The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1908-04-27
GOVERNOR LEM 20
TELLS NEVADA STORIES
Hearty Old Gentleman Sits in Hotel
Lobby and Describes "A Long Life.

RENO. April -Ex-Lieutenant
Governor Lem Allen sat late last
night In the corner Of the lobby Of
the Overland hotel. among a small
circle OF old friends. telling about his
10th birthday which anniversary &C
CURED yesterday.
The old gentleman. his long
whiskers white. his eye keen and his
brain az active as It was when he &C
cupled for months the highest office
In this commonwealth in the absence
Of Governor Sparks. is the picture Of
health
NJ folks we're so poor that they
could only afford to give me but one
name. Lemnel." said the venerable
pioneer gleefnlly. for he possesses the
light spirits of youth. Except up
on certain official documents. have
always used. for short. the name
Lem. That's enough" he added
Yes. I am 20 years old. and my
good father Cranston Allen who lives
with me on my ranch near Fallon. IS
over g years Of age. Ny wife and
six children are all living too. low
much ! have to be thankful for
am still prosecuting attorney OF
Churchill county. which have been
on and on for 2 years.
4 was an Ohio boy. poor as Jobs
trukey. and after a brief stay in Iowa
at the age of % started across the
plains There were eight families of
us. with train Of eight teams and
wagons-bnll teams, mind you. #
took us little over four months 70
get 10 Nevada
The first thing ! did on reaching
Churchill county was to NOW hay.
with the old style scythe It was In
September, 1852, and just then that
big flood came. which Is well remem-
bered by all old timers. and which
proved so disastrous TO the country.
We fellows mad to wade across a
stream every day going TO and from
our work, holding our clothes high up
above our heads in order to keep
them dry. as We passed through the
water up to our shoulders. That was
an awful year
As we were coming west through
Sweetwater Canyon party of Indians
met us and gave a thrilling dance,
but did not modest us, though we
were In constant fear for a long time
during that trip. We formed guards
around our party more than once for
what protection it might have been.
but fortunately we got through in
safety.
Il entered into the teaming bust
ness shortly after reaching Nevada.
going between Wadsworth and Belle
Vile and Candelaria, the distance be-
Ing As miles. For three years | ran
these mule teams regularly, over this
road, going through what Is now the
main street of Rawhide every time.
There were 80 teams all told, which
passed regularly over that same road.
II occupied A days TO make the trip
one way. For the past Is years |
have mined just seven miles east of
Rawhide. but never dreamed of what
the later years would develop along
that old travelled road.
In 1867 | was elected justice of
the peace. In 1875 | was elected to
the Legislature from Churchill county |
and served for II consecutive years |
In that capacity. making a total of IS |
years During three sessions | was |
speaker. For 2 years, but not con-
| have been district at |
torney. In 1902. the people honored |
me by electing me to be lieutenant |
governor of this state, serving the
four years. ! am now in
terested In mining having Just bond