The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-05-21
THE PLAINS In '65.
The Soldier would ..seI HIS shirt Flr..r
? making Notwithstanding the
Town OF JuIesburE-Resheau's Rancho
antelope Hunting.
..hnl ny sERoRANr HOLIDAY.

had arisen from the ashes. A short time
before after 3 hard fought battle, the little
town had fallen into the hands OF hostile
Indians who robbed the place OF every
thing Of value, and then. laid 1t in ashes.
1t was now being built up on a more
substantial plan. Volunteers were called
for, with a promise Of being free from
other duties, but the boys said: mo. I'll
sell my shirt FIST" and the volunteer force
was small. But the brick must be made
and the houses built, so details were made
every morning. But even this failed OF
good results aud the work was not pushed
along as rapidly as was desired and abso.
lutely necessary, SO another plan was
adopted. When the detail was made there
was not a brick maker or u bricklayer in
the camp, indeed they had never seen a
brick made or q brick house built, they
were raised in the mountains OF Virginia,
where they lived in 10y c%abins-could build
log houses II they wanted them; but "nary
brick house." This was the way the boys
talked when the officers came around hunt.
ing for bricklayers.
OF course they knew that there was not
o log within n hundred miles OF Jules
burg, and OF course no log huts could be
built. But finally, as a last resort, 50 per
day was offered for brick makers and S.
for layers. II was astonishing how many
masons and brickmakers there were in THAT
little camp. Even Cal and our good ma.
tured 1rishman had both served along ap.
premiership at both,and Finn was bold 10
boast that he could lay more brick, or carry
q bod up more ladders than any living
man. So the work went on and ia a few
weeks q half.dczsn low one.story rough
looking houses loomed up and gave the
place the appearance OF putting on city
airs. Shingles could not be procured, and
as a 81 substitute poles and sage brush were
first laid on and then a layer OF gunny
sacks, and last abont six inches OF dirt was
thrown on, and the roof was complete.
But it had to be replenished often, as the
constant winds carried it off into the street.
This was the kind OF roofing used on all
buildings in that country at that time.
Julesburg was at the crossing OF the South
Platte, where the road from Fort Laramie
and all the posts in the northwest, and the
Overland stage route from Denver City and
beyond, formed a junction. It was q gen.
eral supply post" where long strings Of
wagon trains from Omaha and Leaven.
worth stopped and discharged theirfreight.
For want OF building or storehouse the
flour and grain, which was all sacked, was
piled in two enormous ricks or piles, and
when l say "piles" l mean as large as a
court house or plymouth church-so many
sacks indeed that 1t Is doubtful whether the
quartermaster himself knew Just how many
he had. To get at the value OF this i'm.
meDse quantity, It is but necessary to say
that -four was worth $50 per hundred aud
corn (shelled) about $500.
Five miles below the fort. was Reshcau's
ranch. Reshcau was rich and was adding
thousands to his already fabulous pile
every month in the year. He had wealth
grain and flour pile was his best hold. He
would pay iron, $50 10 S25 a sack for flour
when delivered at bis ranch-no matter at
what hour OF the nightthe goods arrived, be
was always ready to transact businesses
pecially when he knew that before the sun
would sink behind Pixies Peak the mex,
day, he would clear from $40 to SIS on
every sack. This was soon noised around
among the boys and the thing became very
tempting. There was a guard kept con,
stantly on duty at the ricks day and night,
but 1t didn't take long to make a "sileni
partner" OF him, with no capital invested,
Myself and two comrades, Yves. Howell
and Polk Worthington, were three honest
IboytW We wouldn't steal anything
from old Uncle Sam. Oh, mol moi
flour, anyhow! especially after ht
had hauled it six hundred miles in OK
wagons, that would be naughty 1--WE die
better than that We organized ourselve,
into a yigilence committee to catch the
~rascals. The flour stealing went on al
right for some time, and old Reshcau grew
fat on handsome margins, In fact he had
corner" on -four in that market Dowr
under the river bank, long after the little
garrison had settled down to sleep, from
twot TO four ponies were huddled together
each night with a lone man in charge
Two or three other thieves would slip VI
%throughthe sage brush TO a point near thu
rick then when the guard by a pre.ar
ranged plan, had passed to the further end
each would shoulder q sack OF flour ant
return quietly to the ponies and soon the!
were safe in the rancho OF the old French
man, and the boys had their "returns" IL
their pockets and a jigger OF whiskey t
boot
Finn and another party, concluded to or
ganize a small foraging party OF their owl
and share the profits equally.
The aforesaid v%igilence committee 20
wind, one day, hatFlinn would make
raid that night. The night was %intensl,
dark, and we slipped out in good time
With carbine In hand, we wended our wa,
down to near the ranch and close TO tn
trail where we knew Finn and his partne
would pass. We took our position and la!
down in the grass and waited patiently 10
some hours. We began 10 despair, whei
we heard a well known voice Just unde
the river bank.
cloud a bit We blatherskite! Let m,
ltake an reconisence ay the situation, an sc,
al the trail Is clear feminist u.s."
The ponies were halted and the 1rishmar
came creeping cautiously along until hi
could zee the little black looking ranch
then, as II satisfied, he hastily returned ant
the two advanced.
On they came walking beside their pom
les and holding the sacks in position unit
within q few. PAGES OF the spot where WI
were concealed. Just then Howell cooked
his carbine and the click, click was plain
ly heard by Finn, who was in advance.
"Whoa! Sthop a bit Bedad | tho't
heard somethinf, and Finn stopped hi
pony, crouched down and surveyed the
situation, over the top OF the sage brush
We saw our opportunity and all rose up al
once. g
"Halt! Halt! Now, you thieves, wehay'
got you" we sang out.
"Houly saints save US" said Finn, a
he loosened his hold on the sack and lump
ed into the brush, followed by his fright
ened comrade.
Over the bank they went, and back |,
camp as fast as their trembling limb
would carry them. The ponies wheele,
about, throwing the -four TO the ground
and followed.
We now sat down near the sacks an
!. held o conference. Here We were In poi
uaarinn nj $40 worth of nnnr.