Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1914-02-26

seriously considering the expediency
of buying the farm. That morning
he went to Livingstone to buy pro-
visions. When he returned he found
fire had swept away every vestige OF
tidy fortune, consuming the barley,
his barn containing harness and i'm
plements, and his house That led
to the resolution to start for dis
tant Arizona.
They succeeded In making the
journey in fairly good shape as they |
all enjoyed excellent health with the
exception of the mother who suffers
seriously from exposure until they
reached Butte where they remained |
long enough for Mrs. Maxwell to re-
enperate and for the husband to
earn a little money. Then they re-
sumed their journey and managed to
make Elko. Maxwell found employ
ment for five weeks and then stayed
work. Not finding any and realizing
that the expenses of waiting We're
making inroads on his savings he
hitched up two horses to a farm
wagon remaining from the Montana
fire and headed south with $3.50 as
his fortune. Nothing but bad
weather was encountered and it is a
matter of surprise to the auto men
that the bunch finally landed here.
since better outfits could not make
any headway. At Round Mountain
they were fiat broke and the wagon
brake needed fixing. Maxwell APP
pealed TO a blacksmith and, after he
told OF his hardships the Round
Mountain man repaired the damage
and went around and took up a col
/ lection from his neighbors This net
ted about FIVE dollars and enabled
the Maxwells to buy provisions.
Finally they struggled into Tono-
pah in the last stage of decrepitude
with biting hunger gnawing at their
yitals.
The Elks heard of the dire distress
and committee brought relief while
the machinery of the law was being
put in motion This morning the
womens Relief Corps went valiantly
Ito work securing children's clothing
and donations of food. The county
furnished new shoes to replace the
tattered footwear of the movers, a
tent was bought and the family made
comfortable The management OF
the household was left to l6-year-
old girl, the eldest of the family,
and she proved herself child of
excellent training When the tent
was erected her first thought was to
sweep the ground. She had no broom
but she did have scrubbing brush.
With that she cleaned off the in
terror floor so there was not speck
of dust or pebble visible. Then she
installed the little sheet iron camp
ing stove and began to prepare the
first substantial meal the family had
enjoyed for several weeks. A few
boxes of candy were not forgotten by
the generous committee and the
babies showed their appreciation oi
this luxury.
Maxwell was reared in Iowa anC
Mrs. Maxwell is from Missouri. Botf
are unsophisticated and have no ides
of the hazards of the long journey
undertaken at this season OF th'
year. They are about forX years o
age. The family ranges from three
girls of 10, IA and 12 years down t
manly little fellow of two years
The children show the effect Of tn
weather. Their faces are blistere'
and CARED by exposure to wind an'
snow but. with the exception of tn
. mother. who is in a delicate eondi
! ton, all appear rugged and Injured
to hardship
=. One of the most remarkable feat
: ures Is that none Of the family suf
/. fered from frost bites, notwithstand
a ing the fact that the children's fee
were almost bare and naked, bot
shoes and stockings being worl
through Two horses were hooke
to the dilapidated wagon and on
hardy little cayuse was attached I
n shaky old buggy that was used I
carry the children. Another bronch
"a trailed along to relieve his mate I
In the buggy shafts.
:" They will travel by the way q
Goldneld and Las Vegas.