The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-11-24
A FRONTIER TOWN.
The Life OF Motley Crowd at You Bet,
Arizona.


| You Bet Letter to y. Y. Sun.
You BET, Arizona, October 25.-Sinc
Calabasas reformed, this settlement has be
come one Of the liveliest In the Territory
There was time when the first citizens O
Calsbasas were the salosnkespers and tn
gamblers; but Of late miners, merchants
and railroad men have usurped the place
once held by the "boys," ane there Is no fu1
there any more. You Bet, Total Wreck, an,
Bobtail are now getting the business of tn
frontier, and each has metropolitan aspira
tions. True, some Of their palatial store
and temples are made simply of canva
stretched over poles, but the canvas is frat
class, and the poles are warranted 20 hol,
anything from camp-kettie to . Grease
cattle-thief. All Of these places contain
bars and gambling devices, and q few hav
small stocks Of shopworn groceries and dry
goods. The supplies received at You Be
during the past summer have come In bar
rels principally, which may account for tn,
great prosperity enjoyed here. Rsilroa'
building, mining, and prospecting brinl
many curious people to this country. Th,
male sex predomiaates, of course, but ther,
are women who come to the frontier as vel
as men. And a queer, tobacco chewing
cigar-smoking, swearing, brawling lot the.
are, too. In youth they have the hard line.
about the eyes and mouth which old ag,
brings. In middle life--for they rarely iiv,
beyond the thirties-there Is about most O
them something which reminds one of tht
hardened youth. With strong attachment.
sometimes, they are often treacherous, ant
invariably fond of fight, particularly ovel
themselves. To involve dancing party In
indiscriminate cannonading Is the height Of
their ambition. A look, q word, refusal to
dance or to drink, is enough to precipitate q
battle.
THE CALABAsAs GANG.
The Calabasas gang, whose crimes were 50
grotesque as to excite the wonder of many
people in far distant States, is now scattered
around tho country. A gsod many of the
toughest characters among them are here.
Three or four of them ran faro game at
Calabasas in the palmy days Of that town.
One day Mexican came to town from the
Barbacomari valley, and concluded to play
the bank. After passing half the night in
the establishment he turned in his chips and
called for the cash. The bankers found, to
their sorrow, that there were 5000 In chips,
and that they had only $7e0 In money, and
informed the Mexican that they would pay
him the $500 the next time he came to town.
The winner departed we'll satisfied with him.
self, and, hiring five or six men to guard him,
started on his journey homeward. Mean
while the bankers hurried around town, bor-
rowed 500, and lost 1t. Failing in their at
tempt to borrow more money, they studied
up financial scheme which promised to re-
lieve them of their embarrassment. They
saddled their horses and started for the Bar
bacomari. Arriving at the Mexican's house,
singulsrly enough at 2 a. M, they ordered
him up and informed him that they had come
to pay him the money which was his due.
He admitted them to his house and was there
at the muzzles of two or three
revolvers, TO deliver up the seven hundred
dollars with which he had just reached home.
Having obtained new start in life, the gam
blers mounted their horses and returned to
stealing horse or two as they
Journeyed homeward. These men will one
day be spoken of in the newspapers IS swell
known capitalists" for their luck has turned
and they are now on the high road to pros.
perity.
A GRoTEsQUE DEMAND.
Three Calabasas bloods got drunk here the
other night and agreed to have some fun.
Going into "store " with revolvers In hand,
they ordered the proprietor ard man sitting
near him 10 dance. Both were rather cranky
At the joints, and they demurred little.
Two shots from the revolvers In close prox-
Unity to their feet convinced the men that
must dance. They therefore set
up sort of hopping and jumping which
they hoped would satisfy the boys. But 1t
didn't. "Faster I" yelled one, with an oath,
his command with q shot or tw o
from his revolver. Faster they danced. A
crowd gathered and unanimously decided
hat 1t was great sport. The drunken men
wanted to keep 1t up forever, but the citizens
finally concluded that the fun had gone far
and, interfering in behalf of the
'wo victims, the humorous newcomers from
Calabasas were persuaded to let up. After
he mob had dispersed one Of the men who
vas compelled to dance loaded himself with
lrms and ammunition and started In pursuit
II his tormentors. He, joined sorne time
by sheriff s posse. and one Of the
iesperadoes was captured. On being taken
before . Justice Of the peace he pleaded
'uilty, and asked that he be permitted to 20
'ome for an hour or two before being sent
o jail. His request was granted, and Gen. |
table accompanied him to bis cabin. several !
niles from camp. Alter atte nding to some
usiness the desperate announced himself
eady to rrturn. The constable stopped over |
0 fasten his spurs, and, on looking up, was
Intensely surprised to find Winchester rife
ooking him In the right eye. The dancing
,aster had his hand on the trigger. az don't
rant ter disturb ye," said he, "but YEN
blige me by skippin'." The constable had
Is horse At the door in minute, and was
,aking great haste to mount when his foot
tipped from the stirrup and hs nearly fell
} the ground. "No - foolishness, stran-
sr," said the artist, "for the ride Is in .
vsat to get off," $50 am l." said the con-
able, and he was on ard away In an In
ant. He returned the next day with
'sse, but the fua-loving gentleman had
,ne.
Rescue of Boy In Mid-Ocean.