Territorial Enterprise

February, 1883 - January, 1885
Alf Doten wrote for the Territorial Enterprise, the largest and most successful newspaper in Virginia City, sporadically from the time he moved to the Comstock in 1864 until the end of his life, as a freelancer and briefly as a “local reporter.” He also filled in for Dan De Quille at times when De Quille was detoxing from alcohol. After a great deal of financial and professional success as the publisher of the Gold Hill News, Doten’s fortunes took a very bad turn in late 1882, resulting in his family’s move in 1883 to Austin, Nevada, a more prosperous town where he might have more opportunities. They stayed for less than two years, but during that time Doten wrote 73 columns, “From Eastern Nevada” that were published in the Enterprise. It was his only steady work, and he gave it his best writing about daily life in Austin, a much smaller and quieter place than Virginia City. If nothing interesting was happening, he fantasized a bit, using fictional characters that typified (but exaggerated) the types of citizens of his new home. This series provides a wealth of information about Austin during the early 1880s

TE01 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Sunday .... February 11, 1883 FROM EASTERN NEVADA. Cold Comforts and Solid Beef -- Austin Amenities and Festivities -- The Water-God Flower -- Railroad Legislation -- Too Much Confidence [Correspondence of the Enterprise.] AUSTIN, Nev., February 7, 1883. EDITOR ENTERPRISE: During the last few weeks the temperature of the "Great East" portion of Nevada has ruled unusually and unnecessarily low, the thermometer ranging from twenty or thirty degrees above zero to forty or fifty degrees below. The cattle ranges being altogether in the numerous valleys, where the coldest...
TE02 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Sunday ..... February 18, 1883 FROM EASTERN NEVADA. Valentine Amenities — An Autograph Epidemic—Chirographic Sublimity—Water Pipe Calamities—Juvenile Ambition—Railroad Legislation—Government Rations and Piute Prosperity [Correspondence of the Enterprise.] AUSTIN, Nevada, February 15, 1883. Saint Valentine's Day came in as a sort of wind-up to the Chinese New Year festivities, and was further complicated with the commencement of Lent. One circumstance operated as an offset to the other, however, to some extent. The Chinese had their big dragon flag flying all day, and...
TE03 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Sunday .... February 25, 1883 FROM EASTERN NEVADA. Washington's Birthday -- A Forty-seven Pounder -- Explanatory Austin Cigarette Smokers -- Prospectors and Prospects About that Quail Proposition -- Melarkey -- Legislative Suggestions -- Religious Vice [Correspondence of the Enterprise.] AUSTIN, Nevada, February 23, 1883. Yesterday being Washington’s Birthday, and the weather particularly fine, of the Spring-like and bland order, this national holiday occasion was celebrated with more than usual interest. There was no public celebration, but the public generally...
TE04 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Sunday, March 4, 1883 FROM EASTERN NEVADA More Celestial Amenities -- Circulation -- Austin Architecture, Ancient Relics and Social Peculiarities -- A Very Steep Railroad -- Legislative Finale -- Well Done, Good and Faithful, Etc. [Correspondence of the Enterprise.] AUSTIN, Nev., March 1, 1883. During the last three or four days the Chinese have been holding some more high festivities, and what it is all about is not given for ordinary white barbarians to understand. Sam Gee says "it's pooty big time" in his country, “allee same Fourf July." Anyhow, they have exploded...
TE05 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Sunday .... March 11, 1883 FROM EASTERN NEVADA. Scarecrow Wiggins – Ruby Silver and Manhattan Bullion – Long Credits and Dull Times – Rich Rock Reese River Pioneers – Jim Sloggers Strikes It – Our Returned Legislators – Carson Reminiscences [Correspondence of the Enterprise.] AUSTIN, Nev., March 9, 1883. And now here it is the morning of the day when Wiggins' big storm was to break loose and devastate the whole country with sweeping tornadoes, cloud-burstings of rain, fierce thunder and wild leaping electricity. Yet the predicted visitation cometh not, and the Spring-...
TE06 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Sunday .... March 18. 1883 FROM EASTERN NEVADA. St. Patrick -- Celestial fenians -- Piute Weather Signs -- A Kerosene Comet -- Liberal Dicks --Literary Notes --A Lively Locality -- Bushels of Squelched Talent -- Hidden Lights of Genius [Correspondence of the Enterprise.] AUSTIN, Nev., March 16, 1883. The grand festive event now thrilling Austin society to its very foundations is the St. Patrick's ball which culminates and transpires to-night at International Hall. It is Lent, but the Church has granted a special disposition; all outsiders of any note or social...
TE07 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Sunday……….March 25, 1883. FROM EASTERN NEVADA. Snide Prophecies—Street Grass—Silver Wealth—Two Bits a Week— Departing Friends—Austin —The Widow McWinzle and her Rhyming Achievements—Thaddeus of Washoe—Smallpox Reflections and Deductions. [Correspondence of the Enterprise.] AUSTIN, Nev., March 23, 1883. Professor Snider, our local astronomic weather sharp, who predicted that March would come in like a lamb, remain lamb-like all through, and go out the same way, is very likely to make a fine success of it. He certainly has beaten Wiggins badly on the proposition. As to...
TE08 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Sunday……….April 1, 1883. FROM EASTERN NEVADA. Lack of Moisture—Beef Realities and Possibilities—About the Flood—Some Hailstones—Bonanza Tributers—Going to See the Old Folks at Home—Ducks and Geese—Poetic Delights and Capabilities. [Correspondence of the Enterprise] AUSTIN, Nev., March 30, 1883. The inclination of the weather to be stormy during the last three or four days has been very encouraging to the hopes of most everybody, the ranchers especially. Only about enough of hail, snow or rain, however, has fallen to moisten the surface and law the dust. Two inches of...
TE09 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Sunday……….April 8, 1883. FROM EASTERN NEVADA. The Bullion Value of Snow—Barley and Beef Prospects—That Nevada Cadetship—An Austin Boy—Public School Matters—Pacific Coast Exposition—Spyken’s Big Luck—A Second John Mackay—How the Wicked Flourish Sometimes—Baseball Boomers. [Correspondence of the Enterprise] AUSTIN, Nev., April 6, 1883. The storms of the last few days have been of incalculable benefit to this section, and the fall of snow, although not very heavy, was worth its weight in bullion. It still whitens the face of the country, and the thirsty earth greedily...
TE10 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Sunday……….April 15, 1883 FROM EASTERN NEVADA Weather Speculations and Telescopic Observations—Emigrations and Spring Tramps—The Land of Promise—Connubial Felicitations—Mineral Wealth and Ruby Silver—My Dear Hubbell—The Infernal Regions. [Correspondence of the Enterprise.] AUSTIN, Nev., April 13, 1883. "Ha ! ha !" exclaimed Professor Snider last evening, as the hail, snow and sleet came whirling down over the roofs and around the corners. "We’re getting plenty of it, just as I predicted we would, this month. Wiggins hoodooed March; anyhow, it was by all odds the mildest...

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