White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-25
NEVADA STATE IN THE MAKING;
ELY, CAPITAL OF WHITE PINE

being justified by the passenger and
express traffic, as travellers invaria-
bly, preferred the Wells-Cherry Greek
route.
Thus Ely was at this time receiv-
ing twelve mails weekly direct from
the east and west Mail leaving Pal
isades in the morning for Eureka and
Ely reached Ely the following morn
| ing about o'clock. while mail ieav-
| ing Wells in the morning reached
Ely The following morning about )
o'clock. This not only gave the
town people but also the people
along the route under the mail box
system mail six times a week
Mail pay at this time was small
and In order TO make any money IL
was necessary for the contractor TO
cooperate with the business men and
10 arrange for traffic. The writer
well remembers when a crate OF
fruit for Fred Clark. "A case OF cigars
for John Weber. a keg of beer for
McDonald's saloon or Merino buck
for McGills ranch looked as big TO
him as a trainload of copper would
now look to the Nevada Northern
1t was the loyalty and cooperation of
| these business men that made the
service profitable to the contractor
and convenient for the patron.
For the convenience of the farm
ers in Steptoe valley, Steptoe hal
postotiice with William Campbell or
his wife acting as postmaster. At
Duck Creek was postofiice presided
over by Crane Gallagher or his wife.
while Mrs McGill was in charge OF
the Office at MeGill. While these of
ftas. D. lx.1s.. alss...
| lucrative, these people were willing
10 serve that their neighbors might
have the benefit of the mails The
writer often wonders if. since the ad-
vent of the railroad, these farmers
nave been blessed with such good
mail service.
At the time when Groux first
( started operations at Pilot Knob the
mail route was changed from the
Robinson summit road to the route
embracing West Camp. Pilot Knob
and Ruth. giving them mail an hour
or so earlier than Ely people and OBJ
waiting the necessity OF their sending
i to town by special messenger In
return for this change in routing the
Knob and Ruth operators recipro-
Gated bv giving the mail stages a
good share of passenger and express
| business
II was not uncommon In these
days. when county road and bridge
building funds were a thing un-
known, for Crane Gallagher TO bridge
Duck creek or for Billy McGill to
send his men and teams to the
mountains for timber to bridge the
slough so that the mail might be de-
liyered 10 their ranches. These old
time, public spirited citizens certain
~ made life worth living. The writ
er operated 700 miles OF stage lines
in Wyoming and over 500 miles in
Utah, California and Colorado. but
In none OF these states were the pco-
pie so favored with mail facilities rs
Nevada, while no part OF Nevada re-
eeised such good service as White
Pine county and no part OF the eoun-
~ was as well favored as Ely.
The writer. during his connection
with the service, had occasion to
visit Washington. ID. c.. many times
in regard to changes OF schedule. in
creasing the service and establishing
new routes and Offices along the va
rious lines and he recalls one par
ticular instance where he appeared
before the second assistant post
master general. who had charge OF
all the star route mail service, the
official in charge at this time being
General Schallenberger of Pennsyl-
yania At the time the writer sought
to change his Eureka-Ely line sehed-
ule SO as TO leave Eureka in the
morning instead OF ut noon. In order
10 get over the deep snow in the
Hamilton mountains during daylight.
and also to leave Ely at an earlier
hour for the same purpose.
When the matter was put before
General Schallenberger he at once
turned to the map and could readily
see where the change would be bene-
fcial TO the service during the win
ter months. but said that the sched-
uie was part OF the contract and
could only be changed on petition of
the people receiving the mails. He
said that he would be glad to make
such change as the people asked.
advising me to get up a petition and
TO make II as strong as possible.
Have all your business men, your
hankers. your newspapers and pub
fishing companies, which are the
most important OF all. sign the petit
ton. he said. adding that the public
expects its paper mail at a certain
time. while letter mail Is problem
atical.
Ely at this time. according to the
United States census, had a popula-
ton OF 200, which included Good
Tommy tMeQuitty's Indian. his
squaw and three pappooses The
weekly White Pine News was the
only newspaper, while there was no
bank in the town. The writer. man.
fully smothering laugh, thanked
the general very kindly. failing to
enlighten him So anxious was the
general to favor city as large as
Ely appeared to be on the map that
he advised the postmaster there to
give the carrier the mail two hours
In advance OF the schedule time
pending the return of the writer and
the forwarding Of the petition asking
for the change This schedule was
In operation twelve years later when
the writer left and while Ely had
lost In population It still had over
E0n vnsIao 80 v..atf ~A,.knx a.. .-.~.