Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1915-10-23
0OME REAL HISTORY OF THE
EARLY DAYS OF AURORA

The writer OF the following letter
WHICH was recently published in the
Bishop Register, was one of the stall
wart and well esteemed citizens o
the Mono Esmeralda region during
Aurora livlier days, aud his reco
lections will be read with interest by
numerous aoquaintances as we'll u,
others.
Editor Register:-One reading the
stories of the Ghost Cities of the
West, by Van Loan, also the com.
tnents Of Montrose in the Carson
News, must conclude that some one
had filled them with fairy tales
or inspiration might have come
from viewing things through the
bottom of glass filled with some OF
that Buid left in that wonderful store
so long closed.
In April, 1863 three weary pill
grims, following an old white horse
wlth all our worldly possessions on
the same, utter seventeen days of
travelling, arrived in the town of
Aurora in search OF the Golden
Fleece. r. *. Colcord, T. B. Sever
auce aud the writer. Our com bined
capital in cola of the realm would
not hape paid one weeks board for
one Of the party The writer re-
manned in that vicinity. including
wnat is now Bridgeport, Aurora and
B die. engaged in rustling to support
a family until 10. | have vivid
gtcoIlecti0ns of those sometimes
stirring, sometimes very lean, times.
My first employment was erecting u
lumber mill at twin lakes, ten miles
above what is now Bridgeport, for
the Twin Lakes Lumber Company.
After the completion of the mill, in
July 1863, | was appointed manager,
which brought me IN contact with
much Of what was going on in Au-
rora, also with much of the situation
in and about the Big Meadows. so
called
Most of tie transportation of. the
lumber was by OK teams. Where
the town of Bridgeport row stands,
ut that date T. b. Severance and
man whose name has passed from
my mind put up u shop for shoeing
the oxen at the bridge. They had
been blacksmiths at the Robson
mill There was II house partly com
)letcd, on the opposite side of the
.reek known us Pap Kingsley's.
4 bout that locality was an abund-
snce of grass, and the teamsters
made that stopping plaee. both on
heir way to and returning from
Aurora. In passing will remark
hat | have often observed at night
one hundred head of work stock
,urnedS out IL Craze at the Twin
-.lkes mill, and very frequently
greater numbe,. There were four
umher mills near the valley, Twin
axes, Robson, Buckeye una Yancy;
'ou can Judge something of the a.
of oxen employed in the bust
TESS about those times.
Bryant and Breese opened small
store beside the creek. near the
house. Later in the sea.
on u Mr.. Parrish erected house
rear Kingsley's, That fall a Mr..
add put up hotel near the Sever
nee blacksmith shop, Such was
he nucleus OF the much famed town
i Bridgeport, county seat Of Mono.
Where did Mr.. Montrose receive
is information and that fairy tale
bout when the farmers OF Big Mead
ws rode into Aurora booted and |
purred, armed to the teeth, and took
he records which pertained to that
ection, and established their own
ouDty seat? Some one who later had
mbibed some Of Jim Booths oh. be.
yful dreamed those dreams. There
'ere no farmers in Big Meadows.
Parr,sb and one or two
theirs had located some homesteads
nd had some stock, and were the
nly settlers. The principal business