Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-10

| had jumped another 1000. This Increase
| continued until 1879, when it wac estimated
| that the town contained $500, with a float
| inG population OF almost as much more
| Great freight houses, mammoth hotels, dance
| halls covering half blocks were erected and
saloons and gambling houses sprang up as
| If by magic. Desperadoes from all over the
! country gathered at the place and the sound
of the revolver and the clicking of the poker
! chpsg together with the strains of wheezy
| pianos furnished music fer tho inhabitants.
There were no bolts or bars to the doors;
tho keys to the doors were thrown away
and everything was run wide open from one
| weeks end to another. Brawls were OF
| frequent occurrence and murders were upon
| the program SO frequently that the members
| OF the better element of society concluded
| 20 take matters in their own hands.
| Days of the VigilanteS.
About this time the regulators organized
and the first move was to hang a man to a
| telegraph pole directly in front of the depot.
| This had its effect but only for a short
| time. A few weeks later there was an un-
provoked murder of an inoffensive citizen
| and thea came another lynching bee, fol-
lowed oy n couple more within month
At tie time of the last lynchng, notice was
served upon a number OF the disreputable
men and women that unless they moved
they would be suspended between heaven
and earth, This apparently had the desired
effect, for within twenty-four hours the
exodus commenced. This immigration was
to the Black Hills, to JuIesburg, to Denver
and still farther west. Business then worked
down into the channels where it belonged
and continued there for a long time.
While the Black Hills boom was on. the
law abiding citizens had another tough ele
ment to contend with. The soldiers sta
toned at the pest numbered close to 1000
and WREN pay day rolled around they
periodically carmined the town. They fire.
quently took issue with the freighters and
battles resulting in bloodshed were not un-
usual sights upon the streets.
During all these years it went without
saying that business was good From 5000
to 5000 men were constantly employed by
the various freight and stage lines operating
between Sidney and the Black Hills, the
Indian agencies and the upper forts. These
men were paid from $40 to 500 per month
each, and all the money was spent in Sid
ney The rivalry to secure this trade was
spirited. and representing the biggest store
there. the Oberfolder Bros made siren
Gus effort to capture their share, They
were young men and energetic and instead
of waiting for business, they went after it.
They kept posted as to the time of the ar
rival of the various wagon trains and in
variaby one or both of these young men
met the freighters out on the road and
piloted them in, showing them samples of
their goods and at the same time making
friends. AS a result when the men
reached the town and were paid off, the
first place they visited was the store Of the
Oterfelder Bros, where they fitted them
selves cut from feet to crown, They always
paid cash and after being rigged out like
so many swells, these freighters would sally
out on Front street, where they would spend
tho balance of their wages at the gaming
tables, or buying beer for the dizzy and
painted danes, who at one time numbered
over 800,
Freighters' FnvOrite Amusement.
As a rule the freighters were not bad
men, but sometimes when filled with the
worst brand OF Sidney liquor, they turned
the town inside out. One Of their fayorite
+ occupations was to go into a saloon and
after ordering the drinks. invite some ten
derfoot to drink, Just as he would be in
the act of raising the glass TO his lips, some
one would take a shot at IT, knocking II
| out OF his hand and sending it to the
floor, dashed into hundreds OF pieces.
Another fayorte pastime was to enter a
saloon at night and commence shooting the
lights out. This was always started in