The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1926-08-19

Shelter by signing contract to be
held by the government until fulfilled.
The plans now being completed for
the construction of power plant and
smelter, Spencer had been to Washing
ton to go over the plans for approval.
While there he was appointed Super
vising Engineer for carrying out the
complete plan with an appropriate sal
airy. Surely his reward was coming.
Receiving his authority to proceed
with the work, he returned to camp
and established his headquarters. En-
gineers and material were sent to him.
The work was begun, labor focked
into camp, great activity was in evil
dence. Spencer had the engineers to
lay off the camp in streets extending
the main street along the trail each
way following the survey made by the
railroad company, so that there would
be a system. He knew that there
would be vast increase in the popula-
ton. The work proceeded regularly
and staedy in the operation. The con-
'struetion of the electric railroad line
was started from Billings, Montana to
Cody, Wyoming, via Belfry where the
branch line into Cooke started from.
Work was also begun on it, several
water power sites had been located by
the capitalists who now saw that they
must unmask and get into the field.
Cooke began to grow steadily. Law
and order prevailed. Spencer had made
a point to plead with the committee of
citizens to surprises the saloon and
gambling houses. Meetings were held
and it was concluded to incorporate
the camp, elect town council and a
mayor.
The old order of things came to a
climax when the old mayor by name
got into a poker game and was beaten
up so that he was confined to his bed
for week. He and several of his pals
tried to hold up the stage driver who
ran the stage and mail between Yam
cy's and Cooke. They saw him have a
oil when he treated them to a round
of their favorite liquor at the sunlight
bar. That night they invited the driver
to one of their cabins to play soci-
able game of poker. He accepted their
invitation but did so with the knowl-
edge that they were going to trim
him" if possible. He had considerable
money which belonged to his employ
ers in Gardiner. This he left at the
Cosmopolitan Hotel with Jack Allen
for safe keeping. He was young
man, heavy built, strong and quick in
action. The idea was to get him
drunk and play him that way. The
game started and the bottle passed
around. The Mayor sat next to the
stove. The stage driver refrained from
drinking very much liquor, while the
rest drank pretty freely. The driver
was ever on the watch and at last
when things were going wrong he
caught the Mayor exchanging cards
with the man next to him He reached
for his gun and dealt the Mayor a
blow over the head with the butt
which put him out of business. Jump
ing up he caught big Jack, the Mayors
partner, and threw him head first out
of the cabin The two other men were
dazed. He pulled his guns on them
made them give up their money, while
he grabbed the pot and made the two
men help him carry the Mayor over to
his own cabin and help dress his
wounds on the head. The Mayor
signed a check as a bride which hi
took to keep the matter quiet, but
scandal will out.
The work on the smelter now well
along, Spencer and Winnie set their
wedding day. The day to which she
had waited for, her love would now
be fulfilled, when she would be hap
by bride, when she would take her
place alongside of Spencer and help
in his work. The years of patient
waiting and loving would be awarded
Spencer having made known the date
of his wedding day, the people of all
classes asked him to be married in the
camp. He promised them he would,
and after consulting with Winnie, said
they would be married in the open in
costumes that would please the people
Hartz, who had charge in the con-
rtruction work with Spencer, had been
very busy among the people; and here
and there could be seen little groups
in conversation. The citizens commit
tee announced that the wedding day
would be general holiday in the
camp and the surrounding country
folks would, no doubt, come into the