Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-09-02
NO. 80.


1t was about the beginning OF this centu-
ry that il dawned upon our people that
there were as good markets as we'll as
cities and people in and near this same
Rio Grande Valley, and under Mexican
rule There is said to be in the ancient
palace at Santa Fe Spanish document
proving the existence Of a trail in the last
quarter of the eighteenth century from the
old French settlements In what is now
Illinois TO some of the towns in New Meyi-
co, and from one of them--Abldutu-t
California. General Kearney is said to
have dispatched acourier over the latter. But
all efforts of the writer have failed to prove
the authenticity, or secure proper transla-
tions, of the document in question. Mr..
Gregg, in his interesting book, The Com
merce Of the Prdiries (now out of print),
from which much information could be
collated. stated that merchant of Kaskas-
kia named Morrison, heard, about 1904,
through some trappers, OF the stories which
the Indians had told them of this ancient
land, where Spanish p0mp and civilization
went hand and hand with royalty high
prices of merchandise. He dispatched one
La Lande, French Canadian, on an ad-
Il
went thither with alacrity, but omitted the
trifing formality of coming back again.
The log huts of Kaskaskia knew hlm no
more; he lived in opulence in a one-stery
adobe house, while the excellent Morri-
son.
Looked ;or the coming which might not be-
and finally La Lande died in the odor of
sanctity and was gathered to his fathers,
without having rendered any account OF
sales, or made any remittanc. to his pTincl-
pal.
Four men, starting with their goods i'm
1912, and manfully pushing their way Ia
Santa Fe, returned only in 1921, having
been imprisoned during nearly all the in
termediate time. The next year. however,
marked the opening of the Santa Fe Trail
that wonderful road, some eight hundred
miles in length. rising so imperceptibly for
three quarters of this distance rs to seem
absolutely level, and without bridge from
end to end. There il stretched away to-
ward the sunset half a century ago, and
there it stretches to-day, and what poets
dream, what prophetic vision OF the ardent
patriot, steadfastly believing i'm the future
greatness of his country, is commensurate
with either the romance or the reality OF
the march over and beside ii. during those
fifty years, of the pioneeer, the trader, the
soldier, the Free-State champion, the set
tier, and the railroad engineer
The first traders carried their merchan-
disc on pack horses or mules, and il was I'm
1924 that il was decided to use wagons, y
number of which reached Santa Fe with
much less difficulty than might have been
expected. The practicability of this method
being established the trade began steadily
to increase, and in few years a large
amount of capital was embarked therein
Its initial point was first Franklin, some
one hundred and fifty miles west of st.
Louis; then Independence; then Westport--
all these towns being on the Missouri
River, and thus easily reached during the
season of navigation. Here were found
motley crowds-traders, outfitters, dealers
in supplies of all kinds, tourists, invalids
hoping TO regain their health by trip on
the plains, drivers, and 'troughs" in abun-
dance, The covered wagons were drawn
first by horses, then by mules, then by both
mules and oxen; and were carefully load
ed, Besides the merchandise, supplies for
the men were carried-say, bacon, flour,
coffee, sugar and little salt, it being ex-
pected that enough buffaloes would be
killed to furnish fresh meat. Starting off
in detached parties, the wagons would rem
devious at Council Grove, on a branch of
the Neosho River, twenty miles north of
the present town of Emporia, and here an
organization would be effected for mutual
aid and protection during the long journey.
In such a caravan there would be, perhaps.
one hundred wagons. and a ''captain OF
the caravan" would divide them into four
divisions with a lieutenant to each.
Every individual in the caravan was COM
PEELED to stand his watch at night, and
this gu4rd must have presented a motley
assortment of clothing and arms. When
all was ready, the start was made. Every
night hollow square and temporary cor
raj were made with the wagons, and the
camp fires lighted outside Of this square.
Across swamps, quagmires, and even riv-
ers, the teams were driven, men being sent
ahead to make temporary bridges over the
first two, of brush or long grass covered
with earth, and sometimes, for crossing
streams to fabricate ''buffalo boats" of
hides stretched over frames of poles, or
empty wagon bodies