06. Harry's Letters, May 28 - July 30, 1865

[printed letterhead OFFICE OF THE STATE CONTROLLER, Carson, Nevada,] May 28th 1865.

Dear Nellie:-

You will see by the date of this that I am already in my new home in "Silverland." My last letter to you was written on the day that I left San Francisco to come here. I got here one day of the week before last after a tedious journey, the last twenty four hours of which I passed on the outside of of a stage coach. This place is the State Capital. The Governor and the other State Officers live here -- I cultivate the Controllers as you will observe by the printed heading. He is one of my earliest Californian friends. His name is Nightingill -- not gale -- and is one of the Printers of this State. I lend him character by sleeping with him. This is Sunday and we have just come from Church. The preacher effulged a sermon from a text found in the book of Job. He entertained us with a brief biography of that native of the Land of Uz; and set first a description of his trials and

misfortunes. Job was sorely tried no doubt and experienced remarkable fortitude and patient resignation under his many trials. But he escaped one list of patience. He was not submitted to the vexations of an editor in a new country. He never had to cudgel his brains six days of every week to give enlightenment to an unappreciative people.

The name of my paper is the "Carson Daily Appeal." It was named out of compliment to me, by the publishers, after the Marysville Appeal, a paper which I started in 1860 and left just before going home that year. I send you a copy. You see that it of the "seven by nine" order of sheets. But it is big enough for all the requirements of this new settlement in the desert. I seem destined to identification with new states. Perhaps I am helping the Star of Empire in its westward course. It is some little gratification to take part in the erection of new members of the Grand Old Union.

This place is situated just at the foot of the Eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada.

It probably numbers two thousand in population mainly from California. This is a strange part of the world. A vast portion of the state is a desert of bare, bleak plains and mountains. The latter are wonderfully rich in silver and copper. Gold is not found in much abundance here. There are no very extensive mines in the immediate vicinity of Carson. The silver diggings are about Virginia City, the principle place of business in the state, 15 miles hence. I have not been there yet.

Carson is situated in a pleasant little valley -- barren and treeless, [illegible], surrounded by high barren hills on the summits of some of which large patches of snow are still to be seen. By looking out of the window before me I see "Job's Peak" a lofty, "cloud kissing" mountain, white with eternal snows. This is a picturesque region. Carson itself stands at an elevation of some 5000 feet above the level of the sea. The climate is generally pleasant and healthful the only objection that I have experienced being the high winds which too frequently blow

through the mountain gaps.

Almost 12 miles from here is Lake Tahoe or Lake Bigler as it used to be called. I don't believe that the Lake of Como that Claud Melnotte rhapsodized so enthusiastically is half as beautiful as this sheet of water. It is completely surrounded by high, snow capped mountains at the foot of which it rests in undisturbed solitude. I never saw anything approaching its beauty and the grandeur of the scene of which it forms a part as presented to the excitation from the summit of the mountains on the California side. I thought of you and wished you were with me to enjoy it, when the stage brought us in view of the magnificent panorama. I know you would enjoy a journey thro' these mountain scenes. How would you to like to make Carson a temporary dwelling place? I wish you were here Nellie. I could feel contented if you were here; as it is, I am all the time longing to be back in Maine.

The steamer from Panama has arrived in San Francisco. I am expecting a letter from you by tonights mail.

God bless you darling. Remember me kindly to your brothers and to Emma and Hattie. I shall write a letter to Lue tonight. Tell "Gussy" that I send her my love. Write to me and direct your letter to "Carson State of Nevada."

Yours affectionately

Henry R. Mighels

By Steamer

[postmark:] Carson NV May 29

[stamp removed]

Miss Nellie L. Verrill

Norway Village

Maine

[in pencil: May 28 1865]

[perpindicular, left side of envelope with flourishes:] Frm Capt Henry

Carson

Nevada