The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-05-26
Virginia City, Nevada.

graphs it appears TO be at the foot Of the
mountain, while it is in fact built across
the mountains face, and the peak that RI
ses two thousand feet shove il also extends
two thousand feet below IL Il is SO
enyironed and confined by mountains that
the railway which connects it with the
Central Pacific at Reno has curves enough
to describe circle of three hundred and
sixty degrees seventeen times; the distance
to Reno 10 bee-line is sixteen miles, and
the distance by the railway, which cost two
million dollars, is fifty-two miles
The pitch of the ground is such that
what is the first story of house in front
becomes the second or third story in the
rear, and looking eastward, northward, or
southwark, the eye meets an UNMARRIED
prospects of chain after chain Of finterlocked
peaks.
The people are ultra. Californian in their
nature and habits, excessively fond Of dis
play, layishly hospitable, impetuous in busi-
ness, and irrepressible in speculativeness.
On October 26, 1875, fire swept the city
from end to end, and ten million dollars
worth of property, including all the min
ing works on the surface, went up in the
flames. Within sixty days the most i'm
portant mines had renewed their buildings
and machinery, and within six months the
whole city had been rebuilt.
To guard against recurrence Of the
disaster, a system Of reservoirs and hy-
drants was established, and it would be
easier now to food the city than to burn
it. The Virginians are proud Of the quail.
ity and abundance Of their water supply.
The works cost over two million dollars,
and the water is brought a distance Of
thirty y-one and half miles from Marlette's
Lake, in the Sierras.
What is most surprising to the stranger
is the proportions Of the constant rushing
crowd on c Street, the principal thorough
fare, and the cosmopolitan character Of its
elements. Piute and Washoe Indians in
picturesque rags, Cinnamon in blue and
black blouses, brawny Cornishmen, yehe-
ment Mexicans, and many other people
from far-apart countries mingle and surge
along in the stream. The stores are well
stocked and the show-windows glitter
with attractiyeness of their wares. The
men around you are men of the world,
who have travelled, and in many instances
made money.
The restaurants are not the least among
the marvels of Virginia City. While
every thing else is frightfully dear, and
the storekeepers seem to consider all pur-
chasers the happy possessors of Fortu-
natus purse, food is uncommonly cheap,
and an excellent dinner Of four courses
can be had for fifty cents, or a more elab-
crate DINNER, with game, poultry, and
half a bottle of fair wine, for dollar.
Every delicacy in season finds its way
from San Francisco and New York, and
two oceans contribute their produce to the
marbled and mirrored lunch counters.
Another development of the luxurious
character of the citizens is club after the
metropolitan pattern, with richly furnished
billiard-rooms and reading-rooms, where
the bachelor may smoke the pipe Of cell
bacy in peace.
They are nearly all bachelors in Vir-
ginia; the atmosphere Of the place is by no
means favorable to wives and children
the feminine element is very decollete in
manners as well as in dress, and yet there
are good and affectionate women in the
town, especially among the miners wives,
and we see them to advantage in times Of
trouble, when some wounded creature is
brought to the surface from below. There
are few clearinghouse; the upper part Of
the stores and other buildings are let out
as lodgings, and the meals are supplied by
the many excellent restaurants.
While night has fallen on the visible
town, the invisible town underground is
glimmering with thousand lights, just as
it has been glimmering through all the
summer days that have shone and all the
winter nights that have lowered ever since
the Comstock lode was first penetrated by
a shaft There is no repose in that mys-
terious region; none Of the endless changes
and renewals of season that sweeten exis-
tence on the earth; no relapse Of day into
night, or night into day; no summer, no
winter, and no Sunday. The farthest
journey possible on the surface could not
take the traveller to country half so mi
raeulous as that which lies less than
mile below the parallels Of familiar stores
on G Street; it is as with physiognomist,
who, travelling in the interior Of Africa,
and scanning the strangest human faces
among the natives, would not SEQ any
thing half 50 strange as the heart Of his
nearest neighbor, had he the power to
probe the little depth of flesh that seals it
and its innermost secrets. Nearly one
fourth Of the whole population is hidden
in the mines, and when we see how over
crowded the superficial area is, and realize
how many more streets and people are out
of sight, how the crest of the mountain is
the roof of seventeen-story building
which is constantly sinking deeper into
the earth, we are prepared to agree with
the proud citizen who assures us that Vir-
ginia is "pretty considerable place. -
Haper's Magazine for June.