Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-11-12

doubtless be treasured up among the
traditions of this country. There is
undoubtedly some of the Wild romance
Of the border mixed up 10 his history.
and he knows how to make the most
of ii. There are several Individuals
who claim to be the genuine Wild
Bill of the Plains; but the Harpers
have fixed that business and have Civ
en- the Hays City Oae a pre- eminenee
which secures his title. How he got
his nom de plume is a matter Of uncer-
tainty. His real name Is James B.
Hiekok. Many of the soldiers Of the
Eleventh Corps viii probably remem-
Der him as one Of the scouts attached
to that command during the campaign
In the Valley under General Fremont.
Though not member Of the Corps he
sports its badge and plumes himself
considerably on his Military services.
Wild Bill is heartily hated by the
habitues of Hays City, where he is
more feared than loved. Part of this
dislike comes from jealousy and part
from political feeling, for although
this enlightened metropolis is
thoroughly and radically Democratic,
Wild Bill is Republican. The cut
denounce him as & coward and hum
bug, and many respectable people. be-
lieve that he is at least the latter. His
adventures, like most other things per-
tanning 20 border life, no doubt wear
the coloring Of fiction. and manv of
his pretensions are unfounded. But
his character will not suffer by COM
parisOn with that of his neighbors, aud
their abuse can do him no serious in
jury A stray bullet will do doubt find
him during one of the midnight gam
bling brawls which frequently enliven
the happy denizens of Hays City, and
Wild Bill will then pass into history
as the Louis WeitZel of the border.
In one respect this lovely town is in
no degree behind the greatest cities of
the continent Its hotel charges-for
it has a 'hotel''-are fully in keeping
with the fashionable extravaganza of
the place, and are not excelled By the
Fifth Avenue or Astor. The bullet
marks on the shutters and weather
boarding reassuTe she hesitating stran-
ger and afford him promise Of game
some living. At night he will be
lightened to bed stuffed with hay in
we'll ventilated garret, where. il he
should be iu a restless and wakeful
frame of mind, the tramping of heavy
boots outside will keep him from grow
ing lonesome. The table fare at this
sumptuous tavern is chiefly buffalo
steak and hash for breskfast, buffalo
hash and steak for dinner and both
these viaDds for supper. Should the
traveller desire greater variety he can
obtain whisky at the bar for twenty
Eve cents a drink, as | am credibly in-
formed, though my informant does not
state the quality of the article. The
price ofliviug at this hotel is not more
than seven dollars day, provided you
have a special and distinct stipulation
beforehand with the landlord.
What has been said descriptive OF
Hays City is equally applicable to
Sheridan, except that the latter is
more SO" Sheridan being a larger
place, boasts of more whisky and gamb-
ling saloons. aud has besides two large
and popular dance houses in constant
and successful operation. Such are the
chief industries of the place-the rest
may be inferred. Mr.. Ryau's excur-
sion party went West as far as Sheri-
dan, and was acknowledged by the com
petent estimation Of that exemplary
town to have been a remarkably we'll
behaved lot of people. The place pre-
served its usual peace and quietness
notwithstanding the large influx OF
Eastern strangers, and the citizens
continued in the uninterrupted enjoy
ment of their favorite sports and avo.
cations. In fact that person would be
worse than a heather who would go
and stir up a row in Sheridan. Such
thing seldom occurs there more than
haIfa dozen times a night, and then
simply and solely as pastime.
Sheridan is 116 miles west of Hays
City and 10 miles east of Denver. Il
is connected with the latter place with
line of stages BY roundabout course
of over three hundred miles Uia Pueblo.
The Kansas Pacific Railroad, of which
the track is laid few miles beyond
Sheridan, is now being pressed rapidly
toward Denver, to which 1t will doubt
less be completed some time during
the coming spring or summer. It will
there connect with the road now build
ing from Deaver to Cheyenne, which
is to be finished by June next, and will
make a continuous line of railway to
Cheyenne. all under the control of the
Kansas Pacific managers. This will
afford a more direct line from Cihcin-
natl and St. Louis to the Pacific coast
than any other, and is destined to be
come one of the main arteries of travel.
The extension of the Kansas Pacific to
San Francisco by the southern route
is projected and is urgently damanded
by the necessities of trade and travel.
This route will escape the interference
by snow to which the Omaha route is
subjected, and viii be able to afford
unobstructed transportation in winter
as we'll as summer It's construction
may be set down as one of the near
achievements of the future. A. 3. L.