Dodge City – Newspaper, Letters, and Book Excerpts

Dodge City, Kansas, a name synonymous with the Wild West, conjures images of dusty streets, cattle drives, and legendary lawmen. Beyond the romanticized narratives of dime novels and Hollywood films lies a more complex and nuanced reality. This article delves into primary source materials – newspaper articles, personal letters, and excerpts from historical books – to offer a glimpse into the everyday life, struggles, and perceptions of this iconic frontier town during its formative years. These glimpses into the past reveal a community grappling with its identity, torn between the promise of prosperity and the challenges of lawlessness.

The image of Dodge City as a "wicked little town" was not merely a product of sensationalized journalism. Early accounts, such as a letter published in the Washington D.C. Evening Star in 1878, paint a vivid picture of a place where "Texas cattle drovers… end the journey with their herds, and here they loiter and dissipate… and share the boughten dalliances of fallen women." This perception of Dodge City as a haven for those seeking to escape the constraints of civilized society was a recurring theme in many contemporary writings.

Frances Marie Antoinette Mack Roe, the wife of a Lieutenant Colonel stationed at nearby Fort Dodge, offered a more personal perspective in her letters, later published in the book Army Letters From an Officer’s Wife. Her writings describe a town struggling to establish order, where vigilantism was sometimes seen as the only solution to rampant lawlessness. "Dodge City used to be that way," she wrote, "and there was a reign of terror in the town until finally, the twelve organized vigilantes became desperate and took affairs into their own hands." This stark portrayal highlights the precarious balance between law and order in the early days of Dodge City.

Official records also reflect the challenges of maintaining control. A resolution passed by the Ford County Commissioners in May 1874 sought to regulate behavior by prohibiting anyone "not engaged in any legitimate business" or "under the influence of intoxicating drinks" from carrying deadly weapons within the town limits. This ordinance, though seemingly straightforward, underscores the prevalence of violence and the perceived need for strict measures to curb it. The early settlers of Dodge City often found themselves in a situation where they had to take measures into their own hands to protect the sanctity of their land.

Despite its reputation for lawlessness, Dodge City actively promoted itself as a place of opportunity for settlers. An advertisement in the Dodge City Messenger in June 1874 touted "inducements offered to actual settlers!" and boasted of a "Free Bridge across the Arkansas River!" The town, barely a year old at the time, claimed to have "over seventy buildings!" and a "Good school, hotel, etc." This marketing effort reveals a deliberate attempt to attract a more stable and respectable population, counteracting the negative image that plagued the town. The history of Dodge City has been written in many sources of information, but these accounts may sometimes contradict one another.

The challenges of maintaining law and order in Dodge City are further illustrated by correspondence between Kansas Governor Thomas Osborn and Ford County Sheriff Charles Bassett. In April 1876, Governor Osborn wrote to Bassett regarding the lynching of John F. Callaham, urging a thorough investigation and emphasizing the need to end "mob violence" in the state. Sheriff Bassett’s response revealed a growing suspicion that Callaham may have been innocent, highlighting the potential for miscarriages of justice in a community where mob rule sometimes prevailed.

The arrival of legendary lawmen like Wyatt Earp was seen as a positive development for Dodge City. The Dodge City Times in July 1877 expressed hope that Earp would rejoin the city police force, noting his "quiet way of taking the most desperate characters into custody." The newspaper suggested that drawing a gun on Earp was unwise unless one was prepared to "burn powder without any preliminary talk," further solidifying his reputation as a formidable figure.

Not all accounts of Dodge City were negative. G.C. Noble of the Atchison Champion, after a visit to the town, observed that "everything, and everybody was as busy as they could comfortably be." He expressed surprise at the lack of "swinging from a telegraph pole" or "pistol… fired," noting that the Texas cattlemen and cowboys "conduct themselves with propriety, many of them being thorough gentlemen." Noble highlighted the importance of the cattle trade to the town’s economy, predicting that Dodge City was "destined to become the metropolis of Western Kansas."

However, other local publications painted a less flattering picture. The Dodge City Times in August 1877 lamented the "blood spilling events of the past week," describing "slugging" as "the order of the day" and lamenting the "broken heads and disfigured countenances" that were becoming commonplace. This stark contrast between the optimistic pronouncements and the grim realities of violence reveals the deep divisions within the community.

Frank Barnard of the Corpus Christi Gazette, in a reprinted article in the Dodge City Times in August 1877, offered a more nuanced assessment. He acknowledged the presence of "fast men and fast women" and the prevalence of gambling and dance halls, but also noted the "remarkable degree of order" that was generally maintained. Barnard observed that "arms are not allowed to be worn, and any noisy whisky demonstrations are promptly checked by incarceration in the lock-up." He also noted the presence of two cemeteries: one for those who "died with their boots on" at Boot Hill, and another for those who "died with a clean sheet on their beds."

The Hays City Sentinel, a rival newspaper, offered a particularly scathing critique of Dodge City in 1877, describing it as "the Deadwood of Kansas" and a "rendezvous of all the unemployed scalawagism in seven States." The newspaper accused Dodge City of practicing "polygamy without the sanction of religion" and declared that "decency she knows not." In response, the Dodge City Times accused the Sentinel‘s editor of having been "carried away by the giddy creatures" during his visit and advised him to "seek better society, be virtuous and be happy."

Despite the criticisms, Dodge City continued to evolve and develop. By 1878, the Topeka Times noted a "change in the city," highlighting its "fine courthouse, church, good schools, large business blocks, a good hall, first-class hotels, and two live newspapers." The newspaper concluded that Dodge City "is coming out and is destined to be a city of considerable size."

However, the challenges of maintaining law and order persisted. In April 1878, City Marshal Edward Masterson was killed in the line of duty, highlighting the dangers faced by law enforcement officers in Dodge City. The Ford County Globe described the events leading to Masterson’s death, noting that he was shot by a cowboy named Jack Wagner after attempting to enforce the city ordinance against carrying firearms.

In April 1879, a gunfight at the Long Branch Saloon resulted in the death of Levi Richason, further illustrating the volatile atmosphere that pervaded Dodge City. The Ford County Globe described the shooting as a result of a dispute between Richason and a gambler named Frank Loving over a woman. The newspaper lamented the prevalence of violence and called for stricter enforcement of the ordinance against carrying concealed weapons. Witness statements from the bartender and Marshal Charles Bassett provided conflicting accounts of the events leading up to the shooting, further complicating the narrative.

The "Dodge City War" of 1883, a conflict between rival factions vying for control of the town, further tested the community’s resilience. The passage of ordinances aimed at suppressing vice and immorality sparked a backlash from saloon owners and gamblers who felt they were being unfairly targeted. The events surrounding the expulsion of Luke Short and other prominent figures from Dodge City drew national attention and prompted intervention from Kansas Governor George Washington Glick.

Letters and newspaper articles from the period reveal a complex web of political intrigue, personal animosities, and economic interests that fueled the conflict. The "Dodge City War" ultimately led to a shakeup in local politics and a temporary restoration of order, but it also exposed the deep divisions within the community. The Dodge City War revealed the complexity of life in the town during the period.

The story of Dodge City, as revealed through these primary sources, is a story of transformation and struggle. It is a story of a community grappling with its identity, torn between the allure of quick riches and the desire for a more stable and civilized existence. These glimpses into the past offer a valuable perspective on the realities of frontier life and the enduring legacy of one of the most iconic towns in the American West.