Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-07-22
ALIAS THE PARSON.
F. s. Saltus.


Even in 80, so long ago as that,
when few western towns could boast
street lamp or a postoffice-to say
nothing Of churches and schoolhouses
-Four Hole City was generally
classed as ''desperit hard place"
1t was the toughest of the tough.
Though comparatively young town
at the date of the incident about to be
recorded, its notorious wickedness had
advertised it far and wide, and Four
Hole City was an accepted synonym
for the unique and superlative in west
ern wretchedness.
Its population varied according to
the distance and direction of the latest
gold find.
A clear spring of water had made
the spot favorite camping place for
miners, and a contraband barrel or two
of whisky had established bar and
made the spring place Getty
1t could hardly be said that the
growth of Four Hole City was phe-
nomenal-that it was a magic city or
anything of that sort. But it grew.
Trade was lively at the Red Finger
bar, and the cemetery spread like Il
green bay tree. In due course of time
there was another barroom and another
burying ground.
Then Little jug Nancy came, the
first woman, and forthwith another
graveyard was added to the list-three
of them in seven months.
So alluring was the opportunity, in
fact, that speculative undertaken was
tempted across the mountains from
Frisco with wagon load of collins.
The market was all right, but it's a
part of the record that the Frisco un-
dertaker was the first man ever buried
in coffin at Four Hole City. Little
jug Nancy otficiated.
But in spite of all that the town
grew.
And as it grew there became mani
fest, at irregularly long intervals, a
natural tendency towards something
ike reform. AT even rarer intervals
this usually vague manifestation took
definite shape and proportions.
The first effort ef the sort was when
Shoestring Mike and that gang had an
election. Mike set himself up for
mayor, and the rest of the boys were
councilmen. Long Dicky Bass was
he marshal.
1t was all right while it lasted.
They buried the mayor and the mar
shal in one grave and two of the coun-
Gil in another. Another one of the
cOuncilmen reformed, and was hung
six months later for horse stealing.
The others escaped.
Then the -and-order fever struck
Four Hole City. They hung Jimmy
Doolan, of the Red Finger bar. Little
jug Nancy followed suit, same day,
same limb. Three or four of the op
position lights snuffed out in amazing
ly rapid succession-and then the law
and-order gang caved.
This was when the Frisco under
taker saw his opportunity.
Then Nigger-Foot Jim tried to run
it. This reform was pre-eminently
successful, it must be acknowledged,
so far as it went. Jim was a dead
shot, and as quick as a cat.
His government terminated very
abruptly, however, a few hours after
1t started, just as Jim stepped out sle
door of the Red Finger bar. 1t was
done in the dark and they never did
9nd out who did it.
They made him a grave beside Little
jug Nancy, and -Four Hole City drop
PED back into the old rut. 1t relapsed,
IN other words.
Ihen a United States man came
along. Poor fcllow-they were look
ing for him, they had his grave dug
'"enty-four hours in advance of his
arrival. They had his tombstone fixed
ana the epitaph, and one of those
frisco cofiins marked for his own pri-
Vate use.
Those brass buttons-six big ones
ana nine little ones-made elegant
ships.
These were by no means the only
Efforts at reform, nor by any means
the only failures Suffice it to say
uat there had been precisely as many
'A'Iures as there were efforts, and ex-
actiy as many ef orts as failures, when
parSon Josh CAM in that bright, breezy,
beautiful day IL autumn, 1850.