Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1879-10-10

Baseomb see Reno by GasIight-
Prospective Chances at the State
Fafr-steambeat Springs and Re
irrespective Gssnces ~ old Washoe
and Franktown.

and rnnktOWn
CARSON, October 5, 1879.
EDITOR SENTINEL: l nave been doing
Reno. to post myself on the coming State
Fair. / took it all in by gaslight. and
only know that, according to the Reno
Journal and Gazette. it is to be a great
success. / did my utmost to learn why
I" this was thus" but after sampling four
teen different kinds of Reform drinks and
sleeping on q "shake-down" in the parlor
Of the Arcade Hotel. and then standing
of" the barkeep for a morning cocktail, l
came away with a confused idea that the
State Fair is to be way up" 1 don't
know why. nor Will anybody else, until
it's all over, and so / leave the expected
wonders of the pavilion and the race track
for some enthusiast to gush over. / 90
served that Reno since the fire OF last spring
has been rebuilt in a style far superior to
its former self. Substantial bull dings,
mostly Of brick, now cover the burnt dis
trict, while the number Of saloons has
been increased, and the whisky watered,
to meet the demands Of 81 increasing
trade. Fine buildings abound, and nota-
bly, amongst hem Is the Depot Hotel and
the new theater. As the latter is somewhat
odd in its finish l will make brief mention.
The hall is situated in the upper stories Of
an immense livery stable owned by Ham
mond 4 Wilson. Everybody knows them,
for to see Nels Hammond once is to know
him forever-on sight too, whether you get
a front, side or rear view Of him. Well,
his stable bears the same proportion to the
other houses in town, that he does to all
the balance Of the people in the State-not
excepting Uncle George Tu1y-its the
biggest thing outdoors; and SO the theater
has abundant room, and a firm base to rest
upon. The interior finish is novel and
striking, as the stage, proscenium boxes,
wainscoating and gallery bulstrade are all
Of pine and redwood, alternating, and in
their native colors, with bands and stripes
of gold to ornament the curves and curv-
ings, and arabesque figures Of the
proscenium. The drapery OF the
drop curtain is in dark rich colors that
harmonic with the surroundings, and the
drop curtain, painted by Laycock, is an
ornamental and highly meritorious work.
1t represents o castled scene On the river
Rhone, with a rich and brilliant sky, that
seems suggestive of the purple juices Of
the vine, in that. its native land. The sky
alone commends the painting, but the
symmetry Of the entire scene is perfect,
and makes q charming picture, as the
towers and castles on the bluffs by the
river, with the blue mountains in the back
ground make q pretty setting for the CEN
trail river scene, with its queer looking
market-boats and life-like figures. / am
no high art critic-except when testing
liquids-and in this respect presume that
| not one in a hundred Of all who may here
after see the curtain will nave any advan-
| tage over me, but all will agree with me
that such a curtain, although we can't tell
in art language why it is pretty, it is never
theless far more attractive TO the average
theater-goer than would be q bill poster OF
q curtain, used to advertise the saloons
md business houses, and the butcher,
| the baker and the candlestick-naaker" -as
the pioneer drop curtain Of a mining camp
usually does. Altogether it is a pretty
theater, and Reno may well be proud Of it.
OF the many improvements made since
the fire ct Reno it is unnecessary to speak
in detail, and 1 will merely say that its cit
liens have exhibited much energy and
good judgment in rebuilding, and which
shows that they must have possessed ready
resources and IN ample reserve fund, and
also great confidence in the wealth Of
UA810c Couutt Guu alt AL thC SbLnO4iohSN
prosperity Of Reno in particular.
HI TRUCKER
Furnish solid backing to maintain II, for It'll
fertile fields and pastures insure unfailine
crops Of grass and grain, and constitute Q
solid element Of prosperity. Its broad
fields OF alfalfa, after having produced two
crops this season. have yet q thriving stub.
BILE, and at a distance they look as inviting
~ q May morning. and green as emeralds
in their gray setting of sage. The horned
stock on the meadows are sleek and fat
and even the swine look clean and glossy
and in their tails indicate that 'root hog
or die" doesn't worry them.
aETuRSISo TO CARSON.
I observed in passing that steamboat
Springs still continue to puff. and that. sit
ting on the hotel porch. were the usua'
number OF old rum-blossomed stifs from
Virginia City. blinking their rheumy eye:
at the train. and doing penance for theil
sins by daily additions in the sulphurous
baths, preparatory to their final resting
places. Leaving them to return to theil
arches and toddies we soon reached
wAsHoE | OLD wAsHoEil
Once the Mecca for all those bound for Sill
yer Land. where the pilgrims hopes al
centered, and only to reach which was the
" ultra ma thule" Of the pioneers. With
what wonders we endowed it when first
starting from Placerville 70 scale the Sier
ras and plunge into the unknown regions
of the Great American Desert, maps oil
which represented only Q great blanl
space, traversed by . meandering line, des-
ignated IS "Fremont's route-1846.'
Washoe, then, in 80 and go, was q stir.
| ring, busy town. where men stopped tc
"whoop 'em up " and then press on te
the Comstock. But where now is all it,
former glory? Gone where the woodbint
twineth." A few old buildings remain, but
they are gone to decay. and lean about in
crepit from age and dissipation, proclaim
ing their royalty by Boosting Of the liberal
days they lived in, and the good times
once enjoyy are considered recompenst
sufficient for Q life wasted | The buildings
are dropping piecemeal to the ground, and
their weather-stained sides, curled clap
loards and gaping holes. where once were
doors and windows, look like the castaway
masks Of . Mardi Gras festival. With
Christian resignation they seem to have
folded their hands for the final peaceful
rest. and patiently await coming dissolu-
ton Even the church is dismantled, the
belfry deserted by the pigeons, the bell
rope unraveled, and the whole structure,
like the town, has literally gone to the
devil. Sic transit gloria mundi."
Five miles further on and we reach
Y~RANKTowx,
Another one Of the "has been " camps,
but which looks up modestly. with q little
more evidence Of vitality than does its
neighbor, Washoe; but it. too, has suffered
from the ravages Of
"Time, that defsces us,
Places and replaces US,
And plows the face a.
In burrows for tesrs."
And although not dead. 1t doesn't con-
tain a. much life in . years existence Is