of the
line. The town during the winter had a population of five thousand and
over a thousand buildings. With the completion of the line to Sidney,
Wyo., in June, 1867, the rough element left and established themselves
at that point, leaving at North Platte about three hundred of the more
sedentary law-abiding class who had determined on that point for their
home. In moving to the front, houses were torn down, loaded on cars to
be taken to the new site and there re-erected.

When it was known that Cheyenne was to be the terminus for the winter
of 1867-1868, there was a grand hegira of roughs, gamblers,
prostitutes from all along the line and from the East. The population
jumped to six thousand. Dwellings sprang up like mushrooms. They were
of every conceivable character. Some simply holes in the ground roofed
over, known as "dug outs," others of canvas, while some few were of
wood and stone. Town lots were sold at fabulous prices. The only
pastimes were gambling and drinking. Shooting scrapes with "a man for
breakfast" were an every day occurrence, and stealing so common as to
occasion no comment. It is said of old Colonel Murrian, the then Mayor
of Cheyenne, that he advanced the City's script eighteen cents on the
dollar, by inflicting a fine of ten dollars on those who "made a gun
play" i. e. shot at any one,--and that it was his custom to add a
quarter to the fines he inflicted, making them ten dollars and
twenty-five cents or twenty-five dollars and twenty-five cents, with
the explanation that his was dry work and the extra quarter was to
cover the stimulant his arduous duties required.

Such conditions brought about an uprising on the part of the more
respectable element. Vigilance committees with "Judge Lynch" in
command, took hold and from his Court there was neither appeal, nor
stays. Witnesses were not held to be essential. The toughs were known
and the judgments of the Court generally right. At least the
defendants were not left in a condition to make complaint or appeal.
The Vigilance Committee during the first year of its existence hung
or shot twelve of the desperadoes, and were instrumental in sending as
many more to the Penitentiary. The effect was to compel the tough
element to either leave or abide by the laws and to put the decent
element in control.

The next headquarters was Benton, Wyo. In two weeks (July 1868) a city
of three thousand inhabitants sprang up as if by the touch of
Aladdin's Lamp.