New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-11
THROUGH THE WEST.
L.

JUSrICE-A WAGON RIDE OF 355 MILES
THROUGH THE WILDERNESS TO THE EASE
OF TIE ROCKIES-CYRUS W. FIELD ON BOARD
INDIANS ON THE WAR PATH-THE TOPo-
GRAPHICAL ASPECT OF KANsAs-VALLEI OF
THE SMOKY HILL RIvER-HAY STACK MIS-
TAKEN FOR PIXIES PEAK, ETC.
COLORADO CITY, Oct. 22.--The present termi-
mus OF the Kansas Pacific Railway is Sheridan. Kan
sas % miles from the west line Of the State and 4O5
miles Of the Missouri River, or the eastern line OF
the State This railroad graded 90 miles beyond sher
dan. and ~ 70 be completed TO Denver next Summer
Kansas IS naturally divided into two parasitic western
part dry and the eastern moist each having region 200
miles SQUARE and both prairie The dry section, including
m Of Colorado Of the mountains has been called the
rsat American Desert, but the soil is really rich In
Geological analysis Of soil hereafter be made will be
shown that the Rocky Mountains have sent far 10 the
last an immense amount of fertility.
Ia Wow Of the great in population ana OF
the many questions connected with advancing civ
Hizatiou, including moral, religious and literary
culture an Of which depend upon extended area
IN which bread may be grown and human lie
sustained disassocated from poverty and lin
5tcd resources, but not separated from Industry, /
have paid especial attention 10 the country passed
through and although my observations necessarily
JiwItod 90 narrow section stl will venture TO say
that they will fairly indicate the nature Of the wide ca
pJuscs uuvslted. 10 is TO be noted that little Is known OF
this vast CgOu by any ono that few white men have
except along travelled routes, and that even in
rOulcet
only three the wants the traveller become pressing,
and the body Is so weary that little attention be
paid 10 the natural lying undeveOped In the
great wilderness around him. More than this, those
who have crossed this American desert, called have
with fow exceptions had neither interest ability TO
consider these things Several parties Of engineers and
surveyors Of the Kansas Pacific Railway push
1ng through this region from the south Sheridan,
aiming at Denver, and as they scientific and TO
great degree practical men, they making discoveries
uf valleys Of heavy timber and beds Of excellent coal
from 60 TO so mileseast OF the base Of the Rocky Noun
sheridan is at present the most remarkable place i'm
America, or m the world u is what Cleyen9G was
business centes, and where the most reckless OF men qua
women gather IN order thai m tho absence OF law ana IN
placed. they may reap harvest OF plumber 1t VII re
main 10 great extent unchanged uhlI the ioaH "u'
Vauces when they VIII move 10 other tcrmlni Shorl
dan Is composed of half streets 500 feet apart
tLe railroad Track being m the center There are large
commercial houses engaged IN the Santa Fe trade having
beavy stocks OF staple goods, representing capital rang
much long, and wide in proportion and saw
where many tuus OF Mexican wool were stored wait
romlnue wool has made the Mexican wool IN request
and told that 10 readily brings pc pound IN santa
&C. which must make the sheep business profitable IN
that country, where Is abundant and labor cheap
5S d hege e Os som R''o 5 gG5 OI % head
Beside these houses, there are few hotels ana several
ICONS gambling establishments more than 50 in num-
her all open and apparently dong good business In
almost every are women. Riddles and acCOrdcous
prc PLAYING glasses jucng ana there billiard ana
Touiette tables and other gambling devices The men
are ablebodied and strong few more than S5 the
majority are less than 30 years Oh; thcr Isces arc
flushed, thcirnecks red and thick and they speak as good
Anguish any people iu the States usiuS many common
household expressions b1t lhey aIt a IesI.os>, HetIi
Kahn look and quicknesS OF movement DOM SIdt ana
suspicious, and this so because connected with
much that hOmeke and familiar OF course they
tense: but / none who were either offensive or az
qhey would commit murder what we would call The
slightest rroyocaton for they have been 50 ard'coIs
solve themselves into Vigilance Committee ana hang
BoISGs or THE VIGILANCE COMMITTEE
Back OF the town Is small graveyard Where thcN nave
them was hanged to the tresewor little ont Of town.
JOr time past the engineer has been IN tho habit OF
moving the morning train slowly over this spot in order
chat the passengers might have chance 70 fauy one
banged by the neck II related that when one Of
cutors and demanded that they should take on his boots
Among aggressive acts OF these men II reiated that
at hotel one asked gentleman sitting opposite lol AS
Buter aud as he was not heard, he presented small
pocket pistol 30 the head Of the gentleman and with ms
huger on ihe trigger sara fass tne DutleI AZ present
these fellows are IN subsection, and property ana NE are
reveuged to do any unlawful act they viii be dealt
with ~ tie most summary manner The process OF lynch
law Is follows: one O these villains Is awakened 10 the
mddlo Of the night 10y company Of armed ana masked
quickly. make noise, and offer no resistance or
he will die the spot In trembling haste he oDeyS
generally he muer and swears iittle and being ready
they the house quietly and proceed to some retired
spot where trial may or may not be held, when sen
times he is permitted 10 live condition that he will
aud confess Who his companions ana
"''''' ''' AwASoS JoUENEY-1uE coursNY.
Leaving Sheridan IN the morning, each with gun.
pcuIy ammunition also with TeyOlverS TWO thick
blankets Tor each, eltlled lunch basket, ana other
uccessacs and drawn by four horses we started FOR
Donycr by Fort Lyon aud the Arkansas Valley, distance
Of $50 miles. which for part Of the way the sanie Pc
route. ON the railroad route the distance Is about 100
miles less hut this travelled by the coach since 10
has ceased 10 be mailroute ana me Indians are
troublesome. Our party consisted Of iOurnamey cyrus
W. Field MI Archer of 81. Louis, Gen. Palmer VINO WAS
command cavalry during tie and your CORE.
spOideuf.
Fort Wallace commanded by Gen. Wood, is Il miles
from sheridan. The barracks aud residence are con-
aHd tasteful and complete order everywhere
observed The smoky li runs al 40 great distance and
ia valley God. from the cotton tree, and hay
obtained. Looking beyond the few remaining cotton
woods vast swelling prairie, covered with buffalo grass,
is presented st great distance nOrhward the track
layers vrrc busy pushing their way across the soil.
II known thai the Indians are 90 the north, aud
arms are ready rcpcl them. Last summer year ago,
they Uade ucurOns from saline westward through all
the distance Denver driving OF stock, and committing
murders and without name. They in tie
buffalo and are able TO suDslst Oh this
game. Toy understood 10 be the young men belong
lux "a lilo Sioux ChCyennes, Apachcs and Ardpahocs,
ali OF whom belong reservations where Jher Tribes are
living asa they have come out upon the headwatcIs OF
laps they really have claim 70 the land thcy occupy,
though have been able 10 learn the real facts OF the
case granted that they IN state Of constant
hostility, aud whenever they are seen by white men they
are shot. the survey OF the railroad going
attack the parties Whenever they think they can
safely do IL D. but recently that they killed several
aud They have also murdered section hands the road
east of Sheridan. The buffalo region does not
Sheridan but 10 Is within 20 miles OF IT,
Pond CITY is about a mile west Of Fort Wallace and
cOutaDs 80 houses, poorly built; the smoky Hill
cluse 70 the town. IL IS small stream Of clear
water, which one can almost step across, running
through tan grass / noticed several small fish IN its
Small this s tyct takes its rise 60 miles
further M the country, but IOr about half OF this
distance ~ contains water At grocery we were
shown some large nice onions grown al rancho near
BY a large pile Of waterBelous which were small
and dd look Ike good We could hear OF 10
other cultivation IN all that county and neither at Fort
Wallace nor sheridan any hihdOi garden vegetables
1 u