Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1903-09-06

thirty-four years ago by Mark Twain
has just been brought to light in FL
mira, New York, where Mr.. Clemens
has q summer home. Now that he is
preparing for another trip abroad, he
is overhauling his literary effects AMI
finds letters and manuscripts in out
Of the way places, probably forgotten
for many years.
~ to the letter recently unearthed
in Elmira, it was written in October.
1869, two days before the meeting of
the California pioneers at Delmonicos
That was a notable occasion, and Mark
ETwain's letter, read by the chairman
evoked loud and long applause. 4.
The first railroad across the CONT
nent-the Union Facific-had been
completed only a few weeks. Among
the first Californians to make the trip
by rail were nearly 200 members Of
the Pioneers Association of San Fran
cisco, Ever since the discovery of gold
and the invasion OF the State in 1S49
lForty-niners had celebrated the event
= Preparations were made for the big
dinner at Delmonicos in their honor.
Among their invited guests were Pre-
sident Grant, General Sherman AMI
General Mcdowell and other heroes OF
the big war, with leading statesmen Of
the day. Grant and Sherman, detained
by business, sent letters in sympathy
with the movement
Mark Twain's Letter.
Mr.. Clemens at one time worked on
John Mackay's paper, the Virginia City
Enterprise. He also tried mining. AMI
his remarkable letter, read at the Cali
fornia Pioneers banquet, throws new
light on his early California and New
ada days. 1t runs as follows:
Elmira, Oct II, :s69.-To the Ca'i
fornia Pioneer Gentlemen Circum.
stances render it oHt of my power "a
take advantage of the invitation ex.
tended me through Mr. Simonton, and
he present at yOnr dinner in New
York. l regret this very much, for
| there are several among you whom
have a right to join hands with on the
score of old friendship, and l suppose
would have sublime general right
to shake hands with the rest of you
on the score of kinship in California
ups and downs in the search of for
tune.
| If | were to tell some of my expe
riences you would recognize California
blood in me, l fancy. The old. old story
would sound familiar. no doubt. l have
the usual stock of "reminiscences. Fol-
instance, l went to Esmeralda early
l purchased largely in the Wide
West, the Winnemucca and other fins
claims, and was very wealthy.I fared
sumptuously on bread when -four was
5000 a barrel, and had beans ever,
day when none but blOated aristOcra,;
could afford such grandeur. But l fiji
ished by feeding batteries to quartz
mill at SIS a week and wishing l was
a battery myself and had somebody tt
feed me- My claims in Esmeralda are
there yet.
suppose l could be persuaded tt
sell. went to the Humboldt distric
when it was new. I became largely in
lterested in the AlbaNueva and othe
claims with gorgeous names, and wa
rich again-inprOspect. l would no
nave sold out for less than $4OO, 900 "a
!. that time-but l will now. Finally
walked home-some 200 miles-partl
for exercise, and partly because stag
fares were expensive.
Next 1 entered upon an affluent Cd
Ireer in Virginia City. And by a judicl
: GUS investment of labor and the cap
tai of friends became the owner U
about all the worthless mines tina
, were in that part Of the country.
II Assessments Ruined Him.
Assessments did the business TO
me there. There we're 1T assessment
to one dividend and the proportion Q
income to outlay was a little agains
me. MY financial thermometer wen
down to 30 degrees Farenheit. and tn
subscriber was frozen out. | took Il
extensions on the mainland-exten
sions that reached to British Americ
. in one direction and to the lsthmus
Panama in the other-and l verify "
, Ilieve that I would have been a ric
man II ever found those internal e,
tensions. But didn't l ran tunnel
tin I tapped the Arctic ocean, and
i sunk shafts till l broke through tn
Q roof Of perdition. but those extensicl
3 turned up missing every time.
I am willing to sell al that properl
land throw in the improvements. Pc
!. lhaps you remember the celebrate
North 0nhir4 I bought that mine.