The Meeker herald., 1913-02-22
REMIN1scENcEs

"In 1889 when the watermelon crop
on Grand river was ripening four far
mers from that valley arrived at
Meeker with four big loads Of
melons. They camped below town
and finding they had twice as many
melons az could be eaten in Meekef
they made an agreement to pool
their sales. Two loads were sent In
to town and Major decided to get .
corner on melons. The farmers said
melons were scarce. Major gave
them 25 cents apiece for the melons.
They returned to camp and the other
two men peddled their loads around
town at 10 to 20 cents a melon. MAZE
never sold any but he gave them
away like a philosopher.
I'VE talk about high prices, but In
1882 1 paid Hugus 4 Adams thirty
cents a pound for eight-penny nails. I
could have bought buttons but nails
were cheaper, so took nails.
"As late rs 1888 paid Major IS
cents pound for brown sugar. Hss
kept no white sugar then. COM
planned one day Of the wetness Of the
sugar. He told me confldentially
that every morning he had to pour .,
bucket Of water In the barrel to keep
litAxaeta4a.S tlk4s yaA the cli-8
mate. From this barrel he sold mo
lasses IN the forenoons and sugar In
the afternoons.
Away back In the last century
when civilization was yet In it's Grad
le, and Beauty and Meeker were both
young and both permanently located
on White River, there was but one
hotel. 1t was low adobe erected as
barracks soon after the massacre
and originally occupied by company
G, 14th Infantry. In the front were
two windows of small panes of glass
coated on the inside with whiting to
keep the daylight from escaping.
The front room was very large one
dimly lighted by day while at night
two hanging kerosene lamps fright
ened away some of the darkness. In
this room gambling tables were rum
ming day and night, beer and liquors
were sold at 25 cents per glass, the
bar itself being the hotel Office.
A genteel, gray haired southerner,
who had seen four years service
under General Lee, was clerk and
bartender at the time OF which now
speak. In the street in front, where a
sidewalk might have been but was
not, stood group of .ough looking
but intelligent men. Among them
was q tall, we'll built man, one Of the
best and most jovial fellows in
Meeker. He was out of employment
but acted as clerk when the bar
tender was away. His name was
Charles F. A.. He was the wit of
the town and had seen all sides of
life except the Meeker side which he
was then studying.
A stranger rode up and asked If
there were any place where he could
put up his horse. Charlie answered
that the liveryman was away and
that he was looking after the busi-
ness and would put up the horse,
which he did. ''Is there q hotel in
this town." said the stranger. "Yes,"
said Charlie, ''the proprietor is alb
sent but am running the place."
and he showed the man In to supper.
After eating, the man bought cigars
for Charlie and himself, also several
drinks. The stranger said he lived
on Piceance creek and had come to
town to pay his taxes. Charlie said
he was sorry that the treasurer was
at his ranch but that he was deputy
and could take the tax. After settling
for the taxes he bowled up after the
fashions Of the last century and be-
came very bOisterous, SO much SO
that matters took a serious turn.
Said Charlie, "See here! l want you
to understand / am town marshal
too, and I'll have to arrest you,"
which he did-locking him up for
the night. Next morning everybody
WAS on hand to see the fun, for prac-
tical Jokes were the order Of the day.