NEWS FROM THE PAST:
Little Talks with Members of Sixteenth Wyoming Legislature (News Article)
Date: 1921-01-13; Paper: Wyoming State Tribune- Cheyenne State Leader. (transcribed by Barbara & Bill Ziegenmeyer).
LITTLE TALKS WITH MEMBERS OF SIXTEENTH WYOMING LEGISLATURE
Why not intermingle a bit of history, political history. Interest in political history with a "little" (?) talk with attorney John W. Simmon "the gentlemen from Lincoln." Ha was born near Sugar River, Wis., on a farm. In 1857, of Irish Catholic parents with whom be moved when he was six years old to the state of Maryland where his father engaged in coal mining as an investment. Young Sammon grew up in the mines, was a miner. and at 22 married Miss Bridget Murray; the result of this happy union being nine children, seven of whom were born In Wyoming, for they moved In June 1885, Mr. Simmon taking employment with the Union Pacific Coal company at Almy, Wyoming Territory, in a clerical capacity. He remained In the employ of the company until that first memorable year In Wyoming history 1892, when he went Into politics and was elected clerk of the district court,his office being at Evanston in Uinta county. His election was for the two year term and he succeeded himself for another two years. In 1896 he was one of the delegates who nominated "Billy" Bryan for the presidency and, returning, was elected county attorney for two years succeeding himself at the end of his term. In 1904 the family moved to Kemmorer, at that time still in Uinta county, and Mr. Sammon severed his allegiance to the democratic party. In 1804 be was elected as a republican to the state legislature, for the years 1905-6 and was again elected in 1906 for the years 1907-8. Since then this veteran of political life has "resided privately In Kammorer."
That Is to say he has filled only such offices as city clerk, city attorney, etc., but last fall he decided to "come back, " as some of these old timers have the habit of doing—so he's here, and he placed in nomination the successful candidate for speaker of the house, Mr. Ewart, and the "gentlemen from Lincoln" tells some Interesting Incidents of political life that go back of my time as well as some that I needed only to be reminded of.
From the political point of view the year 1892 was the most Interesting in Wyoming's history—that was the year Mr. Sammon went into politics; and, may I not be pardoned for saying, the year that I doubled my capital with a good margin over by wagers made the night before election. John E. Osborne, democrat, carried eleven of the twelve counties for governor and Mr. Sammon was one of tho men, who helped him "take office" through the window, so that when governor Barber, his opponent, came In through the door there sat Osborne with pugilist, Tim Dyer. Installed as his private secretary. The contest went into the courts and when Tom Paterson, the great Denver lawyer, was pleading Osborne's case at a night session out went the lights. Paterson was atthe time reading from manuscript but never paused, not even so long as the old school rule of counting four for a period. He continued addressing himself to "your honor*' the court and seeing the trick to be vain the lights came on again.
But there were before that Interesting campaigns and political situations In Wyoming, when it was a territory. One was when Judge Joseph M. Carey and Geo. W. Baxter, candidates for congress, held joint discussions or debates throughout the territory. Before the election day arrived these discussions become some-what personal and all of us-who know him will agree that the hyphenated word used by Baxter to describe Judge Carey was—the half that I shall use—quite appropriate; he called him a "lion" but Just what sort of a lion I forget, The Judge got back with something quite as aptly descriptive of Baxter, whose physique was diminutive and mentality egotistic.
The youngest of John Sammon's children is now 20 years old and his next youngest, W. B. Sammon, 24, is
deputy state treasurer and in charge of the compensation department under advice of Treasurer Hoskins. Mr.Sammon is the grandfather of eight children, in religion he is a liberal though still claiming the Catholic faith, and is a man truly democratic by nature. That probably accounts for his success in politics.
The Quincy Daily Journal
Jun 20, 1919
[transcribed by Debbie Gibson]
WYOMING, LONG WET SPOT, TO GO DRY JULY 1
Even Mail Order business Stopped by State Law.
Cheyenne, Wyo., June 20, - Wyoming, long the oasis of this section of the west, will enter the ranks of prohibition states on July 1. Sale and manufacture of liquor within the state will cease on that date regardless of whether national prohibition is effective in the nation.
Under terms of the constitutional amendment adopted by the voters at last November's election, Wyoming would have gone dry January 1, 1920. When the legislature met last January, however, it was deemed advisable to put the state law into effect July 1, this year, at the same time it appeared national war time prohibition would be effective. A law was passed by the legislature authorizing this.
In addition to the power placed by state law in the hands of a state prohibition commissioner, there will be a new enforcement league, privately financed and privately operated to enforce the new law. This league already has begun the work of keeping Wyoming free of illegal manufacture and sale of liquor after July 1.
State house gossip is that Fred L. Crabbe, now superintendent of the Wyoming Anti-Saloon league, will be chosen prohibition commissioner.
“Not only bootlegging, but commercial traffic in liquor must cease in accordance with the wishes of the people,” said Mrs. Crabbe in a statement to The Associated Press. “The voters gave the largest per capita dry majority of any state in the union and they are going to see that the law as passed by the legislature is one of the most drastic of its kind.”
Saloons in Wyoming now pay a combined revenue of $500,000 for the privilege of operating. In the face of the approaching “dry spell” breweries are turning to other lines. Most of them will manufacture “soft” drinks.
Data gathered in the three largest cities in the state – Sheridan, Casper and Cheyenne – shows virtually every barroom and saloon has been spoken for by proprietors of candy shops, soft drink parlors, cafes, music stores and restaurants.
Saloon men are cleaning out their stocks as rapidly as possible. It is is (sic?) stated with authority that respectable citizens of the state who lay in a moderate supply of liquor now for their own use after July 1 will not be molested, but the authorities have announced there will be eternal and vicilant warfare waged on the man who seeks to buy now and sell later.
Mail order business practically is at a standstill, the Reed law having stopped much of the importation into nearby states.
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