Material gathered in preparation for books on Mark Twain, John W. Mackay and the Comstock Lode. A collection of Shakespeareana and a few miscellaneous essays included. The first four cartons contain papers of general historical interest, as follows: 1. Looseleaf notebooks concerning the Comstock, including photostats of contemporary newspaper items, chronologically arranged, 1853-ca. 1893; other notes on census, directories, society, roads, stocks, milling, theaters, Adolph Sutro, etc.; historical sketches; accounts of individual mines; five miscellaneous articles; part of the original draft of Smith's Ms. on Comstock history; maps and pictures. 2. Material on John W. Mackay and the Comstock story, in 11 looseleaf notebooks, a scrapbook, and an envelope of loose clippings (used in part in his History of the Comstock Lode [Reno, 1943]). Includes notes on Mackay's interests in the Nevada Bank, Water Company, Pacific Cable Company, and Postal Telegraph. 3. Material on Mark Twain in Nevada. Includes Smith's completed manuscript, with pictures; miscellaneous Twain articles; and notes, clippings, and photostats. 4. Miscellaneous notes on early Nevada and California, relating to the Comstock, Twain, and Mackay; includes three file cases of correspondence.

Number of containers: 7 cartons

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Collection is open for research.