Diary 64-07: July, 1889 - preliminary transcript

block, Carson, burned this morning -- opposite the Mint -- lot of old wooden buildings

Reno -- Ben Cotton Company The Fourth at Reno

Wednesday July 3

Clear & hot -- 98 -- PM went to Chinatown with Sam & Alf & bought $1 worth of firecrackers for the 4th -- tomorrow -- Evening took Sam & Alf to theater -- Ben Cotton company -- Played "Nana the Waif" -- Very excellent -- 1/2 a house -- Had his daughter Idalene along as leading lady -- Bed 11 --

Thursday July 4

Same -- 98 -- Big celebration -- Fine procession, fire dept, trades, Cars of State, Novel wagon machine -- 1st I ever saw -- Used for hauling logs by the Verdi Lumber Co -- Afterward the "Horribles" paraded -- Town decorated with flags, etc, & full of people -- I put up all our flags on our house porch, & children had lots of fun with firecrackers etc -- Mrs Andrews & daughter Crissy & Mrs Powell dined with us --

The Fourth in Reno -- Waiting for Jones Johnny (Trezona) -- Fire in Reno

Evening good fireworks in public square, front of theater -- McKissecks Opera House -- Evening I went with the children & saw the fireworks for couple of hours -- Bed 11 --

Friday July 5

Same -- More breezy -- 95 -- very dusty -- Took down flags -- Evening down town -- Met Johnny [Trezona] en route for S.F. tonight -- saw him off on Cal train at 9:10 --

Bed 10 --

Saturday July 6

Same -- 90 -- I watch the morning trains for Jones to arrive, but he don't -- Wife weighs 130 lbs -- less than when I married her -- Bed 10 -- Big fire this morning at 1 o'clock -- Corner of 2nd & Sierra sts -- About a dozen old wooden buildings, stores,

Fire in Reno [Sullivan-Kilraine] fight J W Mackay

saloons, [dwellins] and Baptist church burned -- Wife & I at fire -- Bed again at 3 AM --

Sunday July 7

Same -- 85 -- As usual -- Evening wrote letter for the Enterprise -- Bed 2 --

Monday July 8

AM clear, PM cloudy -- 83 -- Sullivan-[Kilraine] fight this AM at Richburg 92 miles above New Orleans -- 75 rounds in 2:18 -- 8 wins -- Much interest taken in this fight here and everywhere -- Evening down town -- met J W Mackay on his way from Va to San F -- Had short talk with him on street -- Bed 10 --

Tuesday July 9

Clear & pleasant -- 85 -- Bed 11

Wednesday July 10

Same -- 82 -- Bed 10 -- My letter, published in yesterday's Enterprise copied into today's Reno Journal --

Interest paid -- Bessie 15 -- Enterprise letter Installed Warden

Thursday July 11

Same -- 86 -- Evening Sam with Banjo, I with fiddle and Charley Stevenson with harmonica had concert on front porch -- Bed 10 -- Wife paid interest on mortgage today -- $8.33 --

Friday July 12

Same -- Neither Jones nor [Trezona] arriving yet I took morning train for Va -- Stopped off at Carson & came up on evening local -- Bowels bad -- Was at Enterprise office awhile -- reading proof etc -- Was up stairs awhile with Campbell, in his parlor playing his Banjo & fiddle -- We had quite a concert -- His wife & family not at home -- Bed at 3 --

Saturday July 13

Same -- cooler -- 80 -- AM washing & cleaning up -- PM about town -- Wrote another letter from Reno for morning's Enterprise -- Attended my Lodge and was duly installed Warden for a second term -- Red proof etc -- Bed at 2:30 -- Bessie 15 yrs old today -- The new Nevada mill shut down from alleged lack of water to run the dynamos -- Found a letter from Millie & Ed in my PO box --

Nevada Mill shuts down Millie and Ed

Sunday July 14

Same -- 80 -- Rose early, shaved, etc & went down & reported Picnic -- Tiresome job -- clear & pleasant 80 -- Campbell gave me his comp. ticket -- Home at 8 PM -- Was at Enterprise office awhile -- Bed 1 -- Not a very sociable sort of a crowd at

Picnic -- I didn't spend a cent -- got two or three drinks, & not a morsel to eat till I returned to Va -- Hungry & tired --

Monday July 15

Clear & pleasant -- Wrote up picnic -- read proof, etc -- Bed at 2 --

Tuesday July 16

Cloudy but very pleasant -- 80[degrees] -- About town -- Evening wrote up this journal from June 27 when I left for Reno -- Had notes of it on my note book, & left this at home -- Bed 3 --

Wednesday July 17

C & P -- 80 -- AM busy at room washing, mending etc -- Bowels bad -- PM about town short time -- Evening wrote up long article for Enterprise, descriptive of a copy of that paper, Jan 1 1859, printed in [Genoa], Carson Valley, Utah Territory" [Jernegan & James] publishers & proprietors -- being the 3d issue of the Enterprise -- weekly -- Vol. 1, No 3 -- Article will be in Friday morning -- Took it to office, read proof for the foreman -- etc -- Bed 2 --

Thursday July 18

Same -- 83 -- About town -- Evening at office & read proof of my ancient Enterprise article -- About a column -- Bed 1 -- Bowels better --

Friday July 19

Same 86 -- As usual -- Bed 1

"Riverside Reflections" Lilly Clay's Big leg Show

Saturday July 20

PM, wrote & sent letter to wife -- Evening at lodge -- wrote another "Riverside Reflections" for morning's Enterprise -- read proof etc -- Bed 1 -- Lilly Clay's Gaiety Co at Opera House -- 14 big legged women in grand leg and variety show -- other performers -- Good house -- couldn't attend --

My 60th Birthday -- Lilly Clay Johnny Noe dead -- Big Leg Show

Sunday July 21, 1889

Clear & pleasant -- 85 -- Johny S Noe, my old photographer friend died at 2 AM, at his home on E st -- Belongs to my Lodge -- Death from continued, long practiced overindulgence in alcoholic drinks -- alcoholism -- a real disease -- Plain case -- I became 60 years of age this day -- celebrated it by being about town some, after 10 AM writing some newspaper items in the PM, and going to the theater in the evening -- "Lilly Clays Collossal Gaiety Company" about 1/3 of a house -- Very good performance indeed -- 14 women -- Scenic 1st part -- "Beauty in Dreamland" etc -- Interlude of acrobats, dances, songs, etc -- Hilton the wonderful contortionist Burlesque "Robinson Crusoe" -- negro act, etc, & concluding with Grand [Ainagonian] march -- Many ladies present -- Most talented troupe of choice shaped

Lilly Clay's Gaiety Company 60 yrs old & poorer than ever -- Weight 196

ladies I ever saw -- They left for Reno & the East by special train at midnight -- Met Jim Garrity & his friend Dempsey, both of the California Pan mill, just off