The daily tribune., 1904-03-17
cREEDE IN ga.
"Soapy" Smith, Cy Warman and
Bill Green.

i DtAi OiG(u.
Creede was . red hot mining camp
in - when Cy warmAn ran the
Chronicle and II wAs day all day
in Creede. Soapy Smith wa- there
and the Amethyst Wa merging into
the lime light Jsok Push died
from the effects Of bullet fired by =
depoty sheriff. The boys buried him
with becoming dignity and repaired
to saloon to drink to his health
''over yonder." The Chrcuiels was
sweet on Pugh and sAid he Wa utter
ly devoid Of fear. I'VE don't care .
continental whoop for the outside
world and il was pobody's business IL
the whole camp got ON . tear and
landed up in Hades.' Sospy stopped
his paper the next day. What's the
matter asked the circulator
WELL" said Soapy. II can stand a
little foolishness, but when il comes
to spelling Hades with five letters my
gall ris,s The old way with foi r
letters 10 good enough for me-
Speaking Of the cripple stunt. re-
minds me OF an auction sale OF town
lots in Creede. One day an auction
eer came in to auction of town lots
Most OF them were occupied by squat
ters. An old German with . valise
filled with greenbacks was bidding
too high and he was given five min.
utes to get ont Of town. One hund.
red dollars was the minimum price to
crlpples and widows with sm all chill.
dren and the transformation scene vas
wonderful tc behold. The manned
and halt shifted on the scene. Creede
once 80 healthy and prosperous WAS
now camp Of cripples and nlled
with widows weeds. One man with
spinal meningitis vas supported by
three men and got his lot cheap
Another squatter who the day before
had held an unruly COW by the horns
while the shift boss at the Holy Moses
mine extracted the milk, now sported
q pair Of ,rutches and three bandaRes
on his right leg. The auctioneer
wouldn't listen to any other bids.
''1t's his by right Of discovery"
woman claimed q couple Of lots and
appeared on the scene as q widow
with nine children. The children
had been borrowed from peighbors
and were crying bitterly. These
lots belong to the babies" said the
auctioneer as he wiped the tears from
his eyes. When the sale was over
three dozen crutches were returned
to the drug stores and upwards Of 200
pounds Of cotton bandages thrown in
the river. 1t was a great saving to
the camp and at the next town meet.
ing vote Of thanks was given the
widows and cripples. Soupy Smith
presided and IN a neat little speech
said, "Creede might some day sue.
coed Denver as q city Of graft"
Bill Green came to Creede to make
a stake. He was engaged to marry
= cattle queen Of the San Luis valley.
Bill was an inveterate gambler. She
knew his failing aud utterly refused
to join hands till he saved enough
money to buy y span Of m,les aud
top buggy. He had "salted" two
hundred dollars and fifty more would
do the business. Word was passed to
the boys. Dago Joe. a low ''purring
cnss'' from San Miguel county. went
up to Bills cabin and engaged him
in q social game Of draw. 1t was an
evil hour for Bill. They passed the
buck q few times and Bills day dream
of happiness in the San Luis valley by
the green pastures and still waters.
where the lowing kire perambulate
through the labyrinth of columbines.
faded like the color out Of two dol
lar coat. The opportunity of life
time slipped from his vacillating