Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1911-12-07
JUDGE TAtBOT'S -....--...
. DEDICATION ADDRESS

following synopsis of his remarks
ut the dedication of the new court
house: 80
My Friends: 1t is a pleas
ure upon this occasion. so
important TO, the advancement, Of
Elko county, to be here where
have spent the most of my life.
arc with the@pepple to whom l owe
so mu IN and whom | love so well.
This stately temple, of justice
and government is a fitting tribute
to the growth, of the county,
brings flood of memories of the
past. and is a reminder of greater
things to be achieved.
1t is not SO long since the COM
ing of the white man and the be-
ginning of the progress which
has been made. The memory of
many now living extends to the
time when there was no court
house or school. no altar or
church, and no habitation of civil
lized man here.
The first meeting for the organi-
cation of squatter government
within the bounds of what is the
present State of Nevada was held
on November -. 1851. at Mormon
Station, now Genoa, on the western
border. The act of the governor
and Legislative assembly of the
Territory of Utah, placing that
portion of the country between tho
western boundary of Utah and
the eastern boundary IF California
within the limits of Carson county,
Utah, was approved by Brigham
Ho ing On January IT, 1854, A
number of years later settlements
were made in this vicinity.
The Territory of Nevada was
organized by act of Congress, ap-
proved March 2, 1861. In 1864.
the state was admitted into the
Union, largely at the solicitation of
President Lincoln, so there might
be the necessary number of North.
ern states to pass an amendment to
the federal constitution prohibiting
slavery forever, and that moral
effect might be produced against
the aspirations and efforts of the
Southern Confederacy. Legislative
provision was not made for the
creation of Elko county or the
building of the old court house
until March S, 1869.
1t was during the winter of
l868-69 that my dear departed
father brought me as small boy
by wagon from California. The
overland railroad, the Central
Pacific, was constructed though
EIkO at the time, but the con-
nection with the Union Pacific had
not been made and the last spike
was not driven at Promontory
this side Of Ogden, until May,
1863.
At that time Elko was about half
as large as now, and was built
almost entirely of tents or new
canvas structures, excepting the
railroad freight houses and the old
depot hotel, teen partly construct
ed, where the station now stands.
The first school in LamoilIc Valley
was held in a log cabin, with a .lirt
roof and without desks.
The ranchers for few years
obtained large prices for grain and
potatoes at Hamilton and Eureka
and mining camps in this county.
The decline of mining, smelling
and charcoal burning brought a
Depression in, the eighties. The
hard winter Of 1889 and 1890,
after three dry seasons. destroyed
ninety per cent Of the cattle and
live stock which had thrivcn sum-
mer and winter on the open ranges
from the early years, and had
increased and eaten out the feed
which was Originally abundant. A
little later the planting Of alfalfa
revived both the racnh and cattle
, industries and there has been a
vI nnIU innrnnrn nf r,rnrruriI..