The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1905-09-22
SIDE LIGHTS ON THE CAMP
Something About Goldfield Architecture. the Migratory Habits
Of Its tabitations and Comforts Afforded its Inhabitants
Written for The News by W. P. De Wolff


lin many the pace was m
what faster than is permissible along
those more densely crowded highways.
At night instead of being forced to
grope their way to their rooms by the
feeble glow of a tallow dip, they pass
ed along well lighted halls, and it re-
ouired but the pressing of a button to
food their apartments with electric
rays. Barber shops employing the
most adept of tonsorial artists made
possible the painless removal of that
hirsute growth to which man is prone,
land no gaberfest inclined the patron
to ~somnolence during the operation.
Not only were these features of their
every day life present, but the "blind
baggage tourist was also here, hav-
ing made his advent to the camp on
the first train. To the visitors he lent
an added air of familiarity to the
scene, bat in the minds of the authori-
ties it is quite possible the conjecture
has arisen as to whether or no the
arrival of the railroad is to be looked
upon as an unmixed blessing.
Despite all of these signs denoting
the rapid approach of what we of the
west are prone to call effete civiliza-
ton, when referring to the abode of
our eastern brother, there yet remain
many souvenirs of the days o'naughty
three, and the camp has not discarded
the mantle of Bohemianism which
makes life in a mining community so
unusually attractive. The festive bur-
TO still ambles indolently through the
streets and in the watches of the night
breaks in upon ones slumber with his
rasping song. The vagrant dogs still
claim the city for their own and join
nightly in the revelry of the tender
loin. Twenty-mule teams hauling from
three to five heavily loaded wagons,
! still wind their %sinuous way over dus-
ty trails leading to the outlying
camps. The pilgrimage of the thirsty
to the bars is still on. Weather-beaten
old prospectors still relate their mar
velous tales of lost leads of fabulous
value in that chimerical country at
the end of the rainbow, and credulous
tenderfeet still lend a greedy ear to
the telling on it. The gambling games
are still losing money in the same
old way. The variety theater art
ists' are still singing the same old
songs. The gentlemen so well versed
load their knowledge ON the sucker
and relieve him of his coin. The bar
keepers still work overtime in fruit
less effort to quench the thirst of the
"night hawks"
The brokers still permit the San
Francisco crowd to make the prices
fishing an exchange of their own. The
mines still continue their output at
an ever increasing ratio. The mer-
chants are still doing business at the
same old stands, or more commodious
ones. They still burn the candle at
both ends in the red light section.
They still trip the fascinating meas
ures of the ''mule skinner delight,
in the dance halls. The migratory hab-
it's of the tents and the pine board
shacks still prevail and it is not an
uncommon sight to see one of them
mounted on wheels, FORMULATING
through the town en- route to some
new site. The one-story mercantile
structure still strives to elbow its mas
, sive three,story stone %neighbor into
the road way. The water man still
peddles his liquid from door to door
like the milk man. The candle still
strives to rival the brilliancy of the
electric light. The board shack room
ing house still attempts to compete
for patrons with the modern hotel. The
exteriors of the tents still present a
series of interesting shadow pictures
for the edifcation of the passer by.
Goldfeld is keeping pace with the
march of civilization, however, and it
is but a question of time until all
traces of these primitive habitations
with their attendant feature Of dis
comfort are obliterated. In their stead
will arise substantial business houses
and comfortable residences, and the
days of the tented city with its pic
turesque features will be but a mem
CRY.