The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-04
LIFE AT RANDSBURG.
The New Mining Town Is Not Too
Gay.
Every Man Gets Clean Towel at the
Barber's.


thing about" said Frank Fitch, who has
just returned from three weeks trip to
Randsburg, sis TO spend few days in q
new mining camp. Everybody there talks
about new finds and rich strikes and the
sale of town lots for double or treble what
they cost week before.
That's characteristic of Randsburg, as
of all new and promising mining camps,
but otherwise Randsburg isn't typical of
places OF that sort. It's rather too quiet
and peaceable and domestic. Many fam
lilies are there already and others are con-
stantly coming. Nobody packs gun, and
a man seldom has use for one. There were
five murders in about three months, but
vigilance committee was formed, and the
town has been quiet ever since. Now there
is a court, with two justices and two con.
stables. There is likely to be plenty OF
litigation over titles before long, for there
Is cloud over all the territory upon which
Randsburg Is being built. That will all
be settled in the courts, however, and the
lawyers will get the fees that used to go to
the coroners Johannesburg, just started,
two miles away, is on school section and
will have no difficulty of that sort.
There plenty Of the picturesque about
Randsburg, even IL it doesn't have the
flashiest characteristics Of q mining camp.
Sleeping accommodationsare rather scarce,
though there must bc about nile of cots
In the town. 1t costs from 81 to SO to oc-
oupy one Of these all night, but II you are
short of funds and not very sleepy you can
sleep half the night for half price and then
let some other fellow take his turn, while
yen sit up in a saloon till morning. One
lodging house adyertises clean sheets and
one barber shop announces In local news.
paper - there are three newspapers In
Randsburg and johannesburg together
that he gives clean towel 10 every Gus
toner. When you remember that water
costs sea barrel, those clean sheets and
towels make you appreciate the fact that
Randsburg ISN'T so peculiar as mining
camp used TO lie.
Most OF the lodging houses and tents
are not subdivided into rooms, and the cots
are put all over one big floor as close to-
gethcr "a they can be set There Is so little
space wasted between them that IL you are
a large man you'll have difficulty in find.
ing room enough 60 take Off your clothes.
A big man occupied the cot next to
me one night and he fused around for
some Vime trying TO disrobc. AT last he
wedCed imsclf in between his cot and
mine and tried CD pull off his boots. As he
tuggcd he lost his balance, and the whole
forcc Of his ESQ pounds went backward
Oh 90 his cot. and man. boots and bedding
went smashing TO the floor. He got up and
=saz4.se= sti>ottt II =, iittir while, but finally
curlcd up I'm the ruins and went to sleep. l
had carried hot water bag TO bed with
re, for wasn't very well, and II got sep.
Grated from me. When / touched it in the
night, IL was rs cold as ice. Half awake,
l tossed 10 ont. and IL landed on the big
mans neck The cork came out, and the
whole two quarts OF water poured out on
him. I've heard considerable language in
my time, but I've never heard the equal
of that mans remarks.
There wa1 q high wind one night and
along toward morning IL blow over some
tents near my lodging house. The men
rushed out larefooted and half dressed and
held on % tho guy ropes for dear life TO
Sccp their only shelter from being blown
off across the desert. 10 wasn't situation
that ordinarily would bring out mans
good nature, bat those men yelled anG
sang and danced around and cracked jokes
at one another until you would have
thought they were having tho most enjoy.
& bic time I'm the world.
at s5Ormed while was there, and the
whole camp was under n blanket of snow.
OF course that put q stop to most work.
and men, women and children turned In
to enjoy themselves. You would have