Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-11-03

Huu1Dtf NJ least Two ntthS were gam
blers, thieves, highwaymen and assas-
sins ! simply state facts. Men who en-
uufeu SO many hardshlpS and lived up
in the heart Of the Rocky mountains
two miles above the level of the sea.
forgot all except that they must acquire
riches, and it was immaterial to them
how they became wealthy. Every base
passion was quickened to such an ex-
tent that the old adage Of honor among
thieves was even forgotten. Now all
Is changed. and the only monuments to
the winter, spring and summer OF 1879
in Leadville are two well-filled cene-
teries.
On the corner of Harrison avenue and
State street an old withered bag of a
washerwoman from Denver, by the name
OF Ray. had pitched her tent. A dwerfed
pine stood about the center of three
lots she had staked off, and this pine
was made to do service as center-pole
for her canvas mansion. The desirable
location OF these lots excited the cupid
ty OF four professional lot jumpers, and
Mrs. Ray must emigrate. One Febru-
airy night Jim Moore placed a brother
dealer in his chair and walked out on
the street for exercise and breath Of
the pure cold air which sweeps down
from snow-capped mountain tops. He
had Deen dealing steadily for seven
hours, and the fumes of liquor and
smoke III the gaming room had served
to make him weak and dizzy. AS he
Strode up Harrison avenue, in the direc-
ton Of Capitol Hill, it seemed to him
that he had stepped into another cline.
The night was intensely cold. and small
particles OF snow and frost were borne
Gpon the bosom of the blast which
Gagged from the west. They came with
singing force, and were SO fierce that
the streets were almost deserted.
Jim Moore paused. The blast had
borne to his ears an unusual sound. 1t
was woman's shrek for help. He had
arrived at the corner of Main street,
and, turning, beheld tiny tongue of
flame block below. shanty on fire
was his first thought, but by the time
he gained the Chronicle office he saw that
it was Mrs. Rays tent. The tarred can
vas burned tiercely, and by its light he
saw four men and recognized them Us
lo'-Jumpers. One had choked the old
woman nigh unto death, and his CON-
panlons stood by, pistols in hand, to
prevent any attempt on the part OF
couple of pedestrians, who had halted
across the street, at extingllishing the
flames. On the ground was a tent
which they had brought with them, and
II was their intention to eject the wash
arwoman by an incendiary act and then
take possession of the vacated lots.
The man from Indiana understood the
situation at a glance, and, with few
quick bounds was, within the glare of
the burning tent. Two shots were fired
at him by the lot-jumpers, and then he
returned their fire. At the first report
of his pistol one went down with a bull
let hole III the center of his forehead,
and the next moment his companion was
also lying in the snow with Z shattered
thigh. By this time dozen men were
on the scene, and the remaining two
backed off in the direction of the rude
rheater Comique, with pistols standing
at full cock.
When Mrs. Ray realized that she had
been saved, she went down upon her
knees to the courageous gambler who
had come to her rescue.
81 don't know your name, she cried.
in deep tones Of emotion, the tears
all the while coursing down her
wrlnRled AID Weather SsssiEl cd faoo g bat
one thing | do know, God bless you
You are the whitest man in the mines "
Several citizens assisted Jim in erect
ing the lau-Iumpers tent tor Mrs. Ray,
and then the undertaken was summoned
to remove the dead body. The wounded
man was conveyed to his cabin on Low
CT Chestnut street, and he was advised
TO leave tie camp as soon as he could
travel. Henceforth Jim Moore was uni
versally spoken of as 1.-THE whitest man
in the mines, and Mrs. Ray was never
tired of singing his praise. The washer
woman is now quite wealthy A few
weeks following the destruction of her
tent she sold one of the lots for 81 600,
and with this sum erected commodious
buildings on the remaining two, which
yield handsome rental.
My second night in the Carbonate
camp a friend asked if ! knew Jim
Moore. He remarked that | must make
the acquaintance OF the whitest man in
the mines before | could hope to enter
Leadville's best society. We strolled
down from the Clarendon Hotel to the
house where Jim presided over faro
layout, and | was introduced as the
new editor of the Chronicle" Moore
scrutinized me an instant with his hard,
steel-gray eyes, and then gave me
hand clasp which brought tears to my
eyes from its severity. He smiled al
my vince of pain, and, as lie drew in a
stack of blues from the queen-ten, said,
addressing me:
" Where from 2''
est Louis" l answered, as tersely
as the question had been put
Good enough" was his response.
and he went on between cards asking
question after question as to people
whom he had known IN that city.
D3sirous of gaining his goodwill /
placed a $40 note on the ace, playing it
open. "Please don't DO it, said he.
sit breaks me all up to have friends
play at nv table. Ii You want $50 or
Sl00 take it out of the drawer, but for
Gods sake don't play faro r.
When the Vigilantes we're organized
against the leeches of the mines. who re-
ioiced in the title of "The Law and
Order Abiders," Jim took no part cit
amt my funeral" he exclaimed. 81
can't shake the boys, nor | can't GO
back on the good people here. SO
guess III take q reserved seat on the
fence aud pass myself off for states
man.
The rough element concluded in No
vember, 1879, that Leadville had nc
need for newspapers, and LII accordance
the proprietor publishers, editors and
reporters of the three daily papers were
ordered out of town. The outlook was
decidedly unpleasant, for, while men felt
10th to desert their property, they knew
that their lives We're imperiled by re-
naming. | paid visit to Jim Moore
and briefly explained the situation.
81 catch on, !" said he, "and l shall
slide down from the fence. propose
to deal faro in this camp until l get
ready to leave, and if any one dared to
interfere with me there would be cir
Gus and menagelie turned loose in
fifteen seconds: and they have actually
ordered the newspaper men out of
town." he half questioned, "and still
they cali themselves sports.
He practiced a new shuttle for few
minutes, then, tossing his cards into the
drawer, said:
"Go back to the boys and tell them
to scribble their lies in peace. / shall
pay visit TO the Law and Order Abid-
ers and convince them in very few
minutes that newspapers are the saliva.
ton OF this mining camp"
That night the roughs held meeting,
and when the whitest man In the mines
strobe into their midst and took a seat
on the platform he was cheered heartily.