Laramie, Wyoming - History

History

Laramie City is situated on the east bank of the Big Laramie River, one mile below the crossing of the old California Emigrant Road of 1849, and seven miles below the crossing of the Overland Mail and Stage road, and near the center of the Laramie Plains - a beautiful p^ain, or park, comprising two millions acres of land, entirely surrounded by two spurs of the Rocky Mountains ; on the eastern half circle by the range of the Black Hills, and on the western by the Medicine Bow range.

It is also situated on and near the center of the line of our great national highway, the Union Pacific Railroad, and has a settled population of two thousand six hundred and ninety-eight (2698), as shown by a census taken February, 1875.

First Settlement

About the 20th day of April, A. D. 1868, the Union Pacific Railroad Company commenced the sale of town lots in Laramie, the survey of the town having been made some months previous, and the fact of Laramie City being determined upon by the magnates of the company as the next termini town on this great national highway, generally advertised the same at all points east along the line of the road. Such had been the strife for town lots at Cheyenne (the first town of importance east of here,) in its early settlement, and such large sums of money made there by speculators in town property, that every man in the country having money enough to pay for a lot in Laramie City, had anxiously been waiting for this important event. Such indeed was the anxiety to be first that for nearly a month prior to this time there had been camped on the plains around this new town site from two to three hundred people ; some in tents, some under board sheds and in shanties? and many others without shelter save their blankets and the blue ex panse above them.

Laeamie City

With the sale of town lots began the settlement of Laramie, and the rapidity of its settlement and growth may be conjectured from the fact that within one week from the day the first lot was sold by the company, over four hundred lots were sold or contracted for ; and in less than two weeks something over five hundred buildings or structures in which to live, or do business, had been erected.

These structures were of that peculiar kind found chiefly in the termini towns along the line of the railroad. Some were constructed of logs, some of cross-ties, stood on end, for the walls, with canvass roof ; others were made of cloth, with stakes or posts set in the ground for corners, and others the ordinary canvass tent ; and yet another kind were of boards put together in sections in such a manner as to be easily taken down and moved forward to the next available point on the road.

On the 9th day of May the rails were laid to and past the town ; and on the 10th day of May the first train came into Laramie City and discharged its freight, and such freight humanity has seldom if ever beheld. Iron for the railroad, cross-ties for the same, ploughs, scrapers, tents, little seven by nine shanties, lumber for building purposes, groceries and provisions, Jew peddlers with their packs, fancy goods and some that were not so fancy, cooking stoves, crockery ware in boxes and baskets, tinware in all shapes, wines and liquors of all kinds and varieties, in barrels and boxes ; and on top of this strange mixture, riding on the flat cars on which they had freighted their household goods, came men, women and children, a motley crowd, as terribly mixed even as the inanimate things brought with them.

Much has been said and much written about the peculiarities of a large majority of the people settling these termini towns along the Union Pacific Railroad. The worst that has ever been said of any of them does not, nor cannot approach the real truth, nor depict the heinousness of the offenses committed by many of these people. What has or can be said of any of the towns on the road, can with equal truth be said of Laramie City. In about three months its population aggregated about five thousand souls. Of these there were probably about one thousand strong, earnest, daring men, ready to face any danger, or ready to undertake any perilous task, if they could, in any honorable way, better their fortunes. One thousand more that were ready to adopt any policy, honorable or otherwise, so that they got money, and ran no great risks. The balance, with the exception of a few good and noble women, were made up of gamblers, thieves, high- waymen, robbers, cut-throats, ^arroters, prostitutes, and their necessary companions, who made their living by preying upon the poor laborers who, as soon as their month's wages were in their pockets, would rush into town from the road and timber, and sport while there was a penny left.

Government

The settlement of the town had hardly commenced when the more orderly portion of the people felt it necessary to form and establish some kind of government, and on the 8th of May notices were posted calling a mass meeting to consider the question of forming a provisional government. This meeting was holden at what was then apart of the Chrisman buildings, now the Tivoli Hall, and after some discussion it was determined to establish a city government. M. C. Brown was nominated for Mayor, John Gurrelle for Marshal, E. Nagle, J. C. Chrisman, G. P. Drake, and M. Townsley for Trustees, and P. H. Tooley for Clerk. The election was holden on the 12th of May. Over nine hundred votes were polled, and the gentlemen above named were declared elected. An effort was made to organize a strong and efficient government, but the condition of the country and the lack of proper material made it nearly impossible, and at the end of the third week M. C. Brown, by a letter published in the Frontier Index, (the pioneer paper of the city) tendered to the people of the town his resignation as Mayor, and declined to have any further connection with the city government. Some others followed suit, and what was at first, from necessity, a weak government at best, soon degenerated into no government at all. This condition of affairs could not last long. Men settled their difficulties by resorting to the revolver or knife, and in those personal hand-to-hand encounters the victors were usually the heroes of the hour - their victims were hurried under the ground and no questions asked. Robbery and garroting were daily occurrences, and murder not unfrequent. There gradually arose in the minds of the better portion of the people a feeling of uneasiness and fear for their safety. Steps were soon taken to organize a vigilance committee, and the first organization of this character was perfected in August, and numbered at this time only twenty members. There were a few worthy and very resolute men in this organization, but its only substantial fruit was the hanging of a young man called the "Kid," during the last days of August, in the building occupied as a residence, for some years afterwards, by our worthy townsman John Keene. But the hanging of this miserable, insignificant creature created an excitement among the roughs, and they at once organized thoroughly, not only for resistance but for aggressive movement. They boasted of their strength, and threatened all who dared complain of their misdeeds with vengeance dire ! Among the the. leaders of the roughs may be mentioned Con Wager, Asa Moore, Big Ned, Sam Dugan, Tiger Bill, Morris Kohn, and Dave Mullen.

Their organization and daily crimes finally united all the better elements of our society, and in a very short time a new vigilance committee was formed, numbering from three to five hundred men. They were thoroughly organized and officered by resolute, cool-headed men. These men were all thoroughly armed, and on the night of the 18th of October, 1868, a day long to be remembered by the old residents of Laramie City, this committee met at an appointed place on the west side of the railroad track in the city and divided into squads and went to different parts of the town. It was the intention to make a descent at precisely the same moment on all the more prominent gambling hells in the town, and take out, without any great disturbance, some of the most noted murderers and robbers, and quietly hang them before their companions could rally sufficient force to rescue them. But fate had ordered otherwise. The squad of men assigned to the dance-house known as the " Belle of the West," had gathered around the doors of the same, a brilliantly lighted hall filled with dancers of both sexes, gaudily dressed women, gamblers, and desperadoes were whirling through the intricate mazes of the dance, their twinkling feet keeping time to sweet music, which floated in ravishing strains upon the air, and ever and anon a burst of merriment would fill the room, in which were mingled the silvery dulcet tones of woman's voice, fair though frail, yet woman still. The saturnalian festival was at its height, when a pistol shot, loud and clear, rang out upon the evening! This shot was the signal for a simultaneous attack at several points in the town, but owing to some undue excitement with this part of the committee, the signal was premature, and the dreadful attach was made at this point only. But at the signal, a shout! a rush! and all was confusion. The scene which followed beggars all description. The deadly sound from more than one hundred revolvers was heard. The roughs being well armed resisted the attack of the committee with desperation; they foujrht like tigers driven to bay. What a scene was here, where but a moment before all was gaiety. The sweet strains of melody were hushed, and in their stead came harsh discordant sounds, tumultuous, wild, and prophetic of doom to the gambler and desperado. For fifteen minutes the sharp crack from the deadly revolvers made music to the weeping and wailing of the women and the shouts and muttered curses of the men. The smoke from the pistols gathered in a cloud, and hung like a pall over the heads of the doomed, as if to shut out from the sight of the angels the dark scene below. The roughs were overpowered, and the results were three men killed, one of the committee, one a member of the band of music, and one noted desperado, and about fifteen men were wounded, some quite severely; and three of the leading roughs. Con Wager, Asa Moore, and Big Ed were taken from the place and hung at the same place where the *' Kid " was hung in August. About sunrise next morning, Big Steve, another noted robber and murderer, was captured and hung to a telegraph pole near where South B Street crosses the railroad track*

For a few days following this event there was great excitement, and men at other times reasonably quiet and modest in demeanor, now became violent and unreasonable. The larger portion of the roughs in a very few days left the town, and many others joined the vigilantes and became the most rampant and blatant advocates of order, virtue, and

The vigilance committee as originally formed had now served its chief purpose in ridding the town of its worst characters, and a majority of the really good men in the committee soon dropped out of the organization. This of course left it to a large degree in the hands of unscrupulous bad men, whose chief object was revenge. They could, under guise of public protectors and avengers of public wrongs, murder their personal enemies and go unwhipped of justice. Those now living in Laramie who were among the residents of the town during the first year of its existence, are unanimous in the declaration of a sincere wish that it may never again be their misfortune to live under such trying and terrible circumstances.

Out of this vigilante organization grew the second provisional city government. L. B. Chase was elected Mayor. This city organization suspended the vigilantes yet carried on to some degree their practices. A few weeks after this a young man by the name of Moritz was arrested by T. D. Sears, Deputy Sheriff of Laramie county, under suspicion of haviDg committed a larceny on Bitter Creek, in Sweet Water county. There appeared no good grounds for the suspicion, yet the young man was taken to the city jail for safe keeping until some reliable information could be obtained. The then city marshal with a few of his "pals" favored the the old vigilante organization, and thinking probably that their renown and reputation needed bolstering up, by the sacrifice of a new victim, went to the city jail, took young Moritz out, and the nearest and most convenient place for their purpose being a ,«mall log building, then unfinished, in the rear of the Frontier Hotel., rapidly traversed the distance between the jail and this point, paj^sed a rope over the log above the doorway sawed in the end of the building, drew the man's head up to the log and there strangled him in a most inhuman manner. He was found in this position in the morning, his head drawn up against the log above the doorway and his feet reaching the door-sill.

Moritz was the last man hung in Laramie City, and it may be of ^pterest to some to know that this city marshal (Lee Griswold), concerned in the hanging of Moritz, was afterwards arrested in Colorado for murder, and in attempting to escape from the Denver jail in 1873, was shot and killed by the watchman - a just retribution, surely.

In December, 1868, the Legislature of Dakota Territory (of which we were a part at that time) passed a charter for Laramie City, and appointed M. C. Page, Mayor. This government, though leg il, did not meet with very much greater success than the former provisional ones had. Under this legal administration, in the month of March, 1869, the members of the city police, in the night, made an attack upon their own jail, for the purpose of taking upon themselves the old vigilante role, and hanging George Hays, who had been imprisoned that day for some trifling misdemeanor.

This attack is said to have been made on account of some personal spite existing between Hays and Douglass - one of the police. The attack was made by Douglass, Rodapouche, and others whose names were never known. A man by the name of Irwin, and our i resent fellow townsman M. H. Murphy, were in the jail as guards. During the attack Irwin was killed and Murphy was severely woundcil. Hays escaped.

This affair created such an intense excitement that for some days it was feared the entire town would be burned by men era[)loyed in the timber, friends of Hays, who were at this time in town in large num-

And Dealer In

And Gt'Mcral Furnishiiiji; Goods. HUMAN HAIR, Switclies. <'iirls. Fricett s aiMl Puffs, MoBiaii* and L.incn Switclics and Braadt^. £l(ittcriek.'s bers. Quiet was, however, restored, by the influence of a few leading citizens of the town, with the assurance that the murderers of Irwin and the would-be murderers of others should be brought to justice; but the existence of this city government was virtually ended.

The following month of May, 1869, brought to our new Territory of Wyoming, the newly appointed officers for the same, and in June, 1869, a term of court was held in Albany county for the first time. The court was presided over by Hon. William T. Jones, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Wyoming Territory. This term of court was effectual in bringing peace, order, and good government out of the former discordant elements; and the earnest and faithful services of N. K. Boswell, sheriff of the county, in aiding the court in its objects, soon established in the minds of the people entire security of life and property.

The first Legislative Assembly of Wyoming repealed the old city charter, and left our citizens entirely uuder the jurisdiction of the Federal courts, and in an incredibly short space of time Laramie City changed from one of the most turbulent and disorderly, to one of the most orderly, quiet, and moral towns in the whole " Great West."

While it is true beyond doubt that the Vigilance Committee in the early days of Laramie City, rid the town of very many bad men, and the world of a few of its worst characters, and established, to some degree, safety and security to life and property ; yet, at least, one innocent man was hung^ and another shot by this power having its inception from that source. And like all other organizations of the kind it was kept up too long. A continued connection with such organizations will necessarily sow foul seeds in the hearts of the best men, which will in time sprout and grow into luxuriant crops of " tares."

We And it impossible to give a description or even a complete list of names of the first business men, mechanics, &c., of our town, as is the custom in a work of this kind. Sutfioe it to say that a majority of our merchant princes, business men and leading mechanics, are of the first settlers, several of whom came here with a very small capital and by close attention to their business have accumulated a respectable little fortune.

These men during the wild confusion in the fall of 1868, by lifting the veil of futurity, saw that Laramie City was destined to be more than a great camp, and than an ordinary way-station on the road ; and commenced the erection of more substantial business houses and residences, and are now realizing and enjoying the benefits of such action. All buildings, however, were bnilt of wood (except the round-house and -machine shops of the U. P. R. R.) until the Fall of 1869, when the Dawson Bros, erected the first stone building on South A. street, the same being now owned and occupied by Charles Kuster as a liquor store ; cost five thousand dollars. The next was the building on Second street, now owned by Edward Ivinson and occupied by the Wyoming National Bank, erected by H, J. Rogers & Co., same Fall ; cost ten thousand dollars. The next was the splendid stone bliilding on Second street, erected by M. G. Tonn, and occupied by him at the present time as a dry goods store ; cost sixteen thousand dollars ; built 1870.

The manufacture of brick was considered a failure, until the summer of 1871, when H. H. and Charles Richards successfully made the brick for the construction of our Court House and Henry Wagner's store, since which time Mr. J. Millard Filmore has carried on the manufacture of good brick quite extensively, and very successfully, until nearly all of our principal streets are adorned with splendid brick business blocks and residences ; and our city corporation can now boast of a total valuation of real estate of more than one million dollars.

First Child Born In Laramie

Patrick Sarsfield Keene, son of John and Mary Keene, was born June 21st, A. D. 1868, and was the first child born in Laramie City. Mr. John Keene, the progenitor of this young hero, is one of our most substantial citizens, enterprising and industrious, and zealously interested in the future welfare of our city, - a permanent citizen.

Present Citt Government

Laramie City was incorporated under an act of the Wyoming legislature, approved December 12th, A. D. 1873, and started out on her career of government on the 13th day of January, A. D. 1874, by the election of five trustees, viz: Wm. Harris, M. D., J. H. Finfrock, M. D., Robert Galbraith, Division Master Mechanic U. P. R. R., T. J. Webster, of the firm of Slack & Webster, Laramie Independent^ and James Vine, furniture dealer: Dr. Wm. Harris, President and Ex-officio Mayor, all gentlemen of high moral, intellectual and business attainments, who sailed our little ship of government, safely

Largest And Best Hotel In The City

As we are now on the second year of our corporate existence, and our city government in a good healthy financial condition, we propose to give a short biographical sketch of each member of our present city council, by which it will be seen that our community has a proper appreciation of moral worth and intelligence.

Henry B. Rumsey, our present Mayor, was born in the state of Indiana in the year A. D. 1842, entered the United States Naval Academy at the age of fifteen years, from which he graduated in 1861, served in the navy during the rebellion, at the close of which he was promoted to the grade of Lieutenant Commander "for gallant service during the war." (As shown by the JJ. S. Naval Record.) Afterwards served in the European, West Indian and Brazilian Squadron, until A. D. 1870, resigned from the navy in 1872, and commenced civil life, by immediately coming to Laramie City, and becoming one of the proprietors of the Laramie Hotel, his father already being engaged in the business,^ where we still find the firm of P. Rumsey & Son in a very lucrative bua-. iness. Mr. Rumsey is also largely interested in sheep raising, owning one of the finest sheep ranches in this country, and over three thausajidi head of sheep. He is a gentleman of high moral, scientific and literary attainments.

Chables W. Bkamel, one of the aldermen, is a native of Andrew County, Missouri; born August 11th A. D. 1840, graduated at Bloomington College, Missouri, in 1859, studied law under William. C. Toole Esquire, St. Joe, Missouri, was admitted to the Supreme Court of Colorado, A. D. 1870, came to Laramie City December 26th 1870, was elected prosecuting attorney for this (Albany) County in the fall of 1872, and re-elected to the same office in 1874, was admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States, October, 1874. Mr. Bramel is an earnest advocate, faithful in his profession, and a noble generous man, a first class citizen.

C. S. Dunbar, city alderman, is a native of Massachusetts, born August 17th, A. D. 1848 ; isr a graduate of Easton Academy ; was in business in Boston until the fall of 1869, when he came to Chicago, and was there connected with the house of Warner, Marston & Felix, until coming to Laramie City, January, 1874, since which time he has been engaged in the wholesale and retail grocery business, and has established an immense trade. Mr. Dunbar is a first-class business gentleman.

Laramie City

George W. Fox, city alderman, is a n ative of the State of Ohio, was born August 18th, 1838, brought up a farmer, served an enlistment in the army during the rebellion in the 17 1st regiment of Ohio Volunteers; came west to Council Bluffs, Iowa, in the fall of 1865 ; in the spring of 1866 crossed the Plains with an ox train, by way of Fort Laramie and the Big Horn, fighting their way through the Indians to Montana, where he was engaged in mining until the fall of 1868, when he came to Laramie City, since which time he has been engaged in a wholesale and retail meat and vegetable market, and by fair and honorable dealing has very much endeared himself to our citizens. In fact as a benevolent, high-minded, business gentleman Mr. Fox has no superior.

A. G. Swain, City Alderman, was born in Richmond, Indiana, A. D. 1839. Enlisted in the Union army on the 19th day of April, 1861 - four days after the taking of Fort Sumpter. Served during the rebellion in the Fifth Regiment Ohio Vols. Infantry. Was afterwards in the wholesale mercantile business in Cincinnati, Ohio, until July, 1869, when he came to Laramie City to accept the position of cashier of H. J. Rogers & Co.'s Bank, afterwards Edward Ivinson's Bank, and finally the Wyoming National Bank, he holding the position of cashier through all of those changes, and up to March, A. D. 1874, when he engaged in the wholesale and retail grocery trade, in which business he is still engaged. Mr. Swain is one of those gentlemen who only need to be known to be respected.

These five gentlemen of whom we have just written, constitute our City Council and present government, and from what we know of thei^* moral worth and integrity, they will guard well each and every interest of our young municipality, and keep our city what it already is - the most quiet little city in the West. Thanks to the ladies and gentlemen, voters of Laramie City. We hope yo\i will always show your appreciation of morality and intelligence by the election of such men. Let us continue to have our moral, social, and intellectual interests keep pace with those of our finances.

Public School

The first public school of Laramie City opened February 15th, A. D. 1869, Miss Eliza Steward, now Mrs. Eliza Boyd, teacher. The whole number of pupils enrolled during this term of three months, was one hundred and six, the interest in which has steadily increased with the growth of our city. A good school house was erected in the year A. D. 1869, which has been improved in accordance with the requirements of the school.

The teaching force has increased with the needs of the school from one to three, and is now under the management and instruction of Prof. R. E. Fitch, and his two able assistants, Mrs. A. E. Sinclair and Miss Kate Dugan, and there is a near prospective need of one or two more.

A strictly graded course has been much impeded heretofore by the transient nature of our population, but this trouble is rapidly passing away.

The school now has nine grades, comprising nine classes, and allowing promotions as often as pupils are fitted for it. The aim is to leave old modes behind and strive for all that is good in the vastly improved and much improving new methods. The school is now prepared to teach all branches found in a modern high school course, which is intended to fit pupils for the first class in college.

The great need at present is that of room adequate to the rapidly increasing numbers of those to be taught. Public instruction has been liberally encouraged here in the past, and this eminently intelligent and enterprising people are not likely to let this want remain long unsupplied. For well we all know that if intelligence and morality are to be fostered, the building up of no other interest will in any way atone for the neglect of the public school.

The first religious service in Laramie City was instituted by Mrs. Jennie Ivinson, Mrs. Charles Wright, and Miss Jennie Wright, now Mrs. Jennie Lancaster, who started a Sabbath School about the 15th of July, A. D., 1868. And with that unfaltering heroism peculiar to woman, who is ever ready with her sweet ministrations to strew flowers in paths that would else be barren and unlovely, making home charming even in the wilderness, and daring to grapple with the terrible evils with which our people were beset at that time, and which were whirling away our strong men with their pernicious currents, these three noble women laid their shoulders to the wheel, and the result was a calling together of the good people of both sexes, and the Sabbath School was soon a known success.

J. L. Murphy. B. F. Smith

Our long experience in the business gives us the facilities for executing work in the shortest possible time, and after the most improved styles. Also, Carpenters and Joiners.

jrOB WORK will receive prompt attention, and be executed on short notice. Parties who contemplate Building, will do well to give us a call before closing contracts elsewhere.

who on the 2d day of October, 1868, came and organized an Episcopal parish - the first church organization in our city. Rev. J. W. Cornell took charge of the parish, and on the 21st of September, 1869, a church building had been completed, costing four thousand two hundred dollars, which was dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Randall, on said 2l8t day of September, as St. Matthew's Episcopal Church. The present value of this church property is six thousand dollars. The church is in a flourishing condition, with the Rev. Z. T. Savage as settled pastor.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of this city was first organized by Rev. (t. F. Hilton, in the spring of 1869, and erected a church building during the year A. D. 1870, at a cost of three thousand dollars, which was dedicated for divine service January 15th, 1871, by the Rev. B. T. Vincent, presiding Elder of the District of Colorado and Wyoming. The present value of this church property is four thousand five hundred dollars. The society is in a good condition, with the Rev. H. L. Beardsly pastor.

The Roman Catholic Church was first started here by Rev. Father Kelly, a missionary Priest, with Col. J. W. Donellan, Henry Wagner, and J. W. Connor as Trustees; church building commenced May, 1869, but was not completed until the fall of 1871, after the arrival of, and by the zealous and energetic labor, of Rev. Father E. Cusson, the resident pastor, who also in 1874 erected a parsonage, at a cost of two thousand dollars, making a total cost of this church property, of nine thousand dollars. Society in a very prosperous condition. Arrangements are now being made by this Society, for the founding at this place of a " Mercy Hospital," to be under the supervision and management of the Sisters of Mercy, with doors open to all humanity alike, who may chance to fall in need of their ministrations.

The Baptist Church in this city was first organized on the 8th day of January, 1870, by Rev. George W. Freeman, Superintendent of the Baptist Home Mission Society. Church building erected same year; cost, five thousand five hundred dollars. The first resident pastor was Rev. D. J. Pierce, who will long be remembered as one of the pioneer workers in every reform, and first in the organization of nearly all our institutions for the promotion of intelligence and moralit Present resident pastor. Rev. H. W. Thiele, with the Church in a prosperous condition. The present valuation of this Church property, with improvements made in 1874, is eight thousand dollars.

Rev. F. L. Arnold, February 2d, 1871, with the following Board of Trustees, to wit: Dr. J. H. Finfrock, L. D. Pease, H. H. Richards, M. C. Brown, J. M. Filmore, and IST. C. Worth. This organization erected a church building during the summer of 1871, at a cost of five thousand dollars; three thousand dollars of which was donated by Mrs. Daniel Parish, of New York City. I believe this is the only donation ever received by any of our churches from outside of our own community. This church being completed, was dedicated some time in October, 1871. The Society is now in a very flourishing condition, with Rev. W. E. Hamilton as settled pastor.

Besides these organizations, we have a large number of good citizens who are Free-Thinkers, but without any organization, who are ever ready to unite with good people, of all creeds and beliefs, in every project calculated to benefit mankind.

The Wyoming Library And Literary Association

The Wyoming Library and Literary Association, was organized, September 20th A. D. 1870, by the election of the following officers, to-wit: President, L. D. Pease; Vice Presidents, A. G. Swain and Geo. C. Densmore; Secretary, Mrs Eliza Boyd; Treasurer, E. L. Kerr; Chaplin, Rev. John Cornell; Critics, Rev. D. J. Pierce, and A. G. Swain.

On the 7th day of February, 1872, the W. L. So L. A. became an incorporated body; and at present the Library contains about one thousand volumes, of Standard, Scientific and Literary books, besides nearly all the best magazines and periodicals of the day. The present officers are: President, H. B. Rumsey; Yice Presidents, Mrs. A. E. Sinclair, and C. W. Bramel; Secretary, John McLeod; Treasurer, L. D. Pease; Librarian, Dr. J. H. Finfrock; Chaplin, Rev. H. W. Thiele; and has a membership of fifty-eight, eight of whom are life members. Library rooms at the office of Dr, Finfrock on South "A" street. Terms of membership, two dollars. Dues, one dollar per quarter. Twenty-five dollars secures a life m.embership. All receipts used in enlarging the library. Books may be retained two weeks, magazines three days. This association speakg for itself, and from what we know of the intelligence of this community, it will grow with our city, and forever be one of our permanent institutions.

First Street Opposite Depot

Keeps a well selected stock of choice Family Groceries, and Confectionery, and supplies Families or individuals with the best Bread, Cakes, &c., at fair prices.

A. F. And A. M.

Laramie Lodge No. "18," A. F. and A. M., was organized by dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Colorado, February 14tli, 1870, and chartered by the same Grand Lodge, September 28th, 1870. This charter was surrendered and the Lodge re-chartered by the Grand Lodge of Wyoming, December 16th, 1874, with the name of Laramie Lodge No. " 3." This Lodge owns a hall and furniture, worth three thousand dollars, and has a membership of seventy-six (76). S. L. Mills, W. M., and J. E. Gates, Secretary. Regular communications, second and fourth Monday evenings in each month.

Laramie Lodge No. " 2," I. O, O. F., was instituted in Laramie City in January, 1869, and is now in a flourishing condition, with a membership of sixty-five. Also, since that time, Albany Lodge No. " 7," I. O. O. F., has been instituted, with a good live membership. Wyoming Encampment No. " 1," I. O. O. F., is also located here. The Grand Lodge of Wyoming, was organized in Laramie City in April, 1874, and has had its only two sessions here, which is also the home of the Grand Master and most of the Grand Officers. The Odd Fellows of this city are now preparing to build a hall, to cost eight thousand dollars, this summer.

Mountain Hope Lodge No. "47," Independent Order of Good Templars, was instituted on the 8th day of May, A. D. 1871, by a Miss Emery, acting under a special commission from the Grand Lodg*e of Colorado. Has a membership of ninety-five, and is in good working order.

Sons Of Tempeeance

Laramie Division No. "1," of this order, was instituted on the 4th day of January, A. D. 1875, by J. B. Cary, National Deputy. A special dispensation, with a charter membership of thirty-two.

Plaits, Specifications And Estimates

The First Sewing' Machine Agency Established in the Territory. Monthly Payments will he received on Machines, or they will he rented at reasonable rales.

California and St. Louis Saddles, Side-Saddles, Hair Cinches, Riding Bridles, Whips, Combs and Brushes, and everything in the Saddle and Harness line.

The Celebrated Vacuum Oil. Blackixg Always On Hand

of cut sand-stone and brick; dimensions, 44x72 feet, and walls, including basement, sixty feet high, with cupola twenty- five feet high. The basement story is occupied as a jail. The first story above the basement is cut up into offices for the county officers and jury rooms; also, splendid vaults of iron and masonry, for preserving the archives. The upper story, comprising one large court room, 40x60 feet and twenty feet high, with two small counsel or ante-rooms. The building is constructed with taste, and in the finest style of modern architecture. Cost, twenty-nine thousand five hundred dollars, and would be an ornament to any city.

The Territorial penitentiary is also located at this place, one wing of which was built in the year A. D. 1872; the outside walls being limestone - rubble masonry - containing three tiers of cells, of fourteen each J making forty-two cells, made of brick and iron, together with other buildings thereunto belonging. Cost, forty thousand dollars.

Laramie City is the end and headquarters of a division of the Union Pacific Railroad, and all trains stop here for meals. Here are located a round house, with twenty stalls for engines, and the most extensive machine shops, car shops, and blacksmith shops on the road west of Omaha, which give employment to over tTv^o hundred men. These buildings are immense stone structures, built in the most approved style, and very durable; and together with the Laramie Hotel, U. P. Hospital, Superintendent's residence. Master Mechanic's residence, several other dwellings, telegraph, express, and other offices, and depot, furnish quite an ornament to a tax list.

Union Pacific Railroad Rolling Mills

For a description of this magnificent structure and enterprise, which has furnished a crowning impetus to Laramie City in establishing her permanent growth and future greatness, we will here insert the official report of Division Engineer, William Cleburne, to the General Superintendent of the company : the track for the delivery of building material, commenced on the 16th of September last. The laying of the stone work, however, did not begin until September 21st, and the walls were ready for the roof in twenty seven working days from the commencement. The building is one hundred and seven feet wide and two hundred and thirty-one and one-half feet long, inside. The walls are three ftet thick above the foundation, and are built of rubble masonry. The roof is supported by a double system of purline trusses, which run lengthways. These trusses are fifty-nine feet apart, and rest on two rows of cast-iron columns, except at the ends, which bear on the walls. The purline trusses carry upon their lower chords a series of lintel trusses, which extend across from the purline trusses to the walls and upon their upper chords, the trusses which support the higher portion of the roof and ventilator. The roof is covered with Vermont slates, which are fastened with copper nails. For the proper work of the mills, nine furnaces have been built, with their nine stacks.

These furnaces are three door furnaces, and are capable of taking in nine piles to a turn. One of them is an old rail furnace with a six and one-half feet bottom. Above each of these, supported partly by iron columns, is place i a boiler thirty feet long and forty-eight inches in diameter. The flame from the furnace, after heating the rail piles, passes upward, then underneath the boiler, and the heat, which would be otherwise wasted, is thus employed in generating steam. These nine boilers supply steam to the main engine and five small engines. The main engine which is designed for working the roll-train, has a thirty-six-inch cylinder and a thirty-six-inch stroke, and is of 875 (eight hundred and seventy-five) nominal horse power It rests on a foundation of masonry twelve feet deep, laid with heavy Rawlins stone, and the engine is bedded in sulphur. It has a balance wheel which weighs independent of its shaft twenty-five tons. The roll-train consists of four sets of twenty-inch rolls, three high, and is fitted with a number of ingenious contrivances to facilitate the setting of the rolls.

The second size engine, for driving the blower, lathe, and doing the work of the machine shop, is a very fine engine of sixty horse power. It is supplied with steam by two tubular boilers fifteen feet long and forty-eight inches diameter, also a stack seventy-five feet high for the furnaces of this engine. In addition to the machinery already mentioned, are the following: The cold shears, for cutting old rails in suitable lengths for the piles; the double hot shears, for cutting the flat

Wholesale And Ketail Dealer In

Having a thorough acquaintance with the business in all its departments, and fully uadersLaadiUg the wants ol" the community, in this particular line, he i» prepared to accoinaiodate all that give him their patronage.

bars from the rolls into proper lengths for the second piling; the straightener; the punch and slotter combined; the double swinging saws, which saw off the completed rail, still hot, to the required length; a six ton iron post crane for lifting the rolls to the lathe. Each of thes^ machines are worked by an engine immediately connected with it. These are all now in place and rest on foundations of solid stone-work. Two Earle pumps, which supply the boilers, are now in position and the proper attachments made for the supply from the reservoir. The steam piping will soon be finished. The painting of the wood -work has commenced, and the building is being cleared of rubbish.

Water Supply. - It would be improper to omit some account of the means for water supply. The water, which is taken from a distant spring, is conveyed from the spring a distance of 12,728 feet through twelve inch pipe, into the town of Laramie City. This pipe has on it one eight inch branch, one six inch branch, and sixteen four inch branches. These branches are short, merely sufficient to permit the citizens of Laramie - for whose benefit so large a pipe was laid - tOv connect lines of water pipe, for town and domestic purposes, with thosQbranches. In addition there have been laid two six inch branch, pipes, S,132 feet in length. These pipes have nine four inch branches for town accommodation, and two four inch branches, with 1.90 feet of four inch pipe, to the rolling-mill. The mill, when worked, to its full capacity, is capable of turning out four hundred and eighty rails - equivalent to about one hundred and twenty-five tons-^per day, and, will employ one hundred and sixty men.

In conclusion, I feel called upon to add that the machinery has been set up by F. M. demons, the Superintendent of the Birmingham Iron Foundry, Birmingham, Conn., who has exhibited great energy in the discharge of his peculiar duties, and afforded me valuable advice and assistance during the prosecution ol the work.

The water pipe has been laid under the immediate charge of A. P. Stevens, Civil Engineer, who has had to contend with many difficultiei arising from the season and the weather. I am, respectfully,

Iron Foundry

Mr, Joseph Richardson, one of the directors of the U. P. R. R. Company, has just arrived in Laramie City for the purpose of putting the rolling mill in operation, and has brought with him the cupola and fixtures and machinery for a large iron foundry. Work commences immediately for the erection of the building, which will be of stone, uniform with, and connected to the rolling mill building, with cupola five feet in diameter, and a capacity to turn out ten tons of castings per day; and we are assured that the foundry will be in operation within sixty days. This furnace will be for casting everything wanted in that line by the U. P. Company, from a car- wheel to a door-handle or a stovedoor. It will also furnish all kinds of castings wanted by the public, from a stove griddle to an iron front for a brick block. This furnace will also furnish a market, and pay cash for, all the old iron lying loose around the country; and the company will in a short time commence the development of our immense iron mines, which lay in such close proximity to Laramie City, and manufacture their own iron. The water pipes have been tested, as well as the machinery for the rolling mill (which is now all in its place), and everything found perfect and satisfactory. The mill will be running in a few days, and the foundry in a few weeks.

Cicy Water Works

Our City Council has ordered the necessary pipes laid and attachment made, as described in Mr. Cleburne's report, and have ordered hydrants placed on each of the principal street corners throughout our city; also the purchase of hose for the same.

As these immense springs from which said pipe is laid are one hundred and twenty feet higher than the town, we will undoubtedly have the finest and cheapest (almost natural) water works of any city in the United States.

Laramie City As A Health Resort Lakamte City

>@®=" Machines sold on monthly installments. Please call and examine before purchasing any other. South "B" Street between. First and Second,

Laramie City, Wyomijvg

Keeps constantly on hand a very large and well selected stock of Millinery and Straw Goods, Mais, Bonnets, Silks, Velvets, Liaces, Ruches, Ties, Flowe

'totnz, Alex, butcher, residence 2d street, between S-*^^ ^^ |- Lloyd, Wesley, laborer, residence 2d street, between South D and E. Lovett,Wm., painter, boards Lacy's boarding house. Lonargan, David, laborer, residence 1st strj^et, between South 0

"iumbard. Miss Minnie, hair-dresser, corner 2d and South B streets. Lowman. H. L., capitalist, office corner South A and 2d streets MARTIN, PETER, machinist, residence South C street, between

'TartitTbos., machinist, residence corner South G and 1st streets. Martin, John H., laborer, boards Frontier Hotel. Mandigo, Chas., laborer, boards Frontier Hotel. Machinter, Chris, teamster, residence 2d street, near *« «reek Mandel, Phillip, stock-grower, residence corner South C and 4th

Of The Mining Region Of The

A BRIEF HISTORY OF LARAMIE CITY FROM ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT TO THE PRESENT TIME, TOGETHER WITH SKETCHES OF THE CHARACTERISTICS AND RESOURCES OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTRY; INCLUDING A MINUTE DESCRIPTION OF A PORTION OF THE MINING REGION OF THE

Pure Drugs And Chemicals

Fancy and Toilet Articles, Stationery, Etc. In fact, everythinsj usually found in a First-Class Drug Store. Also, Kerosene Oil, Lamps, Chimneys, Glass, Putty, Paints, Oils, Varnishes, and Dye-stuflfe,

Land And Town Lot Department

- Located on or near the 41st Parallel of North Latitude, in the great central belt of population, commerce, and wealth ; and adjoining the World's Highway from Ocean to Ocean.

Choice Planning Land in Eastern Nebraska, now for sale, at low prices, and on ten years' credit. Interest on deferred payments onlj' six per cent.

The Grazing' ami Agricultural Eanditi on the Laramie Plains, and east of the Black Hills, will be in market early in this present season - 1875.

Full Information about Eand or Eots Obtained - Descriptive Pampblets with Maps - Also, *' THE PIONEER," a Handsome Illustrated Paper, sent Free, upon Application to