Nevada national., 1860-07-14
THE NEVADA NATIONAL
twASHOE CORRESPONDENCE
VIRGINIA CIrY. JULr 6, 1860.

DEAR NATIONAL Since my last commu-
nication "The town has become corpsen-
dead, perfectly dead. particularly alIude
to the usual number Of shooting affairs.
which, one having become familiar with aud
accustomed to. after q short residence here.
give zest and relish TO the appetite for
such incidents.
For the past week, a quietness and an ap-
parent harmony seems TO have existed among
the people, that has become very annoying.
The last shooting affair that occurred here,
you are doubtless familiar with, through the
medium OF the Telegraph and the press OF
San Francisco. will send you the history
and details OF the affair. however. for such
OF your readers as may not have seen them.
AT the time the 0phir Co. located their
ground, each claim comprised 800 feet on
the first exodus from California. the miners
formed mining district Of Virginia city,
with certain limits, and made q claim to
consist Of 200 feet. The Ophir Company,
under the impression that 800 feet to each
claim rs "taken up" by them. would con-
ffict with the mining laws Of the District.
and In that manner become an illegal usur-
patton OF ground, decided the number Of
feet over and above the 200 to each claim,
In trust, to some persons. to be decided back
TO them on application. Unfortunately they
proved recreant to the trust reposed in them
and sold the ground, thus decided. amount
ing to 500 feet, which reduces the ground
Of the 0phr Company from 400 to 900
feet. This decided portion OF 500 feet has
been purchased. in good faith, by third par
ties. who have paid for the same = large
amount per foot.
Mr.. Mccall. fourth party, knowing the
ground to be ia dispute. concluded that those
getting possession would be the best entitled
to bold it, attempted. on two several occa-
sions, to get possession. by placing men upon
the ground to run tunnel to the lead the
Winters boys" having. at the time tun-
mel ander way, about 400 feet into the bill
and within about 40 feet OF the ledge.
Mccall was warned, 10 every possible way
without resort to violence to discontinue,
to which be paid no attention, until finally,
/. as a last resort. and the only effeetual one to
get clear Of him. they resolved to kill him.
This they proclaimed publicly in the streets.
On the day Of the affray, Mccall was sit
ting in the door way OF the Ophir Cos or
fee, and by the side of Mr. Champ, the Sec
retary of the Company, when two of the
Winters boys. one on a mule, and the other
on foot, came from the direction of their
tunnel, and. Immediately on seeing Mccall,
both drew their pistols and commenced fire
ing upon him. Two shots took effect in his
right arm. four others grazed his body
in different places. At the first shot be ran
down the bill towards c street-one of the
Winters boys shooting at him as be ran,
Mccall all the time calling. at the top Of bis
voice, "protect me-" protect me-" "tbey
will murder me-" As be approached Pat
Riley's stone building, where at least, a adoz =.
eu men stood gazing at the affray, Mccall
called on them for aid, but not one OF them
moved, for the reason that he had no friends
there, and all well knew that he was jun
per-" Faint from loss OF blood he reached
a drug store, where his wounds were speedi-
ly dressed. One Of the Winter boys LEFT for
Carson City, the other remained in town to
complete the killing Of Mccall, but, very
sSI tunately. no more blood was shed.
Commercial trade of every kind is very
dull. The storekeepers are continually
complaining and IL the present state Of things
should continue through the summer, two
thirds Of the people now here must, of a Ger.
tainty, leave. The cost of living. at pres
ent. is not much more than in the mountain
towns Of California. But little preparation
will be made for winter, except by those
obliged to remove, which will cause another
condition Of exorbitant prices. similar to
that Of last winter. and g consequent re-
action must take place in the spring follow
ing
1 Aac uNFtiopuithb VI shC hiahco etS hesS
surprising. There is not a mining district
in the Territory that has not Its rich lode ;
many of them beiug held as high as sl0o
a foot. "Rich strikes" have become so FIRE.
quent that they fail to cause any excitement
or interest, except among those recently
from California. The Comstock Lead has
heen struck North and South Of Virginia
City, and over q surface OF country hardly
to be credited by those In California. Recent
Developments on the Comstock lead prove
that there is more than one lead, and scve-
raj companies have located on the East aud
West Of the lines OF the first lscators. The
wealth Of the Territory is not confined to
the few companies who fret located, as al
first supposed. At present there are hun
dreds that when developed, as the Ophir Co
is, may prove quite as rich iu silver and gold
] as that has cone.