Rensselaer Journal, Volume 10, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 March 1901 — Only a Five-Galion Dance. [ARTICLE]

Only a Five-Galion Dance.

"In the early days of the northwest,” said a Spokane (Wash.) visitor in New York the other day, “I was in Idaho. At that time we used to have dances there quite frequently in the various camps. The male members of one camp would go Into their jeans and make up a pot to defray the expenses, and when arrangements had been made invitations would be sent out to the other camps for the members thereof to attend. The principal cost of these parties was for liquor, and the amount supplied varied in direct ratio with the amount contributed by the hosts. There would be 5, 10, 20 and even more gallons of whisky, as the case might be. ‘Cockeye’ Leary named these dances for all time when, in answer to a query as to whether or not he would attend a certain shindig soon to be given in a neighboring gulch, he made reply: ‘Naw, you can bet I ain’t going. It’s only a five-gallon dance.’ ”