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


Is my cong in the night
am glad with thy gladnsss; for, lei
] come, and 20.
-Hdrpey's hooazin<
The WHITEST MAN IN THU
MINES.
Jim Moore was one of the mos
widely known characters in the grea
Carbonate Camp during the winter o
iS-9, and his popularity did not want
to any perceptible extent until the first
week IN March, 1881, when he Joined
the church, forsook politics, and per
United the Democrats to elect q Mayol
aud two OF the SIX Aldermen which com
piised the Common Council OF Lead
vile. Col. jim was not handsome by
any means, but what he lacked III per.
sonal appearance was made up for il
greatness and kindness OF heart. He
stood stood five feet nine inches in bare
feet and in his knee-top patent-leatheI
boots he was a good inch taller. His
weight never exceeded one hundred and
forty pounds; yet he was an athlete and
boosted Of muscles shat were as hard as
iron. No one knew his age, but hi.
home had once been in Evansville, Ind.
and he was intimately acquainted with
Frank NJ. Gilbert, one of the brightest
editors Of that little Hoosier city and
was never SO happy as when narratins
some boyish fiasco wherein Gilbert was
one of the principal characters. His
forehead was high and narrow. hair so
black that it glittered in the light OF
day eyes of the color of steel gray, nose
decided pug, mouth as large as Emily
Soldene's, lips almost as thin as paper.
teeth irregular and ghastly white, chm
and under jaw massive, check bones
prominent as an Indians, and his smooth
shaver face was as sallow as though he
had wrestled with chills al d fever in the
lowlands OF Arkansas from the day OF
his birth.
BY avocation jim Moore was gam
bier. He found his way to Leadyille in
November, 1878, and took rooms on Lower
Chestnut street, his meals at the Ton
tine restaurant, and dealt faro in the
Texas saloon on Harrison avenue. The
first day in camp no one paid him a
second thought, and his table was
patronized by strangers alone. The second
day June Richards, the camp bully.
charged him with turning top and
bottom. D." Jim was shutting the cards.
preparing for fourth deal, and he
promptly knocked Richards down with
the heavy silver box. When the bully
returned TO consciousness he saw that
Jim had procured q fresh box aud was
dealing as though nothing had occurred.
The crowd fell back in anticipation OF
an exchange of pistol-shots, Lut Richards
remarked that he was no hog, knew
when he had enough, and left the house
to spend his money III the Little Church
saloon.
On the fourth day of Jim's sojourn in
camp reckless prsopector by the name
of Mooney, who had backed the seven
spot heavily to lose when the seven had
won, called the man from Indiana tin
horn gambler, and threw his heavy
bowie knife across the layout. jim
could not wink at such breach of Ell.
quette, and shot Mooney through the
heart without rising from his chair. An
inquest was held, and, as all the gentle
men present at the time of the sheotinp
pronounced it an act of self defense
Jim was back at the table, dealing.
within few hours following the tragedy.
This event sent his stock away above
par, and from that day he was recognized
on the street by the first gamblers Of
Colorado.
In the meantime Methodist parsor
had come to the mines, and was en-
deavoring to raise sum of money
sufficient to build place of worship.
Jim called IN the parson, extorted q
promise from him that he would not
play faro, keno or draw-poker, nor be
too hard ON the sporting men of the
camp-and then set about taking up 8
collection. He prepared list, sub
scribed $50 by way of beginning, and
then circulated the paper around this
saloons and gaming tables, swearing
that any sport who declined to chip in
was no friend of Jim Moore's. The re-
suit was that LesdviIle possessed 8
church before Christmas. He attended
the dedicatory services, led in singing
and passed the hat around twice, once
Neforc the sermon and once following it.
On the following Sabbath Jira was moi
at church, and in the afternoon the par
son called at the Texas House to inquire
if Mr.. Moore was indisposed. He founC
jim dealing. and throng of miner,
about the table.
:" No foolishness here, parson," sale
Jim sternly, as he paused with his finger
on the soda card.
Certainly not. l shall not inter
rupt, replied the reverend gentleman
IN an apologetic tone. "but / did no
see YOU at worship this morning ?"
Nc" said Jim, slightly Modified
"and L expect your hat came back -
light. ! wanted to come down and tax,
part, but $1,000 sucker from Virgini,
city CHANGED IN, and -, you know
had to accommodate him.
The sacerdotal laborer took his de
parture, af5er declining several invita-
tons to drink from gentlemen in tn,
crowd who recognized him, and nsve
again called around to ascertain wha
cause had detained Jim Moore from at
tending morning service.
1t was in these early DAYS that claim
and lot jumping fiourished in Leadville
IL man, after tollng for weeks O.
months in q small shaft, chanced 4
strike it rish, tidings of his good lucl
would spread through the camp lile
wild fire. In their greed for carbonates
many men would forget their once-poo
companion had delved in the hard ston
and tireelay until he had fairly won hi
prize, and their ruling thought~ wa
through what agency he could be dis
possessed aud his paying claim relocat
u Claim jumping finally became quit
|. ycierce. an mines hal 90 be guardel
ii ght and day. KS the price of real es
tate advanced in the camp, lot iumpin,
became quite fashionable, and as halt
dozen land companies set up claims t
the ownership OF every foot of groun,
between the Arkansas and the Frs
range on one hand, and Cali
fornia gulch and Tennessee Par
on the other, the only bill OF sale recOg
nized as genuine was a Winchester riff
and pair of self-cocking revolvers
There was seldom an hour in the dav @
night that was not broken by an ez
change of rifle and pistol shots owe
some disputed mining claim or staked
off lot in the heart of the young city
Might IN those DAYS made right ther
WAS no law, and an occasional lynchIn
L i - :