Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-07-29
VOL. ~.
DOttilhgs by the Way.
Correspondence Of the Kco'oee Courier.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI,
a

Ouhuay, July lOCu, 1OiU. }
DEAR COURIER AS we have to remain
over here for a few hours, will work up our
rude notes of travel to this place
On Friday, at o'clock a. m we set out
on Hughes stage coach for Kit Carson the
terminus now of tho Kansas g. Pacific Rail.
road-had bought through ticket GO St. Louis
Mo-, paid SCOTS Travelled up Cherry
Creek-the most beautiful country you can
imagine. Near this point the Santa Fe,
Mexico, stage road and this have their June
tion and their stations, in half mile of each
other, and tho distance to Santa Fe, four
hundred miles, made in seventy two hours
to Denver from Santa Fe. We leave the
settlements now, and next station finds us at
Sulphur Springs, ten miles from the last sta
ton, and twenty two miles from Denver City
and amongst tho foot hills and pine barrcns
or bolts, similar to the pine belts of Northeast
Texas. We pass through similar country to
Running Water Creek, ten miles, stage station,
and Mr.. Edward Austin has small store
and grocery, that the Mcxicans or Spaniards,
who arc the principal teamstors, hauling lum.
Der, wood aud coal from the pincres around,
patronizo lie has a small rancho, and we
noticed, from his sign, had worked for sma'!
wages. From this point, going through
similar section, ten miles, We arrive at Kiowa
Station -dinner house, by stage agent, and
small rancho, of good land, on the lowa
Creek; was settled in 1865, by man who
had $500. Ilc has now fenced 100 acres
two hundred head of CATTLE out of debt and
worth $1,000. Three miles before we reach
this station, the Bjou Basin road turned off
west. Bijou pronounced Bisu u-Spanish)
Basin is park, and water in it, from it runs
tho Kiowa; settled pretty thickly. 1'hs is
tho region tho Arrapahoc and Sioux indians,
in 1868, attempted to clear out of the whites
and near whcl, our friend Moss was murder
ed, 26ih September, 1868 We pass on
through similar region, tor the last twenty
miles to Walkers Station T; twelve miles next
on to Reed Spring Station. Undulating
prairie country low and scrubby pines on
hill and fne grass. But no stock in Indian
country; no settlements between stations; no
one at stage station, except ono man in his
adobe hut with port holes, and his Henry or
Winchester Rifle, and navy pistol at his side.
While tho change of horses was being made,
we went two hundred yards Immediately in
front of stage station, on tho undulating prai-
rlc, and found the graves Of John B. Moss
and two comrades, who was murdered by the
Indians in this section, IN 28th September,
1868, as his rude head board, in pencil hc-
roglyphlcs, read Mr.. lustin had so partc-
ularly described the circumstances, place, &c,
that we had no trouble to identify tho same.
Our pilgrimage was necessarily short. for we
saw tho stage in readiness and hastencd back
We pass on to Big Sandy River Station
twelve miles rolling prairie, no timber, plcnty
OF wolves and antelope running around US
Big Sandy is now dry-200 yards wide We
had crossed Little Sandy three miles back
from Reed Spring, fifty yards wido, also dry,
but bridges on them to GROSS in winter. Then
on through similar country to I4ako Station
-surper house--stoppcd half hour. Here
we como to tho railroad and soldier camps
rough place-paid 81 for good supper;
change drivers, and made trade. Go down
railroad to Willow Springs Station, sixteen
miles-arrivc at II o'clock p. m. Many
soldiers hcrc--'tho commander, COL Gage,
sent an escort with the coach to protect from
Indians llo asked us if wo wcrc armed
told him we had good navy said that was
"better than nothing" and that lead us to
think that we had poor arms to fight Indians
with. lie said, lyon may bo attacked about
daylight in the morning-they never attack
at night. We havo aen many of tho rod
devils, around this cvonpg-eleven fow
miles the way you 60" &c.. We pass on to
noxt station, Hugo, sixteen miles soldiers
horc. leave OF O'clock, a. m. pass on to
Kit Carson, thrtcon miles, arriving at 8
O'Clock, q. NJ, twenty minutes before tho rail.
road train started cup coffee at Porry
House, and got OH tho train. So you see we
did otleavc one scalp with tho Indians; and
on the route, the nearest we saw an Indian