In 1897, President William McKinley was leading the White House. American miners began a strike that June, which established the United Mine Workers Union and brought the 8-hour workday to mines. And Mancos was humming along as a frontier mercantile town poised for growth.
Al Wetherill at a snake dance
“This year we were again able to secure our old rooms at the top of the trail in the first village of the group. From here we can see people coming up from all directions, in all sorts of rigs and bunching up around the watering places or roasting out in the sun, and all the time we are smiling knowing smiles to think we were up in the cool where all the passing breezes would stop for a moment or two for our apparent benefit. From our shady dooryard we look down on the uninitiated who come puffing and blowing up the trail. We found that the snake priests and Antelope priests had been at work a number of days. Each party have their secret ceremonies in separate kivas. On the ladders leading to the kivas are tokens or emblems or coats of arms of the party below. ... The day of our arrival was one of the last legal gatherings of snakes, although little private parties were out up to noon on the day of the dance. Each man hunts for a snake’s trail in the sand, follows it to its retreat, digs it out with an unromantic irrigating hoe, catches it with a stick and carries it up to where they are herded.
“A few years ago, it was impossible to talk to any of the snake priests from the commencement of the ceremonies until their close, but now it seems as if the whole thing is taking on an air of a show. Probably contact with whites created their desire to make money. At any rate one can stop them at any part of the performance, except in the real dance, and, for an agreed amount, have them pose in any desired position...The day before the real dance is the Antelope dance. In the Antelope party there are only thirteen members two of whom are small boys. About sundown, seven of the best-looking maidens, dressed in their best, called upon the Snake priests in the kiva. This was noticeable from the face that women have heretofore been barred from the underground rooms. Early the next morning, all from the camps below, natives from adjacent villages and local inhabitants gather on the western cliff to catch the first glimpse of the racing antelopes from a point four or five miles up the valley.
... About five ‘o clock, a man came out of each of the kivas and took down the emblems (which is a bow with colored horse tails and eagle feathers strung upon it). Shortly the antelopes came out and lined up. The came the Snake priests and all marched through the open space beyond the sacred rock and draw up before the bower over the point where the snakes are kept. They all dance around the length of the court. A couple of snake priests have snakes in their mouths, and only the heads of the little imps showing. In a few minutes, they begin to push out the big snakes – and they certainly had some fine ones. There were 150 all told. The Snake priests tried who could get and carry the largest number. One man was noticed with three in his mouth and around his neck – both hands were full. Occasionally, one would drop, and no police were required to keep the crowd back.”
Ad: ‘Buy you a good home!’
“Almost on your own terms, you can purchase a building lot or lots from me in the D.H. Lemmon T’wnsite or in the George Bauer Addition. Very small monthly payments will be exacted from those who build. I also have about all the lots in the Sunnyside I Addition. This location is on West Grand Avenue and Riverside Avenue. Mancos farmhands can have a home as well as Farmers and Mechanics. Our village is rapidly growing to the pretensions of a city, and no purchaser can possibly regret a real estate investment in this place. The village has an elevation of 7,000 feet and has the most agreeable climate in the state, with an abundance of good water. The very best domestic coal is delivered to your homes for $3.50 per ton. Building lumber is delivered in any quantity. The agricultural valley is equal to many in the West. Apple, pear and plumb trees yield abundantly. Schools are excellent and efforts are now being made to thoroughly grade the schools. Our town is incorporated and we are blessed with an efficient and economental town government.
Call upon George M. Carr, Times Office. Mancos.”
Ad: ‘Do you want poison?’
“If so, don’t call the Mancos Saloon, As I have an abhorence of bad whisky and cheap cigars. In my stock there is not an article that will not stand the most rigid scrutiny and test of a thorough expert. After many years of experience, I find that to draw and maintain a desirable trade, I must buy THE VERY BEST GOODS! These are not handled by local wholesalers. Therefore, I get Bonded Whisky. There is no doubt that the CIGARS sold over my counter are genuine Havana. When you are weary, just drop into my neat, comfortable CLUB ROOMS, and while away a few pleasant hours with RICHARD DUNN, proprietor.”
