Document text
Mrs. Frances E. Totty
Box 677
Silver City, N. M.
Words. 825
Aug. 18, 1937
The Early Days in Silver City
Sitting in the relief office making plans :for the day I noticed two el—
derly men giving each other the once over.
One spoke up remarked I know you".
The other replied, "Don't I know it, but I can't place you".
"I'm Pat Deene." "Oh", replied J. R. Kinyon. "Don't I know it.
You use to gash a cart of book's around Ft. Bayard."
"Oh yes and you used to peddle eggs around the country in anane horse
cart."
"Don't I know it, replied Mr. Kinyon a very small fellew.
"Weren't those the great old days---Zay do you remember when the R. R. went
through Silver City with the Station up in the West part of town?"
"I /should say I do, and wasn't that some flood that washed the tracks
away?"
"Yes, it sure looked as if the entire town was going. Don't I know when
the water started down from Brewer Hill and Silver Heights something really was
going to happen."
"yes, but it was a wise thing when the R. R. Company didn't build back
but placed their station at the edge of town."
"Say, do you remember the joke about he high waters around here."
"No what was it?"
"Remember when over one local physician in 1890 got married and he with
his bride were going to El Paso for their honeymoon. On the same train was one
of our prominent business men who was on his way to El Paso to get married. As
you know the R. R. was in a canyon as today, and everytine it rained the train
was held up for hours."
"On this special occassion it rained after theirain left town, but soon
enough to catch it, before it got high —land. That afternoon Dan Cupid must
2
have sure been sore for that train had to back into Silver City and remain until
the next day. A wedding had to be postponed for a day, and the couple on their
honeymoon had to go through the ordeal of rice and old shoes the second time on
their belated honeymoon."
"Well you don't remember the train robbery at Stein's 'ass in 1887 do your
asked Patty Deene.
"I should say I do" remarked Mr. Kinyon. "I happened to be riding that
train. I had gone overland to Safford and Solemisvelle prospecting. I decided tu
come home Thanksgiving to be with my family at Silver City. I boarded the train
at Wilcox."
"There was a large shipment of gold on the train. Just out of Steins Pass we
could see a large bon -fire. One of the trainmen remarked, "Wonder what the big
fire is, I hope we don't run into any trouble."
"The bon -fire we discovered to our sorrow was on the R. R. Then as today
curiosity got the best of some of us so we had to find out why the train came to
an abrupt stop, and what the bon -fire was put on the track. We found ourselves
looking into the barrel of guns."
"The trainsmen and guards soon overcame their surprise, and when the fire-.
works started you &dad have seen we nosey people scatter for protection. I
imagine all of us had learned our lesson to not be so nosey. I know I had my les-
son."
"One of the bandit's was killed there, and the other's were soon caught and
properly taken care of. In those day's when a criminal was caught hewasn't usual-
ly given a long drawn out trial but quickly dealt with under the old oadctree with
a rope where sometimes he was left hanging as a lesson to other people who came Lam.
to the country and wished to cause trouble. Don't I know those were the good
old days."
"I should say they were, when I was a kid we smoked grapevine, and corn shucks
now look at the young boy's and girls with their tailored cigarettes."
"Gee, don't I know it," replied Mr. Kinyon. "We would slip out the horse
and saddle and ride fifteen or twenty miles to a dance or the entire family would
go in the wagon or coach. The Entire country side would start gathering early in
the day for a good dance. Boy wouldn't these young punks look funny with a gun
strapped on their hips, I'll bet they can't even get in a barn with the door shut
and hit the wall."
"Don't I know It," interrupted Mr. KAnyon.
"Oh didn't we used to have some fun at those good old square dances?"
"Don't I know it, how I wish for those days again."
Informants: J. R. Kinyon
Pat Beene