Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-02-04

dazed condition. receiving terrible punish
ment freeu Gallagher's right hand. Gala
gher's left dangling helplessly at his side.
In the 10jth round Ward went down for
keeps. lie was brought back to town and
taken to his room, where he died the next
day.
Gallagher was spirited away by friends
and although a reward of $100 was offered
for his arrest he was never apprehended.
The charges against the principals of the
fight We're later lessened to "unlawfully
attending a prize fight and there is no
record that anybody was ever convicted in
connection with the affair.
The Hurdy Gurdy House
In the roaring days of old Alder and
Last Chance Clutches, of Diamond City and
early-day Butte, of the Grasshopper Creek
"diggings'' and Of old Cottonwood which
discoveries of gold, men were in the ascen-
dency and women were scarce. Men, natur-
ally craved social life and what little there
was Of this to be found, entered around the
"hurdy gurdy" houses Tor dance halls).
In those days, the hurdy-gurdy house
was a recognized social institution, fire.
quented by all classes. In these places
were to be found lights and music and
warmth and soclability. Attractive young
women, employees of the establishments,
We're there to dance with the miners. The
charge was one dollar per dance, half of
which went to the dancer, and half to 1.-THE
house, And, the miner, In addition was
always supposed to promenade to the bar"
at the end of each dance and stand treat
for the drinks, which in those days sold
for from % to 80 cents each.
Every mining camp, small or large pos
sessed its hurdy-gurdy. In fact, 1t was
generally one of the first institutions to
raise It's four walls following q new STAN
pede. In the larger centers such as Virginia
City, Helena and Butte, these were palaces
Of pleasure. The women attendants were
attractive. The music went with q snap and
a bang, and where the crowds were the
greatest, the dances were short, so that
as many dances as possible could be
crowded in the short evening. Every night
these places were crowded with both
dancers and spectators.
Thomas Dimsdale, editor Of the Montana
Post at Virginia City more than 90 years
tana," has left the following graphic de-
scription of the hurdy -gurdy:
Zone institution offering a shadowy and
dangerous substitute for more Legitimate
female association, deserves a more peculiar
notice. This is the hurdy -gurdy house. As
soon as the men have left off work, these
places are opened and dancing commences.
Let the reader picture to himself a large
ROOM, finished with n bar at one end
where champagne Mt $12a bottle, and drinks
at % to so cents are wholesaled, correctly
speaking, and divided at the end OF this
bar, by a railing running from side to side.
1.-THE outer enclosure is densely crowded,
and on particular OCCASION, the inner one
also, with men in every variety OF garb
that can be seen on the continent. Beyond
the barrier, sit the dancing women, called
'hurdy-gurdies,' sometimes dressed In uni
form, but, more generally habited accord
ing to the dictates of individual caprice.
in the finest clothes. that money can buy,
and which are fashioned In the most attrac-
tive styles that fancy can suggest.
ION one side is q raised orchestra. The
music suddenly strikes up, and the sum
mons, take your partners for the next
dance is promptly answered by some Of
the male spectators, who, paying one dol
lar In gold dust for a ticket, approach the
ladies' bench, and-in style polite or other
wise, according to Observation-Disclosures one
Of the ladies' to dance.
"The number being complete, the part
ners take their places, as In any other
dancing establishment, and pause for the
performance Of the Introductory notes OF
the air.
Let us describe the first class dancer,
sure OF a partner every time-and her
companion. There she stands at the head
OF the set. She Is Of middle height, Of