The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-29
THE ODD CITY IN NEVADA.
RAID GRoWrH or AN UNPOLTSHED
KIND or CTTILIZITION.


VIRGINIA CRY, New, Oct. 12.--virgiuia
CITY Is queer piice. But where y virginia
Cl,v7 II ia perchsd 10 among the tops OF the
mountains NJ Nevada. 600 feet above sea level
on the precptous eastern slope Of Mount David
con, one OF the most prominent detached peaks
Of the Siorras. which ses its head str 1G21
feet above the city. from the streets OF TIE
town view Is obtained, looknr eastward, OK
tending beyond handred mites OF rough
mountain wilderness, barren OF vegetation or
life. The approaoh TO this mountain ovrio Is
from Reno, station on the Central Pacific
Railroad. a few miles ist Of the boundary line
between the states Of Nevida AMI California. A
raiiroad-the Virginia and TfuoXee runs from
Reno 70 this place. Tho distance, as the crow
flies Out he doesn't a. much ~ nere), u ~
miles but In order To attain this altitude. and
TO avoid Mount Davidson, whtch lies IN a direct
course, this railroad tr verses 90 miles, descro-
ing In its route every poin. Of the compass.
Leaving Reno, the train heads directly south,
and points Immediately for tnis CITY. This gen
eral course II IN tintAins until " reaches the op-
positc sjdo OF Mount Davidson, and within a
few miles Of the citv. wnen II curves away TO
the west. gradually drawing around to the
south and east, isslng Cir7ol CITY, the capital
Of the State, which lies south OF Virginia CITY.
ana Hnally reaching its destination In a mort nery
the road TO overcome the difference in elevation
between the two places, 1895 feet watch re-
quires average grade OF - 10 feet 20 the mills.
But h q no Intention Of Imposing \ statis.i-
cal letter upon the reader. else would let NV
pen loose on tho famous Comstock lode ana It's
marvellous deposits OF silver. w1i n lie an Ter
meath the city; would tell OF 90 mines In
progress In this immediate vicaity, OF which
but eighteen pay expenses aud but half That
number are profitable, though two of these have
divided among their stockholders the enormous
SUN of s37 10000 In gold within two ana a half
Jeafs-enOugb TO pay hiEn rate OF interest on
all the money invested In rines in tho state; /
would enter int an account OF the Largo Sums
Invested IN milling ores. aud N other enterprises
Incidental to Mining. But | % rtrd on to DO.
scribe this qUeer cay. aud L Will Cu0eayor 10
bold myself 70 that task.
AN USArrRAcrIvE SURFACE.
Twenty yeas ago tacre was no ctty here. nor
any induceirent to uuili on Even n Indian
unptoductive region. Notnins er w mere ex-
cspt with more careful M sing thar an Eastern
lady btstows upon her favorite house I. luts. Not
sgreen thing greats the eve tfttrletviu The ue1
Of the Carson RIVER cXccpt occasional patcues
OF sage brush, and even that IL atm ed In rs
growth. aud shows only IN applo gv f'r er,en
There are no n itur ! water COurs - no mere; 10
rain through the summer months. aud NJ Lex
OF II, or snow, curing the win eri NJ bird 20 no
reptiles, no game. no life other IN ~ wuat h
immigI4ted here Win the city. Pa. the over
NO" ~ gold hunter from the ON -ide OF the
mountains finally, ~ 1871 invaded this de-oidte
region. and discover ~ iep1st' ~ 10 y eeious
metal. herr. the town quickly followed. Ana
now Virginia t1ty lts-it o. STA pppulttion OF
not less than 81 0O0. wniie the SUBURB n niniHg
towns Of Gold HdL silver City, tYtpn. DeNiis
Gate, ana other sett einents hear AT n.nd. will
add 5000 TO the number. Oue year ago this
present month. thra -quutcrs OF Virginia Guy
WAS destroyed nv fire; Dut alreadv tnat fearful
confasrntion nave been oont .rated. and the
number of buildings now probably exceeds
what It was before that disaster.
But. rs 1 remarked before. this IL queer
tlaCp. fprf a. II am uYll IN ~ itsH
II Is built IT. certainly wouid never AVE been a.
tempted. Its site Is a preirpi ous slope facing
the east. There Is not n turh level enough ~
or about the place 10 turn "A wagon on. Tue
PRINCIPAL streets run nor and south. usraliel
with the lace OF tue mountsin. anu ny means Of
terraces II Is practicanie make a r grade on
these, though tnat Is not done; bur 90 the
lateral or cross streets there - ~ attempt at
grades, end the nils, In conse quence are lear.
ful To con;emp'te L. Inc slope - al an angle of
queDce teaining Ia a dita ut unde king one
horse estauli -nments are a tarity. Ouly em-
Ploved- tT the Ilghte~t- purp"s's, tour ana SIX
d. horses being much more cominoh' ~hils Tor
heavy work ten, twelve, toriteef aliu slA ecu
horses are employed. These unEieluy teams
are very numerous, BENG met at 1F.N turn
wood, nav and simil ~ weignty stun, anu Dan
age TO move from one to twp tons ut lJ1S,
varying according TO the distance aud cnlr-
ncter OF road 10 he trdYersed. Inere are no
diate centres OF business, no Sidewalks. Man
the thorourbfnre-. and the De 81 Ia IS rather the
best OF It since he cares nO,hirs Tor tho fa1hom-
less mud that Ill. the street N winter. 90 tue
equally deep md wonderfully noe dust that
covers them In sumner.
ASPECTS or A STRANGE CITY.
The population Of the place Is as queer a Its
location. SURROUNDINGS and EruCr apbcataLC-.
The miner l.. OF course. d ilr9e tieuent, bat by
no means the Oniy one Tue are auuut i.NbJ
OF this harry, indust'ious. gooi % tufed class
emplo} ed IN the miue7 wi.uin ana "a a. 'di toy
about tue CitN Dut a. Une-thtd Of thc-e are
constantly under eiound, un1luer tndd 'siec4
leaving only tlirl nt .,OU visible AZ any dime
III han 40 Al mi
other lprge Glasses mere 10 maze up The turlu-s
that MI the streets AZ AL unle- u-e tAe term
" all lines undtrstnndtuel}, iuf - nl poe
anO only one TINS " CO ftstuinles Use D. ven
which tue kfangelist saw ~ Li- Vision there Is
no night here. No mat 70 docs not EDt Oarh,
put the darkness ana 'he iiHnt are hoth like.
Neither - tuere any SUNDAY here but q ~
and day out, a. morning. noon, qua ni-ht, the
occupations 81 the town go ~ M TAIN eitn.i tea
continuation. Ihe wufltntn Ia tnH mine, are
empioyeO IN three shifts OF eight u lurs each,
anu as tnat Is the itlncluhi le- tuate on uaef.l
employment Of the piact, an other voc uons
are governed oy it, rules. Inc man WIZ works
eight huufs uhdcr.rOund eqIIes tlsnt hoIFs
sleep, aDd then l. prepared 10 enjoy elsnt hours
Of otnrr diversion. And as there l. always one
bhft at work and mother shitt taking their
rest, there l. the third shift attending - per-
sonai matters, seeking amu.ement, or loahng
Ana the three ca Nge about wttu the regularity
Of clockwork, kseping oil the activities aud
salnss oi the pace ia constant employ.
The miners are 1909. lurn there re few su-
perintendents, agents, and bosses, Win their
families; smal COLONY OF necessary shop
keepers, grocerymen, butchers, ana similar non
est members OF society; lew T.iiruad en-
ployees, te .usteTs, and DAY ldburers; some chi
nose ldundrymen wood saw ers, ANA general
dIudgers the fra menis OF d time Of lazy. sniit-
less, hlthy Piute Indians, ana what elsef Go on
etrect-tne main business dNcnue-and you
will see. For nearly mlie ~ extent either side
OF this street ~ linrd Milh wua. cut Oi cOtnIil-
ment are He'd "bu~iness places More than
half OF these establishments are devoted to tie
safe Of whiskey anu ITS accompaniment; and
every respectable Gin uil has rear att en-
ment where gtnUling IL openly Carried on. the
only requirement Oi the law Or mun'cipdl regG-
latiOD beng a hc-n,e ~ulcn can he ObtIneI Oy
the pay meat Of moder IL lee.
VICE UNABAsHED.
In these convenient places the tiger turks and
dispOrts himself al all hOuis oil tue DAY dnd on
oil days Of the wees WITH tue same diare-aid u
hours or Seasons that c IardcteriZss tue WORKING
OF the mines. Faro. roulette, kvnu, tue warn ,us
games played with ace, anu al Otn, Z forms Of
gambling are here INC ulged with Opeu doors anu
under tue protection Of tne Jaw. Inc mining
companies pay out half million Of dollars
monthly In GOLD coin 10 lneir employees. Can
RnyOody compute what percentage OF mat sum
goes into the Golfers OF these licensed sh ,Tks
The community " professi nal gaiuUleTs, II Wlll
be readily seen, u quite large one, and as Will
presently appear 10 the reader wuO Is not
already wearled, forls very influential If uOt
respecta'ie portion Of tne population fass
trom { TO ID street ana another OF the peculiari-
tlos OF Virginia CITY lfe Is hufOlued 70 view.
81. .I al. ~ hero halt