The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1908-04-10
men OF THE FRONTIER
How They Brought Law and
. Order to the UnruIy West.
THE RULE OF THE REVOLVER.
Life In the Wild Days When Gun Plays
oceasioned Little Comment, Yet
When There Was Always Safety In
"Leaving 1t to the Crowd"

-SashiS ~ W tUS STO"0s
The bold reckless life of the frontier
Of the middle years of the nineteenth
century and later has been often re.
called by the stories of desperadoes
and bad men. but in the birth and
growth of the frontier cities is unique
phase of American civic genius which
has been little dwelt upon.
Most of the cities of the far west
have lowered close about the gather
ings Of hardy miners as they came or
went on feverish search for gold. In
forty-nine $4,000 men from all parts
Of the world reached the Ell Dorado
of California. Some travelled 1000
miles overland; others went far around
by Panama or Cape Horn. In fifty
nine 100000 gold seekers stampeded
wildly across the sunburnt plains of
Colorado. Only 10000 stayed the year
through. OF like kind. although of
smaller proportions, were all the pill
grimages that are more or less respon-
sible for the cities OF the west the
finding of a streak of magic yellow,
its story leaking out and growing,
tire glimpse of nuggets and speci-
mems and then the grand, senseless
rush to the Land of Get-Rich- Quick.
Thousands of daring spirits were
drawn by the yellow loadstone, intent
on nothing but the accumulation Of
wealth. Then necessity produced some
weird assemblages Of tents, shanties
and log cabins, many of which grew
into cities. Often full grown towns
sprang up In few months. Far from
any state or territorial government and
composed Of a conglomerated herd Of
excited men, none Of whom had time
for civic affairs. these embryo cities ex-
lsted and grew under conditions that
were unique and extremely wild.
Our forefathers landed on the east.
ern coast full Of religious zeal and a
desire for freedom Of thought and life.
Their leaders and law came with them.
They prayed and lived communicated
~ as long as they could. then in.
creased, expanded and developed into
a nation. But the gold discoveries Of
California, Nevada, Colorado and Mon
tana brought thousands of independ'
ent men to the wilderness who were
full of the hunger for gold. not homes:
who had no leaders. no laws TO which
they could appeal and nothing TO bind
them together. Then the leaders came
out of the crowd. and the law grew as
II was needed. 1t was only after
time that any of these men came TO
consider remaining permanently in the
country, and II was these venturesoI1e
builders who developed the newer part
OF our nation.
much at stake among such hard Twin:
men. there were plenty Of fights AMI
disputes. There being no authority 10
which TO appeal, differences were set
ticl between man and man. 4 SIX
shooter was the greatest help a man
could get toward a physical superior.
ity over other men. and so everybody
carried "gun" and knew how to usi
II. The trigger finger grew nimble
with practice. and there developed Il
condition where frequent killings and
shootings occasioned little comment or
criticism, where men were almost In.
different TO the splitting Of blood and
looked death square. in the face with
q nOnchalancc that Is hardly conceiv.
able now. Shooting ARRAYS were the
froth Of very strong brew Of the Dor.
der life. and they put settlement 10
questions quickly and definitely. II
when the smoke cleared away some
COOL man lay biting the dust. his ligh;
had gone out according 10 the code Of
the time, fierce aud barbarous as codes
must he when aian first struggles with
nature.
And yet there was always safety IN
leaving Il TO the crowd" The gencr.
al sentiment Of the community was
very partial TO fairness and honesty
during the early days Of most border
towns. There were no locks or keys.
almost ans mans credit was good 10
any amount. and stores and provisions
could lay UItOIchCd for months IN
wholly unguardcd places. II was the
natural. frank honesty Of the virgin
west and a veTi,ahlc paradise foi
thieves and criminals.
And they came. horlcs Of numbering.
plundering aGtCntarcrs who knew 70
code of morals or Rivalry. and re -UrteI
10 anything 10 aCcuMN.igh their ends.
They found plC..'Pr Il. crime easy
and escape still Oh Ter and. drifting all
over the country. lcYicd tribute from
each ncw camp az II aprang into being
often these men were In such a uia.
tority that n man vito believed In hon
csty and justice was man indeed IL
be hal the courage to hack his ideals
But there were such iIeu. men az God
meant men TO he. full Of the sense Uf
right aud the fltuess Of things ard TN.
afraid. They stcprci right Into the
opening and tackled some Of the cuss-
eldest crowds I'm ChristendUm. teaching
a wholesome respect for ''life. liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness e.
punches OF drinking. biasphcnuus and
embarrassed tempgrs. The gun iight-.
ings. lynchings and wanton spillings Of
blood that spicCd tlic histories Of the
time may have been very close 10 say.
aGery. but they serve now to deepen