to  Winnemucca, 
where  he  was  identified  with  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  in  the  train  department 
for  a  period  of  eight  years.  He  engaged  in  business  here  for  two  years,  after 
which  he  removed  to  Southern  California  and  later  to  Washington.  While  in 
Los  Angeles  he  associated  with  the  Banning  interests,  and  in  Washington  he 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  line.  Returning  to  Winnemucca  he  engaged  with  the 
railroad  from  1894  to  1907.  He  was  appointed  Postmaster  and  took  office  February. 
I3,  19°7,  a°d  has  since  held  this  office.  Mr.  Rogers  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Lucy  A.  Holstlaw,  a  native  of  Illinois,  in  1879.  Their  one  son,  Charles  A., 
holds  a  prominent  office  in  San  Francisco.  Fraternally  Mr.  Rogers  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Winnemucca. 

CLARENCE  A.  EDDY.  Prominent  among  the  young  attorneys  of  White  Pine 
County  is  Clarence  A.  Eddy.  He  was  born  in  Connecticut,  September  26,  1880. 
He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  graduated  from  the  preparatory 
school  of  the  University  of  Colorado,  after  which  he  took  a  special  law  course 
at  the  University  of  Colorado  in  1902-03.  Mr.  Eddy  was  admitted  to  the  bar  by 
the  Supreme  Court  of  Nevada  in  1906.  He  read  law  in  the  office  of  Hon.  George 
L.  Horine  at  Fairplay,  Colo.,  after  which  he  practiced  his  profession  in  Fairplay 
for  one  year.  He  has  also  served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  of  Alma,  Colo.,  for  one 
year.  January  i,  1906,  he  removed  to  Ely,  and  in  that  fall  was  elected  District 
Attorney  of  White  Pine  County  and  served  during  1907-08.  Mr.  Eddy  taught 
school  in  Colorado  and  Nevada  for  a  time  previous  to  locating  in  Ely.  Politically 
he  is  affiliated  with  the  Democratic  party.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.  and  is  Noble  Grand  of  Cherry  Creek  Lodge,  No.  32.  He  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Adele  Brown,  April  26,  1905. 

ROLLAND  F.  ROY  was  born  in  Virginia  City,  December  22,  1876,  and  edu- 
cated in  the  Virginia  City  public  schools,  and  graduated  in  the  class  of  1896  from 


1 178  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Stanford  University.  He  became  identified  with  the  Union  Iron  Works  of  San 
Francisco  for  five  years ;  and  then  with  the  Nevada  Engineering  Works  since  its 
establishment  in  Reno  in  1902,  in  the  management  of  which  he  has  taken  and 
still  sustains  an  active  interest.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Reno  Commercial  Club 
and  is  an  ardent  enthusiast  for  the  upbuilding  of  the  Greater  Nevada,  to  which 
he  contributes  in  a  large  degree.  At  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  in  1903,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Maud  Woolner,  and  with  their  two  children  have  an  attractive 
home  in  Reno. 

JOHN  C.  DURHAM  was  born  in  Stockton,  Cal.,  October  i,  1882.  He  received 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Stockton,  where  he  graduated  from  high 
school.  He  then  attended  the  University  of  California.  He  became  identified 
with  the  Gwin  Mining  Company  with  headquarters  at  Jackson,  Cal.,  for  eighteen 
months,  after  which  he  became  associated  with  the  Con.  Virginia  Mining  Company 
of  Virginia  City,  which  position  he  held  for  one  year,  occupying  various  depart- 
ments of  importance  and  trust.  He  then  went  with  the  Yellow  Jacket  Mining 
Company,  where  he  continued  for  three  years.  In  1911  he  engaged  in  the  automobile 
and  garage  business  in  Virginia  City,  where  he  continued  until  early  in  1912, 
when  he  removed  to  Reno  and  opened  an  automobile  business.  He  has  the  agency 
for  the  well-known  Reo,  Apperson  and  Premier  automobiles  and  the  Mack  and 
Saurer  auto  trucks.  Mr.  Durham  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Hazel  Dunlop, 
a  daughter  of  J.  C.  Dunlop,  one  of  the  prominent  men  of  Virginia  City,  November, 

1910.  To  this  union  was  born  Hazel,  June  6,  1912. 

WILLIAM  ARTHUR  ROGERS,  Master  Mechanic  of  the  Salt  Lake  Railroad, 
located  at  Las  Vegas.  Was  born  at  Brantford,  Canada,  December  25,  1872.  He 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  that  place.  At  the  age  of  twelve  he  started 
to  learn  his  trade,  which  consumed  over  five  years ;  at  the  same  time  he  attended 
the  mechanical  night  school,  which  was  operated  by  the  Grand  Trunk  Railroad. 
He  removed  to  Battle  Creek,  Michigan,  where  he  was  employed  in  the  mechanical 
department  of  the  Grand  Trunk  road,  and  then  became  connected  with  the  Santa 
Fe  road  for  a  time,  after  which  he  identified  himself  with  the  Salt  Lake  road, 
which  position  he  has  held  for  the  past  eleven  years.  He  was  located  in  Los  An- 
geles and  acted  as  general  foreman,  filling  the  office  of  Master  Mechanic.  January, 

191 1,  he  was  transferred  to  Las  Vegas.     When  the  office  of  Master  Mechanic  was 
created  he  was  placed  in  that  position,  which  he  now  holds.    Mr.  Rogers  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masons,  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  and  the  Yeoman.     He  married 
Miss  Mabel  Wise  of  Urbana,  111.,   November  26,   1896.     Their  one   son,  William 
Edward,  was  born  September  14,  1897. 

CHARLES  L.  DEADY,  widely  and  favorably  known  in  Nevada  as  one  of 
the  representative  men  of  the  State,  was  born  on  a  ranch  near  Woodbridge,  San 
Joaquin  County,  Cal.,  October  14,  1857.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public 
and  private  schools  of  that  county  and  San  Joaquin  Valley  College  at  Wood- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1179 

bridge.  He  assisted  on  the  home  ranch  until  1881,  when  he  removed  to  Nevada 
and  located  in  Belmont,  Nye  County.  Here  he  served  as  principal  of  the  Bel- 
mont  Public  Schools  and  County  Superintendent  of  Schools  until  1886.  He  also 
held  the  position  as  Deputy  County  Assessor  for  ten  years.  In  1891  he  was 
appointed  Deputy  District  Attorney  and  was  elected  to  that  office  in  1892  and 
served  as  such  during  '93-'94.  January,  1895,  he  received  the  appointment  of 
draughtsman  in  the  State  Land  Office  under  the  late  Surveyor  General  A.  C. 
Pratt,  and  was  retained  in  that  position  by  the  late  Surveyor  General  E.  D. 
Kelley  until  1907,  when  he  was  promoted  to  the  deputyship.  When  Gen. 
Kelley  died  in  March,  1908,  he  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Sparks  as  his  successor, 
and  at  the  general  election  in  1908  he  was  elected  to  that  position  by  the  people 
of  the  State,  and  re-elected  in  1910,  which  position  he  now  holds.  Fraternally 
Mr.  Deady  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.,  Eagles  and  the  Woodmen  of  the  World. 
For  several  years  he  has  served  on  the  Board  of  Education  in  Carson,  and  he 
takes  a  great  interest  in  educational  work  generally.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Democrat. 

JOSEPH  ROCHON  was  born  in  Canada,  June  18,  1865.  He  received  a  public 
school  education,  and  removed  to  Wisconsin.  In  1885  he  came  to  Nevada  and 
settled  in  Carson  City,  where  he  became  associated  in  the  hotel  business.  In  1908 
he  purchased  the  Park  Hotel.  He  leased  it  for  four  years,  after  which  he  re- 
modeled it  and  has  since  managed  the  hotel.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat,  and 
in  1910  was  elected  County  Commissioner  of  Ormsby  County.  Mr.  Rochon  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Bessie  Benny,  a  native  of  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  in 
1903.  Their  three  children  are  Joseph,  Mary  and  Dorothy. 

JACOB  RODF.NBAH,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  State  of  Nevada,  was  born 
in  Pennsylvania,  March  30,  1841.  In  1858  Jacob  and  his  father  came  West  and 
settled  in  El  Dorado  County,  Cal.,  coming  by  the  Isthmus  route.  Here  they  re- 
mained for  two  years  and  then  removed  to  Douglas  County,  Nevada,  where  our 
subject  followed  mining  for  some  years.  In  1902  Mr.  Rodenbah  began  ranching 
in  the  upper  end  of  the  valley.  Here  he  has  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Delliah  Carter,  a  native  of  Iowa,  in  1873,  and  six 
children  have  been  born  to  this  union.  One  died  in  infancy.  The  living  are : 
Frank,  who  resides  in  Portland,  Oregon;  Arthur,  who  resides  in  Ohio;  Susan, 
wife  of  B.  Selkirk  of  Gardnerville,  Nevada;  Pearl,  wife  of  Ernest  Tuckey,  resid- 
ing on  the  home  place,  and  Edith,  who  resides  at  home.  In  politics  Mr.  Rodenbah 
is  a  Republican  and  he  has  held  the  office  as  County  Commissioner  for  fourteen 
years. 

HENRY  DUNCAN  was  born  at  Rocklin,  Cal.,  February  13,  1878.  He  is  a  son 
of  Charles  and  Johanna  Duncan,  who  removed  to  Winnemucca  in  1881,  where 
Mr.  Duncan's  father  was  identified  with  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  as  foreman 
of  the  round-house  for  twenty-five  years.  The  parents  now  reside  on  a  farm  in 


ii8o  THE     HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

Lincoln  County,  Cal.  Henry  worked  in  the  train-service  of  the  S.  P.  R.  R.  for 
five  years,  when  he  resigned  and  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  in  Winne- 
mucca,  where  he  is  at  present  prominently  connected  with  its  business  affairs.  Mr. 
Duncan  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lila  Waters  of  Austin,  May  18,  1904.  To 
this  union  were  born  AM'ena,  January  21,  1908,  and  Ardieth,  June  21,  1912.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity  and  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles  of  Winne- 
mucca.  He  has  been  an  important  element  in  school  affairs  of  his  town,  and  has 
been  actively  identified  on  the  board  for  four  years,  and  has  served  Humboidt 
County  as  County  Recorder  for  one  term. 

GEORGE  L.  SANFORD,  District  Attorney  of  Ormsby  County  and  a  prominent 
practicing  attorney  of  Nevada,  was  born  in  Southern  Indiana,  April  5,  1880.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  Georgetown  Law  Schools  of  Washington,  D.  C. 
While  a  correspondent  for  an  Eastern  paper  he  was  sent  to  Carson  City  as  a 
special  representative.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  Indiana  and  Nevada,  and 
was  appointed  District  Attorney  by  a  board  of  the  Democratic  County  Committee 
to  fill  an  unexpired  term  caused  by  the  resignation  of  the  former  District  Attorney. 
In  1910  he  was  elected  by  a  three  to  one  vote  to  fill  the  same  office.  Mr.  Sanford 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Louise  J.  Sweeney  of  Carson  City,  1910.  Their  one 
child,  George,  was  born  November  2,  1911.  Socially  Mr.  Sanford  is  affiliated 
with  the  Masonic,  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  F.  O.  E.  Lodges. 

GEORGE  SOPP  was  born  in  West  Virginia,  May  2,  1877.  He  attended  the 
public  schools  and  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm.  In  1886  he  went  to  Akron, 
Ohio,  and  worked  for  the  B.  F.  Goodrich  Rubber  Company,  Diamond  and  Akron 
Rubber  Companies,  for  several  years.  He  removed  to  Detroit,  Mich.,  and  worked 
for  the  Morgan  &  Wright  Rubber  Company.  He  came  West  in  1910  and  settled 
in  San  Francisco,  where  he  followed  his  trade.  October  15,  1911,  came  to  Reno, 
and  in  January,  1912,  he  organized  the  Reno  Vulcanizing  Works  on  Sierra  street, 
where  he  is  still  located.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Bradshaw,  a  native  of 
Ohio,  January  2,  1900,  who  died  October  29,  1909.  Mr.  Sopp's  two  children  are : 
Celia  George,  born  October  4,  1900;  Ida,  who  died  April  14,  1910. 

FRED  SARMEN,  a  representative  business  man  of  the  Carson  Valley,  was  born 
in  Germany,  February  4,  1877  His  parents  came  to  America  when  he  was  but 
five  years  old  and  located  in  the  Carson  Valley.  His  father,  William,  died  May 
12,  1900,  and  his  mother,  Margueretta,  died  May  8,  1895.  Three  children  were 
born  in  the  family:  Dora,  wife  of  Henry  Frevert,  who  resides  in  the  Valley; 
Louise,  wife  of  Peter  Heitman,  a  rancher;  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Mr. 
Sarmen  assisted  on  his  father's  ranch  until  1895,  after  which  he  went  to  work  as 
helper  in  the  flour  mill,  and  after  two  years  he  served  as  head  miller.  The 
original  builders  and  owners  of  the  Douglas  County  Roller  Mills  were  Heitman  & 
Jensen.  Mr.  Heitman  took  over  his  partner's  interest  and  Mr.  Sarmen  continued 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1181 

to  operate  the  mill  for  Mr.  Heitman  until  1907,  when  Mr.  Sarmen  purchased  his 
employer's  interest  in  the  mill  and  ranch,  consisting  of  three  hundred  and  twenty 
acres.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Marie  Seeman,  a  native  of  Germany, 
Novembjer  29,  1905.  To  this  union  three  children  were  born :  Freida,  Edna  and 
Mabel.  The  family  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church.  Mr.  Sarmen 
has  large  interests  in  the  Carson  Valley,  he  being  a  stockholder  in  the  Douglas 
County  Creamery.  January  i,  1913,,  a  corporation  known  as  the  Douglas  Milling 
and  Power  Company  took  possession  of  the  mill,  and  will  furnish  electric  power 
and  light  for  the  new  mill  and  furnish  power  and  light  for  the  various  interests 
in  the  Valley. 

JOHN  OLIN  SAUNDERS  was  born  March  14,  1883,  a  son  of  Wiltshire  and 
Marguerite  (Williams)  Saunders.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Nova  Scotia,  was 
born  September  13,  1830,  and  died  in  Reno,  1907.  The  Saunders  family  are  of 
English  and  Scotch  extraction.  In  1858  Mr.  Saunders'  father  came  to  the  Coast 
by  the  Isthmus  route.  He  engaged  in  mining  for  some  time,  after  which  he 
worked  at  his  trade  and  built  many  fine  homes  in  Reno.  He  was  also  engaged  in 
the  undertaking  business  in  Reno  for  thirty  years.  Mrs.  Saunders  resides  in 
San  Francisco  with  her  son,  Robert.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  attended  the 
public  schools  of  Reno  and  graduated  from  a  business  collegge  in  Oakland. 
After  finishing  his  business  education  he  engaged  wiith  the  Jackson  Furniture 
Company  as  bookkeeper.  In  1908  he  returned  to  Reno  and  engaged  in  the 
livery  business,  which  he  continued  until  March,  1912.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Republican.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church. 

HENRY  E.  SAVIERS  was  born  in  Missouri  in  1869.  He  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  Denver  public  schools.  At  an  early  age  he  learned  the  decorating  trade 
and  for  twelve  years  carried  on  an  extensive  business  in  Denver.  He  removed  to 
Reno,  where  he  immediately  started  in  the  decorating  and  painting  business.  Mr. 
Saviers  was  an  active  member  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity  in  Denver.  He  is  at 
present  identified  with  the  Masonic,  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  Woodmen  of  the  World.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Venie  Martin  of  Denver  in  1890.  Their  children 
are :  Claud  E.,  born  in  1892,  and  Laverne,  born  in  1894.  Mrs.  Saviers  is  a  member 
of  the  Eastern  Star  and  Women  of  the  Woodcraft. 

HENRY  C.  SCHMIDT,  one  of  the  progressive  and  public-spirited  men  of 
Tonopah,  was  born  in  Germany,  January  20,  1870.  His  early  education  was  ac- 
quired in  his  native  country  and  in  1886  he  came  to  America  and  located  at 
Winnemucca.  He  attended  the  Napa  Business  College  in  Napa,  Cal.,  for  a  time. 
While  in  Winnemucca  he  was  in  the  employ  of  Reinhart  &  Co.  for  a  period  of 
eight  years.  He  afterward  rented  and  managed  the  Bush  Hotel  at  Winnemucca 
for  two  years.  He  removed  to  Alameda,  Cal.,  and  engaged  in  the  general  mer- 
chandise business  and  warehouse  business  with  his  brother  Jacob  for  a  period  of 
four  years,  and  afterward  went  to  San  Francisco,  and  for  ever  three  years  he 
was  connected  with  Levi  Strauss  &  Co.  In  1905  he  removed  to  Tonopah  and  took 


n82  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

the  management  of  E.  Marks  &  Co.'s  store.  Remaining  in  this  position  for  about 
four  years.  November,  1911,  Mr.  Schmidt  and  W.  R.  Williams  took  over  the 
Nye  County  Mercantile  business,  which  is  now  known  as  the  Tonopah  Hardware 
and  Mining  Supply  Company.  He  was  elected  from  Nye  County  to  represent  it 
in  the  State  Legislature  in  1911  for  a  two-year  term.  He  was  elected  to  serve  on 
the  Tonopah  School  Board,  May  6,  1912,  and  is  at  present  Senior  Warden  of 
Tonopah  Lodge,  No.  28,  F.  and  A.  M.  Mr.  Schmidt  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Myrtle  Blanch  Grayson  of  Winnemucca,  March  23,  1898.  Mrs.  Schmidt,  previous 
to  her  marriage,  was  principal  of  the  Lovelock  school.  To  this  union  were  born 
Grayson,  Opal,  Deen  and  Bill.  Mr.  Schmidt  has  served  as  president  of  the 
Tonopah  Promotion  Association  and  is  ex-Exalted  Ruler  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of 
Tonopah. 

DENNIS  J.  FITZGERALD  was  born  at  Poultney,  Vt,  August  5,  1866.  In 
1868  his  parents  removed  to  Northampton,  Mass.,  where  they  still  reside.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Massachusetts.  At  an  early  age 
he  learned  the  barber  trade.  He  removed  to  Nebraska,  where  he  remained  for 
fifteen  years.  He  came  to  Nevada,  locating  in  Tonopah  in  August,  1905.  In 
politics  Mr.  Fitzgerald  is  a  Democrat,  and  was  chosen  by  the  people  of  Nye 
County  in  the  fall  of  1910  to  represent  them  in  the  Assembly.  He  served  as 
secretary  of  the  Democratic  County  Central  Committee  for  two  years,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Tonopah.  He  married  Miss  Ruby  Wilson,  of 
Modesto  County,  Cal.,  February  25,  1907. 

EMERY  L.  FLETCHER.  One  of  the  representative  business  men  of  Ely 
was  born  at  Skowhegan,  Somerset  County,  Maine,  December  13,  1872.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  graduated  from  the  College  of 
Pharmacy  in  Boston,  Mass.  For  two  years  he  worked  as  drug  clerk  in  Sum- 
merville,  Mass.,  and  in  1892  he  removed  to  New  Mexico  and  opened  a  drug 
store  at  Bland.  Here  he  continued  for  a  period  of  two  years,  and  in  1894  he 
went  to  Oakland,  Cal.,  where  he  worked  in  a  drug  store.  Mr.  Fletcher  spent 
seven  months  in  Alaska  and  then  returned  to  Tonopah  and  Goldfield.  He 
took  charge  of  the  assay  office  in  Tonopah  for  the  Tonopah  Mining  Company 
for  three  years  and  had  large  holdings  in  Goldfield  previous  to  the  bonanza 
strike.  All  told  he  had  one  hundred  and  ten  claims  near  Goldfield.  He  spent 
about  seven  years  in  the  two 'camps,  and  in  1909  he  came  to  Ely,  where  he  is 
largely  identified  with  the  mining  interests,  and  is  also  interested  in  the  garage 
business.  Fraternally  Mr.  Fletcher  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  lodge,  being  a 
member  of  the  Blue  Lodge  of  Tonopah  and  the  Consistory  of  Reno  and  the 
B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Tonopah. 

WILLIAM  AUGUSTUS  FOGG,  one  of  the  representative  men  of  Nevada, 
was  born  in  Missouri,  January  30,  1845.  He  was  a  student  at  the  Washington 
University  at  St.  Louis  when  the  Civil  War  broke  out.  He  left  that  institution 
during  the  war  and  became  identified  with  the  St.  Louis  &  Iron  Mountain  R.  R. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1183 

and  served  as  passenger  conductor  on  the  DeSoto  Express  and  in  transporting 
troops  to  the  front  during  the  last  three  years  of  the  Civil  War.  He  went  to 
California  in  1867  and  in  March  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  S.  F.  &  S.  J. 
Railroad,  remaining  in  their  employ  about  three  years.  He  then  became 
engaged  in  the  real  estate  business  in  San  Francisco,  and  later  was  identified 
with  the  U.  S.  Custom  Service.  He  was  promoted  from  time  to  time,  and  held 
the  position  as  weigher,  inspector,  inspector  of  French  and  Chinese  cargoes, 
and  promoted  to  service  in  the  bonded  warehouse  department,  and  was  after- 
wards transferred  to  the  appraiser's  store  as  receiving  and  seizure  clerk.  He 
later  became  employed  in  the  advertising  department  of  the  San  Francisco 
Post,  but  failing  health  caused  him  to  leave  that  position,  and  he  came  to 
Nevada.  Here  he  soon  regained  his  health  and  for  a  number  of  years  he  was 
a  bookkeeper  for  his  brother,  who  was  engaged  in  the  wholesale  and  retail 
butcher  business  in  Reno.  He  was  appointed  to  the  position  of  clerk  of  the 
Nevada  State  Prison  under  Frank  P.  Bell,_and  later  was  deputy  clerk  of 
Washoe  County  under  F.  B.  Porter.  In  September,  1900,  he  was  appointed 
County  Clerk  of  Washoe  County  by  the  County  Commissioners  to  fill  a  vacancy, 
and  the  same  year  was  elected  to  the  office,  which  position  he  now  holds, 
having  been  elected  to  fill  the  office  sever  terms.  Mr.  Fogg  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Emma  Victoria  Gardner,  October  9,  1881.  To  this  union 
were  born  Grace  Gardner  and  Irene  Nevada.  Mr.  Fogg  is  a  member  of  the 
Reno  Lodge,  No.  13,  F.  &  A.  M.;  Reno  Chapter,  No.  7,  R.  A.  M.;  Karak 
Temple,  A.  A.  O.  N,  M.  S.,  and  DqWitt  Clinton  Commandery,  No.  i,  K.  T.; 
Reno  Lodge,  No.  14,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  is  a  Past  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Lodge, 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Nevada,  and  Past  Chief  Ranger  of  Court  Mount  Rose,  No.  3854, 
A.  O.  F. 

THOMAS  L.  FOLEY,  one  of  the  prominent  attorneys  of  Goldfield,  was 
born  October  6,  1859,  at  Medina,  New  York.  He  received  his  education' in 
Illinois,  began  the  study  of  law  at  an  early  age  in  Chicago,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  Bar  in  1884.  He  practiced  law  in  Chicago  and  afterward  in  Iowa.  He 
has  always  enjoyed  a  large  business  in  various  cities  where  he  has  lived  along 
commercial  law  and  general  practice  lines.  In  1906  he  removed  to  Nevada  and 
established  a  law  office  in  Goldfield,  where  he  has  since  resided.  Mr.  Foley 
has  not  taken  any  part  in  politics,  but  devotes  his  entire  time  to  his  profes- 
sion. He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Alice  Amy  Dean,  of  South  Haven, 
Michigan,  September  6,  1906.  Their  three  children  are  Roger,  Mary  and  Alice 
D'Alton.  Socially  Mr.  Foley  is  a  member  of  the  Moose,  and  his  wife  is  active 
in  the  Woman's  Club  of  Goldfield.  He  has  practiced  in  most  of  the  counties 
in  Nevada. 

•GORDON  M.  FRASER,  superintendent  and  traffic  manager  for  the  Copper 
Belt  R.  R.,  was  born  at  Rome,  New  York,  February  2,  1874.  His  parents 
removed  to  Nebraska,  where  he  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools, 


n84  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

after  which  he  clerked  in  his  father's  store.  He  later  took  a  business  course  at 
Lincoln,  Nebraska.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  entered  the  railroad  service  of 
the  Chicago  Northwestern  road  as  call  boy  and  owing  to  his  business  ability 
he  has  held  many  positions  of  trust.  He  was  stationed  at  Norfolk  and  Creston, 
Nebraska,  for  the  Chicago  Northwestern  road  and  later  became  identified  with 
the  Illinois  Central  road  at  Council  Bluffs  as  chief  to  commercial  agent.  He 
was  later  transferred  to  Salt  Lake  City  as  traveling  freight  and  passenger 
agent.  He  removed  to  Mason,  Nevada,  in  September,  1909.  Mr.  Eraser  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  lodge  of  Yerington,  a  member  of  the  County  High 
School  Board  and  the  Mason  School  Board.  He  was  married  to  Miss  May 
S.  Burchmore,  of  Omaha,  Nebraska,  March  27,  1895.  Their  children  are  Lois 
Ruth,  born  December  17,  1895;  Le  Roy  Gordon,  born  April  17,  1899,  and 
Vernita  Burchmore,  born  December  6,  1912. 

WILLIAM  H.  FRAZER,  of  Washoe  County,  was  born  in  New  Hampshire, 
March  28,  1846.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  in  his  native  State, 
and  in  1865  he  left  home  and  went  to  Iowa,  where  he  worked  until  1872,  then 
moved  to  Nevada,  where  he  took  charge  of  his  brother's  stock.  He  also 
worked  for  Mackay  and  Fair.  In  the  spring  of  1876  he  purchased  his  present 
farm,  where  he  has  resided  since.  On  one  portion  of  his  farm  the  Wedekind 
mine  was  discovered,  which  was  afterward  sold  to  Governor  Sparks.  Mr. 
Frazer  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Belle  Anderson,  November  3,  1875,  a 
native  of  Indiana.  To  this  union  were  born  eleven  children,  of  whom  six  are 
living.  Robert  T.  Verne,  wife  of  Louis  G.  Wedekind,  Clare,  Myrtle,  wife  of 
Mr.  Bianchini  of  Sparks,  Gladys  and  Ray.  Mr.  Frazer  is  a  member  of  the 
I.  O.  O.  F.  and  has  passed  all  the  chairs  in  one  branch  of  the  order. 
t 

WILLIAM  FREEMAN  has  the  distinction  of  being  born  in  Mason  Valley, 
Nevada.  His  birth  occurred  August  17,  1889.  He  is  a  son  of  Frank  Nevada 
Freeman,  and  his  parents  came  to  this  State  in  1859,  and  located  for  a  brief 
time  at  Pyramid  Lake.  They  then  went  to  Sierra  Valley,  Cal.,  where  the  father 
of  our  sketch  remained  until  the  age  of  twenty-two,  when  he  removed  to  the 
Mason  Valley  and  took  up  and  bought  land.  William,  our  subject,  attended 
the  public  schools,  after  which  he  worked  at  ranching  and  followed  mining. 
February  i,  1913,  he  and  his  brother  John  engaged  in  the  meat  business  at 
Yerington.  The  other  children  in  the  family  are  Clarence,  Lucretia,  wife  of 
George  Akers,  of  Fresno,  Cal.;  Belle,  wife  of  Charles  Jones,  of  Carson;  she 
died  February  13,  1912. 

HON.  LeROY  N.  FRENCH  was  born  in  the  County  of  Essex,  State  of 
New  York,  on  the  7th  day  of  July,  1874.  His  early  education  was  obtained  in 
private  and  public  schools  of  his  State.  After  finishing  High  School  at  West 
Port-on-Lake  Champlain,  he  served  a  clerkship  in  the  law  office  of  Hand, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1185 

Kellogg  and  Hale  at  Elizabethtown,  New  York,  and  then  entered  Cornell 
University  and  graduated  therefrom  in  June,  1896.  In  September,  1896,  he 
came  "West"  and  practiced  law  in  Utah  for  a  few  years,  during  which  time  he 
was  elected  Prosecuting  Attorney.  From  Utah  he  went  to  the  Philippines  and 
saw  active  service  with  the  regular  army  in  the  field.  Upon  leaving  the  army 
he  was  appointed  a  Prosecuting  Attorney  for  the  Government  at  Manila  and 
held  that  office  for  about  three  years,  when  he  resigned  and  returned  to  the 
United  States.  He  came  to  Goldfield,  Nevada,  in  September,  1905,  and  to 
Churchill  County  in  April,  1906,  where  he  has  since  resided.  On  November  8, 
1910,  he  was  elected  Judge  of  the  Eighth  Judicial  District,  which  office  he  will 
hold  until  January  i,  1915. 

WILLIAM  E.  HAWKINS  was  born  at  Yreka,  Cal.,  April  2,  1863,  and  was 
educated  in  his  town  at  the  public  schools  and  at  an  early  age  he  learned 
the  mercantile  business,  afterward  engaging  in  business  in  Yreka,  which  he 
continued  for  many  years.  March,  1905,  he  removed  to  Las  Vegas,  where  he 
saw  great  possibilities  and  at  once  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  which 
he  still  conducts.  In  politics  Mr.  Hawkins  is  a  Democrat  and  has  been  elected 
chairman  of  the  board  of  commissioners  of  Lincoln  County,  and  when  Clark 
County  was  created  he  was  given  the  same  office,  which  he  held  until  1910. 
He  is  a  Thirty-second  degree  Mason  and  is  a  member  of  the  Red  Men  and 
Eagles.  His  father,  up  to  the  time  of  his  death  in  1908,  was  the  oldest 
member  of  the  Masonic  lodge  in  California.  His  mother  died  in  1904.  His 
parents  crossed  the  Plains  in  1849,  which  took  many  months.  Mr.  Hawkins' 
father  was  a  boat-mate  of  Mark  Twain  in  the  early  days  on  the  Mississippi 
River.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  director  of  the  first  State  Bank  of  Las 
Vegas  and  was  one  of  a  committee  to  draft  the  charter  for  the  town  of  Las 
Vegas.  He  was  a  candidate  for  mayor  at  the  first  election  but  was  defeated. 

HON.  THOMAS  E.  HAYDON  came  to  Nevada  June  10,  1861.  He  was  a 
native  of  Bardstown,  Kentucky,  born  January  25,  1826,  and  he  was  a  descend- 
ant of  an  old  Southern  family.  Mr.  Haydon  had  one  sister,  Mrs.  Margaret 
Queen  of  San  Francisco.  She,  with  her  sons,  are  the  proprietors  of  the  fa- 
mous "Fig  Syrup."  Thomas  E.  Haydon  was  educated  in  St.  Josephs  College, 
Bardstown,  Kentucky,  and  read  law  under  several  attorneys;  was  admitted 
to  the  Bar  in  Kejntucky  in  1849.  In  1850  he  came  to  Nevada  County,  Cali- 
fornia, and  mined  for  a  time  and  later  he  became  proprietor  of  the  Slate 
Creek  House  with  P.  O.  Hundley.  In  1854  he  was  elected  Justice  of  the 
Peace  of  Gibsonville,  Cal.  In  1855  Mr.  Haydon  and  P.  O.  Hundley  formed  a 
law  partnership  in  Plumas  County,  which  continued  until  1861.  Later  that 
same  year  Judge  Haydon  came  to  Carson  City  and  practiced  until  1868,  when 
he  came  to  Reno.  While  residing  in  Carson  City  he  was  District  Attorney  for 
two  and  one-half  years,  and  in  1887  he  was  appointed  United  States  District 
Attorney  by  President  Cleveland  for  the  State  of  Nevada  and  so  continued 


n86  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

until  the  next  administration.  Since  then  he  practiced  in  Reno  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  December  17,  1905.  Mr.  Haydon  married  Miss  Eugenia  Ann 
Story,  a  native  of  Louisiana,  and  eight  children  were  born  to  this  union.  He 
was  largely  interested  in  mining  properties  and  an  extensive  land  owner  near 
Reno. 

DIETRICH  HEIMSOTH  was  born  in  Germany  October  26,  1836,  and  came 
to  the  United  States  in  1873.  For  over  five  years  he  worked  for  H.  F.  Dang- 
berg  and  in  1879  he  bought  and  took  up  three  hundred  acres  of  land,  which  is 
in  the  extreme  upper  end  of  the  valley  in  Alpine  County,  Cal.,  where  he  engages 
in  general  farming,  dairying  and  stock  raising.  For  sixteen  years  he  has 
served  on  the  school  board  and  in  politics  he  votes  the  Democratic  Ticket. 
He  has  also  served  as  County  Supervisor  for  eight  years.  November  22,  1863, 
Mr.  Heimsoth  was  married  in  Germany  to  Margueritta  Allermann.  She  was 
born  January  22,  1837,  and  came  to  this  country  May  25,  1878.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Heimsoth  will  celebrate  their  golden  wedding  on  November  22,  1913,  if  they 
live.  Their  have  been  six  children  born  to  this  union,  of  whom  five  are 
living — Henry,  a  resident  of  Idaho,  who  married  Miss  Renstina  Els  in  1888. 
She  died  April  23,  1903,  and  his  second  marriage  was  to  Miss  Anna  Anthony, 
January  3,  1907;  William,  who  married  Miss  Bessie  Vernon  in  1905.  They 
are  living  in  Baker  City,  Ore.;  Richard,  who  has  studied  at  the  California  Agri- 
cultural School  at  Davis,  now  at  home;  John  and  Marie,  at  home.  The  sub- 
ject of  our  sketch  has  served  as  Agricultural  Correspondent  for  twenty-five 
years  for  the  Government. 

FREDERICK  HEISE.— Great  are  the  changes  that  have  occurred  in  Nev- 
ada since  Frederick  Heise  came  to  this  State.  Pioneer  conditions  existed  in 
the  State  and  lands  were  largely  undeveloped.  His  birth  occurred  in  Ger- 
many, where  he  received  his  education,  and  in  1875  he  came  to  America  alojie, 
remaining  in  Illinois  for  two  years,  when  he  removed  to  the  Carson  Valley 
in  1877.  For  ten  years  he  found  employment  at  ranching  and  then  purchased 
the  Hogrefe  ranch,  consisting  of  320  acres.  Recently  he  has  taken  over  the 
Frevert  ranch  of  600  acres.  In  politics  Mr.  Heise  is  a  Democrat.  He  has 
served  on  the  school  board  in  his  district  for  twelve  years.  Mr.  Heise  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Dora  Neddenriep,  a  native  of  Germany,  February 
26,  1886.  Eight  children  have  blessed  this  union — Claud  Henry,  Christian 
Frederick,  Anna  Freida,  Mary  Dora,  Anne  E.,  Claud  Otto,  Alfred  Siegfried 
and  May  Krimhilda.  The  family  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church 
and  Mr.  Heise  serves  as  secretary  of  the  Church  Trustees.  He  has  served  as 
president  of  the  Farmers'  Bank  of  Carson  Valley  since  its  organization.  He 
is  a  director  and  serves  as  treasurer  of  the  Douglas  County  Creamery  since  it 
was  established,  also  a  stockholder  in  the  Minden  Flour  Milling  Co.,  Minden 
Butter  Mfg.  Co.,  and  the  Alpine  Land  &  Reservoir  Co.  His  record  is  one 
of  which  he  may  be  justly  proud. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1187 

AUGUST  W.  H.  HELBERG.— Numbered  among  the  representative  busi- 
ness men  of  Gardnerville  is  August  W.  H.  Helberg.  He  is  a  native  of  Ger- 
many and  was  born  March  30,  1873.  He  attended  the  public  schools  in  his 
native  land  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  he  came  to  America  and  located  in  this 
State  for  one  year  and  then  removed  to  California,  remaining  there  until  1892, 
when  he  returned  to  Nevada  and  located  at  Gardnerville.  In  1894  he  engaged 
in  business  and  has  since  been  identified  with  the  business  interests  of  the  town. 
Socially  Mr.  Helberg  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  Lodge,  he  being  a  member 
of  the  Douglas  Lodge  No.  12,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  has  been  Past  Master  for  two 
terms.  Two  brothers  of  Mr.  Helberg,  Fritz  and  Wilhelm,  are  prosperous 
ranchers  in  Sonoma  County,  California.  His  sister  Marie  is  the  wife  of 
Dedrich  Tholke.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  served  as  postmaster  at  Gar- 
nerville  from  1905  to  1908,  and  has  also  been  identified  with  the  Wells-Fargo 
Express  Company  as  their  agent  for  eight  years  at  Gardnerville. 


HENRY  HELLWINKLE  is  one  of  the  substantial  ranchers  of  the  upper 
Carson  Valley.  Like  many  others,  he  got  his  start  in  life  by  worlcfng  at 
farming.  He  is  a  native  of  Germany  and  was  born  in  1870.  He  attended 
school  in  the  old  country  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  came  to  America.  He 
located  in  the  Carson  Valley  and  followed  ranching  for  eleven  years.  He 
then  rented  a  farm  for  three  years  and  in  1894  he  purchased  eight  hundred 
acres  in  upper  Carson  Valley.  In  politics  Mr.  Hellwinkle  is  a  Republican. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the 
Carson  Valley  Hay  &  Produce  Co.  and  the  Douglas  County  Creamery. 


CARSTEN  M.  HENNINGSEN  is  numbered  among  the  honored  and  well- 
to-do  agriculturists  in  the  Carson  Valley.  He  was  born  in  Germany  Novem- 
ber 10,  1855.  He  came  to  America  in  1874  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  going  direct 
to  the  Carson  Valley,  where  he  found  employment  for  three  years,  after  which 
he  purchased  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land.  After  three  years  he  dis- 
posed of  his  ranch  and  bought  another  ranch  consisting  of  four  hundred  and 
sixty  acres,  all  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  about  one  and  one-half  miles 
southwest  of  Gardnerville.  Mr.  Henningsen  has  served  as  secretary  of  the 
Douglas  County  Creamery.  He  still  holds  stock  in  the  creamery  and  is  a 
director  in  the  Minden  Flour  Milling  Co.  He  served  for  two  years  as  vice- 
president  of  the  Farmers  Bank  of  Carson  Valley,  and  is  now  president  of  the 
Alpine  Land  and  Reservoir  Co.,  which  office  he  has  held  for  several  years. 
He  is  president  of  the  Douglas  Mining  and  Reduction  Company  and  has  other 
interests  in  the  Valley.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat  and  served  in  the  Assem- 
bly from  Douglas  County  for  one  term,  and  for  sixteen  years  has  been  a 
school  trustee.  Mr.  Henningsen  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Marie  Katrina 
Lampe,  a  native  of  Hanover,  Germany,  in  1882.  To  this  union  were  born 


ii88  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Marie,  wife  of  Chris  Stoffeisen,  of  Minden;  Clarence  W.  and  Carl  H.,  residing 
at  home;  Emma  C.,  a  teacher  in  the  Minden  School,  and  George,  attending  the 
U.  of  N.  The  family  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church. 

KIT  CARSON  IRVINE  was  born  at  Missoula,  Montana,  March  20,  1892, 
and  was  educated  in  the  Montana  public  schools.  He  is  a  son  of  Thomas  H. 
Irvine,  one  of  the  prominent  men  of  Montana,  who  served  as  Sheriff  in  that 
State  for  fourteen  years;  Deputy  Internal  Collector  for  eight  years  and  served 
as  detective  in  the  employ  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad.  He  went  to  Seward, 
Alaska,  with  his  father  and  brothers,  where  he  remained  for  nearly  four  years, 
after  which  he  removed  to  Manhattan,  Nevada,  in  1907.  He  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  the  mercantile  store  of  J.  R.  Harris  and  later  worked  in  Sullivan's 
drug  and  men's  furnishing  store.  In  March,  1912,  he  took  an  interest  in  the 
latter  store.  He  has  a  brother  with  the  Nye  Co.  mercantile  store  of  Manhat- 
tan, and  three  brothers  in  Montana. 

CHARLES  F.  JACKSON  was  born  near  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  1864,  and  re- 
ceived his  education  in  Missouri.  He  learned  telegraphing  and  followed  rail- 
road work  for  eighteen  years.  He  then  engaged  in  mining  in  California  and 
Nevada  for  about  nine  years  and  then  removed  to  Reno  and  entered  the  serv- 
ice of  the  Nevada,  California  &  Oregon  Railroad,  where  he  holds  the  position 
as  storekeeper.  He  is  a  Democrat  and  as  such  served  as  bullion  and  license 
collector  in  Nye  County  for  two  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Tonopah  Lodge 
of  Masons,  the  Reno  Consistory  and  Shrine  in  San  Francisco,  Cal.  He  viTas 
married  to  Miss  Nettie  C.  Smith  of  Petersburg,  111.,  October  22,  1908,  who  is 
a  member  of  the  Eastern  Star. 

CLARK  JAMES  was  born  at  Springfield,  Iowa,  August  25,  1859.  He  at- 
tended the  public  schools  of  Springfield  and  at  an  early  age  he  learned  the 
blacksmith  and  machinist  trade  in  Charles  City,  Iowa.  He  operated  a  black- 
smith shop  at  Townsend,  Montana,  for  four  years,  and  in  1898  he  wtent  to 
Alaska  and  settled  in  Dawson  for  two  years  and  at  Cape  Nome  for  two  years. 
He  came  to  Nevada  in  1903  and  located  in  Tonopah,  where  he  remained  for 
some  time,  and  then  removed  to  Manhattan.  Engaging  in  the  livery  business 
he  started  to  operate  an  automobile  line  between  Tonopah  and  Manhattan 
in  the  spring  of  1912.  Mr.  James  is  a  Republican  and  is  a  member  of  the  B. 
P.  O.  E.  lodge  of  Tonopah.  In  the  spring  of  1897  he  made  a  bicycle  trip  from 
Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  to  Deadwood,  South  Dakota,  which  took  thirty-one  days.  He 
is  the  proprietor  of  the  Baldwin  Stables,  of  Manhattan  and  Blackburn,  in  con- 
nection with  W.  L.  McGregor. 

HON.  GEORGE  FREDERICK  TALBOT,  jurist,  was  born  at  Ledyard,  Con- 
necticut, April  6,  1859.  He  comes  from  Colonial  and  Revolutionary  ancestry  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1189 

English,  Scotch  and  Irish  descent.  His  father  was  Henry  Monroe  Talbot,  and 
his  mother,  who  is  still  living,  was  before  her  marriage  Myra  Ann  Ayer,  daughter 
of  Colonel  George  Ayer.  He  is  a  descendant  of  Captain  James  Stoddard,  who 
fought  in  the  Continental  Army,  and  Captain  John  Williams,  kin  of  Roger  Wil- 
liams, who  was  killed  by  the  British  at  Groton  Heights,  Connecticut,  in  1787.  He  is 
also  a  descendant  of  Captain  Jared  Talbot,  the  Indian  fighter  in  Plymouth  Colony 
more  than  a  century  before  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  the  ancestor  of 
Captain  Silas  Talbot,  who  at  one  time  commanded  the  Constitution.  When  a 
few  years  of  age  he  was  brought  by  his  mother  by  way  of  Panama  to  California, 
his  father  having  come  previously  to  that  State  overland.  When  nine  years  of  age 
he  went  with  his  father  and  others  by  wagons  from  California  to  Elko  County. 
Nevada,  while  the  Indians  were  yet  hostile,  and  before  the  connection  of  the  Cen- 
tral Pacific  and  Union  Pacific  in  1869.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools 
of  California  in  1868,  in  a  log  school  house  in  Nevada  in  1869,  1870  and  1871, 
and  in  Connecticut  from  1872  to  1875.  When  sixteen  years  of  age  he  went  into 
the  world  for  himself,  and  worked  upon  farms  in  Connecticut  and  Nevada  to  earn 
money  with  which  to  complete  his  education.  From  1875  until  1879  he  pursued 
special  courses  of  study  in  higher  mathematics,  physics,  Latin,  political  economy 
and  science  of  government  at  Dickinson  Seminary,  Williamsport,  Pennsylvania. 
Later  he  read  Blackstone's  and  Kent's  Commentaries  by  himself  and  pursued  his 
legal  studies  at  Elko,  Nevada,  with  Hon.  R.  R.  Bigelow,  who  was  later  Chief 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Nevada.  He  was  admitted  to  all  the  courts  of 
the  State  and  began  the  practice  of  law  in  1881.  He  was  successful  from  the 
beginning  and  soon  had  a  large  clientele.  He  was  elected  District  Attorney  of 
Elko  County  in  1884  and  re-elected  ifi  1886,  and  was  not  a  candidate  in  1888. 
While  District  Attorney  he  worked  hard  for  economy  and  purification  of  the 
county  government.  In  1890  he  was  urged  forward  by  friends  and  was  elected  by 
the  State  at  large  as  one  of  the  four  District  Judges.  Division  into  districts 
having  been  made,  he  was  in  1894  elected  Judge  of  the  Fourth  Judicial  District, 
comprising  the  eastern  tier  of  counties,  and  re-elected  without  opposition  in  1898. 
He  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Nevada  in  1902  for  a  term  of 
six  years,  and  re-elected  in  1908.  Under  the  Constitution,  by  reason  of  being  the 
senior  Justice  in  commission,  he  was  Chief  Justice  during  the  years  1907  and 
1908,  and  will  become  Chief  Justice  again  during  the  years  1913  and  1914.  He  is 
a  close  student  of  the  law  and  of  public  affairs  and  takes  a  deep  interest  in 
matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  the  people.  For  some  years  he  has  been  the 
president  of  the  Nevada  Historical  Society.  His  decisions  are  marked  by  close 
analysis,  clearness,  justice  and  impartiality.  Notable  among  his  opinions,  sustained 
by  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  is  the  one  in  the  Boyce  case,  upholding 
an  act  of  the  Legislature  providing  for  an  eight-hour  day  for  men  laboring  in 
mines,  smelters  and  ore-reduction  works,  and  the  one  in  Nash  v.  McNamara, 
involving  the  construction  of  Federal  statutes  relating  to  the  right  of  re-location 
of  mineral  lands  upon  the  public  domain,  in  which  he  declined  to  follow  the  rule 
laid  down  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  in  Lavignino  v.  Uhlig,  and 


1 190  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

pointed  out  the  reasons  which  made  the  decision  in  that  case  unsatisfactory  under 
legal  principles  and  the  language  of  the  act  of  Congress.  Later  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  United  States,  in  the  case  of  Farrell  v.  Lockhart,  modified  its  views  and 
changed  the  rule  it  had  previously  stated  in  the  Uhlig  case  to  conform  to  the  one 
announced  by  Judge  Talbot  when  as  Chief  Justice  he  wrote  the  decision  in  Nash  v. 
McNamara. 


HON.  GEORGE  B.  THATCHER,  Attorney-General  of  Nevada,  has  risen  to  a 
high  place  in  the  ranks  of  the  legal  profession  and  is  numbered  among  the 
prominent  attorneys  of  the  State.  He  was  born  in  Aspen,  Colorado,  in  1882.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  University  of  Colorado  Lavr 
School  at  Boulder,  graduating  from  the  latter  in  1904  with  the  degree  of  L.  L.  B. 
He  is  a  son  of  George  W.  Thatcher,  one  of  the  prominent  men  on  the  Comstock 
during  the  early  days.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a  member  of  the  law  firm 
of  Bartlett  &  Thatcher  of  Tonopah  until  he  was  appointed  Attorney-General  by 
Lieutenant-Governor  Ross.  Mr.  Thatcher  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Essie 
M.  Carr  of  Denver,  Colorado,  January  16,  1906.  To  this  union  have  been  born 
John  Pemberton  Lee,  born  November  25,  1906,  and  Ruth  Clark,  born  August  15, 
1908.  Fraternally  Mr.  Thatcher  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Tonopah, 
Knights  of  Pythias  and  is  Past  Exalted  Ruler  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Tonopah 
Lodge.  He  is  numbered  among  the  valued  men  of  his  adopted  State.  He  is 
affiliated  with  the  Democratic  party. 


WHITMAN  SYMMES.  The  history  of  a  community  is  best  told  in  the  lives 
of  its  citizens,  and  when  these  citizens  are  men  of  forceful  character,  progressive 
and  public-spirited,  giving  of  the  best  of  their  lives  not  alone  to  the  upbuilding  of 
their  own  fortunes  and  to  the  furthering  of  their  own  personal  interests,  but  to 
the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  enterprises  calculated  to  advance  the  general 
welfare  of  those  about  them,  then  indeed  is  such  a  career  worthy  of  a  place  in 
the  highest  category  of  citizenship.  The  subject  of  this  sketch,  Whitman  Symmes, 
was  born  in  San  Francisco,  California,  October  29,  1873.  He  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools,  University  of  California  and  Harvard  University, 
graduating  from  the  latter  with  the  degree  of  A.  B.  He  engaged  as  mining 
engineer  and  was  identified  throughout  California,  British  Columbia  and  Alaska, 
where  he  examined  various  properties  for  the  companies  he  represented.  Mr. 
Symmes  took  a  number  of  Western  miners  to  the  Philippines,  where  he  had 
charge  of  the  harbor  construction,  and  was  in  charge  for  two  years,  when 
he  resigned,  owing  to  his  health,  and  returned  to  California.  He  had  charge  of 
the  construction  of  the  breakwater  at  Manila,  which  was  a  three  million-dollar 
contract,  and  he  commenced  the  coaling  station  at  Cavite,  P.  I.  In  1903  he  took 
the  management  of  the  dynamite  works  at  Isabell,  Cal.,  which  was  later  taken  over 
by  the  Du  Pont  Powder  Company.  He  then  became  interested  in  dredging  at 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1191 

Oroville  and  was  interested  in  other  mining  ventures  in  this  country  and  Alaska. 
In  1909  he  removed  to  Virginia  City,  where  he  took  charge  of  the  Mexican 
mine  and  later  the  Ward  shaft,  Union  and  Sierra  Nevada  mines.  He  erected  the 
new  Mexican  mill  and  opened  up  the  Monte  Cristo  and  made  it  a  producer.  Mr. 
Symmes  now  has  the  superintendency  of  the  Mexican,  Union  and  Savage  prop- 
erties and  has  charge  of  the  Monte  Cristo  and  the  North  Carson  mine.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Republican  and  served  on  the  Republican  County  Central  Com- 
mittee in  1912.  Mr.  Symmes  has  been  known  throughout  Nevada  and  the 
Pacific  Coast  largely  because  of  his  continuous  opposition  to  the  stock  brokers' 
methods  of  controlling  the  Comstock  mines. 

JUDGE  ERROLL  JAMES  LIVINGSTON  TABER  of  Elko,  who  has  served 
as  District  Judge  of  the  Fourth  Judicial  District  since  1910,  is  one  of  the  eminent 
members  of  the  Nevada  Bar.  He  was  born  at  Austin,  November  29,  1877.  He 
received  his  early  educational  training  in  the  public  schools  of  Elka,  where  he 
moved  with  his  family  in  1884.  He  later  attended  the  Lincoln  Grammar  School  in 
San  Francisco,  graduating  in  1893,  and  the  Lowell  High  School,  San  Francisco, 
in  1896.  He  then  attended  the  Santa  Clara  College  at  Santa  Clara,  Cal.,  from  1896 
to  1898,  and  the  St.  Paul  Seminary,  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  1898-1900,  after  which  he  took 
up  his  law  studies  at  the  Columbia  University  School  of  Law  in  New  York  City 
from  1901  to  1904.  graduating  in  1904  with  the  degree  of  LL.  B.  He  returned  to 
Nevada,  where  he  pursued  his  studies  in  the  law  office  of  his  step-father,  Judge  E. 
S.  Farrington,  at  Elko,  in  1904.  Judge  Taber  was  elected  District  Attorney  of  Elko 
County  and  served  from  1908  to  1910,  when  he  was  elected  Di&trict  Judge  of  the 
Fourth  Judicial  District.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Frances  M.  Smiley, 
December  27,  1904.  Their  three  children  are :  William  F.,  born  September  30, 
1905;  Wallace  E.,  born  March  20,  1907;  F.  Dorothy,  born  July  9,  1911. 

HON.  CLAY  TALLMAN  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Ionia  County,  Mich.,  1874. 
He  attended  the  public  and  high  schools,  graduating  from  the  latter  at  Belding, 
Mich,  in  1891.  He  taught  school  during  the  year  1902  and  entered  the  Michigan 
Agricultural  College,  graduating  in  1895  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science. 
1895-98  he  was  principal  of  high  school  in  Michigan.  In  1898  he  went  to 
Colorado  and  entered  the  State  University  at  Boulder  as  graduate  student  in 
history  of  economics,  and  took  first  year  of  law.  In  1809-1902  he  again  entered 
public  school  work  as  Superintendent  of  Schools,  and  in  1902  became  interested 
in  water  storage  projects  in  Southern  Colorado.  He  entered  the  Law  Department 
of  the  U.  of  M.  in  1902  and  1903  he  passed  the  Colorado  Bar  examination.  In 
1004  he  went  to  Pecos  Valley,  New  Mexico,  where  he  was  identified  with  land 
and  irrigation  projects  for  nearly  a  year.  In  the  spring  of  1905  he  removed  to 
Bullfrog  and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law,  where  he  remained  until  June,  1912. 
In  1908  he  was  elected  State  Senator  from  Nye  County,  and  during  the  first 
session  (1909)  was  chairman  of  the  Senate  Judiciary  Committee.  Introduced 


1 192  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

banking  law  of  1909.  Was  chairman  of  joint  committee  of  Senate  and  Assembly 
for  investigation  of  University.  Wrote  recall  and  initiative  amendments  to  the 
Constitution  in  form  adopted.  During  second  session  (1911),  president  pro  tern, 
of  the  Senate  and  chairman  of  the  Judiciary  Committee;  also  chairman  of  joint 
committee  for  investigation  of  new  State  Prison.  Introduced  Corrupt  Practices 
Act.  Wrote  1911  amendments  to  primary  election  law,  and  jointly  with  Assembly- 
man Schmidt,  sponsor  for  creation  of  Public  Utilities  Commission.  In  1910  was 
chairman  Democratic  State  convention,  and  chairman  Democratic  State  Cen- 
tral Committee.  In  1912  was  temporary  chairman  Democratic  State  convention ; 
1912,  Democratic  candidate  for  Congress  without  opposition  in  the  primaries; 
beaten  in  general  election  by  sixty-nine  votes ;  1912,  member  of  State  Economy 
and  Taxation  Committee  appointed  by  Senator  Newlands,  Senator  Massey,  Gov- 
ernor Oddie  and  Lieutenant-Governor  Ross ;  1913,  practicing  law  at  Tonopah, 
Nevada.  One  of  the  four  men  recommended  by  Senators  from  public  land  States 
for  Secretary  of  the  Interior. 

CLEMENT  LAUREL  JAMES,  one  of  Nevada's  most  prominent  business 
men,  is  a  native  of  Monroe  County,  111.,  his  birth  having  occurred  May  23, 
1863.  His  father,  Bennett  James,  crossed  the  Plains  to  California  in  1853, 
where  he  remained  for  some  years,  returning  to  his  native  State  in  1858  via 
Panama  route.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Emily  Bamber.  In  1868  the  parents 
of  Mr.  James  again  had  the  foresight  to  recognize  the  possibilities  of  the 
great  West  and  he  and  his  wife  made  the  trip  to  the  Golden  State;  this  time 
by  the  Isthmus  route.  On  reaching  California  they  settled  in  the  Napa  Valley, 
where  he  became  an  extensive  fruit  grower  and  was  numbered  among  the  rep- 
resentative men  of  his  locality.  His  death  occurred  November  30,  1884.  Mr. 
James'  mother  resides  in  San  Francisco  with  her  daughters.  Mr.  James  ac- 
quired his  education  in  Oak  Mound  Private  School  at  Napa,  Cal.,  and  at  St. 
Mary's  College  of  San  Francisco.  After  graduating,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
two,  he  engaged  in  the  hardware  business  under  the  firm  name  of  James  & 
Son,  and  continued  for  twelve  years.  He  then  removed  to  Texas,  where  he 
engaged  in  the  cattle  business  for  a  period  of  five  years.  In  1903  Mr.  James 
came  to  Reno  and  purchased  an  interest  in  the  Nevada  Hardware  &  Supply 
Co.,  and  in  1907  the  company  erected  the  present  commodious  building  on 
Sierra  street.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat,  but  has  never  aspired  to  office. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Reno.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Mae  Stockman,  a  native  of  Suisun,  Cal.,  July  9,  1900.  To  this  union  was 
born  one  daughter,  Eleanor  Emily.  Mr.  James  is  a  gentleman  of  much  natural 
and  acquired  ability  and  has  a  very  wide  circle  of  acquaintances  in  the  State  of 
his  adoption. 

HANS  CHRISTIAN  JEPSON,  one  of  the  well-known  and  efficient  county 
officers  of  Douglas  County,  is  a  native  of  Germany.  He  was  born  February 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1193 

22,  1866.  He  acquired  his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native 
land  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  came  to  America  and  located  in  the  Carson 
Valley.  He  took  a  college  course  in  Sacramento,  graduating  in  1888.  He 
filled  a  clerical  position  for  the  Wells  Fargo  &  Co.,  for  four  years.  In  1900 
he  was  elected  County  Clerk  and  Treasurer  of  Douglas  County,  which  position 
he  has  since  held.  In  politics  Mr.  Jepson  is  a  Republican.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Mattie  Deeding,  a  native  of  California,  in  the  fall  of  1900. 
To  this  union  were  born  Earl,  Ralph,  Lola,  Frederick,  Hans,  John  and  Mildred^ 
Fraternally  Mr.  Jepson  has  been  identified  with  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  since 
1889. 

ARENDT  JENSEN. — Prominent  among  the  energetic,  far-seeing  and  suc- 
cessful business  men  of  Nevada  is  Arendt  Jensen.  His  life  history  most  hap- 
pily illustrates  what  may  be  attained  by  faithful  continued  efforts  in  carrying 
out  an  honest  purpose.  Integrity,  activity  and  energy  have  been  the  crown- 
ing points  of  his  success.  He  came  to  Nevada,  locating  in  Gardnerville  in 
1887,  and  has  been  engaged  in  the  general  merchandise  business  almost  con- 
tinually ever  since.  Mr.  Jensen  was  born  in  Denmark,  February  14,  1859.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  land  and  at  the  age 
of  fourteen  he  started  to  learn  the  carpenter  trade,  which  he  followed  until 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  when  he  came  to  America  and  located  in  Litchfield 
County,  Conn.,  where  he  remained  for  six  months.  He  then  removed  to 
Nebraska  and  later  to  Placer  County,  Cal.,  where  he  stayed  one  year.  He 
then  went  to  Trinity  County  and  engaged  in  the  cattle  business  for  six  years. 
In  1897  he  removed  to  Gardnerville,  when  there  were  but  two  houses  in  the 
town.  He  engaged  in  business  and  has  been  closely  identified  in  mercantile 
lines  almost  continuously  until  1910,  when  he  retired.  Mr.  Jensen  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Lena  Norgaard,  a  native  of  Denmark,  in  1882.  Three 
children  have  blessed  this  union — Harry  L.,  died  January  15,  1913 ;  Russell  and 
Arendt.  Mr.  Jensen  is  active  in  Masonic  circles,  he  being  a  member  of 
Douglas  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  is  president  of  the  Douglas  County  Farmers 
Bank  and  a  stockholder  in  the  Douglas  County  Creamery.  After  he  retired 
from  active  business  he  erected  an  imposing  residence  in  Gardnerville,  one  of 
the  finest  in  Nevada. 


DAVID  R.  JONES  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  oldest  pioneer  now 
living  in  Nevada.  He  was  born  in  Wales  in  1830.  When  quite  young  his 
parents  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Wisconsin.  In  1853  Mr.  Jones  came 
to  Nevada  accompanied  by  Wm.  T.  Williams  and  family,  who  were  natives 
of  Pennsylvania  and  who  were  numbered  among  the  prominent  families  of 
that  State.  Mr.  Jones  made  his  home  in  what  is  now  Douglas  County.  Here 
he  has  lived  the  life  of  a  pioneer,  enduring  all  the  hardships  imaginable  with 
courage  and  giving  to  the  community  the  example  of  a  highly  moral  and 


1 194  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

strictly  honest  man,  one  of  the  "Salt  of  the  Earth."  He  has  been  very  promi- 
nent in  religious  matters  for  many  years,  being  the  reorganized  leader  in  the 
doctrines  of  the  Church  of  the  Latter  Day  Saints.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Frances  Angeline  Williams  in  1857.  Mrs.  Jones  was  a  daughter  of  Wm.  T. 
Williams,  whom  Mr.  Jones  accompanied  to  this  State.  To  this  union  were 
born  ten  children,  of  whom  seven  are  now  living.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
did  the  first  plowing  in  Nevada  with  an  ox  team  in  what  is  now  Genoa  and 
hauled  hay  and  grain  to  Virginia  City  in  the  early  days.  He  is  now  in  his 
eighty-third  year.  His  wife  died  in  January,  1909.  During  the  fiftieth  anni- 
versary celebration  of  the  State  of  Nevada,  held  in  Reno,  Mr.  Jones  was 
presented  with  a  handsome  silver  loving  cup,  he  being  the  oldest  pioneer  liv- 
ing in  Nevada. 

ALBERT  J.  JOHNSON,  Postmaster  at  Fallen,  was  born  May  25,  1887,  at 
Blanchard,  North  Dakota.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  school  of  Duluth, 
Minn.,  and  afterward  took  a  course  in  business  college.  After  leaving  school 
he  became  identified  with  the  Steel  Corporation  at  Duluth  for  four  years.  In 
the  fall  of  1909  Mr.  Johnson  came  to  Nevada  in  the  interest  of  his  father  in 
looking  up  agricultural  lands  and  located  at  Fallon.  His  brother,  James  W.,  is 
also  a  resident  of  Fallon  and  has  taken  the  management  of  a  325-acre  ranch 
near  the  city.  For  two  years  Albert  J.  was  identified  with  ranching  and  in 
January  22,  1912,  he  was  appointed  postmaster  at  Fallon,  Nevada,  taking  office 
March  I,  1912.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Minnie  Eaton  of  Virginia, 
Minn.,  November  15,  1911. 

GEORGE  S.  JOHNSON  was  born  in  Chicago,  October  i,  1882.  He  ac- 
quired his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Chicago  and  at  an  early  age 
started  on  a  business  career,  going  to  Cleveland,  Ohio.  He  became  associated 
with  one  of  the  large  manufacturing  concerns,  which  necessitated  traveling 
extensively.  In  1905  he  went  to  Seattle  and  associated  himself  with  the 
Seattle  Brewing  and  Malting  Company  for  two  years,  when  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  Reno,  and  December,  1907,  he  assumed  the  office  management  and 
secretaryship  to  the  manager.  In  politics  Mr.  Johnson  is  a  Republican.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Eagles  lodge  and  has  acted  as  pianist  for  over  four  years. 
His  father  died  in  Reno  February  12,  1911.  Mr.  Johnson's  mother  makes  her 
home  in  Reno.  Our  subject  has  achieved  success  as  a  composer  of  music. 

WILLIAM  S.  JOHNSON  was  born  at  Genoa,  Douglass  County,  May  23, 
1861.  His  father  crossed  the  Plains  in  1853  from  Illinois  to  Genoa,  where  he 
remained  for  a  time  and  then  continued  his  journey  to  California,  where  he 
became  identified  in  mining  for  seven  years.  In  1860  he  returned  to  Genoa, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  in  that  town  and  has  since  re- 
sided there.  He  is  one  of  the  oldest  merchants  in  Nevada  and  retired  in  1908. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1195 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  married  in  San  Mateo,  Cal.,  and  three  children 
were  born  to  this  union,  Nellie,  wife  of  W.  H.  Yates  of  Springfield,  111., 
a  cousin  to  Richard  Yates,  ex-Governor  of  Illinois.  Lottie,  wife  of  Joseph 
Wolf,  of  Peoria,  111.,  and  William  S.,  of  Manhattan,  Nevada.  William  S.  was 
educated  at  the  Golden  Gate  Academy  of  Oakland,  Cal.,  and  afterward 
took  a  course  in  Healds'  Business  College  of  San  Francisco.  He  worked  in 
San  Francisco  for  one  year  for  Cluff  and  DeWitt  and  then  with  the  Western 
Union  Telegraph  Company.  He  spent  one  year  in  Reno  and  then  went  to 
New  Mexico  and  worked  as  a  surveyor.  He  engaged  in  the  wholesale  cigar 
business  and  spent  five  years  on  the  road.  From  1901  to  1905  he  engaged 
with  his  father  in  business,  after  which  he  removed  to  Manhattan,  Nevada.  He 
was  appointed  postmaster  in  1907,  which  office  he  still  holds.  October  28, 
1911,  the  Postal  Savings  Bank  was  established  and  has  been  successful  from 
the  start.  Mr.  Johnson  was  married  to  Miss  Ora  Crow  of  California  December 
3,  1899.  He  is  president  of  the  Manhattan  Earl  Mining  Company  of  Man- 
hattan and  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Reno. 


WILLIAM  DANGBERG  is  one  of  the  successful  farmers  of  the  Carson 
Valley,  having  resided  in  the  valley  from  1877.  He  comes  from  German  ances- 
try and  was  born  in  that  county  June  30,  1851.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schoools  of  his  native  land,  where  he  was  reared.  In  1877  he  came  to 
America  and  direct  to  the  Carson  Valley.  Here  he  found  employment  for  a 
time  and  later  became  interested  in  various  projects  and  was  one  of  the  organ- 
izers and  directors  for  many  years  of  the  Douglas  County  Creamery.  Mr. 
Dangberg  has  been  active  in  the  Democratic  ranks,  and  he  has  served  on  the 
Mindcn  school  board.  He  married  Johanna  Friedericka  Dangberg,  a  native  of 
Germany,  who  came  to  this  country  via  the  Panama  route,  landing  in  San 
Francisco,  then  she  went  to  Stockton  and  came  overland,  crossing  the  Sierra 
Mountains  on  Christmas  Day  in  1859.  Mr.  Dangberg  is  a  stockholder  in  the 
Farmers'  Bank  of  Carson  Valley;  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Minden 
Butter  Mfg.  Co.,  and  laid  the  corner-stone.  He  has  been  one  of  the  successful 
agriculturists,  having  had  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  highly  cultivated 
land  which  he  sold  in  1906.  He  has  since  led  a  retired  life. 

FRED  P.  DANN,  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  Reno,  was  born  at  San 
Leandro,  Cal.,  July  16,  1865,  and  was  educated  at  the  public  schools.  At  an 
early  age  he  became  interested  in  mining  in  California  and  followed  that  voca- 
tion for  some  time.  He  removed  to  Reno,  Nevada,  in  1896  and  opened  the 
Riverside  Studio,  near  the  rive?,  in  1903,  later  he  moved  to  larger  and  more 
commodious  quarters,  204  Virginia  street.  He  has  taken  an  active  part  in  the 
organization  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  Moose  of  Reno,  and  is  Past  Exalted  Ruler 
of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  Past  Dictator  of  the  Moose,  also  Chancellor  of  Amity 
Lodge  No.  8,  K.  of  P.,  Vice  and  Grand  Chancellor  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the 


1 196  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

domain  of  Nevada,  Grand  Representative  of  Reno  Lodge  No.  597,  B.  P.  O.  E.,  and 
a  member  of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World.  Mr.  Dann  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Margaret  Skinner,  of  Reno,  in  1902.  Mrs.  Dann  is  active  in  the  church  and  social 
life  of  Reno  and  is  a  member  of  the  Ladies  of  the  Maccabees  and  has  served  as 
Grand  Chief  of  the  Pythian  Sisters,  and  a  member  of  the  Congregational  Church. 

JOHN  W.  DAVEY,  the  efficient  executive  clerk  and  note  teller  of  the  Nixon 
National  Bank  of  Reno,  was  born  August  16,  1899,  at  Grass  Valley,  Cal.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  California,  worked  in  the  law 
office  of  Tyrrell  &  Burpee  for  a  time,  and  removed  to  Reno,  December  6,  1906, 
when  he  took  a  position  with  the  Nixon  National  Bank  as  stenographer.  He 
was  appointed  assistant  secretary  of  the  Nevada  Bankers'  Association  October 
30,  1909,  and  again  in  1910.  He  was  elected  secretary  in  1911  and  in  1912  he 
was  re-elected. 

WILLIAM  M.  DAVID,  chief  clerk  at  the  U.  S.  Mint  at  Carson  City,  was 
born  May  2,  1874,  at  Carson  City.  At  an  early  age  he  acquired  the  printing 
trade,  which  vocation  he  followed  for  several  years.  He  was  appointed  chief 
clerk  at  the  U.  S.  Mint  July  i,  1903,  which  position  he  still  holds.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  Scottish  Rite  Mason  and  at  present  occupies  the 
chair  of  Deputy  Grand  Master,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Nevada.  He  served  six  months 
in  the  Second  U.  S.  Cavalry,  which  was  known  as  Torrey's  Rough  Riders.  Mr. 
David  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Florence  R.  Hall,  of  Carson  City, 
October,  1909. 

ELTON  NATHANIEL  WILSEY  DAVIS,  D.D.S.,  was  born  at  Petaluma, 
Cal.,  October  4,  1878.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  at 
Petaluma,  high  school  of  Yreka,  Cal.,  graduating  from  the  latter  in  1896.  He 
attended  the  University  of  California,  and  graduated  from  the  dental  depart- 
ment May,  1902.  Dr.  Davis  then  removed  to  Tonopah,  where  he  engaged  in 
practicing  his  profession.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Delta  Sigma  Delta,  dental 
fraternity  of  the  University  of  California.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Heloise  Williams  of  San  Francisco,  October  2,  1907,  a  daughter  of  Henry  F. 
Williams,  who,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one,  came  to  California  via  the  Isthmus 
route,  and  when  gold  was  discovered  in  California,  was  one  of  the  first  to  land 
in  San  Francisco.  Dr.  Davis  is  a  son  of  A.  G.  W.  and  Ida  May  (Wilsey) 
Davis,  and  is  now  serving  his  second  term  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Dental 
Examiners  of  the  State  of  Nevada. 

HON.  GEORGE  SUMNER  GREEN,  one  of  the  prominent  attorneys  of  Nevada, 
was  born  at  Sweetwater,  Esmeralda  County,  March  9,  1874.  He  is  a  son  of 
George  Augustus  and  Sarah  (White)  Green.  His  father  is  a  native  of  New 
Hampshire  and  his  mother  was  a  native  of  Missouri.  She  was  summoned  into 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1197 

eternal  rest  in  1900.  The  father  of  our  subject  came  to  the  Coast  via  the  Isthmus 
route  and  located  in  Nevada  in  April,  1861.  He  was  appointed  by  Governor  Nye 
and  served  two  terms  as  chairman  of  County  Commissioners  in  1862.  George 
Sumner  Green  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Fletcher,  the  pre- 
paratory school  at  Palo  Alto,  and  Stanford  University.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
Bar  in  California  in  May,  1896,  and  the  following  year  he  was  admitted  to  the 
Bar  in  Nevada  by  the  Supreme  Court.  In  November,  1896,  he  was  elected 
District  Attorney  of  Esmeralda  County  and  served  four  consecutive  terms,  after 
which  he  went  in  private  practice  with  J.  C.  Campbell,  W.  H.  Metson  and  Hugh 
H.  Brown,  under  the  firm  name  of  Campbell,  Metson,  Brown  &  Green,  with  offices 
in  Goldfield,  Tonopah,  Rhyolite  and  San  Francisco.  June  i,  1908,  Mr.  Green 
engaged  in  the  law  business  with  Judge  C.  E.  Mack  of  Reno,  maintaining  law 
offices  in  Reno  and  Virginia  City.  Mr.  Green  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Emma  Nevada  Marks,  a  native  of  Virginia  City,  June,  1903.  Their  one  son, 
George  Sumner,  Jr.,  was  born  December  18,  1906.  Fraternally  Mr.  Green  is  a 
member  of  the  K.  of  P.,  Odd  Fellows,  B.  P.  O.  E.,  Maccabees,  the  D.  O.  K-, 
and  the  Reno  Commercial  Club.  There  were  six  children  born  in  the  parents' 
family:  Leslie  Albert  Lee,  a  resident  of  Fletcher,  Nev. ;  Edwin  E.,  of  Bishop, 
Cal. ;  Nettie  D.,  wife  of  Harry  Lewis  of  Wichman,  Nev. ;  Minnie,  wife  of  T.  E. 
O'Brien  of  Berkeley,  Cal. ;  and  Mary  Eleanor,  wife  of  Charles  J.  Jones  of 
Berkeley,  Cal.;  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

JOHN  GREGOVICH  (deceased).  The  history  of  a  community  is  best  fold  in 
the  lives  of  its  citizens,  and  when  these  citizens  are  men  of  forceful  character, 
progressive  and  public-spirited,  giving  of  the  best  in  their  lives  not  alone  to  the 
upbuilding  of  their  own  fortunes  and  in  furthering  their  own  personal  interests, 
but  to  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  enterprises  and  conditions  calculated 
to  advance  the  general  welfare  of  those  about  them,  then  indeed  is  such  a  career 
worthy  of  a  place  in  the  highest  category  of  Citizenship.  With  such  high  ideals 
ha?  the  name  of  Gregovich  ever  been  synonomous  in  this  State.  John  Gregovich, 
a  pioneer  of  Nevada,  came  to  this  State  in  1872.  He  was  a  native  of  Castellastoa, 
Austria,  and  was  born  February  3,  1847.  He  came  to  America,  crossed  the 
Isthmus  and  came  to  California,  joining  the  gold-seekers  to  Nevada.  He  first 
located  at  Tybo,  Nye  County,  where  he  engaged  in  mining  and  had  the  distinction 
of  putting  the  first  ore  in  the  bind  at  the  old  Tybo  smelter,  a  company  that  later 
produced  millions  of  dollars.  In  1884  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  in 
Eureka  and  shortly  afterwards  was  elected  County  Commissioner,  serving  two 
terms.  He  was  then  elected  to  the  office  of  County  Treasurer.  In 
1895  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate  and  served  as  Senator  from 
Eureka  County  during  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  sessions.  When  Tonopah 
was  started  he  disposed  of  his  holdings  and  removed  to  this  camp  and  became 
identified  in  the  mercantile  business.  He  was  one  of  the  prominent  men  who 
played  an  important  part  in  this  and  other  mining  camps  in  Nevada,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  May  14,  1912,  was  held  in  the  highest  esteem 


1 198  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

by  all  who  knew  him.  Mr.  Gregovich  was  united  in  marriage  to  Emma  Guilloz 
in  1880.  Their  three  children  are:  Jennie,  born  July  26,  1881,  wife  of  Frank 
Qirieux;  he  died  March  30,  1907;  Lena,  born  August  15,  1884,  and  Louis,  born 
December  17,  1888  Mr.  Gregovich  was  a  member  of  Eureka  Lodge  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, joining  that  organization  in  1872.  He  was  the  oldest  member  in  his  lodge 
and  was  a  member  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Nevada. 

REV.  GEORGE  H.  GREENFIELD,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in 
Northeastern  Pennsylvania  on  January  i,  1873.  In  1897  he  came  to  Nevada  from 
the  University  of  Denver,  where  he  had  just  received  his  degree  in  Theology. 
During  his  previous  residence  in  Philadelphia  he  received  his  academic  education 
at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  The  son  of  a  Methodist  clergyman,  he  naturally 
entered  the  Methodist  ministry  and  was  ordained  by  Bishop  Hurst.  In  the 
Methodist  conference  of  Nevada  he  has  served  the  following  churches:  Genoa, 
Austin,  Winnemucca  and  Virginia  City.  In  1901  a  call  was  received  to  the 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Elko,  Nevada,  and  Dr.  Greenfield  accepted,  becoming  at 
the  time  a  member  of  the  Sacramento  Presbytery.  Since  September,  1901,  he  has 
served  faithfully  and  well  the  Elko  Presbyterian  Church.  Dr.  Greenfield  married 
a  native  daughter.  In  1899  he  was  married  to  Miss  Eva  K.  Dangbergi  the 
daughter  of  the  late  Hon.  H.  F.  Dangberg,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Carson 
Valley.  During  his  pastorate  at  Elko,  Dr.  Greenfield  has  traveled  ^extensively  as 
lecturer  and  social  director  on  several  cruises.  He  has  made  one  trip  around 
the  world,  one  to  South  America,  and  one  to*  the  Holy  Land  and  Egypt.  He  is 
the  author  of  two  books  of  travel,  "Around  the  World  on  the  Cleveland"  and 
"Sight-Seeing  in  South  America."  The  crowning  work  of  his  ministry  at  Elko 
was  the  building  of  a  $20,000  institutional  church,  a  part  of  which  has  been 
formally  leased  to  the  Elko  Y.  M.  C.  A. 

EDWARD  S.  GRIGSBY,  M.  D.,  one  of  the  prominent  physicians,  and  a 
citizen  whose  character  and  achievements  entitle  him  to  mention  in  the  history 
of  Nevada,  was  born  at  San  Leandro,  Alameda  County,  Cal.,  March  15,  1868.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  Hopkins  Academy  of  Oakland, 
Cal.,  graduating  in  1891,  and  in  order  to  have  better  educational  advantages  he 
went  East  and  took  the  medical  course  at  the  Hahneman  Medical  College  at 
Philadelphia,  Penn.,  graduating  in  1894,  after  which  he  attended  the  University 
of  New  York,  graduating  from  the  medical  department  in  1895.  He  spent  two 
years  in  the  Metropolitan  Hospital  at  Blackwell's  Island  as  interne.  He  after- 
wards took  the  examinations  and  in  1898  he  was  commissioned  by  President 
McKinley  as  First  Lieutenant.  He  was  Assistant  Surgeon  in  the  Third  N.  S.  V.  C. 
(Grigsby's  Cowboys).  He  served  all  through  the  Spanish-American  War  and 
received  his  discharge  at  San  Francisco  in  1899.  Dr.  Grigsby  practiced  medicine 
for  one  year  previous  to  going  into  the  army  at  Williamsport,  Pennsylvania.  In 
1900  he  went  to  Nome,  Alaska,  where  he  followed  his  profession  for  a  period  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1199 

five  years.  In  the  spring  of  1905  he  removed  to  Bullfrog,  Nevada,  and  practiced 
until  1910,  and  in  January  he  came  to  Tonopah,  where  he  opened  an  office,  and 
has  since  practiced  there.  He  is  now  identified  with  Dr.  P.  J.  McDonald.  Dr. 
Grigsby  is  a  member  of  the  American  Medical  Association,  and  Nevada  State 
Medical  Society  and  the  Nye  County  Medical  Society.  Socially  he  is  identified 
with  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Tonopah.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Helen 
Richardson  of  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  June  27,  1903.  Mr.  Grigsby's  father  is  now 
in  his  eighty-sixth  year.  He  crossed  the  Plains  first  in  1848;  he  returned  East, 
and  then  made  the  trip  again  with  his  father  and  brother.  They  reside  at  Lodi, 
California. 

JAMES  GROSE,  who  is  a  well-known  rancher  in  Nevada,  Washoe  County, 
was  born  in  Cornwall,  England,  May  i,  1849.  In  1866  he  came  to  America  with 
his  brother  and  sister  and  located  in  Mount  Carmel,  Penn.  His  mother,  three 
brothers  and  one  sister  came  to  America  at  a  later  date.  In  July,  1872,  Mr1. 
Grose  went  to  Virginia  City  and  became  interested  in  mining.  He  has  worked 
in  the  Belcher  mine  and  most  of  the  famous  mines  in  Virginia  City.  In  1895 
he  removed  to  Reno  and  purchased  his  present  ranch,  consisting  of  forty  acres. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Thomasine  Sampson,  a  native  of  England, 
who  came  to  this  country  in  1882  with  her  parents,  at  the  age  of  seventeen. 
They  lived  in  Virginia  City  and  her  father  worked  in  the  mines.  The  marriage 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grose  occurred  July  29,  1885.  To  this  union  were  born  three 
sons  and  three  daughters,  viz.:  William  J.,  who  resides  in  Reno;  Elizabeth,  wife 
of  W.  F.  Hallard  of  Salt  Lake  City,  and  their  one  son  is  Elmer  W. ;  Dora,  wife 
of  M.  J.  Renf row  of  Loyalton,  California ;  Rossa,  who  resides  at  home ;  Lewis  J., 
at  home ;  and  George,  who  manages  the  ranch,  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Grace  Richards  of  San  Francisco,  their  two  children  are  Isabelle  and  Ilean  Dora. 
Mr.  Grose  is  well  known  in  the  mining  and  agricultural  sections  of  Nevada. 

CLARK  J.  GUILD,  the  efficient  County  Auditor  and  Recorder  of  Lyon  County, 
was  born  March  13,  1887,  at  Dayton.  He  is  a  son  of  Lucius  and  Maria  (Wheat- 
ley)  Guild,  his  father  being  a  native  of  New  York  State  and  his  mother  is  of 
English  extraction.  Mr.  Guild's  mother  came  to  America  with  her  parents  at  the 
age  of  twelve.  The  father  came  West  in  1850  and  crossed  the  Plains  to  Cali- 
fornia. He  later  returned  to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  re-crossed  the  Plains  in  1853 
to  California.  He  returned  to  Nevada  and  settled  in  Mineral  Rapids,  now 
Dayton,  where  he  followed  the  trade  of  carpenter  and  millwright.  He  also 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business.  There  were  eleven  children  in  the  parents' 
family,  four  of  whom  are  dead.  Those  living  are :  Louis,  of  Idaho ;  Maud, 
wife  of  George  Slingerland  of  Idaho;  William  and  Henry,  of  the  Mason  Valley; 
Lucy,  wife  of  Chris  Buckley  of  Wabuska,  Nevada;  Clara,  wife  of  George  Eglin 
of  Dayton,  Nevada;  and  our  subject.  Clark  J.  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
and  the  University  of  Nevada.  He  was  identified  with  the  Western  Pacific  survey 


1200  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

corps  for  one  year,  after  which  he  became  associated  with  the  Walker  River 
Valley  survey.  He  later  followed  railroading  in  Nevada  and  Idaho.  He  was 
elected  to  the  office  of  County  Auditor  and  Recorder  in  1908  and  has  since  held 
that  office.  He  is  a  Grand  Lodge  officer  in  the  K.  of  P.,  Noble  Grand  of  Mason 
Valley  Lodge,  No.  34,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  a  member  of  the  Eagles.  He  is  secretary 
of  the  Lyon  County  Commercial  Club  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1913. 

MAURICE  MACK. — Numbered  among  the  representative  ranchers  in  the 
Carson  Valley  is  Maurice  Mack.  He  was  born  in  Mono  County,  Cal.,  Decem- 
ber 13,  1874.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Mono  County, 
Cal.,  Carson  City,  Nev.,  and  in  San  Francisco.  He  taught  school  in  his  native 
county,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  in  Lyon  and  Doug- 
las Counties.  In  1908  he  assumed  the  management  of  the  Springmeyer  Ranch 
near  Minden.  Mr.  Mack  has  served  the  people  of  Nevada  in  the  State  Senate 
for  two  terms.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Clara  Springmeyer,  Sep- 
tember 10,  1908,  and  this  union  was  blessed  with  one  child,  Duane,  b9rn  July 
24,  1909. 

ED.  MALLEY,  Sheriff  of  Nye  County,  was  born  at  Schuylkill  County,  Penn., 
November  26,  1877,  educated  in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  removed  to 
Leadville,  Colo.,  with  his  parents  and  at  an  early  age  began  mining.  His 
parents  were  James  and  Margaret.  His  father  died  in  Leadville  and  his 
mother  is  a  resident  of  Tonopah.  He  remained  in  Colorado  for  about  twelve 
years,  after  which  he  went  to  Mexico,  and  later  he  went  to  Arizona,  where  he 
was  engaged  in  mining.  In  1904  he  was  a  delegate  to  the  rock  drilling  con- 
test held  in  Tonopah  that  year.  Mr.  Malley  is  too  well  known  in  the  mining 
camp  of  the  West  to  need  any  special  introduction,  as  he  has  been  identified 
with  the  various  camps  from  Mexico  to  the  Northwest.  He  served  as  chief 
of  police  in  Tonopah  for  a  period  of  four  years  and  in  1911  he  was  chosen 
by  the  people  of  Nye  County  to  serve  as  Sheriff  for  two  years,  and  he  will  be  a 
candidate  for  the  same  office  1913.  He  has  the  honor  of  being  exalted  ruler  of 
No.  1062  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Tonopah,  and  is  at  present  past  worthy  president  of 
No.  271,  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles  of  this  city.  He  is  District  Deputy  of  the 
Knights  of  Columbus  of  Nevada.  In  politics  Mr.  Malley  is  an  enthusiastic 
Democrat.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Isabelle  Slavin  of  Leadville. 
They  were  married  in  El  Paso,  Texas,  May  25,  $902.  To  this  union  wert 
born  two  sons,  George,  born  in  1904,  and  Edward,  born  1906.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Malley  are  both  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

HENRY  GRANT  MARCH.— An  enumeration  of  the  men  of  the  present 
generation  who  have  won  honor  for  themselves  in  the  business  world,  and 
especially  in  banking  circles  of  Nevada,  would  be  incomplete  were  there  fail- 
ure to  make  reference  to  Henry  Grant  Marsh  of  Minden.  He  was  born  at 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1201 

Gold  Hill,  July  6,  1864.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  after 
which  he  became  interested  in  mining  for  several  years,  and  has  been  identi- 
fied with  many  of  the  mines  on  the  Comstock.  He  became  associated  with  the 
Nye  and  Ormsby  County  Bank  and  was  promoted  until  he  held  the  position 
of  paying  teller.  He  afterward  became  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Carson,  and  when  the  Farmers  Bank  of  Carson  Valley  was  established  he 
took  the  position  of  cashier,  which  office  he  has  filled  in  an  efficient  manner. 
Fraternally  Mr.  Marsh  is  affiliated  with  Douglas  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and 
Nevada  Lodge  No.  I,  K.  of  P.,  at  Virginia  City.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Catherine  Rippingham,  of  Virginia  City,  January  i,  1887.  To  this  union 
were  born  Grant,  who  is  an  ensign  in  the  U.  S.  Navy,  a  graduate  of  Annapolis, 
and  now  stationed  on  the  U.  S.  battleship  California,  and  Hazel,  wife  of  Dr. 
H.  E.  Piper,  a  practicing  physician  residing  in  Santa  Cruz,  Cal.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Marsh  are  active  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

WILLIAM  AUGUSTUS  MARTIN  was  born  at  Woodville,  Sandusky 
County,  Ohio,  February  29,  1856  and  died  September  30,  1912.  He  acquired  a 
limited  education  in  the  country  schools  and  followed  farming  in  Ohio.  In 
1869  he  left  his  native  State  and  removed  to  Kansas,  where  he  followed  farm- 
ing for  seven  years.  In  1877  he  came  to  Nevada  and  took  charge  of  the 
Thomas  ranch,  located  at  Glendall,  where  he  remained  as  foreman  from  1877 
to  1883.  He  was  appointed  deputy  assessor  in  1908.  He  also  served  under 
the  Beard  and  Hayes  administration.  In  politics  Mr.  Martin  was  a  Democrat 
and  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  No.  13,  F.  and  A.  M.  of  Reno.  He 
has  served  on  the  Glendale  school  board.  He  married  Miss  Polly  Thomas, 
daughter  of  William  and  Caroline  Thomas,  June  4,  1884.  Mrs.  Martin  Is  a 
member  of  the  Eastern  Star,  Ladies  of  the  Macabees,  past  president  of  the 
Woman's  Relief  Corps  and  now  serving  as  chief  of  staff  of  the  department 
of  California  and  Nevada. 

WILLIAM  C.  GOODMAN,  a  well-known  business  man  of  McGill,  was  born 
January  n,  1880,  at  Provo,  Utah.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  State.  He  began  his  business  career  early  in  life  and  at  an  early 
age  became  identified  with  the  mercantile  business  in  Utah  and  Nevada.  He  took 
up  his  residence  in  Ely  March  28,  1907,  and  worked  for  the  Graham  Mercantile 
Company  and  later  the  Campton  Commercial  Company.  In  December,  1909,  he 
removed  to  McGill  and  started  a  general  merchandise  store  with  his  brother, 
John  H.  In  politics  Mr.  Goodman  is  a  Republican.  He  served  as  City  Clerk  for 
one  term  at  Mercur,  Utah.  He  was  honored  by  the  people  of  White  Pine  County 
and  served  one  term  in  the  Nevada  Assembly  in  1912-13.  Fraternally  •  he  is 
affiliated  with  the  Eagles  lodge  of  McGill  and  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Salt  Lake, 
Utah.  Mr.  Goodman  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  Hall  of  Mercur, 
Utah,  June  22,  1904.  Their  one  daughter,  Margaret  Amy,  was  born  July  20, 
1905.  The  parents  of  Mr.  Goodman  are  William  and  Sarah  Goodman,  natives 


1202  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

of  England,  who  came  to  America  about  1878.     There  were  eight  children  in 
the  parents'  family. 

HENRY  COLMAN  CUTTING  can  indeed  be  numbered  among  the  builders 
and  promoters  of  California's  growth  and  greatness.  His  efforts  have  found 
tangible  result  in  the  development  of  Richmond  and  he  is  now  president  and 
practical  owner  of  the  Pt.  Richmond  Canal  &  Land  Company.  Previously  he 
was  the  real  builder  of  Tonopah,  Nevada.  He  seems  to  possess  almost  an  intui- 
tive perception  in  recognizing  opportunities  that  others  pass  heedlessly  by,  and 
in  utilizing  such  opportunities  he  has  advanced  to  a  prominent  position  among 
the  citizens  of  central  California.  He  was  born  in  Iowa,  April  3,  1870,  and  is  a 
son  of  George  and  Jean  McGown  Cutting.  The  family  moved  to  Nevada  in 
1873  and  the  son  pursued  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Reno  and  in 
the  Nevada  State  University,  being  a  member  of  the  first  class  graduated  from 
that  institution,  the  date  of  graduation  being  June,  1891,  on  which  occasion  he 
won  the  Bachelor  of  Arts  degree.  In  addition  to  classical  studies  he  had  com- 
pleted a  course  in  mining  engineering.  Later  he  took  up  the  profession  of 
teaching,  which  he  followed  for  three  years  in  Candelaria,  Nevada,  and  for  foufl 
months  at  Wadsworth,  where  he  was  principal.  While  teaching  there  he  was 
elected  State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  which  position  he  filled  for 
four  years,  during  which  period  he  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar. 
In  1899  the  legislature  named  him  as  compiler  of  the  statutes  of  the  State, 
which  had  not  been  compiled  previously  for  fifteen  years.  He  accomplished 
the  work  in  a  most  satisfactory  and  efficient  manner  within  the  next  year,  after 
which  he  turned  his  attention  to  prospecting  in  order  to  regain  his  health  and 
was  one  of  the  first  men  in  Tonopah,  Nevada.  In  fact,  it  was  Mr.  Cutting  that 
advertised  that  place  to  the  world.  He  was  not  only  associated  with  the  devel- 
opment of  the  mineral  resources  of  that  section,  but  was  active  in  almost  every 
line  of  endeavor  leading  to  the  organization,  upbuilding  and  development  of  a 
new  community.  He  preached  the  first  two  burial  sermons  in  Tonopah,  and  on 
the  occasion  of  the  second  acted  also  as  undertaker  and  leader  of  the  choir, 
following  which  he  administered  the  estate.  He  was  also  notary  public  in 
Tonopah  and  granted  a  divorce,  being  probably  the  only  notary  public  who  has 
ever  performed  such  a  service.  On  leaving  Nevada  Mr.  Cutting  came  to  San 
Francisco  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  mining  exchange  where  the  Tono- 
pah stocks  would  be  handled  and  organized  the  San  Francisco  &  Tonopah 
Mining  Exchange,  of  which  he  was  president  for  the  first  two  years.  One 
feature  of  his  success  is  the  thoroughness  with  which  he  masters  every  phase 
of  a  business  with  which  he  is  connected,  not  only  in  its  direct  but  also  in  its 
subsidiary  interests.  He  learns  what  may  be  gained  by  reading  and  adds  to 
this  thorough  practical  experience  and  investigation,  and,  with  thorough  under- 
standing of  the  situation,  he  is  often  able  to  utilize  and  improve  opportunities 
which  others  have  passed  heedlessly  by.  In  1904  he  became  interested  in  the 
development  of  the  town  of  Richmond,  California,  and  is  now  president  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1203 

practical  owner  of  the  Pt.  Richmond  Canal  &  Land  Company.  He  originally 
conceived  the  idea  of  the  inner  harbor  at  Richmond,  advocated  the  project  and 
has  been  so  successful  in  his  efforts  to  bring  it  before  the  public  notice  that 
the  City  of  Richmond  has  voted  one  million,  one  hundred  and  seventy  thou- 
sand dollars  for  carrying  out  the  project.  He  is  known  as  the  Father  of  the 
Richmond  Inner  Harbor  Project.  He  has  his  offices  at  779  Monadnockj 
Building  in  San  Francisco,  and  he  has  been  a  stalwart  champion  of  the  interests 
of  the  city,  ardently  advocating  the  cause  of  Greater  San  Francisco,  having 
been  a  vice-president  of  the  Greater  San  Francisco  Association  since  its  organi- 
zation. Mr.  Cutting  was  at  one  time  an  officer  in  the  Nevada  State  Militia. 
He  is  prominent  in  Masonry,  belonging  to  Occidental  Lodge,  No.  22,  F.  &  A. 
M. ;  California  Chapter,  No.  5,  R.  A.  M. ;  and  Golden  Gate  Commandery,  No. 
16,  K.  T.  and  Islam  Temple.  He  belongs  also  to  the  Union  League  and  the 
Bohemian  Clubs  of  San  Francisco,  and  is  a  life  member  of  the  Elk  Lodge, 
No.  597,  Reno,  Nevada.  Pleasantly  situated  in  his  home  relations,  he  was 
married  April  19,  1903,  to  Minetta  Chesson,  a  daughter  of  James  and  Elizabeth 
Chesson,  of  Benica.  The  children  of  this  marrriage  are  Helen  R.,  George  C., 
Clara  and  Daisy.  Such  in  brief  is  the  history  of  Henry  Colman  Cutting,  but  it 
tells  comparatively  little,  except  to  those  who  read  between  the  lines,  of  the 
intense  energy,  the  strong  purpose  and  the  indefatigable  perseverance  of  the 
man.  He  has  always  been  a  student,  but  nothing  of  the  dreamer.  He  has  had 
visions  but  is  not  visionary,  for  he  had  proceeded  to  put  into  execution  the  plans 
and  theories  which  have  arisen  before  his  mind,  seeking  out  practical  methods 
to  materialize  these  and  make  them  forces  in  the  country's  progress  and  devel- 
opment as  well  as  sources  of  individual  gain.  It  is  well  known  that  he  accom- 
plishes what  he  undertakes,  that  he  is  a  broad-minded,  enterprising  man,  and 
one  whose  efforts  have  been  of  great  value  in  shaping  the  history  of  the  West. 

MILLARD  T.  GOODWIN  was  born  April  17,  1851,  a  son  of  Moses  and  Jane 
R.  (Rounds)  Goodwin,  the  father  being  a  native  of  New  Hampshire  and  the 
mother  from  Maine.  Mr.  Goodwin's  father  died  in  1882  and  his  mother  in  1907. 
He  attended  school  in  Gorham  and  Portland,  Maine,  after  which  he  acquired  a 
business  education.  He  went  to  New  York  City,  where  he  was  engaged  for  six 
years.  Removing  to  California,  he  became  identified  with  the  fruit-packing  busi- 
ness, which  he  followed  for  eight  years.  He  resided  in  California  for  seventeen 
years.  In  1902  Mr.  Goodwin  removed  to  Reno  and  engaged  in  the  millinery  busi- 
ness, with  which  he  is  still  identified.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Carrie 
J.  Patton  in  1889.  She  is  a  native  of  Bangor,  Maine.  To  this  union  was  born 
one  child,  Marjorie  H.,  born  at  Los  Gatos,  California,  September  2,  1896,  and 
attending  high  school. 

H.  J.  GOSSE.  It  would  be  difficult  to  name  a  citizen  of  Nevada  more  popular 
•with  his  fellow-men  or  enjoying  to  a  greater  degree  the  confidence  and  trust  of 
those  with  whom  he  is  associated  than  H.  J.  Gosse,  proprietor  and  manager  of 


1204  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

the  Riverside  Hotel  of  Reno.  He  was  born  in  California  in  1857  and  is  of 
German  descent.  His  father,  Theodore  Gosse,  was  a  native  of  Prussia  and  when 
a  young  man  came  to  America.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Regina  Moose, 
a  native  of  Prussia,  in  1850,  at  New  Orleans.  The  parents  of  Mr.  Gosse  crossed 
the  Plains  with  an  ox-team,  and  located  in  Placerville,  Cal.  He,  later,  bought  a 
ranch  on  the  Sacramento  River,  where  their  four  children  were  born.  Later  he 
purchased  a  large  ranch  in  the  Sacramento  Valley,  and  during  the  great  flood  in 
1862-63  the  family  removed  to  Silver  City,  then  a  lively  mining  camp.  Here  Mr. 
Gosse  conducted  a  hotel  and  later  moved  to  San  Leandro,  where  his  death  occurred 
in  1888.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  attended  school  in  Virginia  City  and  later 
attended  the  Golden  Gate  Academy  in  Oakland,  Cal.  Like  other  young  men,  he 
followed  various  vocations,  and  in  1896  he  purchased  the  Riverside  Hotel,  which 
he  has  successfully  conducted  since.  Under  his  management  the  hotel  has  con- 
tinued to  be  the  leading  hotel  in  the  city,  and  in  1901  the  present  large  brick 
structure  was  erected.  In  1888  Mr.  Gosse  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Josephine  M.  Mudd,  a  native  of  California.  To  this  union  were  born  Marguerite 
and  Harry.  In  politics  Mr.  Gosse  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  and  has  filled  all  the  chairs  in  the  local  tribe,  and 
is  Past  Grand  Sachem  of  the  State  of  Nevada.  He  is  also  a  Mason,  being  a 
member  of  the  lodge  chapter,  commandery  and  the  shrine.  He  is  an  active 
member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  K,  No.  597,  of  Reno,  and  was  instrumental  in  organizing 
the  lodge.  In  recognition  of  his  services  he  has  been  made  an  honorary  life 
member,  and  he  is  a  member  of  the  grand  lodge  of  the  United  States. 

ROBERT  B.  GO  VAN.  A  review  of  the  representative  men  who  have  played 
an  important  part  in  the  great  mining  camps  throughout  the  West,  British 
Columbia  and  Alaska  would  be  deficient  without  a  sketch  of  Robert  B.  Govan. 
He  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Penn.,  in  1869,  and  at  an  early  age  removed  to 
California  with  his  parents,  locating  in  Sacramento,  where  he  attended  the  public 
schools.  His  father,  James,  was  a  prominent  contractor  and  died  in  1900. 
Robert  took  a  course  in  civil  engineering  and  for  nine  years  was  identified  with 
the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad.  He  went  to  Alaska,  where  he  mined  and  served  as 
Deputy  U.  S.  Mineral  Surveyor.  He  returned  to  Nevada  and  located  in  Tonopah, 
where  he  has  since  been  interested  in  the  mines  of  this  locality.  He  was  one 
of  the  builders  of  the  Mispah  Hotel  with  the  late  Senator  George  Nixon  and 
H.  C.  Brougher.  In  politics  Mr.  Govan  is  a  Republican  and  was  a  delegate  to 
the  Republican  National  Convention  held  in  Chicago,  June  18,  1912.  He  has 
also  served  as  chairman  of  the  Nye  County  Republican  Committee.  Fraternally 
he  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Tonopah  and  was  active  while  in  Alaska 
in  the  Red  Men's  lodge. 

FRANK  M.  GRACE  was  born  at  Englewood,  N.  J.,  November  17,  1872. 
October,  1887,  entered  service  of  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company  as 
messenger  in  office  of  vice-president  of  that  company,  New  York.  Later  pro- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1205 

moted  to  clerk.  Resigned  October,  1891,  to  take  position  as  clerk  to  division 
superintendent,  Northern  Pacific  Railway,  at  Glendive,  Montana.  Since  which 
time  he  has  been  in  railroad  service  as  freight  brakeman,  clerk,  to  following: 
Bridge  supervisor,  roadmaster,  division  superintendent,  division  engineer.  From 
May,  1903,  to  May,  1905,  clerk  to  vice-president  San  Pedro,  Los  Angeles  &  Salt 
Lake  R.  R.  at  Los  Angeles,  Cal. ;  from  May,  1905,  to  February,  1906,  at  Las 
Vegas,  in  charge  of  land  matters  for  the  road.  February,  1906,  to  date,  superin- 
tendent of  the  Las  Vegas  &  Tonopah  R.  R.  Co.  at  Las  Vegas.  He  was  married 
August  7,  1907,  to  Miss  Marion  A.  Porter  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal.  They  have  two 
children,  Helen  Marion,  born  May  28,  1908,  and  Mary  Lois,  born  July  26,  1911. 

WILLIAM  B.  GRAHAM.  Among  the  men  who  have  played  an  important 
part  during  the  early  days  of  White  Pine  County  is  William  B.  Graham.  He 
was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  August  5,  1854.  At  the  age  of  thirteen  he  left  his 
native  State  and  went  to  Kansas,  Texas,  and  rode  the  range  along  the  border 
for  some  time.  In  1872  he  removed  to  Utah,  where  he  remained  one  year,  and 
in  1873  ne  came  to  Nevada  and  located  at  Cherry  Creek.  He  became  interested 
in  mining  and  followed  that  vocation  until  1875,  when  he  went  to  Ward,  then 
a  lively  camp.  Mr.  Graham  remained  in  Ward  for  a  time  and  then  in  1876  he 
removed  to  Deadwood,  South  Dakota,  where  he  worked  at  mining  for  four 
years,  when  he  returned  to  Utah.  Remaining  in  Utah  some  months  he  migrated 
to  Cherry  Creek  and  other  camps,  where  he  was  active  in  mining.  He  engaged 
with  Hipp  Bros,  in  1883  and  followed  the  mercantile  business  for  some  years. 
In  1888  Mr.  Graham  purchased  the  general  store  of  David  Felsenthal  at  Taylor 
and  moved  the  stock  to  Ely.  He  operated  the  store  alone  until  1906,  when  it 
was  incorporated  under  the  firm  name  of  the  Graham  Mercantile  Company.  He 
finally  disposed  of  his  interest  'in  the  store  and  on  October  12,  1908,  engaged  in 
the  men's  furnishing  goods  business.  Politically  Mr.  Graham  is  a  Republican. 
He  was  appointed  Post  Master  at  Ely,  Nevada,  and  served  under  various  ad- 
ministrations. Fraternally  he  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  Lodge,  being  a  thirty- 
second  degree  Mason  and  a  Shriner.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E. 
of  Salt  Lake  City.  Mr.  Graham  was  married  to  Katherine  Stewart  of  Taylor, 
January  26,  1887.  Their  children  are  Emma,  born  in  1889,  and  Katherine,  born 
1891,  wife  of  E.  A.  Porter  of  Salt  Lake  City. 

WILLIAM  GRAUNKE  was  born  in  Germany.  He  received  his  schooling  in 
his  native  land,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  began  to  learn  the  milling  trade, 
which  he  followed  for  nine  years  in  Germany.  He  came  to  America  in  November, 
1905,  and  located  in  Seattle  for  a  few  months.  He  removed  to  San  Francisco 
and  later  to  Reno,  where  he  accepted  a  position  as  night  miller  at  the  Reno 
Milling  Company  mill  for  six  months,  after  which  he  went  to  the  Carson  Valley 
and  became  identified  with  the  Douglas  County  Rolling  Mill,  where  he  now  fills 
the  position  as  foreman.  In  politics  Mr.  Graunke  is  a  Republican,  but  has  never 


1206  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

aspired  to  office.     He  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Douglas  County  Mill  and  Power 
Company. 

WILLIAM  ALBERT  GRAY,  of  the  Carson  Valley,  was  born  at  Ceresco,  Mich., 
April  24,  1865.  His  parents  removed  to  Springfield,  Erie  County,  Pa.,  where 
they  engaged  in  farming.  The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  in  Springfield,  Pa.,  after  which  he  removed  to  Michigan  and  farmed  for 
a  time.  He  then  became  identified  with  the  North  Western  Railroad,  where  he 
continued  for  eight  years.  He  then  went  to  Huron,  South  Dakota,  and  farmed 
for  a  period  of  four  years.  He  sold  out  and  went  to  Duluth,  Minn.,  where  he 
engaged  in  the  livery  business  for  two  years.  He  disposed  of  his  business  and 
removed  to  North  Dakota  for  a  brief  time,  and  in  1894  he  located  in  California 
and  engaged  in  business.  In  1902  he  settled  in  the  Carson  Valley.  He  was 
married  to  Miss  Mary  Neddenreip  of  Alpine  County,  California,  December  3,  1903. 
After  his  marriage,  which  occurred  in  Reno,  he  went  to  Plumas  County,  Cali- 
fornia, where  he  ranched  for  three  years.  He  disposed  of  his  ranch  and  went 
to  Diamond  Valley  and  ranched  for  three  years.  He  then  removed  to  the  Carson 
Valley,  near  Minden,  and  purchased  160  acres,  where  he  is  now  doing  general 
farming. 

EDWARD  L.  SCOTT,  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  the  Mason  Valley, 
was  born  in  Portland,  Oregon,  January  3,  1876.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the 
Portland  public  schools,  after  which  he  became  identified  in  the  stock  business  in 
Eastern  Oregon  for  a  period  of  four  years.  In  1902  he  removed  to  Tonopah 
and  Goldfield,  Nevada,  where  he  was  interested  in  mining  for  seven  years.  When 
the  town  of  Mason  was  established  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business,  and 
he  was  appointed  Postmaster  in  1910.  In  politics  Mr.  Scott  is  a  Republican.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Elizabeth  H.  Barlow,  January  7,  1907.  To  this  union 
have  been  born  three  children:  Edward  Leslie,  born  June  5,  1908;  Richard  David, 
born  October  5,  1910,  and  Elizabeth  Ellen,  born  May  23,  1912.  Mr.  Scott  is 
identified  with  the  agricultural  interests  of  Imperial  Valley,  California. 

HON.  WILLIAM  P.  SEEDS  was  born  at  Spruce  Creek,  Huntingdon  County, 
Pa.,  October  25,  1856,  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  Carthage  Col- 
lege, Ills.  He  taught  school  and  read  law,  attended  St.  Louis  Law  School,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  Bar  in  Abilene,  Kansas,  in  1882,  and  practiced  law  in  Abilene, 
Kansas,  for  a  number  of  years ;  was  County  Judge  for  two  years ;  and  in  1894 
removed  to  Cripple  Creek,  Colo.,  and  practiced  his  profession  there.  When  Teller 
County  was  created,  he  was  appointed  County  Judge  by  Governor  Charles  S. 
Thomas;  was  elected  to  fill  the  unexpired  term,  and  before  the  expiration  of  his 
term  he  was  elected  one  of  the  Judges  of  the  Fourth  Judicial  District  Court,  his 
term  expiring  January  7,  1907.  Soon  thereafter  he  came  to  Reno,  where  he  has 
since  and  is  now  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law.  While  on  the  bench  in  Cripple 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1207 

Creek  the  Western  Federation  of  Miners'  strike  occurred  and  over  eight  hundred 
troops  were  stationed  there.  Judge  Seeds  is  a  member  of  the  Blue  Lodge,  Chap- 
ter, Commandery  and  Isis  Shrine  of  Salina,  Kansas;  a  member  of  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  of  Abilene,  Kansas,  and  a  Democrat  in  politics.  Since  his  residence  in 
Reno,  has  been  connected  with  the  organization  of  the  Reno  Commercial  Club,  of 
which  he  served  as  a  director  for  a  long  time;  he  was  one  of  the  active  organizers 
and  is  a  director  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  and  very  active  in  civic  affairs. 

FRED  A.  GUSHING,  Superintendent  of  the  Carson  City  Water  Company, 
which  position  he  has  held  for  the  past  nine  years,  was  born  at  Gold  Hill, 
January  24,  1866.  He  is  a  son  of  Edwin  E.  and  Annie  (Alers)  Gushing.  His 
mother  was  born  in  Rhode  Island.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts. 
They  were  married  in  Allegany,  California,  and  removed  to  Nevada  in  1863, 
locating  at  Gold  Hill.  There  were  three  children  in  the  parents'  family.  Fred 
A.,  our  subject;  Harriet,  a  school  teacher  of  Carson  City,  and  Nellie  F.,  of 
Carson  City.  Fred  A.  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Carson,  after 
which  he  learned  the  tinsmith  trade  with  his  father,  following  this  vocation  for 
eighteen  years.  He  has  held  the  office  of  secretary  of  the  Carson  Lodge,  F.  O. 
E.,  since  1895,  and  is  an  active  worker  in  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge  and  a  member 
of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World.  Mr.  Gushing  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Josie  B.  Fellows,  of  Carson  City,  April  i,  1893.  Their  two  sons  are  Edwin  H. 
and  George  Dewey. 

CALVIN  G.  SELLMAN,  one  of  the  prominent  contractors  of  Nevada,  was 
born  in  Jasper  County,  Iowa,  March  i,  1873.  His  parents  removed  to  Beloit, 
Kan.,  where  Calvin  G.  attained  his  education.  At  an  early  age  he  learned  the 
carpenter's  trade  in  California  and  worked  in  .Bakersfield,  San  Jose  and  other 
cities.  He  removed  to  Reno  in  1902,  following  his  trade  for  a  time,  and  then 
started  in  the  contracting  business.  He  has  had  many  of  the  best  contracts  in 
Nevada,  among  them  the  new  Courthouse  in  Reno,  and  many  of  the  best  resi- 
dence^ in  the  State.  In  politics  Mr.  Sellman  is  a  Democrat  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge.  He  was  married  to  Grace  Courtois  of  Reno,  May  n,  1908. 

WILLIAM  SETTELMEYER,  who  is  one  of  the  well-known  stockmen  and 
ranchers  of  the  Carson  Valley,  was  born  in  Germany,  March  18,  1859.  He  acquired 
his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land,  after  which  he  entered  the  army 
and  served  three  years.  In  1883  he  came  to  the  Carson  Valley  and  worked  for 
H.  F.  Dangberg  for  five  years.  In  1888  he  bought  a  ranch  of  two  hundred  acres 
and  has  since  added  to  his  holdings  until  he  now  owns  one  thousand  acres.  Mr. 
Settelmeyer  has  been  actively  identified  with  many  projects  of  the  Valley  and 
now  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Farmers'  Bank  of  the  Carson  Valley,  Douglas  County 
Creamery,  Carson  Valley  Hay  and  Produce  Company  and  the  Minden  Flour  Mill- 
ing Company.  Politically  he  is  a  Democrat.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the 
County  High  School  Board.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Worthman,  a  native 


1208  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

of  Hanover,  Germany,  February  29,  1888.     Their  six  children  are :  William  H., 

Edward,  Fred,   George,  Irma  and  Theodore  J.     The   family  attend  the  German 

Lutheran   Church.     November,    1912,    Mr.    Settelmeyer   was   elected  to   serve   as 
County  Commissioner  of  Douglas  County. 

WILLIAM  E.  SHARON.  A  review  of  the  representative  citizens  of  Nevada 
and  of  the  men  who  have  played  an  important  part  in  the  greatest  of  mining 
camps,  Virginia  City,  would  be  deficient  without  a  sketch  of  W.  E.  Sharon,  who 
is  too  well  known  to  need  special  introduction  to  the  public.  He  came  to  Nevada 
in  1872  and  is  a  native  of  Jefferson  County,  Ohio.  His  ancestral  history  is  one 
of  close  connection  with  the  country  from  Colonial  days.  An  uncle  of  Mr.  Sharon 
was  the  Hon.  William  Sharon,  now  deceased,  ex-United  States  Senator,  and  one 
of  the  most  prominent  men  in  the  country.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  been 
for  many  years  closely  identified  with  mining,  and  is  now  superintendent  of  a 
group  of  mines  on  the  Comstock.  During  his  long  experience  in  the  development 
of  mines  and  in  the  production  of  gold  and  silver,  Mr.  Sharon  has  made  mining 
his  constant  study  and  has  the  reputation  of  being  an  excellent  authority  in  subjects 
pertaining  to  what  has  been  his  life  work.  He  was  united  in  marriage  in  1876 
to  Miss  Lillian  Mygatt,  a  native  of  Iowa,  who  is  a  descendant  of  an  illustrious 
English- Scotch  family.  Her  paternal  grandfather  came  to  America  on  the  May- 
flower and  the  name  of  Mygatt  is  among  the  names  engraved  upon  the  monument 
erected  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  in  memory  of  the  first  families  who  landed 
and  made  their  first  settlement  in  New  England.  Both  sides  of  the  family  were 
represented  by  active  participants  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 

JERRY  SHEEHAN.  In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  Jerry  Sheehan  we 
present  to  our  readers  one  who  has  a  very  wide  acquaintance  in  this  State,  and 
who  is  honored  and  esteemed  by  all  who  know  him.  He  was  born  in  Wyoming, 
May  19,  1870,  and  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  the  University 
of  Nevada  when  it  was  located  at  Elko.  After  his  schooling  he  became  identified 
with  ranching  and  shortly  afterwards  he  accepted  a  position  with  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad  as  telegraph  operator,  which  he  held  for  two  years,  and  then 
entered  the  train-service  of  the  road,  which  position  he  held  to  the  eminent  satis- 
faction of  all  concerned.  Mr.  Sheehan  resigned  his  position  as  passenger  conductor 
to  accept  an  appointment  as  County  Recorder  and  Auditor  of  Humboldt  County 
of  an  unexpired  term,  and  at  the  general  election  in  1902  he  was  elected  without 
opposition.  In  1906  he  resigned  to  accept  a  position  as  clerk  in  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Winnemucca.  He  has  been  promoted  to  assistant  cashier,  and  in  1907 
he  was  made  cashier,  which  office  he  now  holds,  and  has  proved  an  able 
worker  for  the  bank.  Mr.  Sheehan  has  the  honor  of  being  the  first  president  of 
the  Humboldt  Chamber  of  Commerce.  He  is  a  stockholder  and  director  in  the 
Nixon  National  Bank  of  Reno.  He  is  largely  identified  in  the  stock  and  land 
interests  of  the  State,  being  associated  with  John  C.  Taylor  of  Lovelock.  Mr. 
Sheehan  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Fannie  Muller  of  Humboldt  County* 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1209 

February  4,  1895.  To  this  union  were  born  two  daughters,  Evelyn  and  Grace, 
residing  at  home,  where  they  enjoy  with  their  mother  a  wide  circle  of  friends 
and  acquaintances. 

HERMAN  SHEELE,  whose  occupation  is  farming  in  the  Carson  Valley,  is  a 
native  of  Germany,  being  born  in  1864,  and  died  in  January,  1913.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  his  native  land  and  served  in  the  German  army  for  two  years,  from  1884 
to  1886.  He  worked  at  farming  in  the  old  country,  and  in  1889  he  came  to 
America  and  located  in  the  Carson  Valley,  where  he  found  employment  at  ranch- 
ing for  six  years.  He  then  rented  a  farm,  which  he  continued  to  run  for  three 
years.  In  1908  he  bought  a  two  hundred  and  thirty  acre  ranch  in  Alpine  County, 
Cal.  In  1892  Mr.  Sheele  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lizzie  Leaver.  To  this 
union  were  born  six  children :  Dora,  Fred,  Henry,  Frieda,  Clara  and  Alvina.  Mr. 
Sheele  was  a  stockholder  in  the  Douglas  County  Creamery.  The  family  attend  the 
German  Lutheran  Church. 

WILLIAM  W.  SHEELE,  a  rancher,  who  resides  in  the  Carson  Valley,  was 
born  in  Germany,  November  27,  1878.  He  received  his  education  in  his  native 
land,  after  which  he  worked  on  a  farm.  In  the  fall  of  1898  he  came  to  the 
Carson  Valley,  where  he  worked  at  farming  for  six  years.  He  then  bought  a  two 
hundred  acre  ranch,  known  as  the  old  Berry  place,  where  he  now  resides,  and 
does  general  farming,  and  is  also  in  the  dairy  business.  Mr.  Sheele  is  a  member 
of  the  German  Lutheran  Church.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  His  sister, 
Dora,  is  the  wife  of  William  Nagel,  a  resident  of  Mason  Valley. 

GEORGE  E.  SHERMAN  was  born  August  10,  1865,  at  Orean,  Wisconsin.  His 
parents  removed  to  Dallas  County,  Iowa,  where  he  .received  a  public  school  edu- 
cation. He  taught  school  for  a  time  in  Dallas  County,  after  which  he  became 
identified  with  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railroad  at  Perry,  Iowa,  as 
timekeeper.  He  later  removed  to  Huron,  South  Dakota,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
hotel  business  for  one  year.  He  conducted  a  hotel  in  Butte  City  from  1886  to 
1901,  and  the  year  of  1902  he  spent  in  California.  In  1903  Mr.  Sherman  removed  to 
Reno,  Nevada,  where  he  remained  until  1909  and  was  engaged  in  the  hotel  and 
restaurant  business.  In  September,  1909,  he  opened  the  Overland  Hotel  in 
Fallen,  Nevada,  where  he  has  since  remained.  His  parents  came  to  Reno, 
Nevada,  in  1904,  where  his  mother  died  in.  1906.  His  father  died  in  FaJlon, 
April  27,  1913.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party 
and  served  the  city  of  Fallon  as  Mayor  for  two  terms;  he  was  first  elected  in 
1911  and  again  in  1913.  He  is  a  member  of  Butte  City,  Montana,  B.  P.  O.  E., 
No.  240.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna  C.  Beck,  a  native  of  Iowa,  in 
1885.  Their  three  children  are:  Everett  Arthur,  born  January  3,  1889;  Florence 
Anna,  born  August  21,  1890,  the  wife  of  Herbert  Hamlin,  Jr.,  of  San  Francisco, 
Cal. — they  have  one  daughter,  Florence  Anna,  born  October  i,  1912;  Georgia  Edith, 
born  December  20,  1892. 


i2io  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

HON.  JAMES  G.  SWEENEY,  former  Legislator,  Attorney-General,  Junior, 
Senior  and  Chief  Justice  of  Nevada,  is  a  native  of  Carson  City,  Nevada,  where 
he  was  born  January  22,  1877,  his  parents  being  E.  D.  and  Ellen  Sweeney,  honored 
and  respected  early  pioneers  of  Nevada.  He  is  a  graduate  of  the  Carson  High 
School,  St.  Mary's  College  of  Oakland,  California,  and  Columbian  University  of 
Washington,  D.  C.  Judge  Sweeney  won  his  way  upward  in  the  face  of  difficulties 
For  years  he  worked  in  the  Comstock  mines,  and  while  so  employed  occupied  his 
leisure  time  in  the  study  of  law,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  of  his  native  State 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years.  Afterward  he  continued  working  in  the  mines 
until  he  had  earned  sufficient  funds  to  pay  his  way  through  the  Columbian  Law 
University  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  from  which  he  graduated  with  high  honors.  Mr. 
Sweeney  has  served  Nevada  in  her  legislative  department  as  a  Representative 
from  Ormsby  County,  and  while  in  the  Legislature  served  as  a  chairman  of  the 
Judiciary  and  other  important  committees,  discharging  his  duties  with  efficiency. 
He  has  served  his  State  in  its  executive  department  as  Attorney-General  for  four 
years,  being  elected  to  this  responsible  position  at  the  early  age  of  twenty-four 
years,  and  while  Attorney-General  successfully  performed  the  duties  of  this  office 
with  signal  ability  and  prosecuted  some  of  the  most  important  litigation  the  State 
has  ever  been  involved  in.  In  his  twenty-eighth  year  he  was  elected  to  the 
judicial  department  of  his  native  State  and  has  served  in  its  highest  judicial 
tribunal  as  Junior,  Senior  and  Chief  Justice.  While  discharging  the  grave  and 
important  duties  in  these  positions  he  won  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  Judge,  and 
left  a  great  judicial  record.  All  Nevada  recalls  that  Judge  Sweeney  has  written 
some  notable  opinions,  but  not  all  are  aware  of  the  fact  that  the  "American  and 
English  Leading  Cases,"  a  law  encyclopedia  of  international  standing,  has  seen 
fit  after  culling  the  opinions  of  the  highest  judicial  tribunals  of  the  United  States, 
England  and  Canada,  to  select  and  publish  ten  of  his  opinions  as  leading  cases 
on  the  important  legal  doctrines  therein  involved,  and  which  opinions  are  quoted 
to-day  throughout  the  United  States,  England  and  Canada.  Among  the  opinions 
of  Chief  Justice  Sweeney  which  imperishably  preserve  his  record  and  name  in  the 
annals  of  American  jurisprudence  as  a  Judge  of  rare  ability  are:  Ex  parte 
Hedden,  29  Nev.,  352;  Vol.  13  A.  &  E.  Ann.  Cases,  1173.  In  re  Waterman, 
29  Nev.,  288;  Vol.  13  A.  &  E.  Ann.  Cases,  926.  State  ex  rel  Gleeson  v.  Jumbo  Min- 
ing Company,  30  Nev.,  192,  Vol.  16  A.  &  E.  Ann.  Cases,  896.  Burke  v.  Buck,  31 
Nev.,  74;  Vol.  21  A.  &  E.  Ann.  Cases,  625.  Murphy  v.  Southern  Pacific  Co., 

31  Nev.,  120;  Vol.  21  A.  &  E.  Ann.  Cases,  502.    In  re  Bailey,  31  Nev.,  377;  Vol.  21 
A.  &  E.  Ann.  Cases,  743.    Burch  v.  Southern  Pacific  Company,  32  Nev.,  Vol.  23 
A.  &  E.  Ann.  Cases,  1166.     State  v.  Clarke,  32  Nev.,  145;  Vol.  24  A.  &  E.  Ann. 
Cases,  745.     Menardi  v.   IVacker,  32  Nev.,  169;  Vol.  24  A.  &  E.  Ann.  Cases,  710. 
In  re  Trammner,  Vol.  41,   1095,  Lawyers  Reports  Annotated.     Douglas  v.  Riter, 

32  Nev.,  400.    Botsford  v.  Van  Riper,  33  Nev.,  156.    Judge  Sweeney  has  the  unique 
distinction  of  being  the  youngest  Attorney-General  and  Chief  Justice  ever  elected 
to  these  positions  in  the  history  of  the  United  States.     In  1909,  in  recognition  of 
his  record,  and  as  a  mark  of  distinction,  his  Alma  Mater  conferred  on  him  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1211 

degree  of  LL.  D.  Politically,  Mr.  Sweeney  is  an  ardent  and  aggressive  Demo- 
crat, and  has  served  as  chairman  of  the  Democratic  party  of  Nevada,  and  dur- 
ing the  coalition  period  of  the  Democratic  and  Silver  parties  served  as  chair- 
man of  the  executive  committee  of  the  State  Central  Committee  of  these 
parties.  He  has  presided  over  many  Democratic  State  conventions,  and  aside 
of  the  positions  to  which  he  was  elected,  he  was  unsuccessful  in  his  candidacy 
for  the  U.  S.  Senatorship,  to  which  position  he  aspired  in  1910.  After  his  elec- 
tion as  Attorney-General,  Mr.  Sweeney  was  married  in  San  Francisco,  Cali- 
fornia, December  14,  1902,  to  Miss  Mabel  V.  Trembath,  the  charming  and 
accomplished  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hugh  Trembath  of  Virginia  City, 
Nevada,  and  have  lived  happily  together  since  in  their  comfortable  home  in 
Carson  City.  Two  children  have  blessed  this  union,  a  daughter,  Miss  Alice 
Louise,  and  a  son,  James  G.,  Jr.  Religiously,  Judge  Sweeney  is  a  Roman 
Catholic.  Fraternally,  he  is  associated  with  the  Elks  and  Knights  of  Columbus. 
Since  serving  his  term  as  Chief  Justice,  he  has  resumed  the  practice  of  law, 
with  law  offices  at  Carson  City,  Reno  and  Rochester,  Nevada,  and  has  formed 
a  law  partnership  with  Hon.  H.  V.  Morehouse  under  the  firm  name  of  Sweeney 
&  Morehouse. 

E.  D.  SWEENEY,  one  of  the  early  pioneer  residents  of  the  State  of  Nevada 
and  the  Pacific  Slope,  was  born  in  the  County  of  Cork,  Ireland,  1825.  He  came  to 
this  country  a  mere  youth,  going  direct  to  the  city  of  Boston,  where  he  grew  to 
manhood.  In  Boston  he  learned  the  mechanics  trade,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-two 
turned  Westward  in  quest  of  a  fortune,  abandoning  the  trade  he  had  mastered  for 
the  more  lucrative  and  alluring  business  of  mining.  He  went  to  Peru  in  1847  and 
mined  throughout  South  America,  and  landed  in  San  Francisco  in  1849.  He 
mined  throughout  the  various  mining  camps  which  attracted  attention  throughout 
California  for  many  years,  and  later  went  into  the  timber  and  logging  business  in 
Eureka  County,  California.  He  abandoned  California  and  came  to  Nevada  in 
1857,  where  he  landed  in  Carson  City,  immediately  taking  up  large  tracts  of 
grazing  lands,  the  present  site  of  Carson  City,  on  which  site  he  had  fields  of  hay 
and  grain  before  the  city  was  staked  out.  In  the  great  rush  to  the  Comstock, 
instead  of  pursuing  mining,  he  chose  to  carve  his  fortune  by  supplying  the  mines 
with  wood  and  timber,  and  for  many  years  supplied  the  Comstock  with  100,000 
cords  of  wood  a  year  from  his  timber  lands  west  of  Carson  City,  which  he 
retained  up  until  his  death.  He  also  built  a  large  toll  bridge  through 
the  slough  lands  approaching  Carson  City  which  cut  off  miles  of  travel 
for  the  gold  seekers,  and  so  great  was  the  Comstock  rush  at  this  time  that  this 
enterprise  netted  Mr.  Sweeney  $1,000  a  day.  Realizing  the  great  beauty  of  Eagle 
Valley  as  the  ideal  site  for  the  Capitol  of  the  State,  he  bent  his  efforts  toward 
staking  out  and  establishing  the  City  of  Carson,  and  was  most  liberal  in  donating 
sites  for  the  Federal  and  State  buildings,  so  as  to  hold  the  Capitol  at  Carson 
City.  He  built  the  first  brick  building  in  the  City  of  Carson,  wherein  was  situ- 
ate the  United  States  Land  Register  Post,  and  other  Federal  offices.  He  also 


1212  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

installed  the  first  water  system  of  Carson  City  at  an  expenditure  of  over  $200,- 
ooo  and,  typical  of  his  energy,  had  hauled  redwood  pipes  for  the  system  from 
points  in  California  and  Utah.  In  1866  he  married  Miss  Ellen  Cavanaugh, 
daughter  of  Peter  Cavanaugh,  who  had  the  contract  for  and  constructed  the 
present  State  Capitol  of  Nevada.  Mr.  Sweeney  supplied  the  bond  for  Mr. 
Cavanaugh  for  the  building  of  the  State  Capitol.  During  their  married  life  Mr. 
Sweeney  and  his  devoted  wife  lived  in  the  same  house,  which  they  entered 
when  first  married,  nearly  fifty  years  ago,  and  to  them  were  born  seven  chil- 
dren, four  of  whom  now  survive:  Mrs.  George  L.  Lammon,  of  Carson  City; 
James  G.  Sweeney,  former  Chief  Justice  and  Attorney-General  of  Nevada; 
Mrs.  A.  D.  Bell,  of  San  Francisco,  California;  and  Mrs.  George  L.  Sanford,  of 
Carson  City.  Mr.  Sweeney  was  a  constructive,  energetic  and  patriotic  citizen, 
generous  to  a  fault,  and  had  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who  knew  him.  He 
was  in  a  true  sense  an  empire  builder,  and  possessed  an  indomitable  will  i»nd 
courage  which  enabled  him  to  surmount  the  many  obstacles  in  his  way.  He 
lived  to  the  mature  age  of  eighty-seven  years,  with  full  possession  of  his  facul- 
ties, possessed  a  comfortable  home  and  an  independent  fortune,  and  died 
surrounded  by  his  devoted  wife  of  fififty  years  and  all  of  his  surviving  children. 

WILLIAM  SUTHERLAND  is  a  son  and  grandson  of  British  soldiers  from 
the  Highlands  of  Scotland.  His  grandfather,  William  Howatt,  was  born  in  Scot- 
land and  became  a  member  of  the  Forty-second  Highlanders,  better  known  as  the 
Black  Watch.  His  father,  William,  also  born  in  Scotland,  was  a  member  of  the 
Ninety-third  Sutherland  Highlanders,  and  during  the  years  1846-1848  was  sta- 
tioned at  Quebec,  Canada.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  the  barracks  at 
Quebec  on  the  25th  day  of  April,  1848.  His  father  died  at  the  age  of  forty-two. 
Mr.  Sutherland  resided  in  Toronto,  Canada,  during  early  youth  and  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools  of  that  city.  He  served  an  apprenticeship  at  printing,  and 
in  1866  came  to  the  United  States,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  in  Chicago.  He 
remained  there  for  a  time  and  removed  to  Galesburg,  Illinois,  where  he  continued 
in  the  printing  business  for  eight  years.  He  came  to  Virginia  City  in  May, 
1875,  and  in  December,  1877,  formed  a  copartnership  with  George  Daley  in  the 
job  printing  business.  In  1880  he  purchased  his  partner's  interest,  which  he  con- 
tinued until  August,  1908,  when  he  moved  his  plant  to  Reno.  In  1867  he  married 
Miss  Anna  Sanderson  Walker,  formerly  a  schoolmate  at  Toronto.  Their  only 
living  son,  J.  Harry,  is  now  identified  with  him  in  the  printing  business.  Mr. 
Sutherland  early  became  interested  in  fraternal  organizations.  He  was  initiated 
in  the  Masonic  Fraternity  in  1871 ;  became  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  in  1873,  a°d  was 
elected  Grand  High  Priest  of  the  Grand  Chapter  of  that  body  in  the  State  of 
Nevada  in  1901.  He  is  a  member  and  Past  Commander  of  De  Witt  Clinton 
Commandery,  No.  I,  Knights  Templar,  and  also  belongs  to  the  Mystic  Shrine  and 
holds  membership  in  Kerak  Temple  of  Reno.  In  1882  he  joined  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  in  Virginia  City  and  became  an  active  member  in  that 
order,  passing  through  the  chairs  in  both  the  subordinate  lodge  and  the  Encamp- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1213 

ment  branch.  In  1898  he  \vas  elected  Grand  Scribe  of  the  Grand  Encampment 
and  Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows  of  Nevada,  which 
positions  he  still  holds.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  State  Militia,  and  for 
three  years  served  as  Major  and  five  years  as  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Nevada 
National  Guard. 

FRED  J.  KAESER  was  born  in  Switzerland  October  15,  1865.  When  four 
years  of  age  his  parents  removed  to  America,  locating  first  in  Wisconsin  and 
then  Sacramento,  Cal.,  where  they  still  reside.  His  father  is  a  prosperous  and 
respected  rancher  of  the  Sacramento  Valley.  Our  subject  and  his  brother 
Arnold  are  engaged  in  business  in  Reno.  He  married  Miss  Ruth  Lane  De- 
cember 25,  1904,  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Sallie  Lane  of  Reno.  Their  one 
daughter,  Dorothy,  was  born  April  20,  1907.  Mrs.  Kaeser  is  an  active  worker 
in  the  Eastern  Star.  Mr.  Kaeser  was  allowed  a  patent  January  22,  1912,  on 
an  oil  burning  system  for  burning  crude  oil  for  low-pressure  heating  plants 
which  is  very  economical  and  which  has  been  installed  in  various  plants  in 
Reno. 

ALFRED  KARGE,  one  of  the  representative  men  of  Carson  City,  was  bprn 
in  Germany,  January  15,  1872.  He  attended  school  in  his  native  land  and  at  an 
early  age  he  came  to  America  and  located  at  Chicago,  where  he  finished  his 
education.  Mr.  Karge  remained  in  Chicago  until  1903  and  in  1904  he  was  iden- 
tified with  the  Mid-Winter  fair  in  San  Francisco.  He  made  a  visit  to  Panama 
and  in  1905  he  removed  to  Carson  City,  engaged  in  the  hotel  business.  He 
operated  the  Old  Briggs  House,  now  the  Golden  West,  for  eight  years.  The 
last  four  years,  while  in  the  hotel  business,  he  was  identified  with  the  tele- 
phone business.  He  disposed  of  the  hotel  and  engaged  with  the  Myers  Mer- 
cantile Company  for  three  years.  January  i,  1907,  he  became  president  and 
general  manager  of  the  Nevada  Consolidated  Telephone  and  Telegraph  Com- 
pany, president  and  manager  of  the  Nevada  Telephone  Supply  and  Construc- 
tion Company  and  president  and  manager  of  the  Western  Pacific  Telephone 
and  Telegraph  Company.  Mr.  Karge  is  also  chief  of  the  Carson  City  Fire 
Department.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Birdie  Crippen  of  Carson  City  March 
29,  1898,  and  both  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Mr.  Karge  is  a 
member  of  the  K.  of  P.  and  Woodmen  of  the  World,  and  a  member  of  the 
Spanish-American  War  Veterans.  He  enlisted  in  the  Second  United  States 
Volunteers,  Torrey's  Rough  Riders. 

WILLIAM  M.  KEARNEY  was  born  at  Waterloo,  Iowa,  in  July,  1883;  his 
parents  were  both  natives  of  Ireland.  They  came  to  America  about  1870,  locat- 
ing in  Massachusetts,  and  later  in  Iowa.  His  father  removed  to  Virginia  City 
in  1882  and  was  connected  with  the  Comstock;  the  mother  and  five  children 
followed  in  1883.  William  M.  attended  the  Carson  City  public  schools  and 
graduated  from  the  high  school  in  1899;  then  attended  the  University  of  Nev- 


1214  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

ada,  graduating  from  the  engineering  department,  school  of  mining  in  1904. 
For  about  five  years  he  followed  mining  in  California  and  Nevada,  having 
charge  of  various  mining  properties.  In  1908  he  was  connected  with  govern- 
ment engineering  and  was  in  charge  of  the  government  contract  work  in 
Nevada,  in  which  he  continued  until  1911;  March  of  that  year  he  was  ap- 
pointed State  Engineer,  which  position  he  still  holds  and  the  duties  of  which 
he  performs  with  honor  and  ability.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mabel  Stin- 
son,  daughter  of  Andrew  J.  Stinson,  of  Reno,  Nevada,  December  23,  1909. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Reno  Lodge  of  B.  P.  O.  E.  The  life  of  William  M. 
Kearney  is  closely  identified  with  the  growth  of  New  Nevada,  to  which  he 
contributes  his  skill  and  ability. 

PEARL  E.  KEELER  was  born  near  Galena,  Ohio,  October  23,  1868.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Utah  and  Iowa,  the  State  Normal 
in  Pennsylvania,  and  graduated  from  the  law  department  of  Boston  University 
in  1891.  He  began  the  practice  of  law  in  Pocatello,  Idaho,  where  he  remained 
for  three  years.  Removing  to  Logan,  Utah,  he  practiced  for  twelve  years  and 
in  1906  he  came  to  Tonopah,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  served  as  County 
Attorney  at  Cache  County,  Utah,  and  City  Attorney  at  Pocatello  and  Logan, 
Utah.  Fraternally  he  is  a  Mason  and  served  as  master  of  No.  28  of  Tonopah. 
He  is  past  exalted  ruler  of  No.  1062,  B.  P.  O.  E.;  past  grand  of  No.  24  I.  O. 
O.  F.  of  Tonopah.  Mr.  Keeler  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rose  Goodwin 
of  Logan,  Utah,  June  20,  1894.  Mrs.  Keeler  is  president  of  the  Nye  County 
Equal  Franchise  Society. 

MELVIN  JOHN  KELLY  was  born  August  18,  1879,  at  Lakeport,  Lake 
County,  Cal.  He  received  his  education  in  a  private  school  in  Lake  County.  He 
learned  the  machinist  trade  at  an  early  age,  and  followed  that  vocation  in  Napa 
County  and  Lakeport  County  for  some  time.  In  1907  he  came  to  Nevada, 
where  he  became  engaged  in  the  meat  business  in  August,  1910,  in  Round  Moun- 
tain and  Manhattan.  He  is  president  of  the  Round  Mountain  and  Manhattan 
Meat  Co.,  Inc.  In  politics  Mr.  Kelly  is  a  Republican,  and  in  1910  he  was  appointed 
a  member  of  the  State  Central  Committee.  In  April,  1912,  he  was  elected  on  the 
School  Board  and  previous  to  his  election  he  was  appointed  to  fill  an  unexpired 
term.  He  is  identified  with  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Lake  County,  Cal.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows,  and  the  Eagles  Lodge.  Mr.  Kelly  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Gertrude  Alice  Rose,  a  native  of  Lake  County,  Cal.,  March  13, 
1900.  Their  three  children  are :  Ruth  Pauline,  Harold  William  and  Nelson 
Goodwin. 

SAMUEL  T.  KELSO,  County  Recorder  of  Mineral  County,  is  a  native  of 
Aroostook  County,  Maine,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  1849.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  State.  In  1869  he  came  to  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1215 

Pacific  Coast  and  located  in  San  Francisco.  He  later  went  tt)  Washington, 
where  he  remained  until  1875,  and  was  identified  with  the  lumbering  business. 
In  the  fall  of  1875  he  returned  to  San  Francisco,  where  he  remained  until  the 
spring  of  1876,  when  he  came  to  Nevada  and  located  in  Virginia  City.  He 
followed  mining  here  for  some  time  and  then  prospected  and  mined  in  Esmeralda 
County.  He  returned  to  Virginia  City  and  mined  from  1889  to  1893  and  in  the 
fall  of  '53  he  returned  to  Esmeralda  County.  During  the  rush  to  Klondyke  in 
1897  he  resolved  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  new  camp  and  was  at  Sheep  Camp 
at  the  time  of  the  big  snowslide  which  killed  about  fifty- four  people,  and  he 
assisted  in  taking  out  the  bodies.  He  remained  in  Alaska  for  four  years,  and 
in  1901  he  returned  to  Nevada.  He  was  in  Goldfield  during  the  boom  days  and 
for  two  years  he  was  manager  of  a  hardware  and  grocery  business,  but  remained 
in  that  camp  for  four  years.  In  politics  Mr.  Kelso  is  a  Republican.  He  was 
chosen  by  the  people  of  Mineral  County  to  serve  for  a  two-year  term  as  County 
Recorder.  He  was  married  in  Virginia  City  to  Atha  Mack  in  1889  and  she  died 
in  1900.  Fraternally  he  is  affiliated  with  the  Odd  Fellows.  He  is  still  interested 
in  mining  throughout  Nevada. 

HARRY  H.  KENNEDY,  assistant  cashier  of  the  Nixon  National  Bank,  was 
born  December  10,  1879,  at  Monterey,  Cal.  His  parents  moved  from  Monterey 
to  Santa  Rosa,  where  they  remained  for  some  years,  and  then  returned  to  their 
former  home  in  Monterey,  where  Harry  finished  his  high  school  education.  He 
learned  telegraphing  and  worked  for  the  S.  P.  R.  R.  and  was  stationed  at  vari- 
ous places  for  some  years  and  did  telegraphing  in  Reno  for  two  years.  In  1904 
he  started  in  The  Bank  of  Nevada  as  bookkeeper  and  when  the  Nixon  National 
Bank  took  over  the  Bank  of  Nevada  he  continued  with  the  Nixon  National 
Bank,  where  he  is  now  serving  as  assistant  cashier.  He  is  a  Republican,  a 
member  of  the  K.  of  P.  Lodge  and  the  Commercial  Club  of  Reno.  He  married 
Miss  Rilla  Black  of  Reno,  daughter  of  a  pioneer  rancher,  January  17,  1904. 
His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Ladies  of  the  Macabees  and  Pythian  Sisters, 

IRA  H.  KENT.  One  of  the  most  prominent  and  active  business  men  in 
Churchill  County  for  the  past  quarter  of  a  century  is  Ira  H.  Kent,  who  possesses 
extensive  ranching,  mercantile  and  other  business  interests.  He  was  born  at 
Millersburg,  Pa.,  August  15,  1855,  but  during  his  boyhood  and  youth  lived  at 
Binghampton,  New  York.  In  1874  he  came  to  California,  later  going  to  Oregon, 
but  in  1876  came  to  Churchill  County,  where  he  has  since  resided.  The  same 
year  he  was  elected  County  Recorder,  in  1880  was  elected  County  Treasurer,  and 
was  twice  elected  District  Attorney.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Kaiser, 
November  2,  1882,  eldest  daughter  of  the  late  Senator  Charles  Kaiser — a 
pioneer  and  one  of  the  best  citizens  Churchill  County  ever  possessed.  Mr. 
Kent  engaged  in  ranching,  securing  3,000  acres  of  land  adjoining  Stillwater, 
which  he  still  owns,  and  kept  a  store  in  that  town.  When  the  county  seat  was 


I2i6  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

moved  to  Fallen  in  1902  he  moved  to  that  place,  organizing  and  incorporating 
the  I.  H.  Kent  Company  for  $50,000,  of  which  company  he  is  still  president. 
Under  Mr.  Kent's  skillful  management  the  business  has  grown  into  one  of  the 
most  extensive  mercantile  establishments  in  the  State.  When  the  beet  sugar 
industry  was  being  started  he  took  an  active  part  in  the  organization  and  the 
erecting  of  the  factory,  and  it  was  probably  due  to  his  efforts  as  much  as  those 
of  any  one  that  the  enterprise  was  started.  He  is  now  vice-president  and 
resident  manager  of  the  factory,  in  addition  to  the  duties  of  managing  the 
affairs  of  his  own  company.  Their  eldest  son,  Charles  E.  Kent,  manages  the^ 
large  ranch;  the  daughter,  Miss  Florence,  was  married  to  Milton  H.  Wallace 
in  1908,  and  he  is  now  assistant  manager  for  the  I.  H.  Kent  Co.;  the  youngest 
son,  Ira,  is  a  student  in  the  University  of  Nevada. 

WENZEL  J.  STOCK,  JR.,  a  native  of  California,  was  born  at  Unionfiown, 
El  Dorado  County,  December  23,  1867.  He  was  educated  in  Silver  City,  Nevada, 
and  later  attended  the  business  college  at  San  Francisco.  For  eight  years  he  was 
engaged  in  the  grocery  business  in  Silver  City,  and  in  1903  he  removed  to  Tonopah, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  same  line  with  William  T.  Cuddy.  In  politics  Mr.  Stock 
is  a  Democrat,  but  never  has  aspired  to  office.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
Lodge  of  Silver  City  and  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Reno.  The  father  of  Mr.  Stock 
(Wenzel  J.,  Sr.)  was  a  baker  by  trade,  which  he  followed  for  many  years  in 
Silver  City.  He  was  a  Bohemian  by  birth  and  came  to  America  when  a  young 
man  and  is  now  in  his  eighty- fourth  year.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  Barbara, 
was  from  the  same  country,  and  there  were  seven  children  in  the  family:  Mary, 
vife  of  H.  Goetz  of  Tonopah;  Henry,  of  Silver  City;  William  and  Clarence, 
of  Virginia  City;  Lizzie,  wife  of  W.  F.  Noland  of  Silver  City;  Rose,  wife  of 
Florin  Windisch  of  Silver  City,  and  Wenzel  J.,  Jr.,  of  Tonopah. 

BAT.  SULLIVAN  was  born  August  29,  1867,  at  Atlantic  Mine,  Haughton 
County,  Mich.  He  attended  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  learned  the  ma- 
chinist trade  and  later  became  a  submarine  diver,  and  on  one  occasion,  for  his 
bravery,  he  was  presented  by  his  associates  with  a  solid  gold  watch  for  recovering 
the  body  of  W.  H.  Roberts  from  the  bottom  of  a  3OO-foot  shaft  and  in  sixty  feet 
of  water  in  the  Mitchell  mine  in  Northern  Michigan.  In  March,  1905,  he  removed 
to  Nevada  and  located  in  Goldfield.  He  was  engineer  for  the  Consolidated  and 
Red  Top  mines  for  four  years,  after  which  he  served  as  Deputy  Sheriff  for  two 
years,  and  was  elected  Constable,  November,  1910,  which  office  he  still  holds.  He 
was  married  to  Mary  O'Neil  of  Grass  Valley,  Cal.,  in  1895.  Mr.  Sullivan  is  a 
member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.,  Eagles  and  Knights  of  Columbus.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Sullivan  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

JOSEPH  EDWARD  STUBBS,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  was  born  at  Ashland,  Ohio, 
March  19,  1850,  of  English  ancestry  and  in  a  family  long  prominent  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1217 

Eastern  Ohio.  From  the  beginning  of  his  career  Dr.  Stubbs  devoted 
himself  to  educational  work,  while  his  brothers  went  into  business  and 
railroad  affairs,  where  they  rose  to  prominence  and  distinction.  Dr.  Stubbs  gradu- 
ated in  1873  from  Ohio  Wesleyan  University  and  was  employed  for  two  years 
more  as  an  instructor  in  that  institution,  studying  later  in  Drew  Theological 
Seminary  in  New  Jersey  and  in  the  University  of  Berlin.  He  was  City  Superin- 
tendent of  Schools  in  Ashland,  Ohio,  for  six  years;  and  was  president  of  Baldwin 
University  at  Berea,  Ohio,  from  1886  to  1894,  when  he  was  called  to  the  presidency 
of  the  University  of  Nevada.  In  1873  Dr.  Stubbs  married  Miss  Ella  Sprengle  of 
Ashland,  Ohio,  a  graduate  of  Ohio  Wesleyan  University.  To  them  were  born  six 
children,  five  of  whom  are  still  living.  From  1894  to  the  present  time,  Dr. 
Stubbs  has  been  president  of  the  University  of  Nevada,  a  period  of  nearly  twenty 
years,  in  which  the  institution  under  his  inspiration  and  guidance  has  grown  from 
what  was  little  more  than  a  high  school  into  one  of  the  strongest  of  the  smaller 
colleges  of  America.  The  story  of  the  growth  of  the  University  under  Dr. 
Stubbs'  administration  has  already  been  told  in  the  sketch  of  the  history  of  the 
institution.  In  1906  Dr.  Stubbs  succeeded  in  interesting  Mr.  Clarence  Mackay  in 
the  work  of  the  University,  and  as  a  result  of  the  growth  of  that  interest  the 
University  came  into  possession  of  a  series  of  gifts  which  have  greatly  broadened 
the  scope  of  the  work  which  the  institution  can  accomplish.  These  gifts  included 
the  Mackay  School  of  Mines,  Gutzon  Borglum's  statue  of  John  W.  Mackay,  the 
beautiful  Mackay  Quadrangle  and  the  Mackay  athletic  field  and  training  quarters. 
The  generosity  of  the  donors  of  these  gifts  has  expressed  itself  in  a  noble  and 
permanently  valuable  form.  In  1913  Dr.  Stubbs  was  granted  a  leave  of  absence 
for  a  year's  study  of  the  universities  of  the  old  world,  devoting  much  of  his  time 
to  studies  in  Oxford  University,  England,  where  many  students  from  Nevada 
have  been  abled  to  spend  some  years  as  holders  of  the  Cecil  Rhodes  scholarships. 

BRUCE  GLIDDEN.  One  of  the  leading  members  of  the  Elko  Bar  is  Bruce 
Glidden,  a  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Williams  &  Glidden.  He  is  a  native 
of  Ohio,  being  born  at  Portsmouth.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools,  after  which  he  graduated  from  the  Cincinnati  Law  School  in  1890. 
He  located  in  Chicago,  where  he  took  up  the  practice  of  law,  remaining  there 
for  one  year,  when  he  removed  to  Colorado,  where  he  remained  until  1902, 
when  he  located  in  Nevada  and  practiced  his  profession  in  Goldfield,  Tonopah, 
Rawhide,  and  other  camps.  In  1912  Mr.  Glidden  removed  to  Elko.  In  his 
chosen  profession  he  has  almost  entirely  confined  his  practice  to  mining 
localities.  The  firm  of  Williams  &  Glidden  now  enjoy  a  large  clientage  in 
Eastern  Nevada. 

DANIEL  J.  SULLIVAN,  Deputy  County  Treasurer  of  White  Pine  County,  was 
born  at  Ottumwa,  Iowa,  June  17,  1874.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Iowa.  In  1891  his  parents  removed  to  Omaha,  where  Daniel  J.  con- 
tinued his  education  for  a  short  period.  He  became  identified  in  the  wholesale 


I2i8  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

grocery  business  until  1898,  when  he  removed  to  Butte,  Montana,  where  he  fol- 
lowed mining  for  eighteen  months.  He  then  served  as  timekeeper  in  the  mines 
at  Butte  for  three  years,  and  for  four  years  he  served  as  bookkeeper  for  the 
Basan  Reduction  Company.  All  the  time  he  was  thus  employed  by  the  Heinze 
interests.  In  1907  he  removed  to  Ely,  Nevada,  and  was  bookkeeper  for  the  Ely 
Townsite  Company  at  East  Ely  until  1911,  when  he  was  appointed  Deputy  County 
Treasurer.  Mr.  Sullivan  was  elected  and  served  in  the  Montana  Legislature  in 
1904.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  served  in  the  State  Legislature  during  the 
last  session.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Maple  Charley,  daughter  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Merritt  Charley,  of  Ely,  Nevada,  January  n,  1913. 

JOHN  J.  SULLIVAN,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Virginia  City,  January  23,  1877.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  in  his  native  town,  after  which  he 
attended  the  University  of  Nevada,  graduating  in  June,  1898.  He  graduated  from 
St.  Francis  Xavier,  New  York  City,  with  degree  of  A.  M.,  in  1901,  and  from 
Columbia  College,  with  degree  of  M.  D.,  in  1902.  He  returned  to  Virginia  City 
m  1902,  where  he  has  practiced  his  profession  since.  Dr.  Sullivan  is  a  member 
of  the  American  Medical  Association,  the  Nevada  State  and  Washoe  County 
Medical  Societies.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Eagles,  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  Knights  of 
Columbus.  He  served  as  regent  of  the  University  of  Nevada  in  1909-11  for  the 
short  term.  Dr.  Sullivan  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Maud  Hobart,  November 
16,  1910;  their  one  child,  John  J.,  Jr.,  was  born  August  22,  1912.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Nevada  State  Board  of  Medical  Examiners,  1906,  and  member  of  the  State 
Board  of  Health,  1908-12. 

CHARLES  A.  McLEOD  was  born  at  Aurora,  Nevada,  1878.  He  is  a  son 
of  Angus  and  Mary  Etna  (Ellis)  McLeod,  who  were  married  July  3,  1877,  at 
Gold  Hill.  The  father  of  Charles  A.  was  born  in  Arkansas  October  25,  1836, 
and  his  mother  was  born  November  23,  1856.  In  1857  Mr.  McLeod's  father 
crossed  the  Plains,  which  took  six  months,  and  he  and  others  drove  thirteen 
hundred  head  of  cattle  from  Arkansas.  In  1860  he  teamed  in  Virginia  City 
with  an  ox  team,  and  later  that  year  he  removed  to  Mason  Valley,  where  he 
took  up  land.  Previous  to  coming  to  Virginia  City  he  did  placer  mining  in 
California.  He  was  affiliated  with  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  for  forty  years.  While  he 
owned  land  in  Mason  Valley  he  made  his  residence  in  Aurora,  where  he  teamed 
and  conducted  a  Hotel  for  many  years.  He  later  made  his  home  in  Mason 
Valley  and  followed  ranching.  There  were  nine  children  born  in  the  parents' 
family.  Charles  A.,  born  April  29,  1878,  married  Violet  B.  Webster,  October 
14,  1909,  daughter  of  Eileen  L.,  born  October  14,  1911.  Henry  S.,  born  October 
14,  1879,  married  Lillian  Jones,  June  4,  1902,  four  sons  issue  of  marriage. 
Mary  C,  born  May  20,  1881,  married  H.  E.  Hillygus,  June  12,  1899,  two 
daughters  from  issue,  one  deceased,  Mary  C.,  died  January  25,  1907.  Angus, 
born  January  28,  1883,  died  June  21,  1908.  Neil,  born  June  20,  1885,  Deputy 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1219 

County  Clerk  and  Treasurer.  Mason  E.,  born  February  27,  1887,  married 
Azella  Clark,  March  31,  1909,  two  sons  and  one  daughter  from  issue.  Belle, 
born  July  31,  1889,  married  Ambro  Rosaschi,  June,  1905,  three  daughters,  two 
sons  from  issue.  William,  born  January  2,  1891.  Daniel  R.,  born  November 
10,  1894.  Our  subject  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  the  U.  of 
N.  He  asssited  on  the  home  farm  until  1907,  when  he  followed  mining.  He 
was  one  of  the  original  locators  of  the  camp  of  Raw  Hide  in  1907.  In  1910  he 
was  elected  County  Clerk  and  Treasurer  of  Lyon  County  and  took  office  Janu- 
ary i,  1911.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  and  I.  O.  O.  F. 

DONALD  MacLEAN,  M.  D.,  a  prominent  physician  of  Carson  City,  was 
born  at  Toronto,  Canada,  August  4,  1872.  He  acquired  his  education  at  the 
Upper  Canada  College  at  Toronto  and  his  medical  education  at  Edinborough, 
Scotland,  and  attended  the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Michigan. 
Dr.  MacLean  did  hospital  work  in  Scotland  and  served  as  Surgeon  in  tfie 
army  from  1898  to  1900.  He  removed  to  Leadville,  Colo.,  where  he  practiced 
from  1900  to  1903,  when  he  went  to  San  Francisco,  where  he  followed  his  pro- 
fession until  1905.  He  then  took  up  his  residence  from  1905  to  1910  in  Reno, 
where  he  enjoyed  a  large  and  remunerative  patronage.  In  1910  he  removed 
to  Carson  City.  Dr.  MacLean  is  a  member  of  the  American  Medical  Associa- 
tion and  the  Nevada  State  and  County  Medical  Societies.  He  is  affiliated  with 
the  Masonic  Lodge. 

CHARLES  W.  MACK  is  numbered  among  the  representative  business  men 
of  Reno.  He  is  a  son  of  Hon.  Charles  E.  and  Mary  (Morgan)  Mack.  His 
father  is  favorably  known  throughout  the  State  and  is  recognized  as  an  able 
attorney.  Charles  W.  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Virginia 
City  and  the  Reno  High  School.  Finishing  his  education  he  became  identified 
with  his  brother  under  the  firm  name  of  the  Mack  Auto  Co.,  one  of  the  larg- 
est establishments  in  the  State.  Mr.  Mack  is  also  numbered  among  the  fore- 
most musicians  of  Nevada.  He  was  born  February  28,  1891. 

WALTER  S.  HOLMQUIST,  M.  D.,  has  the  honor  of  being  numbered  among 
those  born  in  Nevada,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Virginia  City,  July  27,  1876. 
He  is  a  son  of  Magnus  Holmquist,  a  native  of  Sweden,  who  came  to  America 
in  1874  and  located  in  Virginia  City.  He  followed  mining  for  a  time  and  later 
removed  to  Kansas,  where  he  conducted  a  bank.  He  died  in  April,  1909!  The 
mother  of  our  subject,  Anna  (Peterson)  Holmquist,  was  also  a  nativte  of 
Sweden,  and  came  to  America,  locating  in  Virginia  City,  where  she  was  mar- 
ried. She  now  makes  her  home  in  San  Diego,  Cal.  There  were  four  children 
born  in  the  parents'  family — Clarence  S.,  a  graduate  of  Michigan  University 
Law  Department,  and  now  engaged  in  real  estate  business  in  Salt  Lake  City; 
George,  now  attending  the  University  of  Pennsylvania;  Neva,  who  resides 


1220  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

with  the  mother  in  San  Diego,  and  Walter  S.  Our  subject  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  Wesleyian  University,  Kansas,  and  the  University  of  Michigan,  at 
Ann  Arbor,  graduating  from  the  medical  department  in  1902.  He  practiced  in 
Denver  for  five  years  and  in  1907  he  removed  to  Ely,  where  he  is  now  prac- 
ticing his  profession.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Dorothy  B.  Bown,  of  Oakland, 
Cal.,  March  8,  1907.  Dr.  Holmquist  is  a  member  of  the  Phi-Rho-Sigma  So- 
ciety of  the  University  of  Michigan. 

BERT  L.  HOOD.— Prominent  among  the  legal  fraternity  of  Humboldt 
County,  special  mention  is  due  Judge  Bert  L.  Hood,  who  now  holds  the  office 
of  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  who  resides  in  Lovelock.  He  is  a  native  of  Michi- 
gan, having  been  born  at  Adrian  November  13,  1869.  He  received  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  place  and  afterward  pursued  his  studies 
at  the  Adrian  College,  graduating  in  1893.  Later,  the  same  year,  he  removed 
to  Nevada  and  located  at  the  Pittsburg  Mines  in  Lander  County,  where  he 
remained  for  five  years.  Here  he  took  up  the  study  of  law.  Early  in  1900  he 
removed  to  VVinnemucca,  where  he  continued  his  studies  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  at  Carson  City  in  May,  1900.  He  was  elected  District  Attorney  of 
Humboldt  County  and  served  from  1901  to  1903.  Judge  Hood  then  took  up 
his  practice  again  and  shortly  removed  to  Tonopah,  where  he  remained  from 
1903  to  1906.  In  1906  he  went  to  Lovelock,  where  he  was  identified  with  the 
Lovelock  Mercantile  Company  from  1906  to  1910,  when  he  was  appointed  to 
the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of 
Judge  Fitts.  In  the  fall  of  1910  Judge  Hood  was  elected  to  the  same  office 
which  he  now  holds,  and  has  already  won  success  in  his  chosen  field.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Lovelock. 

JACOB-  HOOK,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Hesse-Darmstadt, 
Germany,  in  1866,  he  acquired  a  common  school  education  and  at  an  early 
age  he  learned  the  brewery  trade  in  Germany.  In  1885  he  came  to  America 
and  settled  in  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  where  he  remained  for  eight  years  identified 
with  the  brewery  business.  He  spent  two  years  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  after 
which  he  went  to  Rossland,  British  Columbia,  where  he  erected  the  Lyon 
Brewery,  remaining  for  a  period  of  four  years.  He  then  removed  to  Butte, 
Montana,  where  he  was  associated  with  the  Butte  Brewing  Company  for  three 
years.  In  1903  he  came  to  Reno,  where  he  became  connected  with  the  Reno 
Brewing  Company  and  now  holds  the  position  of  manager  and  secretary. 

CHARLES  HO  SKINS,  a  well-known  business  man  of  Winnemucca.  was  born 
in  Llano  County,  Texas,  November  4,  1869.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  State,  after  which  he  found  employment  at  farming.  In 
1900  he  removed  to  Nevada,  where  he  took  charge  of  a  stage  station  at  Cane 
Springs.  He  continued  here  for  seven  years,  when  he  removed  to  Winnemucca 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1221 

in  March,  1907,  when  he  became  identified  vrith  C.  E.  Haviland  under  the  firm 
name  of  Haviland  &  Hoskins.  They  are  interested  in  many  large  business  enter- 
prises in  Winnemucca,  having  the  automobile  stage  lines,  livery,  and  largely  inter- 
ested in  land  in  northern  Humboldt  County.  Mr.  Hoskins  is  an  active  member 
of  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles  in  his  city.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Sicily  Gordon,  a  native  of  Erath  County,  Texas,  December  6,  1894.  Their 
four  children,  Alma,  born  July  22,  1896,  Frankie,  born  May  20,  1898,  Erma,  born 
March  22,  1900,  and  George,  born  May  17,  1902.  Mr.  Hoskins'  business  efforts 
are  crowned  with  an  abundance  of  the  comforts  and  luxuries  of  a  family  that  go 
to  make  life  worth  the  living. 

QUINCY  W.  HULL,  now  serving  as  Post  Master  at  Ely,  is  one  of  the  repre- 
sentative men  of  White  Pine  County.  He  was  born  in  Erie  County,  N.  Y.,  in 
1849.  His  parents  died  when  he  was  young  and  he  was  taken  to  Ohio  by  relatives 
and  later  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  received  a  limited  education.  He  learned  the 
printing  trade  in  Zanesville,  Wis.,  which  he  followed  some  time.  He  removed 
to  Nevada  in  1874  and  located  in  Elko,  where  he  became  identified  with  the 
Post  Office  and  later  was  appointed  Post  Master  under  Grant's  administration 
and  again  under  Hayes.  Mr.  Hull  served  as  Deputy  Treasurer  of  Elko  County 
for  two  terms  and  as  County  Treasurer  one  term.  He  also  served  as  Wclls-Fargo 
agent  for  seven  years.  He  removed  to  Utah  and  served  as  Deputy  Post  Master 
at  Mercur  and  as  Police  Judge  for  two  years.  He  returned  to  Elko,  where  he 
remained  for  two  years,  and  in  1906  he  removed  to  Ely,  and  in  1908  he  was 
appointed  Post  Master,  which  office  he  has  since  held.  In  politics  Mr.  Hull  is  a 
Republican  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  in  Wisconsin  since 
1873.  In  r88o  he  married  Mary  McCall  of  Sacramento,  Cal.  Their  three  children 
are  Edmund  Q.,  assistant  Post  Master  of  Ely,  Nev. ;  Percy  Warren,  assistant 
Auditor  of  the  N.  N.  R.  R.,  and  Walter  G.,  operator  at  East  Ely. 

CHARLES  A.  HUMPHREY,  County  Commissioner  of  Nye  County,  was  born 
on  the  Stoneburger  ranch,  in  the  northern  part  of  Nye  County,  June  25,  1869. 
He  acquired  his  education  in  the  Belmont  and  other  schools.  He  is  a  son  of 
William  Carroll  Humphrey,  one  of  Nevada's  respected  citizens  and  early  pioneers, 
coming  to  Nevada  in  the  early  part  of  the  6o's.  Charles  A.  began  life  early  by 
engaging  in  the  stock  business,  which  he  followed  for  about  fifteen  years.  He 
then  became  identified  with  mining  in  the  Sodaville  section  in  Nye  and  Esmeralda 
Counties,  which  vocation  he  still  follows.  July,  1905,  Mr.  Humphrey  removed  to 
Manhattan,  Nevada,  where  he  still  resides.  He  was  appointed  County  Com- 
missioner in  May,  1910,  to  fill  a  vacancy  and  at  the  regular  election  following 
he  was  elected  to  the  same  office.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ella 
Thorne  of  Carson  City,  June  5,  1895.  Their  four  sons  are :  Carroll,  born  March 
20,  1897;  Alvan,  born  March  21,  1898;  Charles,  born  July  5,  1900,  and  Harvey, 
born  October  17,  1905. 


1222  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

ERNEST  MACK  was  born  in  Virginia  City  June  27,  1888.  He  is  a  son  of 
Hon.  Charles  E.  and  Mary  (Morgan)  Mack.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  Virginia  and  afterward  attended  the  high  school  and  Uni- 
versity of  Nevada,  graduating  from  the  University  with  the  class  of  1910.  He 
took  up  electrical  engineering  and  served  six  months  with  the  General  Elec- 
tric Company  of  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  after  which  he  became  identified  with  the 
Stoddard-Dayton  Company  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  for  several  months.  Returning 
to  Reno  he  engaged  in  the  automobile  business  in  1911  with  his  brother, 
Charles  W.,  under  the  firm  name  of  Mack  Auto  Company.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Alice  Carey  Wood,  of  North  Carolina,  July  17,  1912.  Fra- 
ternally he  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 

PATRICK  HENRY.  Perhaps  every  State  in  the  Union  as  well  as  many 
foreign  lands  have  contributed  to  the  citizenship  of  Nevada,  and  from  all  sections 
of  the  world  have  come  men  of  firm  purpose  and  unfaltering  energy.  Patrick 
Henry  was  a  worthy  son  of  Canada,  his  birth  having  occurred  January  31,  1851. 
At  an  early  age  he  became  identified  with  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  and  fol- 
lowed the  vocation  as  operator,  filling  positions  in  Devil's  Gate,  Virginia  City, 
Gold  Hill  and  Reno.  He  removed  to  Truckee  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  he 
married  Miss  Jennie  Ellen,  daughter  of  E.  Ellen,  known  as  the  Lumber  King. 
Mr.  Ellen  was  one  of  the  well-known  pioneers  of  the  State,  having  crossed  the 
Plains  in  '49  with  an  ox  team.  Mr.  Henry  soon  became  manager  of  Mr.  Ellen's 
interests  and  for  some  years  he  held  that  position.  In  the  early  8o's  he  went  to 
Verdi  and  formed  a  co-partnership  with  Mr.  Katz.  The  firm  was  known  as 
Katz  &  Henry  for  some  years.  Mr.  Henry  finally  removed  to  Reno,  and  founded 
the  Reno  Mill  &  Lumber  Company.  He  later  acquired  large  lumber  holdings  in 
Plumas  and  Sierra  Counties,  Cal.,  operating  mills  near  Beckwith,  and  later  at 
Loyalton.  There  were  two  children  born,  James  E.,  born  October  i,  1875,  and 
Harry  P.,  who  died  in  infancy.  James  E.  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mollie  Manning  of  Virginia  City  in  1896.  To  this  union  was  born  Frederick  E. 
a<nd  Harry  M.  Patrick  Henry  was  an  active  Democrat  and  had  valuable  mining 
and  farming  interests  in  Nevada.  He  died  in  1901  and  his  wife  died  in  1877. 
James  E.,  a  resident  of  San  Francisco,  whose  career  has  been  equally  honorable 
and  successful,  has  been  for  the  past  twenty  years  identified  with  the  business 
interests  of  that  city. 

THEODORE  R.  HOFER,  JR.,  ex-Post  Master  of  Carson  City,  was  appointed 
by  President  McKinley,  June  i,  1900.  He  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Penn.,  on 
the  2Oth  of  November,  1875.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  at  Carson 
City,  Stanford  University,  and  later  he  took  a  course  in  mechanical  electrical  en- 
gineering. He  taught  school  for  two  years  at  Dayton  and  Gardnerville,  after  which 
he  was  appointed  Post  Master  at  Carson  City.  He  was  one  of  forty-eight  Post 
Masters  throughout  the  United  States  who  was  instructed  to  appear  in  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.,  for  instructions  in  managing  the  new  system  of  postal  savings  banks, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1223 

the  one  in  Carson  being  the  first  to  be  established  in  Nevada.  Mr.  Hofer  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Stewart  Fox,  July  8,  1899,  daughter  of  A. 
W.  Fox  and  a  granddaughter  of  the  late  Senator  Steward.  Their  one  son,  Steward 
Theodore,  was  born  February  3,  1901.  Mr.  Hofer  is  a  Republican  and  a  member 
of  the  K.  of  P. 

FRANK  G.  HUMPHREY,  a  nativ*  of  Nevada,  was  born  on  the  Stoneburger 
ranch  in  Nye  County,  May  20,  1872.  His  father,  William  Carroll  Humphrey,  came 
to  Nevada  and  located  in  Austin  in  the  early  6o's.  He  followed  mining  and  farm- 
ing and  resided  in  various  parts  of  the  State.  He  crossed  the  Plains  and  was 
united  in  marriage  in  Austin  to  Anna  Butler,  a  native  of  Illinois.  There  were 
four  children  born  to  this  union :  Charles  A.,  County  Commissioner  of  Ny« 
County,  residing  in  Manhattan,  and  John  C,  of  Manhattan;  Lida,  wife  of  R.  F. 
Gilbert  of  Tonopah,  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Frank  G.  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  at  Belmont.  He  followed  mining  and  stock-raising  for  several 
years  and  removed  to  Manhattan  from  Crows  Springs,  Esmeralda  County.  He 
and  his  brother,  John,  located  the  first  mine  in  Manhattan,  which  was  called  the 
Seyler  Humphrey  group.  Mr.  Humphrey  and  E.  P.  Esser  operated  the  first  six- 
horse  stage  between  Sodaville  and  Tonopah.  He  married  Marguerite  Maute, 
daughter  of  Andrew  Maute  of  Carson  City,  December  18,  1898.  Their  two 
children  are :  Adelaide,  born  September  2,  1899,  and  Francis,  born  June  19,  1904. 

JACOB  B.  HUMPHREY,  one  of  the  progressive  and  well-known  business 
men  in  Southern  Nevada,  was  born  April  17,  1877,  in  Sierra  County,  Cal.  His 
father,  George  W.,  a  native  of  Maine,  one  of  the  makers  of  history  of  California 
and  Nevada,  came  to  the  Coast  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  via  Cape  Horn,  and 
settled  in  Downieville,  Cal.  He  followed  the  stage  business  for  some  years,  after 
which  he  became  interested  in  ranching  and  stock-raising  in  Sierra  County,  Cal., 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1893.  Mr.  Humphrey's  mother  was  Edith 
Lockhart,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  They  crossed  the  Plains  and  were  married 
in  1864.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Humphrey  were  born  ten  children.  The  father  of 
our  sketch  had  many  thrilling  experiences  while  driving  stage  in  the  early  days. 
Jacob  B.  attended  the  public  schools  and  business  college  in  San  Jose.  After  his 
schooling  he  followed  the  stock  ranges  for  a  time  and  in  September,  1904,  he 
removed  to  Goldfield,  where  he  opened  the  Tonopah  and  Goldfield  meat  market 
and  established  a  branch  at  Millers.  Mr.  Humphrey  is  associated  with  the  whole- 
sale firm  of  Burley  Woodward,  Inc.,  and  interested  in  the  Goldfield  Columbia 
ice  and  cold  storage  plant.  He  is  a  32nd  degree  Mason  and  a  member  of  the 
Goldfield  Lodge,  B.  P.  O.  E.,  and  is  largely  interested  in  stock-raising  east  of 
Goldfield.  Mr.  Humphrey's  sister,  Muzette,  wife  of  Jack  La  Duke,  has  been 
identified  with  the  firm  for  some  years  as  bookkeeper. 

HON.  THOMAS  HUNTER,  who  is  one  of  the  representative  men  of  Nevada, 
has  been  a  resident  of  the  Commonwealth  since  1869.  He  is  a  native  of  Nov» 


1224  THE    HISTORY     OF     NEVADA 

Scotia,  where  he  was  born  July  20,  1851.  His  father,  John  Hunter,  was  a  native 
of  Scotland,  and  was  there  married  to  Miss  Esther  Casey,  a  lady  of  Scotch  and 
English  ancestry.  In  1861  John  Hunter  came  to  California  and  located  in 
Oroville,  Butte  County,  where  he  did  placer  mining,  and  was  later  joined  by  his 
vrife  and  nine  children,  who  made  the  trip  in  safety  via  Cape  Horn.  They  matte 
their  home  in  Oroville,  where  the  father  engaged  in  mining  and  later  in  farming. 
In  1864  he  removed  to  Washington  and  in  1869  located  in  Elko,  but  had  pre- 
viously moved  to  Idaho  City,  Idaho,  where  he  mined,  and  there  his  wife  died  in 
1866.  Thomas,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  educated  in  Stockton,  California. 
He  became  interested  in  the  stock  business  in  Oregon  and  Nevada  and  has 
extensive  mining  interests.  He  owns  a  ranch  of  six  thousand  acres  near  Elko 
and  is  one  of  the  representative  stockmen  of  Nevada.  In  politics  Mr.  Hunter  is 
a  Democrat.  He  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate  and  served  two  terms.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  and  the  Masonic  Fraternity,  in  which  he  received  the 
Master  degree  in  Elko  Lodge,  No.  15,  in  1875,  and  is  now  a  Past  Master  of 
his  lodge.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Adda  Lytton,  a  native  of  Cali- 
fornia, in  1878.  F"ive  children  have  been  born  to  this  union:  J.  George,  Edith, 
wife  of  H.  Wallace,  Alice,  Irene  and  Hattie.  The  family  are  members  of  the 
Episcopal  Church. 


WILLIAM  HUSSMAN,  a  successful  farmer  of  the  Carson  Valley,  was  born 
on  the  home  ranch  near  Gardnerville,  March  i,  1874.  His  father,  William,  came 
from  Germany  to  this  country  in  1869  and  was  one  of  the  progressive  farmers 
who  helped  to  make  the  Carson  Valley  what  it  is.  He  was  killed  by  the  falling 
of  a  tree  in  1874.  He  married  Johanna  Heitman,  also  a  native  of  Germany,  and 
two  children  were  born  of  this  union.  Our  subject's  mother  again  married. 
This  second  union  was  to  Fred  Hussman,  a  brother  of  William,  and  to  the 
second  union  were  born  eight  children,  seven  of  whom  are  now  living. 
William ;  Maggie,  wife  of  Fred  Fricke ;  George,  who  resides  on  the  home 
ranch;  Fred,  a  resident  of  Portland,  Oregon;  Otto,  a  surveyor;  Clarence,  who  is 
in  business  in  San  Francisco,  and  Ada,  who  is  attending  the  U.  of  N.  William, 
our  subject,  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  assisted 
on  the  home  place  until  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty-three,  when  he  purchased 
the  Heitmann  ranch,  consisting  of  four  hundred  and  forty  acres.  He  continued 
to  run  this  ranch  for  seven  years,  when  he  sold  and  bought  the  Chris  Larsen 
ranch  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  near  Gardnerville.  He  married  Minnie 
Wischman,  a  native  of  Germany,  September  31,  1898.  Their  three  children  are: 
Harold,  born  April  8,  1809;  Alvina,  born  October  i,  1900,  and  Roy,  born  May 
14,  1906.  Mr.  Hussman  is  a  Republican  and  served  the  people  of  Douglas  County 
in  the  Assembly  in  1007  for  one  term  and  again  in  1913.  He  is  a  director  of  the 
Minden  Flour  Milling  Co.  and  the  Alpine  Land  and  Reservoir  Co.  In  1912  Mr. 
Hussman  bought  1,000  acres  of  the  Henry  Van  Sickle  ranch  on  the  mountain  road. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1225 

SAMUEL  A.  IMELLI,  a  native  of  Switzerland,  was  born  May  18,  1872.  He 
received  his  education  in  his  native  land.  He  came  to  America  and  located  In 
Carson  City,  April  I,  1888.  He  followed  farming  for  two  years  and  then  followed 
the  butcher  business.  In  1895  he  started  in  business  in  Gardnerville  and  runs  a 
market  in  Carson.  He  was  married  to  Sophie  Rabe,  a  native  of  Carson  Valley, 
December,  1894.  To  this  union  were  born  six  children.  The  family  are  members 
of  the  Catholic  Church. 

MAJOR  G.  W.  INGALLS  was  born  in  Massachusetts  September  7,  1838,  at- 
tended the  public  schools  of  Charlestown  and  Cambridge.  United  with  the 
Baptists,  1854,  and  removed  to  Illinois,  1854.  Clerked  in  general  merchandise 
store  four  years,  was  proprietor  of  the  same  at  20  years  of  age.  Engaged  in 
business  at  Tremont,  111.  Married  Jennie  A.  Roberts  1866.  To  this  union  were 
born  two  sons,  Fred  O.,  of  Reno,  and  Louis  B.,  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  one  daughter, 
Georgia  K.,  a  school  teacher,  of  Springfield,  111.  Removed  to  Springfield.  111.,  1868. 
Was  publisher  of  "Histories  of  Cities  of  Illinois  and  Indiana,"  also  the  Laws 
and  Journals  of  Legislature  of  Illinois  for  1870.  Appointed  by  President  Grant 
U.  S.  Indian  Agent  for  Nevada,  Utah,  and  S.  E.  California,  1872,  and  1873  was 
appointed  U.  S.  Special  Indian  Commissioner  with  Major  J.  W.  Powell.  Was 
appointed  1874  U.  S.  Indian  Agent  for  the  Consolidated  Cherokee  Creek,  Choc- 
taw,  Creek,  Chickasaw  and  Seminole  Indian  tribes ;  resigned  1875.  Was  ap- 
pointed superintendent  of  religious  and  educational  work  among  Indians  of 
United  States  by  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society.  Visited  most  of 
the  wild  tribes,  delivered  over  600  lectures  throughout  the  States;  aroused 
such  interest  among  the  Baptist  churches  it  resulted  in  the  organization  of  the 
Woman's  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  which  has  supported  hundreds  of 
teachers  and  missionaries  among  the  Indians,  negroes  and  the  foreign  popula- 
tion of  the  United  States.  Mrs.  Ingalls  died  at  Springfield,  111.,  in  1875. 
Major  Ingalls  married  in  1879  Mrs.  Dr.  Elizabeth  Shaw,  a  graduate  of  the 
Michigan  University,  who  was  at  the  time  a  missionary  physician  among  the 
Indians  of  Indian  Territory.  Owing  to  ill  health  removed  to  Arizona,  1880. 
He  organized  the  first  Territorial  Exposition  of  Arizona,  1883,  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  mines  until  1890,  when  he  removed  to  Portland,  Oregon ;  was  ap- 
pointed superintendent  of  the  Exposition  of  the  North  West,  1891,  and  Col- 
lector of  Oregon  Exhibits  for  the  Worlds  Fair  at  Chicago,  1892.  Was 
candidate  of  the  Prohibition  Party  for  Congress  from  the  Second  or  Portland 
District,  1809.  This  district  was  known  as  the  saloon  stronghold;  he  received 
1,100  votes,  leading  his  ticket.  Operated  a  cyanide  gold  plant  at  Ashland, 
Oregon,  and  at  Sawyers  Bar,  Cal.,  in  1900.  Returned  to  Nevada,  1001,  as  staff 
correspondent  of  the  Mining  and  Scientific  Press,  and  after  sixty  days'  examin- 
ation of  the  mines,  Tonopah,  Nev.,  wrote  the  "Story  of  Tonopah  Mines."  This 
story  and  collection  of  its  minerals  by  Major  Ingalls  did  much  to  attract  the 
attention  of  the  capitalists  of  the  United  States  to  its  wonderful  richness  and 
to  establish  a  reputation,  good  to-day  and  second  only  to  the  great  Com- 


1226  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

stock  of  Virginia  City.  Major  Ingalls  was  chosen  Superintendent  and  Man- 
ager of  Nevada  Chamber  of  Commerce  at  Reno,  which  maintained  specimen 
exhibits  of  every  county  of  Nevada  in  rooms  near  S.  P.  Depot,  Reno,  several 
years.  In  1909  he  was  chosen  probation  officer  of  the  Juvenile  Court  and  con- 
tinued as  such  for  three  years;  had  over  600  delinquent  and  dependent  cases 
before  him.  In  this  connection  he  organized  anti-cigarette  leagues,  which  had 
nearly  1,000  boys,  seven  to  seventeen  years  of  age,  and  three  patrols  of  Boy 
Scouts.  Major  Ingalls  resigned  as  probation  officer  August,  1912;  since  then 
has  been  engaged  in  writing  articles  on  his  Indian  experiences;  also  describ- 
ing customs  of  Indians,  marriage,  burial,  courtship,  dances,  religious  beliefs, 
bow  and  arrow  making,  basketry,  pottery,  future  life,  belief,  medicine  men, 
possibilities  of  civilization  and  proofs  of  same. 

WILLIAM  A.  INGALLS,  Sheriff  of  Esmeralda  County,  was  born  September 
I,  1854,  at  Oregon  City,  Oregon.  He  acquired  his  education  at  the  public 
schools  and  at  Monmouth  College.  He  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Sarah  Ingalls. 
His  father  is  still  living  and  is  in  his  eighty-fifth  year.  'His  mother  died  when 
William  was  young.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  assisted  his  father  on  the 
farm  for  a  time  and  soon  became  identified  with  the  stock  business  and  fol- 
lowed that  vocation  in  Washington,  Montana,  Idaho  and  California.  In  1878 
he  came  to  Esmeralda  County,  and  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  and 
mining  for  a  period  of  twelve  years.  He  was  elected  Sheriff  of  his  county  in 
1894  and  has  held  that  office  continuously  since,  with  the  exception  of  four 
years.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat  and  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  K,  th!e 
K.  of  P.,  and  the  Moose.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jennie  Clauson, 
a  native  of  Nevada.  Mr.  Ingalls'  father  crossed  the  Plains  in  1849.  Sheriff 
Ingalls  is  still  interested  in  valuable  mining  interests  in  Central  and  Southern 
Nevada. 

THEODORE  W.  MARTINEZ  was  born  in  Contra  Costa  County,  Cal., 
near  the  town  of  Martinez,  which  was  named  after  his  grandfather.  The 
present  town-site  was  a  Spanish  grant,  which  was  given  to  the  grandfather  of 
Theodore  by  the  Spanish  Government,  and  our  subject's  father  still  owns  a 
portion  of  the  original  grant.  Theodore  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
and  University  of  California.  After  his  schooling  he  followed  various  voca- 
tions. He  learned  the  electrical  trade  and  worked  for  various  firms  and 
contractors  in  San  Francisco.  He  served  as  assistant  foreman  in  San  Fran- 
cisco for  one  of  the  large  firms,  and  had  charge  of  the  electrical  wiring  in  the 
Flood  Building,  and  also  in  the  Del  Monte  Hotel  near  Monterey,  Cal.  In 
April,  1904,  he  came  to  Reno  and  worked  for  F.  V.  McAvoy  for  a  time  and 
then  took  an  interest  in  the  business.  The  firm  has  had  all  of  the  large  con- 
tracts in  Reno  and  many  large  ones  throughout  the  State.  Mr.  Martinez  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Gertrude  Alice  Caine  of  Reno,  Nevada,  June  30, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1227 

1910.     Their  two  children,  Theodore  R.,  was  born  April  17,  1911,  and  Edwin 
Caine,  born  July  21,  1912. 

HON.  WILLIAM  ALEXANDER  MASSEY  was  born  at  Oakfield  Perry 
County,  Ohio,  on  the  7th  day  of  October,  1856,  and  was  taken  by  his  parents  in 
the  spring  of  1865  to  Edgar  County,  111.  He  there  attended  the  common  schools 
and  subsequently  was  sent  to  U.  C.  College  at  Merom,  Ind.,  and  Asbury  Uni- 
versity at  Greencastle,  Ind.,  but  did  not  take  a  degree.  He  studied  law  at 
Paris,  111.,  and  commenced  the  practice  of  that  profession  at  Sullivan,  Ind.,  on 
the  29th  day  of  October,  1877 ;  he  was  married  at  Merom,  Ind.,  on  the  3rd  day 
of  September,  1879,  of  which  marriage  two  sons  were  born,  Robert  R.  Massey, 
a  dentist  in  Illinois,  and  William  H.  Massey,  a  physician  in  San  Francisco, 
Cal.  In  1886  he  came  to  the  Coast,  stopping  for  a  short  time  at  San  Diego, 
and  finally  settling  at  Tuscarora,  in  Elko  County,  where  he  remained  for  about 
five  years  prospecting  and  mining.  While  living  in  Elko  County  his  wife 
died.  He  was  elected  to  the  Assembly  from  Elko  County,  and  after  serving 
his  term  as  Assemblyman,  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law  at  Elko,  was  elected 
District  Attorney  for  Elko  County  without  opposition  in  1894,  and  was  elected 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  1896.  On  the  I2th  day  of  February,  1898,  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Sheehan,  of  Elko,  at  Carlin,  Nevada.  He  resigned 
the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  on  the  ist  day  of  September,  1902, 
and  removed  to  Reno,  since  which  time  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  law.  On  the  ist  day  of  July,  1912,  he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Oddie 
United  States  Senator  to  fill  a  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  death  of  the  late 
Senator  George  S.  Nixon,  and  served  in  the  Senate  until  the  29th  day  of 
January,  1913. 

ANDREW  MAUTE,  a  native  of  France,  was  born  June  28,  1844.  He  was 
educated  in  his  native  country  and  came  to  America  in  1860.  He  located  in 
Nevada  City,  Cal.,  where  he  learned  the  printers'  trade  in  the  Transcript 
office.  In  the  spring  of  1863  he  removed  to  Washoe  City,  and  the  same  year 
became  connected  with  the  Carson  Independent.  He  was  foreman  of  the 
Nevada  Territorial  printing  office  in  1863-4.  In  1871-2  he  was  foreman  of  the 
Nevada  State  printing  office  for  eight  years  and  editor  and  manager  of  the 
Reese  River  Davly  Reveille.  In  1875-6  he  was  editor  and  proprietor  of  the 
Belmont  Courier.  From  1876  to  1898  he  served  as  State  Senator  from  Nye 
County  from  the  twelfth  through  the  seventeenth  Sessions  of  the  Nevada  Leg- 
islature. He  was  appointed  July  i,  1911,  Superintendent  of  the  U.  S.  Mint  at 
Carson  City,  which  position  he  still  holds.  1910  he  was  elected  chairman  of 
the  Republican  State  Central  Committee.  He  was  married  in  1869  to  Miss 
Louise  Van  Derhyde,  a  resident  of  Carson  City.  Four  children  were  born 
to  this  union,  Marguerite,  wife  of  F.  G.  Humphrey;  Adelaide,  wife  of  Dr. 
Edward  H.  Spieker  of  Baltimore;  Theresa,  wife  of  E.  P.  Esser,  and  George 


1228  THE     HISTORY     OF     NEVADA 

Edmond.     Mr.  Maute  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  of  the  I.  O. 
O.  F.  of  Nevada  and  in  the  latter  he  has  served  as  past  grand  master. 

HON.  ROBERT  S.  MEACHAM  was  one  of  the  pioneer  business  men  of 
Virginia  City,  being  connected  with  the  Virginia  Lumber  Yard  for  over  forty 
years,  first  as  an  employe  and  later  as  proprietor.  He  was  a  man  of  great 
business  ability  and  strict  integrity,  and  in  his  death  the  Comstock  loses  one 
of  its  best  citizens.  He  was  born  in  North  Charleston,  N.  H.,  September  10, 
1837.  He  was  raised  on  a  farm  and  educated  at  Springfield,  Vt.  He  went  to 
California  in  the  summer  of  1860  and  for  four  years  engaged  in  minmg  and 
lumbering  in  that  State.  In  the  spring  of  1864  he  came  to  the  Territory  of 
Nevada,  and  for  seven  years  worked  in  the  saw-mills  and  forests  in  the 
mountains  west  of  Washoe  County.  For  over  forty  years  he  was  connected 
with  the  Virginia  Lumber,  Wood  &  Coal  Yard  as  salesman,  bookeeper,  then 
manager  and  later  became  the  proprietor.  Mr.  Meacham  was  a  strong  Re- 
publican but  had  not  been  active  in  politics.  However,  he  had  served  one 
term  in  the  State  Legislature  and  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  Republican 
National  Convention  at  Chicago  in  1904.  He  was  a  member  of  Virginia 
Lodge  No.  i,  F.  and  A.  M.,  and  for  many  years  served  as  trustee  and  treas- 
urer. He  had  been  secretary  of  the  joint  board  of  Masonic  trustees,  Past 
High  Priest  of  Virginia  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  and  Past  Eminent  Commander  of 
DeWitt  Clinton  Commandery,  Knights  Templar.  He  was  also  a  member  of 
Argenta  Chapter,  O.  E.  S.  He  leaves  a  wife,  Atlanta  A.  Powers  Meacham, 
daughter  of  Avery  Rhodes  Brown,  of  Napanee,  Canada;  a  stepson,  Avery  R. 
Powers,  and  two  grandchildren;  also  a  sister,  two  nieces  and  a  nephew  in 
Northern  California,  and  a  nephew,  John  Hamlin,  of  Reno. 

AUGUST  J.  MERCIER  was  born  at  Louisville,  Stark  County,  Ohio,  May 
17,  1870.  He  acquired  a  common  school  education  and  a  business  course  while 
in  Seattle,  Washington.  He  learned  the  moulders'  trade  at  an  early  age  and 
has  been  identified  with  many  large  establishments  throughout  the  United 
States;  in  fact,  Mr.  Mercier  has  visited  every  State  in  the  Union  except  those 
bordering  on  the  Atlantic.  He  is  well  known  in  Alabama  through  his  con- 
nection with  the  New  Decatur  Fire  Department.  He  has  served  as  secretary, 
assistant  chief,  and  in  November,  1893,  he  was  made  chief,  holding  this  position 
until  1897,  when  he  resigned.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  fire  chiefs  convention, 
held  in  Salt  Lake  City,  August,  1896.  In  1898  he  went  to  Dawson  City,  and 
1899  he  went  to  Nome,  spending  altogether  about  four  years  in  Alaska  and 
Yukon,  and  was  identified  with  the  mining  and  the  mercantile  business. 
Since  then  he  has  resided  in  San  Francisco,  Seattle,  St.  Louis  and  other  cities. 
In  the  spring  of  1905  he  removed  to  Goldfield,  where  he  became  identified  with 
the  Goldfield  Steam  Laundry,  and  afterward  he  promoted  the  Troy  Steam 
Laundry.  The  latter  was  a  modern  laundry  and  after  it  had  been  in  operation 
ten  days  it  burned  at  a  loss  of  eighteen  thousand  dollars.  It  was  rebuilt  at  a 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1229 

cost  of  twenty-two  thousand  dollars.  He  was  united  in  marriage  in  Goldfield 
to  Miss  Delia  Susan  Carpentier  of  Chicago,  June  30,  1909.  Their  one  daughter, 
Violet  Agnes,  was  born  in  Goldfield  June  24,  1910.  Mr.  Mercier  is  a  mem- 
bers of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Goldfield  and  holds  the  office  of  Esteemed  Loyal 
Knight.  He  is  Past  Chancelor  of  K.  of  P.  of  New  Decatur,  Alabama,  and 
represented  his  lodge  as  a  delegate  to  the  State  Convention  at  Huntsville  in 
1897.  At  present  Mr.  Mercier  is  president  and  general  manager  of  the  New 
Troy  Steam  Laundry  of  Goldfield. 

ARTHUR  G.  MEYERS  was  born  October  2,  1875,  in  El  Dorado  County,  Cal. 
He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  school  of  Carson  City,  and  at  the 
age  of  eighteen  entered  the  mercantile  business  of  his  father  and  has  since 
been  associated  with  the  business  interests  of  Carson.  Mr.  Meyers  enlisted  in 
Troop  M,  Second  U.  S.  Cavalry,  and  served  from  May  to  January,  1889.  March 
I,  1910,  he  took  over  the  other  interests  identified  with  the  mercantile  business 
and  he  has  since  controlled  and  managed  the  business.  Socially  Mr.  Meyers 
is  a  member  of  the  Eagles.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Carson  Volunteer 
Fire  Department  for  eighteen  years  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Spanish-Amer- 
ican War  Veterans.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Stella  C.  Crippen  of 
Carson  City,  March  29,  1899.  Their  two  children  are  George  H.  and  Verla. 
Mr.  Meyers  is  a  member  of  the  Governor's  Staff. 

W.  O'H.  MARTIN,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Nevada,  is  numbered  among 
her  founders.  He  was  born  in  Plattville,  Wisconsin,  September  9,  1845,  the 
son  of  Morris  W.  Martin,  and  his  wife,  Margaret  O'Hara,  a  prominent  citizen 
of  Wisconsin,  who  with  his  family  sailed  to  San  Francisco  in  1851  and  lived 
in  California  until  his  death  in  1865.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  his 
education  in  California  and  for  a  time  followed  mining.  In  1868  he  went  to 
Empire,  Nevada,  where  he  engaged  in  business.  He  married  Louise  Stadt- 
muller  in  Empire  in  1873,  and  there  are  several  children  of  the  marriage  still 
living  in  Nevada.  In  1883  he  located  in  Reno,  engaging  in  business,  which 
was  later  incorporated  as  the  Reno  Mercantile  Company.  In  1895  he  was 
elected  President  of  the  Washoe  County  Bank,  which  he  reorganized,  and 
which  he  directed  until  his  death,  September  14,  1901.  At  the  time  of  his 
death  he  was  President  also  of  the  Riverside  Mill  Company  and  the  Reno 
Real  Estate  and  Investment  Company.  Mr.  Martin  was  a  Republican  and 
represented  Ormsby  County  in  the  State  Senate  from  1875  to  1879. 

CHARLES  E.  REDMAN,  one  of  the  representative  railroad  men  of  Southern 
Nevada,  was  born  at  Belfast,  Maine,  April  12,  1866.  He  attended  school  in  Phila- 
delphia, where  his  parents  removed  when  Charles  was  young.  After  graduating 
from  the  high  school  he  took  up  railroading  with  the  Philadelphia  &  Reading, 
where  he  remained  for  some  years.  He  came  West  and  became  identified  with 


1230  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

the  Northern  Pacific  as  their  agent  at  Butte,  Montana,  filling  that  position  for  ten 
years.  He  then  became  associated  with  the  Salt  Lake  road  with  headquarters  in 
Los  Angeles,  where  he  remained  three  years,  and  in  October,  1907,  he  was  ap- 
pointed agent  for  the  Las  Vegas  &  Tonopah  Railroad,  which  position  he  filled  three 
years  and  was  then  promoted  to  traffic  manager  of  the  road  with  headquarters  at 
Goldfield.  Mr.  Redman  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Olive  B.  Thiel  of  San 
Francisco,  April  7,  1907.  To  this  union  was  born  Edward  Oliver,  October  i,  1910. 
Mr.  Redman  is  a  director  of  the  Merger  Mines  of  Goldfield  and  vice-president  of 
the  Blue  Bell  Mining  Company.  He  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Goldfield. 
His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Woman's  Club  and  active  in  social  life. 

JOSEPH  R.  REDMAN,  M.  D.  One  of  the  prominent  members  of  the  medical 
profession  in  Nevada  is  Dr.  Redman,  whose  pronounced  ability  and  broad  experi- 
ence have  gained  him  prominence.  He  was  born  in  Edgar  County,  111.,  May  26, 
1845.  His  father,  John  B.,  was  a  farmer,  and  his  mother  was  Susan,  both  parents 
being  natives  of  Kentucky.  Dr.  Redman  attended  the  public  schools  and  graduated 
from  the  American  Medical  College  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  in  1883.  He  has  practiced  in 
Oregon,  California  and  Nevada,.  About  twenty-five  years  ago  Dr.  Redman  came 
to  Nevada  and  practiced  for  a  time  and  then  removed  to  California.  He  returned 
to  Reno  in  1898,  where  he  has  since  remained.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Catherine 
Williams,  a  native  of  Boston.  His  son,  Joseph  R.,  is  a  student  in  the  Military 
Academy  at  Annapolis  and  Roland  R.  is  living  at  home.  Mrs.  Redman  takes  an 
active  interest  in  club  and  social  circles  in  Reno. 

DAVID  REEDY  was  born  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  in  1856.  He  acquired  his  education 
in  the  public  and  private  schools  of  his  native  State.  In  1895  he  came  West  and 
located  in  Colorado  for  a  period  of  ten  years.  He  served  as  probate  officer  in 
Cripple  Creek  for  ten  years  and  then  became  identified  with  the  Brotherhood  of 
American  Yeoman  in  that  district  for  four  years.  In  1910  Mr.  Reedy  came  to 
Nevada  and  organized  a  homestead  in  Reno,  remaining  in  Reno  about  one  year. 
He  then  went  to  Goldfield  and  Tonopah,  where  he  organized  a  homestead  in  each 
camp,  after  which  he  removed  to  Ely,  and  organized  homesteads  in  McGill  and 
Ely.  He  attended  the  State  conclave  in  Reno,  April,  1913,  and  was  chosen  a 
delegate  to  the  national  conclave,  which  met  in  Oklahoma  City,  Oklahoma,  June 
10,  1913.  He  was  appointed  probation  officer  by  Judge  Coleman,  August  i,  1912, 
which  office  he  now  holds.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  He 
was  married  in  1882  to  Margaret  Cooke,  a  native  of  County  Tyrone,  Ireland. 
Their  one  daughter,  Marie,  was  born  in  1887. 

EDWARD  REGAN,  a  native  of  Wisconsin,  was  born  July  12,  1871.  He  is  a 
son  of  Dominick  and  Jane  Regan,  who  located  at  Mound  House,  Nevada,  where 
Mr.  Regan's  father  engaged  in  business  for  many  years.  Mr.  Regan's  mother  is 
now  a  resident  of  Carson  City.  Our  subject  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1231 

of  Wisconsin,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  he  came  to  Nevada,  accompanied  by  his 
mother.  He  has  followed  various  occupations  and  has  held  various  political 
offices.  He  served  as  School  Trustee  for  two  terms,  County  Commissioner  two 
terms,  and  Sheriff  of  Ormsby  County  for  two  terms.  Socially  Mr.  Regan  is 
affiliated  with  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Reno,  and  a  charter  member  of  the  Eagles  of 
Carson  City.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nevada  C.  Werner  of  Empire, 
January  3,  1897.  Their  three  children  are  Leah  Jane,  Herbert  Edward  and  Mar- 
guerite. 

HOSEA  E.  REID.  Prominent  among  the  energetic,  far-seeing  and  successful 
business  men  of  Nevada  is  Hosea  E.  Reid  of  Reno.  His  life  history  most  happily 
illustrates  what  may  be  attained  by  faithful,  continued  effort  in  carrying  out  an 
honest  purpose.  He  was  born  in  Williams  County,  Ohio,  April  26,  1863,  and 
received  his  education  in  the  public  and  normal  schools  of  Illinois,  where  he  moved 
with  his  parents.  He  was  reared  on  a  farm  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  he  entered 
the  employ  of  a  mercantile  store,  and  in  1884  he  came  West  and  located  in 
California  and  clerked  in  Sacramento,  Oakland  and  Tulare.  Mr.  Reid  took  up  the 
study  of  dentistry  and  graduated  from  the  Northwestern  University  at  Evanston, 
111.  Returning  to  Nevada,  he  practiced  his  profession  in  San  Francisco,  Sacra- 
mento and  various  places  in  Nevada.  Integrity,  activity  and  energy  have  been 
the  crowning  points  of  his  success.  He  saw  the  possibilities  of  establishing  a 
department  store  in  Reno,  and  after  ten  years  Dr.  Reid  gave  up  the  practice  of 
dentistry  and  in  July,  1901,  he  removed  to  Reno  and  entered  into  partnership 
with  J.  H.  Gray,  the  two  incorporating  Gray,  Reid  &  Co.  The  firm  started  in  a 
small  way  on  Virginia  street,  and  in  less  than  a  year  the  building  was  enlarged, 
but  it  soon  proved  inadequate.  About  this  time  the  firm  negotiated  with  the  late 
Dr.  G.  H.  Thoma  relative  to  the  erection  of  a  large  building  to  be  occupied  by 
them  for  their  business.  In  fourteen  months  Dr.  Thoma,  with  Judge  Bigelow, 
erected  the  present  home  of  the  firm.  The  late  Walter  W.  Wright  was  taken  into 
the  firm,  thereafter  known  as  the  Gray,  Reid,  Wright  Co.  This  was  the  launching 
of  Reno's  first  department  store,  which  is  now  the  largest  establishment  of  its 
kind  in  Nevada.  A  branch  store  is  conducted  in  Carson  City  as  well  as  in  Fallen. 
When  the  railroad  shops  were  located  at  Sparks,  Dr.  Reid  conceived  the  idea  of 
connecting  the  two  towns  by  an  electric  railroad.  Liberal  support  was  guaranteed 
but  not  sufficient  to  complete  the  line,  and  at  a  meeting  of  the  directors  Dr.  Reid 
was  chosen  to  devise  means  to  meet  the  emergency.  He  made  a  trip  to  Winne- 
mucca  and  interviewed  the  late  Senator  Geo.  S.  Nixon.  The  Senator  furnished 
$20,000,  made  payable  to  Dr.  Reid  personally.  In  March,  1910,  Dr.  Reid  was 
appointed  by  Governor  Oddie  as  a  member  of  the  State  Banking  Board  of  Nevada. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Regents  of  the  University  of  Nevada,  and  was 
made  chairman  of  the  board  in  1913.  Fraternally  he  is  a  32nd  degree  Mason, 
being  a  member  of  the  Blue  Lodge,  Chapter,  Commandery  and  Scottish  Rite  bodies. 
He  is  especially  active  in  the  Commandery  and  Shrine  and  is  Illustrious  Potentate 
of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  Dr.  Reid  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Louisa  Mette,  a 


1232  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

native  of  California,  November  17,  1902.  Their  one  daughter,  Carol,  was  born 
October  25,  1907.  The  family  are  active  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of 
Reno. 

JOHN  T.  REID.  It  would  be  difficult  to  name  a  citizen  of  Nevada  more 
popular  with  his  fellow  mining  men  or  enjoying  to  a  greater  degree  the  confidence 
and  trust  of  those  with  whom  he  is  associated  than  John  T.  Reid  of  Lovelock. 
He  was  born  at  Unionville,  Humboldt  County,  January  16,  1871,  and  is  a  son  of 
Patrick  and  Anne  Reid,  both  natives  of  Ireland.  Both  parents  came  to  America 
in  1850,  locating  in  New  York,  where  they  were  married  in  1868.  The  same  year 
they  came  West,  locating  in  Unionville,  Nevada.  There  were  five  children  born  to 
this  union,  John  T.,  Emmett  K,  Paul  G.,  Agnes  and  Francis  L.  Mr.  Reid's 
father  was  in  charge  of  the  mining  and  milling  operations  of  John  C.  Fall  &  Co. 
and  others  in  this  locality  during  the  early  days.  He  died  October  29,  1910.  The 
mother  resides  in  Los  Angeles,  California.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  received 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Humboldt  County,  after  which  he  became 
identified  with  the  mercantile  business  for  a  period  of  twelve  years.  At  the  age 
of  twenty-five  he  took  up  mining  with  headquarters  at  Lovelock.  Mr.  Reid  is 
managing  director  of  the  Nevada  United  Mining  Company  and  the  Mines  De- 
velopment Company  of  Nevada,  besides  having  extensive  mining  interests  in 
Esmeralda  and  Humboldt  Counties.  Mr.  Reid  and  associates  have  the  distinction 
of  shipping  the  first  iron  ore  ever  mined  and  shipped  from  this  State.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Rebecca  A.  Campbell  of  Lovelock  in  1896,  and  their  one 
child,  Josephine,  was  born  born  March  17,  1897.  Mr.  Reid  is  a  member  of  the 
American  Institute  of  Mining  Engineers  of  New  York,  of  the  Geographical 
Society,  Society  of  Advancement  of  Science,  and  a  member  of  the  Royal  Society 
of  Arts  of  London,  England.  Mr.  Reid's  brother,  Paul,  is  also  identified  with  him. 

E.  REINHART  COMPANY,  wholesale  and  retail  dealers  in  general  mer- 
chandise at  Winnemucca,  have  the  most  extensive  establishment  of  its  kind  in 
the  State  of  Nevada.  The  business  was  established  in  1868  by  Simon  Reinhart, 
Sr.,  who  came  to  America  from  Germany  in  1859.  He  located  in  Victoria,  B.  C., 
after  coming  to  this  country,  and  in  time  sold  out  and  came  to  Winnemucca. 
Benjamin  Reinhart,  after  coming  to  America  from  Germany,  located  in  Elko, 
Nevada,  where  the  business  was  established  under  the  firm  name  of  Reinhart 
Brothers.  In  1865  Eli  Reinhart  came  to  America  from  Germany,  and  located  in 
Marysville,  California,  where  he  carried  on  a  men's  furnishing  goods  business,  and 
came  to  Winnemucca  and  became  interested  in  the  business  in  1868.  In  1872  Eli 
Reinhart  bought  out  the  interest  of  Benjamin  and  Simon  Reinhart,  Sr.,  in  Winne- 
mucca, and  the  latter  carried  on  the  business  in  Elko,  which  business  is  still  in 
existence  and  is  being  managed  by  one  of  the  sons  of  Benjamin  Reinhart,  and  is 
now  incorporated  and  called  the  M.  Reinhart  Company.  In  1875  N.  Delbunco 
came  to  Winnemucca  and  became  interested  with  Eli  Reinhart,  and  a  co-partner- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1233 

ship  was  formed  under  the  firm  name  of  E.  Reinhart  &  Company.  In  1886  Mr. 
Delbunco  sold  his  interest  to  Eli  Reinhart,  and  the  business  was  continued  until 
the  death  of  Mr.  Reinhart  in  1892,  when  his  nephews — Moses,  Edward,  Amson  and 
Simon  Reinhart-— took  over  the  business  and  continued  the  same  under  the  name 
of  E.  Reinhart  &  Company  until  February  17,  1900,  when  it  was  incorporated  under 
the  style  of  E.  Reinhart  &  Co.,  Inc.,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $150,000.  In  1913 
the  articles  of  incorporation  were  amended  and  the  capital  stock  was  increased  to 
$181,000  and  the  following  were  the  officers  and  directors  of  the  corporation,  which 
was  then  styled  E.  Reinhart  Company :  Edward  Reinhart,  president ;  Simon  Rein- 
hart,  vice-president;  Moses  Reinhart,  secretary;  Amson  Reinhart,  treasurer.  Moses 
came  to  Winnemucca  in  1876,  Edward  in  1878,  Anson  in  1882  and  Simon,  Jr.,  in 
1887.  They  were  educated  in  the  old  country  and  acquired  their  thorough  business 
training  from  their  uncles  in  this  country,  so  they  have  been  thoroughly  qualified 
to  carry  on  the  great  concern  built  up  for  them.  In  the  fall  of  1912  the  company 
erected  a  new  concrete  building  adjoining  the  present  store,  which  is  a  metropolitan 
structure,  and  in  very  few.  cities  can  be  found  a  more  up-to-date  or  a  better 
systematized  store  than  is  now  being  conducted  by  this  concern.  Moses  Reinhart 
was  born  in  Oberlustadt,  Germany,  on  June  27,  1860.  He  w"as  educated  in  Ger- 
many and  came  to  Winnemucca  in  1876,  where  he  married  Miss  Marie  Ruckteschler, 
also  a  native  of  Germany,  in  1888.  Their  three  children  are  Oscar,  Edna  and 
Helen.  Fraternally  Mr.  Moses  Reinhart  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  Fraternity, 
he  being  a  thirty-second  degree  Mason  and  also  a  Shriner.  Edward  Reinhart  was 
born  in  Oberlustadt,  Germany,  in  1862,  and  took  up  his  residence  in  Winnemucca 
in  1878.  He  married  Miss  Dora  Levi,  a  native  of  Mannheim,  Germany,  in  1889. 
To  this  union  Else  Z.  was  born  October  10,  1890.  Simon  Reinhart,  Jr.,  was  born 
in  Oberlustadt,  Germany,  in  1866  and  came  to  Winnemucca  in  1887.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Leontine  Schwarzschild  of  San  Francisco  in  May, 
1909.  To  this  union  was  born  Alice  Johanna  in  San  Francisco  on  May  6,  1910. 
Amson  Reinhart  was  born  in  Oberlustadt,  Germany,  in  1865.  He  came  to  Winne- 
mucca in  1882.  Was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rosalie  Loeb,  a  native  of  Franken- 
thal,  Germany,  in  1892.  The  Reinhart  Brothers  are  numbered  among  the  highly 
honored  and  representative  business  men  of  Nevada.  In  addition  to  the  vast 
mercantile  business  which  they  control,  they  are  individual  stockholders  and  control 
the  stock  of  the  Winnemucca  Water  and  Light  Co.  They  are  also  heavy  stock- 
holders in  the  Winnemucca  State  Bank  and  Trust  Company.  Among  their  other 
holdings  is  the  Reinhart  Land  and  Live  Stock  Company,  which  owns  many  thou- 
sand acres  of  land  along  the  Humboldt  River,  and  of  which  Moses  Reinhart  is 
president,  Simon  Reinhart,  vice-president,  and  Edward  Reinhart,  secretary.  This 
is  a  close  corporation. 

CHARLES  J.  RICHARDS,  M.  D.,  a  native  of  England,  was  born  August  31, 
1870.  He  was  educated  at  Christ  College,  Brecon  and  the  University  College 
Hospital  in  London,  England.  He  graduated  M.  R.  C.  S.  and  L.  R.  C.  P.  and 
came  to  America  in  1891,  locating  in  Walla  Walla,  Washington.  For  some  years 


1234  THE     HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

he  farmed  in  that  locality  and  had  about  one  thousand  acres  under  cultivation.  In 
1898  he  removed  to  San  Francisco,  and  attended  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons.  He  practiced  in  San  Francisco  until  the  earthquake  and  then  came  to 
Nevada,  locating  first  at  Millers,  where  he  practiced  for  one  year,  and  then  removed 
to  Tonopah,  where  he  has  since  resided  and  enjoyed  a  good  practice.  Dr.  Richards 
is  a  member  of  the  American  Medical  Association,  the  Nevada  State  Medical 
Society  and  the  Nye  County  Medical  Society.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  He 
was  appointed  by  the  County  Commissioners  to  the  office  of  County  Physician  and 
Health  Officer  and  Register  of  Births  and  Deaths,  which  position  he  now  holds. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Eagles  and 
Moose,  all  of  Tonopah.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ellen  C.  Hunter  of 
Melbourne,  Australia,  in  1906.  Their  one  daughter,  Kathryn,  was  born  February 
6,  1907. 

GILBERT  C.  ROSS  was  born  in  Gold  Hill,  Nevada,  June  5,  1878.  His  father, 
Hugh  Fraser  Ross,  was  one  of  Nevada's  best  known  mechanical  engineers.  Gilbert 
C.  Ross  engaged  in  teaching  and  after  several  years'  successful  work  was  made 
principal  of  the  Virginia  City  High  School.  He  held  this  position  for  five  years, 
resigning  to  go  to  Tonopah.  In  Tonopah  he  was  employed  as  a  bank  clerk  and 
engaged  in  leasing.  He  became  Deputy  State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruc- 
tion in  1907.  In  1910  he  received  the  Democratic  nomination  for  Lieutenant- 
Governor  of  Nevada  and  was  elected  by  a  large  majority. 

RODNEY  HALL  RICHARDSON,  M.  D.  Prominent  among  the  representative 
men  of  Nevada  is  numbered  Dr.  Rodney  Hall  Richardson,  who  has  been  a  resident 
of  the  State  since  1887.  He  was  born  in  Snow  Hill,  Md.,  November  14,  1860.  He 
graduated  from  the  Delaware  College  in  1881  and  later  from  the  medical  depart- 
ment of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  1884.  He  took  up  the  practice  of  his 
profession  at  Lewes,  Del.,  in  1884,  where  he  continued  until  1887.  He  received 
the  appointment  as  physician  for  the  Pyramid  Lake  Indian  Reservation  in  1887 
and  located  at  Wadsworth.  He  practiced  here  until  1902,  when  he  removed  to 
Ely.  He  has  served  White  Pine  County  various  times  as  County  Physician.  He 
was  appointed  a  member  of  the  Board  of  State  Medical  Examiners  to  fill  an  unex- 
pired  term  by  Governor  Dickerson  in  December,  1910,  which  office  expired  July  7, 
1913.  In  politics  Dr.  Richardson  is  affiliated  with  the  Democratic  party.  He  was 
elected  to  serve  White  Pine  County  as  School  Commissioner  in  1912  for  a  two- 
year  term.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Penolepe  Rodney  Plummer  of 
Baltimore,  Maryland,  August  29,  1884.  To  this  union  was  born  Dorothy,  born 
February  21,  1894.  Dr.  Richardson  is  a  charter  member  of  Pyramid  Lodge,  No. 
19,  K.  of  P. 

JAMES  MORRIS  was  born  in  Coagh,  Tyrone  County,  Ireland,  on  December 
10,  1825.  He  arrived  in  America  at  21  years  of  age  and  lived  for  several  years 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1235 

in  Philadelphia,  after  which  he  decided  to  seek  his  fortune  in  California  and 
left  New  York  in  January,  1849,  going  around  Cape  Horn,  and  arrived  in  Cali- 
fornia on  July  6,  1849.  After  accumulating  a  fortune  in  Eldorado  County, 
Cal.,  he  traveled  around  various  countries  of  the  world,  through  South  America 
and  the  South  Sea  Islands.  Then  returned  to  New  York  and  chartered  a 
vessel  and  took  a  ship  load  of  mining  supplies  to  Australia  and  New  Zealand. 
In  these  countries  he  made  another  fortune,  after  which  he  returned  to 
America.  He  married  in  Boston  and  established  a  wholesale  business  in  New 
York,  where  he  made  his  home,  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War, 
which  paralyzed  business  and  forced  him  to  go  again  to  California  to  recoup 
his  fortunes.  He  left  California  for  Nevada  in  1863,  where  he  afterward  made 
his  home.  Mr.  Morris  was  a  man  of  the  highest  integrity  and  held  a  number 
of  public  offices  in  Ormsby  County.  Here  he  raised  his  family  and  was  an 
honored  and  honorable  citizen  until  his  death  on  December  15,  1899,  at  the  age 
of  74  years.  Mr.  Morris  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  for  53  years. 
Mrs.  R.  A.  Smith  of  Alameda,  Cal.;  Mrs.  James  Raycraft,  of  Carson;  Mrs. 
Frank  Golden,  of  Reno,  and  Sister  Francis,  of  the  Notre  Dame  Order  of 
Sisters,  are  his  surviving  children.  An  only  son,  Arthur  W.,  died  in  1902. 

WILLIAM  W.  MORTON.— Although  William  W.  Morton  has  departed 
this  life  he  is  yet  remembered  by  many  residents  of  Nevada  and  the  part  he 
took  in  the  pioneer  development  of  the  State  makes  it  necessary  that  he  be 
mentioned  in  this  work.  He  was  born  in  Indiana,  May  19,  1825.  In  1862  he 
crossed  the  Plains  with  his  wife  and  daughter.  He  and  his  brothers  attended 
school  with  Abraham  Lincoln.  On  his  arrival  in  Nevada  he  went  to  Virginia 
City,  where  he  teamed  between  Virginia  City  and  Austin.  After  the  railroad 
was  completed  to  Virginia  City  he  conducted  a  hotel  in  Washoe.  He  was 
married  June  8,  1848,  to  Mahalia  E.  Fouts,  a  native  of  Ohio.  Their  one  child, 
Minerva  M.,  was  born  in  March,  1849,  and  she  died  in  January,  1868.  She  was 
the  wife  of  O.  O.  Peck,  a  prominent  mining  man  in  Idaho,  who  died  in  1906. 
A  niece  of  Mr.  Morton,  Mrs.  Mahalia  Johnson,  who  now  owns  the  home  place 
on  the  Virginia  road,  was  granted  a  patent  September  12,  1911,  en  an  improvement 
in  steam  cookers.  The  invention  has  for  its  primary  object  an  improved  con- 
struction of  steam  which  will  prove  simple  and  efficient  in  cooking.  Mrs. 
Johnson  has  been  a  resident  of  Nevada  and  has  one  of  the  most  model  dairies 
in  the  State. 

WILLIAM  MOFFAT  was  born  February  17,  1875.  He  is  a  son  of  Henry 
and  Adriana  Moffat.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Rhode  Island  and  his  mother 
from  Maine.  Mr.  Moffat's  parents  went  to  California  and  located  in  San 
Francisco  in  1854,  where  his  father  was  numbered  among  the  leading  and 
public-spirited  citizens.  He  was  extensively  identified  with  the  business  in- 
terests of  San  Francisco  and  was  for  many  years  engaged  in  the  wholesale 


1236  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

butcher  business.  He  was  largely  interested  in  the  cattle  business  through- 
out Nevada.  He  died  in  San  Francisco  January  24,  1913.  William,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  San  Fran- 
cisco and  in  1893  he  came  to  Nevada  to  purchase  cattle  for  the  San  Francisco 
market.  In  1902  he  removed  to  Reno,  where  he  has  since  resided,  he  having 
purchased  the  palatial  home  and  stock  farm  formerly  owned  by  ex-Governor 
John  Sparks  in  May,  1911.  Mr.  Moffat  is  extensively  engaged  in  the  cattle  and 
sheep  industry  of  this  State,  being  identified  with  the  Nevada  Land  &  Live 
Stock  Company  of  Elko  and  Humboldt  Counties,  the  Palo  Alto  Land  &  Live 
Stock  Company  of  Elko  County.  The  Antelope  Valley  Land  &  Cattle  Com- 
pany of  Douglas  County  and  Mono  County,  Cal.  (the  latter  was  formerly  the 
property  of  Thomas  B.  Rickey)  and  Moffat  &  Humphrey  Bros.'  Land  & 
Cattle  Co.  of  Reno.  Mr.  Moffat  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Sullivan  of  San  Francisco  in  1905.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic Lodge  and  is  a  stockholder  in  the  wholesale  butcher  business  in  San 
Francisco  under  the  firm  name  of  H.  Moffat  &  Company. 

CHARLES  T.  MULLINS,  one  of  the  successful  agriculturists  in  Washoe 
County,  was  born  July  4,  1876.  His  early  education  was  acquired  in  Fayette- 
ville,  Ark.,  where  his  parents  had  moved  when  Charles  was  young.  After 
his  schooling  he  entered  the  dry  goods  business  in  Fayetteville,  where  he  was 
employed  for  some  time.  In  1900  he  removed  to  Reno  and  worked  one  year 
in  Sunderland's  store.  He  then  purchased  the  Shields  ranch,  northeast  of 
Reno,  where  he  resided  seven  years.  He  then  bought  the  old  Maybury  ranch 
about  five  miles  west  of  Reno.  When  Mr.  Mullins  took  over  this  place  it  was 
used  mostly  for  a  pasture  ranch.  The  task  of  putting  four  hundred  acres 
under  cultivation  would  have  been  regarded  as  a  great  undertaking  by  most 
men,  but  it  presented  no  material  obstacle  to  Mr.  Mullins ;  he  has  succeeded 
in  making  it  a  crop-producing  and  model  ranch  in  every  sense  of  the  word. 
He  has  about  seventeen  hundred  acres  of  land  and  in  1911  he  shipped  fourteen 
carloads  of  potatoes  and  in  1912  he  shipped  three  hundred  head  of  stock.  The 
residence  of  Mr.  Mullins  was  originally  built  by  the  late  Governor  John  Sparks 
and  the  water-supply  for  the  house  comes  from  Hunter  Creek.  He  has  a  tank 
90  feet  above  the  house  which  supplies  the  residence  with  pure  water  and  fire 
protection.  Mr.  Mullins  was  married  to  Rosa  Taylor,  a  native  of  Arkansas, 
June  22,  1902. 

CHARLES  WILLIAM  MULLER,  Deputy  Sheriff  of  Humboldt  County, 
just  now  in  the  prime  of  his  career,  is  performing  satisfactorily  one  of  the 
most  important  duties  of  his  county.  He  was  born  in  Sierra  County,  Cal.,  in 
1864.  He  is  a  son  of  George  F.  and  Katherine  Muller,  who  removed  to 
Nevada  when  Charles  was  four  years  old,  and  located  at  Unionville  in  1868, 
where  they  remained  until  1880,  when  they  went  to  Winnemucca,  where  they 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1237 

resided  until  their  death.  The  father  died  in  1907  and  the  mother  in  1912. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  his  early  education  in  Unionville,  after 
which  he  worked  in  a  general  merchandise  store  until  1903,  when  he  was  ap- 
pointed Deputy  Sheriff  under  Sheriff  Lamb,  which  office  he  now  holds.  Mr. 
Muller  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lenore  Shallenberger  of  Golconda, 
August  25,  1888.  By  this  union  was  born  two  sons — Fred,  who  died  in  1909 
at  the  age  of  twenty,  and  Leland,  who  is  now  in  his  eighteenth  year.  Mr. 
Muller  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Winnemucca. 

MICHAEL  SHIELDS,  an  honored  citizen  of  Washoe  County,  was  born  in 
County  Cavan,  Northern  Ireland,  August  13,  1837.  He  died  December  7,  1905. 
He  came  to  America  at  the  age  of  sixteen  and  attended  school  in  Connecticut  for 
a  time.  He  learned  the  carriage  painting  trade  and  in  1856  he  came  to  California 
by  way  of  the  Isthmus.  He  afterward  went  to  Sacramento,  where  he  engaged 
in  the  livery  business  for  a  year,  after  which  he  went  to  Eldorado  County.  He 
worked  in  a  grocery  store  from  1857  to  1871.  He  came  to  Nevada  the  latter 
part  of  1871  and  became  interested  in  railroading  as  freight  conductor,  and  after- 
ward served  as  a  passenger  conductor.  He  followed  this  work  two  years  and 
then  purchased  a  farm  five  miles  from  Reno.  He  continued  farming  until  1901, 
when  he  disposed  of  his  ranch  and  settled  in  Reno.  He  married  Miss  Annie 
Murphy,  September  17,  1878,  and  five  children  were  born  to  this  union :  Minnie, 
wife  of  John  F.  Haley  of  San  Diego,  California ;  Bessie  G.,  wife  of  George  H. 
Wiley  of  Kansas  City;  Clara  and  John,  who  reside  at  home,  and  Teresea,  who 
died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Shields  served  as  Constable  and  Deputy  Sheriff  of  Eldorado 
County,  Cal.,  and  he  served  Washoe  County  as  Deputy  Sheriff.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Odd  Fellows,  Reno  Lodge,  No.  13,  F.  and  A.  M.,  Knights  Templar  and 
Chapter.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

WALTER  IRVIN  SHILLING  was  born  at  Coulterville,  Cal.,  February  13,  1873. 
He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Oakland.  He  is  one  of  the 
well-known  mining  men  in  California  and  Nevada.  He  followed  his  vocation  for 
seventeen  years  in  California,  and  in  1906  he  removed  to  Tonopah  and  became 
identified  with  the  Tonopah  Belmont  Development  Co.  for  a  period  of  four 
years  as  foreman.  In  1909  he  associated  himself  with  the  Tonopah  Mining  Co. 
as  shift  boss,  which  position  he  now  holds.  In  politics  Mr.  Shilling  is  a  Re- 
publican, and  was  elected  by  the  people  of  Nye  County,  in  1910,  to  represent 
them  in  the  State  Legislature.  Socially  he  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  and 
A.  O.  U.  W.  of  Bodie,  Cal.,  and  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  Moose  of  Tonopah.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Annie  L.  McQuaid  of  Bodie,  Cal.,  April  22,  1903.  Their 
one  son,  Irvin  Arthur,  was  born  March  25,  1906.  Mr.  Shilling  is  a  son  of  Isaac 
S.  and  Emeline  Irvin  Shilling.  The  father  crossed  the  Plains  in  1852,  and  the 
mother  came  to  California  via  the  Isthmus  route  in  1856,  and  located  at  Coulter- 
ville, Cal. ;  have  been  successful  in  ranching  and  have  been  the  parents  of  six 


1238  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

children,  of  whom  three  are  living:     Walter  Irving,  of  Tonopah;  Dr.  Warren  R., 
of  Los  Angeles,  and  Homer  I.,  of  Coulterville,  Cal. 

THOMAS  SHONE  was  born  January  3,  1838,  at  Euloe,  Wales.  He  left  Liver- 
pool for  America,  July,  1855,  making  the  trip  around  Cape  Horn,  going  direct 
to  San  Francisco,  Cal.  He  spent  four  months  in  California  mining  near  Peta- 
luma,  and  came  to  Nevada  in  1872.  He  took  charge  of  the  Cane  Springs  station, 
where  he  remained  two  years,  after  which  he  removed  to  Winnemucca  and  took 
charge  of  the  Fashion  Stables.  Mr.  Shone  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Kathleen  Nofsinger,  May  26,  1876,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shone  moved  to  the  Toll 
House,  which  station  they  conducted  for  seventeen  years.  Later  Mr.  Shone  pur- 
chased the  Busch  Hotel  and  took  Reub  Battles  in  as  a  partner,  and  they  conducted 
the  hotel  for  six  years.  Selling  the  Busch  Hotel,  Mr.  Shone  erected  the  Shone 
House,  which  he  conducted  for  two  years,  when  he  sold  it  and  retired  from  active 
business  life.  Two  children  were  born,  Thomas  H.  and  Bertha  R.,  the  latter 
deceased.  Thomas  Shone  served  two  terms  as  County  Commissioner  of  Humboldt 
County  and  finished  an  unexpired  term  of  Charles  Nichols  of  Paradise  Valley. 
Mr.  Shone  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic,  Eastern  Star  and  Odd  Fellows,  he  being 
a  charter  member  of  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows  Lodges  of  Winnemucca. 

WILLIAM  CHARLES  SHORT,  a  representative  of  the  substantial  ranchers  in 
Washoe  County,  was  born  in  Plumas  County,  Cal.,  where  he  received  his  education. 
He  removed  to  Nevada  in  1898  and  began  ranching  and  has  leased  the  Banta 
place,  consisting  of  four  hundred  and  fifty-eight  acres,  where  he  is  largely  inter- 
ested in  general  farming,  dairying  and  stock  raising.  Mr.  Short  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Lucy  Banta  of  Plumas  County,  Cal.,  in  1895.  To  this  union  were 
born  six  children :  May,  William  C,  Florence  E.,  Steven  C.,  Marguerite  L.  and 
John  B.  Mrs.  Short  is  a  member  of  the  Boynton  School  Board. 

WILLIAM  A.  SIMKINS.  Prominent  among  the  mining  engineers  of  Nevada 
is  William  A.  Simkins.  He  was  born  in  Coldwater,  Mich.,  where  he  received  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  and  University  of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor.  After 
his  schooling  he  became  identified  with  the  Wolverine  Portland  Cement  Company, 
with  headquarters  at  Coldwater  and  Quincy,  Mich.,  for  five  years.  In  1905  he 
removed  to  Butte,  Montana,  where  he  did  mining  for  one  year.  He  then  removed 
to  Nevada  and  located  at  Olinghouse  and  then  at  Ely,  where  he  followed  mining. 
In  1911  he  removed  to  Reno  and  became  associated  with  George  W.  Lloyd  under 
the  firm  name  of  Lloyd  &  Simkins,  mining  engineers,  with  offices  in  the  Clay- 
Peters  Building.  Mr.  Simkins  is  interested  in  the  mines  of  Nevada.  Fraternally 
he  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Reno. 

CHARLES  R.  SIMONS,  a  representative  business  man  of  Tonopah,  was  born 
at  Cornwells,  Bucks  County,  Penn.,  December  7,  1874.  He  was  educated  in  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1239 

public  schools,  after  which  he  took  a  two  years'  course  at  Pennsylvania  Nautical 
School,  graduating  in  1902.  He  followed  the  sea  for  four  years  and  was  in  the 
employ  of  the  Pacific  Mail  Steamship  Company  and  sailed  to  the  Orient.  He 
returned  to  Philadelphia  and  engaged  in  business  for  two  years,  and  then  removed 
to  Pasadena,  Cal.,  where  he  was  in  business  for  four  years.  In  1907  he  removed 
to  Tonopah  and  engaged  in  business,  where  he  is  still  located.  Fraternally  he  is 
a  member  of  the  Eagles  of  Tonopah,  and  for  many  years  was  an  active  member 
of  the  Odd  Fellows  in  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Simons  married  Miss  Margaret 
Donovan  of  Pittsburg,  Penn.,  in  1900.  Their  two  children  are  Loraine  and 
Charles  R.,  Jr. 

WILLIAM  J.  SINCLAIR  was  born  in  Mono  County,  California,  June  21, 
1872.  He  attended  the  public  schools  and  later  took  a  business  course.  He 
engaged  in  the  sheep  and  cattle  business  early  in  life  with  E.  Wedertz,  which 
continued  eight  years,  operating  in  Mono  County  in  the  summer  and  in  Nevada 
during  the  winter  months.  He  then  became  connected  with  C.  E.  Day  in  the 
sheep  business  for  two  years,  and  later  Mr.  Sinclair  engaged  in  the  cattle  business 
alone.  He  sold  out  and  went  to  Sodaville,  where  he  identified  himself  with  the 
Douglass  Mill  and  Mining  Company  for  a  short  time,  when  his  firm  sold  out  to 
Lothrop  &  Davis,  and  Mr.  Sinclair  came  to  Butler,  which  was  afterward  called 
Tonopah.  He  managed  the  mercantile  business  and  did  leasing  for  himself  and 
Frank  Golden,  being  connected  with  Mr.  Golden  from  March,  1901,  to  January  i, 

1902,  when  he  went  to  Goldfield  and  was  interested  in  mining.    Finally  he  disposed 
of  his  holdings  and  returned  to  Tonopah.    He  went  to  Bullfrog  in  1905,  where  he 
was  interested  for  two  years,  and  later  to  Manhattan,  and  with  Governor  Oddie 
they  started  Camp  Atwood.    After  one  year  he  sold  out  and  was  appointed  Chief 
of  the  Tonopah  Fire  Department,  which  position  he  still  holds.    Mr.  Sinclair  is  a 
member  of  No.  597,  B.  P.  O.  E.,  of  Reno.     He  served  as  first  Chancellor  Com- 
mander of  the  K.  of  P.     He  is  also  a  member  of  Blue  Lodge  of  Tonopah  and 
the  Consistory  of  Reno.     He  was  first  Past  Master  of  the  A.  O.  U.  W.  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Odd  Fellows,  and  served  as  first  Postmaster  of  Tonopah.     He 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Catherine  Kelly  of  Gold  Hill,  Nevada,  a  daughter 
of  Peter  M.  Kelly  and  an  old  resident  and  respected  citizen  of  that  town.     Her 
mother  was  Marguerite  Kelly.     Both  parents  of  Mrs.  Sinclair  came  to  the  Coast 
around  Cape  Horn  and  were  married  in  San  Francisco,  California.    Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Sinclair  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church  of  Tonopah,  Nevada. 

CLAUD  M.  SMITH  is  one  of  the  mining  men  of  Nevada  who  is  too  well 
known  to  need  any  special  introduction.  He  was  born  May  26,  1876,  at  Clements, 
Cal.  He  received  a  common  school  education  and  later  took  a  Normal  course  at 
Stockton,  after  which  he  taught  school  for  four  years  in  Amador  County,  Cal. 
In  1902  he  removed  to  Tonopah  and  became  interested  in  mining.  September  5, 

1903,  he  removed  to  Goldfield,  where  he  has  since  resided.     He  has  been  instru- 


THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

mental  in  securing  valuable  claims  where  the  Merger  Mines  are  located  and  in 
October  of  that  year  he  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  Goldfield  Mining 
District,  from  which  the  town  derived  its  name.  At  that  meeting  Mr.  Smith  was 
elected  District  Recorder  and  served  until  1907.  He  was  appointed  the  first  Post- 
master of  Goldfield  and  the  first  School  Trustee.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
Fraternity  and  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Evelyn 
Short  of  Carson  City,  April  17,  1907.  Their  one  son,  Kernick,  was  born  in  Ala- 
meda,  Cal.,  May  10,  1909.  Mr.  Smith  is  trustee  and  secretary  of  the  Goldfield 
Merger  Mines  Company  and  the  Goldfield  Deep  Mines  Company.  The  father  of 
Mrs.  Smith  was  Josiah  Short,  deceased,  for  many  years  a  merchant  at  Glen- 
brook,  Nevada.  Her  mother  is  now  a  resident  of  Carson  City. 


LLOYD  D.  SMITH,  Public  Administrator  and  Chief  of  the  Las  Vegas  Fire 
Department,  was  born  at  Walla  Walla,  Wash.,  October  22,  1881.  He  attended  the 
public  schools,  graduating  from  high  school  in  1896.  After  finishing  school  he 
removed  to  Butte,  Montana,  and  engaged  in  mining  for  some  time.  In  1902  he 
went  to  Tonopah,  where  he  followed  mining  for  three  years,  and  in  1905  he 
removed  to  Las  Vegas  and  erected  the  Palace  Hotel,  which  he  conducted  until 
January,  1912.  He  then  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  insurance  business  and 
also  in  the  undertaking  business.  He  was  elected  Public  Administrator  in  No- 
vember, 1911,  for  a  two-year  term  and  appointed  Chief  of  the  Fire  Department  in 
December,  1911,  being  the  first  Fire  Chief  since  the  city  was  established.  In 
politics  Mr.  Smith  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Eagles,  Fraternal 
Brotherhood  and  the  A.  O.  U.  W.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lottie 
Grice  of  Sacramento,  Cal.,  in  1903.  Mrs.  Smith  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  and  active  in  church  and  club  life  in  Las  Vegas. 


OTIS  D.  SMITH  was  born  in  Van  Buren  County,  Iowa,  November  14,  1854, 
and  at  the  age  of  fifteen  his  parents  removed  to  Fairfield,  Iowa.  He  was  educated 
in  his  native  State  and  in  April,  1873,  he  started  to  learn  the  tinner  and  plumber's 
trade,  after  which  he  engaged  in  business  in  various  cities.  He  was  in  the  hard- 
ware business  in  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  and  in  1881  he  went  to  Leadville,  Colo.,  where 
he  started  in  business,  and  later  in  Aspen,  Colo.  Selling  out  in  Aspen,  he  re- 
moved to  Denver,  Colo.,  and  was  in  business  there  for  nine  years.  He  lived  in 
Florence,  Colo.,  for  eight  years,  where  he  was  engaged  in  his  line.  In  1905  he 
moved  to  Goldfield,  where  he  remained  for  one  year,  and  then  came  to  Man- 
hattan, where  he  now  resides.  He  is  in  the  sheet  metal,  pipe  fitting  and  mill  supply 
business.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat  and  has  voted  that  ticket  all  his  life.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Susie  L.  Innes  of  Kansas  City,  who  died  in  1897,  and 
his  second  marriage  was  to  Minnie  M.  Munn  of  Canyon  City,  Colo.,  in  1903.  Our 
subject  has  been  identified  with  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  of  Denver,  Colo.,  for 
twenty-five  years.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World  of  Denver. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1241 

HON.  PETER  J.  SOMERS  resides  at  Goldfield  ana  presides  over  the  Dis- 
trict Court  of  the  Seventh  Judicial  District.  In  politics  he  is  a  Progressive 
Democrat.  He  is  a  native  of  Wisconsin,  and  received  his  legal  education  from 
that  great  master  of  law  and  literature,  Hon.  Edward  G.  Ryan,  Chief  Justice 
of  the  Suprenre  Court  of  Wisconsin.  After  admission  to  practice  in  all  the 
courts  of  Wisconsin,  he  was  admitted  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States  in  1894.  At  an  early  period  in  his  professional  career  he  was  elected 
City  Attorney  of  Milwaukee.  This  position  afforded  him  great  opportunity  for 
the  exercise  of  all  the  ability  that  was  in  him.  It  was  at  a  time  when  Milwau- 
kee was  called  upon  to  pay  excessive  amounts  for  personal  injury  claims,  and 
claims  in  change  of  street  grade  suits.  The  people  demanded  a  more  vigorous 
defense  against  such  actions,  and  this  demand  resulted  in  the  election  of  Mr. 
Somers.  He  took  personal  charge  of  the  defense  of  these  cases,  and  never  lost 
one  for  the  city.  Out  of  140  cases  then  pending,  the  city  was  not  compelled 
to  pay  one  cent  in  damages.  Later  he  was  elected  Mayor  of  Milwaukee,  and 
although  the  city  was  from  9,000  to  15,000  majority  Republican,  he  was  elected 
by  a  majority  of  8,600,  Democrats  and  Republicans  alike  joining  in  his  support. 
At  the  conclusion  of  his  term  he  was  re-elected  Mayor  for  a  second  term.  At 
the  end  of  his  administration  as  Mayor,  he  was  nominated  by  his  party  for 
Congress  from  Milwaukee,  and  although  there  was  an  active  campaign  waged 
against  him  by  the  Republicans  on  account  of  his  position  on  the  tariff  ques- 
tion, he  was  triumphantly  elected.  At  the  end  of  his  Congressional  term  he 
yielded  to  the  wishes  of  his  family  and  declined  re-nomination  for  Congress, 
although  tendered  him  unanimously  by  a  rising  vote  of  the  convention.  He 
continued  in  the  active  practice  of  his  profession  in  Milwaukee  from  that  time 
until  he  came  to  Nevada,  in  1904,  where  he  practiced  law  and  looked  after  his 
mining  property,  of  which  he  held  considerable.  He  also  took  a  deep  interest 
in  matters  political.  Although  not  attending  the  convention  of  his  party  in 
1908,  at  Tonopah,  he  was  unanimously  chosen  Chairman  of  the  Democratic 
State  Central  Committee,  and  prosecuted  the  campaign  that  year  with  vigor 
and  ability.  He  promoted  harmony  in  the  ranks  of  Democracy,  and  by  the 
united  efforts  of  the  party,  Mr.  Bryan  and  all  the  Democratic  candidates,  car- 
ried the  State  by  a  handsome  majority,  although  in  the  two  previous  campaigns 
the  State  had  gone  Republican.  Later  in  the  year  1908  Mr.  Somers  was 
appointed  by  the  Governor  of  Nevada  to  the  position  of  Judge  of  the  Seventh 
Judicial  District  Court.  In  1910  he  was  nominated  by  his  party  for  re-election 
and  elected  by  over  800  plurality  in  the  county. 

WILLIAM  T.  SOMERVILLE,  one  of  the  representative  business  men  of 
Tonopah,  was  born  January  18,  1860,  in  Chicago.  He  acquired  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  that  city  and  at  an  early  age  he  learned  the  painting 
and  decorating  trade,  which  has  been  his  life's  work.  He  worked  for  various 
firms  in  Chicago  and  engaged  in  business  in  that  city  for  a  period  of  three 
years.  March  i,  1908,  he  removed  to  Tonopah,  where  he  worked  for  one  year, 


1242  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

after  which  he  became  established  in  business.  In  politics  he  is  a  Socialist. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  Queen  City  Lodge  No.  10,  of  Seattle,  and  while 
a  resident  of  that  city  he  was  active  in  the  Eagles  Lodge.  He  married  Miss 
Sarah  E.  Kiffer,  in  1898,  a  native  of  Maryland.  His  wife  is  active  in  the 
Pythian  Sisters,  Woman  of  the  Woodcraft  and  the  Yeomen.  Mr.  Somerville 
and  his  three  brothers  at  one  time  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  at  Napa- 
vine,  Wash.,  and  later  they  took  over  the  business.  His  father  is  a  resident 
of  Napavine,  Washington. 

OLE  H.  SONNE,  one  of  the  representative  business  men  of  Yerrington,  was 
born  October  9,  1871,  and  is  a  native  of  Denmark.  He  came  to  America  with 
an  uncle  when  he  was  young,  and  has  resided  in  Montana,  Utah  and  Idaho.  He 
followed  mining  in  various  States,  and  in  1903  he  removed  to  Nevada  and  fol- 
lowed mining  in  the  White  Pine  Mountain  district.  In  1905  he  removed  to 
Yerrington,  where  he  is  largely  interested  in  mining.  Politically  he  is  a 
Republican  and  when  the  town  of  Yerrington  was  incorporated  he  served  as 
one  of  the  first  councilmen.  Mr.  Sonne  was  united  in  marriage  to  Rachel 
Wagstaff  of  Utah,  November  7,  1897.  Their  four  children  are  Ernest,  Coral, 
Clifton  and  Maude.  Mr.  Sonne  is  a  member  of  the  Lyon  County  Commercial 
Club  and  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Yerrington,  the  Chapter  of 
Carson  City  and  a  Knight  Templar  of  Reno. 


GEORGE  SOUTHWORTH,  a  native  of  Nevada,  was  born  April  8,  1888. 
He  acquired  his  reputation  in  the  public  schools  at  Carson  City  and  afterward 
attended  the  University  of  Nevada.  After  his  schooling  he  entered  business  at 
Gardnerville,  where  he  remained  nearly  two  years.  He  entered  the  employ  of 
Wells  Fargo  Co.  in  Tonopah,  where  he  remained  for  one  year,  and  then 
removed  to  Manhattan,  where  he  was  identified  as  assistant  Postmaster  from 
Jan.,  1911,  to  May,  1912.  While  holding  this  position  he  was  engaged  in  busi- 
ness and  in  May  he  severed  his  connection  with  the  Federal  office  to  devote 
his  entire  time  to  business  matters.  He  is  associated  with  the  firm  of  North 
Gerguson  &  Co.  Mr.  Southworth  is  an  active  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  lodge 
of  Reno,  No.  597. 


A.  SPENCER,  who  has  been  identified  with  the  development  and  progress 
of  Nevada  since  1876,  was  born  in  Canada,  September  9,  1858,  and  is  of  English 
and  Dutch  ancestry.  His  parents  were  early  settlers  of  New  York.  Mr. 
Spencer  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Canada  and  acquired  his  education  in  the 
public  schools.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  removed  to  Virginia  City,  where  he 
was  employed  as  a  drug  clerk  for  six  years  in  the  store  of  W.  A.  Perkins.  He 
then  entered  the  employ  of  the  Virginia  &  Gold  Hill  Water  Company  as  collec- 
tor and  later  took  charge  of  the  office.  He  continued  with  that  company  eigh- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1243 

teen  years.  In  April,  1902,  in  connection  with  A.  French,  they  established  the 
Nevada  Planing  Mill  at  Reno.  Mr.  Spencer  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Sarah  A.  Squier  in  1887.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  fraternally  is 
affiliated  with  the  Masonic  Lodge,  having  received  the  sublime  degree  of  a 
Master  Mason  in  Escurial  Lodge,  No.  7,  of  Virginia  City.  He  also  belongs  to 
Virginia  City  Chapter,  No.  2,  R.  A.  M.,  DeWitt  Clinton  Commandery,  No.  I, 
K.  T.,  and  Kerak  Temple  of  the  Mystic  Shrine  of  Reno. 

GUY  A.  SPENCER,  one  of  the  best  known  mining  men  in  Nevada  and  Cali- 
fornia, was  born  at  Bangor,  Maine,  December  18,  1870.  He  acquired  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  and  high  schools,  and  at  an  early  age  removed  to  Carson 
City  and  worked  in  the  United  States  Mint,  for  three  years,  after  which  he 
became  identified  with  the  Mexican  quartz  mill  on  the  Carson  River  for  two 
years.  He  joined  Company  D  of  the  first  battalion  of  the  Nevada  Infantry 
and  was  commissioned  fourth  sergeant.  He  was  a  member  of  Company  F, 
National  Guards,  and  one  of  ten  men  selected  to  'take  part  in  the  shooting 
festival  at  the  Mid- Winter  fair  at  San  Francisco,  and  he  won  first  prize.  At 
present  Mr.  Spencer  is  a  member  of  the  American  Rifle  Association.  In  1898 
he  was  mustered  out  of  the  army  and  went  to  Alaska,  where  he  remained  for 
one  year.  He  returned  to  Washington  and  resided  there  two  years.  In  1903 
he  removed  to  Nevada  again,  and  in  1904  he  engaged  in  mining  at  Goldfield, 
where  he  has  since  remained.  Mr.  Spencer  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Maud  Janet  Hamlinton,  of  San  Diego,  Cal.,  in  1907.  Their  one  child,  Janet 
May,  born  May  7,  1909. 

CHARLES  SILVEY  SPRAGUE,  born  1865,  McConnelsville,  Morgan  Co., 
Ohio.  Son  of  Hon.  W.  P.  Sprague,  for  several  terms  member  of  Congress 
from  the  famous  isth  Congressional  District  of  that  State.  Educated  for  the 
profession  of  journalism  in  Denison  and  Princeton  Universities.  Began  his 
newspaper  career  by  purchasing  one  of  the  old  established  weekly  papers  of 
Ohio,  the  McConnelsville  Herald.  Married  at  Netherwood,  N.  J.,  to  Blanche 
Seaman  Brown.  After  a  few  years  removed  to  Colorado  Springs,  Colo.,  for  his 
wife's  health.  There  founded  the  Evening  Telegraph,  one  of  the  most  pros- 
perous and  influential  newspapers  of  the  State.  He  also  established  and  con- 
ducted at  the  same  time  The  Mining  Investor,  which  has  a  national  circulation. 
After  15  years  Mr.  Sprague  sold  his  newspaper  interests  with  the  intention  of 
retiring  from  the  business,  but  later  accepted  the  editorship  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain  News  of  Denver,  owned  by  Senator  T.  M.  Patterson.  In  Colorado 
Mr.  Sprague  was  prominent  in  politics.  Was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  and 
was  Speaker  of  the  House  one  Session.  He  held  a  number  of  honorary  posi- 
tions, such  as  member  of  the  State  Board  of  Pardons,  etc.,  and  was  nominated 
Lieutenant  Governor,  which  he  declined.  Just  before  the  big  "boom"  struck 
Goldfield  in  the  winter  of  1905-6,  Mr.  Sprague  came  to  Goldfield  and  with  Mr. 


1244  THE    HISTORY     OF     NEVADA 

J.  P.  Loftus  bought  the  Goldfield  News,  the  pioneer  paper,  which  he  built  up 
to  be  one  of  the  most  prosperous  and  influential  papers  of  the  West.  They 
built  the  News  Building,  one  of  the  finest  business  blocks  of  the  State,  for 
their  publishing  and  stationery  business.  Mr.  Sprague  was  always  identified 
actively  with  public  affairs.  For  four  years  he  was  president  of  the  Goldfield 
Chamber  of  Commerce.  He  was  elected  a  presidential  elector  on  the  Demo- 
cratic ticket  in  1908,  and  was  appointed  by  Governor  Dickerson  as  member  of 
the  State  Banking  Board.  In  1910  he  received  the  primary  nomination  for 
Congress  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  receiving  as  many  votes  as  all  his  competi- 
tors combined,  but  failed  in  the  election,  with  the  head  of  the  State  ticket. 
Mrs.  Sprague  was  the  founder  of  the  Woman's  Club  and  has  been  president 
five  years  in  succession.  She  was  also  appointed  State  Regent  of  the  Daughters 
of  the  American  Revolution,  and  founded  the  Montezuma  Chapter  in  Gold- 
field.  They  have  a  son  and  a  daughter.  More  recently  Mr.  Sprague  has  been 
devoting  his  time  to  mining  and  has  made  several  important  mining  sales 
which  has  brought  large  capital  to  the  State. 

HENRY  RITER.  Prominent  among  the  business  men  of  Reno  stands  Henry 
Riter,  who  by  his  sterling  characteristics  has  won  many  friends.  His  political  sup- 
port is  given  to  the  Democracy,  but  he  has  never  desired  the  honors  of  a  public 
life.  Mr.  Riter  is  a  native  of  the  far-off  land  of  Germany,  his  birth  having  there 
accurred  on  the  8th  day  of  October,  1863.  He  acquired  his  schooling  in  his  native 
land,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  came  to  America  and  located  in  California,  where 
he  engaged  in  the  butcher  business.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  the  "Silver"  State 
since  the  nth  of  March,  1884,  and  has  since  been  actively  engaged  in  business. 
The  marriage  of  Mr.  Riter  occurred  on  the  i3th  of  June,  1888,  to  Miss  Lida  Dixon 
of  Placerville,  Cal.  He  is  affiliated  with  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles  and  the 
Knights  of  Pythias.  Mr.  Ritter  purchased  the  Bowers'  Mansion,  which  was  erected 
by  Sandy  Bowers  in  1862-64  at  a  cost  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars, 
being  the  most  costly  residence  in  Nevada  at  that  period.  Mr.  Riter  has  restored 
the  property  to  its  original  beauty  and  it  is  now  used  as  a  summer  resort. 

FRITZ  NEDDENRIEP,  of  Carson  Valley,  is  one  of  the  prominent  ranchers 
and  stockmen  of  that  locality.  He  is  a  native  of  Germany  and  was  born  August 
31.  1860.  He  attended  school  in  his  native  land,  after  which  he  worked  at  farm- 
ing. In  1872  he  came  to  this  country  with  his  parents  and  settled  in  the  Car- 
son Valley.  He  found  employment  at  ranching,  which  he  followed  for  six 
years.  His  father,  Frederick,  bought  a  farm  containing  three  hundred  and 
fifty  acres,  and  previous  to  his  death  in  1902  Fritz  managed  the  farm.  His 
mother,  Annie,  died  in  1901.  He  was  united  in  marriage  in  1888  and  seven 
children  have  been  born,  six  of  whom  are  living— Crist,  Mary,  William,  Annie, 
Dora,  Frieda  and  Hilda.  Mr.  Neddenriep  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Douglas 
County  Creamery.  The  family  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church 
of  Gardnerville. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1245 

GEORGE  SPRINGMEYER  was  born  on  a  ranch  in  Douglas  County,  Sep. 
tember  28,  1881.  His  parents  were  pioneers  of  the  early  sixties,  and  his 
father  H.  H.  Springmeyer,  claims  to  have  been  the  first  person  in  the  State  to 
raise  alfalfa  on  a  commercial  basis.  His  father  is  one  of  the  substantial  men 
of  Nevada  who  has  helped  build  up  the  country  and  has  taken  an  active  part 
in  its  industrial  and  political  history.  Our  subject  had  a  stormy  college  life, 
having  been  expelled  and  dismissed  several  times,  but  managed  to  get  his 
degree  from  the  University  of  Nevada  when  he  was  twenty,  and  later  gradu- 
ated from  Stanford  University  and  from  Stanford  Law  School  and  finished  his 
education  at  the  Harvard  Law  School.  During  the  height  of  the  mining 
boom  he  was  in  the  District  Attorney's  office  in  Goldfield  and  was  instrumental 
in  compelling  mining  companies  to  pay  over  $100,000  in  delinquent  bullion 
taxes.  From  1906  to  1911  he  participated  in  many  of  the  most  important  civil 
and  criminal  cases  tried  in  Esmeralda  County,  and,  incidentally,  engaged  in 
mining.  He  has  a  hobby  for  politics  and  is  known  for  his  fearlessness  and 
dynamic  energy  in  political  matters.  In  1906,  as  the  Republican  candidate  for 
Attorney  General,  he  was  defeated  by  804  votes.  Again,  in  1910,  as  the  party 
nominee  for  the  same  office,  he  lost,  this  time  by  only  65  votes,  his  defeat  being 
ascribed  to  his  bitter  campaign,  during  which  he  savagely  assailed  the  railroad 
interests  and  bossism  prevalent  in  politics.  He  openly  espoused  Col.  Roose- 
velt's cause  early  in  1912,  and  made  a  vigorous  but  unsuccessful  fight  to  obtain 
for  him  the  Nevada  Republican  delegation.  After  what  he  held  to  be  a  "steal" 
was  effected  at  the  Republican  Convention  at  Chicago,  he  renounced  the  party 
and  actively  aided  in  organizing  the  Progressive  Party.  As  a  duty  to  the  new 
party  he  became  its  first  candidate  for  Representative  in  Congress  in  1912.  For 
the  last  two  years  has  lived  in  Carson,  where  he  is  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
law.  Married  Christine  Low  McKinney,  January  18,  1912.  There  is  issue  of 
the  marrriage  a  daughter,  Demarest  Low,  born  December  6,  1912. 

ROBERT  NELSON  was  born  in  Denmark,  February  22,  1868.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  his  native  country  and  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm.  Mr.  Nelson 
is  the  youngest  of  eleven  children  and  at  an  early  age  he  came  to  America 
and  located  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  where  he  remained  a  short  time,  and  finally 
came  to  Reno  in  1889,  where  he  found  employment  on  a  ranch  for  some  time. 
He  became  engaged  in  business  in  Reno  in  1892,  which  he  continued  for  about 
one  year;  disposing  of  his  business  he  made  a  trip  East.  He  returned  to  Reno 
and  began  a  business  career,  engaging  in  the  grocery  line  with  Peter  Christensen. 
In  1892  they  erected  the  brick  block  at  352  Virginia  st.,  their  present  location. 
In  politics  Mr.  Nelson  is  a  Republican  and  was  elected  Councilman  from  the 
Fourth  Ward  in  1907.  The  second  time  he  ran  for  the  same  office  and  he  was 
defeated  by  one  vote,  and  in  1911  he  was  again  elected  to  the  same  office  for  a 
four-year  term.  Mr.  Nelson  married  Miss  Maria  Madsen,  of  Oakland,  Cal., 
December  24,  1896.  Their  four  children  are  Carrie,  Mabel,  Henry  and  Leonore, 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows,  Eagles,  and  attends  the  Lutheran  Church. 


1246  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

CHARLES  H.  STODDARD,  at  present  County  Recorder  and  Auditor  of 
Washoe  County,  is  one  of  the  best  known  and  representative  men  of  the  State, 
and  for  a  number  of  years  has  been  foremost  in  the  public  life  of  his  county.  He 
was  born  at  Camden,  Ala.,  November  4,  1845.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the 
private  schools  of  his  native  State,  and  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  he  was 
attending  a  private  college  in  Louisiana.  He  left  school  to  enlist  in  the  Eighth 
Louisiana  battalion  cavalry  and  served  for  a  period  of  two  years  and  eight  months 
in  the  trans-Mississippi  department.  He  saw  active  service  at  Mansfield  and 
Pleasant  Hill.  The  parents  of  Mr.  Stoddard  were  James  Monroe  Stoddard,  a 
native  of  Connecticut,  who  went  South  when  a  mere  boy,  and  Christina  (Blake- 
ney)  Stoddard,  a  native  of  South  Carolina,  and  a  descendant  of  one  of  the 
representative  families  of  that  State.  After  the  close  of  the  war  Charles  H.  came 
West  over  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  which  had  just  been  completed.  He 
located  in  Sacramento  in  1870,  where  he  remained  for  a  time,  and  later  the  same 
year  he  removed  to  Reno,  where  he  has  since  remained.  On  his  arrival  in  Reno 
he  became  identified  with  the  Wells-Fargo  Express  Company  as  messenger  be- 
tween this  point  and  San  Francisco  for  two  years.  In  1872  he  associated  himself 
with  the  V.  &  T.  Railroad  as  agent  for  ten  years.  He  then  served  as  County 
Assessor  for  ten  years,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  and  real 
estate.  In  1903  he  was  appointed  County  Recorder  and  Auditor  to  fill  out  an 
unexpired  term,  and  at  the  following  general  election  he  was  elected  to  the  same 
office,  which  he  has  since  filled  in  a  capable  manner.  Fraternally  he  is  a  charter 
member  of  Amity  Lodge,  K.  of  P.  For  twelve  years  he  served  in  the  Nevada 
National  Guards  as  Captain.  When  the  Spanish-American  War  broke  out.  Captain 
Stoddard  organized  Company  C  of  the  Nevada  battalion  of  infantry.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Cora  Cross,  August  16,  1875.  Mrs.  Sloddard  is  a 
daughter  of  I.  D.  Cross  of  Dayton.  To  this  union  were  born  :  Richard  C.,  an 
attorney  of  Reno ;  Carl,  a  mining  engineer  of  Reno ;  Roy,  an  attorney  of  Reno ; 
Lytton,  who  resides  in  Petaluma,  Cal.,  and  Lola,  who  resides  at  home.  His  son, 
Roy,  was  a  member  of  Torrey's  Rough  Riders  during  the  Spanish-American  War 
and  went  to  Florida.  Mr.  Stoddard  has  taken  an  active  part  in  the  State's  political 
history  for  ten  years  and  served  as  secretary  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society 
about  ten  years  after  it  became  a  State  institution.  He  has  also  been  largely 
interested  in  the  mining  interests  of  the  State. 

HIRAM  STOKER,  one  of  the  well  known  and  highly  respected  ranchers  and 
stockmen  of  Humboldt  County,  was  born  April  7,  1842,  in  Hancock  County,  Ind. 
He  is  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Catherine  Stoker,  pioneers  of  1859,  who  crossed  the 
Plains  to  California,  where  they  remained  for  many  years,  and  who  are  now  both 
deceased.  Hiram  received  his  education  in  his  native  State  and  came  West  with 
his  parents  at  the  age  of  sixteen  and  cast  his  first  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln 
while  he  was  a  resident  of  Austin,  where  he  was  engaged  in  freighting  and  mining. 
In  1893  he  removed  to  Lovelock  and  purchased  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of 
land  from  W.  C.  Pitt  and  has  since  added  to  his  farm  property  until  he  now  has 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1247 

six  hundred  and  twenty-three  acres  near  the  town.  In  1908  Mr.  Stoker  was  elected 
County  Commissioner,  which  office  he  held  for  four  years.  He  was  married  in 
May,  1868,  to  Miss  Cornelia  Stauts  of  Empire,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born 
six  children. 

HENRY  A.  STONE  was  born  on  a  farm,  January  I,  1873,  in  Pettis  County,  Mo. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  is  a  son  of  William  K.  and  Lou 
(Glasscock)  Stone,  both  natives  of  West  Virginia.  Henry  received  a  public  school 
education,  after  which  he  assisted  on  the  home  place  until  he  i  cached  the  age  of 
twenty-two.  He  then  went  to  Colorado,  where  he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade. 
He  worked  in  Utah,  Idaho,  California  and  Nevada.  May  22,  1907,  he  removed 
to  McGill  and  while  setting  machinery  he  was  injured.  He  is  now  proprietor  of 
a  modern  picture  theatre  and  conducts  a  cigar  business  at  McGill.  Fraternally  he 
is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  and  the  Elks,  and  is  numbered  among  the  representa- 
tive business  men  of  Southern  Nevada. 

JAMES  STUARD,  at  present  Deputy  Sheriff  of  Alpine  County,  Cal.,  has  been 
a  resident  of  the  State  since  June,  1871.  He  was  born  in  Canada,  January  15,  1857. 
At  an  early  age  his  parents  removed  to  North  Manchester,  Conn.,  where  James 
was  reared  and  'educated.  He  worked  in  the  silk  factory  for  some  time,  when  he 
left  there  and  went  to  Northern  Michigan.  He  remained  in  Michigan  but  a  short 
time,  when  in  June,  1871,  he  came  to  Carson  City,  where  he  found  employment 
in  the  mountains  at  lumbering  and  teaming.  In  1872  he  went  to  Alpine  County, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  lumbering  and  driving  wood  down  the  Carson  River 
for  eighteen  years.  Then  in  1893  he  took  up  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  at  the 
head  of  the  Carson  Valley,  where  he  has  be'en  engaged  in  dairying  and  general 
farming  since.  In  politics  Mr.  Stuard  is  a  Republican  and  has  served  his  county 
as  Supervisor  for  some  years.  He  was  appointed  Deputy  Sheriff  of  Alpine  County 
in  April,  1911.  Mr.  Stuard  was  married  in  October,  1876,  to  Miss  Josephine 
Finley.  Their  two  children  are :  Jessie,  wife  of  Henry  Bruns  of  Alpine  County, 
and  Eleanor,  who  resides  at  home,  who  has  a  homestead  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  adjoining  the  home  place.  Mr.  Stuard  established  a  store  and  hotel  opposite 
his  residence  in  1908.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

RAYMOND  ST.  CLAIR,  M.D.,  was  born  in  Frankford,  Mo.,  April  16,  1870. 
He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  in  Frankford,  Mo.,  and  Camp 
Point,  111.  He  is  a  graduate  of  the  Drake  Medical  College,  now  the  University 
of  Iowa,  at  Des  Moines  in  1896.  He  took  up  the  practice  of  medicine  in 
Bowen,  111.,  where  he  remained  for  a  time  and  then  removed  to  Cripple  Creek, 
Colo.,  where  he  practiced  for  ten  years.  He  removed  to  Reno  in  1905  and  has 
done  a  general  practice  since.  Dr.  St.  Clair  is  a  charter  member  of  the  Washoe 
County  Medical  Society  and  is  a  member  of  the  Nevada  State  Medical  Society, 
and  American  Medical  Association.  He  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  Lodge 


1248  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

and  belongs  to  the  Blue  Lodge  Chapter  and  Shrine,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Reno  Commercial  Club.  He  was  united  in  marrriage  to  Miss  Eleanor  V.  Har- 
greaves,  of  Detroit,  Mich.  To  this  union  were  born  Virginia  Frances,  born 
December  9,  1905,  and  Kenneth  Raymond,  born  January  27,  1907.  Dr.  St. 
Clair  spent  one  year  in  London,  England,  taking  a  post  graduate  course;  he 
also  took  a  post  graduate  course  in  New  York  City.  He  attended  the  American 
Medical  Association,  annual  convention  in  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  in  1911,  and  in 
1912  he  attended  the  American  Medical  Association  annual  convention  at 
Atlantic  City. 


CHARLES  H.  SPRINGMEYER,  one  of  the  representative  ranchers  in  the 
Carson  Valley,  was  born  September  4,  1871.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the  hay  and  feed  business  for  eleven 
years,  the  firm  being  Peterson  &  Springmeyer,  and  shipped  large  quantities  of 
feed  to  Tonopah  and  Goldfield  in  the  boom  days.  Mr.  Springmeyer  disposed 
of  his  interest  in  the  business  to  his  partner  in  1906,  and  personally  engaged  in 
the  wholesale  hay  business  for  two  years.  In  1908  he  purchased  the  Martin 
Ranch  near  Minden,  consisting  of  four  hundred  acres,  where  he  now  resides. 
He  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Minden  Bank,  Minden  Flour  Milling  Company, 
Carson  Hay  &  Produce  Company,  Minden  Butter  Mfg.  Co.,  and  the  Carson 
Valley  Improvement  Club.  Mr.  Springmeyer  was  married  to  Miss  Theresa 
D.  Neddenriep,  of  Fredericksburg,  Cal.,  March  24,  1895.  Two  children  were 
born  to  this  union — Herman  C.,  born  January  29,  1896,  now  attending  the 
Oakland  Polytechnic  College,  and  Valentine,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seven  and 
one-half  years.  In  politics  Mr.  Springmeyer  is  a  Republican  and  served  on  the 
Republican  Central  Committee  from  Douglas  County.  Fraternally  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Douglas  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M. 


FRED  STADTMULLER,  one  of  the  representative  business  men  of  Reno, 
is  assistant  cashier  and  a  director  of  the  Washoe  County  Bank,  one  of  the 
oldest  and  strongest  financial  institutions  of  the  State.  He  was  born  at  Empire 
City,  July  31,  1871,  and  is  a  son  of  the  late  F.  D.  Stadtmuller,  a  pioneer  mer- 
chant and  banker  of  Nevada  and  California,  who  came  across  the  plains  in 
1852.  His  son  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  San  Francisco  and  the  University 
of  Nevada,  from  which  he  graduated  with  the  class  of  1892.  For  a  number  of 
years  he  was  associated  with  various  business  enterprises  in  the  States  of 
California  and  Washington.  During  the  past  ten  years  or  more  he  has  been 
identified  with  the  Washoe  County  Bank  of  Reno,  and  is  a  director  of  a  number 
of  its  affiliated  corporations,  and  vice-president  of  the  Riverside  Flour  Mill  Co., 
one  of  the  largest  manufacturing  concerns  in  the  State.  He  has  always  taken 
an  active  and  energetic  interest  in  the  development  of  the  various  resources 
and  industries  of  this  community. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1249 

FREDERICK  C.  SPRINGMEYER,  who  is  one  of  the  successful  and  enter- 
prising ranchers  of  the  Carson  Valley,  was  born  in  Germany,  September  29, 
1886.  In  1882  he  came  to  this  country  and  located  in  the  Carson  Valley.  Here 
he  found  employment  for  eight  years,  after  which  he  purchased  the  old 
"Twelve  Mile"  house  ranch.  Previous  to  establishing  the  town  of  Gardner- 
ville  the  Twelve  Mile  house  was  used  as  a  post  office,  where  the  stage  coaches 
used  to  stop.  Mr.  Springmeyer  has  200  acres  of  highly  cultivated  land  and 
carries  on  general  farming  and  dairy  business.  He  is  a  trustee  of  the  Eastfork 
School.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Maggie  Springmeyer,  daughter  of 
H.  H.  Springmeyer,  January,  1891.  To  this  union  were  born  eight  children, 
namely,  Ralph  A.,  born  December  8,  1891;  Carl  A.,  born  December  18,  1893; 
Clarence  W.,  born  May  16,  1895;  Minnie  M.,  born  June  13,  1897;  Alsye  E.,  born 
February  10,  1899;  Lloyd  T.,  born  July  27,  1901;  Stanley  W.,  born  October  15, 
1902;  Audrey  E.,  born  September  30,  1904.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a 
stockholder  in  the  Douglas  County  Creamery  and  the  Alpine  Land  &  Reser- 
voir Co. 

RALPH  T.  SMITH,  a  native  of  Kansas,  was  born  in  Mulvane,  Cowley  County. 
He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  in  his  home  town  and  then  took  a 
special  course  in  the  International  Correspondence  Schools  of  Scranton,  Penn., 
graduating  from  the  class  in  advanced  electric  railroad  engineering  in  January, 
1908.  Finishing  his  schooling  he  worked  as  a  machinist  and  also  at  electrical 
work.  He  removed  to  Bisbee,  Arizona,  and  followed  engineering  for  a  time,  and 
in  May,  1909,  he  came  to  Reno  and  started  to  work  for  the  Reno  Power,  Light 
and  Water  Company,  and  holds  a  position  at  the  Reno  sub-station.  Mr  Smith 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Bessie  M.  Elrod,  a  native  of  Kansas,  on  Septem- 
ber 23,  1911.  He  is  a  member  of  Reno  Lodge,  No.  13,  F.  and  A.  M.  His  wife 
is  a  member  of  the  Eastern  Star  and  attends  the  Methodist  Church. 

ALBERT  STEFFAN.  A  native  son  of  California,  his  birth  having  occurred 
at  Marysville,  May  29,  1860.  He  received  his  early  educational  training  in  the 
public  schools,  and  later  entered  Santa  Clara  College.  He  followed  bookkeep- 
ing in  his  early  days,  after  which  he  read  law  under  Judge  James  F.  Lewis  and 
W.  F.  Deal,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Nevada,  July  9,  1881.  He  was  asso- 
ciated with  Judges  Lewis  and  Deal  for  many  years.  In  politics  Mr.  Steffan  is 
a  Democrat.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Virginia  City.  He  was 
united  in  marrriage  to  Miss  Catherine  A.  Burdick,  a  native  of  Wisconsin, 
August,  1895.  To  this  union  were  born  six  children,  three  sons  and  three 
daughters.  Mrs.  Steffan  is  an  active  worker  in  the  club  and  social  circles  of 
Virginia  City. 

PETER  STEFFES,  a  native  of  Wisconsin,  was  born  July  28,  1854.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  assisted  on  the  home  farm. 
His  father  Nicholas  was  a  native  of  Germany  and  his  mother  Mary  (Weber) 


1250  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Steffes  was  also  of  German  extraction.  At  the  age  of  twenty,  Peter  located  in 
the  Carson  Valley  and  worked  at  ranching.  He  afterwards  took  up  the  carpen- 
ter trade,  which  he  followed  for  many  years.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mrs.  Hanna  Patterson,  a  native  of  Canada,  May  16,  1899.  Mr.  Steffes  owned 
a  large  farm  in  the  Carson  Valley  which  he  sold  and  removed  to  Reno  in 
1902.  He  was  elected  City  Councilman  from  the  Second  Ward  May  2,  1911, 
for  a  two-year  term.  He  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  in  politics  is  a 
Democrat. 

ROGER  P.  STENSON,  a  representative  business  man  of  Tonopah,  was  born 
in  Ireland  in  June,  1849.  He  came  to  America  in  1871  and  located  in  Georgia  and 
in  1872  he  came  West  and  settled  in  Virginia  City.  He  was  identified  as  a  clerk 
in  one  of  the  stores  of  that  city  for  twelve  years.  In  1887  he  became  interested 
in  the  firm  of  Ryan  &  Stenson  of  Virginia  City,  which  is  still  in  existence.  In 
1894  Mr.  Stenson  removed  to  Grass  Valley,  Cal.,  where  he  opened  a  store  for  the 
firm,  and  continued  until  1904,  when  the  Grass  Valley  store  was  closed.  In  1901 
Mr.  Stenson  came  to  Tonopah  and  for  a  time  was  interested  in  mining.  Shortly 
after,  he  returned  to  Grass  Valley  and  operated  the  store  until  1904,  when  he 
returned  to  Tonopah.  In  1905  he  erected  the  building  where  he  is  now  located,  and 
opened  business.  Mr.  Stenson  has  the  management  of  the  Tonopah  store,  while 
Mr.  Ryan  looks  after  the  Virginia  City  store.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Annie  Niles  in  1899.  Mr.  Stenson  is  vice-president 
of  the  Midway  Mining  Company.  He  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  Knights' 
of  Columbus.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

JOSEPH  H.  STERN,  at  present  Sheriff  and  Assessor  of  Ormsby  County,  was 
born  at  Carson  City,  March  24,  1871.  His  father,  Leopold,  died  March  23,  1910, 
and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  Deputy  U.  S.  Marshal,  which  position  he  had 
held  for  thirty  years.  He  also  served  during  the  early  days  in  Nevada  as  Deputy 
Sheriff  of  Ormsby  County  and  was  a  member  of  the  Carson  City  police.  He  was 
a  German  by  birth  and  came  to  Nevada  in  1862  from  San  Francisco,  Cal.  He  was 
a  member  of  Liberty  Fire  Department,  No.  6,  of  San  Francisco  for  many  years. 
Joseph  H.  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Carson  City  and  San  Francisco, 
Cal.  After  his  schooling  he  became  associated  with  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad 
for  three  years.  After  which  he  became  identified  with  the  Virginia  &  Truckee 
Railroad  for  six  years.  He  is  Past  Chancellor  Commander  of  Carson  Lodge,  No.  4, 
K.  of  P.,  and  has  served  twice  as  a  representative  to  the  Grand  Lodge.  He  is 
Past  Council  Commander  of  Ormsby  Camp,  No.  413,  Woodmen  of  the  World,  and 
in  1908  he  was  a  delegate  to  the  Grand  Head  Camp,  which  held  its  convention  in 
Seattle,  Wash.  He  is  vice-president  of  Warren  Engine  Company,  No.  I,  of 
Carson  City,  of  which  his  father  was  one  of  the  organizers  in  1863,  and  his 
father  was  foreman  at  the  time  of  his  death.  Joseph  H.  was  married  to  Miss 
Lily  B.  McEwen,  of  Carson  City,  December  20,  1901.  Their  two  children  are 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1251 

Anna  Maud,  born  October  25,  1902,  and  Joseph  McEwen,  Born  April  19,  1911. 
Mrs.  Stern  is  Matron  of  the  Eastern  Star  and  an  active  member  of  the  Sagebrush 
Club  of  Carson. 

CHARLES  STEVER  was  born  in  Bristol,  Conn.,  October  29,  1857.  He  is  a  son 
of  Jeremiah  and  Jane  Stever.  His  father  was  identified  with  the  clock  manufac- 
turing business  in  Connecticut  in  the  early  days.  Both  parents  are  dead.  Charles 
attended  the  public  schools  in  Bristol,  high  school  in  Hartford  and  a  private 
school  near  Hudson,  New  York.  After  his  schooling  he  studied  civil  engineering 
and  was  for  a  time  in  the  clock  manufacturing  business  in  Bristol,  Conn.  He 
came  West  and  settled  in  Denver,  Colo.,  where  he  worked  at  the  electrical  busi- 
ness; then  he  went  to  New  Mexico,  where  he  was  engaged  in  business  for  himself. 
He  then  removed  to  San  Jose,  Cal.,  where  he  was  engaged  in  business  for  ten 
years,  and  in  1903  he  came  to  Reno.  He  was  employed  for  a  time  and  finally 
started  in  the  bicycle  business  and  alter  bought  out  E.  E.  Elliot,  233  Sierra  street. 
Mr.  Stever  was  married  to  Francis  Locke  of  New  Mexico  in  1884.  To  this  union 
were  born  three  children :  Lawrence,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eighteen ;  Clyde, 
who  died  in  Mexico,  aged  three,  and  Lola,  who  is  married  and  resides  in  San 
Francisco.  In  politics  Mr.  Stever  is  a  Republican. 

FRANK  A.  STEVENS  was  born  at  Monticello,  111.,  April  2,  1877.  He  acquired 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  graduated  from  Sanford  University  with 
the  degree  of  A.  B.  in  1902,  and  in  1903  received  the  L.  L.  B.  degree.  In  1904 
he  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law,  associated  with  Key  Pittman  of  Tonopah,  which 
continued  until  1908.  He  went  to  Rawhide,  where  he  formed  a  copartnership  with 
O.  J.  Van  Pelt,  where  they  remained  for  two  years,  afterward  removing  to  Las 
Vegas  in  1910.  Mr.  Stevens  was  appointed  Assistant  District  Attorney  and  in 
October  was  appointed  City  Attorney.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Eagles.  He  is  a  member  of  the  State  Bar  Association  and  belongs 
to  the  Alpha-Tau  Omega  and  the  Phi-Dalta-Phi  Fraternities  of  Stanford  University. 

> 

HARRY  E.  STEWART  is  a  native  of  California,  his  birth  having  occurred 
November  27,  1873,  at  lone,  Amador  County.  His  father,  James  Franklin  Stewart, 
was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  came  to  Nevada  via  the  Panama  route,  accom- 
panied by  his  parents,  in  1849.  His  mother,  Mary  (Rutter)  Stewart,  crossed  the 
Plains  and  came  to  this  State  in  1849.  Mr.  Stewart's  parents  were  married  in  Alpine 
County,  Cal.,  in  1872.  To  this  union  were  born :  Charles  Franklin,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  nineteen ;  Albert,  who  resides  in  Reno,  and  Harry  E.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  acquired  his  education  in  the  graded  schools  of  California  and  the  high 
school  in  Reno,  after  which  he  attended  the  U.  of  N.,  graduating  from  the 
School  of  Mines  in  1894.  After  finishing  his  education  he  became  interested  in 
mining,  followed  this  vocation  for  thirteen  years,  and  visited  various  foreign 
countries.  From  1903  to  1907  Mr.  Stewart  filled  the  position  of  City  Engineer  in 


1252  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Reno  in  a  most  capable  and  acceptable  manner.  In  May,  1907,  he  established  the 
Nevada  Transfer  Co.,  Inc.,  and  now  fills  the  office  of  secretary,  treasurer  and 
manager.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  the  K.  of  P.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lillian  Kerchoff,  January  3,  1911.  Mr.  Stewart  is 
a  stockholder  and  officer  in  the  Reno  Construction  Company.  He  was  regimental 
Major  under  Colonel  Lord  in  Company  C.  Nevada  National  Guards,  and  served  as 
Lieutenant  in  Company  C. 

J.  WESLEY  STEWART  was  born  October  15,  1875,  at  Bridgeport,  Mono 
County,  Cal.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  Healds  Business  College. 
He  came  to  Nevada  and  located  at  Luning,  where  he  was  identified  with  mining, 
and  April  i,  1901,  he  removed  to  Tonopah  and  entered  the  employ  of  Lothrop  & 
Davis,  where  he  remained  until  June,  1907.  Mr.  Stewart  has  the  honor  of  canceling 
the  first  stamp  in  the  Post  Office  of  Tonopah.  He  was  assistant  under  W.  J. 
Sinclair  when  the  camp  was  called  Butler.  In  1907  Mr.  Stewart  was  appointed 
Post  Master  by  President  Roosevelt,  a  third  commission  recess  appointment,  and 
he  was  regularly  appointed  by  the  U.  S.  Senate  in  the  fall  of  1907.  He  was  again 
appointed  in  1911  by  President  Taft.  The  postal  savings  bank  was  established  in 
Tonopah,  May  i,  1911.  In  politics  Mr.  Stewart  is  a  Republican.  Fraternally  he 
is  identified  with  the  Masonic  Lodge,  being  a  32nd  degree  Mason,  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows, Knights  of  Pythias,  Eastern  Star,  Rebeccas  and  the  Tonopah  Lodge  of  Elks. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Oline  C.  Johnson,  a  native  of  Virginia  City, 
March  16,  1898.  Mrs.  Stewart  is  active  in  the  social  and  club  life  of  Tonopah, 
being  a  member  of  the  Eastern  Star  and  Rebecca  Lodge.  She  served  for  one  year 
as  State  President  of  Rebecca  Lodge.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  Charles  M. 
Stewart,  one  of  the  old-time  and  respected  citizens  of  this  State,  and  resided  some 
years  ago  in  Carson  City  and  Aurora  during  the  early  days.  The  mother  of  Mr. 
Stewart  was  Emma  L.  Mr.  Stewart's  two  sisters  are :  Emma  Grace,  wife  of  P. 
R.  Parker,  at  present  District  Attorney  of  Mono  County,  Cal.,  and  Bertha  Maud, 
wife  of  A.  N.  Berreyesa  of  San  Jose. 

LEONARD  SPRINGMEYER,  a  resident  of  the  Carson  Volley,  is  a  son  of 
H.  H.  and  Minnie  Springmeyer,  who  are  numbered  among  the  representative 
families  of  this  locality.  He  was  born  March  3,  1876,  and  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  attended  the  University  of  Nevada. 
He  took  up  ranching  for  his  life's  work,  and  after  finishing  his  education  he 
assisted  his  father  on  the  home  place  until  1902,  when  he  purchased  four 
hundred  and  forty  acres  known  as  the  Winkelman  ranch.  He  has  since  sold 
two  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  In  politics  Mr.  Springmeyer  has  been  a 
Republican,  but  now  believes  in  the  principles  of  the  Progressive  Party.  In 
1908  he  was  elected  County  Commissioner  which  office  he  now  holds.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Douglas  County  Board  of  Education,  and  serves  as  a 
Trustee  of  Centerville  School  No.  n.  Mr.  Springmeyer  was  united  in  marriage 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1253 

to  Miss  Henrietta  Anderson,  also  a  native  of  the  Carson  Valley,  in  1899.  Their 
four  children  are  Arthur,  Amy,  Ada  and  Arline.  Mr.  Springmeyer  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Douglas  Lodge,  No.  12,  F  and  A.  M.,  and  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Doug- 
las County  Creamery. 

GEORGE  W.  RICHARD  was  born  in  Yuba  County,  Cal.,  March  4,  1852.  He 
received  a  limited  education  and  at  the  age  of  twelve  he  started  in  life  as  a  page 
in  the  Nevada  State  Legislature,  after  which  he  became  a  telegraph  operator.  In 
1875  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Wells-Fargo  Company  at  Carson  City,  and 
1883  he  was  appointed  as  Deputy  State  Treasurer,  which  position  he  filled  for 
twelve  years.  He  was  appointed  to  fill  out  a  portion  of  John  F.  Eagan's  term  of 
State  Treasurer  and  was  defeated  the  following  election  when  he  was  a  candidate 
for  that  office.  In  1896  Mr.  Richard  entered  the  employ  of  the  Bullion  and  Ex- 
change Bank  at  Carson  City  as  cashier  and  in  1901  he  opened  a  branch  of  that 
bank  in  Tonopah.  The  Tonopah  bank  was  taken  over  by  the  State  Bank  and  Trust 
Company.  Then  in  1904  Mr.  Richard  opened  a  branch  of  the  State  Bank  and  Trust 
Company  in  Goldfield.  Later  in  1904  he  purchased  the  Rich  Hardware  Company 
of  Tonopah,  and  in  1905  he  severed  his  connections  with  the  bank,  and  in  October, 
1911,  the  Rich  Hardware  Company  took  over  the  Southern  Nevada  Mercantile 
Company,  a  grocery  concern,  and  the  two  businesses  were  merged  under  the  name 
of  the  Richard  Mercantile  Company,  Inc.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Blue  Lodge, 
Shrine,  Knights  Templar  and  Commandery  and  also  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P. 
Mr.  Richard  came  to  Nevada  in  1859,  locating  first  in  Carson  City. 

PAUL  D.  ROBERTS  was  born  in  Indiana  in  1876;  from  thence  his  parents 
removed  to  Kansas.  His  father,  David  Roberts,  is  a  miller  by  trade,  in  which 
business  he  is  still  engaged  in  Denver,  Colo.  Mr.  Roberts,  following  in  the  business 
of  his  father,  acquired  a  practical  and  efficient  knowledge  of  the  milling  business. 
From  his  father  he  inherited  sterling  integrity  and  vigor;  and  from  his  mother, 
who  passed  to  the  Great  Beyond  in  1880,  he  was  endowed  with  an  attractive  and 
pleasing  temperament.  He  was  fortunate  in  his  marriage  in  1898  with  Carol  Wells, 
daughter  of  Judge  John  H.  Wells,  a  prominent  lawyer  of  Boulder,  Colo.  The 
issue  of  their  marriage  are  David  Wells  Roberts  and  Mary  Louise  Roberts.  Mr. 
Roberts  has  enjoyed  a  rapid  growth  in  business,  acting  as  superintendent  of  a  mill- 
ing plant  at  Spokane,  Wash. ;  thence  a  trip  through  California ;  finally  visiting 
Reno,  and  with  keen  business  ability  grasping  at  once  its  splendid  business  possi- 
bilities, decided  to  cast  his  lot  with  its  splendid  citizenship,  he  became  identified 
with  the  Riverside  Mill  Company  as  night-miller,  from  which  position  he  was 
promoted  to  its  manager,  in  which  capacity  by  his  tireless  energy  and  fine  business 
ability  and  strict  integrity  he  has  more  than  doubled  the  large  business  since 
assuming  its  control.  Recently  realizing  the  possibilities  of  the  Inter-Mountain 
and  Pacific  Coast  trade,  he  has  installed  a  department  for  the  manufacture  of 
crackers,  and  the  product  of  the  "Reno  Sodas"  are  so  perfect  that  the  demand  of 
the  trade  far  exceeds  the  capacity  of  the  plant,  which  is  very  large.  Mr.  Roberts 


1254  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

is  an  Odd  Fellow,  Mason  and  Elk,  in  all  of  which  his  good-fellowship  is  appreci- 
ated. He  is  a  director  of  the  Reno  Commercial  Club,  the  Nevada  Poultry  Associa- 
tion and  the  Riverside  Mill  Company,  which  by  his  able  management  he  has  made 
the  largest  flour  mill  between  Denver,  Colo.,  and  Sacramento,  Cal. 


CLIFFORD  E.  ROBINS  was  born  in  Winnemucca,  February  16,  1880.  He  is  a 
son  of  F.  C.  Robins,  a  pioneer  mercantile  and  mining  man.  He  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  Winnemucca  and  the  University  of  Nevada.  He  taught 
school  in  Humboldt  and  Lander  Counties  for  about  four  years,  and  when  he 
reached  his  majority  he  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  of  Winnemucca,  a  position 
he  held  for  eight  years.  He  served  one  term  in  the  Legislature  and  has  been 
engaged  in  active  practice  of  the  law  since  1904  in  the  State  and  Federal  courts. 
Mr.  Robins  is  a  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Salter  &  Robins  at  Winnemucca. 


THOMAS  S.  ROBINSON,  a  business  man  of  marked  integrity  and  ability, 
who  has  a  wide  and  favorable  acquaintance  throughout  Nevada  and  California, 
especially  in  mining  circles,  was  born  at  Santa  Clara,  California,  December  31, 
1877.  He  received  his  education  at  the  Santa  Clara  College,  graduating  in  1898 
with  the  degree  of  A.  B.  After  his  schooling  he  removed  to  Nevada  County,  Cal., 
where  he  became  identified  with  mining  for  one  year.  In  1899  he  located  and 
mined  in  Eureka,  remaining  there  until  1902.  He  was  one  of  the  original  locators 
of  Goldfield  district  and  was  identified  with  that  camp  from  1903  to  1908.  He 
removed  to  San  Francisco,  where  he  engaged  in  the  brokerage  business  and  is 
an  active  member  of  the  San  Francisco  Stock  Exchange.  Mr.  Robinson  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rhoda  von  Wedde  of  Alameda,  Cal.,  May  4,  igio. 


PHILIP  MEYER  was  born  February  i,  1875.  His  father,  Nicholas,  is  a 
native  of  France.  He  came  to  America  and  crossed  the  Plains,  locating  in 
Virginia  City,  where  he  was  identified  on  the  Belcher  Mine  and  had  an  in- 
terest with  Lucky  Baldwin.  He  sold  out  and  went  to  Austin,  Nevada,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming  and  died  in  1910.  Mr.  Meyer's  mother  was  a  native  of 
Germany  and  the  parents  were  married  in  Virginia  City.  There  were  eight 
children  in  the  parents'  family — Mary,  wife  of  Tucker  Streshley,  of  Austin; 
Henry  C.,  of  Austin;  Emma,  wife  of  Frank  Byer,  of  Fallon;  Florence,  wife  of 
D.  V.  Collins,  of  Austin;  August,  died  age  27;  Frank,  of  Tonopah;  Louise, 
wife  of  N.  H.  Getchell,  of  Arizona,  and  our  subject.  Philip  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  Austin,  after  which  he  engaged  in  stock  raising  and  later 
in  mining.  He  removed  to  Manhattan  in  1905,  and  with  A.  B.  Millett  and  T. 
J.  Dron,  opened  the  first  store  in  this  camp.  He  married  Hattie  Dallner,  of 
Iowa,  June  7,  1904.  Their  one  child,  Ila  Christina,  was  the  first  child  born 
in  Manhattan,  Nevada,  born  March  n,  1906. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1255 

HENRY  MARVIN  YERINGTON  was  born  in  Calborne,  Canada.  In  1863 
he  removed  to  Carson  City  and  became  one  of  the  prominent  and  representa- 
tive citizens.  Among  his  earliest  work  was  the  construction  of  the  Merrimac 
Mill  for  the  crushing  of  Comstock  ore,  the  first  mill  in  the  State  of  that 
description.  Later  he  became  associated  with  D.  O.  Mills,  Wm.  Sharon  and 
Wm.  C.  Ralston  in  the  construction  of  the  Virginia  &  Truckee  Railroad,  and 
he  had  the  honor  of  driving  the  first  and  last  spikes.  He  was  made  General 
Manager  of  the  road,  which  position  he  held  for  many  years.  He  was  instru- 
mental in  bringing  about  the  construction  and  had  charge  of  the  Carson  & 
Colorado  Railroad,  which  was  completed  in  1882,  which  was  sold  to  the 
Southern  Pacific  Company  in  1900.  Mr.  Yerington  was  interested  in  the  Inyo 
Development  Company  and  the  Southern  Development  Company  at  Haw- 
thorne. He  was  interested  largely  in  the  Carson  Water  Works  and  had  hold- 
ings in  various  places  in  California  as  well  as  Nevada,  and  at  one  time  was 
president  of  sixteen  different  companies.  He  also  constructed  the  first  flume 
for  sending  wood  and  timber  down  the  mountains,  built  the  Carson  yard  for 
the  timber  and  flume  companies  and  the  Eldorado  Wood  and  Flume  Company, 
through  which  they  delivered  a  large  portion  of  wood  and  timber  for  the  Com- 
stock mining  companies  embracing  about  three  hundred  and  ten  miles  of 
drifts.  Mr.  Yerington  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Susan  B.  Hume,  of 
Canada,  in  1858.  To  this  union  were  born  four  children — E.  B.,  M.  H.,  J.  A., 
and  Jennie  Avery.  Mrs.  Yerington  died  in  November,  1874,  at  the  age  of 
thirty-six  years.  In  1877  Mr.  Yerington  was  again  married  to  Clara  V.  Bender, 
the  niece  of  Judge  E.  B.  and  Mrs.  Crocker.  This  union  resulted  in  one  son — 
Herbert.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Order,  and 
in  politics  he  was  a  Republican.  Mr.  Yerington  died  November  25,  1910. 

HENRY  FRED  DANGBERG,  Sr.,  was  one  of  Nevada's  most  honored  and 
esteemed  business  men,  who  was  born  in  Westphalia,  Germany,  September  16, 
1830,  and  died  July,  1905.  In  1848  he  came  to  this  country,  and  his  first  work 
was  rafting  logs  on  the  Mississippi.  He  worked  his  way  across  the  Plains  and 
landed  in  Dayton  October  n,  1853.  The  follownig  day  he  went  to  Virginia 
City,  where  he  worked  at  mining,  which  he  continued  until  1857.  He  served 
as  a  member  of  the  State  Lower  House,  and  twice  represented  Douglas  County 
in  the  Senate.  He  engagegd  in  the  stock  business,  which  industry  has  grown 
until  now  the  H.  F.  Dangberg  Land  and  Live  Stock  Company  controls  36,000 
acres.  Henry  Fred,  Jr.,  with  his  brothers,  John  B.,  George  F.,  and  Clarence 
O.,  promoted  and  laid  out  the  town  of  Minden.  The  firm  contemplate  cutting 
up  their  large  holdings  in  the  valley  which  will  bring  many  small  ranchers  in 
this  vicinity. 

JOHN  B.  DUCEY,  D.D.S.,  was  born  at  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  January  13,  1878. 
He  attended  the  public  schools  of  his  town  and  graduated  from  the  University; 
of  Notre  Dame,  South  Bend,  Ind.,  in  1896,  and  also  graduated  from  the  Chicago 


1256  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

College  of  Dental  Surgery  in  1900.  He  removed  to  Colorado  and  practiced  his 
profession  in  Denver  and  Cripple  Creek  for  six  years,  after  which  he  removed 
to  Goldfield  in  1906,  where  he  has  since  practiced.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Delta  Sigma  Delta  of  Chicago  University.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the 
B.  P.  O.  E.,  Eagles,  Moose  and  the  K.  of  P.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Jane  Conlan,  of  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  January  6,  1909.  To  this  union  was 
born  James  J.,  March  3,  1912.  The  father  of  Dr.  Ducey  is  one  of  the  early 
settlers  in  Goldfield,  coming  there  in  October,  1905,  from  Denver.  He  is  an 
old-time  mining  man  in  Colorado,  and  at  one  time  he  had  large  interests  in 
Cripple  Creek.  He  settled  on  Ducey  Heights  in  Goldfield,  which  is  now  known 
as  White  Rock  Addition. 

C.  H.  McINTOSH  is  one  of  the  well-known  and  prominent  attorneys  in 
Nevada.  He  has  the  distinction  of  being  a  native  son,  being  born  in  Elko, 
August  9,  1875.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  this  State, 
after  which  he  entered  the  Law  Department  of  the  University  of  California. 
He  has  spent  all  his  life  in  Nevada.  His  parents  are  John  Albert  Mclntosh 
and  Mary  Hathaway  (nee  Munson),  married  in  Elko  November  18,  1874.  Mr. 
Mclntosh's  father  has  been  a  merchant  in  the  State  for  many  years  and  is 
numbered  among  the  substantial  men  of  the  Commonwealth. 

JAMES  R.  MESKIMONS  was  born  at  Emporia,  Kansas,  and  removed  with 
his  parents  to  Redlands,  Cal.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Kan. 
and  Cal.,  graduating  from  the  Los  Angeles  Normal  and  later  from  Troop  Poly- 
technic Institute  at  Pasadena.  For  five  years  he  taught  in  the  Phoenix  high 
school,  at  which  time  he  was  appointed  Supt.  of  Irrigation  for  the  U.  S.  Gov- 
ernment, which  position  he  held  for  ten  years,  during  which  time  he  planned 
and  constructed  several  important  irrigation  systems  for  the  Indian  Depart- 
ment. While  in  the  government  service  he  came  to  Nevada  and  planned  the 
Walker  River  irrigation  system  in  the  Walker  River  Indian  Reservation  for  the 
allotted  lands  of  the  Indians.  He  left  the  government  service  in  1905  and 
removed  to  Reno  and  engaged  in  engineering  work.  In  1911  he  was  appointed 
City  Engineer,  which  position  he  now  holds.  He  is  a  member  of  Masonic 
fraternity,  and  belongs  to  the  Blue  Lodge  and  the  Chapter.  He  also  belongs 
to  the  K.  of  P.  and  Knights  of  Kharassan.  His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Cen- 
tury Club.  Their  three  children  are  Mildred,  Sarah  and  Mary.  Mr.  Meski- 
mons  is  recognized  as  an  engineer  of  experience,  and  his  advice  and  service 
in  works  of  this  character  are  sought  by  those  who  value  ability  and  integrity. 

HON.  GEORGE  BERGMAN  was  born  in  Newark,  New  Jersey,  October  16, 
1881.  At  the  age  of  eleven  he  went  to  Florida,  where  he  attended  school, 
after  which  he  attended  business  college  in  Thomasville,  Ga.  He  engaged  in 
the  fruit  and  produce  business  and  traveled  extensively  throughout  the  South- 
ern States.  He  came  West  and  located  in  California,  where  he  became  interested  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1257 

mining,  and  in  1905  removed  to  Las  Vegas.  He  followed  mining  in  various 
parts  of  Nevada,  California  and  Arizona,  and  still  has  holdings  in  the  El  Dorado 
Canyon.  Politically  Mr.  Bergman  is  a  Democrat  and  was  elected  to  the  State 
Assembly  from  Lincoln  County.  He  introduced  the  bill  which  created  Clark 
County  and  was  elected  the  first  Senator  from  that  county  in  1911  for  a  four 
year  term.  Senator  Bergman  was  married  to  Miss  Lulu  Blocher,  of  Welling- 
ton, Mich.,  April  16,  1908.  To  this  union  was  born  Carrie  Clark,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  three. 

WALTER  G.  KLINE  has  the  distinction  of  being  a  native  son  He  was  born 
in  Virginia  City,  September  27,  1872.  His  father,  Fred  Kline,  a  native  of  New 
York  State,  crossed  the  Plains  and  came  to  Nevada  in  the  early  days,  where  he 
followed  his  trade — harness  making.  He  engaged  in  business  in  Virginia  City, 
which  he  followed  until  1880.  Mr.  Kline's  mother,  Hattie  Berry,  was  also  a  native 
of  the  Empire  State.  Mr.  Kline's  father  returned  to  his  native  State  and  was 
married,  bringing  his  bride  with  him  on  the  second  journey.  There  were  eleven 
children  in  the  parents'  family,  of  whom  five  are  dead.  The  living  are  Albert  S., 
Gertrude,  wife  of  Fred  Morrill;  Kate,  wife  of  Warren  G.  Williams,  residing  in 
Oregon;  Arthur,  and  Lewis,  of  Portland,  Ore.,  and  our  subject,  Walter  G.  Mr. 
Kline's  parents  removed  to  Reno  in  1880,  where  he  acquired  his  education,  and 
at  the  age  of  sixteen  learned  the  harness  making  trade.  He  has  been  in  business 
in  Reno  many  years,  and  in  1912,  while  holding  his  interest  in  the  manufacturing 
and  retail  store,  he  entered  upon  new  duties  and  is  now  traveling  for  himself. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  and 
Moose.  He  married  Miss  Alberta  Benson,  of  Elko,  August  3,1,  1900.  Their  chil- 
dren are  Lawton  B.,  Walden  G.,  and  Aubrey  L.  The  parents  of  Mr.  Kline  reside . 
in  Reno. 

WILLIAM  F.  DRESSLER  is  one  of  the  well-known  and  representative  men 
of  the  Carson  Valley,  where  he  was  born.  He  is  a  son  of  A.  F.  Dressier,  de- 
ceased, who  was  a  highly  respected  citizen  who  settled  in  the  Carson  Valley  in 
the  early  days.  William  F.  has  always  been  identified  with  the  agricultural  inter- 
ests in  the  valley.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Maggie  A.  Park  in  1897,  and  to 
this  union  was  born  six  children,  Frederick  Hugh,  Myron  Park,  Edwin  Bud, 
Carroll  William,  Lucile  and  Milton  Nevada.  Mr.  Dressier  is  a  member  of  the 
Douglas  County  school  board.  He  is  Vice-President  of  the  Farmers'  Bank  of 
Carson  Valley,  President  of  the  Minden  Butter  Factory,  a  stockholder  in  the 
Minden  Flour  Milling  Co.,  and  President  of  the  Plymouth  Co.  of  Smith  Valley. 

JOSIAH  F.  MILES,  who  is  now  serving  as  County  Assessor  of  White 
Pine  County,  was  born  at  Corrine,  Utah,  November  5,  1865.  His  parents  were 
Josiah  and  Leah  Miles.  His  father  died  when  Josiah  F.  was  two  years  of 
age,  and  his  mother  came  to  Nevada  and  located  in  Hamilton,  White  Pine 


1258  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

County,  in  1869,  and  in  1870  she  and  the  children  went  to  Los  Angeles,  where 
they  remained  but  a  brief  period.  They  then  located  in  Independence,  Cal., 
where  Josiah  F.  received  a  common  school  education.  In  1872  the  family 
again  took  up  their  residence  in  Nevada  and  located  in  Steptoe  Valley,  where 
they  became  interested  in  ranching  and  stock  raising.  Mr.  Miles  assisted  on 
the  home  ranch  until  1899.  His  mother  having  died  in  1898.  In  1902  he  was 
elected  to  the  office  of  County  Treasurer  of  White  Pine  County,  which  office 
he  held  for  over  five  years.  He  resigned  in  April,  1908,  and  was  elected 
Assessor  in  the  fall  of  that  year.  He  is  now  filling  that  office  in  an  efficient 
manner.  Politically  Mr.  Miles  is  a  Democrat.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
July  31,  1899,.  to  Minnie  O'Hare,  of  Carson  City.  Their  children  are  David 
Francis,  born  August  16,  1902;  Cyril  Daniel,  born  September  26,  1905;  Leah 
Margaret,  born  March  15,  1907,  and  George  Joseph,  born  October  27,  1908. 
Fraternally  Mr.  Miles  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  and  the  Woodmen  of  the 
World. 

WILLIAM  McKNIGHT.— Prominent  among  the  attorneys  in  White  Pine 
County  is  William  McKnight,  who  has  the  distinction  of  being  a  native  son. 
He  was  born  February  9,  1884,  in  White  Pine  County.  He  is  a  son  of  Ira 
J.  and  Lizzie  A.  McKnight,  who  are  both  natives  of  San  Francisco, 
Cal.  The  father  of  our  subject  came  to  Nevada  when  a  young  man  with  his 
parents  and  became  identified  along  agriculture  lines  near  Hamlinton,  where 
his  parents  located.  Mr.  McKnight's  father  learned  the  harness  trade  and 
settled  at  Cherry  Creek,  where  he  was  engaged  in  business,  and  later  re- 
moved to  Ely,  where  he  now  resides  and  is  engaged  in  business.  William  ac- 
quired his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  White  Pine  County,  after  which 
he  attended  the  agricultural  college  at  Logan,  Utah,  for  three  years.  Re- 
turning to  Ely  he  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Dickerson  as  Deputy  Recorder  and 
Auditor  in  1905,  and  at  the  regular  election  in  1906  he  was  honored  with  the 
same  office,  which  he  held  for  three  terms.  At  the  expiration  of  his  term, 
January  I,  1913,  he  began  the  practice  of  law  in  Ely.  In  politics  Mr.  Mc- 
Knight is  a  Democrat  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  and  Eagles. 
He  was  married  to  Miss  Grace  Shiells  of  Ogden,  Utah,  April  17,  1907.  Their 
one  son,  Daniel  Webster,  was  born  May  10,  1908. 

EDWARD  MILLARD  was  born  in  New  York  State  April  18,  1847.  His 
parents  removed  to  Kane  County,  111.,  where  Edward  received  his  education 
in  the  public  schools.  At  an  early  age  he  learned  the  trade  of  millwright, 
which  he  followed  at  various  places  for  many  years,  and  then  removed  to 
Kansas,  where  he  followed  farming.  In  1885  Mr.  Millard  removed  to  Utah 
and  followed  his  trade  for  ten  years.  He  went  to  Colorado  in  1895,  where  he 
remained  up  to  1902,  when  he  located  in  Nevada  and  took  up  general  engineer- 
ing and  surveying.  He  was  married  October  21,  1875,  to  Libbie  S.  West,  and 
to  this  union  was  born  Frank  W.,  born  April  22,  1880,  who  is  identified  in  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1259 

business  with  his  father.  Frank  W.  was  born  at  Burden,  Kansas.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Salt  Lake  City  and  graduated  from  the  Colo- 
rado School  of  Mines  at  Golden,  Colo.,  in  1902.  He  was  appointed  city  engi- 
neer in  1907,  when  Ely  was  incorporated,  and  was  again  appointed  to  the 
same  office  in  1910.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Blue  Lodge  of  Ely  and  the  Con- 
sistory and  Shrine  of  Reno,  Nevada.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Anna  E.  Miller,  a  native  of  New  York  City,  December  3,  1908.  Their  one 
child,  Robert  W.,  was  born  December  12,  1911.  Our  subject  is  affiliated  with 
the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Independent  Order  of  United  Woodmen  and  is  a  member  of 
the  G.  A.  R. 

A.  GRANT  MILLER,  one  of  the  prominent  attorneys  of  Reno,  is  a  native 
of  Kent  County,  Mich.,  where  he  was  born  September  27,  1867.  He  received 
his  education  in  the  public  schools,  Kalamazoo  College,  and  the  University 
of  Chicago.  After  attending  the  latter  he  became  identified  with  a  large  cor- 
poration of  Grand  Rapids,  and  represented  them  legally  and  otherwise,  and 
traveled  through  England,  Scotland  and  Ireland.  He  took  up  the  practice  of 
law  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1900.  He  served  as  City  Clerk  at  Stanton, 
Mich.,  for  one  term,  and  as  Assistant  Prosecuting  Attorney  of  Montcalm 
County  for  one  term.  He  came  West  in  1900  owing  to  his  health  and  located 
in  Idaho,  where  he  became  identified  with  mining  and  did  some  legal  business. 
He  remained  in  Idaho  for  about  two  years,  recovering  his  health;  he  re- 
turned to  Michigan,  and  after  his  father's  death  he  removed  to  Nevada,  which 
was  in  1907,  locating  first  in  Sparks,  where  he  served  as  City  Attorney,  and 
in  1909  he  came  to  Reno,  where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  his  profession.  He  formed  a  co-partnership  under  the  firm  name  of  Dixon 
&  Miller,  with  offices  in  the  Journal  Building.  Mr.  Miller  was  married  to  Miss 
Ethel  Carney,  a  native  of  Michigan,  June  4,  1908.  He  is  largely  interested  in 
mining.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Moose. 

MAJOR  H.  MILLER. — Prominent  among  the  county  officials  of  Elko 
County  is  Major  H.  Miller.  He  was  born  in  Randolph  County,  Mo.,  January 
7,  1855.  His  father  being  one  of  the  representative  farmers  of  that  locality. 
He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  the  Fayette  College  of 
Fayette,  Mo.  He  began  at  an  early  age  to  learn  the  drug  business,  which  he 
followed  until  1877,  when  he  removed  to  Elko.  Here  he  followed  ranching 
for  a  time  and  then  entered  the  employ  of  Russell  &  Bradley  as  bookkeeper, 
which  position  he  held  for  two  years.  He  has  served  Elko  County  as  Deputy 
County  Treasurer  for  two  years,  Deputy  County  Assessor  for  four  years, 
Deputy  Recorder,  Deputy  County  Superintendent  of  Schools,  and  Deputy 
County  Surveyor.  He  had  the  position  as  bookkeeper  for  W.  T.  Smith  for 
some  time  and  also  acted  as  Deputy  County  Treasurer  at  the  same  time.  He 
engaged  in  the  lumber  business  with  John  Payne  at  the  same  time  he  acted 
as  County  Treasurer,  serving  one  term.  Mr.  Miller  sold  his  interest  in  the 


i2<5o  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

lumber  yard  and  then  engaged  in  the  drug  business  for  two  years,  after  which 
he  ranched  in  Pleasant  Valley  for  four  years.  He  disposed  of  his  ranch  and 
was  appointed  State  Bank  Examiner  during  Governor  Sparks'  administration, 
which  office  he  held  one  year.  He  returned  to  Elko  and  served  his  county  as 
Deputy  Clerk  and  Treasurer.  He  was  elected  County  Treasurer  in  1908, 
which  office  he  now  holds.  He  has  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  duties  of 
his  position  and  is  proving  an  efficient  and  competent  official.  In  politics  Mr. 
Miller  is  a  Democrat  and  is  justly  deserving  the  high  regard  in  which  he  is 
held  by  his  fellow  citizens.  He  was  married  in  March,  1883,  to  Miss  Emma 
Moody  of  California  and  their  three  children  are  Osborn  M.,  Hanley  E.  and 
Jerald  P. 

FRED  L.  MINER. — Prominent  among  the  mining  writers  who  have  con- 
tributed much  to  the  advancement  of  the  mining  interests  of  Southern  Nevada, 
by  painstaking  and  conscientious  presentation  of  the  resources  of  many  dis- 
tricts, is  Fred  L.  Miner,  who  is  best  known  through  his  several  years'  associa- 
tion with  the  Goldfield  News  and  Goldfield  Tribune  as  mining  editor.  In  his 
work  Mr.  Miner  combines  a  splendid  metropolitan  newspaper  training  and  an 
extensive  practical  mining  experience  in  Colorado  and  Nevada,  which,  coupled 
with  frequent  personal  examination  of  the  mines  of  various  districts,  has  given 
him  an  unusual  fund  of  information  and  gained  him  a  standing  in  the  news- 
paper world  and  with  the  reading  public  as  an  undoubted  authority  on  min- 
ing matters.  As  the  National  Miner  aptly  said :  "Mr.  Miner  has  the  genius  and 
literary  tact  to  make  one  see  everything  that  belongs  to  a  hole  in  the  ground. 
His  faculty  for  drawing  just  the  lines  where  the  rich  gold  and  silver  is  placed 
in  that  hole  is  vivid  and  in  a  graphic  sense  carries  the  importance  that  en- 
forces conviction." 

FRED  L.  WHITE.  Prominent  among  the  men  of  Washoe  County  who  has 
proved  most  capable  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  in  the  State  Assembly,  as 
Councilman  and  Mayor  pro  tern  of  Reno,  is  Fred  L.  White.  His  administration 
of  the  offices  he  has  held  has  given  general  satisfaction.  He  was  born  Decem- 
ber 3,  1868,  near  Roseburg,  Oregon.  His  parents  removed  to  Reno,  where  he 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  and  high  schools,  after  which  he  took  a 
business  course.  He  learned  the  printer's  trade  and  followed  various  vocations 
for  some  years.  In  1902  Mr.  White  engaged  in  the  job  printing  business,  and 
later  took  an  interest  in  the  Nevada  State  Journal  with  Bingham  Bros.  Case  & 
Dennis,  where  he  remained  until  1907,  when  he  disposed  of  his  interest  and 
engaged  in  business  in  the  Masonic  Temple,  known  as  the  White  Company. 
In  politics  he  is  affiliated  with  the  Democratic  party.  He  has  served  Washoe 
County  in  the  State  Assembly  during  1910-11.  He  was  elected  City  Council- 
man in  1911  and  again  in  1913,  and  has  served  as  Mayor  pro  tern  during  two 
terms.  Fraternally  Mr.  White  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.,  K.  of  P.  and 
Moose.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  Steele,  a  native  of  Nevada, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1261 

and  their  four  children  are  Harriet,  Eulila,  Floyd  and  Fred  L.,  Jr.  Mr.  White's 
parents  were  Edward  and  Winnefred  Lane.  His  mother  went  to  Oregon  when 
young  with  her  uncle,  Gen.  Joe  Lane,  who  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  first 
Governor  of  Oregon,  and  he  served  as  General  in  the  Mexican  War.  Mr. 
White's  mother  died  in  June,  1911. 

FRANCIS  MYRON  WEST,  M.D.,  one  of  the  leading  physicians  of 
Nevada,  was  born  in  La  Grange  County,  Ind.,  March  6,  1872.  He  received  his 
early  education  in  the  public  schools,  graduating  from  the  high  school  in  1896. 
Later  he  attended  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  San  Francisco, 
graduating  in  1905.  He  enlisted  in  the  I7th  Infantry,  U.  S.  A.,  from  Columbus, 
Ohio,  and  served  two  years  in  the  line  service  and  four  years  in  the  medical 
department.  In  1898  he  served  in  the  army  transport  service  and  received  his 
discharge  in  San  Francisco,  September  i,  1902.  He  removed  to  Olinghouse, 
where  he  had  a  general  practice  for  one  year,  and  in  February,  1907,  he  removed 
to  Lovelock,  where  he  has  since  resided.  Dr.  West  was  appointed  County 
Physician  and  health  officer  October  i,  1909.  Fraternally  he  is  affiliated  with 
the  Masons,  Odd  Fellows,  K.  of  P.,  Eagles  and  Fraternal  Brotherhood.  Dr. 
West  was  united  in  Marriage  to  Miss  Laura  E.  Milligan,  a  native  of  Oregon, 
September  16,  1909. 

JOHN  ZIEGLER  was  born  at  Keokuk,  Iowa,  February  3,  1859.  His  parents 
removed  to  Virginia  City  in  1864.  His  father,  Charles,  was  one  of  the  represen- 
tative business  men  of  Virginia  City  for  forty  years.  He  crossed  the  Plains  in 
1864,  and  died  in  1902.  Mr.  Ziegler's  mother,  Mary  (Murray)  Ziegler,  died  1905. 
There  were  six  children  in  the  family,  Christopher,  Charles,  Williams,  John,  Annie 
and  Bertha.  Our  subject  received  his  education  in  Virginia  City.  At  an  early 
age  he  learned  the  butcher  business  with  his  father  and  remained  in  the  meat 
business  for  twenty-five  years  in  Virginia  City.  He  worked  in  Oakland  and  in 
November,  1907,  he  removed  to  Manhattan  and  became  connected  with  the  R.  and 
M.  Meat  Co.,  and  is  Vice-President  of  the  conipany.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Odd 
Fellows  and  K.  of  P.  Lodge  of  Virginia  City  and  the  Eagles  of  Manhattan.  He 
is  interested  in  mining  in  his  locality. 

HON.  B.  W.  COLEMAN  was  born  in  Virginia,  July  i,  1869.  He  acquired 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  State.  He  graduated  from 
college  with  the  degree  of  Batchelor  of  Law  in  1892.  While  in  college  he 
studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1892  at  Richmond,  Va.  He 
removed  to  Cripple  Creek,  Colo.,  later  that  year  and  began  the  practice  of  his 
profession,  which  he  continued  until  1906,  when  he  removed  to  Ely.  He  was 
elected  District  Judge  of  the  Ninth  Judicial  District  in  1910,  which  office  he 
now  holds.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge,  being  a  member 
of  the  Blue  Lodge  Chapter  and  Shrine.  Also  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and 
the  K.  of  P.  He  was  married  in  Cripple  Creek,  Colo.,  in  1906,  to  Miss  M.  L. 


1262  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Attletor,  of  Rhode  Island.     Their  three  children  are  Elizabeth,  Virginia,  and 
Margaret. 

WARREN  W.  WILLIAMS  was  born  in  the  town  of  New  Portland,  Maine, 
March  19,  1839,  his  grandfathers  on  both  sides  serving  in  the  War  of  the  Revo- 
lution, their  active  service  being  recognized  by  the  granting  of  pensions  by 
the  Government.  He  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  the  Old  Bay  State  and  received 
a  common  school  education.  When  but  18  years  of  age,  his  strong,  buoyant 
spirit  led  him  to  turn  his  face  westward,  and  in  company  with  his  eldest 
brother,  Abram  P.  Williams,  afterward  U.  S.  Senator  from  California,  he 
crossed  the  Plains,  Ideating  in  the  mining  region  near  Sonora,  Cal.,  in  1858. 
When  the  Washoe  excitement  broke  out  in  the  fall  of  1859,  with  his  brother  he 
fitted  out  a  pack  train,  consisting  of  24  mules  and  10  horses,  and  thus  trans- 
ported goods  from  Placerville  to  Virginia  City  during  the  winter  of  1859  and 
1860.  He  established  a  store  in  a  tent  on  the  divide  between  Virginia  City  and 
Gold  Hill,  Abram  taking  care  of  the  store  and  Warren  running  the  pack  train. 
In  April,  1860,  they  moved  their  store  to  Monoville,  near  Mone  Lake,  and  ran 
a  pack  train  that  summer.  Warren  Williams  had  just  returned  to  Virginia 
City  from  Placerville  when  the  news  came  of  Major  Ormsby's  defeat  by  the 
Piute  Indians  near  Pyramid  Lake.  Every  man  who  came  in  said  he  was  the 
only  one  who  got  away  and  he  did  it  by  fast  riding.  In  May,  1860,  while  Mr. 
Williams  was  camped  with  his  pack  train  at  the  mouth  of  Six  Mile  Canyon, 
Colonel  Jack  Hayes  with  500  men  came  along  and  took  12  of  his  horses,  pay- 
ing for  them  in  Government  vouchers,  which  were  disposed  of  at  a  discount. 
Mr.  Williams  hired  out  to  Col.  Hayes  with  12  animals  and  two  of  his  men 
and  came  to  Churchill  County.  During  six  weeks  there  was  no  general 
engagement  other  than  running  fights  with  small  squads  of  men  on  each  side. 
The  only  white  man  then  living  in  Churchill  County  was  Ace  Kenyon,  who 
ran  a  trading  post  at  Rag  Town,  now  Leeteville,  having  settled  there  in  1849. 
Kenyon  had  been  selling  powder  and  shot  to  the  Indians  up  to  the  time  the 
Indian  war  broke  out.  It  was  deemed  treason  by  Col.  Hayes  for  a  white  man 
to  sell  ammunition  to  the  Indians.  He  called  Kenyon  before  him  one  morning 
and  said:  "I  am  told  you  have  been  selling  powder  and  shot  to  the  Indians,  and 
if  I  had  proof  of  it  I  would  call  a  drum-head  court  martial  and  you  would  be 
shot  in  less  than  an  hour."  But  Kenyon  stoutly  maintained  his  innocence  and 
Col.  Hayes  ordered  him  to  leave  the  country  in  less  than  24  hours,  which  he 
did.  Twelve  years  later  Kenyon  admitted  to  Mr.  Williams  that  he  had  been 
selling  powder  and  shot  to  the  Indians  for  10  years,  but  thought  it  was  a  poor 
time  to  admit  it  when  Col.  Hayes  was  there  with  his  soldiers.  Mr.  Williams 
continued  running  his  pack  train  from  Placerville  and  other  points  in  California 
during  the  summer  of  1860,  to  Monoville,  and  on  August  5th  he  was  camped 
on  Virginia  Creek,  a  few  miles  from  Monoville,  having  only  a  boy  with  him. 
While  eating  supper  he  looked  up  and  saw  the  hills  covered  with  Indians.  He 
took  one  shot  at  them  and  ran,  hiding  in  the  willows  under  the  creek  bank 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1263 

until  morning,  when  he  saw  50  horsemen  coming,  led  by  his  brother.  As  they 
approached  Warren  burst  into  tears,  saying:  "Abe,  we  have  lost  everything." 
But  the  brother  replied :  "I  don't  care  as  long  as  you  are  alive."  Warren 
Williams  returned  to  California,  soon  secured  another  pack  train  and  freighted 
back  and  forth  between  Placerville  and  the  Nevada  mining  camps  until  1868. 
As  work  on  the  railroad  progressed  east  from  Sacramento,  he  took  his  freight 
from  the  end  of  the  railroad.  In  1871  Mr.  Williams  located  permanently  in 
Churchill  County.  With  State  Senator  Charles  Kaiser  he  went  to  California 
and  purchased  3,000  head  of  sheep,  being  among  the  first  to  bring  sheep  into 
Nevada.  While  there  were  many  failures  in  the  sheep  business  in  this  State, 
Mr.  Williams  was  among  the  first  to  make  a  success  of  the  industry  and  has 
continued  in  the  sheep  business  to  the  present  time.  Mr.  Williams  has  been 
closely  identified  with  public  and  political  movements  in  the  county  and  State. 
He  served  Churchill  County  eight  years  as  long  term  commissioner  and  was 
for  eight  years  State  Senator,  making  16  years  in  public  office.  He  drafted  the 
bill  that  moved  the  county  seat  from  Stillwater  to  Fallen;  got  the  appropria- 
tion for  the  Courthouse  and  Jail,  and  drafted  and  passed  the  bill  that  gave 
Churchill  County  her  splendid  high  school  building  in  Fallen.  He  donated 
the  land  for  the  Courthouse  and  Jail,  the  Baptist  Church,  and  the  first  district 
school  building  in  the  City  of  Fallen.  With  his  team  he  scraped  down  the 
sand  knolls  west  of  Main  street  in  this  city  and  sold  the  lots  at  $30  each,  which 
are  now  worth  $3,000.  Mr.  Williams  is  identified  with  the  State  as  a  large  land 
owner,  sheep  raiser,  merchant  and  banker.  He  has  helped  his  brothers  to 
make  a  success  of  the  sheep  business,  and  has  so  handled  his  wealth  that  his 
children  have  engaged  in  the  stock  business  and  have  thus  gained  affluence 
and  are  all  prosperous.  At  74  years  of  age  he  is  still  active  in  business  affairs, 
using  his  spare  money  in  clearing  and  leveling  sage  brush  land  and  develop- 
ing the  resources  of  Churchill  County,  and  has  expressed  the  desire  that  when 
he  passes  over  the  divide  his  remains  shall  be  laid  to  rest  at  the  foot  of  Toyeh, 
the  Fallen  butte. 

STEPHEN  ROBERT  WHITEHEAD  was  born  at  St.  George,  Washington 
County,  Utah,  June  17,  1880.  He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools. 
He  became  identified  with  the  mercantile  business  in  St.  George,  which  he 
followed  for  some  years.  In  1906  he  removed  to  Overton,  Nevada,  and  with 
his  brother,  William  A.,  conducted  a  store  which  is  now  operated  by  his 
brother.  Mr.  Whitehead  came  to  Las  Vegas  and  in  1910  was  elected  county 
and  city  assessor,  which  position  he  now  holds.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat. 
He  married  Miss  Gertrude  E.  Meader,  a  native  of  England,  March  23,  1905. 
There  were  four  children  born  to  this  union,  Feriland,  born  February  14,  1906; 
Lucile,  born  October  23,  1907;  Robert  R.,  born  September  10,  1909,  and  William 
C,  born  July  5,  1911.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whitehead  are  affiliated  with  the  Church 
of  Latter  Day  Saints.  The  parents  of  Mr.  Whitehead  are  Adolphus  and  Mary 
E.  (Wells)  Whitehead,  who  were  the  parents  of  six  children,  four  daughters 


and  two  sons.    The  father  of  our  sketch  held  the  office  of  County  Recorder  in 
Washington  County,  Utah,  for  some  years. 

ROBERT  P.  WILEY,  one  of  the  prominent  ranchers  and  stock  men  residing 
near  Wellington,  was  born  in  Wyoming.  He  was  born  on  the  plains  while  his 
parents  were  en  route  to  the  Pacific  Coast,  which  was  in  1864.  His  father 
Robert  and  his  mother  Margaret  were  both  natives  of  Missouri.  They  fol- 
lowed the  old  Reese  River  route  and  located  at  Nine  Mile  ranch  near  Aurora. 
Mr.  Wiley's  father  engaged  in  ranching  on  a  large  scale  and  was  one  of  the 
prominent  stock  men  of  his  locality  and  owned  various  ranches.  He  also 
bought  the  Sulphur  Springs  ranch  in  1871,  consisting  of  two  hundred  acres. 
He  died  in  1899.  The  mother  of  Mr.  Wiley  is  in  her  8oth  year  and  resides  in 
Carson  City.  There  were  six  children  in  the  parents'  family.  Irene,  wife  of 
A.  J.  Hinds,  of  Wellington,  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-nine;  Mattie,  wife  of  M.  B. 
Blackwell,  of  Carson  City;  Maud,  wife  of  R.  H.  Dalzell,  of  Tonopah;  John,  a 
resident  of  Alberta,  Canada;  Clifford,  a  mining  man  of  Rawhide,  and  Robert, 
our  subject.  Mr.  Wiley  attended  the  public  schools  of  Sweetwater  and  Reno. 
He  has  always  been  identified  with  farming  and  now  owns  640  acres  in  Mineral 
County.  He  was  married  to  Minnie  Larson,  of  Colorado,  in  1888.  To  this 
union  were  born  four  children,  Elmer,  attending  the  U.  of  N.;  Esther  and 
Maud,  attending  school  in  Carson,  and  Verna,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eleven. 
Mr.  Wiley  is  a  Democrat.  He  has  resided  on  the  Dalzel  ranch  for  twenty- 
three  years  and  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 

THOMAS  WILSLEF,  one  of  the  well-known  ranchers  of  the  Carson  Valley, 
is  a  native  of  Germany,  his  birth  having  occurred  on  the  24th  of  January,  1871. 
He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  land,  and  in  1880 
he  came  to  America,  locating  in  the  Carson  Valley  with  his  parents,  Peter  and 
Emma  Wilslef,  now  residents  of  Genoa.  In  1882  Mr.  Wilslef  bought  what  is 
known  as  the  Pettegrew  place,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
where  he  carries  on  general  farming  and  dairying.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the 
Douglas  County  Creamery.  He  was  married  February  20,  1894,  and  ten 
children  have  blessed  this  union.  In  politics  Mr.  Wilslef  is  a  Democrat  and 
has  served  as  secretary  of  the  school  board  several  years.  The  family  attend 
the  German  Lutheran  Church. 

DAVID  R.  WILLIAMS  was  born  May  3,  1871,  in  Wales.  He  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools,  after  which  he  worked  in  the  stone  quarries.  He  came 
to  America  in  1890  and  located  in  Granville,  Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  worked  in  the  slate  quarries  for  two  years.  He  removed  to  Quincy,  Mass., 
and  learned  the  granite  cutting  trade,  after  which  he  removed  to  Barre,  Ver- 
mont, where  he  followed  his  trade  for  a  time.  He  was  employed  for  two  years 
on  the  State  Capitol  at  Albany,  N.  Y.  He  finally  removed  to  Barre  again  and 
engaged  in  the  wholesale  granite  business  for  fourteen  years.  He  came  to 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1265 

Reno  and  engaged  in  business  with  J.  M.  McCormack,  and  the  firm  is  known 
as  the  Western  Marble  and  Granite  Company,  which  is  the  largest  in  Nevada, 
and  the  second  largest  on  the  Coast.  The  firm  has  a  branch  yard  in  Sacra- 
mento in  connection  with  the  Reno  yard.  Mr.  Williams  is  a  member  of  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and  of  the  Congregational  Church.  He  was 
married  to  Louise  Vercoe,  of  Barre,  Vermont,  June,  1901.  Mrs.  Williams  is  a 
native  of  Cornwall,  England. 

OTTO  T.  WILLIAMS,  one  of  the  representative  attorneys  of  Nevada,  who 
resides  in  Elko,  was  born  April  13,  1875,  in  Kansas.  In  1880  he  removed  to 
Nevada  with  his  parents,  who  located  in  the  Carson  Valley  and  received  his 
early  education  at  Genoa.  At  an  early  age  he  learned  the  printer's  trade  in 
the  office  of  the  Genoa  Courier  across  the  street  from  the  historic  log  cabin, 
the  first  house  erected  in  the  State.  In  1896  Mr.  Williams  graduated  from  the 
University  of  Nevada,  receiving  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  and  on  June  i, 
1901,  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  Nevada.  Since  that  time  he  has  resided 
and  practiced  law  in  Elko.  In  1904  he  was  elected  District  Attorney  of  Elko 
County.  During  the  two  years  he  filled  this  office  he  prosecuted  the  two 
Indians,  Johnny  and  Ibapah,  both  of  whom  were  afterward  hanged,  this  being 
the  last  case  in  Elko  County  in  which  the  death  penalty  has  been  inflicted. 
Mr.  Williams  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Fredericka  Lord,  a  daughter  of 
F.  C.  Lord,  of  Virginia  City,  February  7,  1902.  To  this  union  have  been  born 
Frederick  Yale,  born  December  16,  1902,  and  Otto  T.,  born  April  28,  1911. 

ANDREW  WESTFALL,  a  well-known  rancher  of  Humboldt  County,  was  born 
in  Alleghany  County,  New  York,  February  2,  1836.  His  parents  removed  to  Illinois 
when  Andrew  was  young,  and  became  interested  extensively  in  farming.  Here 
Mr.  Westf all  learned  practical  farming.  In  1861  he  started  across  the  Plains  with 
an  ox-team  and  was  four  months  in  making  the  journey.  He  spent  the  first  winter 
in  Virginia  City,  and  in  1862  he  removed  to  Humboldt  County,  with  headquarters 
at  Unionville,  where  he  followed  the  freighting  and  contracting  business  for  fifteen 
years.  Early  in  1870  he  started  ranching  and  now  owns  seven  hundred  and  forty 
acres.  Mr.  Westfall  was  elected  to  the  State  Legislature  on  the  silver  party  ticket 
and  served  one  term.  He  has  also  served  Humboldt  County  as  Commissioner  for 
eight  years  at  different  periods.  He  was  Deputy  Sheriff  at  Unionville  for  some 
years  during  the  exciting  history  of  Nevada.  Mr.  Westfall  was  twice  married. 
The  first  union  was  to  Frances  Wash,  a  native  of  Missouri,  and  his  second  mar- 
riage was  to  Mary  E.  Babcock,  of  Illinois,  in  1884.  There  were  four  children 
born,  two  to  each  union — Loren,  of  Reno;  Lillie,  wife  of  Lester  Merril,  of  San 
Francisco ;  Vernon,  who  resides  at  and  manages  the  home  place,  and  Nola,  resid- 
ing at  home.  Mr.  Westfall  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Lovelock  Creamery.  He  is 
one  of  the  most  highly  esteemed  men  of  his  county. 

GEORGE  WINGFIELD  was  born  in  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas,  on  August  i6th, 
1876.  His  father's  name  is  Thos.  Y.  Wingfield  and  his  mother's  name  Martha  M. 


1266  THE    HISTORY    OF     NEVADA 

Wingfield.  The  family  moved  to  California  in  1881  and  thence  to  Oregon  in  1882. 
Geo.  Wingfield  attended  school  at  Lakeview,  Oregon,  and  after  leaving  school 
engaged  in  the  cattle  business.  He  went  to  Tonopah  on  April  7th,  1901,  and  be- 
came identified  with  the  late  Senator  Nixon  in  October,  1902,  in  mining  and  bank- 
ing. He  went  to  Goldfield  in  1903  and  became  interested  in  the  Columbia  Moun- 
tain group  of  twenty-three  claims.  He  also  became  interested  in  a  lease  on  the 
property  of  the  Florence  Goldfield  Mining  Co.,  which  lease  produced  for  him  and 
his  partners  approximately  $700,000.  The  firm  of  Nixon  &  Wingfield  also  became 
interested  in  the  Mohawk,  the  Laguna  and  other  properties  in  Goldfield,  bought 
the  Jumbo,  Red  Top  and  Combination  and  then  merged  them  into  the  Goldfield 
Consolidated  Mines  Co.,  of  which  company  he  is  now  president.  Mr.  Wingfield 
is  also  interested  in  other  parts  of  the  State  of  Nevada  and  also  in  various  enter- 
prises in  California  and  elsewhere.  He  is  president  of  the  Nevada  Hills  Mining 
Company  at  Fairview,  Nevada,  and  the  Buckhorn  Mines  Co.  in  Eureka  County, 
Nevada.  He  has  large  land  and  live  stock  holdings  in  various  parts  of  the  State. 
While  in  partnership  with  the  late  Senator  Nixon  the  firm  became  interested  in 
the  Nixon  National  Bank  at  Reno,  John  S.  Cook,  Bankers,  at  Goldfield.  and  the 
Tonopah  Banking  Corporation  at  Tonopah.  In  the  final  dissolution  of  the  part- 
nership in  April,  1908,  Senator  Nixon  took  over  the  banking  interest  and  real 
estate  of  the  firm,  excepting  the  John  S.  Cook  &  Co.  bank  at  Goldfield,  and  Mr. 
Wingfield  in  turn  took  the  mining  interests  and  the  Goldfield  bank,  of  which  latter 
institution  he  is  president. 

WILLIAM  H.  WILLIAMS  was  born  in  Winfield,  Kan.,  November  3,  1870,  and 
has  for  twenty  years  been  a  resident  of  Churchill  County,  locating  on  a  farm  two 
miles  east  of  the  present  City  of  Fallon,  with  his  brother,  George  Budd  Williams, 
where  they  worked  for  the  upbuilding  of  the  community.  In  1898  W.  H.  Williams 
was  elected  Sheriff  of  Churchill  County,  which  position  he  filled  in  a  manner  highly 
satisfactory  to  his  constituents.  He  was  married  May  14,  1902,  to  Miss  Nellie 
Robbin.  of  Reno,  and  to  this  union  three  children  were  born— two  daughters  and 
one  son.  In  the  fall  of  1910  Mr.  Williams  was  elected  a  member  of  the  lower 
house  of  the  Nevada  Legislature,  and  has  always  been  active  in  the  community  in 
which  he  lives. 

GRAY  MASHBURN,  one  of  the  prominent  attorneys  of  Nevada,  was  born  on 
a  farm  in  the  South.  When  but  four  years  of  age  his  parents  removed  to  La 
Crosse,  Ark.,  where  he  resided  until  he  reached  the  age  of  nineteen.  He  received 
his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Arkansas.  He  attended  La  Crosse  Col- 
lege and  later  Peabody  Institute,  and  Normal  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  He  then  entered 
the  University  of  Arkansas  at  Little  Rock,  graduating  from  the  law  department 
with  the  degree  of  B.  L.  L.  with  the  second  highest  honors  of  the  class  in  a  little 
more  than  half  the  time  allotted  for  the  course.  He  was  elected  and  accepted  a 
position  as  one  of  the  teachers  in  a  state  school  at  Little  Rock,  where  he  remained 
for  a  period  of  four  years.  He  accepted  a  position  of  the  same  kind  in  Vancouver, 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1267 

Wash.,  where  he  remained  for  three  years.  He  was  then  recalled  to  Little  Rock 
as  Principal  of  the  same  school  in  which  he  formerly  taught  and  from  which  he 
was  elected  Superintendent.  He  resigned  about  four  years  ago,  and  entered  upon 
the  practice  of  law,  coming  directly  to  Nevada.  At  the  general  election  of  1912 
he  was  chosen  District  Attorney  of  Storey  County  for  a  two-year  term,  and  is 
justly  numbered  among  the  valued  citizens  of  Nevada. 

DEDRICH  WINKELMANN  was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  May  8,  1870. 
He  came  to  America  in  1885,  accompanied  by  his  father  and  sister,  who  is  now 
the  wife  of  Fritz  Hellw inkle,  of  Carson  Valley.  The  mother  of  Dedrich  having 
died  in  Germany.  Mr.  Winkelmann  after  reaching  the  Carson  Valley  worked  out 
for  some  years  at  farming,  after  which  he  bought  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  land,  which  was  in  1892.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Mary  Wehrmann,  a  native  of  Germany,  in  December,  1898.  Their 
three  children  are  Harry  Adolph,  born  October,  1899;  Ewald,  born  April,  1902; 
Emma  M.,  born  October,  1903.  The  family  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran 
Church.  Mr.  Winkelmann  is  a  stockholder  in  the  Carson  Valley  Hay  &  Produce 
Co.  and  also  in  the  Alpine  Land  &  Reservoir  Co. 

EDGAR  E.  WINTERS,  one  of  the  prominent  attorneys  of  Churchill  County, 
was  born  at  Auburn,  Nemaha  County,  Nebraska.  He  graduated  from  the  Law 
Department  of  the  State  University  at  Lincoln  and  practiced  in  Salt  Lake  City, 
Utah,  until  1898,  when  he  entered  the  army  and  was  a  member  of  the  I4th  In- 
fantry. He  served  from  June,  1898,  to  March,  1899.  Returning  to  the  West,  he 
settled  in  Crescent  City,  Del  Norte  County,  Cal.,  where  he  remained  and  practiced 
his  profession  until  1907.  In  July  of  that  year  he  removed  to  Fallon,  where  he 
has  since  resided  and  looked  after  his  law  business.  June,  191 1,  he  was  appointed 
City  Attorney.  In  politics  Mr.  Winters  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
K.  of  P.,  Odd  Fellows,  Eagles,  Modern  Woodmen  and  Moose.  He  married  Miss 
lone  Bailey,  a  native  of  California,  in  1910.  Their  one  child,  Verna  lone,  was 
born  January  8,  1911. 

ARTHUR  B.  WITCHER,  President  of  the  Ely  National  Bank,  was  born  in 
Huntington,  West  Virginia,  September  22,  1871,  and  received  his  education  in  the 
public  and  high  schools,  after  which  he  attended  Marshall's  College  at  Hunting- 
ton,  W.  Va.  His  father  was  a  paymaster  in  the  government  employ,  and  it  was 
here,  being  associated  with  his  father,  that  Mr.  Witcher  receiver  his  early  training 
along  financial  lines.  In  1897  he  went  to  Alaska,  where  he  was  identified  with 
many  prominent  men  of  the  East.  Remaining  in  the  Klondike  for  three  years,  he 
returned  to  Utah  and  became  associated  with  the  Utah  Savings  and  Trust  Com- 
pany of  Salt  Lake  City.  Mr.  Witcher  spent  three  years  with  this  institution  and 
became  familiar  with  every  department  of  banking.  In  the  fall  of  1906  he  came 
to  Ely,  Nevada,  and  organized  the  First  National  Bank  of  Ely  and  served  as  the 
first  president  for  nearly  three  years.  In  January,  1909,  he  organized  the  Ely  Na- 
tional Bank  and  holds  the  position  as  president.  Mr.  Witcher  was  married  to  Miss 


1268  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Paralee  K.  Pitts,  of  Salt  Lake  City,  March  12,  1902.  To  this  union  was  born 
Babbie,  March  12,  1903.  Fraternally  Mr.  Witcher  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic 
lodge,  he  being  a  thirty-second  degree  Mason.  He  is  largely  identified  with  the 
mining  interests  of  White  Pine  County. 

HENRY  HERBERT  YERINGTON,  M.  D.,  one  of  the  well-known  and  re- 
spected physicians  of  San  Francisco,  was  born  at  Carson  City,  March  19,  1880. 
He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  at  Carson  City,  the  Belmont  Pre- 
paratory School  at  Belmont,  California,  and  at  Stanford  University,  graduating 
in  1904.  He  then  attended  Columbia  College,  New  York,  graduating  from  the 
Medical  Department  in  1908.  He  served  one  year  in  the  Bellevue  Hospital,  gain- 
ing thereby  broad  practical  experience.  In  1910  he  located  in  San  Francisco  and 
opened  an  office,  where  he  has  enjoyed  a  large  practice.  Dr.  Yerington  is  con- 
nected with  the  Medical  Department  of  Stanford  University.  He  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Mabel  Hamilton,  of  San  Francisco,  June  17,  1912. 

HON.  JAMES  A.  YERINGTON  was  born  in  Carson  City,  October  6,  1864.  He 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  later  at  St.  Matthew's  Hall,  San  Mateo, 
Cal.,  finishing  his  schooling  at  Trinity  College,  Canada,  where  he  graduated  in 
1882.  He  has  been  prominently  identified  with  mining  and  at  one  time  was  in 
charge  of  the  Esmeralda  Mines  when  they  were  first  opened.  Mr.  Yerington  has 
served  his  State  as  Executive  Commissioner  at  the  World's  Fair,  the  Paris  Ex- 
position, the  Pan-American  Exposition,  and  the  St.  Louis  Exposition.  At  the 
Pan-American  Exposition  he  had  the  honor  of  being  elected  president  of  the  Ex- 
ecutive Commission,  there  being  seventy-eight  members  representing  the  Western 
hemisphere.  Was  also  elected  president  of  the  Executive  Commissioners'  Asso- 
siation  at  the  St.  Louis  Exposition.  Such  was  the  exhibit  he  made  at  the  World's 
Fair  that  Nevada  received  thirty-two  gold  medals.  At  the  Pan-American  Expo- 
sition Nevada  received  the  only  gold  medal  in  the  mining  building.  In  1888  he 
made  i  tour  of  the  world. 

EDWARD  B.  YERINGTON,  general  freight  and  passenger  agent  of  the 
Virginia  and  Truckee  Railroad,  is  a  son  of  the  Hon.  H.  M.  Yerington,  the 
builder  of  the  road.  Edward  B.  was  born  at  Port  Stanley,  Canada,  August  6, 
1859,  and  came  with  his  father  and  family  to  Carson  City  in  1863.  He  attended 
the  Carsons  schools  until  1872,  then  he  attended  the  Rev.  Dr.  Brewers'  school 
in  San  Mateo,  Cal.,  where  he  remained  until  1877.  He  then  attended  the  Gait 
Commercial  College  in  Canada.  After  three  years  he  returned  to  Carson  City 
and  later  went  to  Bodie  and  Aurora,  where  he  mined  for  three  years.  In  1881 
he  went  to  Virginia  City  and  became  secretary  of  the  Virginia  and  Truckee 
Railroad  until  1896,  when  the  office  was  removed  to  Carson  City;  the  following 
year  he  was  appointed  general  freight  and  passenger  agent,  which  position  he 
still  holds.  Mr.  Yerington  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ella  Cogswell,  of 
Madison,  Wisconsin,  in  1886.  Their  four  children  are  Russell,  who  is  taking  a 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1269 

mechanical  engineering  course  at  Ann  Arbor,  Michigan;  Eleanor,  Clara  and 
Frances.  Mr.  Yerington  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  and  a  Charter 
member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Reno. 

FRED  C.  VOIGHT,  a  native  of  Nevada  and  one  of  the  prominent  men  of 
Elko,  was  born  May  7,  1880,  in  the  Lamoille  Valley.  He  is  a  son  of  Henry  and 
Helene,  both  natives  of  Germany.  The  father  followed  the  sea  as  a  sailor,  and 
located  in  Santa  Rosa,  after  which  he  came  to  Nevada  in  1870.  He  returned  to 
the  old  country  in  the  early  seventies,  when  he  was  married.  He  then  returned 
to  the  Sagebrush  State  with  his  bride  and  located  in  Elko  County.  Here  he  took 
up  land,  and  added  to  his  holdings  until  he  is  now  numbered  among  the  repre- 
sentative and  well-to-do  farmers  of  his  locality.  He  is  now  retired  and  resides  in 
Elko,  having  leased  his  ranch.  Four  children  blessed  the  family :  Matilda,  wife 
of  D.  W.  Peters,  of  Fallon;  Harry  G.,  of  Elko;  Caroline,  who  died  at  the- age  of 
twenty-nine,  and  our  subject.  Fred  C.  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and 
Business  College.  He  followed  ranching  until  October,  19x19.  After  spending  one 
year  in  California  he  returned  to  Elko  and  was  elected  County  Clerk  in  1910,  and 
took  office  in  January,  1911.  He  was  again  elected  to  the  same  office  in  1912  for 
a  two-year  term.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Ida  B.  Drown,  of  South  Fork,  Elko 
County,  who  died  July  25,  1909.  To  this  union  were  born  three  children,  one  of 
whom  died  in  infancy,  Fred  Henry,  born  March  6,  1906,  and  Karl  Christian,  born 
May  7,  1908.  Mr.  Voight  is  a  member  of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World. 

CHARLES  A.  WALKER,  one  of  the  prominent  attorneys  of  eastern  Nevada, 
was  born  in  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  October  17,  1873.  He  acquired  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  in  Chico,  Cal.,  and  graduated  from  the  State  Normal  School  in 
that  city  in  1893.  That  year  he  entered  Stanford  University,  and  was  admitted  to 
the  Bar  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  California,  December  24,  1895.  After  teaching 
a  term  of  school,  he  resumed  his  law  studies  at  Stanford  until  May,  1897,  when 
he  moved  to  White  Pine  County,  Nevada,  first  locating  for  one  year  in  the  town 
of  Hamilton.  He  then  moved  to  Ely,  where  he  has  since  resided  and  has  been 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  continuously,  excepting  during  the  periods 
when  he  held  public  office,  he  having  served  three  terms  as  District  Attorney  and 
one  as  City  Attorney  of  Ely.  During  the  years  1907  and  1908,  Mr.  Walker  was 
associated  with  G.  F.  Boreman  in  the  law  business.  In  August,  1909,  he  formed 
a  copartnership  with  A.  L.  Haight,  and  the  firm  of  Walker  &  Haight  is  now  assist- 
ing in  caring  for  the  legal  work  in  their  section  of  the  State.  Mr.  Walker  is  a 
Past  Master  of  Ely  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  is  a  32°  Mason,  being  a  member  of 
Reno  Consistory.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  following  orders  and  societies : 
Kerak  Temple  of  Reno,  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Salt  Lake  City,  F.  O.  E.  of  Ely,  National 
Geographic  Society  of  Washington,  D.  C,  and  of  the  Nevada  Historical  Society. 
He  was  married  to  Miss  Nellie  Moyle,  a  native  of  Virginia  City,  in  1901.  They 
have  two  children,  Eileen  and  Leona. 


12/0  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

RICHARD  WENNHOLD,  a  rancher  residing  in  the  Carson  Valley,  was  born 
in  Germany,  January  24,  1869.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  in 
his  native  land,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  came  to  America,  where  he  found 
work  at  ranching  for  fifteen  years.  He  purchased  the  L.  M.  Christensen  place, 
consisting  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  and  has  brought  it  up  to  a  high  state 
of  cultivation,  and  has  a  model  dairy.  Mr.  Wennhold  is  a  stockholder  in  the 
Douglas  County  Creamery  and  the  Alpine  Land  &  Reservoir  Co.  In  politics  he  is 
a  Republican,  and  has  served  on  the  School  Board  as  Trustee  for  two  years.  In 
1900  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Dora  Gansberg,  a  native  of  Germany,  who 
came  to  Carson  Valley  with  her  parents.  To  this  union  were  born  five  children — 
Harry,  Richard,  Walter,  Dorothy,  Ellis.  The  family  are  members  of  the  German 
Lutheran  Church  of  Gardnerville. 

HERMAN  WERNER  was  born  in  Dubuque,  Iowa,  April  24,  1856.  He  is  a  son 
of  Adam  and  Catherine  Werner,  both  natives  of  Germany.  His  father,  Adam, 
was  a  baker  by  trade  and  came  to  America  in  1850.  The  parents  of  Mr.  Werner 
were  married  in  Iowa  and  came  to  the  Pacific  Coast  via  the  Isthmus  route  when 
Herman  was  but  six  years  of  age.  The  father  located  in  Empire  City,  where  Her- 
man acquired  his  education.  His  father  was  among  the  early  pioneers  and  worked 
in  the  quartz  mills  at  Empire  City  for  many  years.  He  died  in  Empire  City  and 
was  numbered  among  the  representative  men  of  that  locality.  For  many  years 
he  ranched  near  the  Carson  River.  Mr.  Werner's  mother  now  resides  in  Santa 
Barbara,  Cal.  Herman,  at  an  early  age,  learned  the  painters'  trade  in  Virginia 
City,  which  he  has  always  followed.  He  removed  to  Reno  in  1880,  where  he  has 
since  made  his  home,  excepting  two  years  when  he  resided  in  San  Francisco.  He 
was  married  in  1882  to  Miss  Nellie  Enyart,  a  native  of  Long  Valley.  To  this 
union  was  born  one  son,  Homer,  in  1888,  and  now  identified  with  his  father  in 
business.  Mr.  Werner  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Reno,  and  is  Past 
Master  of  the  K.  of  P.  of  Reno. 

DELOS  ASHLEY  TURNER,  M.D.,  was  born  at  Pioche,  December  9,  1877. 
He  is  a  son  of  Ephram  Turner,  who  came  to  California  in  1849  and  afterwards 
removed  to  Nevada,  settling  in  White  Pine  County,  after  which  he  became 
identified  with  Lincoln  County,  living  at  Pioche.  He  served  as  Deputy  Sheriff 
and  for  many  years  was  Sheriff  of  his  county,  and  served  as  U.  S.  Marshal. 
In  1893  he  went  to  Delmar,  where  he  served  as  captain  of  guard  of  the  bullion 
coach  and  assisted  in  carrying  gold  from  the  mine  to  the  railroad,  a  distance  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty-three  miles.  He  served  as  postmaster  and  superin- 
tendent of  the  water  works  at  Delmar  for  a  period  of  six  years.  Dr.  Turner's 
father  was  80  years  of  age  May  26,  1912.  His  mother  died  in  Goldfield,  1908. 
Dr.  Turner  attended  the  common  schools  at  Pioche  and  the  high  school  in 
Salt  Lake  City  and  later  the  University  of  Illinois,  graduating  in  1901  from 
the  medical  department.  He  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine  in  Salt  Lake 
City  and  afterward  became  identified  with  the  medical  department  of  the  Salt 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1271 

Lake  Railroad  and  removed  to  Millford,  where  he  remained  for  two  years. 
In  June,  1904,  he  went  to  Goldfield,  and  has  since  been  practicing  his  profession 
in  that  city.  He  served  as  County  Physician  and  health  officer  from  1905-1911. 
He  was  president  of  the  Nevada  State  Medical  Association  during  1909,  and 
was  the  first  president  of  the  Esmeralda  County  Medical  Society  during  1908. 
He  was  elected  exalted  ruler  of  the  Goldfield  Lodge,  B.  P.  O.  E.,  and  served 
in  1909.  He  is  a  32nd  Degree  Mason  and  a  Shriner.  He  served  as  first 
President  of  Esmeralda  Lodge,  No.  946,  F.  O.  E.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Etta 
Chapter  of  the  Alpha  Kappa  Kappa  of  the  University  of  Illinois.  Dr.  Turner 
was  married  to  Miss  Charlotte  Schultz,  of  Walla  Walla,  Washington,  July  i, 
1909.  Their  one  son,  Delos  Ashley,  Jr.,  was  born  August  18,  1911. 

DANIEL  HALLIDAY  UPDIKE,  County  Surveyor  of  Washoe  County, 
was  born  in  Reno,  June  28,  1880.  His  father  Ferdinand  was  a  native  of  New 
Jersey  and  crossed  the  Plains  in  the  early  days,  going  to  California,  where  he 
remained  for  some  years  following  his  trade  as  painting  contractor.  He  died 
in  Reno,  1906.  Mr.  Updike's  mother,  Amanda  (Lee)  Updike)  is  from  Wis- 
consin. There  were  three  children  in  the  family,  Ferdinand  Lee,  a  railroad 
man,  residing  in  Reno;  Alfred  B.,  also  a  railroad  man,  and  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  Daniel  H.  was  educated  in  the  public  school  of  Reno  and  the  Uni- 
versity of  Nevada,  graduating  from  the  School  of  Mines  in  1906.  After  his 
schooling  he  became  identified  with  various  mining  camps  through  the  State, 
and  in  1908  he  was  appointed  County  Surveyor  of  Washoe  County,  which 
position  he  still  holds.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  and  Moose  and  a 
member  of  the  T.  and  E,  and  T.  H.  P.  O.  of  the  University  of  Nevada. 

WILLIAM  O.  THOMAS,  a  native  of  Montana,  was  born  June  25.  1866.  He 
acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  State  and  also  completed 
a  thorough  business  course  in  the  Northern  Indiana  Normal  at  Valparaiso,  Ind. 
He  was  with  the  First  National  Bank  of  Butte,  Montana,  for  three  years,  also  with 
the  Silverbow  National  Bank  of  the  same  place  for  three  years,  and  then  with  the 
Kenyon  Hardware  Company  about  two  years  as  bookkeeper.  Since  1896  Mr. 
Thomas  has  been  associated  with  the  hotel  and  restaurant  business  continually 
throughout  Colorado,  Wyoming  and  Idaho.  In  September,  1905,  he  removed  to 
Reno,  operating  the  Overland  and  Golden  Hotel  restaurants  until  1908,  when  he 
opened  his  present  place  of  business  in  Reno,  and  has  now  also  opened  a  place  in 
Sacramento  which  is  acknowledged  to  be  the  leading  Bohemian  cafe  of  that  city. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.,  the  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Reno  Commercial  Club. 

WILLIAM  H.  THOMAS,  a  native  of  Nevada,  was  born  at  Austin,  April  9, 
1876.  He  is  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Thomasine  Thomas,  both  natives  of  England. 
His  parents  were  married  in  the  old  country  and  in  1874  came  to  America  and 
settled  in  Austin.  The  father  of  our  sketch  was  a  mining  man  and  died  May  15, 
1907.  There  were  five  children  in  the  parents'  family;  all  are  dead  excepting 


1272  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

William  H.,  and  a  sister,  Electa,  the  wife  of  Leonard  Truscott,  a  resident  of 
Tonopah.  Mr.  Thomas'  mother  is  a  resident  of  Tonopah  at  present.  William  H. 
received  a  common  school  education  and  at  an  early  age  learned  the  meat  busi- 
ness. He  worked  at  his  trade  in  Austin  for  six  years.  He  left  the  State  and 
located  in  Utah  and  Idaho  for  a  time.  He  returned  to  Nevada  and  located  in 
Tonopah  in  January,  1902,  and  worked  for  Watt  &  McCourt  for  two  years.  He 
went  to  Manhattan  and  engaged  in  business  for  himself  for  one  year  and  then 
returned  to  Tonopah  and  engaged  with  the  Tonopah  and  Goldfield  Market,  where 
he  has  been  identified  since.  He  has  been  manager  of  this  branch  for  four  years. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  K.  of  P.  of  Tonopah  and  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Tyra  Hendrickson  a  native,  of  Sweden,  March  10,  1909.  His 
wife  is  a  member  of  the  Woman  of  the  Woodcraft  of  Tonopah. 

HON.  WILLIAM  R.  THOMAS  was  born  October  13,  1855.  He  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools  and  graduated  from  the  Des  Moines  School  of  Law  in  1878. 
He  removed  to  Watertown,  South  Dakota,  where  he  commenced  practicing  law, 
where  he  remained  until  1905,  when  he  located  in  Las  Vegas,  Nevada.  While  a 
resident  of  Watertown,  South  Dakota,  he  was  elected  Mayor  of  that  city  and  was 
the  first  State  Senator  from  that  State  serving  four  years.  In  politics  Judge 
Thomas  is  a  Republican.  He  served  as  first  District  Attorney  in  Clark  County, 
being  appointed  in  1909.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Peterson  of 
Minnesota.  To  this  union  were  born  three  children:  Marie,  wife  of  Howard 
Espeset,  a  resident  of  Iowa ;  Ralph,  who  married  Miss  Wanda  Ott  of  Watertown, 
South  Dakota,  and  James,  at  present  attending  Stanford  University.  Judge  Thomas 
is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  and  is  a  representative  business  and  financial 
factor  in  the  life  of  Southern  Nevada. 

RICHARD  THRAN,  a  native  of  Germany,  was  born  July  15,  1864.  He  was 
educated  in  the  old  country,  after  which  he  worked  in  a  dry  goods  store  for  two 
years.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  came  to  America,  coming  direct  to  the  Carson 
Valley,  where  he  found  employment  until  1895.  He  then  rented  a  ranch  for  two 
years,  and  in  the  fall  he  purchased  the  old  Marsh  ranch,  consisting  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres.  Mr.  Thran  did  not  take  possession  until  the  following 
spring.  He  has  improved  his  farm  and  now  has  one  of  the  up-to-date  ranches  in 
the  Valley.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  and  has  served  on  the  Fairview  School 
Board  as  Trustee.  Mr.  Thran  was  married  to  Miss  Marie  Dieckhoff,  a  native  of 
Germany,  June  29,  1895.  There  were  six  children  born,  four  of  whom  are  still 
living,  namely:  Richard,  born  December  5,  1897;  Carl,  born  September  8,  1899; 
Emma,  born  November  2,  1896,  and  Marichen,  born  December  17,  1901.  The 
family  are  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church. 

JOHN  E.  THRELKEL  was  born  at  Auburn,  Cal.,  October  28,  1882.  His 
father,  one  of  the  prominent  ranchers  near  Auburn,  was  born  and  raised  in  that 
vicinity.  The  mother  of  Mr.  Threlkel,  Mattie  (Nixon)  Threlkel,  is  a  sister  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1273 

Mr.  George  Nixon  of  Reno.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
Auburn,  graduating  from  the  latter.  Finishing  his  education,  he  associated  him- 
self with  the  Pacific  States  Telephone  Company  for  seven  years.  He  then  became 
interested  in  mining  and  spent  some  time  in  the  Goldfield  district.  In  December, 
1907,  he  engaged  in  the  automobile  business  and  now  has  one  of  the  best  equipped 
and  largest  garages  in  Nevada.  Mr.  Threlkel  was  united  in  marriage,  February 
15,  191 1,  to  Miss  Josephine  Miller,  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  Miller  of  Reno. 

CLEMENT  L.  TOBIN,  who  is  assistant  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank 
of  Winnemucca,  which  is  a  strong  fortress  of  the  commercial  and  financial 
activity  of  Humboldt  County,  was  born  in  Crawford  County,  Ohio,  August  18, 
1869.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  State,  after 
which  he  taught  school  for  two  years.  He  removed  to  Colorado,  where  he 
was  identified  in  the  railroad  service  for  several  years,  when  he  removed  to 
Winnemucca,  and  followed  the  same  vocation  for  a  period  of  two  years,  when 
he  resigned  in  1904  to  accept  a  position  in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Winne- 
mucca, and  is  now  serving  that  institution  as  assistant  cashier.  Mr.  Tobin  is 
affiliated  with  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Winnemucca.  He  was  married  to  Miss 
Effie  R.  Sweetser,  a  daughter  of  Frank  R.  Sweetser,  formerly  president  of  the 
First  National  Bank,  February  10,  1910. 

ROBERT  W.  TUCKER  was  born  August  28,  1877,  at  St.  George,  Bermuda 
Island,  June  25,  1897,  he  graduated  from  the  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  high  school, 
receiving  the  degree  of  Batchelor  of  Science,  and  April  18,  1900,  he  graduated 
from  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy.  Completing  his  education,  he 
entered  the  employ  as  foreman  for  Henry  K.  Wampole  and  Company  Manu- 
facturing Pharmaceutical  House.  He  came  to  the  Pacific  Coast  and  identified 
himself  with  Wakelee  of  San  Francisco  as  head  clerk  for  two  years,  and  in 
1906  he  removed  to  Goldfield  and  purchased  the  Pioneer  Drug  Store  of  Martin 
Mullen  He  then  took  over  the  Truitt  Pharmacy  and  merged  his  interest 
under  the  name  of  the  Pioneer  Drug  Company,  Inc.  Mr.  Tucker  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Margaret  E.  Cameron,  of  Virginia  City,  February  27,  1907. 
Her  father  was  John  Cameron,  for  twenty-five  years  identified  with  the  most 
prominent  mines  of  Virginia  City,  and  a  man  most  favorably  known  in  mining 
circles  in  the  Comstock  days.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tucker  have  one  daughter,  Vir- 
ginia Lockwood,  born  December  13,  1908.  Fraternally  Mr.  Tucker  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  the  Loyal  Order  of  Moose  of  Goldfield.  His  wife 
is  a  member  of  the  Woman's  Club  and  active  in  the  social  life  of  Goldfield. 

IRA  WINTERS,  who  is  a  native  of  Nevada,  and  is  numbered  among  the 
representative  ranchers  of  Washoe  County,  has  been  active  in  the  promotion 
of  agricultural  interests  in  his  locality,  was  born  January  19,  1877.  His  father, 
John  D.,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  this  State,  arrived  in  Sacramento  overland  in 
August,  1849.  He  came  by  the  way  of  the  Oregon  trail  and  later  located  in 


1274  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

Carson  in  the  year  1857.  He  did  freighting  and  became  interested  in  mining, 
and  at  one  time  traded  a  yoke  of  oxen  for  a  sixth  interest  in  the  Ophir  Mine 
at  Virginia,  which  afterward  proved  valuable  and  was  worth  a  quarter  of  a 
million  dollars.  He  lost  his  fortune  later  in  the  mines  of  Virginia  and  Aurora, 
and  died  in  1901.  The  mother  died  in  1887.  Ira  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  Carson  City,  after  which  he  became  interested  in  farming, 
and  in  1906  he  and  his  aunt,  Mrs.  N.  E.  Nevers,  who  died  March  19,  1913, 
purchased  about  one  thousand  acres  near  Washoe  Lake,  and  since  then  Mr. 
Winters  has  given  his  attention  to  general  farming  and  dairying.  Mr.  Winters 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Mary  Kearney,  January  3,  1904.  Their  three  children 
are  Mary  Elizabeth,  Ina  May  and  John  D.  In  politics  Mr.  Winters  is  a 
Democrat. 


CHARLES  F.  WITTENBERG,  one  of  the  progressive  and  representative 
men  of  Tonopah,  was  born  at  Eureka,  January  6,  1876.  He  is  a  son  of  Frank 
and  Matilda  Wittenberg,  who  settled  in  Eureka  in  the  early  days.  His  father 
was  a  leading  merchant  in  his  town  for  some  years,  after  which  he  engaged 
in  mining,  and  followed  that  vocation  for  many  years.  Charles  F.  received  a 
limited  education  in  the  public  schools  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen  he  started  in 
mining,  which  he  followed  for  ten  years.  In  1902  he  came  to  Tonopah,  where 
he  started  the  freighting  business  until  the  railroad  was  built  in  Tonopah. 
He  then  erected  a  large  warehouse  in  1905.  He  is  still  interested  in  the  team- 
ing and  automobile  freighting  business  between  Tonopah  and  Manhattan,  and 
other  camps.  Mr.  Wittenberg  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  and  Elks  lodge  of 
Tonopah.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  State  Con- 
vention in  1912.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lizzie  Kopp,  of  Eureka, 
May  22,  1905.  Their  three  children  are  Charles,  born  December  21,  1906; 
Frank,  born  April  29,  1908,  and  Gladys,  born  July  12,  1909.  Mr.  Wittenberg  is 
largely  identified  with  mining  in  his  locality  and  is  President  of  the  Gypsy 
Queen  and  Manhattan  Dorris  Companies. 

AUGUST  RICHARD  WITTKE,  M.D.,  was  born  in  Germany,  May  15, 
1863.  He  received  his  early  education  in  the  old  country,  and  at  the  age  of 
twenty  he  entered  the  University  of  Berlin,  graduating  in  1888.  He  came  to 
America  and  settled  in  Milwaukee,  where  he  entered  the  Milwaukee  Medical 
College,  graduating  in  1898.  He  then  attended  the  Medical  Department  of  the 
Marquette  University.  He  has  served  as  Government  Physician  for  the  Indian 
Department,  and  was  stationed  at  Fort  Shaw,  Mont.  He  removed  to  Denver, 
Colo.,  where  he  practiced  his  profession  for  six  years,  and  later  practiced  in 
Wyoming.  He  located  in  Goldfield,  where  he  remained  four  years.  In  1912 
he  removed  to  Lovelock.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Fraternal  Brotherhood.  Dr. 
Wittke  took  up  the  study  of  law  in  Goldfield,  and  passed  the  examinations 
before  the  Supreme  Court  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  March,  1906. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1275 

JOHN  LEWIS  WOODWARD  was  born  in  Maryland,  January  19,  1865.  He 
attended  the  public  school  of  his  State  and  at  an  early  age  became  connected 
with  store  work  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  he  removed  to  Carlisle,  111.,  where 
he  remained  for  one  year  and  then  went  to  San  Francisco,  where  he  worked 
at  the  hotel  business  for  some  time.  He  then  engaged  in  the  restaurant  busi- 
ness at  the  junction  of  Market  and  McAlister  streets.  He  went  to  Seattle, 
engaging  in  the  same  business  for  a  period  of  four  years.  Then  he  returned  to 
California  and  located  in  Ransburg,  where  he  owned  and  managed  the  Orphius 
theatre  for  four  years.  He  spent  eighteen  months  in  Central  America  previous 
to  locating  in  Ransburg,  Cal.  In  1903  he  located  in  Goldfield,  engaging  first  in 
the  restaurant  business  and  afterwards  started  the  first  soda  works  in  Gold- 
field.  He  sold  out  the  latter  and  engaged  in  the  wholesale  business  under  the 
firm  of  Burley  &  Woodward,  Inc.  Mr.  Woodward  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P. 
O.  E.,  Eagles,  Moose,  K.  of  P.  and  the  Odd  Fellows,  all  of  Goldfield.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Uniform  Rank  K.  of  P.  He  married  Miss  Lorine  Cun- 
ningham, a  native  of  Honolulu,  December  14,  1909. 

ORIS  J.  VAN  PELT  was  born  at  Port  Williams,  Ohio,  September  li,  1874. 
His  father  was  Abner  J.  and  his  mother  Rebecca  (Oglesbie)  Van  Pelt.  He 
was  educated  in  the  s  :hools  of  Port  Williams  and  the  University  of  Cincinnati 
Law  School.  He  started  his  law  practice  in  Evansville,  Ind.,  in  1899,  remaining 
there  for  two  years.  He  then  removed  to  Houston,  Texas,  where  he  practiced 
for  two  years.  He  came  to  Nevada  and  entered  the  firm  of  Campbell,  Nelson 
&  Brown,  of  Tonopah,  where  he  remained  four  years,  after  which  he  formed  a 
co-partnership  with  Frank  A.  Stevens,  and  they  established  offices  in  Goldfield 
and  Rawhide.  In  1910  they  removed  to  .Las  Vegas,  where  they  are  now 
located,  doing  a  general  law  business.  Mr.  Van  Pelt  is  a  Democrat  and  in  1911 
he  was  elected  District  Attorney,  which  position  he  now  holds.  While  in 
Tonopah  he  was  attorney  for  the  Bullfrog  and  Tonopah  Railroad.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  State  Bar  Association  and  one  of  the  officers  of  the  legislative 
council. 

GEORGE  H.  WEDEKIND  was  born  in  Hesse,  Province  of  Cassel,  Germany. 
At  an  early  age  he  learned  the  piano  making  trade  and  followed  that  business 
for  many  years  in  the  old  country.  His  father  was  a  saddle  maker  and  had 
contracts  with  the  German  Government  to  manufacture  saddles  for  the  army. 
George  H.  served  four  years  in  the  army  and  came  to  America  in  1853.  He 
worked  for  eight  years  after  locating  in  New  York  for  Steinway  &  Sons  as  an 
expert  tone  regulator.  In  1861  he  went  to  San  Francisco  by  the  way  of 
Panama  and  engaged  with  the  M.  Gray  piano  factory  until  1868.  He  then  came 
to  White  Pine  County,  where  he  remained  for  some  time  working  at  his  trade. 
Then  traveling  through  various  parts  of  California  and  Nevada  following  his 
trade  of  piano  repairing  and  tuning,  at  the  same  time  he  did  a  good  deal  of 
prospecting.  He  settled  in  Reno  in  the  early  days  and  did  prospecting  in  thlg 


1276  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

vicinity.  In  1900  he  discovered  what  is  known  as  the  Wedekind  mine  about 
five  miles  northeast  of  Reno.  Being  advanced  in  years,  he  did  not  care  to 
handle  so  much  dirt  and  went  on  the  side  of  the  hill  where  his  claim  was 
located  and  made  quite  an  opening.  His  son-in-law,  Harry  Ramsay,  was  on 
a  visit  to  Reno  from  Cortez,  Nevada,  and  Mr.  Wedekind  invited  him  out  to  see 
the  mine  and  Mr.  Ramsay  took  samples  of  ore  with  him  to  Cortez  and  had  it 
examined  and  found  it  was  good  pay  ore.  He  returned  to  the  mine  and 
assisted  in  making  the  first  shipment.  Then  Mr.  Ramsay  remained  in  Reno 
and  assisted  at  the  mine.  Lewis  G.  Wedekind,  his  son,  took  charge  of  the  mine. 
They  continued  to  ship  ore  and  in  one  year  took  out  over  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars.  The  mine  was  bought  by  the  late  Gov.  John  Sparks  and  brought 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars.  Mr.  Wedekind,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
died  from  the  effects  of  an  accident,  October  22,  1905.  There  were  six  children  in 
his  family,  John  L.,  Elizabeth  0.,  wife  of  Charles  Laden,  of  Reno;  Lewis  G., 
Henry  G.  Annie  died  in  infancy;  Lillie  H.,  wife  of  Harry  Ramsay,  of  Reno. 
Lewis  G.  was  born  February  8,  1865,  in  San  Francisco  and  was  educated  in  White 
Pine  County.  He  worked  on  a  farm  and  handled  stock  until  25  years  old  in 
various  places.  He  came  to  Reno  to  take  charge  of  his  father's  mine  in  1900.  He 
married  Miss  Vernie  A.  Frazer,  of  Reno,  April  7,  1901.  Their  six  children  are 
Lewis  G.,  born  January  14,  1903;  George  W.,  born  August  n,  1905,  died  October 
I,  1905;  Vernie  B.,  born  February  9,  1906;  Helen  C,  born  March  31,  1908;  Beulah 
V.,  born  December  31,  1910;  Marvel,  who  died  in  infancy. 

EDGAR  H.  WALKER,  who  is  now  serving  as  Secretary  of  the  Railroad 
Commission  in  Carson  City,  was  born  February  21,  1885,  at  San  Francisco,  Cal. 
He  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  San  Francisco,  after  which 
he  became  identified  with  a  wholesale  dry  goods  firm  in  that  city,  where  he 
remained  for  one  year.  In  1900  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Southern  Pacific 
R.  R.  in  the  Freight  Auditor's  office,  where  he  remained  for  six  years,  and  in 
the  fall  of  1906  he  took  the  position  as  Rate  Clerk  with  the  S.  P  .R.  R.,  with 
headquarters  at  Reno.  This  position  he  held  until  April,  1907,  when  he  was 
appointed  Secretary  to  the  R.  R.  Commission  of  Nevada,  which  position  he 
now  holds.  Mr.  Walker  is  a  member  of  Carson  City  Lodge,  No.  i,  F.  &  A.  M. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Frances  Olding,  of  Carson  City,  September 
4,  1910.  Their  one  son,  Francis  Edgar,  was  born  April  18,  1911. 

FRED  J.  SHAIR.  It  would  be  hard  to  name  a  citizen  of  Nevada  more 
popular  with  his  fellowmen  than  Fred  J.  Shair,  the  efficient  Mayor  of  Reno. 
He  was  born  in  the  Empire  State  and  educated  in  the  public  schools  of 
Minnesota,  where  his  parents  removed  in  the  '703.  Mr.  Shair  followed  the 
vocation  of  traveling  salesman  for  two  years,  and  in  1906  he  removed  to  Reno, 
where  he  took  an  interest  in  the  Flanigan  Warehouse  Co.  and  now  acts  in  the 
capacity  of  manager  and  vice-president.  He  is  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1277 

Reno  Commercial  Club,  and  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  Commonwealth. 
He  is  also  interested  in  the  sugar  factory  at  Fallen.  He  was  united  in  mar- 
riage in  1895.  Their  four  children  are  William,  Frederick,  Alice  and  June. 
Mrs.  Shair  takes  an  active  part  in  the  club  and  social  life  of  Reno. 

X 

WILLIAM  M.  WEATHERS,  the  present  County  Assessor  of  Elko  County, 
Nevada,  is  a  native  son  of  Star  Valley,  where  his  birth  occurred  on  the  I2th  of 
August,  1876.  He  received  his  education  in  the  graded  and  high  schools  of 
Elko.  After  his  schooling  he  became  largely  interested  with  his  father  and 
brothers  in  stock  and  ranching  in  Star  Valley.  His  father,  William  W.,  is  a 
native  of  Alabama  and  was  one  of  the  sturdy  pioneers  who  located  in  Nevada 
in  1872,  and  the  family  now  have  four  thousand  acres.  William  M.  was 
appointed  Deputy  Sheriff  under  Sheriff  Clark  and  served  in  this  capacity  four 
years,  and  in  1906  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  County  Assessor,  which 
position  he  still  holds.  His  integrity,  activity  and  energy  have  been  the  crown- 
ing points  of  his  success.  Mr.  Weathers  is  a  Democrat  and  has  taken  a  keen 
interest  in  public  affairs.  He  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  of  Reno  and  the 
K.  of  P.  of  Elko. 

HON.  J.  EMMETT  WALSH,  District  Attorney  of  Esmeralda  County,  was 
born  February  i,  1874,  at  Gold  Hill.  He  is  a  son  of  James  and  Mary  Jane 
Walsh.  His  father  died  in  1882  and  his  mother  is  at  present  a  resident  of 
Carson  City.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  at  Gold  Hill  and  Carson 
City.  He  worked  at  ranching  for  a  period  of  four  years  and  read  law  in  the 
office  of  Torreyson  &  Summerfield,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  April  26, 
1896.  He  began  his  profession  in  Carson  City,  Nevada,  and  in  1898  he  was 
elected  District  Attorney  of  Ormsby  County,  serving  one  term,  after  which 
he  removed  to  San  Francisco  and  practiced  for  five  years.  After  the  earth- 
quake he  returned  to  Nevada  and  settled  in  Goldfield.  He  served  as  deputy 
District  Attorney  here  during  1907-08  and  in  1910  was  elected  to  the  office  of 
District  Attorney,  which  he  now  holds.  He  is  a  close  student  of  the  law  and 
of  public  affairs  and  takes  a  deep  interest  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  the 
welfare  of  the  people  of  his  county.  He  is  exalted  ruler  of  Goldfield  Lodge, 
No.  1072,  B.  P.  O.  E.,  and  deputy  grand  president  of  the  Eagles  for  the 
Southern  district  of  Nevada,  and  deputy  supreme  dictator  for  the  district  of 
Goldfield  Lodge,  No.  604,  of  the  Moose  and  a  member  of  Goldfield  Council, 
No.  1070,  Knights  of  Columbus,  and  Mohawk  Camp,  No.  592,  Woodmen  of 
the  World. 

THOMAS  C.  SHARPE  was  born  in  New  Brunswick,  December  8,  1852. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Maine  and  assisted  on  his  father's 
farm  until  he  was  fourteen  years  old,  when  he  went  to  Williamsport,  Pa.  Here 
he  worked  at  lumbering  for  three  years.  1875  he  removed  to  Bodie,  Nev.,  and 


12/8  THE    HISTORY    OF    NEVADA 

did  mining.  He  was  foreman  of  the  Defiance  mine  four  years,  and  located 
the  timber  for  the  Mono  Lake  R.  R.  He  followed  mining  for  some  years 
and  later  bought  the  hotel  at  Fletcher.  Mr.  Sharp  has  four  hundred  acres  of 
land,  and  is  interested  in  stock  raising.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  and  for 
twelve  years  he  has  served  on  the  school  board  of  Dist.  No.  I  in  his  county. 
He  was  married  to  Maggie  May  Gallagher  in  1893.  She  was  appointed  post- 
mistress by  President  McKinley  and  served  up  to  the  time  of  her  death.  Mr. 
Sharp  then  took  the  office  and  continued  same  up  to  1912,  when  the  office  was 
discontinued.  Three  children  were  born  of  this  marrirage,  Clarence  C,  Dec. 
10,  1894;  Roy  S.,  Nov.  28,  1897,  and  Elwood,  April  23,  1901.  Mr.  Sharp's 
second  marriage  occurred  Feb.  13,  1913,  to  Mrs.  Olivia  Reed,  of  Indiana. 
Fraternaly  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge. 

JEROME  L.  VAN  DERWERKER.  Born  August  18,  1852,  in  the  State  of 
New  York;  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  State,  and  graduated 
with  honor  from  the  State  Law  College  in  1876.  He  immediately  entered  upon 
the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  has  been  admitted  to  practice  law  in  the 
States  of  Arizona,  California,  Nevada,  Oklahoma  and  Texas,  and  admitted  to 
practice  in  the  Federal  Courts  of  all  of  said  States.  In  Arizona  he  was 
engaged  in  corporate,  mining  and  irrigation  law,  in  which  he  conducted  some 
very  complicated  and  extensive  litigation  to  a  successful  issue.  In  Calif onria 
his  practice  was  wide  and  varied,  and  has  acted  as  counsel  in  some  of  the  great 
will  contests  of  that  State.  In  Oklahoma  he  was  largely  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  land  law,  and  also  in  one  noted  homicide  case,  in  which  he  cleared 
his  client.  During  his  residence  in  this  State  he  was  elevated  to  a  Judgeship. 
In  Texas  his  practice  was  on  the  border,  where  he  successfully  defended  a 
large  number  of  homicide  cases.  He  was  attracted  to  Nevada  by  the  Tonopah 
and  Goldfield  mining  excitement.  He  located  in  Reno  several  years  ago  and 
at  once  won  a  good  position  at  the  Bar  and  a  good  practice  by  his  integrity 
and  ability.  He  has  defended  several  capital  cases  with  success.  His  practice 
is  now  entirely  of  a  civil  nature.  Judge  Van  Derwerker  is  an  expert  in  land, 
mining,  corporation  and  water-right  law;  a  fine  jury  trial  lawyer,  conducts  his 
cases  with  grace  and  ability;  in  the  examination  of  witnesses  he  pleasantly  and 
carefully  elicits  the  facts  and  establishes  his  clients'  case,  and  on  the  cross- 
examination  of  witnesses  develops  such  testimony  as  is  favorable  to  his  client 
from  a  truthful  witness,  and  with  rare  tact'  demonstrates  the  falsity  of  an 
untruthful  witness,  thus  securing  every  fair  and  legal  advantage  for  his  clients. 
His  arguments  are  clear,  analytical,  persuasive  and  convincing.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Order  of  Elks  and  Odd  Fellows. 


ALLEN  C.  BRAGG  was  born  in  Maine,  Oct.  4,  1849,  son  of  Charles  A.  and 
Marcia  Bragg.  The  father  came  to  Nevada  in  1862  and  the  mother  and  chil- 
dren followed  in  1864.  The  family  settled  in  Carson  City,  where  Mr.  Bragg 


BIOGRAPHICAL  1279 

was  identified  in  the  lumber  business  under  the  firm  name  of  Folsom,  Bragg  & 
Co.,  with  yards  at  Carson  and  Dayton.  Mr.  Bragg' s  father  died  in  1893  and 
his  mother  died  in  1909.  Allen  C.  was  clerk  and  bookkeeper  for  his  father  until 
1870,  when  he  operated  a  saw  mill  near  Truckee.  In  1874  he  removed  to  Reno, 
engaging  in  the  lumber  business  with  his  father.  Later  he  purchased  the 
(Gazette,  which  he  continued  until  1903,  when  he  sold  out  and  removed  to 
Winnemucca  and  edited  the  Silver  State.  1906  he  became  associate  editor  of 
the  White  Pine  News  for  three  years,  when  in  the  fall  of  1909  he  was  elected 
police  judge,  which  office  he  now  holds.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  and  K.  of  P. 


INDEX 


INDEX 


PAGE 

A 

Allen,  W.  S.,  death 71 

Adobe  buildings 101 

Area  of  Nevada 13 

Alfalfa,  first  planted 19 

221,  641,  805,  811,  895,  909 

Aimless   charges 52 

Angel,  Eugene 58 

Atrocious    scene 58 

Apples  at  the  ranch 222 

Aurora  citizens   230 

mine    discoveries 235 

Union  sentiment  in  1863 . .  240 

mines   fail 241 

Auto,  advent  in  desert 493 

Adams,  Dr.  R.  D 521 

Arnold,  Rev.  Thos 538 

Anthony,  Chas.  V 568 

Austin  Methodists 571 

Anderson,   Colin 574 

Arnold  &  Blauvelt 630 

Agriculture  640,  743,  984 

Experiment  Sta..,6"46,  651 

Almond  trees  649 

Antiquities,  rare  662 

American  Yeoman  699 

Aridity  explained  756  , 

Artesian  water,  Las  Vegas 769,  804 

Allen,  Lemuel    788 

"       Mrs.,  first  Genoa  teacher...  808 

Aubrey,  Francis  X 262 

Adobe  forts   263 

Abe  Meyer  294 

Attorneys-General    307 

Attwood,  the  assayer 316 

Auto  truck   333 

Assay  saved  Union 383 

Attwood,  Mellville  388 

Area  tillable,  Doug.  Co 815 

Alpine  Land  &  Res.  Co 815 

Aurora  pay  rock 853 

Auto,  in  Goldfield 869 

Aurora  mines  850,  958 

Alcoholism    874 

Austin    922 

A  blacksmith   935 

Amalgam  that  "squeaks" 937 

Active  Min.  Cos.  1912,  Nye  Co 970 

Associated  Mill  970 


B 


PAGE 


Bpnneville  party  20 

Bidwell,  John  21 

Bean,  Geo.  W 23 

Black  Rock  Tom 173 

Banks,  Jas.  A.,  killed 177 

Butterfield,  Henry  183 

Buchanan,  Pres 203 

Brigham  Young   218 

Bishop  Call 218 

Boundaries  indefinite   220 

Bonelli,   Daniel   221 

Brodigan,  Teddy 235 

Body,  W.  S 235 

Bill  Carder  238 

Bullion  tax  opposed 435 

Bartlett,  Geo 239 

Ballroom,  subter 443 

Blacksmith  shop  Press 490 

Branson,  L.  C 494 

Boycotts  illegal  495 

Brown,  L.  D 504 

Richard  290,  513 

Backer,  Rev.  Julius 563 

Bennett,  Jesse  L 567 

Bateman,  A.  L.  S 567 

Blakeley.  W.  G 568 

Bland,  Adam  568 

Bennyton,  Laurent  649 

Bonelli  ferry  keeper 653 

Benefactors  of  library 663 

Bob  Lindsay 716 

Bryan,   Chas 721 

Big  wedding  gift 724 

"Big  Adobe"  School 788 

Beet  sugar  factory 792 

"Bullfrog  Dist."  798,  967 

"Borax  Smith"   798 

"Bands  of  Steel" 818 

Bullion  camp  826 

"Bill  Mayfield"  251 

Blackburn,   John   L 251 

"Billy  Brown,"  killed 259,  291 

"Buffalo  Bill"    , 262 

"Bob  Haslam"  263 

"Battle  Born  State" 272,  420 

Bench  and  Bar 273 

Bar  admissions  275 

Bob  Morrow   290 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Bar  in  public  life 312 

Bar  Asso.  Nev 313 

"         "      Reno    314 

"      Nye  Co 314 

Bullion  production   est 317,  319 

tax    347 

Butter's  filter  342 

Butler,  Benj.  F 389 

Bribed  by  both  sides 396 

"Bats  in  His  Belfry" 401 

Bonanza  mine   417 

Bitter  rivalry  417 

Bateman,  Isaac   842 

Buell,  Col.  Dave  844 

"       and  the  Emperor 845 

Belleville   858 

"Black  Pneumonia"  874 

Baseball  Club,  Goldfield 876 

Booms  and  stampedes 880 

Batnon,  C.  B.  0 912 

Buena  Vista  Canyon 916 

"Big  Four  Lease" 920,  1001 

Bullionville   932 

Belmont   962 

Butler's   Discov 966 

"Bud  Barkley's"  rich  ore 983 

"Battle  of  the  Century" 985 

Big  Bonanza  Mine 1000 

Barbacue  Dem.  failed 1023 

Bank  624 

of  Cal 412,  418,  630 

Asso 627,  635 

profits 628 

of  Wells   639 

Gold  hill   631 

State  Board  633 

Washoe  County 631 

List  of,  in  Nev 634 

J.  S.  Cook  &  Co 636 

Winnemucca  635 

Nixon  636 

Carson  Valley   637 

Farmers',  Car.   Valley    635 

Douglas  Co 637 

Copper   637 

Elko    63.8 

Lincoln  County 638 

Lovelock  Mercantile   638 

Ely    637 

Reno  Far.  &  Merch 638 

Lyon  County   638 

of  Mason  Valley 638 

Stateler  &  Arrington 624 

McGill    639 


PAGE 

Bank  of  Henderson 637 

Lovelock  First  Nat 638 

State  &  Trust  Co 633 

First  State   638 

Pioche    639 

Nev.  First  Nat 639 

Tonopah    639 

Winnemucca,  &  Trust  Co...  639 

Washoe  County 639 


Climate  15 

Clarke,  Gen 84 

Council  of  Pah-Utes 44 

Condon,  Thos.  F 55 

Canyon  Sta.  attack 158,  181 

Carson  Val.  important 199,  225 

Cal.  State  line  in  dispute 200,  851 

Cal.  &  Utah  rivalry 201 

Carson  Val.  Commonwealth 202 

Crane,  Jas.  M 202 

Cattle  raising  and  grazing 220 

Cosmopolitan  settlers  232 

Colcord,  Ex-Gov.,  chase  for  gold..  233 

Capt.  Palmer's  vigilance  Com 236 

Cassidy,  Geo 424,  427 

Cohen,  H.  P 480 

"Chimmy  Fadden"  480 

Cartoonist  Buel  495 

Clapp,  Hannah  K 505,  513 

Corwin,  Lilie  R 542 

Clark,  W.  A 597 

"Carson  City,"  not  "Carson".  .632,  975 

Climatological  tables 704  to  706 

Carrie  Clark 717 

Cox,  W.  L 729 

Captain  731 

Custer  Post  737 

Women's  Relief  Corps 738 

Chronological  summary  744 

Carson  Riv.  Diversion  748 

"  Drainage  766 

Churchill  County  786 

"  removal  Co.  Seat  788 

School  Dist 788 

"  springs  &  marshes  789 

Clark  County  soil  and  climate. 795,  801 

Senator  W.  A 798 

Courts  not  needed 808 

Carson  and  Fremont 818 

Clover  Valley 821 

Crocker,  Chas 826 

Curry,  Uncle  Abe 254,  977,  978 


INDEX. 


111 


PAGE 

Courtroom,  first   260 

Conkling,  Roscoe   268 

Carson  County 273 

Courts  established  273,  1014 

Criminal  case,  first 274 

Court  in  Mott's  barn 276 

Courts  under  Nev.  Ter 282 

Corruption  in  courts 284 

Comstock  Lode  litigation 287 

Chollar  Co.  claims 288 

Court  injunction  bought 294 

Clarke,  R.  M 301 

Court  clerks  306 

Courts,   Dist 308 

Comstock,  Henry,  drops  in 316 

bullion,   1873,   1877.. 319,  371 

pumping   appliances. 33 1,  374 

Concentrating  appliances   338 

Copper  smelting  341 

Cyanide   plants    341 

Chronology  of  mining  in  Nev 350 

Comstock  Lode  367 

production,  effect   368 

discoverer  unknown 368 

ore  mining   371 

electrically  operated  ....  375 

future  376,  377,  382 

gross  yields 377 

first  silver  assay 383 

"on   deck" 387 

dies  poor  388 

Mint  Certif 389' 

Colfax,  Schuyler 384 

Chollar- Potosi  case  395 

Cine  Barnes   397 

Comstock  water  supply 406 

Conduits,  Mills  83,  407 

Comstock  milling  monopoly 412 

Custom  mills   412 

Combine  unscrupulous    414 

Crown   Point  Mine 415 

Comstock  control   417 

Carlin   829 

Covey's  Peak  849 

Coal  discovered,  Coaldale 885 

College  &  Profess,  men,  Goldfield.  886 

City  of  20,000  in  three  years 886 

Coal  pits,  Lincoln  Co 934 

Crime  not  punished 941 

Clark  County  created 948 

Carson  Mint  thefts    987 

"       newspapers    991 

Comstock,  H.  T.  P 998 

"           cemeteries    1000 


Con.  Va.  Mines 

Cherry  Creek '.'.'.'.'. 

County  Treas.,  Washoe,  defaults.. 

Channing,  J.  Parke 

Copper  zone  Devel 

Churches — 

Mormon    217 

Baptist   '.'. . . . .  ' 

Aurora  

Virginia  City  

Reno  

Ft.  Wadsworth  Mis 

Chapel  Car  

Sparks    

Fallon 

Elko    ! 

Winnemucca  

Wabuska   

Mason    

Tonopah    

Sierra  Nev.  Conven.. 

R.  Catholic   

Reno  pastors   

Carson    

Tonopah    

Goldhill    

Austin    

Sparks    

Las  Vegas 

Lovelock    

Winnemucca 

Christian  Science   

Congregational    

pastors   

Episcopal 


St.  Paul's,  Va.  City... 

successive  rectors  .... 

St.  Peter's,  Carson 

St.  George's,  Austin.. 

St.  Luke's,  Hamilton.. 

Christ,  Pioche   

St.  James',  Eureka. . . . 

Trinity,  Reno 

St.  Stephen's,  Belmont 

St.  Paul's,  Elko 

St.  Mark's,  Tonopah.. 

St.  Bartholomew's  Mis. 

St.  Andrew's,  Battle 
Mt 

St.  John's,  Goldfield.. 

St.   Paul's,   Sparks 

St.  Mary's,  Winne- 
mucca   

Good  Shepherd,  Verdi. 


PAGE 
1001 

1045 
1051 

1055 
1054 

579 
536 
536 
537 
538 
539 
539 
540 
540 
541 
541 


543 
545 
547 
547 
548 
548 
549 
549 
549 
550 
550 
552 
553 
553 
554 
556 
556 
557 
557 
558 
558 
559 
560 
560 
56i 
56r 

56i 

56r 
562 

562 
562 


IV 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Episcopal —  Christ,  Las  Vegas 562 

Lutheran   563 

Reno   564 

Methodist,  first  M.  E.  preach 565 

Cal.  Conference 565 

early  preachers 566 

Washoe  Dist 566 

First  M.  E.  Church..  569 

order  of  churches 570 

Carson  City 5?i 

Conference  organized.  572 

Conference  area  . .  572,  573 

Reno  Methodism 574 

Nev.  Mission  576 

Methodists,  Fallen  578 

Presbyterian    580,  581 

Carson  City 581 

Virginia  City    582 

Goldhill  &  Austin..  582 

Elko  582 

"           fast  train  comes ....  583 

Elko  pastors  584 

Eureka    584 

"            Piochc   584 

Wells  584 

Lamoille   584 

Goldfield  586 

Reno    586 

"            Tonopah   586 

Las  Vegas  586 

Star  Val 586 

McGill  586 

D 

Dodge,  Maj.  Fred 73,  74 

Desert,  Great  Amer n 

Demming,  D.  E.,  murdered 41 

"Dat-so-la-lee"     130 

Dry  Creek  fight 180 

Dennis,  Maj 184 

Death  Valley  216 

Dayton,  former  names  229 

"        first  mar.,  divor.  and  dance  229 

Duel  for  blood 239 

Davis,  Sam   437,  476 

Doten,  Alf 47O 

Davis's  Comstock    high-lights 477 

"        masterpiece  477 

"        oratorical  hit  477 

"        marries     477 

Dennis,  Maj.  John  478 

"        bailed  him  to  lick  him 479 

Davis,  Robert  H 483 


PAGE 

Doten,  Mary 530 

De  La  Mar,  Capt 600,  944 

Doctors'  fee  bill 613 

Dr.  Spinney  &  Co 613 

Dry  farming 645 

Dairying    645 

Dueling  pistol   659 

De  Quille,  Dan 710 

Daggett,  Rollin  M 424,  708 

Durham,  Sam 711 

Drama  of  Nev 715 

Dramatic  critics    719 

stars    720 

Divorce  law  of  Nev 739,  74° 

Davis,  Mrs.   Sam 771 

Daughters  Am.  Rev 774 

Douglas  County 806  to  812 

Douglas,  Stephen  A 810 

Daugberg  Water  Co 815 

Dawley,  A.   G 822 

District  Attorneys,  early 286 

Dynamite  introduced  328 

Diamond  drill   332 

Drainage  tunnels 400 

Deidesheimer,  Phillip 408,  409,  1001 

Dennis,  Maj.  J.  H 843 

Dunn,  R.  A 864 

Dermody,  Rev.  J.  B 872 

Dunn,  Glenn 907 

Desert  Black  Rock 914 

Dickson,  Wm 95* 

Duckwater  Valley   962 

"Dry  washing"  results 969 

"Dutch    Nick" 979 

Dan  Stewart's  luck 986 

Disputes  settled,  guns  &  pistols...  1002 

Doctor  Mitchell 1018 

Dyer,  Wm 1019 


Early   discovery    17 

Early  emigrants  223,  224 

Eagle  Station  named 228 

Emery,  Mrs.  M.  W 513 

"Emma  Nevada" 7^7 

Emily  Thome   720 

"Emigrant  Maid"   722 

Engineering  data   742 

Electric  power  764 

Equal  Suff.  Asso 782,  783 

Elko  County   818,  819 

"     valleys    821,  824 

"     Forest  Reserve  819 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Elko  Co.  mines  825 

"     City    826 

Electric  hoists  329 

Ely  deposits   323 

"    copper  mines   323 

Ellis,  Mrs 384 

Elko  Courthouse 828 

Eureka  County    830  to  832 

Mining   Dist 832  to  834 

"        arid  valleys  833 

stock  raising 833 

silver  deposits   834 

Ruby  Hill  faults 835 

ores  835,  836,  837 

yield   of   metals 837,  838 

Mineral  hill    839 

Min.  Dist 839  to  840 

first  smelting  furnace 840 

valuable  mines  845 

Esmeralda  County  847,  848,  852 

Min.  Dist 849 

early    prospectors 848 

Mason  Ranch 852 

Smith  Valley  852 

Columbus  Dist 855 

Candelaria  Mines   855 

Red  Mountain  Dist 856 

Gold  Mountain  Dist...  856 

valuable  Dists.... 857  to  858 

County  losing  territory.  858 

lines  changed  859 

Hospital  873' 

Eagle  Valley 974 

Ely  gold  deposits 1052 

Ely's  romance   IO48 

Ely,  John IO49 

Ely  improvements IO57 

Eureka  &  Pioche  Stage  Line 1048 


Fort  Riley 62 

Flemming,  Jas 65 

Fletcher,  S.  C 66 

Fleeson,  Capt 85 

Fremont,  John  C 21,  216,  806 

Mrs.  John  C 21 

Fate  of  Collins  and  Fearbourne ...  169 

Father  Servas'  explorations 215 

Fenimore,  Jas 228 

"Farmer    Peel" 246 

Fisher,  Rev.  C.  L 537 

Flood,  J.  W 625 

Flagg,  H.  H 626 


PAGE 

Fruitgrowing   possibilities 647 

men  of  local  note 647 

sections   648,  649 

Fertile  Moapa  Valley 653 

Fremont  pistol * 659 

Frost  forecasting   668 

Friend,  C.  M 673 

Fodder  crops  763 

Federated  Women's  Clubs 771 

Forty-mile  Desert 790 

Fallen  City  792 

Flowing  Wells  100,  801 

Flood  wrecks  railway 802 

Farmers  own  autos 8n 

Federal  courts  311 

Fair,  Col.,  "came  through" 397 

Flood  &  O'Brien 414 

Fair,  Mackay,  Flood  &  O'Brien 416 

Fair  and  Sutro  for  Senate 422 

Federal  aid  in  labor  troub 883 

Fall,  John  C 918 

Ferguson,  Addie  1007 

Franktown    1006 

Flour  $200  per  barrel 1010 

Featherstone,  Jose   1049 

Fertile  valley  lands 1059 

Fraternal  societies  673,  876 

Masonry,  list  of  lodges 673  to  682 

Royal  Arch 682 

Chapters 683  to  685 


Gov.  Nye  75,  283,  1016 

Geological  features 14 

Great  Basin  country 22 

Great  Salt  Lake 22 

Ghost  dance 25,  140 

Gov.  Roop  and  Indians 40,  42 

Gravelly  Ford  massacre 153 

Gosh-Ute  War  155,  182 

Gov.  Bradley 184,  436,  445,  612 

Genoa  convention  203 

Gov.  Gumming  204,  231 

Great  Salt  Lake  Valley 231 

Gamble,  Alec 238 

Gov.  Jones,  silver 436 

Gov.  Sadler    436 

Gov.  Sparks   437 

Gov.  Dickerson   439 

Gov.  Oddie  439 

Goldhill's  saloon  470 

Goodman's  poems   472,  473 

Goodman,  Joseph  T 471,  708 


VI 


INDEX? 


PAGE 

Goodman,  Chas.  C 472,  474,  484 

Greenfield,  Rev.  Geo.  H 585 

Gallagher,  Father  543 

Gambling  abolished  518 

Geier,  Rev.  A 563 

Guggenheim  Explo.  Co 594 

Grain    641 

Grasses    642 

Gibson,  Lottie  and  Nellie 717 

Graphic  picture,  Pov.  &  Decay 726 

Geological  conditions  of  State 756 

Great  Salt  Marsh 789 

Grimes,  W.  C 792 

Greenwater  copper  camp 799 

Genoa    807,  810 

Gardnerville   814 

Glenbrook   817 

Gilman,  Lawrence 814 

Gorham,  Geo 264 

Gasherie,  Sheriff 255 

Grand  Jury,  first 276 

Gold  in  1849 315 

Goldfield    Discov 321,  322 

Guggenheim  interests   323 

Goldfield  Mill   344 

Gold  in  plain  sight 368 

Greatest  gold  and  silver  mine 378 

Grosh  Bros 381,  382,  998 

Grosh's  story  385 

Golden  spike  driven 827 

Uantz,  Geo 827 

Goldfield  mining  860 

Goldfield  data 864  to  879 

Gambling  and  liquor 881 

Gen.  Funston  arrives 883 

Great  cave   890 

Gold  from  rich  gravel 9°2 

Great  waterspout   9°3 

Ginacca,  J 9°7 

Gov.  Nye  and  Senator  Stewart 917 

Garces,  Francisco  927 

Gov.  Blasdell 928 

Gold  Hill  997 

Great  fire 1001 

Galena    1010 

Gray,  Edwin  F IO59 

Guggenheims  at  McGill 1058 

Goldfield  Women's  Club 772 

Gettysburg  Post  738 

H 

Hays,  Col.  Jack 65 

Hasey,  Andrew  67 


TT      .  PAGE 

Howitzer,  historic  French 21 

Humboldt  River  22 

Hurt  Dr.  Garland 22 

Heddly,   Wm.,   "White  Brave" 54 

Hunt,  Capt 216 

Holliday,    Ben 228 

Honey  Lake  Valley 230 

Hyde,  Orson   232 

Howland,  Bob 239 

Hardy,  Ex- Judge  239 

Hagerman,  J.  C 431 

Hart,  Fred.  H 480 

Hinkle,  Geo.  B 568 

Hornaday,  Rev.  W.  H.  D 571 

Hammond,  Dr.  J.  D 574 

Huffaker,  Dr.  A.  H 615 

Health  Law,  1913 620 

Hospital  for  Insane 622 

Hospitals  623 

Horticulture    647,  654 

Hawkins,  Col.,  Souvenirs 658 

Historic  weapons   659 

Historic  Society,  seal 664 

Humboldt  Riv.  drainage 761 

Valley    762 

Wells  762 

Honey  product   763 

Hillyer,   C.  J 781 

Hascall,  Dr.  C.  A 792 

Haven  of  Rest 795 

Hotel  Las  Vegas 798 

Homicides  frequent  259 

Hereford,  Frank 292 

Haulage  methods   332 

Hydraulic  unwatering  407 

Hayward,  Alvinza   415 

Hot  Springs  Hotel 829 

Humboldt  County 888  to  890 

Howell,  Marion  F 891' 

Humboldt  City  891,  904 

Cattle  Kings  892 

Horseshoe  Cave   893 

Harrison,  John   895 

Humboldt  mineral  deposits 896 

Hardin,  Mr 896 

Humboldt  leading  mines  897 

Canal   907 

House    907 

County  buildings  912 

early  days 915 

wins  banner 917 

noted  names   918 

Hamblin,  Wm 930 

Hoffman,  Chas.  E 931 


INDEX. 


vii 


Hancock  murder 945 

Humboldt,  John  952 

Hawthorne    958 

Hot  Creek  Valley 962 

Harris,  Frank  967 

Hot  Springs  974 


Indians,  "Numaga"    73 

Pah-Utes  after  the  war..  73 

scare  at  Como 81 

chief  murdered  82 

Old  Winnemucca 86 

Maj.  Ingall's  report 87,  115 

Com.  Powell  and  Ingall's 

report    89 

instructions  to  agent 93 

Pai-Utes    99.  105 

conditions  99 

Moapa  Reserva ,  100,  114 

Pah  Vants  103 

after  the  battle 69 

peace  gifts  to 74 

Col.  Wasson's  report 76 

tribes,   Organi.,    Enum.   & 

Dist 97 

Go-Si-Ute  tribe   104 

Western    Shoshones.  .105,  117 

Southeast  Agency   117 

tribal    recapitulation 106 

general  remarks  108 

suggestions  of  Com no 

relations  of  army  to 112 

Agent  Dodge's  report 118 

last  Nev.  massacre 121 

prospector's   discovery 122 

Mike,  the  leader 124 

schools    137 

tribal  names 23 

tribes  compared  27 

Com.  Hunt's  report 29 

habits  and  camps 28 

tribes  classified 28 

Com.  Mix's  report 30 

report  to  Gov.  Nye 35 

report  to  Brigharn  Young  32 

Bonneville  Expedi 36 

atrocities  overland  road. .  39 

for  breakfast 51 

scholars    139 

troubles  Eastern  Nev 154 

Agent  Campbell's  report . .  160 

hostilities    162 


PAGE 

Indians,  troubles,  1865 i64 

satisfaction  demanded 184 

in  Lincoln  County 189 

"Irish  Town" 237 

Inter-Mountain  State,  Nev 608 

Increased  farm  acreage 640 

Insect  destruction  655 

Irrigation,  lands  open  743 

plan    744 

progress    751 

project,  etc 753 

antiquity  of  759 

products    765 

census    769 

Ice  factory   800 

Indians  peaceful  811 

Irrigation,  tertile  soil  8n 

awaited   816 

Act  426 

systems   895 

Inman  &  Sanders 870 

Indian  inscriptions  928 

International  Hotel   .           1002 


Judge  Barnard   226 

Johnston,  Gen.  A.  S 231 

W.  R 236 

"Jack  Davis"   243 

Jones,  J.  E 427 

Judge  Belknap   303,  427 

"Jack  Chin"   429 

Judge  Massey  305,  435 

Jones,  Stephen  A 505 

Judah,   T.   D 588 

Judge  Goodwin 713 

Just  criticism  718 

Johnny  Burns   720 

Jones,   David   R 810 

"Jim"  Fair's  gold  pieces 556 

"Job's  Peak" 817 

Jarbridge  camp  826 

Judge  Cradlebaugh   260,  276 

"       Locke  289,  296,  395 

Hyde   274 

Drummond    275 

"       Flennicken    277,  280 

Judicial  controversy   279 

Judge  Terry    281 

"      Turner,  Chief  Justice 283,  393 

"      North   285,  393 

Jury  bribing  291 

Jim  Hardy   295 


Vlll 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Judges  North  and  Turner  resign..  295 

Judge  Beatty 300 

Goodman,  pioneer  lawyer. . .  301 

Whitman   301 

Brosnan   301 

Johnson   302 

Garber    302 

Hawley    303 

Earll   303 

Leonard  304 

Murphy    304 

Brownfield    304 

Bigelow    305 

Julien's  opinion  305 

Norcross    306 

Sweeney    306 

McCarran    306 

Judges,    District 308   to  311 

Judge  Hillyer   311 

"      Field,  U.  S.  S 312 

Janin  Bros 335 

Jackson,    R.    D 34* 

Judges  corrupt   391 

Judge  Mott 392 

Judges  honest 396 

Judge  Walsh   408 

John,  J.  P 420 

Jay  Gould  944 

Jack  Wilson,  "Indian  Messiah" 954 

Jim  Sturtevant  1016 

"Jim  Gatewood"   1015 

Judge  Webster 1018 

Journalism    459 

Journalists,  sparkling    459 

Mark  Twain  extolled.  460 
Dan     De     Quille    im- 
mortal    460 

"           "Fun  of  a  Local" 461 

Pathos  of  De  Quille. .  462 

"           De  Quille  and  Peel...  462 

Journalism,  versatile   463 

"Traveling    Stones" ...  463 

"           Dan's  Circus  Offer 463 

Dan's  Perpetual  Mo..  464 

"           Dan's  July  Icicles 464 

"           Twain  and  De  Quille.  464 

McEwen,  Arthur 465 

"            Harry  Mighels's  rapier  466 

"           "Sage  Brush  Leaves".  466 

"           Mighel's  $500  a  week.  466 

Daggett,  Rollin  M. . . .  467 

"Mirabeau   of  the 

Press"  467 

"           Daggett's  poetry  467 


PAGE 

Journalism,  McCarthy,   Denis  E. . .  467 
fabulous  prices,  print- 
ing    491 

"Fighting     Editor     of 

Nev." 495 

Fulton,  R.  L 478 

Forbes's     primacy     of 

news   471 

Forbes's     unique     epi- 
taph    470 

Townsend,  E.  W., 

476,  478,  480 

Townsend,  Jim   476 

Forbes,  W.  J.,  "semb- 

iens"   468 

notables    480 

big  newspaper  owners.  481 
roster  of  news  work- 
ers  ... » 481 

new  generation  of 

quills  482 

first  paper  and  daily..  483 

blue-pencil  unknown. .  483 


Killed  at  Pyramid  L 84 

Kit  Carson 20,  216 

Kauffman,  Anton  55 

Kane,  Sheriff  220 

King,  Dr.  B.  L 228 

Kimball,  H.  C 231 

Kennedy,  Dr.   P.  B 5*5 

Kiddie,  A.  W 604 

Knights  Templar 68410  686 

Knights   of    Pythias 689,  690 

Knights  of  Columbus 698 

Kittridge  Canyon   828 

Kidder,  John  F 851 

Knox,  Robert  W 929 

Kirchen,   John  G 97° 

Kinkead,  J.  H 1010 

"Kentuck"   1020 

Kit  Carson   806 


Lander,  Col.,  expedition 126 

Life  among  the  Pintos 126 

Lincoln  County  18 

Lassen,  Peter,  murdered 39 

Lafferty,  Lieut 178 

Lottery,  first  in  Nev 185 

Lead  discovered  217 


INDEX. 


ix 


PAGE 

Lincoln  Co.  mines 220 

"Little  Dead  Sea" 234 

Last  Chance  Hill 236 

Lawless  element  242 

Labor  troubles  begin 437 

"Lying  Jim  Townsend" 476 

Lovejoy,  John  K 481 

Linotype    in    Nev 493 

"Little  Davis"   5<>i 

Lewers,  Robert  513 

Laborers  kidnaped  59° 

Locomotive,  ancient  No.  4 608 

Lead  colic  61 1 

Lee,  Dr.  S.  L 621 

Live  stock  645 

Lewers,  Ross  651 

Las  Vegas  ranch 654 

Library  Histor.  Society 658 

Literary  products  661 

Literature  of  Nev 7°7 

Literary  authors  7X3 

Lateral  distribution   749 

Lake  Tahoe  reservoir 760 

Lahontan  reservoir    752 

dam    765,  79i 

Leisure  Hour  Club 772 

Lahontan  Valley  79<> 

Las  Vegas  795  to  801 

"City  of    Destiny" 805 

Mayor  Buol   803 

Lynching  in  Douglas  Co 808 

Lake  Tahoe 810  to  816' 

Lake  and  river,  underground 822 

Lamoille  Valley 823 

Lewis,  J.  C 257 

Lincoln's  Inaug.  record  time 262 

Lincoln  wanted  Nev.  a  State 266 

and  Dana  in  conference . . .  267 

"        to  Nev.  miners 268 

Law   firms,   prominent 299 

Lewis,  Chief  Justice 300 

Lead  ore  smelting 339 

Lincoln's  Judges  392 

"Law  of  the  Apex" 398 

Leonard,  Jas.  M 407 

Las  Vegas,  sub-trop.  climate 804 

Leading  "State  builders" 846 

Labor  union  870 

"       troubles  88r 

Ladies'  Aid  Society 873 

Lassen  Meadows   889 

Lovelock  Valley   891 

"Little  Man-eaters"  893 

Lovelock,  George   893 


Lovelock,  pioneers  . 
irrigation 


PAGE 
894 
897 
909 
926 
922 
924 
924 
952 
952 
969 
991 
991 
589 
994 

IOIO 

1014 

1053 


907, 

Lander  County 922  to 

Gen.  F.  W 

Hill  mines  

Lodes,  true  fissure 

Lincoln   County 927  to 

Lyon    County 950  to 

Lode  mining 

Law  and  order 

Leisure  Hour  Club 

Leland  Stanford  

Lottery  legislation   

Lambert,  Charlie 

Lewis,  Jas.  F 

Lane,  Chas.  D 

M 

Mayfield,  Col 76 

Meteorological  features 16,  667,  700 

Mary  River  19,  20 

Mono  Lake   20,  233 

Mormon  influences  30 

May,  Dr.  Elizabeth 139 

McDermit,  Col.  Chas 172 

Mormon  exodus   220 

Mottsville  founded  228 

Mormon  colonization    230 

defiance    231 

Marden,  Horace   240 

Mackay's  kindly  act 465 

Michelson,  Chas.  E 482 

Mighels,  P.  V 483,  710 

Martin,  John  C 49° 

Mackay  Mining  Building 510 

"        Memorial  and  endowment, 

5io,  5" 

"        statue    5ii 

"        Athletic  Field 5» 

iUcLafferty,  Rev.  S.  B 537 

Monogue,  Bishop  544 

McGrath,  Thos.  H 568 

Mills,  D.  O 401.  592 

Moran  Bros 596 

Medical  history  and  methods 610 

"        meeting,  first   613 

State  Society  614 

County   Societies 615,  616 

"        Law,  new 613,  616,  619 

Muddy  and  Las  Vegas  Valleys 644 

Maps  and  Mss.,  curious 659 

Marshall  &  Burke 661 


INDEX. 


PAGB 

Mountain  meteorology  666 

Mount  Rose  Observatory 666 

Mining   literature 661 

Menkin,  Adah  1 719 

Mystic  Shrine   688 

Mighels,  H.  R 709 

Michelson,  Merriam 712 

Maggie  Daly   716 

Mabel  Bouton   717 

Mackay  on  "free  list" 718 

Majestic  Theatre   720 

Mrs.  Gowan  724 

Mansion,  $600,000 725 

Miners  and  veterans  meet 737 

Mines  produce  $2,000,000,000 741 

Muddy  River  768 

Mesquite  Club  773 

Montezuma  Chap.,  D.  A.  R 774 

McRae,  Mrs.  tiora 777 

"Male"  not  stricken  out 783 

Mackay,  Mrs.  Clarence 784 

"Mine  Gateway"  793 

Modern  city  methods 797 

Mineral  wealth   805 

Mormon  Station 273,  807 

Mott,  Mrs.  Israel 807 

Mormon  families   809 

Minden 815 

Mountain  lakes  in  snow 821 

Montana  Gold  Min.  Co 825 

McConnell,  John  R 254 

Murder  indictment,  first 277 

McC.  Reardan,  Jas 298 

Mining  in  Nev 315 

legislation    317 

expansion  period 318 

Mackay,  Fair  &  O'Brien 318 

Mining  depressed  320 

new  methods 321,  330 

summary,  1911    326,  365 

"square-set  system" 327 

ventilation  328 

Metallurgical  progress 334 

Midway  Mill   336 

Merrill,  Chas.  A 344 

Mining  methods  compared   345 

laws   345,  347 

Miners  underground  speak  Eng...  347 

Mackay,  C.  H.,  and  mother 348 

Mining  School,  Reno   348 

geology    348 

cost  reduced  349 

Mills,  distribution,  1870 354 

Mount  Davidson  Slope 368 


Mining  School  branch   

early  discoveries  

litigation  

Millions  at  stake '. 

Mark  Twain's  "skit" 

Money  in  her  nightgown 

Mine  surface  falls  in 

Mackay  &  Fair  

"would  learn" 

Mining  shares  papered  cabins 

Mackay  "silent  fighter" 

Money  in  politics 

Millions  in  campaign 

"Man  from  Nevada" 

Mackay  refused  Senate  toga 

Morgan,  Judge  L.  E 

Metallurgists  

Mason,  H.  A 

Mohawk  mines  

Montezuma  Club 

Mine  leases 

Mark  Twain's  stone  cabin 

Mill  City  

"Mother  of  Counties" 

Meadow  Valley  Co 

Murderer's  prayer  

Mines  revived  

Mason  Valley  stores 

Mineral  County  957, 

Monitor  Valley  

Manhattan  Pine  Tree  Camp... 967, 

Mark  Twain's  yarn 

Mrs.  Langtry  

Mule's  load  of  ore 

Mint  dollars  spurious 

Mastodon  bones  

Mormons  and  Lat.  Day  Saints 


PAGE 
379 
38i 
391 
39i 
393 
394 
411 
414 
415 
417 
419 
420 
421 
423 
425 
827 
841 
852 
862 
873 
877 
90S 
906 
922 

931 
946 

943 
953 
959 
962 
971 

979 
982 
981 
988 
994 
1019 


N 

Nameless  hero  60 

Nev.  Indians  destitute   132 

boundaries    12 

mountains 13 

Numaga  for  peace 46,  47 

Nev.  Indians,  census  tables ....  148,  152 

Naches'  arrest  187 

Nev.  Territory  organized 190,  192 

personnel  convention  Ter....  194 

Ter.  Seal   195 

Ter.  officers  195 

Leg.,  first  session 196 

Leg.,  2nd,  3,rd  session 197 

"     boundary  adjustment 198,  205 


INDEX. 


PAGB 

Nev.  boundary  adjustment  stopped 

by  war —  207 

Act  for  Territory 211 

bounds  finally  fixed 213 

early  knowledge  of  State 214 

Beattie's  first  house 225 

first  settler  226 

Neidy,  John   240 

Newlands,  Francis 425,  427 

N.  Y.   Life  Ins.   Co.  barred   from 

State  477 

Names  well  chosen 484 

Nev.  population,  85,000 527 

conference  authorized   566 

Nims,  Warren  588 

Nev.  barren   589 

Natural  deaths  rare 610 

No  "Virginia  City"  in  State 632 

Nurseries  estab 648 

Nev.  Historical  Society 657 

Nina  Varian 717 

Noted  race  horses. 722 

National   Guard    735 

Nev.  saved  the  Union 266,  741 

challenge    741 

first  cabin  807 

"the  Bridge" 819 

in  Civil  War 266 

admitted    268 

No  law  books 282 

Nev.  Constitution  adopted 287 

North-Stewart  libel  suit 287,  288 

Nev.  Bar  impugned 296 

Ned  Foster  406 

Nevada  Republican  426,  1024 

No  jail  843 

Nenzel,  Jos 901,  919 

Nobody  poor   , 916 

Nev.  pays  Uncle  Sam's  debts. .  917 

Newland  boys   938 

Nye  County 960  to  963 

North,  J.  W 1014 

Newspaper  influence   810 

Territorial  Enterprise.  459 

Carson  Appeal  466 

Virginia  Chronicle  468 

Student  Record   499 

University  Sagebrush. .  500 

Cupel  484 

Appeal  the  oldest  paper  486 

Carson  City  News 486 

Churchill  Co.  Eagle . . .  487 

Churchill  Co.  Standard  487 

Ely  Record 488 


PACE 

Newspaper  influence — 

Ely  Mining  Expositor.  488 

Elko  Free  Press 488 

Elko   Independent 489 

Humbodt  Star 489 

Goldfield  News 490 

Columbia  Review   ....  490 

Daily  Tribune 491 

Chronicle  and  Review.  491 

Weekly  Post    493 

Goldfield  Sun   493 

Tonopah  Sun   494 

Las  Vegas  Age 495 

Manhattan  Mail 496 

Manhattan  Post 496 

State  Journal  496 

National  Miner   497 

Reno  Eve.  Gazette 497 

Nev.  Stockman 497 

Douglas  Co.  Banner. . .  498 

Carson  Valley  News..  498 

Genoa   Weekly   498 

Record  Courier   498 

Reese  River  Reveille . .  499 

O 

Owens  River  troubles 22,  80 

Ormsby,  Major 51,  52,  58 

Ogden,  Peter  Skeen 19 

Opposition  to  Mormonism 204 

Orchards  and  vineyards 221 

Ores  very  rich 438 

O'Brien,   Jas.    F 490 

Orphans'  Home 524 

O'Connell,  V.  E 543 

Onlv  one  white  man 589 

Orders  for  fruit  trees 651 

Orchard,  Lewer's   652 

Orchard  heating  669 

Observatory  staff    672 

bulletins    672 

Oddfellowship    690  to  693 

Order  of  Eagles  695 

Druids  699 

Osborn,  George  717 

"Off  for  the  War" 730,  732 

Osgood,  E.  P 794 

Overland  Hotel  burned 803 

Owhyee  River  824 

One  and  two  ledge  theories 285 

Ophir  Mine 316 

"On  to  Washoe" 316 

Ores,  imperfect  treatment 369 

Output  $700,000,000 ' 390 


Xll 


INDEX. 


Ore-hoisting  400 

Ore-hoist  408 

Ore-crushing    412 

Oreana  Smelter 893 

Ode  to  Defunct  Camp 943 

Ormsby   County 973,   975,  985 

"       mining  and  milling  980 

Ophir  City   1006 

Old  times  in  Washoe 1024 

Osceola    1046 


Pyramid  Lake  Fight 61  to  83 

Painter,  Alex 72 

Price,  Capt 81 

Pony  express   84,  263 

Potosi  Mine  discoverer 18 

Pyramid  Lake  named 21 

Pyute  Indians  23,  25 

Paradise  Valley  raid..  165,  171,  176,  910 

Pah-ran-a-gat,  Indian  187 

"Pious  Fund"  214 

Potosi  Mine 217 

Potato  Patch,  Carson  River 227 

"Pat"  Reddy"    238 

Peasley,  Thos 249 

Pihshower,  Morris  445 

Powning,  C.  C 493 

Payne,  Fred.  W 493 

Pastors,  Chapel,  Va.  City 537 

Peck,  Rev.  N.  R 566 

Pre-conference  pioneers  567 

"Pioneer  Stage  Line" 627 

Princess  Winnemucca  713 

Poem,  "Lure  of  the  Sagebrush"...  714 

Pope,  Chas 716 

Pixley  Sisters 717 

Piper's  Opera  House 718 

"Presented  to  the  Queen" 725 

Panama  Park 733 

Phil  Kearney   Post 737 

Precipitation  average 758 

Parents-Teachers'  Asso 772 

Plea  for  Women 785 

Pioneer  merchants  81 1 

Plummer  Henry  252 

President  Johnson  268 

Perry,  Jack,  the  Printer 271 

Probate  Court  first  session 274 

Power-drills  first  used 328 

Paul,  Almarin  B 334,  1002 

"Purple  Gate"   37$ 

Prospector,  sturdy  39° 


Princely  legal  fees 

"Patios  Process"  

Public  men  of  note 

Palmer,  J.  A 

Patrick,  L.  L 

Power  and  light  plants 

Possible  fuel  supply 

Pole  Canyon 

Placer  mining  

Pfersdorf,  Capt.  Hugo 

Paradise  City  

Practical  miner's  importance 

Pioche,  F.  L.  A 

"Pizen  Switch"  

Pine  Nut  Mountains 

Public  buildings  

Pickler,  William  

Prison  Footprints  

Penrod,  Emanuel 

Potatoes  15  cents  a  pound 

President  McKinley 

Political  

"Black  Wallace"  427, 

Political- 
Silver  Party  

Stewart  and  Newlands 

"Coon-skins  on  the  wall" 

Pinkerton  detectives   

Newland's  alleged  treachery 

Senator  Stewart  wins 

Gillispie's  absence  

Sam  Jones 

Sparks  and  Nixon's  contest 

Sparks  declines  corruption 

Sen.  Nixon  elected,  direct  vote.. 

Newlands,  Dem.,  elected 

Pres.  Roosevelt  rebukes  Sparks. 

A  pastime  

Senatorship  a  capital  prize 

Statesmen  imported  

Sen.  Stewart,  campaigner 

Bosses    

Matt.  Canavan  

Honesty  unprecedented 

Noted  deatuock  

Vote  handling   

Snow,  John  

Riots   

Graveyard  vote 

Sen.  Jones's  test 

Stewart's  Indian  band 

Sen.  Jones's  churn  and  banquet. 

Tom  Fitch,  orator ;  security 

Fitch  challenges  Goodman 


PAGE 
39i 
412 
424 
829 
863 
878 
886 
898 
892 

90S 
910 
917 
935 
954 
974 
986 
987 
993 
999 
1005 

1054 
420 
441 

427 
429 
430 
430 
431 
431 
432 
432 
432 
433 
433 
433 
438 
440 
440 
440 
440 
441 
442 
443 
445 
447 
447 
447 
448 
448 
448 
449 
450 
451 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Political- 
Duel  of  Fitch  and  Goodman 452 

Newlands  and  Pittman,  Senators.  452 

Newlands  vacillates  on  tariff 453 

Sen.  election  method  question...  453 

Progressive  Conven.,  Reno 456 

Progressive  electors  named 457 

Progressive  leaders  in  Nev 457 

Roosevelt  in  Reno 457 

Progressive  Party  in  Nev 453 

Presidential  primary  denied 454 

Taf t  delegates  planned 454 

Taf t  steam-roller  wins 455 

Pres.  nomination  stolen 455 

Partisan    1022,  1023 

Q 

Quip,  George  44 

Quartz  mills  236 

Quinn  River  mining  camps 911 

R 

Rainfall  of  State 16 

Rivers,  Frank   139 

Ride  for  life 168 

Robber  Chief  Hank  Parish 221 

Reese,  John   226 

Rose,  Jacob 228 

Reese  &  Co 228 

Rogers,  Johnny  , 237 

Robberies,  overland  stage 244 

Robbers,  noted 245 

Ring,  Orvis  521,  53<> 

Rees,  Rev.  C.  W 536 

Religious  chaos   544 

Rising,  Rev.  F.  S •. 555 

Rooney,  Sam  B 567 

Robbers  stole  gold  coin 627 

Root  crops    644 

Read,  Chas.  A 701 

Rainfall  and  snow,  high  alt 703 

Robinson,  W.  H 716 

Reeves,  Col.  C.  R 735 

Reno  Encamp.,  G.  A.  R 73$ 

Ragtown    79° 

Reese,  John,  the  Mormon 807 

Ruby  Valley  821 

Rogers,  Uncle  Billy 822 

Kuby  mineral  springs 823 

Roff,  Harry   262 

Rochester  mining  camp 326 

Roasting  furnace  tupes 337 

Robbins,  G.  C 339 


PAGE 

Reduction  methods    343 

Ralston's  body  found 418 

"Rotten    Burrough" 423 

Ruby  Hill   831 

Richest  section  of  Nev 860 

Robinson,  Rev.  F.  H 871 

Roach,  Evelyn,  first  bride 874 

Roosevelt  advised  peace 844 

Rye- Patch  Mine  898 

Rich  Mining  Dist 899 

Rochester  Canyon 901 

Reber,  Frank  901 

Rochester   919,  921 

Reese  River  Dist 923,  963 

Raymond  &  Ely  Co 931 

Rawhide  Brown   958 

Ralston  Valley 962 

Railroad  Valley 963 

Round  Mountain 971 

Reno  Commercial  Club 1036 

Reno    1034,  1036 

Reno  Y.  M.  C.  A 1038 

public  buildings  1038 

Real  estate  boom 1056 

Railroads — 

C.  T.  &  V.  T.  built 245 

Pioneers    587 

Central  Pacific  587 

Mississippi  to  Pacific 587 

Central  Pacific  opposed 590 

Laying  rails,  1869 590 

Last  rail,   Promontory  Pt 590 

Network    591 

New  roads  building 591 

Central  Pacific  feeders  built....  591 

Virginia  &  Truckee 591 

Eureka   592 

Nev.   Northern    593 

Cobre  and  Ely  connected 594 

Nev.,  Cal.  &  Oregon 595 

Nev.  Central 596 

Salt  Lake  Route 597 

Sen.  Clark's   System 598 

Barnwell  &  Searchlight 508 

Nev.  Copper  Belt 600,  954 

Tonopah  &  Goldfield 602 

Tonopah  &  Tidewater 602 

Silver  Peak   603 

Western  Pacific 604 

Denver  &  Rio  Grande 604 

Grades  not  over  i  per  cent 605 

Construction  difficult  606 

Over  Salt  Desert 606 

Across  continent  264 


XIV 


INDEX. 


Railroads— 

Dev.  and  power  plants 

Promises  realized  

Las  Vegas  &  Tonopah 

Las  Vegas  &  Tonopah  shops 

Strike  

San  Pedro 

Carson  &  Colorado 

Virginia  &  Truckee 

Schools—  S 

University  of  Nevada 

at  Elko,  to  Reno 

buildings  increased  . . 

Federal  aid  506, 

reconstruction    

inside    devel 

liberally  treated 

Regents,  1913  

Electrical  Build 

financial  sys.  changed 

Exper.  Station 

Controller  Gorman  . . 

Noted  Regents  and  teachers 

School  of  Mines 

Progressive   system 

Agriculture    5r5» 

Public  

Gov.  land  grants 

Good  and  bad 

Lacked  supervision 

University  influence  

Leading  officers  and  teachers 

Reorganization  Act   

State  Board  Education 

Industrial  education    

Better  trained  teachers 

Better  salaries  

State  supervision   

Increased  attendance  

Better  buildings 

Free  use  of  buildings 

State  and  county  funds 

State  fund,  $2,000,000 

State  costs  compared 

Reno,  salaries  paid 

County  Normal  traiinng 

For  the  home 

Reno  Public  

McKinley  Park  

Kindergarten  Asso 

High  School  building 

Graded  

Administration  


PAGB 

327 
796 

799 
802 
804 
948 
954 
986 


503 

504 
506 
5i6 
507 
508 

509 


515 

517 

512 

509 

508 

523 

5i8 

519 

519 

5T9 

520 

520 

52i 

522 

523 

524 

524 

525 

525 

525 

526 

526 

527 

528 

528 

529 

529 

530 

531 

53i 

531 

532 

533 


PAGE 

Shuber,  metallurgist   935 

Snowden,  Richard  61 

Silver  City  Fort 62 

Stewart,  Capt.  J.  M 65 

Storey,  Capt 68,  86 

Sheriff  Scott  killed 76 

Salt  on  Rio  Virgin 101 

Sides,  Johnson    129 

Salt  deposits 14 

Streams  of  State 14 

Scenic  features   17 

Smith,  Jedediah 19,  20,  22,  818 

Salmon  Trout  River 21 

Shoshonear  family  26 

"Sequinata,"  Black  Rock  Chief 45 

Soo,  Captain 45 

Spear,  W.  S.,  killed 57 

Senator  Stewart  212,  278,  287 

"Steamboat  Adams'"    219 

Stewart,  Archibald  221 

Sierra  Nevada  tragedies 225 

State  of  Deseret 236 

Sides,  Richard  232 

Shaw,  the  Gambler 235 

Sanchez,  Mrs.  P.  B 240 

Sam  Brown   247 

Senator  W.  M.  Stewart 247 

Sharon,  William 317,  39O,  429,  629 

Senator  Nixon  dies 434 

Senator  Key  Pittman 435 

Stoddard,  Chas 444 

oocialist   Party    457 

Shaw,  Col.  H.  G 478 

Stevenson,  C.  C 481 

Spectral  newspaper   485 

Sprague,  C.  S 492 

Silver  State   . : 499 

Stubbs,  Dr.  J.  E 5<>7 

Silver  Bell,  Comstock  Lode 545 

Smeathman,  Rev.  H 554 

Sugar  beets  643,  895 

Small  orchardists  652 

Stewart  Collection  Books 662 

Snow  conservation 669,  670,  671 

Sandbag  Camp,  9,000  feet  up 670 

Stream  control   672 

Strobridge,  Ada  M 7" 

Sam  Davis   713 

Stark,  James   7*5 

Sickness  in  camp 734 

Sergeant  Hill  dies 734 

Sub-surface  waters   760 

Small  streams,  northern  Nev 768 

Sprague,  Mrs.  Chas 774 


INDEX. 


xv 


Smith,  Mrs.  E.  P 776 

Stanislansky,  Mrs.  H 783 

Suffrage  membership 784 

Springmeyer,  H.  H 812 

Sheridan    815 

Sierras,  beautiful  817 

Shakespeare  Cliff  817 

Smith,  W.  T 824 

"Sugar  Foot  Jack" 251 

Senator  Gwynn   260 

Supreme  Court  of  Ter.  organized.  283 

Stewart  addresses  jury 293 

State  courts    299 

Sutro  Tunnel   319,  330,  399 

Adolf    330,  400 

Smelting  furnaces   340 

Silver   mining  begun 369 

Silver  button  for  each  inhab 369 

half  world's  product 369 

"      sulphurets  thrown  away 382 

Simmons,  Johnson    385 

Sutro  and  Sharon   401 

"      and  Congress   402 

Sutro  Tunnel  opposition 402,  404 

oratory    403 

Tunnel  started    403 

i,6oo-ft.  level  reached.  405 

"       European  loan  secured  404 

vindicated    404 

'      Mayor  of  San  Francisco....  405 

Square  timb.  &  V  flume  described  408 

Senator  James  Haines 410 

Sharon  surprised   416 

Senator  Jones   416 

Senators  Nye  and  Stewart 420 

Stewart  paid  for  his  seat 421 

Saturnalia  of  corruption 422 

Senators  Jones  and  Stewart  com- 
pared     423 

Senator  Fair  arraigned 424 

Silver  battles    425 

Sill,  Kate  A 534 

Satchell,  Rev.  Mr 537 

Stevenson,  Rev.  W.  H 537 

Silver  party  in  Nevada 426 

Straight  track,  46  miles 606 

Salt  Lake  to  San  Francisco 607 

Skating-rink  Hall   831 

Stetefeldt,   C.   A 840 

Silver  in  the  Comstock 853 

Samuelson,  Peter  869 

Smith,  C.  M 870 

Saxon,  Rev.  Y.  B 536 


PAGB 

Stage  robbers  not  convicted 628 

Stateler's  shrewdness   629 

Scientific  politics   881 

Script  payment  opposed 883 

Silverwood,  Wm 894 

Schmidt,  Walter  897 

Star  Peak  898 

Sheba  mine  898 

Stevens,   Hutch 900 

Shick,  F.   M 901 

"Seven   Troughs"   Camp 903 

Star  City   906 

Silver  ore ;  ton,  $22,000 924 

Schofield,   R.   G 943 

Silver  and  borax 958 

Smokey  Valley   963 

Sawtooth  Peak  964 

State  capital,  strife  to  remove 976 

Sam  Davis's  Holsteins 984 

State   Capital   building 988 

State  Library   988 

Sagebrush   Club    991 

State   Orphan's   Home 990 

State  Prison   992 

Storey,  Col.  E.  F 997 

Sensational  lynchings   999 

Sandy  Bowers  and  Mansion. .  .724,   998 

Sharon  and  Sutro 1001 

Storey  County  Court  House 1001 

Stage  with  mighty  actors 1003 

Smith,  Sam   1005 

Settlers'  nicknames   1007 

Swazey,  H.  F 1008 

Surgical   "carpentering" 1018 

Sparks    1039 

Sale,  A.   J 1059 

Snake  Valley  apple  section 1060 


Truckee,  Capt 74 

Trappers  and  traders 216 

Territorial   life    233 

Twain,  Mark  239 

Train  robbery,  first 245 

The  "True  Fissure" 484 

True,    Prof.   G.   H 515 

Teachers,  Reno  corps 533 

Tubman,  Father  546 

Talbot,  Bishop  555 

Trefren,  Rev.  J.  L. 571 

Twain's  pipe  658 

Treadwell,  L.  L 587 

Temperature  survey   669 


XVI 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Tonapah,  L 695,  1062 

Twain  and  Goodman 707 

Turf    721 

Troop  M,   Militia 728,   731 

Torrey,  Col 73* 

Torrey's  solicitude 733 

Truckee-Carson  project   742,  745 

water  supply  742 

canal,  lower 746,  747,  754 

"        river  drainage    763 

Toiyabe  Club 772 

Twentieth  Century  Club 773 

Toll  roads  and  bridges 807 

Trading  stations    808 

"Tom"    Peasley   killed 258 

Territorial  Judges   284 

Todd   Robinson   fainted 292 

Talbot,   Chief  Justice 305 

Tonopah  rich  ores 320 

"Tailings"  worked   325 

value 335 

Technical  education  of  miner 347 

Triplet,  H.  F 827 

Twain's  "Roughing   It" 854 

Cabin  854 

Tonopah  mines    860 

Tidwell,   Florence    874 

Tonopah  discovered   963 

"        rise  and  fall  of 967 

Tom  Fitch   1015 

Truckee  River  1036 

U 

Utah,  county  divisions 227 

"        reorganized    229 

"       Territory  reorganized   231 

"       U.   S.   Courts  behind 629 

University  located   820 

Utah  regime  273 

"      Chief  Justices    275 

U.  S.  Attorneys 312 

Union  Mill  &  Mining  Co 413 

Unsworth,   Rev.    Samuel 872 

Unionville   905 

"Uncle  Abe  and  Little  Mac" 1023 


Vengeance  demanded   50 

Valley  settlements   218 

Voting  twice  same  day 239 

Van   Sickle,   Henry 248 

Virginia   City  water 446 


PAGB 

Van  Zant,  Dr.  J.  W 614 

Vegetable  gardening 643 

Van  Deventer,  Mrs.  Lucy 776 

Vegas  artesian  well 800 

Virginia   City   disloyal 271 

Vertical  depth,  3,300  feet 374 

Virginia  City 375,  997 

V  Flumes  15  miles  long 410 

Votes  at  $80 422 

Van   Duzer,   Clarence 426 

Vail,  L.  B 929 

Van,  the  Assayer 965 

Verdi 1039 

Virginia    Miners'    Union 1002 

W 

Watkins,   Capt.   Story 55,  59 

Wright,  General  62 

Washoe  Regiment  organized 63,  85 

Weatherbow,  Capt 70 

Whites  not  heard  from 71 

Wasson,   the   Scout 73 

White   settlers    102 

Winnemucca 25,  46,  128,  911,  913 

White  man's  first  house 18 

Whites  and  Indians  first  met 20 

Walker,  Joseph  20 

Washoe  Indians   23,  26 

basketry    130 

raids    38 

Winter  severity,    1859-60 40 

War  of   1860,  Ind.   account 43 

Warlike  chiefs   killed 44 

William's   Station  burned 48 

Washoe   Ind.    enumeration 141 

War  panic,  eastern  Nevada 183 

Winnemucca,  Sarah    185 

Young   186 

Washoe  Valley  settled 228 

Williams,  ex-Senator   235 

Woodburn,  Wm 428 

White  Pine  News 500 

Whitaker's,   Bishop,   Girls'   School.  533 

Wolfe,   Katherine  L 534 

Whitaker,  Rev.  O.  W 555 

Willis,  F.  M 568 

Whitney,  Henry  0 582 

Washoe  Valley  fruit  growers 651 

Weather  service,   Nevada 700 

Winters,  Theo 721 

Washoe  Seeress   725 

Water  supply  and  irrigation 756,  759 

Walker  River  drainage 767 


INDEX. 


xvn 


PAGE 

West,  Mrs.  George 77* 

Woman's  Club,  Mason 772 

Wadsworth  Club   772 

Woman's  Book  Club 773 

Woman's  C.  T.  U 776,  778,  779 

Willard,  Mrs.  F.  A 776 

Webster,   Mrs.    H.    E 776 

Woman  suffrage 780  to  782 

Williamson,   Mrs.  J 782 

Williams,    W.    W 793 

Wisher,  J.  S 803 

Walley's  Spring   817 

Williams,  Jack  258 

"Washoe"  Process" 334,  37<>,  932 

Water   Power   Mills 335 

Water  from  the  Sierras 406 

projects    877 

Winnemucca,  Federal  Building 912 

Washington  Creole  fight 989 

Ledge  938 

Wilson,  Mrs.  David 95* 

Walker  River  Bridge 952 

Washoe  Valley  unchanged 1005 


PAGE 

Washoe  City,  golden  rule  life 1013 

"      1008 

County  1004,  1040 

lawyers    1015 

doctors,  early  1018 

Whitman,  Judge   1012 

Washoe  without  churches 1019 

White  Pine  County 1042,- 1060 

"      mines    1044 

scrip    1051 

Washoe  County  towns  and  camps 

1029,  1033 

Wells  Fargo  &  Co.  Banking  Co...     624 
Wadsworth    1034 


Yellow  Jacket  Case 392 

Yerington  Copper  Dist 324 

James  A 439 

Yerington  953 

buildings   956 


INDEX. 


ILLUSTRATIONS  AND  PORTRAITS 


PAGE 

Allen,    Lem 787 

Aston,  M.  B 847 

Baker,   Cleveland   H 429 

Bowers  Mansion 725 

Bradley,   L.    R 195 

B  rougher,    Wilson 349 

Carson  City,   in   1869 979 

Carson  City  Zouaves,  in  1875 991 

Carpenter,  L.  N 903 

Colcord,   Roswell   K 233 

Codd,  Arthur  A 527 

Comins,   Henry  A 1047 

Cutting,   Henry   C 523 

Davis,  Sam  P Frontispiece,  Vol.  I 

Ferris,  Edwin    645 

Finch,  James  D 449 

First  House  in  Nevada  (Genoa)..     807 
First  Justices,  Supreme  Court,  1864    421 

Fogg,  William  A 1039 

Frohlich,   August   C 633 

Gold  Hill    381 

Golden,   Frank 1015- 

Gosse,  H.  J 1021 

Gregovich,    John 969 

Greeley,   Horace 817 

Gulling,   Charles 1009 

Harwood,  Cole  L 439 

Henderson,  Charles  B 729 

Jones,  David  R 813 

Keeler,  Pearl  E 961 

Keyser,  Joseph  L 825 


PAGE 


Lake's    Bridge  ....................     223 

Lee,  Frank  Moore  ................     629 


Clarence  H  ..............  503 

Mackay,  John   W  .................  315 

Mackay  Statue  ----  Frontispiece,  Vol.  II 

Morris,    James  ....................  241 

Mark   Twain's   Cabin  .............  855 

Massey,   William  A  ...............  313 

McKissick,   Howard   B  ............  1027 

Nenzel,  Joseph  F  .................  341 

Nixon,   George   S  .................  625 

Norcross,   Frank  H  ...............  273 

Oddie,  Tasker  L  .................  281 

Old  Locomotive,  Built  1865  .......  587 

Pittman,    Key  .....................  289 

Reid,  Hosea  E  ...................  533 

Reid,  John  T  .....................  889 

Reno  in  1870  .....................  1005 

Ruins  of  Ft.  Churchill  ............  137 

State  Capitol,  in  1875  .............  973 

Stoddard,   Charles  H  .............  1033 

Stubbs,  Joseph   E  .........  ........  5*7 

Sweeney,  James  G  ................  301 

Symmes,   Whitman  ................  327 

Talbot,   George  F  .................  657 

U.   S.   Mint,   Carson  City  .........  987 

Van  Derwerker,  Jerome  ..........  457 

Virginia    City  .....................  3^7 


INDEX. 


BIOGRAPHICAL 


PART    II. 


Adams,  Albert  F.,  M.  D 1074 

Alexander,  Isaac  A.,  M.  D 1082 

Allen,  James  G 1082 

Lem,  Hon 1082 

Wiliam  C 1083 

Anker,   Peter 1083 

Archambeault,   Moss 1084 

Ardery,  Alexander  M 1084 

Arkell,   Edwin 1084 

Arnld,   Andrew 1103 

Asher,  John  Alfred,  M.  D 1097 

Aspland,  David  A 1103 

Aston,  M.  B 1109 

Atkinson,  Harry  Hunt 1109 

Ayres,  Albert  Douglass,  Hon mo 

Baird,  Alexander mo 

Baker,  Cleveland  Hall,  Hon 1118 

Bannister,  Alfred  C 1118 

Barlow,  Arthur  H 1119 

Bartine,  H.  F.,  Hon 1074 

Bassman,  Richard  W 1117 

Bates,  Osmond  George mi 

Beck,  Henry  L 1121 

Beebe,  Graham  H mi 

Behrmann,  Cord  Henry 1128 

Bergman,  George,  Hon 1256 

Belknap,  Charles  Henry,  Hon 1128 

Bianchini,  Joseph 1 126 

Bidleman,  George  B 1126 

Billinghurst,   Benson  Dillon 1127 

Billings,  William  E • 1127 

Blair,  John  W 1127 

Blumdell,  Alfred 1128 

Blumenthal,  Louis  L noo 

Bonnineld,  M.  S.,  Hon 1073 

William  Sutherland,  Jr.  1073 

Booth,  Percy  Scott niS 

Boswell,  Charles  E 1116 

Boyd,  James  T 1089 

Bracken,  Walter  R 1090 

Bradley,  John  R 1090 

Lewis  Lee 1130 

Bragg,  Allen  C 1278 

Bray,  John  Edwards 1131 

Brockliss,  Frank  E.,  Hon 1103 

Brodigan,  George 1132 


PAGE 

B  rougher,  Wilson,  Hon 1133 

Brown,  Adams  Franklin 1116 

Edward    1117 

George   S.,   Hon 1074 

Henry  Alexander,  M.  D..   1088 

Hugh  Henry,  Hon 1089 

Peleg 1133 

William  E 1 134 

Bruce,  Floyd  H 1134 

Buol,  Peter 1 134 

Burke,  James  1 135 

Peter 1135 

Burkert,  Christian  0 1085 

Campton,  Aaron  Denio 1085 

Campbell,  Frank 1086 

Carpenter,  Albert  J 1086 

L.  N.,  Capt 1087 

Cartvvright,  Andrew  J 1087 

Carville,  Edward  Peter 1088 

Ceander,  Anton  P 1088 

Chambers,  John  K.,  Hon 1102 

Chandler,  Charles  S 1097 

Roscoe  Perry,  D.  D.  S..  1099 

Chapin,  Nealy  H 1121 

Cheney,  James    Hiram 1112 

Raymond  Stewart 1113 

Minor  Eugene 1113 

Chism,  Gardner 1113 

Church,  Frank  M 1077 

Clark,  Fred  M 1078 

Codd,  Arthur  Ashton 1078 

Cohen,  Michael 1 120 

Colcord,  Roswell  K.,  Hon 1114 

Coleman,  B.  W.,  Hon 1261 

Comins,  Henry  A.,  Hon 1 1 14 

Coll,    Daniel 1115 

Collins,  Edward  R 1164 

Connolly,  Tim 1164 

Cooke,  Herman  R 1 164 

Cooper,  William  H 1165 

Cordes.   Fred 1 165 

Coughlin,  Joseph  John 1 165 

Cowing,  George  W 1166 

Grain,  Clarence  S 1166 

Crampton,  Eugene  R 1079 

Cuddy,  William  Thomas 1079 


XX 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Culbertson,  Harry  W 1108 

Cunningham,  Benjamin,  M.  D 1109 

John  R.,  M.  D 1119 

Curler,  Benjamin,  Hon 1 120 

Curnpw,  James 1 167 

Gushing,  Fred  A 1207 

Cutting,  Henry  Colman 1202 

Dangberg,  Henry  Fred,  Sr 1255 

William  1195 

Dann,  Fred  P 1195 

Davey,  John  W 1 196 

David,  Wiliam  M 1196 

Davis,     Elton     Nathaniel     Wilsey, 

D.  D.  S 1196 

Davis,  Richard  B 1175 

Deady,  Charles  L 1178 

De  Lonchant,  Felix 1170 

Dickensen,  Charles  Wesley 1170 

Doherty,  Frank  A 1104 

Dohr,    Peter 1104 

Donavan,  Edwin  F 1104 

Doten,    Alf 1105 

Doughty,  James  C 1105 

Dressier,  William  F 1257 

Dresser,  William  Oscar 1106 

Dron,  Thomas  J 1 106 

Ducey,  John  B.,  D.  D.  S 1255 

Dunaway,  Thomas  F 1169 

Duncan,   Henry 1179 

Durham,  John  C 1178 

Eddy,  Clarence  A H77 

Elges,  Henry  C 1176 

Esser,  Ernst  Paul 1176 

Farrington,  Edward  S.,  Hon 1176 

Fay,   Michael 1107 

Ferguson,  John  Wallace 1174 

Ferrel,  Charles  P M74 

Ferris,    Edwin 1 168 

Finch,  James  D 1172 

Fitzgerald,  Dennis  J 1182 

Fletcher,  Emery  L 1182 

Fogg,  Wiliam  Augustus 1182 

Foley,  Thomas  L 1183 

Fraser,  Gordon  M 1183 

Frazer,  William  H 1184 

Freeman,   William 1184 

French,  Le  Roy  N.,  Hon 1184 

Frevert,  Allen ' 1157 

Frey,  Lawrence 1157 

Fricke,  Frederick 1158 


PAGE 


Frissel,  Elmer  A 

Frohlich,  August  C,  Hon  ........  1158 

Fulmer,  Henry   M  ................  1159 

Jacob  H.,  Hon  ...........  1  159 

Fuller,  Winford  Le  Roy,  M.  D  ____  1160 

Fulton,  John  M  ...................  1  143 

Gallagher,  John  H  ................  1144 

William   C  .............  1144 

Garaghan,  Michael  B  .............  1  144 

Gardiner,  William  Munson,  Hon..  1145 

Genesy,  Babtiste  Joseph  ...........  1146 

Gibbons,  Lewis  A  ................  1  146 

Gibson,  Samuel  C.,  M.  D  .........  1  146 

Givens,  James  G  ..................  1  147 

Gleason,  William  T.,  M.  D  ........  1155 

Glidden,  Bruce  ....................  1217 

Golden,  Frank  ....................  1155 

Goodale,  Samuel  W  ...............  1156 

Goodfriend,  Jacob  .................  1156 

Goodin,  James  T  .................  1156 

Goodman,  John  Henry  ............  1  157 

William   C  .............  1201 

Goodwin,  Millard  T  ..............  1203 

Gosse,  H.  J  .......................  1203 

Govan,  Robert  B  ..................  1204 

Grace,  Frank  M  ..................  1204 

Graham,  William  B  ...............  1205 

Graunke,  William  .................  1205 

Gray,  William  Albert  .............  1206 

Green,  George  Sumner,  Hon  ......  1196 

Gregovich,  John  ..................  1  197 

Greenfield,  George  H.,  Rev  ........  1198 

Grigsby,  Edward  S.,  M.  D  ........  1198 

Grose,  James  .....................  1  199 

Guild,  Clark  J  .................  ...  1  199 

Gulling,  Charles  ...................  1  148 

Haight,  Andrew  L  ................  1149 

Hall,  Ernest   F  ...................  1150 

Henry    0  ...................  1  150 

Hanlon,  George  J  .................  1  150 

Hansen,  Mathias  ..................  1  150 

Hark,  George  Webster  ............  1151 

Harmon,  Harley  A  ...............  1151 

Harpending,  Linlay  ...............  1  160 

Harwood,  Cole  L.,  Hon  ...........  1161 

Hash,  James  L  ...................  1161 

Hatton,  Charles  ...........  .......  1  161 

William  D  ................  1162 

Harris,  Joseph  C  .................  1162 

Haugner,  Oley  O  .................  1  163 

Haviland,  Carlton  E  ..............  1163 


INDEX. 


xxi 


Hawkins,  Daniel  Robert 1167 

Ernest  H.,  M.  D 1167 

William   E 1185 

Haydon,  Thomas  E.,  Hon 1185 

Heimsoth,  Dietrich 1186 

Heise,  Frederick 1186 

Helberg,  August  W.  H 1 187 

Hellwinkle,  Henry 1187 

Henningsen,  Carsten  M 1187 

Henderson,  Charles  Belknap 1080 

Henry,  Patrick 1222 

Hickey,  David 1080 

Hill,  Malvin  E 1081 

Hoag,  Gael  S noo 

Hofer,  Theodore  R.,  Jr 1222 

Holcomb,  George 1 107 

Holmes,  Alfred  W.,  Hon 1108 

Holmquist,  Walter  S.,  M.  D 1219 

Hood,  Bert  L 1220 

Hook,  Jacob 1220 

Hoskins,    Charles 1220 

Hull,  Quincy  W 1221 

Humphrey,  Charles  A 1221 

Frank  G 1223 

Jacob  B 1223 

Hunter,  Thomas,  Hon 1223 

Hussman,  William 1224 

Imelli,  Samuel  A 1225 

Ingalls,  G.  W.,  Major 1225 

"        William  A 1226 

Irvine,  Kit  Carson 1 188 

Jackson,  Charles  F 1188 

James,  Clark 1 188 

Clement  Laurel 1192 

Jepson,  Hans  Christian 1192 

Jensen,    Arendt 1 193 

Jones,  David  R 1193 

Johnson,  Albert  J 1 194 

George  S 1 194 

William  S 1194 

Kaeser,  Fred  J 1213 

Karge,  Alfred 1213 

Kearney,  William  M 1213 

Keeler,  Pearl  E 1214 

Kelly,  Melvin  John 1214 

Kelso,  Samuel  T 1214 

Kennedy,  Harry  H 1215 

Kent,  Ira  H 1215 

Kepner,  Thomas  Ervin 1 100 

Keyser,  Joseph  L not 

Kinkead,  James  H.,  Col 1140 


PAGE 

Kinney,  Ruf us  H 1 141 

Kitzmeyer,  George  E 1141 

Kline,  Walter  G 1257 

Klotz,  Fred 1142 

Krummes,  Christian  M 1142 

Lamb,  Alvin    Milo 1143 

Selah  Graham 1091 

Langan,  Frank  P.,  Hon 1091 

Lange,  Henry  H 1091 

Leavitt,  Harry  C 1092 

Lee,  Frank  Moore 1092 

Frank  W 1093 

Leonard,  Harry    M 1093 

James  M 1093 

Lewers,  Robert 1094 

Lillis,  Henry  M.,  Hon 1094 

Lindskog,  Albert  C 1094 

Lloyd,  George  W 1095 

Richard  B 1095 

Lockett,  Roy  T 1095 

Logan,    Clarence 1096 

Loose,  Herman 1096 

Lozano,  J 1099 

Lundy,  Albert  Charles,  Col 1098 

Lyons,  James  S 1135 

McAvoy,  Frank  V 1136 

McCormack,  John  H 1 136 

McDonnell,  Patrick  J.,  M.  D 1137 

McDonald,  Alex 1137 

Daniel   C 1137 

Dan  M 1138 

McElroy,  Daniel 1 148 

McGill,  William  N 1 152 

McGinty,  William  G 1152 

McGovern,  Charles  Morris 1152 

Mclntire,  Alexander,  M.  D 1153 

Mclntosh,  C.  H 1256 

McKim,  Hiram  Albert 1153 

McKissick,  Howard  B 1154 

McKnight,   William 1258 

McLean,  David 1154 

McLeod,  Charles  A 1218 

MacLean,  Donald,  M.  D 1219 

Mackay,  John  W 1063 

Mack,  Ernest  1222 

Charles  W ; 1219 

Maurice  1200 

Malley,  Ed 1200 

March,  Henry  Grant 1200 

Martin,  William  Augustus 1201 

W.  O'H 1229 


XX11 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Martinez,  Theodore  W 1226 

Massey,  William  Alexander,  Hon..  1227 

Mashburn,   Gray 1266 

Maute,  Andrew 1227 

Meacham,  Robert  S.,  Hon 1228 

Mercier,  August  J 1228 

Meskimons,  James  R 1256 

Meyers,  Arthur  G 1229 

Meyer,   Philip 1254 

Miles,  Josiah  F 1257 

Millard,  Edward 1258 

Miller,  A.  Grant 1259 

"       Major    H 1259 

Miner,  Fred  L 1260 

Miramon,    Jacques 1098 

Moffar,   William 1235 

Mooscr,  Charles  E.,  M.  D 1140 

Morris,  James 1234 

Morton,  William  W 1235 

Mullins,  Charles  T 1236 

Muller,  Charles  William 1236 

Neddenriep,  Fritz 1244 

Nelson,   Robert 1245 

Nenzel,  Joseph  F 1071 

Nesbitt,  James 1129 

Newmarker,  John . , 1 130 

Nixon,  George  S.,  Hon 1070 

Noble,  Charles  L 1125 

Noel,  George  Norton,  Hon 1126 

Norcross,  Charles  A 1069 

Frank  Herbert,  Hon 1067 

O'Brien,  James  W 1117 

Oddie,  Tasker  Lowndes,  Hon 1066 

O'Leary,  Daniel  J 1 100 

Oldfield,   Fred   D 1122 

Olmstead,  William  T 1122 

Orr,  John    S.,   Hon 1122 

"     John  T 1123 

O'Sullivan,  J.  D 1123 

Parker,  Amasa  L 1124 

Parry,  Julius  R 1124 

Patrick,  Samuel  C 1124 

Patterson,  Edward  0 1125 

Payne,  Frank  M 1125 

Peckham,  George  Edward 1070 

Peters,  Herbert  Z 1129 

Petty,  Dee 1129 

Pierson,  Clarence  Grant 1131 

Piercy,  Joseph  Charles 1132 

"       Joseph  Clifton 1132 


PAGE 

Pitt,  William  Charles,  Hon 1072 

Pittman,  Key,  Hon 1075 

Phillips,  William  N 1097 

Platt,  Samuel 1098 

Pohl,  Robert  G 1101 

Polin,   Henry 1102 

Pollock,   James 1102 

Porteous,  Samuel  G 1138 

Quayle,  Bert  L 1139 

Raycraf t,   James 1 139 

Redman,  Charles  E 1229 

Joseph  R.,  M.  D 1230 

Reedy,  David 1230 

Reeves,  Charles  R 1139 

Regan,  Edward 1230 

Reid,  Hosea    E 1231 

John  T 1232 

Reinhart,  E.,  Co 1232 

Richards,  Charles  J.,  M.  D 1233 

Richardson,  Rodney  Hall,  M.  D...  1234 

Riter,    Henry 1244 

Richard,  George  W 1253 

Roberts,  Paul  D 1253 

Robins,  Clifford  E 1254 

Robinson,  Thomas  S 1254 

Robison,   Roy  L 1175 

Rochon,  Joseph 1 179 

Rodenbah,  Jacob 1179 

Rogers,  John  Adams 1177 

"        William  Arthur 1178 

Ronnow,  Charles  C 1173 

Rosenbrock,  John  Henry 1171 

Ross,  Gilbert  C 1234 

"      Orrin  C 1173 

Roy,  Rolland  F 1177 

Ruddell,  William  C 1174 

Russell,  George 1 168 

Salisbury,  Arthur  Nelson 1172 

Salter,  Thomas  J.  D 1171 

Samuels,  William  L.,  M.  D 1176 

Sanford,   George  L 1180 

Sarmen,  Fred 1 180 

Saunders,  John  Olin 1181 

Saviers,  Henry  E 1181 

Schmidt,  Henry  C 1181 

Scott,  Edward  L 1206 

Seeds,  William  P.,  Hon 1206 

Sellman,  Calvin  G 1207 

Settelmeyer,  William 1207 

Shair,  Fred  J 1276 


INDEX. 


xxin 


PAGE 

Sharon,  William  E 1208 

Sharp,  Thomas  C 1277 

Sheehan,  Jerry 1208 

Sheele,  Herman 1209 

William    W 1209 

Sherman,  George  E 1209 

Shields,  Michael 1237 

Shilling,  Walter  Irvin 1237 

Shone,  Thomas 1238 

Short,  William  Charles 1238 

Simkins,  William  A 1238 

Simons,  Charles  R 1238 

Sinclair,  William  J 1239 

Smith,  Claud  M 1239 

Lloyd  D 1240 

Otis  D 1240 

Ralph  T 1249 

Somers,  Peter  J.,  Hon 1241 

Somerville,  William  T 1241 

Sonne,  Ole  H 1242 

Sopp,  George 1 180 

Southworth,    George 1242 

Spencer,  A 1242 

Guy  A 1243 

Sprague,  Charles  Silvey 1243 

Springmeyer,  Charles    H 1248 

Frederick  C 1249 

George 1245 

Leonard    1252 

Stadtmuller,  Fred 1248 

St.  Clair,  Raymond,  M.  D 1247 

Steffan,  Albert 1249 

Steffes,  Peter 1249 

Stenson,  Roger  P 1250 

Stern,  Joseph  H 1250 

Stever,   Charles 1251 

Stevens,  Frank  A 1251 

Stewart,  Harry  E 1251 

J.  Wesley 1252 

Stock,  Wenzel  J.,  Jr 1216 

Stoddard,  Charles  H 1246 

Stoker,  Hiram 1246 

Stone,  Henry  A 1247 

Stuard,  James 1247 

Stubbs,    Joseph    Edward,    D.    D., 

LL.  D 1216 

Sullivan,  Bat 1216 

Daniel  J 1217 

John  J.,  M.  D 1218 

Sutherland,   William 1212 

Sweeney,  E.    D 1211 

James  G.,  Hon 1210 

Symmes,  Whitman 1 190 


PAGE 
Taber,    Erroll    James    Livingston, 

Hon 1191 

Talbot,  George  Frederick,  Hon 1188 

Tallman,  Clay,  Hon 1 191 

1  hatcher,  George  B.,  Hon 1 190 

Thomas,  William    0 1271 

William   H 1271 

William  R.,  Hon 1272 

Thran,  Richard  1272 

Threlkel,  John  E 1272 

Tobin,  Clement  L 1273 

Tucker,  Robert  W 1273 

Turner,  Delos  Ashley,  M.  D 1270 

Updike,  Daniel  Holliday 1271 

Van  Derwerker,  Jerome  L 1278 

Van  Pelt,  Orris  J 1275 

Voight,  Fred  C 1269 

Walker,  Charles   A 1269 

"        Edgar    H 1276 

Walsh,  J.  Emmett,  Hon 1277 

Weatherss,  William  M 1277 

Wedekind,  George  H 1275 

Wennhold,  Richard 1270 

Werner,   Herman 1270 

West,  Francis  Myron,  M.  D 1261 

Westfall,  Andrew 1265 

White,  Fred  L 1260 

Whitehead,  Stephen  Robert 1263 

Wiley,  Robert  P 1264 

Wilslef,  Thomas 1264 

Wingfield,    George 1265 

Williams,  David    R 1264 

Otto  T 1265 

Warren  W.,  Hon 1262 

William   H 1266 

Winkelmann,  Dedrich 1267 

Winters,  Edgar   E 1267 

Ira   1273 

Witcher,  Arthur  B 1267 

Wittenberg,  Charles  F 1274 

Wittke,  August  Richard,  M.  D 1274 

Woodward,  John  Lewis 1275 

Yerington,  Edward  B 1268 

Henry  Herbert,  M.  D. .  1268 

Henry  Marvin 1255 

James  A.,  Hon 1268 

Ziegler,  John 1261