White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-11
NEVADA STATE IN THE MAKING;
ELY, CAPITAL OF WHITE PINE
(By IL. Il. MILLER.
PART THIRTY

SUs and at flrSt was employed Dy
John Wearne, who was operating
sawmill. When the Cherry Creek
crash came Mr.. Wearne was unable
to pay Mr.. Mcdonald considerable
back wages that he had coming, so ]
believe that Mr.. Mcdonald agreed to
take over the sawmill and to pay
Wearne the difference. Mr.. MeDon-
aid at once moved the mill from the
Cherry Creek mountains To the Duck
Creek range and shortly afterward
sent for the girl he had left behind
him in Nova Scotia. At this time
there was very little spare money In
The county. and IL was only by the
greatest industry that Mr.. Mcdonald,
n rare type OF the rugged pioneers
who built up the county. was able to
make any progress in business.
The writer ut this time was em
ployed To make occasional trips 10
haul the lumber output of the mill to
Ely. the freight being advanced by
3 Il Williamson of Ely who han
died the lumber for Mr.. Mcdonald
1t took but very little lumber TO sup
ply Ely and the surrounding mines
at this period. Mr.. MeDonald's mill
vas located on pretty stream at the
qnouth of wide and deep canyon
which extended for miles back into
The mountains Mr.. Mcdonald was
accustomed to take his ax and yoke
of oxen. go back into the mountains.
cut and haul the logs to the mill aud
while rest ing he would cut lumber
Mr. Mcdonald had an established
reputation throughout the county as
an honest and reliable business man
whose word was as good as his bond
When he sent word that a load cf
lumber would be ready at certain
lime he never failed TO make good
He continued his hard work with the
sawmill until the boom struck Fly
when | understand fortune deserved
~ smiled on him.
Ira J. Mcknight came To White
Pine county when still a email boy
accompanying his mother. Mrs. Alice
Shekells. and with the exception OF
such time as he was away at school
has spent ,he greater part OF his life
in the county. After completing his
education Mr. Mcknight engaged in
ranching and stockraising with his
mother until along In the early SOS,
when he was married TO Miss Lizzie
H2yl. one of the county's popular
gsVs. After his marriage Mr. Nc
knight moved tn Cherry Creek.
where he engaged IN the harness and
saddlery business. Mr.. and Mrs Nc
knight we're equally we'll liked and
popular throughout the county and
for years were leaders in the social
activities OF Hamilton. Cherry Creek
and Ely.
At the time he was resident OF
Cherry Creek Mr.. Mcknight was
elected county commissioner and
worked in harmony and close coop
Nrff "a
Garraghan and John B. Williamson.
all of whom were in charge of county
affairs. and IL was due to the tireless
activity. honesty and sound business
judgment of these men that White
Pine county was redeemed from the
staggering load OF Indebtedness
which had been left as a heritage
by former county administrations.
When Fly became permanent
town on the map Mr.. Mcknight |
moved there. and while believe he |
has always been engaged at his trade |
OF saddlery and harnessmaking, he |
has never been found wanting In his |
support OF any movement that would |
advance the interests of his home city |
and county.
d. C. McQuitty. one of White Pine
countys very first settlers, whose |
previous articles. was for nearly |
forty years one of our foremost and |
most highly respected citizens. Mr. |
McQuitty moved from White River |
valley to the Carnahan ranch In |
lsA, raised one crop there before he |
moved to Murry creek, below where |
Ely was later located. Mr. McQuitty |
was a farmer and was considered ono |
of the most successful grain raisers |
in the state. Uncle Dave. as he was |
affectionately known. could SOW bar
ley anywhere or in any year and |
could harvest a ton TO the acre. Mr. |
and Mrs. McQutty raised four chill !
dren, Andrew. Lizzie, Jimmie and |
David Jr.. all grew up to make model
citizens. The McQuittys moved to
southern California for two years
during Los Angeles first boom in the
early sos, returning TO Murry creek,
where thev remained until they re-
turned TO Los Angeles during the lat
ter 90s. Mr.. McQuitty was elected |
TO the assembly from White Pine
county and introduced the first bill
appropriating money to sink for ar
tesian water. but. as Uncle David |
said. when those politicians from the
western part of the state were
through amending it he did not know
the bill when il came up for passage,
and he told his fellow members that
when he was nominated and started
out to canvass for votes he had prom
led every farmer In White Pine an
artesian well, and that he had stood /
In with other members to help pass
every measure that had come up In
the lower house. and now when his
bill came up all he could recognize
of 1t was the enacting clause. hence
he voted to table the bill indefinitely.
Investments made by Mr.. McQuitty
during the early boom in Los Angeles
grew into a comfortable fortune be-
fode he died quite recently in the
California city