[Albert S. Evans, White Pine Notes, Alta California, March 2, 1869]

 

WHITE PINE NOTES.

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[SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE ALTA.]

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ELKO, February 26th, 1869.

            Editors Alta:  Arrived yesterday afternoon and found things lively. Was courteously invited to sit on a Coroner's jury and to attend to a preliminary examination on a charge of murder the first evening; drinks thrown in. Declined, on the ground that I had retired from public life for the time being. Weather very fine during day; nights fearfully cold. Town crowded with people bound for White Pine. About fifty people came up on our train, with eyes bent White Pinewards; a number of them were women of undoubted character. There are now two regular daily stage lines running from here to Hamilton, viz.: Wines & Shaw's and Hughes & Middleton's. Fare by each, $50; time thirty to thirty-three hours; roads badly cut up and likely to get worse on the first thaw. The seats in both stages are all booked in advance until this day week. There are also a number of irregular lines which make slower time and carry for $40. Seats all engaged in advance. Roads lined with freight left by teams overloaded. Railroad Company not carrying a pound of freight through from Sacramento to this point, save what is sent by the two express companies, and they are only allowed to run through one car by each train. Saw a man just now who had been up the road towards White Pine as far as Jacob's Wells, and backed out; said he had got enough of that hot country, and would not have gone on to Hamilton for the Eberhardt. He goes back to San Francisco to-day.

            Wells, Fargo & Co. are starting a separate stage line to Hamilton, and will have it running in a few days — say a week to two weeks. The other two lines will probably then combine, and, carrying the Pacific Union Express Company matter, run a vigorous opposition.

            Parties in from White Pine say last Sunday was one of the coldest days of the season, and snowdrifts not decreasing in size. Would report caution to wealth-seekers against rushing out here now, if it would do any good; but as I know it won't, I won't.

            J. D. Treat & Co. are erecting a fine large building alongside the railroad track, in which the ticket office of the Railroad Company, Wells, Fargo & Co. and Pacific Union Express Company offices will be located, with an extensive dining-room, barber shop, etc, and beds for 100 persons. It will be done next week. The lumber was brought from Truckee, as a special favor to the unaccommodated public. Lodgings are in lively demand now at $1 per head nightly; meals, $1; drinks, 25 cents: cigars. 3 for $1 and 5 for $1; revolvers, $20 Have not had time to inquire the price of the other necessaries and luxuries of life.

            Elko would now be quite a town if lumber could be obtained for building, but as it is there are but half a dozen frame buildings in the place. The Special Commissioners appointed under resolutions of Congress to examine the railroad, were on this side of the summit yesterday, coming this way. They have a special train and are proceeding slowly, making a very careful examination of the road, and questioning every employé of the Company about the running, etc. They appear to be well satisfied thus far with the road, and will probably report it as A No. 1, first class.

            On Tuesday night last an affray occurred at this place, wherein a party of woodchoppers who had been on a spree came in collision with a night watchman, named John McKinley. One of the choppers, named Charles Stewart, was shot dead, and two others wounded. Both of the wounded men have since disappeared. McKinley was arrested, and Justice Waterman, of Lemoile Valley, last evening commenced holding an inquest on the body of Stewart, at Ben Fisk's saloon. The inquest will be concluded to-day. On Wednesday night there was considerable talk of holding a Lynch Court, and summarily disposing of the case, but cooler counsels prevailed, and the law will now have its course. I have made arrangements to have the result of the examination forwarded to the Alta.

            Having had my ticket bought and seat in the stage secured a week in advance, I am off for White Pine to-morrow, after refusing $30 bonus for my seat. Goodnight!

E.

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Number 2.

ELKO, February 27th. 1869.

            Editors Alta: The Coroner's jury, summoned by Judge Waterman to investigate the circumstances of the death of Charles Stewart, shot, as was alleged, by private watchman McKinney, have just concluded their labors. All the witnesses were for the defence, and no one could swear who did the shooting. The two men who were wounded and yet living were not produced at all. Under these circumstances the jury found that Stewart died from a gunshot wound inflicted by some party to the jury unknown.

            Elko, despite the want of lumber, is growing very fast, and town lots are in demand. Messrs. Ballou, Fitch & Moroney have filed a mining and irrigating ditch claim, and propose to go to work immediately to take the water from the Humboldt River, four miles above this city, bring it directly through the town, and after irrigating the valley for ten miles return the water to the river six miles below. This will bring some thousands of acres of land under cultivation and prove a great benefit to the city.

            Ballou has also taken up extensions of the town on both ends up and down the valley, and is selling quite a number of lots for milling and other purposes. A public sale of these lots is to be held in few days. The extensions are likely, from present appearances, to prove as good as the original location.

            The recent developments on the bed of bituminous shale found near this city show small seams of coal, and it is now certain that the bed will be valuable for fuel, oven if defined veins of good coal are not found. Wood is $10 per cord here now, and not likely to be ever lower, and as the shale burns like tinder, it is cheaper than wood at that price.

            The immense hot springs a mile from town are being utilized already. Ballou & Co. have rented them for a long term of years, and have erected a bathing tent over one of them. People arriving here tired and dirty can now take either a hot bath or steam bath, or tepid bath, and drown their fleas and things beautifully. They have also rented out 14 lots on the springs at $20 per mouth to Chinamen, who do washing in the hot alkaline waters, and save all outlay for soap and fuel, as the water is hot enough already, and the soda takes out every particle of grease from blankets and other goods.

            About fifty persons left here to-day on foot for White Pine. Next week there will be active opposition in the stage line, but as every train brings an increased number of people bound for Silverado, it is doubtful if fares will fall for the present.

            Yours,

E.