Diary 61-1: October, 1886 - preliminary transcript

Catarrh passing down Very Hoarse

Friday Oct 1, 1886

Clear & pleasant -- Mining day & busy as usual -- My catarrhal hay fever I have every September is now passing down my throat to my lungs -- eyes and nose almost well -- Had to wear my eye shades, however, in going my rounds to Chollar, Norcross & other mines -- Am very hoarse in fact can hardly speak -- The worst for years -- The spurt of rain & snow yesterday operates rather beneficially not only on me but everybody else in the catarrh line -- Through in office at 2 -- Home at 3 -- Bed at 5 Was notified by Cohen, Sec'y of the Enterprise Publishing Co this PM that there was going to be a "change" -- that I was to be superseded by Newton S [Roundtree?] of Carson as local of the Enterprise, on Monday -- So I am apparently fired out -- The cuff

I superseded as "local" Yerington Cuff fasteners rec'd Catarrh well 37 year

fasteners I sent last for 2 or 3 wks ago arrived today by mail -- Bed 5 --

Saturday Oct 2

Same -- Eyes about well -- Only used eye shade glasses short time in sunshine today & laid them aside for a year -- Wrote letter of 10 pages this PM & sent it by evening train to H M Yerington, expostulation against my discharge -- Bed at 4 -- Been 37 years on Pacific Coast today -- Landed in San Francisco Oct 2, 1849 -- Never was

Speechlessly Hoarse I Evacuate the Enterprise Office

so hoarse and sick with my disease as today -- Kept my room most of day -- Grand Republican meeting at Opera House tonight, addressed by Stevenson for Governor, and Woodburn for Congress -- Old Jim Townsend reported it -- After I was through in office I picked up my things, sorted scraps, etc -- Emptied drawers etc into a sack -- carried files, chair, sack & everything up to my room -- evacuated the premises, as it were -- At 5 laid down on bed to be waked up at 6 for Reno, but didnt wake.

Buggy ride to Carson Yerington retains me at 1/2 pay

Sunday Oct 3

Same -- Was called at 6 by Billy Brady the Janitor, but was too sick & worn out to get up -- Slept till 9 -- Was down town awhile, and at 11 AM started for Carson by one of Mooney's teams -- 2 horses & buggy -- with George Mooney for driver -- Made it in 1 hour & 40 minutes -- Was about town awhile, & at 3 PM was at railroad office & had long talk about Enterprise -- Must be a change, throughout to run paper "out of the old groove" -- My talk was with Yerington -- Am to be retained in the Enterprise employ, at half pay, $15 a week till Jan 1st -- to report the State Fair -- now running at Reno, & do whatever other outside work is required -- Took the evening

At Reno Sick day State Fair begins

train to Reno -- slept all the way, & got off, at Reno so sleepy that I didnt know where I was -- wife & Millie took me along -- Found everybody all right but myself -- Bed at 10 -- pretty well used up -- Too hoarse to talk -- Much discharge, from nose and throat all night -- Slept bad --

3 Monday Oct 4

Same -- Felt too sick and used up to eat breakfast -- Home all day resting & feeling better -- Ate but little -- was down at the Depot Hotel about 6 PM, when the trains came in -- Good nights sleep. State Fair commenced today --

State Fair Races Pavilion [too-roop?] for Lewis Hirschburg

Tuesday Oct 5

Same -- Rose at 9 feeling much better -- At 11, took bus for the race grounds, about 3 miles out south -- Made the rounds of the sheds, taking look at the fine horses, cattle, pigs etc -- Saw an Indian pony race, two regular mile dash races and a culky race, & rode back to town in carriage -- 4 bit fare -- Wife was out with Mrs Farmer another school teacher visiting the public schools -- as it is a vacation week -- At 5:30 wife & I & 2 boys visited the Fair Pavilion -- Home in about an hour -- Bed at 10 -- This PM my 2 boys & I went up the river about a mile & got some ["Too roop"?] for Lewis Hirschberg --

My New Enterprise arrangement Reporting State Fair Locomotive Ride Jesse Taggart

Wednesday Oct 6

Same -- Left on morning train for Va. At Carson, Yerington made me stop off for consultation with him and Taggart who came down on morning train from Va -- here in Yeringtons office -- The new arrangement relative to my retention of Enterprise at half pay - $15 per week -- was repeated to Taggart -- I gave us each a special pass

4 or permit to ride on locomotives, and at 2:20 PM we left for Va, by a double header freight train, T riding on head engine & I on the second -- Through to Va in two hours & 40 minutes -- after dinner I wrote up the Fair, took copy to Teggart in office, and at 12 was there to read proof -- Made just a column -- Bed at 3 -- His name is Jesse Taggart --

Reporting State Fair Furious Wind Bella Moore Dramatic Co At reno

Thursday Oct 7

Slept till 2 PM -- Staid at my room, jobbing, etc -- Wrote another half column of Reno Fair, took it to office, read proof -- Home at 1 -- Laid on bed & slept couple of hours -- rose much -- trouble with looseness of bowels -- washed, shaved etc, wrote etc -- & didn't go to bed at all -- The Bella Moore Dramatic Co are playing a weeks engagement at Pipers Opera House for 4 nights --

Friday Oct 8

Furiously windy day -- Took train at 8 AM for Reno -- Slept most of the way -- Arrived at 12 N -- Wind blew so furiously that the races had to be postponed -- Many shade trees broken in Reno, and fruit harvested very summarily in the orchards -- Fearful

Big Wind & Dust in Reno State Fair

clouds of dust -- Glad to stay in the house -- Moderated toward evening & wife & I visited the pavilion about 5 PM -- for an hour -- Very tiresome -- Bed at 10 -- Am still pretty hoarse, but improving --

Saturday Oct 9

Stormy AM, Windy, cold & threatening -- The postponed races & races for today made a huge crowd today at race track -- Started in at 9 AM & foght to a finish very lively ending as a snowstorm about sunset -- Awards will be declared this evening at the Pavilion -- prizes & premiums, of all kinds -- after breakfast wife took Bessie & Goodie to Pavilion for an hour or so -- supper -- I left on local train for Va at

Snow Cold Snap

2:10 PM -- At Carson 1 hour & left at 5:15 for Va, & arrived at 7:50 -- Went right straight to room -- made good fire & wrote as fast as possible -- At little before 10 took my report of Fair to Enterprise & gave it to Taggart editor -- Home -- slept awhile till 2 -- waked up & remembered I did not date my Reno matter -- Went right straight to office -- Found I was in time, but nearly the whole of it which would have made a column was left out by pressure of telegraphic & other matter -- Bed at 5 -- Snowed about an inch in Va this PM & evening -- Real freezing cold & windy

Snow -- Leaky roof Snow Plaster Falling in my Room Exempt dues pd

Sunday Oct 10

Stormy -- about an inch of snow on ground this morning -- cloudy & threatening all day [???] at midnight a little snow was falling with a fine prospect for more -- I was about house and down town etc -- Owing to the melting snow, etc & leakage in the roof, the ceiling plaster in my room which water had been dropping for