The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-12


Bill out of Hayes City. I he latter was
frantic with rage, and slthough hecoult
have thresre1 The drunken boaster, ne
chos, rather u shoot him on sight.
TIE growth of Cheyenne was for years
encOuragingly rapid. With the reported
discovery or god in the Black Hills country
there was an immense immigration 70 Wyo-
ming of just such material as the territory
did not want. Magnifed reports aud glow
ing promises of future wealth to be gathered
in the mining districts brought thousands
of old and young aud middle-aged men
from the eastern states, many of
whom actually imagined that once
in the Black Hills, fortune would shower
her favors upon them. 1t may be needless
to say that fully two-thlrds of these immi-
grants sufferei disappointment i'll their
hopes. Clerks, bookkeepers, tarkespers and
light tradesmen were not the material
needed to open up a new country. Many
a poor fellow footed it home eastward,
others tried their fortune further west
along the railroad, aud still others engaged
as bull whackers, teamsterS, or whatever
occupation was afforded them il Wyoming.
As if by magic Cheyenne had suddenly
developed into city of 10000 inhabitants,
with regularly appointed municipal officers,
a daily paper, and a competent police and
fire department. The city was held to be
an uncommonly quiet one-one or two shoot
ing scrapes daily being now the average
disturb Dances in the place. The few hotels
were filed to overlooking, while board
at 81 weekly was furnished in
nearly every shanty, adobe hut
and tent in town. For hours daily the
streets were thrUnged with motley crowds
of soldiers, miners, Mexicans, half-breeds,
negroes gamblers and eastern tenderfeet,
with an army of mule whackers, teamsters
and bull divers, eagerly seeking employ
-, h. -
the mining country. In the early evening
the lively notes of the violin and banjo
were TO be heard through the open doors of
dance houses and variety cabins, mingling
with the more refined music furnished by
members of the Fort Russell band, hired to
play at McDaniel's Theater.
For months the regular routine of the
city was confined to business. dancing,
drinking, gambling and fighting Sud-
denly these diversions met with decided
check by the appointment of Jeffcaar IS
marshal and Pat TALBOT as his deputy.
Even McDaniels' theater became more or
derby. In time a peaceably inclined
visitor thereto might, with safety,
sit out few hours listening 10
the variety performance afforded
without running the risk of be.
nately fired by drunken roughs in the audi
ence. During the day the theater was
rather quiet, but at night few inspiring
tunes played on brass instruments by the
fort musicians, soon attracted to the en-
trance motley crowd OF gamblers. cap
pers, soldiers, bull whackers, teamsters,
cyprians aud clerks.
After lively prelude by the band a young
man or woman would appear on the little
stage aud ATTEMPT a song, which was Ie-
ceived by the audience according TO the
latter's idea of its merit. IL singer was
Kissed his or her engagement with Mr.. Mc5
Daniels instantly ceased. Killarney" ap-
pea ed to be a favorite during the latter
days of my stay in Cheyenne, and was for
weeks nightly rendered in a some
what artistic manner by a ratLer pretty
Ir sh girl known on the play bills as Mile.
Cerito. at a salary of $500 weekly. The fair
songstress received, besides, numerous pres
entS in gold dust and coin from the more
sentimental of her hearers, and one day dis
appointed her manager and host of admirers
by running off with hands me barkeeper.
One evening while seeking little diver
sion l entered the theater, taking a seat
we'll in the rear and near the door in order
to escape as far as possible the suffocating
fumes OF burning tobacco filling the room.
Already several songs had been sung, when
the audience began shouting a name and
stamping noisily. In a few moments
rather shabbily attired man of middle age
walked quickly upon the stage, and after
gracefully bowling, prepared to sing. After
short survey of the mans features,
became convinced that / had known him
before as an army officer of high rank who
had been cashiered from the service for
drunkenness and Misrepresentation of public
funds. In bis case opium and whisky had
accomplished their fell work of destruction,
and he was now physica wreck. Strangely
enough he began TO sing the Lament of q
'49er." which song ran as follows:
You see before you old Tom Moore,
A relic of former days
A hummer, too, they call me now,
But what care for praise?
Oftentimes | sit and Think
o, often do pine,
For the days of old, the days of gold
The days Of 40.
There was Monte Pete'-I knew him we'll
o, luck. he always had,
He'd deal game by night or day,
He'd win cen your last "scad."
One night pistol laid him out
Twas his last layout in fine
For it caught him sure, dead in the door,
In the days OF '49.
There was New York Jake the butcher boy,
Who was always getting tlgnt,
And when he went upon q spree
He was spelling for a fl hit
One night ne ran against knife
In the hands of old man Kline;
In fight with death Jake lost his breath
In the days of 40.
There was roaring RalpA-he could outroar
buffalo bull, you bet;
He'd roar ali day and roar all night
I'll bet he's roering yet
One night he fell in prospect hole
Twas roaring bad design
And in the hole Ralph roared out his soul
In the days of 49,
AS the song was ended the wooden edifice
fairly shook with applause. The fortunate
vocalist, after again repeating the verses,
was called to the managers Office and his
salary increased to, believe, 800 weekly
to sing the ballad nightly until further
orders. Not long, however, did the IN
fortunate man live TO enjoy the unexpected
favors showered upon him. III less than
two weeks time be was found dead in a
bunk at the Grand Central hotel from the
effects of any overdose of morphine.
But the Black Hills craze was soon over,
and in few months Cheyenne became to a
certain extent deserted, although quite
number of those who came west for the pur-
pose of engaging in mining decided to settle
for life in the growing city. This ne blood
infused additional life into the commu-
nifty. As result. l was pleased TO note
on my recent visit to Cheyenne that
the latter city, by reason of its
being the most advantageous point along
the Union Pacific railway from which to
enter the Black Hills, had Enthusiastically
gained by the gold excitement in 1876,