Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-02
A BOOMERS BIG LUCK
Remarkable Prosperity of Pennsyl-
vanian Who Came to Guthrie,
WITH 4 FORTUNE OF Is CENTS
Yet Has Managed to Accumulate $1,000 and
Hopes to Do Better
LIFE IN TIE MAGIC WESTERN CITY

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE D1sPATcz.1
GUTHRIE, IND. T.. May 27r-Your CORE
spondent has just returned from Fort Reno,
and for second time passed into Guthrie,
the marvellous city Of the nineteenth CEN
tury. At this writing Guthrie is 81 days
old. When I left here for Reno it was
city Of tents. When I returned was
amazed to behold, intermingled with white,
a vast expanse Of yellow, which, as the cars
approached my abiding place, resolved
itself into q vast collection Of
frame buildings, pleasing to the eye,
and indicative of Guthrie's future growth.
The buildings that are going up here in
most instances are intended to be permanent,
until brick and stone shall oust them. The
city is on plateau of about 800 acres, sur
rounded by a range of hills covered with
cedar, post oak, black oak, with romantic
bottom lands of elms aud other varieties Of
trees that make the valley in the early
morning most enchanting scene.
The Cimmaron's waters were recently
ploughed by the red mans paddle. The
trampled down the wild flowers Of
the prairie. The stout trees on
the Cottonwood creek were the shell
ter of the Nations wards" from behind
which they, but a short time ago, shot the
lead that brought a scalp to their belt. The
rolling woodland was their resting place,
and they laved their limbs, undisturbed in
the sparkling waters of the ,Cimmaron.
What marvellous change!
NOT AN IDEAL GOVERNMENT.
The evolution of 81 days has hurled thered
man into the sunset, and opened to ciViliza-
tion fairy land. A country where the
farmer may rest content with the results Of
his honorable industry, and where the
sharper, the lawyer or the real estate agent
may ply his trade to fill his pockets.
In the city of Guthrie to-day there are at
least ., 200 males, representing probably 20
900 people. 1t has a provisional city gov
ernment which, on the 9TH day of next
month, will be exchanged for permanent
municipality. The present city outfit rep
resent lhe "hoodlums." 1t has gathered in
by indirect tax S120,0O0. The tax is as
sessed on gamblers, restaurants, business
men Cat $40 per month !, peddlers and every
other class and kind OF trade imaginable.
The carpenters that build here are COM
PEELED to pay tax of s. before they can
pursue their business. Blacksmiths pay the
same, and every other line of business is
taxed. 1t is a provisional government
with vengeance. The people who came
here to escape taxation fell from the frying
pan into the fire.
A couple of days ago rain blizzard swept
over their camp with such tremendous fury
that frame buildings were hurled to the
ground as easily as boy would topple down
q house of cards. Claim jumping is going
on here at a terrific rate. General Pierce, of
Topeka, is braced on one of his lots with a
Winchester, trying to hold down. the claim.
Yesterday the United States troops we're
called upon to preserve order.
AN EXTRAORDINARY CHARACTER.
The following sketch will we'll illustrats
the cups and downs" of life. We have
here among us young man who came INTO
the Guthrie camp with rags on his back add
Is cents in his pocket. He arrived on Va,
freight train. To-day it is reported he{1s
worth 81 900, comprised in fine sectionF of
land adjacent to the city for which he, has
refused $1,000, town lot worth 81 800, a
bank account Of 81 200 and canvas opera
house that will hold 500 people,
and which he readily leases for SIS per
night. The name Of this marvellous
business wonder is James q. Moore, erst-
while citizen of Brookville, Pa. He has
given evidence Of great business ability,
and by his honest, genial, straightforward
conduct has succeeded in attaching to him
self host of friends. His people reside in
your city, and his old father will doubtless
be properly proud of his sons business sue
cess. 1t is not improbable that james G.
Moore, of Brookville, may be the next City
Marshal Of Guthrie. He would make
very capable official. He was selected
for a responsible position here which
would pay him 500 per month He
refused the position, however. If young
Moore keeps on as he has begun, he is in a
fair way to become Guthrie's leading busi-
ness man.
The first theater has entered Guthrie, and
opens to-day. The combination has tents
on the plateau that hold !, 200 people, and
will coin money. The agents of Dun's
Mercantile Agency are on the ground, and
sizing up and rating the business men.
Men, and many of them, who have been
in hiding here from the Eastern police have
been unearthed and sent ito the various
home police offices. There is probable
future Of great trouble here on account Of
contested claims, and your correspondent
will not be surprised when the first gun is
fred that will inangurate a scene of blood
shed that will open the eyes of the world to
the fact that the placid surface of the
Guthrie camp concealed powerful volcanic
force. MAC NAMARA.