The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1914-05-30
OF EARLY
DAY STAGE LINE
TRAVELLERS HAD no ENGAGE
PASSAGE SEVERAL DAYS
AHEAD

nv VI thS hiS vi oNo6S III
ran from California to Virginia City
in early days was, in its equipment
and general management, said to be
far superior to anything of it's kind
known before.
1t was the Pioneer line of stages
Placerville to Virginia, new, very
handsomely and very strongly made.
all leather cushions inside, better
horses and more skillful drivers than
anywhere else in the world. People
had to engage their places from three
ahead. The great desideratum was
to have a seat beside the driver. The
fortunate one would be less crowded
than in any other position.
Louis Mclean was the controlling
owner of this line. He was also
Wells Fargo came to the conclusion
that they wanted this line and he
sold it to them; much to their dis
advantage. For the Central Pacific
came through Reno shortly after
that and knocked this line into a
cooked hat.
In GA there was a line of omni-
buses between Virginia and Gold Hill.
and, as a general rule, they we're
packed with people.
The California Stage company
fent by the way of Henness' pass and
NnrnIa r.tx- To-, A,.r
line took the same route. There was
Woodruff and Ennors fast freight
line which carried passengers back.
There was the Overland Stage line
which ran down SiX-mile canyon,
across the desert and on to ST. Joe.
Missouri. Then there was Billy Will
sons line running from Virginia City
to Carson, the Dayton line running
through Gold Hill and Silver to Day
ton.
There were often twenty passen-
gers in II coach. The coaches held
nine passengers inside. three seats.
three on a seat, three on the dicky
seat behind, three on the seat back of
the driver and two on each side OF
the coach with their legs hanging
over the side. The omnibusses had
seats for twelve inside. six on each
side, and have carried as high as
t~wenty-three passengers, aside from
the driver.
In '63 passengers came as far as
Fulton and the rest of the way was
made by stage on the Placerville line
where they stayed all night. The
next day about eight O'Clock in the
morning, they went as far as Straw
berry valley. and when the roads
were muddy it often took until late
at night. The following day they
would ride about four miles, say in
early spring, and then would take
sleighs from there to Yanks. Then a
change would be made to wheeled
stages and that day they would go
to Carson City about four o'clock in
the afternoon. Some might stop over
and come up on Billy Wilson's line
next morning. Others would keep on
and arrive in Virginia that night.
The following is a brief account of
a trip in the word of one who ex-
perienced it:
at was early in the season and
before the roads were in the best of
condition. 1t was in the month of
February in 1868. On reaching Vir-
ginia we registered at the Virginia
hotel that stood on the southwest
corner of B and Sutton venue. It's
r~amifications extended as far back as
A street. 1t was only a lodging house
and a bar as there was not eating
place. Across the street near the
northeast corner of B and Sutton
avenu was the BonafOus restaurant,
then considered to be the best place
to eat in the town. | believe that
in Virginia City and Gold Hill $780,
900 people lived at one time or an
other. Some lived here only six
months, some two years. They kept
coming and going. Every imaginable
class of people composed this cos-
mopolitan community at that time.
Some came here all the way IN foot,
some on horseback, some by stage.
A great many southerners came
here, among them being Lord Fair
fax. | remember also Frank Den
ver. a brother of General Denver.
after whom Denver was named. He
afterwards became lieutenant COVER
nor of this state. | remember DR..
Bryant, whose widow John w. Mac
kay married.-Carson News.