The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-11-28


or those who flocked to Creeda ~ ge,
snare of the rich picklngs of a pros
porous mining camp. Colorado had
never heard of a bone dry law at that
time, and Creole duplicated Leadvine
IN ITS quota of saloons, gambling
houses and dance halls. With the
ioush element came also many hon.
est professional men, tradesmen and
miners, all mingling on footing of
democratic equality, and all intent,
but somewhat diversified ideas of how
1t should be done. on getting a share
OF the shining metal.
The population. crowded into the
narrow little valley, soon outgrew the
housing facilities, and to relieve the
strain the Pullman company entered
the hotel business, leaving on a side
track each night several sleepers in
which weary man could find a bed
Throughout our country generally one
heard nothing in those days about the
high cost of living, for there was
peace and abundance and low prices.
But at Creole these conditions did
not prevail. Even simple and PRINT
tive living, with the word service"
taboo, was very expense, and rents
We're enormous, we'll constructed
cabin sometimes commanding as high
as $3.50 month.
Daylight saving, like many other in
novations which have since come into
use through the exigencies of the times
was unknown and undreamed of, but
ICY" Warman, the poet engineer of
the Rockies, immortalzed the new
camp with the. words so frequently
quoted, ITS day all day in the day
time, and there is no night in Creede."
A tribute to the wideawake, pulsing
life and energy Of the community
that went on without interruption, re-
CARELESS of the clock.
Slayer Of Jesse James.
One of the first to locate in the
town after it became established was
a man with a national reputation Of
a dubious sort-"Bob" Ford. This
young Missourian had achieved fame
at the age of % by shooting Jesse
James in the back, while the latter
was engaged, for a change, in the do
nestle pursuit of hanging a picture.
James was another citizen with a ma
tional reputation gained through in
terfering with railroad traffic and
banking operations in Missouri. The
public did not mourn his removal
Trainmen felt more confidence and
breathed easier when starting out on
a run, and bank cashiers did not
glance so uneasily toward the loca-
ton of a six shooter when a suspi-
cious looking stranger entered their
place of business. However, 1t was
generally felt that the shooting or
James had been done in a cowardly
way. and Ford left Missouri and To-
Gated in a place where he probably
felt that people would be so intent
upon their own affairs they would not
have time to NEEDLE with those OF
their neighbors. He engaged in
congenial business in Creole, but did
not remain long. He was removed IN
much the same way that he dispatch
ed Jesse James. But, just as the pub
lie had disapproved Of the manner IN
which James met his fate. notWith-
standing the fact that he was a BAN
dit and outlaw, so too the people or
the Creede camp, even Fords enem-
les frowned upon the man who, as
they considered it, had committed a
cowardly act in entering Fords place
of business and, taking him unawares'
killing him with a double barreieo
shotgun. The style of weapon used
also served to prejudice the pubic,
the shotgun not being considered
good form; the six-shooter was the
approved type of ordnance If one 1eit
compelled to resort to means or tha'
kind.
It was said that one of the last acts
of Fords checkered career of ~ years
was to contribute SO toward the fu-
naral EXPENSES of an unfortunate girl
who had died in the camp the day De-
fore On looking at the names on the
paper circulated by sorry-looKihs
Young woman who had been rrieho
of the girl Ford saw "Soapy smith,
az" and as he hated "Soapy Smith
ba Immediately raised him five, gave
the woman the money and wrote just
under his name and the ten, Charity
covereth a multitude Of sins" the
next day the preacher who ofiiciateu
at the closing scene of Fords lire
chose the words as a theme-and maze
such use as he could of Them under
the circumstances. A few years lat
or "Soapy" Smith, still a mining camp
hahitue. came to a violent end al
skagway, Alaska.
creede's Sad Fate.
With wealth acquired and still
pouring in, Mr. Creole married and
removed to Los Angeles, purchasing
the beautiful house and extensive
grounds Of Col. R. J. Northam. The
Mace is now very near the center OF
Los Angeles best business district
but in those days 1t was quite remote