Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1879-10-04
Real Estate in Leadville.

All this excitement and influx IF
masses of men and the consequent irres-
ular squatting anywhere upon unoccu-
pied ground, began at once to produce
discord and fever of speculation in
real estate. A certain corporation
claimed to own the whole tOwn-si.e un-
der patent from the Government, and
tried to exact payment from every
tenant: but the illegality of this was as
serted, and pending decision, every body
not only laughed at the company but
proceeded to buy and sell original SQUAT
ter-claims rs though no better title was
ever in existence suppositiOn proba-
bly, true at that time. Town lots rose
from nothing to fabulous prices in day,
and fortunes We're made and opportuni-
ties neglected accordingly.
Next came period of jumping"
that is, getting forcible or fraudulent
possession of property. Men would call
with paper having legal appearance
and politely inform some man occupy
ing the cabin they coveted that they had
bought the property from the owner.
"You know, pard," they would re-
mark, affably, I" that you just settled
down here cause it was convenient like,
and nobody said nothing about it: but
now the owner thinks he orter have
some good from his property, and we've
bought it. We don't want to be on
pleasant, but it looks like you'd have to
vamoose.H
That's ali right-no offense.'' the
shaggy-headed cottager would reply,
quietly; s.but reckon ef the owner or
any body else wants this we're cabin
they've got to take it, and they've got
to hold over me, and get up right 'arly
in the mornin', too, and he lays loving
hand upon the hilt of his six-shooter,
while the would-be jumpers anathema-
tie their way out of the door.
There were, however, clear cases of
tenancy Of land where no title was held,
and here the occupant, if unruly. was
likely to find his cabin timbers falling
about his ears in the middle of the
night, under the vigorous stroke of
band of citizens who proposed to see
the real owner put in possession then
and there. Needless fellows would
insist upon putting their trading sham
ties or dwelling-houses anywhere in the
streets and alleys set apart for public
use, and then down would come squad
of police, hitch span Of horses TO the
underpinning and raze the obstruction
in ten minutes. Hard words Were a
matter of course in all these little pub
lie and private transactions in real es-
tate, and every day or two man was
shot or beaten half to death; but pub
lie opinion and the numerous witnesses
quickly and loudly decided the right of
the case, and the Coroner's jury was very
likely to formulate the popular verdict.
Truth TO say, the coT popuii in these
cases was usually about right. Outside
of case of robbery by +" bunko thieves"
if man gets shot in Leadville, it is safe
TO conclude that he has got his deserts.
Speculation in town-lots did not last
very long, however, and now real es-
tate is down to pretty solid basis of
value. The probability is that the fu-
ture will see decline in prices. As a
whole, rather than an enhancing of the
value of real estate within the corporate
limits, as no doubt Leadville has seen
her highest trademark of population
!Scff6ner. for October.