Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1879-12-20
FOURTEEN YEARS AGO.

give some lneefeeong Iemlniscences OF the
border, fourteen yean ego, from which vs
quote:
Ths la Of May, 1865, had come. and II.
ter struggle tor life for the Eve ysas Of
the cruel conhics that was nov ended, the
writer Of this, With his wife and family q
little children, took up their march scros
the desert toward the setting sun. In 1855
the Indians from Council Grove to the foot
OF the monniains, to use . familiar exprs.
zion, were bid. They attacked every train,
believe, that crossed the plains that year,
or annoyed il in some way. At Pavneo Rock
they charged Us several times but were re-
pulsed. The train consisted Of Eve hundred
wagons, and travelled doubled up or in Two
column, side BY side. for several houn Of
th.t day. The government trains and pri-
vaae teams were obliged to travel together
and in great puubers for protection. When
We got to larned on the Pawuee Fork, ve
were halted several days, during which tine
4 thousand wagons coDgregaied At that point.
When the military concluded TO let u (.a-s
on towards our destination, We we're pot un-
der On escort Of one company Of infantry.
There we're now two trains Of Eve hundred
vagoos each. One column went b. the river
route, 70 came BY what vss called the dry
route across the plains. instead Of following
the river to Dodge. This dry route vas some
fifty miles scross to the Arksnsas, aud where
the road struck the river they hsd Just con.
meoced building Fort Dodge, and the only
wafer was at Coon creek, some fifteen or
twenty miles from Larned. We csmpsd
about two O'Clock ia the afternoou Of the
6res day ct Coon cree<. and had Just got
comfortably to work preparing our food,
when thirty Indians dashed oser the hill
upon some Mexican hsrders, killing two
and scslping one. The one they scalpsd A.
terwsrds recovered. In the hurry Of scalping
The Mexican, one Of the indians, having dis
mounted, lost his horse. which ran direct ,
into the camp. He wss . splendid animal,
bedecked with paint and his forelock and tail
o,namsntsd with feathers.
AT Dodge We had TO lie again for num-
Der Of days, and when We got permission to
start, were put under the escoft Of Captain
Thayer, with one company Of the California
Column. He used great prec,uIion, march
ed port Of biz command along the river. pazs
on the bluffs, zone in Cur front and ssns in
the rear. We hastened slowly, and On the Let
Of August arrived II Bsnt's old fort.
We we're weary and worn: our constant
snxietv, and being obliged to keep conssanl.
ly within the column, slowly following he
OF teams. and not daring to 60 one hundred
yards from the train or camp. had played |
US out completely.
At Col. Boone's old place, fifteen milss !
this aide Of Pueblo, there vas IN socauP. |
ment called Camp Fillmore, whore one con-
pany Of cavalry was stationed. Pueblo vas
meaere and stinted village; the whole |
county was At stand still; the var vss
over; the government had ceased to pay ous |
with lavish hand any more greenbacks in |
this region.
In the iAiI Of 1865 corn vas worth 10c per |
pound; wheat loo to l5c per pound; -four |
SO to $50 = sack; lard 40c per pound; cedse |
81; bacon Soc; ham 75c; and everything |
else in proportion. Mining had scarcely COM
menced. A person coming from the ''ssasss"
- il was then termed, soon found that he
must "scrstch gravel" and that pretty live
~, or 20 back over the came weary way he
had just travelled. We concluded to say, and
he fret thing We did was 10 buy . scyshs
and try to make hay whilst the sun coutinu-
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