Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1920-02-18
THE ROARING TIMES.
FAYETTEVILLE HISTORIAN TELLS
OF EARLY DAYS WHEN GROCERY
STREET Ran WIDE OPEN. Al POEM.

STREET Ran WIDE OPEN. A POEM.
(The following interesting. bit of
county history is from the pen of Hon.
j. w Murphy. 1t appears in the Herald
by courtesy of the Platteyille Witness j
The adoption Of the National Prohi-
bition amendment which came into
effect on Jan. 16, marks the passing
oil Grocery street, one of the ancient if
not always honored institutions OF
Plattevlile. 1t was unique and orig
mai institution for no other instances
existed III the west at any rate, where
the saloons were restricted to a single
block OF single street.
in the early days of the village
saloons were also permitted on the
south side OF Mineral street for one
block west of Second street or Grocery
street as it was generally known
singular as 1t may seem this regula-
ton was not provided for by ordinance
or legal restriction of any kind but
1t was the unwritten law of the village
always backed up by public sentiment
that no saloon should be permitted on
MAIN street nor in the residence dis
tflcts. During most of it's history
PlatteVllle has been wet town In the
early days the mining interests pre-
dominated and naturally enough the
goods for sale on Grocery street com
manded first attention of the miners
when they came in from the surround
ing camps and ranges. In those DAYS
the miners working in small compan-
les usually composed of two to four
men sold their ore once or twice a
month and the shelters would meet
them and settle on Saturday afternoon.
The miner usually knocked off work on
Saturday at noon and often did not
resume until Monday noon or Tuesday
morning. The shelters always paid in
cash and generally held forth at tab
lie in some saloon About them the min
erS expecting payment would gather
and the money received for ore would
be divided, payment for rent, black
smith bills and powder first deducted
Then the fun commenced and if the
prices were good and luck had been
favorable, life on the street would be
fast and furious until the hour for the
closing came Gambling devices of all
kinds abounded and the miners money
soon found ready circulation, good
percentage always finding its way to
the drawer behind the bar.
The saloons were the club house
and exchanges of those days and in
them mines were leased, sold. or trad
ed, companies were formed, contracts
made, employment given, money loan
and paid. There too politics and all
matters of general interest were dis
cussed and policies largely determined
The population was composed OF
people from all parts of this country
and several of the European countries
were represented.
Occasionally sectional or Internal
lonal questions would result in ser
ious controversies between individuals
and sometimes between groups in
which many a blow would be given.
Among the earlier arrivals were
a good many miners from Cornwall
and Yorkshire in England all com
monty but incorrectly called Cousin
Jacks and a little later there was
quite an addition of German miners
from the coal mines of the Saar basin
we have recently heard so much about.
They were all men of outdoor lives and
many were active and aggressive There
was as little love between the Germans
and the English then as now and many
battle was Waged between them. It is
resated that on one of those occasions
at least one hundred men were engag-
ed in battle on the open street
1t was Saturday night in the mines
The boys were out on a spree
The Cornish and Dutch in two lines
Were having roaring melee
They fought from the Eagle saloon
Clear down to the Hole-In The Wall.
Out under the light Of the moon
Pick handles and fists had the call.
The Marshall was playing a game
And just had discarded to draw
When somebody shouted his name
He answered I'll enforce the law.
He didn't enforce worth a cent
In force they were waiting for him
He quickly had cause to repent
His vision of law got SO dim
The Mayor good Cousin Jack
Stood up by the old hotel door
And ordered the crowd to stand back
They mustn't fight there any more
Say Mister just tell us your name
Said big Pete who'd a fist like mall
1t better was you didn't came
You better shtay out by the WALL
Why | am the Nicer of this toon
The Peace | have come to command
Veil den you vas come yust too soon
Und | am the boss you verstand.