Pinedale’s Early Days
In 1904 the first editor of the Pinedale Roundup, C Watt Brandon had an understanding of women. He wrote: “The quiet fidelity with which a woman will dishwash her life away for her husband & children is a marvel of endurance. Here is the servitude of women heaviest. No sooner is her work done than it requires to be done again. Men take jobs, work on them, finish them and they are over for good & all. The prospect of ending them & drawing pay for the labor is alluring but no such allurements are held out to the wife. She washes Monday after Monday the same garments…the rubbing & wringing goes on forever.”
In way of contrast, the 1915 editor wrote a lengthy account of his mother’s death. He tells where & when she was born & died, the beauty of the casket, her community work & the fact that children loved her & called her ‘Auntie Pat’. She was a direct descendant of Daniel Boone & Aaron Burr, but nowhere does it mention her full name - only ‘Mrs John’ & ‘Auntie Pat’.
From the years 1904 to 1915 there are many interesting tidbits in the Pinedale Roundups. For example: “Miss Millie recently sold her saddle pony to a party of tourists who will use it for bear bait.”! Here is another: “Because of numerous Christmas raffles, many are out their money & few were made happy….therefore the Woodman Hall will not allow anymore raffle tickets sold in the hall”. The Roundup reported that 3 men went fishing. “The catch was 20 minnows, a shower bath each, and a plunge bath for one who walked into a deep hole.” Then there’s the Boulder Merc Ad that said “ Our Motto: A quick dime beats a slow quarter.”
The Roundup reported that a clever rancher was raffling his ranch at $10 per chance. “He will sell 400 chances. If he doesn’t sell all 400, he’ll refund”. Unfortunately the outcome was not recorded. The Roundup used to publish ranchers’s brands so that lost cattle could be returned. One news story said, “Mr George came over from the Green River on Saturday to tell us his brand had been published wrong. An examination proved that it was printed in proper form. George now knows his own brand.”
Here is more news: “Mr. Dave came through town & we asked him where he was going. He replied, ‘I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m on my way!’” Here is a painful story: “Mr Bud is nursing a sore hand. First he cut it badly & then the turpentine with which it was dressed caught fire from a lighted match, burning the whole hand.” This report could not have been good for business: “The Boulder Hotel is still on the boom, serving splendid meals which are especially attractive. Last Sunday dead chicken was on the bill of fare.”
In the early 1900s Pinedale & all of the Green River Valley were indisputably cattle country. Life centered around cattle & calves, branding & moving cows, irrigation & cutting hay. Some ranchers made a bit of extra cash by catching & selling elk, twisting snakes (wild horses), or hunting wolves for bounty. In 1907 cattle were selling for $42.50/head and wolf bounty was $40 for females, $20 for males & $10 for pups. One rancher remarked, “There’s more money in wolf bounty than in cattle ranching!”
Early Pinedale news was very entertaining.
By Judi Myers, 2012