Editor,
I was greatly taken aback by the
announcement of Mayor Dufaux’s resig-
nation. In my opinion, she was a dedicated
and hard working official, unlike some,
who will remain nameless.It is my sincere hope that she continues
to work for the best interests of Deadwood
as she has done since her arrival. Our
household wishes Miss Dufaux well in her future endeavours.Charles WadsworthStore clerk Editor,I caint rite, so my pardner is a ritin this fer me.
We miners wanna know where all the
hoors have gone. They is some high priced
ones in places like ta Gem or ta Bella, but me an Jacob caint afford em.
Miners dont make that kinda money.
Its a plum shame that a man caint go ta town and get a drink an a woman without spendin a years pay.Ya’ll want ta gold outta the mountains,
but ya wont pervide fer a mans basic needs,
that jest aint rite.Pete and Jacob Editor,
I would very much like to address a huge
problem here in Deadwood, namely the
disposing of waste, human and otherwise
out into the streets. The stench is horrific,and a man has gotta watch when he passes
by a door or window as he is likely to have a chamber pot emptied upon his head.
Why, just yesterday I had a basin of wash water tossed onto my person by a
harridan who took exception to my remarks
about her dubious ancestry after being so suddenly doused with soiled water.
I would respectfully suggest to the TownCouncil that if they truly want Deadwood
to become a city to be proud of, they will
address the sanitation of the city post
haste.Mr. Joseph PetersonDeadwoodEditor,Something must be done about the all-
too-common shootings in Deadwood.In many towns, notably Dodge City and
Wichita, there is a dead line. If you step over that line carrying a weapon, you will
very quickly find yourself confronted by
several lawmen.Why cannot Deadwood follow suit? If a man wanted to carry a weapon in China Alley, all well and good, but should that same worthy decide to wear his weapon on
Main Street, he should be hauled off to jail
as soon as may be.
If you doubt that we have too many
shootings then ask our beleaguered doctors
who are nearly worn out by the constant victims of gunshots that they must treat,what their thoughts on the matter is.George StoddardDeadwoodEditor,
I and the other hardworking men of
Deadwood are most alarmed that certainmembers of Town Council are pushing for
taxes to support their various and obvious- ly ill-conceived ideas. Men work in order to support their families and to lay somethingaside for a rainy day. If a man is somewhat
more thrifty, he may even save enough to become somewhat wealthy.
These are the foundations of an economy
based on capitalism. Something our town
fathers seem to have forgotten. The idea of the government taking a man’s wages
away, because they think they know better
than I how to spend said funds is arrogant
in the extreme. I would also point out that
it smacks of thievery. Were someone to
take monies from those government offi- cials in favor of said taxes, those self same officials would squeal like stuck pigs.
I end with this, the members of Town
Council who propose such taxation shouldbe prepared for a single term in office, as
right thinking citizens will turn the thieves
out.Jebediah Wheeler Deadwood
Editor and Publisher
Neil Streeter
Reporter
Addison Leigh
Contributing Writer
D. A. Kuhr
Typesetter
S. Morigi
Deadwood Free Press Vol. 2 Issue 24October 16, 18782
editorial
Te Streeter Law:Have some fuckingfun, please
Letters to the Editor
There were many shocked reactions when Mayor Astolat Dufaux announced
her resignation.
I wasn’t shocked. I’d thought about
resigning many times when I was mayor.
I admired her for having the courage to
do so publicly and not trying to just fill a chair, which I did my last few months of hanging on.
The brutal truth, though, is that we
chew up and spit out our elected officials.Who is at fault? Well, this is America. So it’s clearly the fault of government.And ... well ... maybe us.
If you think about it, between Sheriff
Scara and Sheriff Gus, the average sheriff
was often gone almost the minute they were elected. I don’t remember sheriff,I remember numbers. Ditto the council.We’ve had council members who barely showed up. We had one person on the council for seven months who I don’t
believe ever did show up.
And these were all great people as people
to watch on the job and to do what they do - in other roles. They were people who did
many things well. But they clearly thought
the role was going to be different than
what it was. I remember Mayor Clay tell- ing me that people clearly thought a posi-
tion of sheriff or council was something
magic - that it would bring them a power
or status or some authority they did not
have before.They believed, in other words, in some illusion: like a picture thrown on a screenby a magic lantern.And so yes, we can blame the role andthe illusory sense that if we pretend, a role
fits us and becomes real. But .... people
are involved. Real people.
What you quickly find with a role of
responsibility is that anything that elevates
you raises your head to be a target.
As the old saying goes, “The whale only gets harpooned when he comes up
to spout.”
For most humans, the harpoons start
coming, verbal, or implied ... or imagined.
You and I can harpoon our own selves
much more effectively than almost anyone
else can, and much earlier.
We all like to pretend we are certain
people. It gets us through the day. I pre- tend I am an editor, and by status in pub- lishing, I am. By pretending I need not be
Neil Streeter or whatever name I may have,
who without his upbringing would be but a naked soul placed alone by God in this world. So also I pretended to be a mayor.Who does not want to pretend they are
a sheriff? Who does not want to pretend to be a mayor? Who does not want to pretend
to be on a council? Who does not want to pretend to be citizen of an amazing place like here in Deadwood?
Is that not so much better than being
real to ourselves?Well. Maybe not.
Maybe in the act of assuming a new
role, we find out what’s real and what isn’t.
Maybe we don’t escape what we are made
by God and our environment before Dead-
wood. Maybe we are ... human.
Humans take important roles. They
abandon them, thrive in them, lose them,or any number of fates. We do this to findmeaning and ascension.
Sometimes we find only humility. Maybe
we are not meant for a role, and maybe we should simply do what we enjoy. Not
what we think what we *should* do. Andcertainly not what others think we shoulddo.Maybe we should just have fun.
I challenge my fellow citizens to just
enjoy me in having fun. Forgot the goddam
politicking and crazy bullshit talk. Forget
the calls for demotion or promotion. That’s
not why we are here. Let’s not forget why we are here: to get rich and to have inter- course.
Well ... maybe. But being rich and
being laid are only two factors on a higher path.And that’s the calling to have FUN.Let’s just have some fun.
So here is the Streeter Law of Deadwood.
The next time someone in Deadwood says something negative to you, please kindly either kick them in the breasts, which on
most Deadwood ladies in the largest target,
or if male, shoot them in the nuts.Do us all a goddam favor. Please. Dis- able them. Tell them to take their negative
comments and bundle that whining with
their pole or brush and pound it into the nearest brick.
I don’t care if they are even just whisper-
ing to you, because we seem to whisper
more in this town than we talk. Tell em to pound it however they whine. The methodof whining don’t matter. The consequence of positivity and good humor do.Maybe if we have fun we can still buildthis town and not drive ourselves to drink and insanity.Have fun, people.Whether you are real or not.
Many Deadwood residents made the trip when Raymond and Merry
Lee Frog brought their highly
regarded musical stylings and songs and music to Yankton’s theater. The
audience enjoyed tales and tunes
about Halloween and other spooky
subjects. “Thank you for the most
wonderful show,” an enthused Abi-
gail Waddington told the perform- ing couple.
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