La Junta tribune., 1905-07-15

Junta soon had plenty Of it, But
let me say. here and now. La Junta
was fortunate in the fact that the
people were generally united on all
propositions of material advance
ment. Very often my own actions
Is mayor Of the town smacked
somewhat Of the tactics of Car
Reed. vet as look back now ! have
no regrets, for every action, every
vote. every letter of mine. can be
elassed to-day in the category Of
patriotic effort for my home town.
One of my warmest. staunchest
and most level-headed friends and
hackers was Comrade DIR. q. w.
Phillips, the father of your towns
man. Rufus Phillips. ! wish to pay
him a special tribute, not only be-
cause he was my comrade in the
civil war. but because in all actions.
political or otherwise, that came up.
where La Junta was vitally interest
ed, he was with me, helped me. held
up my hands. He was large-minded.
patriotic and brave. There was nH
room in his makeup for small. con-
temptible envy or Jealousy. La
Junta certainly misses him. as did
when found myself hooking for
him the Fourth. Others were AS
enthusiastic for our town. but none
could see As far into the future as
he,
The old timers met in La Junta
like Geo. S. Thompson. Pat Bradish.
Mike Bradish. Charlie Wonderly.
Matt Daimler, Charles Stevens, r.
A. Steen. Rufus Phillips. George
Dameron. Frank Nixon, w. 5. Mat
lock. George Spane. John T. Russell.
and others cannot now recall, have
nj stayed with their first love, thus
showing better sense than the
writer.
One little episode wish to set
right, and as one of the actors is
now government official, wish TO
tell the tale exactly as it was and
exactly as saw il. 1t was the third
time had been elected mayor. and
the council and the mayor were
having strenuous times, like great
and ponderous bodies sometimes do.
The city marshal. Tom Walsh. had
been suspended by the mayor for
causes satisfactory to the mayor. but
not to a majority of the city fathers,
and the war was on. One morning
the citizens beheld on the hill, q
block south Of the park, two large
tents. and their occupants were six
teen men. Investigation disclosed
that they were gamblers and sure
thing men from South Pueblo and
Denver. The passenger train from
the east set out two to four cars Of
emigrants for California at o'clock
every morning. who were taken out
on another train south at 1920 a.
m. thus laying over in La Junta
four hours. Now these sixteen gen.
tlemen piled their trade Of three
card monte and top and bottom
dice. The railroad officials became
frantic. Arrests followed one after
the other, and finally George O..
Manchester. assistant general mana
ger, came to La Junta, and in an
interview with W. w. Borst, the
division superintendent, and myself,
was authorized to DO THINGS, at
any cost. Bat Masterson had been
appointed marshal by a majority Of
the council. but things got no bet
ter. The writer. then station agent
for the railroad company, and
mayor. went to Pueblo and consult
ed with George q. Richmond. then
mayor Of that city. He gave me
nine, men, the best in the west.
under an old ex-policeman by the
name of George Fitch. He had
been through the civil war as an
officer. and had held positions as
sheriff and policeman in the vest.
paid these men so per day each
for five days. gave each one q
commission as deputy marshal, not
withstanding that they were citi-
zens Of Pueblo and Denver. The
fifth day the chief of the gang Of
sixteen came to me when he found
the railroad company was backing
me, and said, I'VE will leave on the
first train If you will dismiss the