CHRISTMAS IN A MINING CAMP RANDSBURG, DEC. 25, 1896—Christmas is a mining camp, while subject to deprivation of many of the customs and pleasures incident to a higher civilization, is not altogether so cull as dwellers in cities might suppose. Last night the Christmas festivities began with a swell ball at the new skating rink, a building 40 x 60, just finished on the upper end of Butte Avenue. There were forty couples present, and one would scarcely think, to look around the camp, that so many fine-looking matrons and maids could be found in the place. Randsburg, Garlock and surrounding camps all had representatives at the ball. The music was furnished by local talent and the dancing was kept up until light in the sky on the eastern horizon warned them that Christmas morn was dawning. Down town, in Thompson’s saloon, were three friendly boxing contests of three rounds each, which drew nearly the entire population in the early part of the evening. Only one lady was a spectator, and she sat on a bench at ringside and seemed to enjoy the sport to the full. A real boxing match of ten rounds for New Year’s Day, with bets of $50 a side, is arranged between “Montana Kid” and “Arizona Jake”. At the Elite Theater a dance was given after the regular performance. This place is nightly crowded and is being enlarged to near twice present size. The town was quiet in the sense that no rows occurred, although some were under the influence of liquor and many people to not go to bed at all. This morning is warm and sun shiny, and for the first time in many weeks all the principal miners have quit work and are taking a Christmas Holiday. For several days past the stages have gone out loaded with people going out to spend the holidays with families and friends, as for the most part men have left their families behind them in coming to this place. This is perhaps well for the families, but is not in all instances well for the men.” –Bakersfield Daily Californian The large building in the first photo is thought to be the Skating Rink, it sat just to the left of Morgans Fuel Oil (Or as we know is today Mrs. Edwards House, which is the last house going east on Butte Ave. The second photo is of Kid Montana he was to come to Randsburg several times in the next ten to fifteen years to participate in boxing matches at various saloons. A ledger book in the Museum has an entry for him.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 20:10:44 +0000
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