Monte Vista journal and Monte Vista graphic-reporter., 1923-03-02
Neckhe Parties
Ruled in Early
Mining Camps
(By LOUIS GEIsER)

the plains and mosntains to Mon
tana. Since that time. l have been
requested to tell about early mining
camp days and my return trip.
Virginia City, Montana. where we
went. was live town and since II
was mining town it's amusement
differed greatly from the more
sedate eastern towns. Bull fights
were very common and were always
preceded by lots of music which
drew the crowd. And as these were
very popular the crowds were very
large. But the biggest party ! ever
attended while there was q neck tie
party. Those old miners were hard
working men and honest to the last
degree as general rule. II there
were laws or courts that should have
applied to the camps. no one knew
anything about them and the miners
were law unto themselves. When
something happened that needed |
judges. juries and lawyers they took
the affair into their own hands and
either freed or more often made
guest OF honor at a necktie party.
On this particular occasion,
man had several hundred dollars
that didn't belong to him. I'm
medistely after catching him. the
miners found him guilty. Within a
short time the scaffoid had been
built and the man hung. all within
a few hours.
II was strange that people out
there should steal money. Gold
dust and gold NUGGETS were pienti-
ful. There was no coined money.
Every thing was bought with gold
dust or nuggets. many of which were
chants had scales In which they
weighed the gold. In the camp At
that time flour was selling for $50
= sack and other articles according
ly. II cost great deal to get the
merchandise to Virginia City on nc.
count of the high freight rates But
every one had lots OF money and
paid the prices without much COM
plant.
In the old country my father was
manufacturer OF edge tools. After
coming to America he had become "A
good blacksmith and maker of
wagons and plows. In Montana he
did flourishinE business OF making
haV
Near Virginia city was a fertile
valley. Two men who had come out
there to seek gold Thought the pos
sibiliiies OF farming were much
more profitable to the average man
than digging for gold. But they
did not have piow. The expens.
of shipping one In there WAS beyond
their means so they finally came to
my father and asked him to make
them one.
He did not have the necessary
materials but ~ Il WAS 4 case OF
necessity. he took what he could
find At hand. remember that with
the springs OF an old sprinG wagon
share, Although the process was
somewhat slow. he obtained several
hundred dollars for the job and the
men said II was = good pillow.
When an epidemic Of mountain
fever hit virginia City and 50 many
people began to die. my father. he.
coming alarmed. began to think Of
the loved ones at home. There were
large number OF other men like
my father. As tn. intense indian
excitement had died down q large
party vas mad. up and started out
on Its overland trip east. Since mos,
OF the people had much more money
when they left than when they were
by stage.
Taken ~ q whole. tn. return trip
wns not nearly As exciting a. when
We went out there or else ! had had
No much excitement that Il did not
seem 20. One day I was lettering
behind the wagons. ! do not re.
member what had attracted my a..
tsntion. but I had entirely forgotten
about keeping up With the wagon
train. ! must have been gone from
the party for Quitr . while when
wes missed BY several Of the msuR
a search Of the train vas immeA.
sasssS made and when they failed 10
fia1 ne. ~ father anA several bs
the nsa got o. horses aad started
hack hustins as.
az not realise that I vaa II any
particular dasses. hut the meN told
~ that We we're passias through Q
section tnlsssed With ravsaous biz
Eray wolves. Thsss travsiel u
paeks. f5seusatiy Auntias wagon
tral1o aoA n the nuuhev AZ vasoua