J. Ross Browne's "A Peep at Washoe" published in 1860 (Harpers'
Magazine???) was the first look at the silver boom in Nevada territory,
and he did a reprise in 1863 or 1864--contrasting the earlier straggling
camp with the metropolitan Virginia City-- which was not received
altogether favorably by the west coast press. So Ms. Kelly seems right to
point out that this other shade of Browne was a contemporary of Clemens
whose writings are mostly unread today but not without possible influence.
But I wonder if William Wright's 1861-1862 series of letters to the Golden
Era, which were published later as "Washoe Rambles" (I think that was the
title) weren't more influential. Wright roughs it in a number of mining
camps in the letters, and their popularity apparently gave him enough of a
reputation to be hired by Goodman and McCarthy once they take over the
Territorial Enterprise. And the Golden Era was read by dern near everyone
out west in those days.
Jim