1–15 May 1864
The original printing of “Washoe.—‘Information Wanted’ ” in the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise is not extant, but the sketch was reprinted in the San Francisco Golden Era on 22 May 1864. It had probably appeared in the Enterprise shortly before May 15, when Clemens became involved in raising money for the Sanitary Fund.1 Although it seems likely that the Era would republish such an item fairly promptly, the sketch could in fact have appeared in the Enterprise any time in the first two weeks of May. The Era editors added a brief explanatory preface before reprinting it: “A citizen of Virginia, Washoe's world-famed metropolis, lately received a letter from a friend in Missouri who ‘Wanted Information’ concerning Silver-Land. This letter was handed over to Mark Twain. In the Territorial Enterprise we find the whole correspondence.”2
On 29 May 1864, less than a month after composing “Washoe.—‘Information Wanted,’ ” Mark Twain left Nevada for San Francisco. His growing disenchantment with “Silver-Land” is evident in this sketch, which is a kind of travesty of hyperbolic land-promotion literature. Mark Twain's disenchantment had been brought to a head by his two-pronged controversy—with the ladies of Carson City and with the editors of the Virginia City Union—revolving around contributions to the Sanitary Fund.3 His sardonic praise of the country reflects an attitude evident in his earlier Nevada writing, but its prominence and severity here help transform his reply to “William” into an appropriate farewell to the territory.
[begin page 366]“Washoe.—‘Information Wanted’ ” was reprinted in the 1867 Jumping Frog book under the title “Information for the Million.” But in 1873 when Mark Twain revised the Choice Humorous Works for Andrew Chatto he decided to omit it, writing simply “Leave out this puerile hogwash.”4
“Springfield Ⓐhistorical collation Ⓐemendation, Mo., AprilⒶhistorical collation 12.
“ Dear Ⓐemendation Sir:—My object in writing to you is to have you give me a full history of Nevada: What is the character of its climate? What are the productions of the earth? Is it healthy? What diseases do they die of mostly? Do you think it would be advisable for a man who can make a living in Missouri to emigrate to that part of the country? There are several of us who would emigrate there in the spring if we could ascertain to a certainty that it is a much better country than this. I suppose you know Joel H. Smith? He used to live here; he lives in Nevada now; they say he owns considerable in a mine there. Hoping to hear from you soon, etc., I remain yours, truly,
William——.”
Dearest Ⓐhistorical collation William:—Pardon my familiarity—but that name touchingly reminds me of the loved and lost, whose name was similar. I have taken the contract to answer your letter, and although we are now strangers, I feel we shall cease to be so if we ever become acquainted with each other. The thought is worthy of attention, William. I will now respond to your several propositions in the order in which you have fulminated them.
Your object in writing is to have me give you a full history of Nevada. The flattering confidence you repose in me, William, is only equalled by the modesty of your request. I could detail the history of Nevada in five hundred pages octavo, but as you have never done me any harm, I will spare you, though it will be apparent to everybody that I would be justified in taking advantage of you if I were a mind to do itⒶhistorical collation. [begin page 368] However, I will condense. Nevada was discovered many years ago by the Mormons, and was called Carson countyⒺexplanatory note. It only became Nevada in 1861, by act of CongressⒺexplanatory note. There is a popular tradition that GodⒶhistorical collation Almighty created it; but when you come to see it, William, you will think differently. Do not let that discourage you, though. The country looks something like a singed cat, owing to the scarcity of shrubbery, and also resembles that animal in the respect that it has more merits than its personal appearance would seem to indicate. The Grosch brothersⒺexplanatory note found the first silver lead here in 1857. They also founded Silver CityⒺexplanatory note, I believe. (Observe the subtle joke, William.) But the “history” of Nevada which you demand, properly begins with the discovery of the Comstock lead, which event happened nearly five years ago. The opinion now prevailing in the East that the Comstock is on the Gould & Curry is erroneous; on the contrary, the Gould & Curry is on the Comstock. Please make the correction, William.Ⓐhistorical collation Signify to your friends, alsoⒶhistorical collation, that all the mines here do not pay dividends as yet; you may make this statement with the utmost unyielding inflexibility—it will not be contradicted from this quarter. The population of this Territory is about 35,000Ⓔexplanatory note, one-half of which number reside in the united cities of Virginia and Gold Hill. However, I will discontinue this history for the present, lest I get you too deeply interested in this distant land and cause you to neglect your family or your religion. But I will address you again upon the subject next year. In the meantime, allow me to answer your inquiry as to the character of our climate.
It has no character to speak of, William, and alas! in this respect it resembles many, ah,Ⓐhistorical collation too many chambermaids in this wretched, wretched world. Sometimes we have the seasons in their regular order, and then again we have winter all the summer and summer all winterⒶhistorical collation. Consequently, we have never yet come across an almanac that would just exactly fit this latitude. ItⒶemendation is mighty regular about not raining, though, William. It will start in here in November and rain about four, and sometimes as much as seven days on a stretch; after that, you may loan out your umbrella for twelve months, with the serene confidence which a Christian feels in four aces. Sometimes the winter begins in November and winds up in June; and sometimes there is a bare suspicion of winter in March and April, and summer all the balance of the year. But as a general thing, William, the climate is good, what there is of it.
[begin page 369]What are the productions of the earth? You mean in Nevada, of course. On our ranches here, anything can be raised that can be produced on the fertile fields of Missouri. But ranches are very scattering—as scattering, perhaps, as lawyers in heaven. Nevada, for the most part, is a barren waste of sand, embellished with melancholy sage-brush, and fenced in with snow clad mountains. But these ghastly features were the salvation of the land, William, for no rightly constituted American would have ever come here if the place had been easy of accessⒶemendation, and none of our pioneers would have staid after they got here if they had not felt satisfied that they could not find a smaller chance for making a living anywhere else. Such is man, William, as he crops out in America.Ⓐhistorical collation
“Is it healthy?” Yes, I think it is as healthy here as it is in any part of the West. But never permit a question of that kind to vegetate in your brain, William, because as long as providence has an eye on you, you will not be likely to die until your time comes.
“What diseases do they die of mostly?” Well, they used to die of conical balls and cold steel, mostly, but here lately erysipelasⒺexplanatory note and the intoxicating bowl have got the bulgeⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation onⒶtextual note those things, as was very justly remarked by Mr. RisingⒺexplanatory note last Sunday. I will observe, for your information, William, that Mr. Rising is our Episcopal minister, and has done as much as any man among us to redeem this community from its pristine state of semi-barbarism. We are afflicted with all the diseases incident to the same latitude in the States, I believe, with one or two added and half a dozen subtracted on account of our superior altitude. However, the doctors are about as successful here, both in killing and curing, as they are anywhere.
Now, as to whether it would be advisable for a man who can make a living in Missouri to emigrate to Nevada, I confess I am somewhat mixed. If you are not content in your present condition, it naturally follows that you would be entirely satisfied if you could make either more or less than a living. You would exult in the cheerful exhilaration always produced by a change. Well, you can find your opportunity here, where, if you retain your health, and are sober and industrious, you will inevitably make more than a living, and if you don't you won't. You can rely upon this statement, William. It contemplates any line of business except the selling of tracts. You cannot sell tracts here, William; the people take no interest in tracts; the very best efforts in [begin page 370] the tract line—even with pictures on them—have met with no encouragement hereⒶhistorical collation. Besides, the newspapers have been interfering; a man gets his regular text or so from the Scriptures in his paperⒺexplanatory note, along with the stock sales and the war news, every day, now. If you are in the tract business, William, take no chances on Washoe; but you can succeed at anything else here.
“I suppose you know Joel H. Smith?” Well—the fact is—I believe I don't. Now isn't that singular? Isn't it very singular? And he owns “considerable” in a mine here, too. Happy man.Ⓐhistorical collation Actually owns in a mine here in Nevada Territory, and I never even heard of him. Strange —strange—do you know, William, it is the strangest thing that ever happened to me? And then he not only owns in a mine, but owns “considerable;” that is the strangest part about it—how a man could own considerable in a mine in Washoe and I not know anything about it. He is a lucky dog, though. But I strongly suspect that you have made a mistake in the name; I am confident you have; you mean John Smith—I know you do; I know it from the fact that he owns considerable in a mine here, because I sold him the property at a ruinous sacrifice on the very day he arrived here from over the plains. That man will be rich one of these days. I am just as well satisfied of it as I am of any precisely similar instance of the kind that has come under my notice. I said as much to him yesterday, and he said he was satisfied of it, also. But he did not say it with that air of triumphant exultation which a heart like mine so delights to behold in one to whom I have endeavored to be a benefactor in a small way. He looked pensive a while, but, finally, says he, “Do you know, I think I'd a been a rich man long ago if they'd ever found the d—d ledge?” That was my idea about it. I always thought, and I still think, that ifⒶhistorical collation they ever do find that ledge, his chances will be better than they are now. I guess Smith will be allⒶhistorical collation right one of these centuries, if he keeps up his assessments—he is a young man yet. Now, William, I have taken a liking to you, and I would like to sell you “considerable” in a mine in Washoe. I think I could get you a commanding interest in the “Union,” Gold Hill, on easy terms. It is just the same as the “Yellow Jacket,” which is one of the richest mines in the Territory. The title was in dispute between the two companies some two years ago, but that is all settled nowⒺexplanatory note.Ⓐhistorical collation Let me hear from you on the subject. Greenbacks at par is as good a thing as I want. But seriously, William, don't you ever invest in a mining stock [begin page 371] which you don't know anything about; beware of John Smith's experience.Ⓐhistorical collation
You hope to hear from me soon? Very good. I shall also hope to hear from you soon, about that little matter above referred to. Now, William, ponder this epistle well; never mind the sarcasm, here and there, and the nonsense, but reflect upon the plain facts set forth, because they are facts, and are meant to be so understood and believed.
Remember me affectionately to your friends and relations, and especially to your venerable grand-mother, with whom I have not the pleasure to be acquainted—but that is of no consequence, you know. I have been in your town many a time, and all the towns of the neighboring counties—the hotel keepers will recollect me vividly. Remember me to them—I bear them no animosity.
Yours, affectionately,
Mark Twain.Ⓐhistorical collation
Historical Collation
Texts collated:
GE “Washoe.—‘Information Wanted,’ ” Golden Era 12 (22 May 1864): 5. Reprints the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise for 1–15 May 1864, which is not extant.“Information for the Million” in the following
JF1 Jumping Frog (New York: Webb, 1867), pp. 144–152. Reprints the text from an unidentified source, possibly the Enterprise, GE, or another contemporary reprinting; revised by Mark Twain or Webb.
JF2 Jumping Frog (London: Routledge, 1867), pp. 135–143. Reprints JF1 with few errors.
JF3 Jumping Frog (London: Hotten, 1870), pp. 108–113. Reprints JF2 with few errors.
JF4 Jumping Frog (London: Routledge, 1870 and 1872), pp. 124–131. Reprints JF2 with additional errors.
HWa Choice Humorous Works (London: Hotten, 1873), pp. 573–576. Reprints JF3 with few errors.
HWaMT Sheets of HWa revised by Mark Twain. There are no revisions; the sketch is canceled.
The first printing in the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise, probably sometime in the first two weeks of May 1864, is not extant. The sketch survives in the only known contemporary reprinting of the Enterprise, the San Francisco Golden Era 12 (22 May 1864): 5 (GE), which is copy-text. Copies: PH from Bancroft and Yale.
An edited version of the sketch, retitled “Information for the Million,” was included in JF1, but collation does not conclusively establish the source of that text: it may have been set from the Enterprise, GE, or some other unidentified reprinting. Although it is possible that JF1 was set from the Enterprise and therefore radiates independently of the GE text, we have not attempted to reconstruct the lost printing from JF1 and GE.
Reprintings and Revisions. The revisions made for the JF1 printing are typical of changes demonstrably made by Mark Twain in other sketches. It is likely that he edited a clipping in the Yale Scrapbook, removing such topical allusions as the joke about the Comstock Lode and the Gould and Curry mine. But his editor, Charles Henry Webb, could also have deleted such topical allusions, and since two new sentences were used to introduce the sketch, and since these do not read convincingly like Mark Twain, all of the variants in JF1 must be regarded as if they were editorial.
The JF1 text was reprinted as described in the textual introduction. Routledge reprinted JF1 in 1867 (JF2), and Hotten in turn reprinted JF2 in 1870 (JF3). Routledge also reprinted JF2 in 1870 (JF4a) and, using the unaltered plates of JF4a, reissued the book in 1872 (JF4b). None of these texts was revised by the author. Presumably when Mark Twain prepared the printer's copy for MTSk in 1872, he deleted the sketch from a copy of JF4a, which formed part of that printer's copy: it was not reprinted in MTSk. One year later, however, Hotten reprinted the JF3 text in HWa. When Mark Twain revised this book for Chatto and Windus in the fall of 1873 (HWaMT), he again deleted the sketch, canceling it in the table of contents and striking through the text, saying “Leave out this puerile hogwash” (HWaMT, p. 573). The sketch was omitted from HWb, and Mark Twain did not subsequently reprint it.
The diagram of transmission indicates three possible sources for the JF1 text, even though the present edition declines to treat JF1 and GE as independently radiating texts.