The National tribune., 1888-11-29
DEADWooD CITY.

DcadwOOd had not then received its first
baptism of fire, and the crooked street along
the edge OF the gulch was still lined with the
rude shanties which The early corners had
hastily bulk. Some were of logs and some of
planks, mostly destitute of paint, aud many of
those on the gulch-siGe Of the road rested, in
the rear, upon tall posts set in the tailings"
the early miners had left. Each had plank
sidewalk in front, but no two owners had
placed it upon the same grade, so that a walk
along the street consisted of successive step
pingsup and steppinEs-down that were very
tiresome.
The largest building on the street was
gambling-salo0n, from whose open door as we
passed there issued blue mist redolent with
whisky, tobacco smoke and perspiration. Many
Of the tables as We could see, were still occupied
by blue-shirted men fighting the tiger"
Near by was the variety theater. with its
gsmbling-hell and gin-mill attached The
squeaky tones Of fiddle, the brazen notes of a
cOrnet and the twanging Of harp told that
the performance was not yet over; il was kept
up until daylight at that time if any one could
be induced TO remain and treat the female per
formers between the acts to beer or something
stronger, or stake his money on keno or high
ball poker.
Legitimate business, often carried on late
into the night. was all suspended. The retail
shops and stores for the supply of miners out
hts were closed and the long teams Of eight or
nine yoke Of oxen. each hauling two great
wagons, one hitched behind the other. were
stabbed in the corrals on the outskirts of the
town.
The arrival Of a train Of four or five of these
teams was attended with almost as much ex-
element in DeadwoOd as the coming of a cir
Gus. Their !Ime on the road from Sidney, on
the Union Pacific Railroad, was from 20 to 80
days, according TO the condition of the grass,
the quantity Of mud on the Plains or the
depth Of the snow on the mountains. They
brought every conceivable variety Of goods
| purchased by the merchants in New York or
/ Chicago months before. and for some of which
! the whole town might have been impatiently
waiting for weeks ~ was no uncommon thing
in those DAYS for Deadw0Ud 70 get out of some
article Of provisions OF some item Of hard ware
Oh textile fabric and be forced 10 resort 10 all
kinds Of makeshlfts until the market was again
supplied. Once IN the early times it was -four
that ran low and bread famine stared the
! people IL the face. The price of bread advanc-
cd 10 4 fabulous figure, and finally committee
Of citizens took possession OF the small remain
ing stock Of -four, fixed the price of loaves at
/ 81 each and limited the amount TO be sold to
/ each person per day. l never heard of whisky
4 famine.
/ The noise and confusion, the shouting and
/ the swearing Of the bulwhacl1ers, the loud
/ crack Of their long blacksnake whips the
/ curiosity Of the crowds of idleTs to see the
/ goods as they were unloaded-and some were
/ unpacked upon the sidewalks the difficulty
/ with which the teams passed each other on the
narrow, crooked streets, and the fierce quarrels
! over the right Of way gave Deadwood by day
! light an all Of stir and excitement in strong
! contrast with the pervadiug quiet of midnight
Lower down we passed through Chinatown,
| strung out along the gulch, distinctive in its
! irail. primitive architecture. dim light here
and there streaming from a gambIing-den or
! opium-joint was the only evidence Of life in
! this frontier Monaghan settlement / have no
] doubt that more than one Celestial shvered
| with fear when suddenly walked from his sleep
/ by the CHATTER of our wheels for the Chinaman
was only tolerated IN Deadwood 1t is true
! that the people were entirely dependent upon
! him for every kind Of domestic service but
! they felt under no obligation TO treat him well.
although they ate the dinners he cooked and
| put on the . fried shirts he laundried He
was allowed TO work over the tallings" of
WORKOUT placer mines that were absolutely
useless to their owners provided he paid i'm
I rental about three-fourihs of the product and
/ didn't make a fuss when some drunken white
man made him target for bis pistol practice
And SO he had set up his curious little water
] wheels ali up and down the gulch.
How dark and black the mountain looked as
We began lis steep ascent!