October 18 Tuesday – Sam wrote from San Francisco to his brother Orion. Sam was out of work so asked his brother to “send the stock” (Hale & Norcross mining stock). Sam did continue receiving $12 for articles written for the Californian, but wrote only three of these [MTL 1: 320]. Sanford claims Sam wrote ten pieces in the Californian between Oct. 1 and Dec. 3 [254].
October 10 Monday – George Barnes, editor of the Call, fired Sam, less than five months after hiring him [MT Encyclopedia, McFatter 653].
“I neglected my duties and became about worthless, as a reporter for a brisk newspaper. And at last one of the proprietors took me aside, with a charity I still remember with considerable respect, and gave me an opportunity to resign my berth and so save myself the disgrace of a dismissal” [Roughing It, Ch.58].
October 9 Sunday – The following four local articles in the Call are attributed to Sam: “The Camanche,” “The Roderick Case,” “Miscegenation,” and “A Nuisance” [Branch, C of Call 300].
October 2 Sunday – The following five local articles in the Call are attributed to Sam: “The Last Hitch at the Mint,” “Benefit for the Santa Barbara Sufferers,” “Important Arrest,” “Last Night of the Fair,” and “Everybody Wants to Help” [Branch, C of Call 300].
September 28 Wednesday – Sam wrote from San Francisco to Orion and Mollie. He discussed work on a book, which ultimately would become Roughing It, from scrapbooks Orion had kept of the 1861-4 period. He also claimed that Oct. 24 would be the wedding day of Steve Gillis and Miss Emeline Russ “who is worth $100,000, & what is better, is a good, sensible girl & will make an excellent wife” [MTL 1: 315]. Note: Miss Russ decided before that date to marry another.
An article attributed to Sam, “Answer to a Mining Company’s Suit,” ran in the Call [Branch, C of Call 300].
September 27 Tuesday – The following four local articles in the Call are attributed to Sam: “Boat Salvage,” “A Whale Beached,” “Narrow Escape,” and “Nuisance” [Branch, C of Call 300].
NUISANCE
September 25 Sunday – Sam wrote from San Francisco to his mother, and sister Pamela that he had been in San Francisco:
September 24 Saturday – The following three local articles in the Call are attributed to Sam: “Ah Sow Discharged,” “Children at the Fair,” and “Ellen French Fined” [Branch, C of Call 299].
September 23 Friday – The following three local articles in the Call are attributed to Sam: “Farewell Address of Dr. Bellows,” “Arrested for Riot,” and “Dedication of Bush Street School” [Branch, C of Call 299].
September 17 Saturday – Sam wrote from San Francisco to William Wright (Dan De Quille) about Sam selling his furniture and about debts. Sam was tired of night work on the Call:
“I don’t work after 6 in the evening, now on the ‘Call.’ I got disgusted with night work.”
Sam’s new deal with George Barnes, owner of the Call, was for shorter hours and less pay [MTL 1: 309]. In his Autobiography Sam related the changes and finding a new assistant to help him with the work: