Shortly we spy chance. We halt the boys and just look at it. Steve and Rob think it reminds them both of how a colony of ants scurrying about earnestly look. We hear six explosions and 12 steam whistle blows in 5 minutes. Chance did not have a good reputation and dear reader: “You can take that fact to the bank and borrow money on it. Contrary to modern versions of the old west most towns were generally civilized out here. No town wanted bullies running around. So if you caused enough problems usually you got shot, end of story. Or like they did in Shakespeare New Mexico hung three trouble makers inside the stage stop cause it was raining outside I would call that practical thinking .“
The additional fact that there were 300 miners in chance and not a single female no wives , cooks, washwomen even the most hardened whore would not come near the town should explain chance.
It was a world of working your self to dang near death in the brutal desert every day then at quitting time break out that moonshine before you knew it you had 300 miners drunker than a walking piss ant getting ready to go to war. Then the fussing and fighting set in, no one killed but nearly. “They got wound tighter than an 8 day clock.” No one gave a damn about any damn thing. Never heard of any lawman ever being in chance. Only when a mine manager sent from California by Mr. Hearst arrived did it calm down but the miners made up for lost time when the Managers left.
Sitting on our horses looking at this scene in front of us made us look at each other and smile. We loved the place one if our favorite stops. There are around 60 structures curiously some are built of native rock mortared up and plastered inside some with pitched roofs. Our friend the blasting super Ken j Callis has a place with a fireplace inside wood framed windows swank. The blasting house is of brick with a padlock on the heavy door one of the few sensible things in this place the town dies in a swale between two sets of scrub covered small hills there are diggings everywhere.
We have pondered on why this place is like this and why it keeps going. Near as we can figure it’s because a big man known nationwide Hearst is behind the last chance mine and most people figure if he is here he must know something we don’t and I want to get my share. Once the place wears you out and you wander off broke. New meat takes your place over and over. Being here makes a thinking man feel melancholy knowing that they kept this up till 1930 and all told only pulled $500,000 out of the mine.
Looking back at it we never saw this much work put out for so little reward anywhere in this here country even the post office only lasted from 1885 to 1886.
Here in modern day chance is one of the most dangerous places to visit with untold ten foot deep unmarked diggings everywhere dang sure deep enough to kill a man out here alone. All the characters have turned to dust over these last 130 some years all the names forgotten. All their efforts trials and troubles faded away like they never even happened at all. But by God we were there in that time and we don’t forget.
Whom ever reads this learn one thing: ” You are no more special than any if these fellas in chance and just like them time will wash away all your so called concerns and problems and no one will know you ever existed at all.” Think about it ,may make day to day living a little easier for you ,or not . The authors don’t give a crap about what you think. We got ourselves straightened away and laugh our asses off every day. Bottom line what else do you want out of this here thing called life? Steve Pokes me with the end of his solid gold walking stick, “Quit talking like you are some goddam preacher man. These people reading this don’t give a hoot about that crap. They all know better cause they are special. Just get back to the tellin” “Yes sir you old cranky son of a bitch”
We both have a good strong pull of bust head. “,Pull up Youtube Frigid Pink Hard version of House of the Rising Sun ” I tell steve
Ok where was I? Oh yeah sitting on our horses looking at Chance City New Mexico 1885. We mosey on down hey Steve gd its rob , Hey fellas and on and hear this kinda welcome. Well we spend the rest of the day and night in chance the reader can only imagine our adventures In that place on that day. Next morning we set out for Deming and the gold spike hunt. I notice my right hand is sore and swollen, I’ve got a few bumps on my head and my left ear has dried blood all over it. I see Steve has a nearly swollen shut left eye. The heel of his right boot has come loose. He has a busted lower lip and his shirt is torn. So all in all I would say we had a great time visiting Chance City New Mexico in 1885.
