The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-05-27
@acDERMTTr. AN AppRECIATIONr-By NrsJ Igna Lyon

Dermitt. Mrs. J. NJ Lyon read a paper with the above heading, a follows:
Those of you who have lived here all your lives orthe greater part thereof
usually enjoy a few weeks trip to the city each year for a change and feel
it relieves the mOnotony Of life in the desert town. 1t is true that a change
of scene sometimes is beneficial but l am here to call your attention to
a few things l have enjoyed since l have lived here that you may have
overlooked.
One source of keenest enjoyment to ms has been the mountains IS seen
from u windows To the southeast, stretching in a semnrcle or large
arc. 1 find the Santa Rosa range. Covered with snow as they were a few
weeks age. they presented a magnificent scene. Just after the big snow
storm and before any of the drifts had melted. they seemed a marble cameo
against the skys deep azure, the higher points cleaning in the dazzling
sunshine and the canyons and lower places in cold blue shadows.
Of the higher peaks first comes old Buckskin, so dear a landmark to all
erstwhne residents of National, rearing his head some 10000 feet or there
about. National now a deserted village. not many years ago was the scene
of great mining activity and the location Of the second richest mne in the
world. Next come Granite and Santa Rosa peaks. like huge lookouts guard
ing the wall from assault For a short distance to the south the horizon
seens devoid o elevations O any kind but oon we greet the slumbering
Hills. whose dim outlines just show above the horizon some fifty miles dis
tant; the slumberng Hills whose sleep of ages was disturbed when gold
ws discovered in their fastness' thus giving the little mining camp which
sprang into being, it's appropriate and romantic name of Awakening.
Awakening Of the slumberng Hills.
Continuing our survey we find to the southwest and west hills. hills, and
more hills, each with its W peculiar charm; and 1 may say here that for
me each hour Of the day adds a lev beauty to the mountains, for there
is a wonderful difference in them viewed at sunrise and again 1t sunset on
a cloudy n o a sunny day.
The mountains directly to the west of town form a charming background
for our little village when first seen by a stranger entering it from the
south They ar imposing in appearance with their jagged cliffs and steep
slopes a few sofened in outline by the crumblng snderock. and remind one
of an ancient fortress or bat1ement; and to me all it lacks is a flag flying
from some high point to make it truly realistic.
Sunrise and sunset nearly always re things of beauty. at any rate.
at this tmesof year when there are clouds; the former well worth rising in
TIM to see n the latter worth observing each day. One evening in par
tcular l call to mind. The great orb of day slowly sank tt rest in a
downy bed Of gray clouds When quite out of sight W still for a few
moments had reminders of his nearness; great broad rays of pale yellow
light shot up to the zenith, reminding one of the aurora boreaHs II northern
lights. For several minutes the gray cloud seemed gorifed by the royal
presence and showed at its edges not the proyerbiaI silver lining. but N of
pure gold
Yet this sunset, though beautiful, could not compare with those OF
National where I saw the most wonderful ones it vas eve my fortune
to see and fr echpsing any artists conceptions of the same. No doubt
it was on account of the higher altitude and nearly always a few clouds att
sunset and the great distance at which we viewed it. Some say it was on
accoun o. volcanic lust the air at that time ron the erupdons of Mt
Lassen. Usually the clouds were bIood-red at sunset view across the
Quinn River Valley, changing to pink and then OF through all the unts and
shades until the fading light left only the du1est gray.
But what has fascinated me greatly has been the beautiful mirage which
of you are quite familiar with it, but to M it is something new and rare.
I have spoken of the shmbertg Hills peepng above the horizon some
fifty miles to the south. On mornings when the atmosphere is right they
seem to be many times their normal height looming up like a wall. One peak
that stands apart from the rest assumes many different forms before our
duhhHlhg eyes sometimes nattOpped like a table or mesa, sometimes anvil
shaped; resembling a Chinese pagoda and again tall and needlelke
Soon tn scene changes and, as if by magic, the mountains seem to dissolve
and finally assume their normal size and shape. We find it extremely
interesting to be seem things which amt" to use the small boys expression.
turning from fountains I'M unsets | find you have right at your door
a spot of great historic interest in this section of the country, Fort Nc
Dermitt the military post of other days, now al Indian post named for the
gallant Major McDemtt. who lost his life during a engagement with
the Indians, and who was at the time in charge of the military post This
places for all travel from Winnemucca to Rosa a. a ~e u u NV ssopp"s
the United States mail which came from New York and San Francisco to
Wnnemueea by train thence north by stage across $50 miles of barren desert
and rugged mountains.
During m short stay It the post, I looked with keenest interest at those
reminders of early days, the old stone buildings. built from lava rock brought
to myself what tales these stones could tell if they could but speak! In
fancy I could see a lurking Indians head peering over the low raise behind
these buildings n eould almost imagine the whole seen of n attack by
these same Piutes, whose defendants now seem a most peaceabIe and
has been developed in them.
We also have within a few minutes ride. a play spot me source Of endless
pleasure for S ALL the Vance hot springs. which have been developed
into a real little natatorium- This alone gives McDermht a great advantage
over the average desert town, where water, either hot or cold, is usually
the scarcest of all nece@ares Of life.
Another interesting sight to ne is the great bands of believing cattle
being driven daily. at this season. through the town en- route to the desert
pastures where they may feed all summer 1t wakes one to a realization
of What the country's real wealth is and gives us a key to the statement
issued by the financial agencies of Duns and Bradsreets. that McDemrt
is the richest town in the United States for the number of its population.
Lack Of further space prevents me from charging o these subjects as 1
would like; but l wish to say in closing. that n of my greatest enjoyments
in McDermitt and which is true of every Western frontier town, is to find
such a spirit o. brotherlness, democracy and hearty good-wn Here mn is
stripped of many of the uappings of modern civilization Sc noticeable in
the streets of u cities and larger towns and is judged not by the false
standards accepted elsewhere. but according IL his real merits. The general
social atmosphere seems o be in harmony with those prophetic lines of
Burns:
Then let u pray, that come it may,
AS come it will for a that
That Sense and Worth DER a. the earth
Shall bear the gree and a that