The Portland daily press., 1894-09-01
FANCY REvOLYERs.
Costly Shooting Irons and Those Who
Buy Them.
They Are Frequently Used For Wedding
Presents, and Bad Men In the West Like
! Them-A Montana Rancher's Weapon
and Its Handles History.

Them-A Montana Rancher's Weapon
and Its Handles History.
A reporter was looking into big plate
glass showcase in down town gun store.
The black lining in the bottom of the case
was covered with revolvers and pistols of
all sizes, shapes and prices-revolvers for
cowboys, gun fighters, drummers, house
keepers and society women. There were
steel barreled guns that looked big enough
to arm a cruiser of a South American re-
public, and there were tiny single shot,
gold mounted pistols that seemed small
enough for watch charms. The prices ran
from So to $3.50, and there was an assort-
ment that placed the ownership Of a re-
volver within reach of any one who cared
to have one of these rattlesnakes about the
house.
who buy revolvers?" asked the report
err land what are the highest priced fire.
arms of that olass?"
People of all degrees and kinds buy re-
volvers, replied the salesman, sbut the
largest sales of the high priced arms are
made to people who want them for pres
ents. 1t is curious fact that more high
priced revolvers are sold for wedding pres
ents, though the costliest have been sold
to cowboys and gun fighters in the far
western states'
Here the clerk stopped and showed half
dozen single shot pistols. All were gold
mounted, and the trigger of one was set
with diamonds. On another was a space
that had been left open for the picture of
the giver, very much as pictures are placed
in watch cases. 1t had been made to or
der and was marked SIS, though the bar
rel was hardly larger than a good sized
finger. On all reyolvers of this class spaces
are left for monograms. The mounting is
in gold and silver, the chasing is in origi-
nal Designs and really the guns look like
pretty toys rather than death dealing
weapons. 1t was noticed that none was
of the bulldog pattern. The clerk explain
ed that bulldog guns were not fashionable,
because the size of the barrel did not har-
monte with the handle, and it was there
fore impossible to get symmetrical form.
Besides bulldogs, however well made are
considered dangerous to the owner. They
have been known to explode with disas-
trous results. ..ss
Fashion in revolvers seems absurd but
as revolvers Of the class described are IN
tended for ladies there is really as much
treason for changing the style of revolvers
'as that of bonbon boxes and table jewelry..
A fad that has been started lately is the
wearing Of small pistols attached to chains,
along with punches of keys and such tri-
fes as the swell young man Of the day
thinks that he must carry in his capacious
trousers pockets. The pistol carried in this
way is fastened to the chain by spring
catch, SO that it can be easily detached 1t
may interest young men who follow this
fashion to know that they are liable to be
arrested and fined for carrying deadly
weapons without permit
The highest price set upon a revolver in
this country was $1,000, asked for prize
exhibit at the Worlds fair. Probably the
costliest revolver for sale in New York
would fetch $3.50. AS in the case of an
extra fine watch, the greater part of this
money is invested in the finishing and
decoration. Last year a leading manufac-
turer made a reovlver to order for cSttle
owner in Billings, Mon, that cost $500.
TWAS of the long barreled, cowboy design,
but was much larger and heavier than
the average gun of that class. 1t carried
six shots, and of course was as perfect in
action as it could be made by modern me-
chanical skill. The handle was made from
piece Of cottonwood which possessed an
interesting history to the purchaser. He
brought the wood to New York when he
gave the order for the revolver. He said
that six years ago he was out after cattle
rustlers in southern Montana. Three of
them were hanged by his party, but the
others got away and could not be caught
after long chase into Wyoming. The
owner finally agreed to give up the hunt
and after reaching the Rosebud river in
Montana they separated for their ranches,
which lay within 40 miles of one another
They had not been separated an hour
before this owner was caught in one of the
coules by half a dozen rustlers who had
been looking for chance to attack the
party. The rustlers decided to make short
work of their captive. They bound him to
a cayuse, drove him to the Rosebud river,
and in less time than it takes to tell had
a rope around his neck and over the limb
of cottonwood. They were about to punch
the cayuse ahead and leave the cattle own
er swinging under the shade Of the tree,
when the biggest rustler of them all swung
his gun in the air and called a halt to the
show. The show stopped, and the cattle
owner was released on his promise never
to give away the names of his captors or
to hunt them down. He was of course
willing to accept any compromise, but he
did not forget the rustler who saved his
life. After rustling had died out he found
the man and made him foreman of his
outfit in Yellowstone county, Mon. Last
year he went down to the Rosebud river,
cut off the limb of the cottonwood which
he came SO near decorating and brought
the wood to New York for the butt of the
revolver.
The revolver was marvel of fine work
manship. The mountings were of solid
gold. 1t was chased with pictures show
ing scenes of the capture and rescue from
the rustlers and was set with the sap
phires and rubies of Montana, which are
found in the beds Of the Missouri river
near Helena. The holster-for the revolv-
er was much too large for the hip pocket
was of leather and was mounted with
gold and silver decorations. 1t was ar
ranged, after a pattern made by the cattle
owner, SO that the touch of spring would
throw open the top and sides and leave the
revolver ready for instant use. When
closed, it lay over ON the side of the sad
hle as tight as drum. Christmas this
sutfit was given by the owner to the fore