Diary 60-6: June, 1886 - preliminary transcript

from California -- also 2 small baskets of Reno strawberries for 2 bits and 4 lbs of blackberries from California -- Pickled them all down in jars with the Rex Magnus -- Work as usual -- Bed 3:30 -- Quite a number of flags displayed today in honor of anniversary of Battle of Bunker Hill.

Friday June 18

Same -- Mining day -- Work hard as usual -- Evening Independence celebration meeting at Exempt Firemen halls -- I so busy on Mining report I could not attend either that

J C Currie Suicide

or the Play at Opera House -- The Harry Lacy company in "The Planter's Wife" -- Fine play, good company and good house -- Cohen reported it as usual, and Alf [Charty?] reported Celebration meeting -- In addition to my mining I had to write long account of J C Currie's suicide -- At 9 o'clock this morning J C Currie, old timer, ex Mayor of city -- in action & commission business here for many years -- well known by every body -- shot himself in the right temple, with English bulldog 45 calibre revolver -- died instantly -- Laid himself on bed in room at rear of his store and deliberately let himself out -- Cause -- business troubles, poverty, old age and general dilapitude and discouragement -- Leaves a widow here -- Took about a column to write him

"East Lynne"

up -- Left office at 3 -- Bed 4:30 -- tired -- Harry Lacy Company at Opera House --

Saturday June 19

Same -- Play of "East Lynne" by the Harry Lacy company -- only saw 2 last acts -- Very

good -- Poor house -- The matinee this PM was better attended -- Through in office at 1 -- Bed at 2:30 -- Going to Reno in morning -- [next few lines not decipherable]

I in Reno 89 deg -- Hot! Mrs Hank Blanchard

Sunday June 20

Same -- Hotter -- Rose at 6 & took 7:20 train for Reno -- Delightful ride -- Country looking lovely in the extreme -- Found all right at home -- Evening went out to walk with children short time -- Then to depot & saw trains come in from East & the Comstock -- chatted with one & another & home at 10 -- bed -- thermometer 89 deg --

Monday June 21

Clear & warm -- Rose at 6 -- Breakfast -- Off for Va on 7:10 AM train -- Through on time at 10 -- Trains east, west etc all on time now -- 80 deg in Va -- Met Mrs Hank Blanchard on train -- In from Bodie on visit to friends in Carson, & on the Comstock -- Work as usual -- Bed at 3 -- Wrote letter to wife this PM, & also one to L P McCarty,

Wife JF Ryder LP McCarty Sent for Catheters HP Wakelee another Banjo

SF, "Statistician," also one with $1 to J F Ryder, publisher, 239 Superior st Cleveland Ohio for 4 copies of the "Sweet Singer of Michigan," also one to H P Wakelee & Co SF druggists etc, for 2 doz No 4 flexible catheters "best English" -- Enclosed $3.50 to pay for them -- Returned 5 inferior ones which wouldnt pass water through them except in drops --

Tuesday June 22

Same -- 82 deg -- As usual -- PM I bought another banjo of Friedman for seven dollars --

It is the same size as Bessie's -- 11 inch drum & 18 inch finger board -- with inlaid

Another Banjo Mrs Dods Suicide Inquest

[frets?] -- It has 16 brackets -- hers has 10 -- and the nickel plated hoop is wood lined which hers is not -- I worked at tuning up, read awhile -- Bed at 4 --

Wednesday June 23

Same -- Mrs Henry Dods took strychnine this evening & died shortly -- Dods engineer at Ophir works -- She 28 yrs old -- They have little boy 3 yrs old -- Dont know cause of the suicide -- Bed 4 --

Thursday June 24

Same -- Inquest in Mrs Dods this PM -- He testified that she had chastized their little boy more severely than he liked and they had a little spat over it -- He went out to work in the garden -- came in to supper & found it cold on the table -- He put on

Catheters Mikado Masquerade

his hat & coat & went down town, & soon after heard she had poisoned herself -- ran home & found her dead -- Jury verdict in accordance -- I received 1 1/2 dozen best English catheters No 4 from H P Wakelee SF today -- flexible of course -- Evening was up to Opera House awhile to Juvenile Mikado Masquerade, given by Prof Harry J Gosse -- They preformed 1st act of "The Mikado" on the stage, giving all the original dialogue, music etc, Big audience -- Then they had grand march, and more maskers joined in, and finally spectators, helped to fill floor -- Big ball till late -- Bed at 3:30--

More cherries preserved In Reno Long walk with my Children

Friday June 25

Same -- Mining day -- Bed 3:30 --

Saturday June 26

Same -- a little cooler -- pickled 2 quart jars of cherries today $1 worth -- in Rex Magnus -- Bed 3 --

Sunday June 27

Same -- Rose at 6 -- took 7:20 train for Reno -- Found all right there -- After dinner I took all my children out to walk -- Went out as far as the town reservoir over half a mile beyond the Bishops school, north -- fully a mile & 1/2 from home -- Long walk for all of us -- Evening Ruel Waggoner and Millie came -- She is working at Lindsay's

Ruel Waggoner and Millie I00F dues paid Also room rent

and he is her beau -- Almost engaged to be married -- Wife & I had a long and square talk with Ruel on the question in Millie's presence -- She has been running with him every evening and too much, so that it should be put a stop to for fear of scandal -- He promised not to see her quite so hard -- Then he saw her home to Lindsay's -- Bed at 11 --

Monday June 27

Clear & very pleasant -- Just warm enough -- Rose at 6 -- left on 7:10 express train for Va - Through on time at 10 AM -- As usual -- Bed at 3:30 -- Paid my quarterly dues today to Secy Mt Davidson Lodge I.0.0.F. $3.75 -- Also paid my room rent $8 --

[???] Banjos [???] Another Crown Point Smash

Tuesday June 29

Same -- Settled my banjo business with Friedman returning the two extra banjos I have had on trial for about a week trying to select between -- Have now got 2 really good banjos. Both 18 inch neck -- and 11 inch head -- Wooden lined hoop [te dooden doo?] -- Bed at 3 --

Wednesday June 30

Same -- At noon rode on bus to Gold Hill -- Visited some of my old business friends in town a short time -- Went to Crown Point works -- Crank of the single hoist "north engine" broke about 2 PM -- caused the cylinder head to fly out into numerous pieces -- Luckily nobody hurt -- The cable also went down shaft to 1,100 -- Very little

Work for the Johns boys Big fruit jars I.0.0.F. dues paid

damage done beyond what is written here -- I went down to GH today to see the foreman in the C Point Jimmy Livingston, about getting the Johns boys work -- Tom goes on tomorrow -- Harry will after a while -- Got three big gallon glass jars to put up fruit in on the Rex Magnus proposition -- Bed at 4 -- Paid my Odd Fellows dues today for the past quarter -- $3.75 -- Mount Davidson Lodge No 3 -- Good enough --

Carson 4th celebration LP McCarty 1886

Thursday July 1, 1886

Clear, temperate & pleasant -- as usual -- Worked late in office after paper went to press -- Bed 4 --