Taken from the The Denver Public Library’s Digital Image Collection.
From the description:
A crowd stands on Market Street near City Hall, part of the “City Hall War,” a dispute over Fire and Police Board appointments, in Denver, Colorado. Horse-drawn wagons are on the street.
The description does the City Hall War no kind of justice. It was, in part, “a dispute over Fire and Police Board appointments,” but, as I’ve read, it was also an attempt by Colorado Governor Davis Waite to clean up the corruption and vice endemic to the city of Denver. At the time the city was known worldwide for its hop dens, whorehouses, gambling joints, and bunko artists.
As such, Waite ordered the Colorado Militia into action to forcibly remove several corrupt Denver city officials from city hall. And, for his part, the Denver mayor deputized a couple of hundred local killers, gamblers, pimps, and dealers to defend the city against government troops. One of them was none other than Denver crime boss, Soapy Smith.
Of course, now you can’t smoke a cigarette in the bars. And most of downtown has been turned into a theme park for the well-heeled. But I guess that’s progress.
Hey this story reminds of the amature photog from the now defunc Rocky Mountain News Javier Manzano, he allows himself to be kicked by politicians, oh and I will photograph for free if you rent me good kickon equipment
So. Denver used to be inhabited by a much better class of people than is now the case. True, but not much of a news flash, Benny.
After all, some truths are self-evident.
I know, but sometimes it’s nice for me to sit around and remember that there were, once, better times. Not in my time, granted, but at least at one time.
I’m turning into fucking Merle Haggard. “I wish a buck was still silver . . .”
The Denver Times reported how at one point that Soapy Smith leaned out, apparently with dynamite in hand, and called down to soldiers near the city hall perimeter.
“Say, you guys had better make a sneak. I’ve got enough of the stuff to send us all to hell, and as I am nearer to heaven than any of you, I’ll not be the first to die.”
My great-grandfather is/was Soapy Smith. If any of you are interested I just wrote his biography, Alias Soapy Smith: The Life and Death of a Scoundrel, which covers the City Hall War in great detail. I am more than happy to answer any questions you might entertain…
Jeff Smith
Blog
Damn, thanks Jeff. I actually read two out-of-print biographies of Soapy Smith last year, and was looking for something more recent. I’ll check it out.
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