The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-07-01
Opening Of the Santa Fe Trail.

!, It was at about the beginning OF tins
century that it dawned upon our people
that there were good markets as well as
cities and people in and near this same
Rio Grande Valley, and under Mexican
rule. - -
-Four men, starting with their goods in
1872, and manfully pushing their way to
Santa Fe, returned only in 1921, having
been imprisoned during nearly all the
intermediate time. The next year, how
ever, marked the opening Of the Santa
Fe Trail, that wonderful road, somee eight
hundred miles in length, rising SO imper-
ceptibly for three-quarters OF this dis
lance. as to seem absolutely level, and
without bridge from end to end. There
it stretched away toward the sunset half
q century ago,a and there it stretches to-
day: and what poets dream, b pro-
phetic vision of the ardent patriot, stead
lastly believing in the future greatness
of his country, is commensurate with
either the romance II the reality OF the
march over and beside it during those
fifty years, of the pioneer, the trader,
the soldier, the Free-State champion,
the settler, and the railroad engineer?
The first traders carried their merchan-s
disc on pack horses or mules, and it was
in 1924 that it was decided to use wagons,
q 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 a
few years a large amount OF capital was
embarked therein Its initial point was
first Franklin, some M hundred and
fifty miles west of st. Louis; then INDIE
---I---. A. Uy1loot Ill &knoa
towns being on the Missouri River, and
thus easily reached during the season OF
navigation. Here were found motley
crowdsLtraders, outftters, dealers in
supplies of all kinds, tourists, invaids
hoping to regain their healthby q trip on
the plains, drivers, and ssroughs" In
abundance. The covered wagons were
drawn first by horses, then by mules,
carefully loaded. Besides the merchan-
disc, supplies for. the men were carried
say, bacon, -four, coffee, sugar, and a
little salt, it being expected that enough
buffaloes would be klIedto furnish fresh
meat. Starting off in detached parties,
the wagons would rendezvous at Coun-
ell Grove, on a branch of the Neosho
River, twenty miles north of the present
tOWnO VI IulpOIld, duu ACIO OIL O1SdAl1n
ton 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 com
PEELED to stand his watch at night, and
this guard must have presented a motley
assortment of clothing and arms. When
all was ready, the start was made. Every
night a 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
rivers, 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, fol
crossing streams, to fabricate 'fbuffalc
boats" Of hides stretched over frames Of
poles, o. empty wagon bodies. d.
Hayes, Jr., IN Harper's Magozine.