Diary 61-5: February - preliminary transcript

appreciated & utilized -- It is said that no such innovation has ever been seen in SF within the memory of the present oldest and youngest inhabitants -- Patti the great singer passed east on the train this morning -- Snow all gone in Carson --

Snow Centennial ass't paid "Lassoing Horace Creeley" Big Snows

Saturday Fed 12

AM cloudy, with a light snow fall -- PM occasional sunshine -- Was at Pioneer Hall & about town -- Paid my assessment on centennial, $40.30 -- also paid Exempt dues -- $3 to Jan 1st -- Evening wrote short sketch for the Enterprise -- about my lassoing Horace Greeley -- Took it to office at 11:30 -- Dont think it will get in the paper tonight -- Bed at 3 --

Sunday Feb 13

Morning snowing -- Some sunshine occasionally -- RR -- Before we reached the Mound House a genuine old time snowstorm set in and staid with it right along -- Found about 8 inches of snow at Carson, also nearly as much at Reno -- Folks all well --

The Biggest Snow Trains cut off

Arrived at 12:15 -- Home PM & evening -- Snowing heavily -- Bed at 10 -- very tired -- Up at 2 for an hour of diarrhea -- got chilled through & felt like never get warm again --

Monday Feb 14, 1887

Rose at 6 -- snowing lightly -- About a foot deep on level -- Breakfast -- At 8:45

left on train for Va, it being found that train from California was snowed in at Colfax -- Last evenings west bound train -- blocked at Cisco -- Snow plows working on intervening space -- [hour] off -- Our train had not been heard from for six hours

The Biggest Snow Storm Railroad Demoralized

last night -- We had no snow plow other than the naked plow in front of the locomotive -- About a foot of snow -- Through to Franktown on good time -- Telegram there made us wait over half an hour for a snow plow from Carson to clear the track -- It came through and we made Carson in 20 minutes -- arriving at 11 AM -- Found Senate adjourned till tomorrow -- Assembly, all right -- Went to Chamber & reported there -- Through at 12:15 -- Recess till 1:30 PM -- Afternoon session through at 3:30 --

New Rubbers Depth of Snow, etc 2 ft at Va

At 5:15 I took train for Va -- still snowing lightly -- through on time at 7 -- Went to room short time -- Bought a pair of new rubbers -- $1.75 -- Very slippery in Va -- Depth of snow generally stated at 2 to 3 feet -- Guess its so -- Got my copy all in -- Bed at 3 -- Still snowing lightly --

Tuesday Feb 15

AM snowed well -- 2 [ ] feet snow in Va -- 14 inches in Carson -- said to be nearly or quite 2 ft in Reno -- The California trains are entirely cut off since Friday -- Blockade between Cisco and Colfax -- Having a [ ] of a time with snow

Snow Bound Trains

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plows and caving snow sheds -- the V & T express train left Reno at 2 PM today -- The local down train had to get through first with snow plow to clear the track -- I reported as usual -- Took evening train at 5:15 for Va -- Got in my reports etc -- Bed at 3 -- The big storm broke at 2 PM today & the sun was out some -- PM nearly clear --

Wednesday Feb 16

Variable & cold -- Snow melted considerably in Carson but not much in Va, where blustering winds whirled up drifts -- Went on morning train for Carson -- all right -- Reported as usual -- Home in evening train at 7:30, half an hour behind time -- Gave in my report at office, fully written up -- Was about town some -- at office & read proof -- Bed at 1 -- Starlight & cold with blustering winds -- No train communication with California since last Thursday -- Everything snowed in -- Great trouble in the CP trying to open the road -- lives lost, etc --

CP RR Snow Blockade

Thursday Feb 17

Principally clear & pleasant though not hot -- Morning train for Carson -- reported as usual -- Home on evening train -- Read proof, etc -- Bed at 2:30 -- Telegraph says think snow blockade between Blue Canyon & Colfax will be broken & cars arrived about 5 oclock this evening at Reno -- The delayed passengers & mails since Sunday last will come up from Reno to the Comstock by tomorrow's train to arrive at 10 AM --

Blockade Raised -

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Friday Feb 18

Variable -- chilly -- as usual -- The train from Reno arrived at 10 AM bringing the the delayed passengers mail etc from California -- including three members of the Senate, & some of the Assembly -- Been delayed at Colfax since Sunday -- Snow bound -- John Mackay and Dick Dey were with and among them -- Home on evening train -- wrote up last of my report, read proof at office, and Bed at 2 --

Saturday Feb 19

Variable & cold -- Morning train to Carson -- Reported session as usual -- Got it off on the evening local up train for Va -- Took the down train for Reno, arriving at

Cold, Below Zero Cal train Delayed

8:30 -- At depot awhile -- Home -- all right -- Bed 10:30 --

Sunday Feb 20

Principally clear and cold -- sunshining, but freezing all day 7 deg below zero last night and 9 night before -- Coldest of the Winter -- At noon was at depot, and also at evening, 8 PM -- bed at 10:30 --

Monday Feb 21

Snow storm -- Up at 6 -- The train from Cal did not arrive till evening therefore our train for Va left on time at 7:10 AM -- Commenced snowing before we reached

More Snow RR Collision

Steamboat, & did so all day -- About 6 inches fell at Carson -- Cold raw day --

White snows you make me grow weary falling

Falling still drearily over the lea, Night comes, I long for my dearie, I'll get in the white snow and slide home to she--

Read proof at office of my Carson report, etc -- bed at 5 -- 14 above zero -- The delay of the Cal train was by reason of a collision or something of the sort, of a freight train west bound last night -- Big lot of sheep killed -- about 6 cars --

John McKinney Hank Smith

Met John W McKinney on the train this morning -- Came from Lake Tahoe 2 wks ago via Truckee & went to San Francisco -- got back to Reno day before yesterday & going back to the Lake, by way of Carson -- Old John looked same as ever, only a little older --

Tuesday Feb 22

Clear & pleasant -- cold -- Rose at 11 -- shaved etc -- About town some -- Met Hank Smith, for 1st time in about 10 years -- arrived this morning from the [Quijotow] mines, Arizona of which he is Superintendent -- Is on a business visit -- Evening

"Zitka" Fig Leaves

attended theater -- Play "Zitka" by a travelling troupe -- miserable damfool of a play, miserably performed -- good house -- home -- Made six good "fig leaves" -- Last ones made just before I left Austin, over 2 yrs ago -- 5 of them -- Made these out of heavy toweling -- Bed at 4 -- 20 deg -- It being Washington's Birthday and a legal holiday there was no session of the legislature today -