Silver City Enterprise — 1891 (full OCR, Internet Archive) — 1891-03-20
source date: 1891
availability: public-domain

Pleads Guilty y Joe Rice, who fired off his pistol in the settlement of Hachita a short time since, hear- ing that Sheriff Lockhart wanted him, came in on Monday, surrendnered himself, entered a plea of guilty in Justice Givens’ court and was taxed in the sum of $50 for the benefit of the school fund. TREMONT HOUSE ARRIVALS R. G. Wilson, Las Vegas; Paul J. Wielandy, Dr. J. C. Yarnal, C. W. Wiles, W. W. Hadley, K. G. Puliam, W. H. Washington, Phil Prager, St. Louis; Chas. A. Dathburn, Chicago; E. J. Becder, C. C. Hall, D. W. Turner, Kansas City; Geo. E. Boster, Minneapolis, Cas.; Dr. H. P. Huntington, Eureka, Kans. ; Chas. Hugo and wife, S. H. McAninch, W. E. Murray, Fort Bay- ard; John Corbett and wife, C. H. Dane, Dem- ing; J. E. Carey, Lake Valley; Rob Roy, J. K. ranch; W. W. Dodd, M. T. Mackey, Wallace, Idaho; J. H. Martin, New York. ( 10 ) DEMING As I First Saw It Ten Years Ago

s. Hugo and wife, S. H. McAninch, W. E. Murray, Fort Bay- ard; John Corbett and wife, C. H. Dane, Dem- ing; J. E. Carey, Lake Valley; Rob Roy, J. K. ranch; W. W. Dodd, M. T. Mackey, Wallace, Idaho; J. H. Martin, New York. ( 10 ) DEMING As I First Saw It Ten Years Ago The conductor called out Doming, and as Doming was our destination, I and my two companions stepped off the cars as soon as they came to a standstill. There were no other pas- sengers for Doming, which was not surprising, considering that the town was only a few days old. As near as I can recollect, there was not a single house there, nothing but tents from a decent wall tent, to an old wagon sheet thrown over a mesquite pole. The whole city, in fact, might have been loaded on a government wagon, and not have been a very heavy load. Where fine brick blocks of metropolitan propor- tion now stand, there were absolutely nothing but fine Italian climate and mesquite brush. The depot was a small platform of planks set down in the desert. The town was probably three hundred yards from the depot, and as soon as the cars stopped a crowd of probably one hundred of about the worst looking speci- mens of humanity to be found on earth, ran down to the railroad and we were absolutely surrounded.

wn in the desert. The town was probably three hundred yards from the depot, and as soon as the cars stopped a crowd of probably one hundred of about the worst looking speci- mens of humanity to be found on earth, ran down to the railroad and we were absolutely surrounded. I have been in frontier towns quite often and I have seen crowds composed of frontiers- men but the crowd we struck at Deming that sunny April day was without exception the worst I ever saw. Fortunately we were all well armed and didn’t have on “white shirts”, neither did we make no great display of “store cloth” or I firmly believe they would have “held us up” in broad daylight. Our destination was the Burro mountains some sixty or seventy miles from Deming and we had our choice either to walk or purchase a conveyance and ride, but as walking was out of the question, we had decided to buy a wagon and team and camping outfit if it could be pro- cured in Deming. I think it quite probable we would have never left Deming alive but one of our party who had lived in New Mexico several years happened to espy an old acquain- tance in the crowd by the name of Apache George to whom he had extended some kind- ness at some previous time. As soon as Apache recognized an old friend in one of us he took us under his protec- tion and gave the crowd to understand in the

ened to espy an old acquain- tance in the crowd by the name of Apache George to whom he had extended some kind- ness at some previous time. As soon as Apache recognized an old friend in one of us he took us under his protec- tion and gave the crowd to understand in the most pointed and emphatic language that we were his friends and any insult offered us would be attended to with very unpleasant results to the one who presumed to act contrary to his orders. I have been in some very close places in my life and have more than once looked into the business end of a shooting iron but don’t think I never had such a longing for home as I did that day. The fact is I was “rattled” for a little while, the whole affair was absolutely different to anything I had previously ex- perienced. As soon as Apache George took us under his wing I felt easier and began to get my “second wind” as it were, so that I was able to look at the situation in a little more rational manner. Now the reader by this time I have no doubt has come to the conclusion that I was a tenderfoot and a badly scared tenderfoot at that and that the terrible crowd of ruffians were merely a crowd of honest miners as harmless as kittens. Wait, my friends, wait till I get through before you form an opinion.

have no doubt has come to the conclusion that I was a tenderfoot and a badly scared tenderfoot at that and that the terrible crowd of ruffians were merely a crowd of honest miners as harmless as kittens. Wait, my friends, wait till I get through before you form an opinion. On making known to Apache our wish to buy a wagon and team and camping outfit he told us he would look around and see what he could do to assist us. He took us to a delapi- dated old tent and told us to remain “right thar” till he returned. He was absent but a short time and on his return he informed us that he had found the very thing we wanted and told us to follow” him. He took us to the largest tent in town which was occupied by an old German and his wife who had a small stock of groceries and notions which they were selling at about five hundred per cent profit. We found the old man had a good span of states mules, a covered wagon and in fact every- thing necessary for the trip we contemplated making and we purchased the whole outfit for two hundred and seventy-five dollars.

they were selling at about five hundred per cent profit. We found the old man had a good span of states mules, a covered wagon and in fact every- thing necessary for the trip we contemplated making and we purchased the whole outfit for two hundred and seventy-five dollars. It was about night when we had completed our arrangements, and Pachie advised us not to try to leave the city that night, but to pull out about two hundred yards and camp, which advice we followed. There were four of us as I have said before, and we divided the night into watches of two hours, two keeping guard while the others slept. At least, that was the ( 11 ) arrangements we agreed upon, but there was not much sleep for any of us after about 11 o’clock. Pandemonium reigned in the embroyo city that night. At least five hundred shots must have been fired and screams for help, and demoniac yells were incessant. How I welcomed the light of day after that horrible night. Investigation showed that none of us had been hit by stray bullets, although the “ping” of several had been heard, but although none of us were wounded one of our party was suffering with a bad attack of ague.

nt. How I welcomed the light of day after that horrible night. Investigation showed that none of us had been hit by stray bullets, although the “ping” of several had been heard, but although none of us were wounded one of our party was suffering with a bad attack of ague. I had noticed a doctor’s sign hanging from the only tent that had any lumber in its con- struction, and I volunteered to go and see if such a thing as a little quinine could be ob- tained. I could not knock at the door for there was none, but I managed to arouse the doctor, who called “come in.” As I lifted the fly of the tent I saw the disciple of esculapius sitting on the edge of a bunk with a Winchester rifle in his hand. Of course I was very civil, and on his very politely asking me what in h 1 I wanted, I informed him in tones as mild and bland as Celestial ever used, that one of my companions had the ague, and that I would like to get a little quinine if he had any. “Yes,” answered the doctor, “I got qui- nine, but it will cost you $3 for six powders, and I want the money before I get off this bunk.” I handed him the three dollars and then he put up the powders which he handed me with the necessary instructions in regard to their use.

es,” answered the doctor, “I got qui- nine, but it will cost you $3 for six powders, and I want the money before I get off this bunk.” I handed him the three dollars and then he put up the powders which he handed me with the necessary instructions in regard to their use. As I walked up the main street I noticed the tent of the old German of whom we bought the outfit the day before was a perfect wreck, and also one or two other tents were more or less damaged. The poor old fellow and his wife were about half murdered and the $275 we had paid them, together with what they had on hand before, was all stolen, their little stock of goods was also about all gone or destroyed. We hitched up our team after an early breakfast and started for the Burros. As we were leaving, two or three of the desperadoes came to the side of the wagon and told us they would follow us to our camping place and take us in the next night. With fear and trembling we made camp that night about eight miles from Cow Spring but we were not mo- lested. I returned to Doming about three months afterwards. What a change I found, a deputy sheriff had been appointed, his name was Dan Tucker and he was certainly the right man, for if he wanted to arrest a desperado he was sure to either arrest him or kill him.

not mo- lested. I returned to Doming about three months afterwards. What a change I found, a deputy sheriff had been appointed, his name was Dan Tucker and he was certainly the right man, for if he wanted to arrest a desperado he was sure to either arrest him or kill him. I found where three months before the only improvements was a small tent, large stores carrying a stock of several thousand dollars in value. A number of the “bad men” were either killed in quarrels among themselves or by the deputy sheriff. Apache George was peddling fruit at the depot looking as harmless and meek as a Chinaman. The young city went through the ordeal of fire, numbers of the wooden structures were destroyed, but in their place arose good and substantial brick buildings. There will soon be a railroad connecting Doming to the coast, and the next decade will see the city of Doming a wealthy, flourishing business center, with street cars running over the same ground where ten short years ago the crowd of ruffians ran to meet us when we first set foot in Grant county. ARRIVALS AT HUDSON’S THE LAST TWO WEEKS

the next decade will see the city of Doming a wealthy, flourishing business center, with street cars running over the same ground where ten short years ago the crowd of ruffians ran to meet us when we first set foot in Grant county. ARRIVALS AT HUDSON’S THE LAST TWO WEEKS F. M. Prescott, Pueblo ; Mrs. M. A. Loring, Col. H. F. Grierson, Rev. D. A. Brennan, W. P. Henneberry, Chicago, 111.; Mrs. A. S. Curtis, Kansas City; V. G. Hills, Pueblo; Thos. Luke and wife, Wm. H. Hauser, Silver City; Robt. Roycraft, London, England; Wm. Dawson and wife, San Marcial; Mrs. W. M. Stanton, Mrs. Sam Ecker and son, El Paso; F. M. Smith and wife, L. Clapp, Jr., Las Cruces; C. C. Rogers and wife, Milwaukee ; S. P. Carpenter, A. B. Laird, Deming; Geo. H. Bell, Sheba Reef, South Africa.