Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1860-11-21
TnT cITY on TIIE PLAINS.

Ill H. u
A correspondent Of the ST. Louis
Pennblican gives tho following de
srription of Denver City and its
business, which has sprung into eN'
istence within the past year or TWO
and bids iiir, in short time, to be-
come city of large proportions
1t is dependent entirely ON the go'd
fields of Western Kansas for Its
trade; and from It's rapid aud per'
mancnt increase, we ARE led to be-
/ liovc that the gold iever in that re-
gion is no humbug, but II veritable
reality;
DENvER CRY, X. T.,
Oct. 10, 1860.
Ferry, the principle business st.
IN west Denver, cibriussi,-sAur"r'a)
Is nearly two miles long, running
from the Platte river, over level
prairie, to the southern limits ofthe
city site-is eighty feet wide, and
has eighty buildings already com
pleted on each side, of greater or
less pretcnsions, from the low cabin
with fiat roof covered with wood,
(minus.a window and floor, except
that furnished by mother earth
built of logs, of rather contracted
dimensions-nearly ten feet square
costing about thirty-fivc dollars)
to the stately warehouse of j, Is.
Doyle & Co., which cost nearly ten
thousand.
The most valuable Of the improve
ments on Ferry are between Fourth
and Fifth streets, and upon the west
side, which is preferred on account
of the south westerly winds which
prevail here most Of the year, pre-
venting people on the east side from
keeping their front windows and
doors open, unless they are willing
that clouds of dust should enter and
compel them to vacate the premises
or make large investment in the
purchase of goggles. On that ac-
count lots are nearly Is per cent.
cheaper than on tho other row.
Standing on the corner of Fourth
and Ferry streots, and looking south,
a busy and rather grotesque scene
is presented to our vision. AT the
warehouse of Jones & Cartwright,
one of a train of twenty-siX wagons
has Just arrived, loaded down with
all kinds of merchandise, all the way
from Leavenworth, forty days and
forty days and forty nights" making
the trip. 1t is drawn up in front of
the fire proof building; the wagon
master, with monstrous pair of
spups attached to the heels of his
heavy boots, dismounts from his sol
ry looking mule, mounts the wagon
and rallies the drivers, or, rs they
are moro familiarly known, the
"bull whackers," / will take the lib
crty to designate them by thatname.
A rough, hardy,s ragged and dirty
set of fellows, with hair unkempt
and beard unshorn, both well pow
dcred with the dust and sand of700
miles of road over the Plains, sun
burnt and soilcd faces, clothing Of
meagre aspect, heavy and rough
b)o.s, oily and buclsskin pants, ia
ded woolen shirt, and generally a
shocking bad hat They stand
with their hands deep into their
breeches pockets, as still as the oxen
waiting the order of their master,
which, when given, they move off at
slow and lazy pace to execute. As
steady as piece Of machinery, they
move about, manifesting not the
slightest interest in what is going
on, dull and gentle, like the oxen of
| whose gcntle and submissive nature
they partake by long companion
ship.
t'Like begets like" Men are in.
fuenced by their associations, or as
"Governor,' formerly one of the
drivers on the Pixies Peak Express,
now messenger, in whose compa-
ny while on my way to this country
| had the pleasure Of a days ride,
expressed it-"These bull whackers
are Just like the oxen they drive
i slow, dull and submissive, they plod
on all day, and at night stretch
themselves upon wagon tongue,
with log chains for a pillow and OK
yol1es for blanket, sleep sound, cat
heap, and pass the time in content
ment, not caring whether school
keeps or not.
The master of the train, from his
position, where his quick eye is up
/ on every movement, gives his hMr-
ried orders to his men, even to the
most minute particulars, telling
them when and where to take hold
of a box OF a barrel, when to move
off with it and where to put it, AT
ter the cumbrous wagon has disgor-
ged its contents, the oxen are start
ed up with sundry cracks of the
huge whips, and the concern moves
off and another is driven up to take
its place.
| The first building on the corneris
built of wood 20 by IS feet, ono
story high, occupied by Messrs
J0aes and Cartwright as stere-
house. The next is brick, structure
fire proof, 25 by 1870 feet, one story
with brick arch turned over the
whole, built in six weeks, at a cost
Of nearly $4,000 1t is nearly full
of flour and provisions, brought
out by those enterprising freighters
who have shipped from the Missouri
river 3,276,000 pounds of merchan
-dise for parties here (thc lions share
nf which is from ST. Lonisl at al