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

TE51 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Wednesday. . . . . . . . . . June 11, 1884 FROM EASTERN NEVADA. The Grand Odd Fellows' Visit to Austin—Some Sweet Singing-Sagebrush Hospitality—Reese River Extension Railroad Troubles—Devilish Ham—Uncle George Tufly—Five Thousand Dollar Rock—Educational—Hurrah! For Blaine—Torchlight Procession and General Rejoicing—Stray Notes and Observations—The Coming Saloon Bonanza—Etc. [Correspondence of the Enterprise.] AUSTIN, Nev., June 6, 1884. The weather throughout this section has been principally rainy for the past few weeks, but one of the principal sensations of the last...
TE52 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Saturday. . . . . . . . . . June 14, 1884 FROM EASTERN NEVADA. The Democratic State Convention—Too Short, Sweet and Unprofitable—Uncle James Gets Set Down Upon—A Friendly Crime—Auriferous Veal Barbecue—Local Sagebrush Minstrelsy—The Beautiful Rain. [Correspondence of the Enterprise.] AUSTIN, Nev., June 12, 1884. The Democratic State Convention, like a political cloudburst, as it were, has visited Austin, passed away, and the staunch old town comes out bright and smiling from the portentous episode. The visitation was short and sweet, and unanimously enjoyed while it...
TE53 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Tuesday……….June 24, 1884 FROM EASTERN NEVADA. The Reese River Deluge—Railroad Communication Cut Off—An Untimely Drought—Tilden's Vindication and Vindicators—Their Inconsistent Yet Characteristic Blunder—Harmonious Wedding—"Bowers"—Good Beer—A Sensational Kick—Trout Fishing with Mushroom Results—The Coming Fourth—Educational—Sagebrush—Kites—Ben. Butler. [Correspondence of the Enterprise.] AUSTIN, Nev., June 21, 1884. The Long continued and copiously rainy season had the effect to finally flood Reese River Valley fearfully and wash away an extensive section of the...
TE54 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Wednesday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 9, 1884 FROM EASTERN NEVADA. Austin's Fourth of July -- Goddesses -- Cannon -- The Old Stiffs -- Cousin Jack's View of the Situation -- Wood River and Coeur d'Alene Returns -- Cloudbursts -- Senatorial -- Etc. Correspondence of the Enterprise . AUSTIN, Nev., July 6, 1884 The greatest of all American National days was celebrated here in properly glorious style day before yesterday. We had the conventional procession, oration, poem, reading of the Declaration, music by the band, benediction, etc. -- same as they did in...
TE55 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Sunday . . . . . . . . . . July 13, 1884 FROM EASTERN NEVADA. Completion of the Austin Street Railway Through to the Manhattan Mines—Steepest Railroad in the World—Plunger Pump—Busy Scenes—The Doctor Called For—Water Reserves—Something About Soapsuds—Fruit and Vegetables--Butterflies, Etc. [Correspondence of the Enterprise.] AUSTIN, Nev., July 10, 1884. Aside from the general interest we all take in the troubles and trials of the Democracy at Chicago, one of the most important items of local interest, so far as this community is concerned, was the completion of the...
TE56 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Sunday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 20, 1884 FROM EASTERN NEVADA. Cheerful Republicans -- Eight to Seven -- Political Fallacies and Speculations -- Ben Butler -- Lice and Worms -- A Reese River Ranch and a Cattle Branding Circus -- Dangerous Horns and Lively Dodging -- Indian Strategy -- A Barbarously Trimmed Steer -- A Point in Fattening -- Winter Still Lingers, Etc -- A Notable Visitor -- The Elephant -- An Artful Dodger . Correspondence of the Enterprise. AUSTIN, Nev., July 17, 1884. "Hurrah! for Cleveland," has been the popular cry here since the great...
TE57 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Wednesday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 30, 1884 FROM EASTERN NEVADA. Reese River Valley, Topographically, Agriculturally and Hydropathically Considered -- A Very Peculiar River -- Nevada's Isolated Mining Points -- Reese River Architecture -- Immense Deposits of Roofing Material -- Political Ruminations -- Health Problems -- A Pump from the Comstock -- A Bloody Tongue Episode -- A Gagged Official -- Gone to Lake Tahoe -- 601 -- Circus – Moon. Correspondence of the Enterprise. AUSTIN, Nev. , July 26, 1884 In my last letter I did not record quite all the notes and...
TE58 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August 17, 1884 FROM EASTERN NEVADA. The Impending Cloudburst -- Horse and Elephant Opera -- Some Circus Reflections -- Short Grass and a Lamb Tale -- Reese River Flowers -- Austin Agriculture -- Ground Pepper and How to Assay it-- An Absconded Medicine Man -- Politics, Matrimony, Etc. [Correspondence of the Enterprise.] AUSTIN, Nev., August 14, 1884. To-morrow will be the anniversary of the fearful cloudburst and flood which so sweepingly devastated Austin in 1878. It occurred at 4 o'clock P.M. A huge, black and...
TE59 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Sunday August 24, 1884 FROM EASTERN NEVADA The Primaries and Delegates - A Political Anomaly - Something About Lawyers - The Filthy Pool of Politics - Domestic Troubles - Badly Foiled Woman - Piute Jealousy - A Prosperous Community [Correspondence of the Enterprise] AUSTIN, Nev., August 21, 1884 August being put down as the regular cloudburst month, and no such sensational episode having thus far occurred, the old pioneers are declaring it "off" for the season; therefore the next thing in order is the Republican primary election next Saturday for delegates to Carson on...
TE60 TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE Tuesday September 9, 1884 FROM EASTERN NEVADA Political, Senatorial, Etc. -- Active Registration of Voters -- Woodburn vs. Cassidy -- A Crippled Miner -- Drunken Catfish -- Cold Moonshine -- Religious Incidentals [Correspondence of the Enterprise] AUSTIN, September 5, 1884 Throughout Eastern Nevada the political whirl has commenced, and the mythical pot is boiling, and now that the Republican State Convention has set forth its results and its candidates, the aforesaid pot is supposed to boil with constantly increasing ferocity until the grand general election in...

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