The National tribune., 1884-08-28
THREE BIG MEN IN A CABIN.
How MiIlionaires Maekey and 0'Brien Spent
Their All for a Square Meal.
[Frona The Hirainfa Erterprisel

In the first month of 1860 times were tough
on the Comstock The Winter of 1859-60 was
terribly severe, as all old settlers will remem-
ber Supplies could not be brought over the
mountains from California, and before Spring
many of the Comstockers went hungry to bed
about three nights in the week. That Winter
a Jolly crowd made their headquarters in
cabin that stood on the hill above the Ophir
Office, near the California shaft. The cabin
was 3 sort of cave On entering it one went
down two steps. The roof was composed of
layer of brush, stratum of dirt and over this
canvas cover to hold it all in place. The cabin
contained four bunks, two ON the south and
two on the north side. John Mac1ey had the
lower bunk on the North side and Alexander
Kennedy slept in the upper one. Patrick S.
Corbett-at present United States Marshal Cor
bett-and Jack 0Brien occupied the south
hunks.
At that time Mackey, Kennedy and others
were running the old Union tunnel, and were
working every day AS times grew rough and
grub scarce the number of dodgers in the cabin
increased Jack McCaffery was taken in on
the understanding that he was to furnish wood
for the household, and Johny Walker in con-
sideration of his doing all the cooking. The
newcomers brought their blankets and slept
on the floor. Virginia City was then town
of brush shanties and canvas tents, and it was
good to find shelter anywhere. Lumber being
5000 per 1000 feet palaces We're not expected.
As the Winter wore away provisions of all
kinds became scarce, and famine prices ruled
for time early in the Spring. Eor few days
Il square meal /" down town cost 81 Those
of the boys in the cabin who started in with a
little money had either got to the end of their
string in keeping up their part of the expenses,
or had gambledl off their coin.
Finally hunger got into the cabin, and not a
man except Mackey had cent of money. An
attempt to starve the more shiftless into "rust-
| ling for grub y had proved a failure. They
| could do nothing, and, lying back on their
| blankets, gave up, like some of those of whom
we read among the explorers in Arctic regions.
| The cook had an easy Lime of it. By this time
some provisions were beginning to be packed
| in, but prices were fearfully high. Mackey had
| just $50 left; it was all the money he had in
| the world. Here, Pat" said he to Corbett
| handing him a twenty and ten in gold, "go
/ and see if you can got sack of flour.
A man had packed in from Placerville that
| day and Pat found him near where the Bank oi
California now stands. 1t was all plaza then
| all open country and sage bush along the
| present line Of c street. The price was $26
/ Pat handed the Placeryifian the gold, got back
! $f in silver and shouldering his flour, climbed
/ the hill to the cabin. Mackey took the $4
| and giving it to the cook, sent him in search
of bacon, tea and sugar. When the fapjackt
| began to brown, and the SAVIOR of the bacoI
pervaded the cabin, the spirits of both the
regular inmates and transient boarders went
/ up to the fair weather notch and it seemed thai
/ there was nothing more in the w Id to be de-
/ sired.