Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-10-12
FOLLOWED.

The mot desperate and law'css men
IN The wCst-l speal from twenty
years experience on the plains-are
the gamblers. confidence men and rob.
ber' who follow n. "cnd Of track"
When q railway IS pushing through
new and ussat.lel { rritory.
At every side tack a new towr
springs INTO yNlstc zee, 50 suddenly a!
10 suggest the gestern expression
dropped there ~ Il cyclone" At
each OF these ucV communities the
hrst cpmn.s are usually men of Tie
kind have mentioned.
Along the rualbed. wherever a sid
ing IS Ia be lgi8. q dozen or more bic
tents, respectively labeled Saloon. "
"Daucc il0gs sometimes very ap-
proprislcly, SIiqus Hole" ur the
Devils Don. are always found set
up in advance q, Tie arrival Of the
trac& layers.
y certain harvest awaits tho owners
OF These .lHGEJuCs. as the rail
reader OF a certain class. takes his
time from his foreman nj frequent
intervals, IN order that he may cash
his 'tIaA" cACri al the nearest saloon
and gambling place.
He quickly sGUanders the proceeds
OF his calr.; In drink and play. or is
robbed 81 them. lies about in a STUPID
condition Tor a day or two. aud then
goes 10 G& again, pennilcSs.
Such a person accepts all the evils
of this mode of life with "A philosophy
that would be commendable if shown
under adversely Of a different sort. 4
shirt, pamtnlUOnS, shoes aud "A SLOUGH
hat usually comprise the whole Of his
possessions, and 50 long as he can get
the means To satisfy a periodic appc.
ute for drunken excitement lac seems
10 be satisfied with his lot.
This description of a large class Of
railroad laborcrs. it should be- distinct.
ly noted, does not apply to the many
sober, steady fellows who save the
large wages they got. and often settle
and become prosperous citizens in the
country they have helped to open TO
civilization.
Ii is upon the earnings Of dissolute
wage workers of the track and grade
that the gambler, whisky seller and
asslsslu thrive. and, 10 secure their
plumber, they follow the progress of a
new railroad like yulturcs in search of
prey.
The day laborer upon these pioneer
roads is not the only victim of the
robber and sharper. 1t is unsafe for
any man who visits one of their mush-
room towns TO let the fact be known
that he has a considerable amount of
money I'm his possession.
Yet mel who know the nature Of
the dangers about them sometimes
neglect 10 take proper precaution to
insure the safety Of money in their
charge. and thus the writer allowed
himself 90 be caught, two years ago,
in snap that came near ending his
career. and that taught him a lesson
in caution that he hopes will never
again he needed. at least oy him.
L was acting as paymaster and chief
commlssary clerk for a firm of grade
contractors upon the Northwestern
road, which was then pushing through
northern Nebraska into the adjacent
territory of Wyoming.
We were doing some heavy grading
and rock work, and with u large force
were pushing the work day and night
in order 20 get out Of the way Of the
track, which had then advanced 10 a
point within n days ride Of US.
We had let pay day slip by without
paying the men, and hoped 10 satisfy
them by the issue Of time checks until
the track should overtake us. and our
money could come 10 US with little
risk on the construction train. But,
three or -four days after paying Off
time, some Of the men began to grow
suspicious and 10 grumble. aud threat
ened 10 qui. work until their checks
were cashed, They were afraid VIC
might somehow slip up on them and
they wouldn't get their money.
As we were in desperate need of
every available hand, is was necessary
that the men should be satisfied. SO
il was determined that / should go 10
Chadron, our supply base and bank.
ing point, and bring up enough
money 10 pay the men their last
months wages, which amounted TO
about four thousand dollars.
decided to go alone. j set out that
night on horseback, and / reached the
lend OF track" at Crawford siding the
next morning in time 10 leave my
horse at a neighboring ranch corral,
and get aboard a supply train which