The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-01-21

simpson, anu SEM
to Colorado. In February, 1878, he struck
Leadville, when the place was a mere mining
camp Of 500 people.
The morning after his arrival he started
on tour among the saloons and gambling
places. The inmates laughed at him and in
vited him to take a drink or hand at poker,
but Uzzell began at once by filling his i'm
provised cabin at evening service, and COM
menced to raise money with which to build
a church. He first tried the miners, but not
getting all he wanted he extended his solicit
tations to the gamblers and the women of
the town. From these reckless people he
met with universal response. One saloon
keeper offered him the proceeds of a key
of whisky, which Uzzell refused to accept.
Having taken quite collection in the saloon,
a gambler, remarking that they had done the
fair thing by the parson, insisted on his
taking a drink. 1t appeared that Uzzell
must either drink or fight, so he pulled off
his coat, whereupon the stalwart bartender,
who was something of a fighter himself,
leaped over the bar and declared that he
proposed to take hand, and Uzzell needn't
drink if he didn't want to. This restored
quiet
Mr.. Uzzell tells number Of good stories
anent queer weddings and funerals he has
ofiiciated at. Here is one concerning we'd
ding:
"I have just been let out of jail said the
man who wished to be married, 'and bor-
rowed saw and buck and went in search of
work When asked this woman here by my
side for job, she said she had no money to
hire a man, being poor widow woman. l
al I tl. and ta1y hnF
for pay, and she said call right" and here we
are now to get married but | haint got no
money, parson, to pay the BILL
Mr.. Uzzell performed the ceremony and
paid the recorders fee.
There was then a great deal Of what was
called lot jumping in Leadville. Mr.. Uzzell
secured some lots for his church, One day he
found jumper unloading logs for the pur
pose of building cabin on these lots. Uzzell
took off his coat and prepared to resist the
jumper, who was beginning to unload fresh
lot of logs:
"If you get off that wagon will thrash
you" said the preacher.
"Parson, you wouldn't fight, would you"
replied the jumper.
81 don't want to fight, but if you put
another log on this lot will thrash you, or
you will me-"
"Well, what do you want doneF'
"Drive away with the load of logs you now
have and then haul off the others already on
the lot"
The jumper concluded that Methodist prop
erty was not good property to jump.
w. H. Stevens, Of the Iron mine, was a
great friend of Uzzell's, and on one occasion
Stevens authorized some ladies to give q
party, saying that he would pay for the re-
freshments, and suggesting that they sell
tickets at 81 apiece, the proceeds to be given
to Uzzell for his church. During the evening
the parson stood at the door taking tickets.
Suddenly he was called up stairs. There he
found that Stevens had been smuggling
champagne in the building. Il was too late"
says Mr.. Uzzell 'to stop the drinking, but /
put an end to an intended dance. AS en-
tered the room some one jumped on chair
and shouted out, Get your partners for the
first dancer That was Dick Allen, of The
Leadville Reveille, one of the old newspapers
in the camp | interposed and said | would
not permit any dancing at Methodist so
cial, and Dick did not urge the matter any
further, but an lrishman present did. He
said he had paid his dollar to get in and in
tended to dance. He insisted, notwithstand-
ing my objections, and finally threatened to
give me "a thrashing if l interfered. | was
expecting trouble when Tabor, who after
ward became United States senator, being
present interfered in my behalf and quoted
the troublesome Irishmann
Mr.. Uzzel is now in charge of the Peoples
tabernacle at Denver, under the supervision
of the Home Missionary society of New
York.