The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-03-28

and field; the fun and frOlic at hurdy
gurdy dances, choose yer pards, swing
on the corner, promenade to the bar;
the wild and disastrous stampede to
Sun River: the bloody (?) Indian battle
at Laurin's ranch on the Stinkingwater,
and the large number of prominent cit
liens of Virginia City who were shot in
the neck; the sad story of the love-lorn
poet lariat of Beaver creek; the hui
mors of the first Kangaroo court held
at Virginia City, and how victims were
indicted and fined for malodorous
practices: interesting comparisons are
made between the prices of goods in
lS62-63 and 1864 and the present time:
Flour from $50 to $3.50 per sack: sugar
go cents to 81 pound: bacon Is cents
to 1.5O a pound: coffee $1.1O to $3.50 a
pound: tea 81. so to 81. 90 pound: plug
tobacco S. to $40 pound: candles Is
cents to 81 pound: lard 65 cents
pound: syrup $40 gallon: butter 81. IS
to 81 a pound; eggs 50 per dozen: dried
apples 15 cents pound: dried crrrants
S5 cents pound: canned goods. corn,
tomatoes, peas and beans S25 per case:
Fields steamed oysters $3.50 per can:
navy beans As cents pound: common
soap 63 cents a pound: CASTLE soap
S1.25 a pound: nails 80 cents to 81 per
pound: horse shoes 90 cents to 81: salt
81 to 81. so per pound: matches - cents
to 81 box: shOvels So to 80 apiece:
picks So to $15 apiece: pick handles 81
apiece: gum boots Sl5 to S25 per pair:
California wooden shirt $40 to $l2 each
shirts made at Zipp's factory, Bridge
street, from $40 to $40 each: California
blankets $40 to $50 pair: Cas-. pants
$40 and $l5 pair: suit Of clothes, in
cluding hat and boots s75 to 800;
whiskey:
Bootleg brand. $40 gal
Taos Lightning g............ gal
Tarantula Juice e.......... gal
Hatter's Rocky Mountain dew. gal
Good Bourbon or Rye. $40 to S15 gal
Dan Flowerree's Nectar. 20 gal
day board at hotel or restaurant
from Sl5 to S25 per week in advances;
BARRIERS charged so cents to IS cents for
shaving, 81 for hair cutting and sl.5O
for shampoO: payment was always in
clean gold dust: greenbacks were taken
at half price.
"But if prices We're high, wages
were high also. Drifters were paid
SlS to $50 per day: bedrock men, strip
pers and windlass men got from s. to
Sl2 day: professional men were well
paid. Doctors such as Steele and Click
earned at least quarter of million
dollars apiece, but like X Beidler,
they We're paid principally in thanks
and promises.
"Clerks were paid according to their
ability to draw custom and sell goods
Even now, surrounded by every COM
fort and modern convenience that
wealth can buy or the heart desire,
many there are who sigh for the prim-
tive appliances, rugged health, simple
wants and cOntentment of the old DAYS.
ut will be interesting to many to
learn that while the first recorder of
Silver Creek mining district, you in
duced Uncle Johnny Cowan to pros
pect for gold on the bars of what was
! afterwards named Last Chance and
also that the first to discover gold in
7 the gulcb was Gold Tom. hunter,
and 'Isim-rock' prosNcctor, who was
fixed with sGnaw aud 'teepee'
IF you desire to ienew old acquaint-
ances. and enjoy the feast of reason
and how of soul. which is the principal
| feature of our reunions. come and join
Us. Our entertainments have flavor
of the campfire, the buffalo, the jack
rabbit, the sage hen and the mountain
trout, and will remind you of old days,
when the latchstring of every cabin
, door from Grass Hopper diggins' to
TOP O'Deep,' from 'Alder Gulch' to
Last Chance suggested cordial well
come alike to 'tenderfoot.' pilgrim
and 'se!f-riser.' '"-Standard.
III