Diary 60-7: July, 1886 - preliminary transcript

Friday July 2

Same -- Mining Day and a long hard work day -- Worked in office till 2 -- Bed at 4 --

Saturday July 3

Same -- cooler & blustering -- Grand celebration in Carson of Independence Day today, as the 4th comes on Sunday -- The artillery and Nationals went down also quite a number of citizens -- probalbly 250 or 300 -- 3 passenger coaches and 3 flats -- Here in this city getting ready to celebrate -- flags and decorations going up -- Big celebrations at Steamboat Springs tomorrow -- I think I shall go -- Wrote letter to LP McCarty SF today, also to wife, enclosing pass so she can come, to Steamboat and meet me if

Pac Coast Association Reno

she likes -- McCarty's letter was relative to eating, arrangments of the Pacific Coast Press Association at the hotels or restaurants on the 24th when they will come -- Worked very busily today till 2 o'clock -- left office at 2:30 -- Home -- fixed up, shaved and got ready for trip to Steamboat celebration and Reno tomorrow -- Didn't go to bed at all -- lest I shouldn't be up in the morning on time --

Sunday July 4

Cool, and rather pleasent -- Left at 7:30 for Reno -- Hitched on behind the big excursion to Steamboat for Independence celebration -- Pulled out with 4 passenger

off for Reno Steamboat celebration Shoulder hurt again

coaches and 6 flats at 7:35 -- Through all right to Carson -- There I got

onto one of the flats of the excursion train, leaving the "local" car I had down in, & went through Steamboat -- In juming off down between two flat cars I nearly threw both of my shoulders out of joint, like my right was just one year ago -- Hurt me severely but will come out all right -- The excursion and the picnic were fine & all satisfactory to all who liked and cared for it -- I didn't and came through on the "local" train to Reno, being in Steamboat, about every 1/2 an hour -- Nothing there except some good shade, a nice little stream of water, the baths

Virginia Independence Celebration

etc, and plenty of change to spend money for whisky -- Found Alfie and Goodie broken out with the chicken pox, but all right -- Bed at 9 -- Wife & Bessie & Sam took walk after dinner --

Monday July 6

Clear, cool, and pleasent -- very fine day -- Wife and I left on the 7:10 AM train for Va -- Had extra car -- Reno Guard on board -- Also big crowd of citizens etc, going up to VA celebration of Independence Day -- At Carson big lot more got aboard, also the Carson Juvenile military Co of little boys, with dummy muskets -- Got through to Va at 10:30 half an hour behind -- 5 passneger cars -- The

Reno Va Independence Day Wife in Va

military mer us and escorted the Reno Guard and the Carson youths up -- Wife and I went to my room, & at 11 AM saw the procession pass down C street -- also when it returned up B st, and out to the Divide & came back down C st to Od Fellows Building &

was reviewed by the Governor & dispersed -- Exercises in National Guard Hall followed -- & I had to desert wife & be there -- In fact after the exercises were concluded I had to be at office for awhile & at 5:25 had to see her off on the train for home --

Charley Reeds Minstrels

Charley Reed's Minstrels this evening -- Choen reported it -- good house, & also matinee this PM -- Evening & night pass ed off well -- but very few rows -- Hard day and nights work -- Left office at 3 -- Bed 4:50 --

Tuesday July 6

Same -- Rose at 11 -- Cooked & eat at home today over my coal oil stove -- Made a nice stew of pork, beef, green peppers, tomatoes, etc -- Was at Opera House short time seeing Reed's Minstrels -- Bed at 2:30 -- Second & last night of Minstrels Matinee Monday $318 -- Evening $412 -- Fred Burke, proprietor of the Arcade saloon,

Fred Burke's leg broken I Vice President Sweet Singer of Michigan out of print

got his left leg broken, both bones, about 4 inches above the ankle while engaged in a friendly scuffle with another man -- Received a letter yesterday from J F Ryder, Cleveland Ohio, returning my $1 greenback because the "Sweet Singer of Michigan" is out of print --

Wednesday July 7

Same -- Evening attended annual meeting of the Society of Pacific Coast Pioneers -- Was elected as one of the Vice Presidents -- Bed 2:30 -- Shoulder getting all right -- Hurts me but little & in a week more wont hurt any --

J W Mackay Arrives Banjo Instructers

Thursday July 8

Same -- warmer -- John " Mackay, and W S Hobart arrived this morning -- Received 2 banjo instruction books today sent for by Boegle to M Gray music dealer, San Francisco for me -- cost $1 each -- Bed 3:30 --

Friday July 9

Same -- Work as usual -- on mining day -- John Mackay & Hobart left for Cal this evening -- Bed, at 3 -- I bought a box of apricots, about 12 lbs for $1, also 4 lbs gooseberries $50 cents -- Pickled down one of the [???] jars full -- all of a gallon -- also pickled & packed the best of the gooseberries -- about half of them -- guess I got about 10 lbs of the apricots -- Am little afraid these wont be a

Apricots and Gooseberries pickled Hot Centennial Asst Paid Bessie's Banjo

success -- Am not afriad of the cherries etc -- Bed at 3 --

Saturday July 10

Same -- Hotter -- 86 deg -- Paid present assesment of 2 cts per share on Centennial today to Secy Flannigham, amounting to $40.30 -- Met Charley C Thomas Supt of Sutro Tunnel & he gave me $5 to give to the Pacific Coast Pioneers as a donation to treasury to help along -- I worked at fixing up Bessie's banjo in 1st class style, new pegs etc -- Also wrote in her banjo book, on the fly leaf "Bessie Tahoe Doten -- (With a Banjo) from her father, Alf Doten, On her Twelfth Birthday July 13, 1886, Reno Nevada" Wrote letter to "DC Gibson Indian Agent, Pyramid Reservation,

Bessie's Banjo WDC Gibson Off for Reno Heavy Pack

bespeaking for Millie the place heretofore occupied by Amanda [Ayer?], as assistant matron, in case is vacancy through Amanda's marriage which takes place on the 21st -- Through in office at 2 -- Home -- wrote the Gibson letter etc -- shaved -- got things ready to go to Reno -- Didn't go to bed at all --

Sunday July 11

Clear & infernal hot -- Left on 7:20 AM train for Reno -- Had heavy bundle in shawl strap -- box of apricots, papers, dirty clothes -- Bessie's banjo etc weighing in all 23 pounds -- Made me sweat profusely carrying from depot to home -- Found all right and made Bessie the happiest little girl in the world -- Kept quiet as possible at

100 deg in Reno Bessie & her banjo Very Hot! Bessies Magic

home all the PM for thermometer stood at 100 in the shade -- breezed up at sunset & wife & I the young ones took short walk along street to Mrs [Egar's?] house where they lived when I got back from Austin -- It took fire & burned down at 3 oclock on Thursday morning unoccupied except by Mrs [Egar?] who slept in a back bedroom formerly occupied by my mother-in-law -- Insured for $800, all it was worth -- Evening we had Bessie's banjo & songs on front porch, I playing it -- Open air concert -- After that, Bessie, with Sam for confederate gave us a regular parlor show magician, slight of hand performance -- Did several tricks very neatly, winding

Bessie's Magic Rain My Big old Bango