DOCENTS NEWSLETTER

Historical Society of Dayton Valley http://daytonnvhistory.org

October 2014

Andy Sichak and Don Bergstrom at the blacksmith shop by the museum during Dayton Valley Days

Docent Letters By Ruby McFarland

I doubt whether the world holds for anyone a more soul-stirring surprise than the first adventure with ice cream. Heywood Brown 1921 Well, I didn’t tell the whole truth about the Indians and the camels; the story was true, the dates were wrong. The settlers made it difficult for the Indians to feed themselves because they took over their hunting grounds and cut down the pinion pines the Indians depended on for winter food. Hence, they ate whatever they could find. However, that’s not the story I want to relate in this essay. The camels are the story. How many people know the story of why camels were in Dayton, raise your hand. See, there aren’t that many folks who know. I couldn’t remember what I had read years ago so I called Pat Neylan and asked him for a couple of books. He was happy to bring me two books, “Camels in Nevada” by Douglas McDonald, and “Noble Brutes—camels on the American frontier” by Eva Jolene Boyd. “Noble Brutes” was extremely dry reading where “Camels in Nevada” came right to the point. All the things I remember reading flooded back to memory. Both books told the same story with references. Long story shortened, the U.S. Army went to Africa and bought some camels and brought them to a Texas seaport. From there they were sent to several Army camps until 1863 when the Army found they had no further use for camels. They were sold to Samuel McLeneghan who later on bought a stone barn in Dayton, Nevada to house some camels. That is called the Leslie Barn. The camels were accustomed to carrying heavy loads ad were brought to the Comstock to carry salt used in the refining of silver ore. They could carry 800 to 1,000 pounds of salt—that’s one camel. Salt cost $120 a ton and camels could carry more than horses or mules so it was hard to use the two factions together. The camels didn’t herd the same as horses.

There was another family who raised camels in the area, Marius and Louis Chevalier who had a ranch between Dayton and Fort Churchill. They were successful in breeding the camels. They sold camels to be used in the Austin, Nevada area to haul salt. Because of the rocky terrain, the camels had to wear leather boots because their foot pads were so tender. There were so many different problems with the camels they finally gave up the business of keeping camels. The camels frightened horses, mules, livestock and people. They were sold to people in Arizona and they too found them a difficult task. For several years camels could be found in the wilds of Arizona. I’ve heard two stories—one was that camels were housed in the camel barn, the other, it never happened, that they were housed in corrals next to the barn. Does anyone have the true story?

Visitors at the Firehouse Mary Ann Sichak in the HSDV Booth

DOCENT DOINGS By Pat Neylan

As I get older sometimes I find myself repeating. I know this has not happened to anyone else in our group, so take this as a warning! At this moment however, my mind is clear and I know exactly what I am talking about, and, I am repeating myself!! The HSDV has the greatest bunch of docents ever to spend their time and passion in a “major” small town museum!! The entire season has come off without hardly a hitch; the number of special tours has increased and best of all, the number of inquiries about our “secret” museum is on the rise!! The latest proof of all of this was the recent Dayton Valley Days celebration. The demands throughout the members of the society were huge and spread all across Old Town at the same time demanding even the help of some of our regular docents who performed well as always. For our part at the museum, this was no problem; almost 200 visitors were welcomed and introduced to the museum. Fortunately for us, we had the dynamic duo, the stalwart team of Sheila and Shirley! There was no set schedule, but the three of us kept the museum covered, had plenty of time for lunch, cruised the vendors without ever leaving the museum short and a good time was had by all! It is a great thing when a plan comes together and actually works. With the dedicated group we have serving our schoolhouse museum, the central point of emphasis for Dayton’s history….between major events, it is a no brainer; the plan is working, and has been all year long!! THANKS!!

Grace Ricci

Rancher and Community Volunteer

I was born Grace Elsie Testolin in Fallon in 1927 but have lived in Dayton for 61 years.

My father, Antonio Paul Testolin, emigrated from Italy in 1900. When he learned that irrigation was coming to Fallon he homesteaded there in 1906. My mother, Italia Binotto, arrived from Italy in 1910 and my parents married. She bore five girls and two boys, of which I am the youngest and only one still living.

My father’s vegetables won many trophies at the Nevada State Fair and even one at the 1915 Pan American Exhibition

in San Francisco. In 2009 the Testolin Ranch was honored as a Nevada Centennial Ranch, operated by the same family for more than 100 years. After high school I went to work for the Nevada Department of Agriculture but when the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation came to Fallon I joined them as secretary, continuing to work for them after they moved to Carson City. I’d met Joe Ricci when he brought his mother to Fallon to visit my mother. We were married in 1953 and I moved to Dayton to the Ricci Ranch, which Joe’s parents had purchased in the early 1900s. Four years later our son Butch (Bernard) was born. I soon realized I no longer had time to work away from home, especially since in 1958 Joe was elected Lyon County Commissioner—a position he held for 20 years.

Soon my dear friend Del Minor got me involved in 4-H and I became the gardening leader…for 27 years! Joe and I held workdays for 4-H at our ranch. Butch raised 4-H sheep and won a trip to Chicago for his work. Joe Jr. was born in 1970 and I started my volunteering all over. Joe won the state 4-H merit award for record keeping, which paid for his steer the next year. When the new high school was built 4-H interest declined due to the expanded sports programs, and in 7th grade Joe started playing basketball. I joined the high school booster club and for out-of-town games we made sandwiches at my house for the players, which helped a lot in tight-money times.

We always cared about the community. The 1918 high school was vacant and threatened. My husband returned to serve another four-year term as County Commissioner and saved the building; today it serves as the Dayton Community Center.

In 1987 the Historical Society was formed and I was elected its Treasurer. I have served as Treasurer ever since—27 years. My husband died in 1993 but I continue to do both the ranch and historical society books. In 1999 I started serving on the newly formed Dayton Conservation District, a position now occupied by my son Joe, and I still garden. I plan to continue my volunteer work as long as I’m able but it won’t end with me: my son and his family now volunteer as well.

Continuation of last month’s “Rebuttal” to The Train Whistle’s Echo By Linda Clements

William Sharon, whose dream the V & T was, was a man of grandiose schemes. Following his V & T success, he proposed to his partner D. O Mills, that they run a line to Colorado via Owen Valley. Mills, who had other matters on his mind, absent-mindedly gave his blessing. The Carson & Colorado’s right-of-way was through lovely lands

where tall grass rippled to the passing cars. [LLC note: This was true where there was water, but there was a lot

of desert on the route, even before the Owens Valley was dried up by the Los Angeles Aqueduct.] When construction had been completed as far as Owens Lake, Sharon brought Mills to see it. The old gentleman, who had spent a full day viewing vacant desert land without a bonanza in sight, was less than enthused. His comment was to become a classic of Old West railroad folklore: “Either we have built the railroad 300 miles too long, or 300 years too soon.” [LLC note: This quote goes in the Comstock journalism category of “If it isn’t true, it should be.”

Widely quoted and widely loved, there is no documentation that suggests that Darius Mills might have said

this. But, of course, it is still a great quote! Oh, and in 1883 when this trip was supposedly made, the “old

gentleman” was 58 years old!]

The C & C continued to operate just that far—a forlorn and wistful ugly duckling, the recipient of hand-me-down equipment—until 1900, when it was sold to Southern Pacific. [LLC note: I adore the C&C and truly resent it

being described as a “forlorn and wistful ugly duckling.” It was a mining railroad, designed to do a utilitarian

task. It truly brought prosperity back to Dayton after the milling boom of the early 1860s was cut short by the

Great Fires of 1866 and 1870. But it also carried passengers comfortably and it did its job and did it well. “A

simple but charming little line” would be my descriptor! Used equipment for the C&C is a myth that is oft-

repeated, and that I also believed for many years. However, in fact, the C&C received almost exclusively new

equipment, at least until it was sold to the SP—when it received equipment from several other SP-affiliated

lines. During the C&C era, of 8 steam locomotives, 10 passenger cars, 194 freight cars, and maintenance

right-of-way equipment, there were only 10 former Carson & Tahoe Lumber & Fluming flatcars, and 15

former V&T wooden side-dump ore cars.] Then, and only then did it make a profit for that was the year silver was located at Tonopah. [LLC note: The accusation that the C&C was never profitable is inaccurate. The net

balance was always in the black although a “surplus”—after dividends, depreciation, and taxes—only

occurred in 1883. However, it only paid dividends to its investors in 1882 and 1883.] And the C & C was the only means of transport for machinery, whiskey, roulette wheels and other fixtures essential to the establishment of a progressive mining community.

Final LLC Note: The line’s name was changed by the SP to Nevada & California in 1905 but in the

Dayton area the locals still referred to it as the C&C, as we do today. A simple but charming little line! Soon

our 1881 depot will be returned to its former glory, again looking like the C&C depot of 1881 that brought

renewed prosperity to Dayton!

Levi Cooper in the Parade End of the Trail Saloon-Gary, Phyllis, Mary Ann

Hard working guys? Nice sign for the bar made by Ruby McFarland