This information came from an interview of R. H. Durley, of Potosi, Wisconsin,
as reported in The Gillette News-Record on Friday, January 21, 1938).

Gillette is one of the youngest towns in the state of Wyoming. This is because
it is in a sparsely populated range and grazing area. Today the citizens of the
town would be living in Donkey Town instead of Gillette if it had not been for a
surveyor of the Burlington and Missouri Railroad. The original road bed turned
south of the Wyodak coal mine, followed Donkey Creek to the divide and then down
Hay Creek and  Wildhorse.

Donkey Town was started on the divide and it was a tent town. In fact, the
original  grade is on the Charles Cook place southwest of town. The rade shows for
some distance today, a remarkable thing  when in fact it was made with mule teams
and scrapers, very light in weight considering dirt moving equipment today.
Edward Gillette, a surveyor, found a shorter route which saved 30
bridges and came by the present site of Gillette. For this service, the town of
Gillette was named in honor of him.

Frank Murrey, Robert and George Durley, brothers, and Charles T. Weir, four
young and sturdy boy of pioneer stock arrived, employed by the railroad company,
filed pre-emption rights each on 160 acres of land, entering in Rock Pile draw,
up which the Burlington survey had been made and in which the town of Gillett
now stands. The law required a house should be built thereon;
having resided on these filings for six months and having paid the government
$1.25 an acre they acquired the title to the land. Their patents to these lands
were issued July 25,1891, signed by Benjamin Harrison, president.

In July 189 I, the city was platted and lots were sold. The railroad reached the
town August 10 of the same year. Within three months from the sale of lots,
Gillette was a thriving little city with a perfect organization from a mayor to
the justice of the peace. Judge Alden was the first justice of the peace. The
Gillette News was published by Judge Alden, assisted by John Taylor.

The city was represented by all branches of business. Kilpatrick Brothers and
Collins, the railroad contractors, were the proprietors of a large commissary.
Hunter Bowen was the manager and Mr. Jordon was head bookkeeper. T. Schriener
was the proprietor of a large general store. His store was located on the east
side of Main Street. Daly Brothers had a general store on the west side of the
street and Adams Brothers were the proprietors of a large grocery store.

Harry Chassell was manager of the Adams Store which was on the east side of the
street. Preston Brothers conducted a large general store with A. Payne as
assistant manager. The store was located on the corner of the first block south
on the west side of Main. August Kettleson and Co. operated a hardware store.
John Westinghouse ran a "gent's" furnishing goods store on the west side of the
street.

The drug store was in charge of Elmer Miller and was located on the west side of
Main Street. Willis Ridgeway was manager of the wholesale liquor house and was
also on the west side of the street. Melvin Hatfield was the proprietor of a
confectionery and ice cream parlor. A.T. Spencer ran a grocery store. Gillette
had two meat markets. Mr. Brown ran one and E. C. Hall's shop was
the one near the post office on the street west of Main Street (which was in the
west part of the present Edelman Block in a log house).

The bank and store were on the west side of Main Street. John Larimor was
cashier and Rod Stone, clerk and assistant cashier. (John Larimor was an
ex-contractor. He had done some of the grade at Rozet for Kilpatrick & Collins,
who had the contract for the building of the railroad. The late Harry Chassell
said he was a scalper as he charged 10 per cent on every check he cashed,
however, no one else cashed checks. The bank was nothing fancy, and in the store
he carried a few groceries.) Mrs. Livingston was the postmistress. The post
office was located on the street running east and west (Second Street), west of
the bank and on the south side of the street. Miss
Bea Livingston was the clerk.

The first boarding house was located on the street facing the railroad, east of
the corner of Main Street. Mr. and Mrs. Stafford were the proprietors. Later,
Mr. Parks opened a restaurant on the east side of Main Street (not related to W.
P. Parks). Frank Kies, a Chinese, had a restaurant in the Durley and Murrey
building on the west side of the street.

Gillette was well represented with refreshment stands and dance halls. There
were seven saloons and three dance halls. Ed Fitch, father of Glenn Fitch, ran a
dance hall and saloon on the street facing the depot, west of Main Street. Tom
Christian had a dance hall and saloon on the west side of Main Street. Shorty
Hartman and Jack Marley's saloon was on the southeast corner of Main Street. The
Ditto Brothers' place, and Charley Blackwell's place and a dance hall and saloon
owned by Olsen and Fields also Dave Lee's place were all located on the east
side of the street. Dave Lee was known as "Scrub Peeler."

The drug store owned by Mr. Higley was on the east side of the street, while Mr.
Hill kept a boarding house on the street running east and west from Main Street.
The Hatfield Brothers owned and operated a large livery stable on the opposite
side of the street from the post office. The laundry was run by Sam Lee, Forest
and Jimmy Hart were the photographers. Baumen and Fitzsimmons were the barbers.
There was a blacksmith shop around the corner from Daly's store, and a small
place between the Daly and Murrey building, which was occupied by a lunch
counter.

Charley Sharp was the hotel man. The Hotel Windsor was on the east side of Main
in the second block south. Mr. Cartwright was the shoe cobbler; and was located
south of the Daly store.

Gillette's water supply came from Donkey Springs (believe this was from the old
I Bar U now owned by Moran's east of Wyodak) and the water sold for $1.00 a
barrel. Ice was packed in coal slack and sold for two cents a pound. Hackney
Brothers were the water, ice and coal haulers. Gillette's milk supply was
furnished by Mike Shay. His dairy was located east of the city.

This ends the first part of Mr. Murrey's story. In interviews with Harry
Chassell, many of the facts in this interview agree. It seemed Gillette was a
thriving place. The country was sparsely settled but the building of the
railroad brought many people.

The May 14 issue of the Sheridan Post in 1889 carried the following article:
"The B & M (Burlington and Missouri R. R. as the road was known) has a force of
4,000 men at work on its extension which is just nearing the edge of Crook
County. Additional forces are constantly going to the front." This was the
phrase used to signify the place where the rails had reached.

After the railroad was extended beyond Gillette and the commissary moved,
Gillette declined. A fire destroyed many buildings and many were torn down. In
1894, there were only two saloons, two stores and a restaurant remaining.

[scanning and ocr done by Suzanne Leonard]

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