The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-03-10
LIFE IN LEADVILLE.
Where Funerals are Headed by : Brass
Band Of FOrty-tWo Pieces.


Leadyille, Colorado, who delivered
brief but interesting discourse on
Missionary Life in Colorado" Be
ginning with a description of the
character Of the country. its pictur-
esgue grandeur, fertile fields and
pleasant climate, the reverend speaker
proceeded to relate his experience il
the town of Leadville.
"When I went to Leadvllle," said
he, "Gtteen months ago, 1 found it a
most astonishing place. Instead of
hamlet I found thriving town with
churches Of every denomination, five
banks, five daily newspapers and brass
bands at every corner at night. I was
astonished and so would anyone else
have been. The people Of the Pro
testant Episcopal faith were worship
ing in small building, but 1 secured
the Opera House, which is filled to
overfowing at every service by earnest
fellows in blue shirts and with their
pants tucked i'll their boots. They
are made in the image Of God, how
ever, and have good hearts beneath
rough exterior. Leadville has i'm
proved solidly. I live in a house
with two rooms, the walls aid ceilings
of which are covered with canvas,
whitewashed to hide the two-inch
boards which constitute the body of
the building, Thanks to the clemency
of the climate, my house is very COM
Portable except when the rain leaks
through the roof. You will know
that I am not complaining when l
tell you that / would not exchange my
parish for the very best in PhiIadel-
phia. Ny first vestryman could drink
more whisky than any man in the
town. Shortly after l made my ap-
pearance in the town my Parishioners
invited me to a church sociable, and
upon going l was astonished to see the
worthy people waltzing and dancing in
the most scandalous manner. To add
to this there were two streets whose
entire length were made up of low
dance houses. How was | to overcome
tueh a gigantic evil? 1 secured hall,
had the foo waxed, and after enga-
ging a band of music l sent out invi-
tations to all the young men of the
place to come down and have a dance.
! instructed my floor manager, who,
by the way, made lots Of money and
skipped, not to allow any waltzing.
The result WAS, that after enjoying
square dances until II o'clock, the
participants quietly dispersed. Some
few said: wait till the preacher goes,
then we'll have q waltz but I was
too smart Tor them-I carried the kew
of the hall, and did not leave until all
had departed. Every other week l
give such q sociabLs, and the results
are remarkably good. This character
of mission work would not do in Phil
adelphia or Boston, but it will do in
Leadville. It may seem un-God-like
70 practice such a course, but it is the
only way to reach these people. When
I first went out there the congregation
used to applaud me when I was preach
ing, but I finally got them out ofsuch
an unholy habit. Leadville is a great
place for display funerals. No matter
who dies the funeral procession is
headed by q brass band. When
buried Texas Jack, the partner of
Buffalo Bill. the cortege was headed
by brass band Of = pieces. Lead
vile is also a great place for titles.
Everybody has a title. Captain is
pretty good, but to command attention
one must be colonel or a general.
am a sort of q general. I belong to
five military companies, and in my
capacity as militiaman I watch over
my congregation. I have received
hundreds of letters from persons living
in the East inquiring after absent
fathers, husbands, brothers and sons.
Nearly every Eastern town is inter
ested in Leadville in this way. I am
in need of SO, 900 for my church, and
when l tell you that Leadville yielded
/ S15, 900, 900 worth Of silver during
the past year you viii, no doubt, won
der why come to Philadelphia for
assistance. The silver thus mined was
sent all over the country; it did us no
good. for in return the people only
got enough to pay the wages Of the
miners. The people, however, give
literally of what they have. One
evening solicited money to enable mc
to pay the church debt and over s., ,O0C
was subscribed. Before 1 could col
lect the money, however, persons rep
resenting two-thirds of that amount
had skipped. The place IS perfec
beehive; people come to-day and ar
, gone tomorrow.
'Well, wife, you can't say I eve