Diary 75-03: March, 1899 - preliminary transcript

reports the recent break down of the new pumping arrangement at the Con Va mine, C & C shaft, nearly completed & will start the drainage of the Comstock again Monday -- Meanwhile the big water power pressure pipes from the Water Co have been turned loose, flooding the fire section of the old workings, drowning out the fire, completely, which has been burning for the last thirteen years in the old timbered section of the big bonanza above the 1,750 level -- The 20 round prize fight last evening at San F between McCoy and Choyinski was decided in favor of McCoy at end of the 20th round -- on "points" -- Bed 11 --

Sunday March 26

Clear, fine, cold -- Palm Sunday -- churches well attended and blessed palm twigs distributed -- PM wrote & sent page letter to wife -- Bed 11 -- clear, fine & cold -- Harry Diamond, and old painter Brown both were buried in Gold Hill cemetery yesterday, where Sandy McMartin preceded them a few days ago -- Gold Hillers gathering in --

Court Week -- The Suit for Governor -- A Tooter -SF Chronicle -- Comstock Fire Quenched -State Agricultural Society -- Fighting Filipinos -State Printing office Group Picture -- SF Chronicle -My Gold Hill Golden Dream

Monday March 27

Clear, cool & pleasant -- Court week -- In US Dist Court, involving title to Silver Peak property & mines -- 20 or 30 witnesses et al been here for

a week -- other cases also -- McMillan vs Sadler for Governor of Nevada in Supreme Court -- McMillan et al present -- Letter from managing editor of SF Chronicle -- no settlement -- simply explanatory, and to address managing editor hereafter -- etc -- Bed 11 --

Tuesday March 28

Cloudy, blustering, cool -- Continued big fighting, conquering the Filipinos -- PM I visited State Printing office, while there the photo artist, Peterson took an interior picture of office & employes, they got me in with the rest -- Evening mail I sent short letter to Managing Editor SF Chronicle -- Bed 11 -- cold -- Last night I dreamed one of the most brilliantly pleasurable dreams of my life -- Gold Hill was in bonanza again better than ever, houses & everything being rebuilt with brick & stone on big scale -- perfect beehive of industry & I all right in it.

Silver Peak Case -- Lew Hanchett -- Sierra Snow Dept -- 1899 Wife & Bessie at Oakland -- Edison's Projectoscope Governor's Case -- L J Hanchett

Wednesday March 29

Variable & cold -- PM a very light snowsquall or so -- the Silver Peak mining case still occupies the US Court -- Met Lew J Hanchett this evening who is connected with it -- He arrived this morning -- my old Austin & Ophir Canyon friend -- Letter from wife -- Says she visited Oakland last week for rest & recreation & Bessie met her there -- Evening at Opera

House -- Traveling country show of sort of stereoptican, kinetoscope or "Edison's Projectoscope" exhibition -- Wonderful pictures -- city fire alarm, bucking broncho rider, Bull fight, Spanish, 2 scenes, 3 rounds of a prize fight, naval & land battles connected with our Spanish war -- Some 30 pictures in all -- 3 miserable tunes on a miserable graphophone -- very slim houses, last night & tonight -- leaves tomorrow -- Really wonderful pictures, animated & moving, exactly like life -- 10 cts, 25 & 35 cents admission -- A scientific wonder its only recommendation -- rather prosey & tedious -- Bed 12 --

Brother Sam -- Old Frank Hall -Widow E W Larne in Carson -Fitzmier & Armbrust's Profits --

Thursday March 30

Clear fine, cold -- Received a very nice four page letter from Brother Sam, dated blank, but postmarked March 25 -- Evidently has not yet received my letter of the 18th & mailed on the 20th but he will very shortly -- a day or two -- PM took a run to south end of town -- Johnny Myers', etc -- Visited my old Carson Pioneer friend, Frank Hall, at his residence -- will be 77 yrs old next month -- April -- Failed rapidly since I saw him last -- 2 yrs ago -- head gone, etc -- One of the earliest settlers of Carson, (or Eagle) Valley -- This PM met Mrs E W Larne on the street -- She recognized & spoke to me first -- Widow of my old time Comstock friend E W Larne, who

lived on the Divide between Va & Gold Hill opposite the Washoe Brewery -- He died a few weeks ago -- She is a simply down on a visit to Mrs Bill Gibson, Mrs Hy Doane & a few other old Comstock friends for a day or two -- Mrs Larne looks about 70 yrs old -- walks with a cane, and complains of lumbago in her kidneys department --

A Silver Peak Libel Suit -- 1899 Old Colony Memorial -- Pilgrim Mining Co -Brother Charlie Coming Again in July --

Friday March 31

Variable, blustering & cold -- snowing all day in the Sierra -- PM I attended libel suit in US Dist Court of Chiatovich vs Hanchett, in connection with Silver Peak -- Chiatovich storekeeper there for last 25 or 30 yrs -- one horse place -- Hanchett working the mines, got much in debt to C -- C levied attachment on a bar of bullion of Hanchett -- H soon settled up on the square -- Then he posted notices to all his employes not to trade or have anything to do with C -- no good man to associate with, etc -- boycotted him -- hence this suit by C for $10,000 damages -- The Jury was charged at 6 PM & after being out for couple of hours, brought in verdict for Chiatovich of $4,700. Bed 12 -- Today I received from wife a copy of Old Colony Memorial March 25 -- In it brother Charlie gives good item of Pilgrim Mining Cos departure, with me from Plymouth, March 18, 1849 -- also about