The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1886-10-09
PEG.LEG BILLY.
How His Ranch Was Converted Into
Prosperous and Booming City.


Socorro County is almost entitled to
be considered a community by itself,
and is certainly large enough to make
q respectable State as States go in the
worn-out East. 1t extends 1863 miles
from east to west and has an average
width of ninety-seven miles. Its area
is Is, 232 square miles. 1t is altogether
magnificent stretch of country, with
practically limitless possiblities-at
least that is what the cattlemen and
land "boomers" tell you. But there is
SO much of that sort of thing in the
bounding West that you soon get used
to it, and nothing surprises you. They
tell story of tough old boy named
Peg-leg Billy, who is now employed in
punching" cows in this region, but
who is recent importation from
"Montany" As Billy tells it, he is the
victim of ruthlessly advancing civ,
ilization, from which he declares that
he is not safe even here. When he
was in "Montany" he had few cattle
of his own from which he derived
revenue amply sufficient to supply him
with whisky-the one commodity which
he is willing to take from civilization.
One night Billy went to rattle which
took place at the ranch a few miles
away, and with the rest of the boys
made not one night of it, but several, in
true cowboy style. After the boys who
had been killed had been planted
with all the grand honors, Billy ambled
home, carrying 32-calbre bullet in
his left leg rs souvenir of the event.
As he approached his ranch he was
mighty surprised to find. not his ranch
at all, but large and busting city.
Of course gambling-houses and saloons
predominated, but there were other
more substantial evidences of urban
life. A First National Bank stood
proudly on one corner, while opposite
1t stood the City Hotel. Two daily pa
pers were published the Ripsnorter and
the Paralyzer, between which the most
deadly hostility existed. There was a
theater, the Alhambra, in which were
presented nightly plays that made the
the boys roar with delight AS he saw
all this Billy swore for half an hour in
pure perplexity, and began to fear that
he was the victim of some woeful magic.
But on inquiry he learned that a
"boom" had struck this part OF the
country. Settlers had rushed in during
the few days Of his absence All the
land was bought up, nominal sum
being allowed him for his ranch, and
in night and day city had sprung
up, as if to defy Billy and all the boys.
This is the story that Billy tells to ex-
plain why he left 'Montany," and it is
considered dangerous in this part of
the country to call in question the &C
curacy even of its slightest details.
what did they do with your cows,
BillyP" asked sympathetic listener
the other day in the Maverick. after
Billy had told the story of his wrongs.
wall, stranger" replied Billy, may
be you won't believe me. but I'll be
derned if they didn't turn one corner of
my. ranch into pound and put my
cattle in it fer trespassin' in the city
limits. and before l could git them
animiles out l had to pay the pound
keeper the hull tarnal amount that
they allowed me for my land. Jest
think of It'll More'n thousand drinks
gone in one lickl' and Billy drank his
flour fingers in stately but pathetic
silence. -New Merico Cor. New York
Tribune.