White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-08-14
NEVADA STATE IN THE MAKING;
ELY, CAPITAL OF WHITE PINE

a few BEDS after the i(aREdaIe nOtei
at Mineral City was closed. Mr.
lFeatherston and his partner. Mr..
REYNOLDS, located and operated the
keystone mine in Robinson canyon
and built the Keystone mill. making
considerable money before they sold
ont their interests to A. Jackson and
Henry Kind of Eureka
Mr. Featherston sold his buildings
at Murry Creek To r. A. Reipe, who
rebuilt. enlarged and painted the
hotel. which was later known as the
IReipe hotel or Ely hotel This was
the first painted building in Ely.
Most OF the houses erected in Ely in
1856 were rebuilt from lumber sal
vaged from homes in Ward and Tay-
lor, new doors. windows and roofs
being used
| Sol Hilp started the first store in
| Ely in 1885, having erected "A build
ing with lumber from stores which
he formerly owned 1T Ward and Tay-
lor. Mr.. Hip was at one time con-
sidered one OF the best business men
in the county. but his election TO the
assembly on the silver ticket in the
late '30s without opposition proved a
great handicap. as he later neglected
AOt Bpttiit0 hlo loituHf
rapidly dwindled. Mr. Hip Gied in
Reno in 1918 or 1919.
| The first new building To be erect
ed in Ely was constructed by Fred NJ
Clark for drug store This was. as
far as the writer knows. the first
building in the county TO he built OF
| all California lumber Most of the
material used in those days was an
Inferior grade OF native timber from
the local mills and which cost about
$40 thousand. the better grade of
California lumber. which cost from
S65 to Sl25 thousand. being used
for finishing. doors. windows and
shingles. The writer's teams hauled
the material from Wells to build the
Clark drug store.
Dave Felsenthal was originally in
partnership with Mr.. Clark at Ely
but sold out his interests to his part
ner. when the left the state, in the
late sos. Mr.. Clark, who was a ma
tive Of Maine. came TO Taylor from
Frisco. Utah. and engaged in the drug
business with King & Co. Clark &
felsenthal bought out King & Co
and moved the stock TO their new
quarters at Fly. Mr. Clark wins stiH
SUCCESSFULLY engaged in business nj
Ely at the time the writer moved
from the state.
Even at the risk of causing a blush
of modesty to mantle the cheek of
Mr.. Clark. the writer cannot forego
slight tribute to man whose entire
record IS a citizen has been one OF
self-sacrificing service To his fellow
men. For more years than I like to
count the Clark drug store was kept
open early and late and used as
popular meeting place not only by
Ely residents but also 10y the cow
boys, ranchers and miners from the
surrounding country Whether the
visitor desired To make a purchase
or not was immaterial to the genial
Dreprietor. and the drug store was
looked upon largely as a public cor
venience Mr. Clark was always pop
rlar with his fellow townsmen and
was always elected as Ely's reDresen.
tatiye TO attend state conventions OF
fraternal organizations. national ex-
positions and similar gatherings which
REQUIRED a man of pleasing person
ality Mr.. Clark ran for the assembly
in 1903 on the republican ticket and
was overwhelmingly elected. un-
dersiand that he is still being drafted
for public service and being regularly
honored hy election whenever his
name appears on ballot
Richard A Reipe. who purchased
the hotel business of Mr.. Featherston
was one OF the first settlers in Ely
and conducted restaurant. feed sta
BILE aud bar in connection with his
hotel Mr.. Reipe was never known
to turn an INDECENT man away. He
was nominated for the assembly in
the late 'a0s on the democratic ticket
and was easily elected by the votes
OF the woodehoppers. coaiburners and
miners whom he had befriended. Mr.
Reipe. | understand. was also ex.
tensively interested in mining and
! made considerable sum when the
| final boom came TO Ely, but he died
a few wears later.
! William Laurenson. another self
made man. was for many years coun-
| ty clerk OF White Pine county. Mr..
Laurenson while employed at the
mill at Cherry Creek was nominated
on the republican ticket and was easi-
~ elected. republican nomination
In those DAYS generally being eauiva-
lent to an election. as the county was
about two tn one republican. Mr.
lLaurenson was never what IL gem
orally known as good mixer" but
once he was elected no one could ever
defeat him. so satisfactory was the
administration OF his office MIR. Lau-
renson was of studious nature and
for many years prior to his death was
considered one of the best posted
men on law in the county He was a
great reader. an independent think
er and was never known to he wrong
when he gave facts in an argument
Mr.. Laurenson's disposition can
hest he indged bv an answer he made
"a the United States census bureau
In reply to a request for statistics as
to the amount OF LIQUOR used in the
county hospital in 1889. The reply
was brief and to the point. being
about as follows.
Hospital bought five gallons of
mighty common whisky In 1883. This
was used by patients who died the
same year Hospital closed in De-
cember No patients left. When a
cOunty hoenitnl Ia daaarfad you can