Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-10-27
A DEADwOoD BAR.

Bill Dunne, who has Kept saloon IN
thirty-two different mining camps and
in every far western state and territory
except Oregon, is in town renewing
old acquaintances and looking up pros
poets. Dunno is lively talker. Down
at the Star last night he said:
almost all our prominent men in
the west began life by selling whisky.
A good many of them hate to own it
now, but it is a fact all the same. /
can name hundred rich and promi-
nent citizens who got their first start
behind bar, and of course can re-
call good many who got to going the
other way from that point. was here
in the hills running q saloon before
they were opened to settlement That
is. we used to say they were not open.
but they were to anybody whose scalp
was tied on. | had a partner then who
was good business man. but he over
reached himself once. His name was
Belden.
"Belden came to me one day and
said the hills were bound to be opened
in the spring, and that if we could get
big stock of whisky into the country
before the Indians left we would get
onto both sides of the deal and calcii
'em like the darky did the coon, GO
in or comm. He argued that the
Indians would want big supply when
just going out on the war-path, and
that the miners just coming into new
country where valor was essential
would also nave to have a good deal. /
thought favorably of his scheme. and
We teamed in ten barrels Of pretty good
stuff. We also had ten other barrels,
and when we got the liquor in here we
drew off half of the contents of the full
barrel and put them into the others.
Then Belden said that he would fill up
the twenty barrels with water. told
him this was a mighty eccentric cli-
mate, and nobody knew what minute
it might turn cold, but he said we d
have to risk it. SO we filled the barrels
up and waited for business. 1t came
sooner than we expected. About a
week later terrific storm blew up, and
when it cleared off the thermometer
sank out of sight 1t was frightfully
cold. Along about midnight my part
ncr and were awakened by an explo-
sion, and we had no more gained our
feet when there came another thunder
ing crash right under US, where our
whisky was.
!. The soldiers have come, sure!'
yelled Belden. get your gun
''Just then there was another rip and
crack, aud. getting down from the loft,
we found that our whisky was flying
ali around the room. We couldnst t do
anything to save it. and when daylight
came we found every barrel but one
burst, and, of course, ruined. Mypart-
ner said:
We might have put little mite
less water in the stuff, l suppose, but
you've got to take some risks in every
busiRess.
..Well. as IIe had more money than
did. / didn't say much. and as soon as
the weather moderated we tried il
again. We didnt 90 quite SO strong
on water this time. and didn't use any
until we were about ready to ladle the
stuff out. In that way we got rid of a
big stock and niade good deal of
money. Beiden is out in California
now running a national bank. and it
would hurt his feelings to have anyone
know that he had ever sold whisky
Somebody suggested that il took q
pretty good man TO stand behind d bar
III mining town and come out alive.
anu Dunne said:
That's tfuc 10 i certain extent,
though I've known some mighty good
men 10 come out dead. You've got to
lfuanor d certain eistss Of customers, and
4 certain l,er class you've got 10 shut
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