New York Times- 1860
(excerpted)
From California.
Transactions of the Legislature—Mining Intelligence---Continuation of the Washoe Excitement
Meloy's Station, Thursday, May 3, 1860
The Overland Stage Coach, with regular San Francisco dates to May 3, and telegraphic advices to the 5th arrived here at 3 o'clock this morning.
San Francisco, Friday May 4th
The Senate has a Special Committee on spying out the country east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The design is to inquire into the expediency and practicability of annexing the Washoe gold and silver to the State of California.
The Senate bill, appropriating $60,000 to the company completing the first line of telegraph between California and the Mississippi River, and $40,000 to the company completing the second line by another route between the same points, has been referred to a Select Committee. The indications are that the bill will pass
It is rumored in the Legislature that 50,000 Californians may visit this new mining and agricultural region during the ensuing season, and that it is proper and advisable that Congress extend the borders and Government of this State so as to include and protect them. This plan will be urged upon Congress as preferable to creating the proposed Territory of Nevada.
The amount of capital leaving us for the Washoe region is a prominent reason given for the light shipment East by the last steamer. A passenger train of one hundred mules is soon to commence making regular trips between Nevada and Carson Valley.
The Grass Valley National has news that the owners of the ground known as the Shaft Claim have struck the continuation of the Comstock silver vein, about one-fourth of a mile from the rich mine already operated at Virginia City. At last accounts from the original Comstock lead, the Ophir, the Mexican, and the Central companies were engaged in extracting silver ore of astonishing richness. The Mexican Company had refused to sell any more of their claim, declining an offer of $1,000 per foot. The Ophir claim was held at even higher rates. About $100,000 worth of ore was visible at Ophir, which had already been extracted from the mine. The gulch or canyon for ten miles below Virginia City was being worked for gold, and paying largely.
A correspondent of the Alta California, writing from Virginia City on the 29th closes his letter as follows: "I have seen almost every mineral in the world here, gold silver, lead, copperas, antimony, bismuth, plumbago, &c. Lead and copper I have scene in an almost pure state. Already mines of silver, or at least of silver indication, have been discovered for an extent of country sixty miles in length and perhaps fifteen in width."
December 1, 2000 (again)
SGC: Hammond's office
"Sir, I need to talk about Dr. Hunt."
"Come in, Colonel," Hammond greeted him. "She's been on my mind too. Look at these." Hammond pushed several letters across the desk. "She was so prolific in her writings, it has taken this long to realize there's a conflict."
"Yes, about that," Jack said skimming the notes. "I have realized it too. One set of information says she died in March, 1862. We found letters after then under the cover stones at her house."
"These say the first child died of Rh disease. These say it was a girl. These say it was a boy."
"Yes and Teal'c has found this," Jack pushed the tabloid newspaper from Reno across the desk. "Two graves for the same body…with different dates. I had it checked out. There were two bodies. Therefore, I had the DNA verified. It's her, both of them."
"The Nox say it is possible."
"I know. And now I know how it could have happened. You see sir," Jack launched into a description of his activities to reach Dr. Hunt. "We saw her from a distance just before we reset. I know you don't think we are stuck in a time loop. Just humor me. Sir, I'm asking you for the files I wasn't allowed to see before I try again. It's a matter of life and death."
Teal'c showed up at that moment. "Have you apprised General Hammond, O'Neill?"
"I have. What do you say, General?"
"He's serious? You both went back to 1860 and saw Dr. Hunt."
"Indeed."
"We are going to keep trying, sir. I think you should tell us all of it."
"I think I'm going to have Dr. Mackenzie talk to you."
Jack shrugged. Teal'c nodded. Teal'c hit the gas release remote even as he handed O'Neill his gas mask."
"It is done, O'Neill."
"Thanks, T. I wasn't going to sit through another shrink session. Just didn't want to bark like a chicken cluck like a dog while I explain why I hate my mother." Jack frowned. "They just expect you to say that."
"I believe we can start with the files on Level 16."
"You go ahead. I have a feeling it is closer if he was reading her file."
Teal'c agreed. "I have sealed all the entrances including the secret ones."
"Good thinking, pal." Jack sniffed. "We should hurry. This is going to get ripe pretty soon." He indicated the dead bodies.
"Indeed." Teal'c slung General Hammond over his shoulder to dump him in the Gate Room. Jack shut the door.
-----------------------------------
New York Times
June 2, 1860
FROM THE PACIFIC.; ARRIVAL OF THE OVERLAND EXPRESS, A Fearful Indian Massacre--The Savages Threaten to Drive the Whites from the Washoe Region
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New York Times
June 8, 1860
FROM CALIFORNIA.; The Indian War in Carson Valley--Seventy-five Men Killed near Pyramid Lake--Great Excitement--Gen. Clark Sends 150 United States Troops to Protect the Emigrant Routs--Gov. Downey Sends Arms and Ammunition--
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New York Times
June 13, 1860
From California.
The Washoe War—Battle of Pyramid Lake—
Causes of the Outbreak---Exaggerations
and Panics—Succinct Statement of the
Whole Affair—Gossip about Town, &c.
From our own Correspondent.
San Francisco, Monday May 21, 1860
One week ago to-day the town, and the whole State indeed, was discussing the Washoe War. Ever since the first announcement of it, the telegraph and the mail have been "throwing off" from the numbers of the dead and wounded, and reducing the causes for excitement. Out of the volumes of dispatches and the bushels of correspondence from the Carson Valley, I will essay a brief, compact story of the origin and progress of the "war," down to the latest dates, with its exuberant exaggerations headed back as far as the last dispatches justify.
On Tuesday morning, May 8, James Williams, who had been away all night, returned to his home at "Williams' Station." Some thirty-five miles east of the Washoe silver region , and found his two brothers and another man murdered, and their house burned. Instantly he started westward, to give the alarm. When seven miles on his way he found one of the riders of the Pony Express, told him the news, with such embellishments as his fears suggested, and engaged him to ride into Virginia City with it. Out of the fact that the same Pony Expressman who rode the pony out from Carson City on Sunday Eastward, brought back the report of the massacre, grew the false announcement that the pony had been turned back, and the general impression that Pony Expresses hereafter were not to be trusted. That was all a mistake. The pony has not been molested. By the time the rider had got to Virginia City, the massacre was the work of 500 Indians, the whole territory was crawling with hostile tribes, and seven men and nobody knew how many women had been buthchered! There are eight or ten thousand able bodied white men in Washoe, but they were a mere handful to the painted warriors who were coming to clean out the Valley. The rider had alarmed the county. Everyone packed up and trudged into Virginia City. At that place, within an hour after the rider had gasped out his story, a small company of avengers had started to pursue the murderers of the Williamses. At Carson Valley, whither the telegraph flashed the rumor instantly, a man caught up a big dinner bell and went clanging it about the streets calling the people to that sovereign cure—a public meeting. Many brave fellows made stirring speeches, and, satisfied that they had done their duty retired.
Next day, the first company that reached the scene of the outrage was one that left Carson City, under command of Major Ormsby. They found that but three persons had been killed. The instrument used evidently was an axe. The powder, liquor, guns and stock on the premises were left untouched, and nothing but the money was gone. This fact staggered some in their belief that the Indians had anything to do with it. However, they argued that the Pah-Utes and the Washoes, who alone roam over these wilds, are friendly with the whites, but at such deadly enmity with the Shoshones, Pitts, and Pannacks of the north, that the latter dare not venture so far south. Morever a rumor got abroad that on the night of the murders a desperate fellow and gambler was at the Williamses and was a sore loser committed the foul deed, leaving it to the inevitable charge that the Indians did it.
The majority, however, adhered to their first impressions, turned northward, soon joined the other companies, making 106 men in all, crossed the Truckee River, and on Saturday, May 12, were within 4 miles of Pyramid Lake, having seen very little "sign" of Indians on the march. Finally, some scouts spotted two Indians and gave chase, but soon found themselves chased back by a more formidable band than they looked for. This brought the whites to a stand just as they had entered a deep valley, and soon there stood revealed on a sandy ridge, a mile ahead, 150 mounted Indians. The whites charged through sand fetlock deep, and with animals a good deal blown gained the ridge. From this point they could see clearly that they must avail themselves of the cover of some timber on the river bank, and at once attempted to reach it.
Before a white man had been wounded, however, a company, reported to be 300-400 strong, of Pitts, on foot, were seen making up from the river to attack them in the rear. The Whites were panic-stricken, and utterly uncontrollable. There was but one order they would obey—retreat. The Indians had completely surrounded the party, and their rifle balls had wounded several. The fight lasted for fifteen minutes, when there appearing to be an opening up the river, and effort was made to retreat. Major Ormsby broke through the Indians with the Major receiving several wounds did keep his saddle for three or four miles before he was killed. As of May 5, 39 have been recovered alive, 20 were reported dead, 3 were last seen wounded, and 43 are still missing unaccounted for.
The news reached Virginia City on Sunday that more Indians were coming. Of course all Washoe was in a panic. An unfinished warehouse was fortified for the women and children. At midnight of Tuesday, the report came in that 500 Indians were about to attack the city. Everybody was astir. In the morning, it was found that the rumored savages were nothing more than some frolicksome donkeys.
The Territorial Enterprise professes to know that when the Government tendered presents to the Pah-Utes last year, 178 blankets were all that were required for those under the Young Winnemucca, whose headquarters are at Pyramid Lake, and that Old Winnemucca, whose range is from Smoke Creek to the Humbolt River cannot muster over 200 men; that the the Pah-Utes under these two chiefs roam the region between the Humbolt River and the Colorado, never molested the whites: so that all this terrible Pah-Utedom is not over 300-400 strong!
Wednesday Evening, June 20, 1860
The Ponderosa
"Why did you really ask me to see these things, Ben?" Colonel Metcalf asked after Michelle left.
"Since you and I have a friendly understanding, I figured you would be the best person to find out where to send these things quietly or…" They looked at each other with understanding passing between them. The old colonel nodded to Ben.
"Ben, it is obvious to me that these are not Army issue. While they do belong to the government, I don't think there are adequate facilities to store these items anywhere in either Ft. Churchill or Ft. Dayton. Now it's matter of due diligence."
"Yes, I see. I did make the problem," Ben said thoughtfully.
"Colonel Metcalf," Adam spoke respectfully, "Since no one knows but us," Adam suggested. "There is no reason anyone would look here."
"Do you have a very secure place to store them?"
"Yes, yes we do."
"Since the war broke out this spring with the Paiute Indians up around Pyramid Lake, Ben aren't you are an officer in the Territorial Militia?"
"I am the captain of the Company A Nevada Volunteers." Ben said proudly.
The Pyramid Lake War of 1860 featured two major battles. The first battle saw the Paiute Indians rout a collection of volunteers from Virginia City and Carson City, while the second engagement saw a unit of Regular Army troops defeat the Indians. Many short-lived military posts stemmed from the Pyramid Lake War, including Fort Haven on the Truckee River and Fort Churchill on the Carson River. These posts served to protect settlers, mail routes and telegraph lines from Indian raids. The first officially recognized local militia unit in the territory was Company A, Nevada Volunteers (Union Blues), organized at Virginia City four years prior to statehood. Later, the Volunteers expanded to protect the silver mines from a group of Confederate sympathizers who attempted to hold certain key properties of the lode.
"Good, then I am officially charging you with the safekeeping of these items until a determination can be made. I'll write you out the orders to make it official." Colonel Metcalf rubbed his chin.
"Thank you very much, Colonel." Ben sighed a sigh of relief. That was exactly what he wanted. My shrewd silver fox of a father-in-law was as smooth an operator as ever lived. He just covered my ass… CYA …Victorian style.
Coming down the stairs, Hoss joined the group. They told him the solution devised. Drawing a deep breath, Hoss said firmly, "She thinks she did the right thing, keeping her word not to talk about her work." Hoss waited for the Colonel to react more favorably. In his quiet voice, Hoss added to defend his wife, "Sir, ain't no one wrong when they try to do the right thing. That's what Pa taught us, anyways."
"Very well, I leave the matter to you, sir," Colonel Metcalf agreed more mollified. Hoss poured another drink in Metcalf's glass very solicitously. "As you say, she is trying to do the right thing."
"Thank you, sir; she's a good woman, pure good." Hoss poured himself a stiff drink too.
"She is a formidable woman, young man. Does she listen to you?"
"Sometimes," Hoss sighed with a twinkle in his eyes. "Mostly it's like trying to bronco bust a tornado. That's a fact." All the other men chuckled and agreed among themselves that women live to try the patience of men. With that, Metcalf went to bed, leaving the others to talk. Pops was pissed he didn't know all this or see the machines before. He felt I had disrespected the family honor and his personally.
"Pa, she disclosed to me. On our honeymoon, she told me straight out about her things. Only," he paused remembering. "Only, I overreacted and told her to put them away. I said somebody would kill her for them for sure."
"Then there's no problem disclosing now," Papa thundered.
"No sir, it's different now." He studied his glass.
"How?" Adam asked casually. "She showed you things. She showed us some things tonight. Why not the rest?"
"Because you agreed to leave it alone and didn't." Hoss was uncomfortable…still he defended me. "She didn't want that Colonel to know the extent of what she has."
"And she told you?"
"Some, enough to know you don't want to let outsiders know. She is so goldarn angry with you Pa for bringing the colonel she could just spit."
"She'll get over it. What does she have, son?"
"Pa I respect you. I surely do. I know you're my pa and you are right most of the time. This time, I'm sorry you ain't, not by a wide mile."
"Hoss…"
"Pa, I realize you think it's something bad that can hurt the Ponderosa… We're moving out this week as soon as I can get a bed and some things set up over to Rocky Tail Ridge."
"The house is not finished," Adam said with concern. "It won't be finished for another year."
"Mebbe not, Adam, but I'll take care of her. She won't be your problem no more, Pa." Hoss got up. "I thank you for having us this long. I'm sorry for all the fuss we caused. It's best we move so this isn't on your heads."
"Wait, Hoss…" Papa understood Hoss meant it. "You can't be serious. That place is in no condition for her."
"Pa, I'll buy another house if it's too hard for her. I'm a grown man with a wife who trusts me. Don't worry, I'll be here to work several days a week. Right now I have to help her settle."
"Hoss, we didn't mean to be unkind to her," LJ said with remorse. "Honest."
"You did fine, Little Brother. Don't worry none. She ain't mad at you."
"Hoss, don't go like this. Sleep on it." Papa pleaded.
"Pa, you don't like her. You don't trust her, ner you neither Adam. Why would you want her around anymore if I can take her away?"
"I'm asking you not to go like this, Hoss. I'm asking for her sake too. Okay, maybe I should have tried to talk to her more, but the things she says are so unbelievable. Anyway, what is the big deal? Those things are interesting picture machines but they have no real application. They are just toys, except for the weapons."
"No, Pa," Adam corrected. "They are anything but toys. They are more serious devices than anything imaginable. That's why you can't move out like this, Hoss. You have no place to keep them secure except here. It would be too easy to rob the construction up there."
"You maybe right," Hoss conceded. "Sure my wife is different, strange in most ways. You don't like the way she is. So what if she has a bunch of chickens in some silver mines. It makes her happy. She's got a whole mine full of milk cows too. So what? She is feeding the whole town with them. There weren't no food until she brought in food."
"She made money at it too, don't forget." Adam chided.
"And you know what she did with the money Big Brother? Huh?" Hoss got mad. "She made a hospital and give it to Virginia City."
"What!"
"Yes sir, Pa, gave it. It's called Cartwright Memorial Hospital. It's just four empty buildings on B Street right now and some equipment. She was going to tell you but first you told her you invited the colonel." Hoss shook his head. "She was fired up more than greased lightening." Hoss had his chin jutted out and his eyes narrowed at Adam. "So Adam, still think she's thieving them machines? Crazy is she? Come on, say it again like you been doing. I'll knock you clean to the next county."
"I'm sorry, Hoss. I shouldn't have said any of it."
"Huh," Hoss grunted.
"We were trying to protect her. Hoss, you should know there's plenty of talk about her in town. She has to ease up a bit," Papa told him.
"The women have their noses bent out of shape," Adam told him. "Laura Dayton told me it's real bad."
"I don't give two nickels for those women. They flap their gums; but they don't do nothing. There ain't fifty of them worth one of her." Hoss was pissed now. "You'd know that but you ain't never tried talking to her."
"You're right," Adam conceded. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize she took it so hard."
"Aw she don't. She keeps making excuses for you. Says you just want to protect me. Every dadburn excuse you can think and more. She told me from the beginning to take you to the lawyers to get satisfied."
"Why didn't you?"
"Like Pa taught us, when you love someone you got to trust them absolutely," Hoss growled. "So I done trusted her. And look what happened. She made so much dadburn money in them mines and with them chickens that she did some good. She done other things, but what's the use telling you?"
"What other things?" Papa asked with more humility. "Tell us son."
"We're listening, Hoss. This time we just want to know."
"She got disgusted with how folks reacted after the mine collapses early last spring. You know how so many families lost their men. Kids run around hungry."
"Yes, that's why Babcock got Philipp Deidesheimer up here for the Ophir Mine. He and I came up with the square set timbering to honeycomb the mines and support the load where mining removed the ore. The loads were so great even heavy steel beams would bend like toothpicks left on their own."
"I remember you and him working night and day," LJ said.
"The idea was to construct a framework of interlocking timbers, square sets, which could be extended vertically, and horizontally to fill in and stabilize the openings produced by mining. They look like square beam cages. In a few months an underground room 65 feet wide was totally supported by this new system."
"Babcock fought her over getting that engineer, Adam. It was her idea. In the end he had to since, she owns half the mine. Then, she tried to tell them other mine owners but they scoffed at a woman. Well, their mines collapsed. She bought them up too. Now they got them timbers."
"She owns half the Ophir Mine?"
"Fifty-two percent," Hoss said. The others whistled. "When it was filling up with water, she bought out the little holdings for pennies. Before they knew what happened, she owned more than half. She owns the 1400 feet next to it all herself. They done found even more silver there." Hoss guffawed. "Ain't she a caution?"
"You knew all that?" Ben asked surprised.
"At prices today, just the 1400 feet at $1000 a foot would be $1,400,000!" Adam stood up startled. "And half of the Ophir's 1400 feet! That's $700,000 more! Pa are you listening?"
"She tells me everything, Pa, leastways the big stuff. If I want to know more I ask her." Hoss said with some annoyance.
"You didn't know about the chickens," Little Joe interrupted.
"She tells me so much I stopped listening, too many details. After the chickens, I learnt to stop doing that."
"Who cares about the chickens," Adam said excitedly. "She's got silver mines! Hoss, you're rich!"
"I knowed that. We got more than that, too. So I figure if she wants chickens and milk cows and wants to put them on top of the Bucket of Blood, why not? She can put them any dadburn place makes her happy. Because that's all I want, her to be happy. She ain't happy with you Pa."
Papa crossed his arms over his chest in that thinking pose he gets when he has to listen to one of Hoss' explanations that go on forever.
"As for them women in town, my wife said that box socials are fine for itty bitty do-gooding. She said that it takes real money to make things happen. She don't deal in itty bitty. Even her mad ain't itty bitty. What you did, Pa sent her ballistic."
"Ballistic?"
"It means so mad you could fly to the moon on pure mad." Hoss snorted. "I thought I'd seen women get mad, but whoa, not until I saw that." He guffawed. "Oh yeah, you ain't seen mad until you seen her kind of mad."
"She never gets mad," LJ said surprised. "She laughs and walks away."
"Not this time, no siree," Hoss shook his head remembering. "Well, that's the gist of it. I'll figure what to do with my wife. Don't you worry. G'night." He went off to bed.
"Now I know why Hoss thinks she's such a good person." Adam said in wonder. "Pa, Hoss is a millionaire!"
"A millionaire? Hoss? A millionaire?" Ben stood there stumped finally hearing it. "My son the Good Samaritan is a millionaire?"
"A millionaire, Pa, and I don't think he understands it or doesn't care." Adam rubbed his face with his hands. He was tired and exhilarated. "Pa, her machines are beyond anything anyone knows about. We can't let them move out."
"You are serious?"
"Pa, as long as no one knows about these things, nothing will come back to haunt us. If anyone sees what she has, they'll kill her to get it."
"All right," Ben sighed. "If it really is that important… A millionaire? Hoss? A millionaire?"
"Yes sir, a millionaire and something tells me there is more than one million." Adam got up. "Pa… My simple brother has the most incredibly complex woman for a wife. And now I know what she sees in him."
"What do you mean?"
"She sees a man who loves her without any questions."
New York Times
May 15, 1860
CALIFORNIA GOSSIP.; The Washoe Excitement--The Silver Mines no Humbug--Astonishing Yields---Cash Value of Women.
It is pretty much a fixed fact that the region is exceedingly rich in metals. Outcroppings of silver and gold ore, assaying from $200 to $2,000 per ton, have been found all about the valley this side of the mountain range where the rich veins are being works. There has been a sale or two of stock in the Ophir Company since I last wrote. One twenty-fourth or 58 2/3 feet was sold at $35,000 cash on 30 days. A few days later a similar share at $45,000 on 30 days, and yesterday a "ninety-sixth" or 14 1/2 feet for $10,000 cash. $800 per foot is freely offered and as freely refused. The fact is, it is only by offering an awful price that a single foot can be had. The Mexican Company, owning 100 feet in the Ophir Company's ground, being what was the third hundred feet of their claim, (given to the Mexican for a water privilege,) are taking out large quantities of ore, and have commenced packing it down on mules until such time as the roads improve. The Ophir Company are about to commence work with a strong force, and expect to send down from 100 to 150 tons per month. The ore now coming out averages $4,000 per ton. That from the Mexican claim about $2,000, but in the latter they have a vein four feet thick.
Everybody hereabouts seem to be going crazy on the silver mining question, and although the snows are still upon the mountains, the roads almost impassable, and provisions scarce and high, from fifty to a hundred people are leaving daily for this new Eldorado, taking with them all the money they can scrape together. The living is represented to be of the hardest kind, and shelter almost impossible to obtain; $2 a meal for starvation diet, and a like sum for the privilege of spreading a blanket on earth floors several inches deep with slush and mud is freely paid, and the worst kind of hardships endured by all for the sake of making money.
The Ophir Company have a continuous vein for over 500 feet; a shaft having been sunk that distance from the present one they struck a vein three feet thick of blue sulphurets, and now they have the vein 60 feet deep and 500 feet in length and some 900 feet not tried. A company owning a claim beyond the Ophir claim, that is to say, 1400 feet from the first shaft, have struck the vein, and $400 per foot is offered and refused; two weeks ago it was selling at $50 per foot, the vein not then having been struck.
In California, a gentleman Indian about leaving those gay and festive scenes traded his best squaw for a sack of flour, a jack-knife, and a pair of second-hand boots. The transaction was on the square and the articles all of the best quality. The squaw particularly had been a high-cost article to Mr. Indian, as he had to scalp two or three rivals and had half a dozen arrows shot into him the first week of the honey-moon by disappointed suitors that didn't suit her. It is to be hoped that the question of woman's value to "all the world and the rest of mankind" is at last definitely settled.
