Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-01-10
MILES CITY.
Its Lights and Shadows.

History will repeat itself, but general
with variations. This remark is not eS
? actly original, and may not be of much in
terest to COURIER readers; but all hav
heard of Miles City, and some lights ant
shadows as seen in this last wonder o
; frontier energy will prove the truth Of tn
aphorism.
! Twenty months ago, and Sitting Bul
with his untamed warriors here reigned Sill
preme. To-day the ''boys in blue" ar,
masters Of the war-path, and Il citizen pop
ulation of 700 is concentrated at Miles
City. The business men of this population
have but one trouble. and that is to keep
goods enough on hand to supply the dc.
mands of their customers. The sound Of
the hammer and saw are heard on all sides.
and no man need go day or an hour with
out employment; yet oilers are here, and
gamblers and sporting men and women in
plenty. 1t would naturally be supposed
that murder would be of nightly occur
renee, but strange to say no grave yard has
as yet been started. and no man has died
with his ''boOts on" And yet saloons
abound and gamblers are plying their
trade all around. Here on the corner of
Casey and Front streets is large building.
Let lis enter any evening iOx7O feet full to
overlooking -bar-keepers busy. and the
clink of the glasses set to music by fine
string band. On the side of the room are
tables, faro banks, presided over by gam
blers Of the better class, and theirs are APP
parently the only unconcerned. unintercst-
cd faces in the room, but close examination
will show that their glitte,ing eyes take all
in, and every person present is scanned and
weighed and their probable calling arrived
at by the experienced judges of human ma
ture. Occasionally y song from an anna
teur or professional lends variety to tie
music. No one is barred from entrance
here, and the ''solid men, Of the city and
the ''soiled doves often jostle each other
in the crowd. 10 club rooms in the rear.
most generally, the smiling and polite
door-keeper will inform lis that NO one is
admitted this evening, gentlemen This
means that large amounts of money is
changing hands, and privacy is desired.
No disturbance-all apparently happy save
here and there some unfortunate wight.
who hes lost his last nickel, or some other |
equally unfortunate who had none to lose,
and whose chances for bed and breakfast |
are rather dubious.
A few steps up Front street, and the
sound of music again falls upon our ears,
which on close inspection proves to come
from house. the sides of which are can
vass. Here is the dance hall, or in noun
tain parlance, the ''hurdy Honors
to your partners and ..all promenade to
the barr follow each other in quick sue
,ession. Here, too, all is peaccable.
Eight or ten other saloons are likewise
and in nearly all of them games
Of faro. monte, ETC., arc running; but in all,
good nature prevails.
History is repeating itself. for all new
towns, built with such a rush. have had
lust such scenes. Where the variation
10 back to the early history of Bannack,
Virginia. Helena. Bozelnan. Bismarck, and
The towns of the Black Hills country, and
heir records will be found written up in
blood. with no worse class Of people to
control than is to-day congregatedin Miles.
What is the reason Of this exception? The
awful authorities are determined, active
md brave. Behind them is that part Of
he people who want peace. and ,ciI haze
'eace if at the cost of war. The rOuglls
Know this and govern themselves accord
ngly. Petit larceny is Of frequent occur
ence, but the articles stolen are generally
atables. Pistols are seldom, and the pun
shment Is swift, sure and certain. Fights
re of rare occurrence, for all know it
means from $25 and costs, to $50 and cx-
ras. The law is at present supreme, and
the authorities can carry the city through
his winter without bloodshed we will see
lilies an exceptional city, built without the
i'd Of Vigilance Committee.
j. w. ALLEN.