Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1905-11-18
PRETTY BISHOP
Mrs. Stovall Writes Interesting Letter
of Conditions There

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be threatened with eviction is an almost
unparalleled occurrence.
This is the situation that confronts
the pretty little city of Bishop, in Inyo
county, California.
Inyo, n Of the largest counties in
the state, has vast mineral wealth,
mostly undeveloped, but its few small
towns are supported by the ranches
that cluster in the foothills Of the
Sierras, many OF which are irrigated by
the Owens river, the main-stay of
Owens valley.
Los Angeles wants this river bodily,
and some months ago sent its repre-
~sentatives to buy up the ranches with
their water rights. Some of these
were secured before the people dis
covered the motive, when they rose up
in arms and called a mass meeting at
which they pledged themselves not to
sell their property.
If Los Angeles gets the water, the
ranches will die, and without the
ranches the towns cannot exist. For a
while everyone was panic-striken, but
now they are beginning to recover,
business has resumed its usual hum,
and a good many new residences are
going up.
Bishop is five miles from a narrow
guage railway, three passenger stages
coming in from there daily. You alight
at a picturesque, rambling old hostelry,
and ''mine host can welcome you in
any one of five languages. The cuisine
is excellent and is presided over by a
real French chef. The town is sur
rounded by jagged, snow-capped o
tains, and has an altitude of over 1000
feet. 1t is incorporated, has a water
system and an electric light and tele-
phone plant.
1t numbers about 700 people and is
steadily increasing, for there is re-
newed activity in mining, and this is
the season when cattlemen and sheep
men are rampant, taking their great
herds from winter to summer pasture.
Any morning you may be awakened
by the rhythmic tinkle of bell, and up
on jumping to your window, you will
see a band of two thousand silent sheep,
marching through the main street, led
by a naughty goat, a trusty shepherd
dog on either side; the herders and
pack burros bringing up the rear.
Occasionally a cow-boyi in chaparejos,
big hat, clanking bit and spur, will
dash madly down the street, rein up
suddenly in the middle and stand there
looking mountain-ward. If you follow
his gaze, you will see a herd of horses,
driven at top speed by another man in
CHAPS" the cowboy steering the
course from the side streets, and before
you have taken breath the whole
"bunch" is a dark spot, followed by a
dust streak, against the opposite
horizon.
The cows are more troublesome in
their course, one erratic COW some
times requiring two or three men to
get her safely through the town.
Then there are the beautiful white
Angora goats, with long, silky hair;
they maintain a dignifed strut, as be-
comes thoroughbred stock, and they
seem to know just where they are go
ing.
This is a great country for chickens
as well. They are said not to suffer
from the usual diseases. But they are
scarce, as Tonopah, Goldfeld and other
mining camps drain the valley Of
chickens, eggs, butter and other pro-.
ducts.
The homely pig must not be for
gotten. A local minister was given
a young one. 1t cost him nothing to
keep and one morning when piggy pre-
scented her proud and astonished master
with six little piggies, there was joy in
the ministerial family. After a while
the whole pig family vas sold, netting
$50. The minister says when he retires
from the pulpit, he will go into the
business.
Some night you may be awakened by
the mournful braying of a burro.
Prospectors, single and in twos and
threes, are passing through the town
almost daily, followed by their patient
pack.
Then there is also the mining pro-
moter, with suppressed dignity, waiting
to ''pick up a good thing; and the
mining engineer, in immaculate cor
duroy, with high lace boots, and full to
bursting of theories, awaiting "instruc-
tons from the East, and incidentally
amusing the ubiquitous small boy by
trying to trot in the saddle while his
unappreciative bronco gallops and bucks
to his hearts content.
OF the landmarks of the town there
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