Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-07-23
Opening Of the Santa Fe Trail.

Opening Of the Santa Fe Trail.
It was at about the beginning ~ tb;.
century that it dswned upon our peo.
pie that there were good markets a.
we'll a. cities and people in and near
this same Rio Grande Valley. and
under Mexican rule. There is said TO
be in the ancient palace vt Ssnte Fe
Spanish document proving the exist.
ence OF 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 Mexico. and
from one of them-Abiquiu-to Cali
fornia. General Kearny is said to have
dispatched courier over the latter.
But all efforts of the writer have failed
to prove the authenticity, or secure
proper translations, of the document
in question. Mr.. Gregg, in his inter.
eating book, 1.-THE Commerce OF the
Prairies (now out of print, from
which much information could be col.
lated. 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 pomp
and civilization went hand in hand with
royalty high prices for merchandise.
dc dispatched one La Lande, French
Canadian, on an adventure to Slnte Fe,
and Mr.. La Lande went thither with
alacrity. but omitted the trifiing formal
ity of coming back again. The log
huts of Kaskaskia knew him no more;
he lived in opulencs in a one-story
adobe house, while the excellent Nor.
rison
"LoOked for the coming which might not be"
and finally La Lande died in the odor
of sanctity, and was gathered to his ia.
Tiers, without having rendered any
account OF sales, or made any remit
lance to his principal.
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. however. marked the opening OF
the Santa Fe Trail, that wonderful road,
some eight hundred miles in length,
rising SO imperceptibly for three-q uar-
ters Of this distance as to seem absu-
lutely level, and without bridge FROM
end to end. There it stretched awny
toward the sunset half century ago,
and there 1t stretches to-day; and what
poets dream. what prophetic vision OF
the ardent patriot, steadfustly believing
in the future greatness of his country,
is commensurate with either the 70
nance or 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 mer.
chandise on sack horses or mules, and
1t was in 1924 that it was decided tu
use wagons, number of which reach.
ed Santa Fe with much less difficulty
than might have been expected. The
practicability OF this method being es
tabllshed, the trade began steadily to
increase, AMI III few years large
amount of capital was embarked there
in. Its initial point was first Franklin
some one hundred and fifty miles wes,
OF st. Louis; then Independence; then
Westport-ail these towns being ON the
| AAAAocSuAA AAvOAy oAu sAuo easily kCACuOu
during the season of navig .tion
Here were found motley crowds-trad
srs, outtitters, dealers in supplies of al
kinds, tourists, lnvalids hoping to re-
gain their health by trip on the plains
drivers, and roughs in abunda nee
rne covered wagons were drawn first
by horses, then by mules, then by both
mules and oxen, and were carefully
ioaded. Besides the merchandise, sup
plies for the men were carried-say,
bacon, flour, coffee, sugar, and little
salt, it beng expected that enough
Outfaloes would be killed to furnish
fresh meat. Starting of in detached
parties, the wagons would rendezvous at
Council Grove, on branch of the Neo
sho river, twenty miles north Of the
organization would be effected for mu-
tual aid and protection during the long
Journey. La such caravan there
would be, perhaps, ono hundred wag-
ons, and q captain of the caravan u
would divide them into four divisions,
with lieutenant to each. Every i'll
dividuai in the caravan was compelled
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 q hollow square
and temporary corral were made witt
the Wagons, and the camp fires lighted
outside of this square. Across
swamps, quagmlres, and even rivers,
the teams were driven, men being sent
ahead to make temporary bridges over
the first two, OF brush or loDg grass
covered with earth, and sometimes. for
crossing streams, to fabricate buffalo
boats of hides stretched over frames
of poles, or empty wagon bodies.-A.
A. HAYES, Jr., in Harper's Magazine.
The FIRST PUBLIC HosPITAL.-The
first hospital Of celebrity Was estab
ilshed ut C@sarea by the Emperor
Valens between $40 and $50. st.
Ephraim, who died in 38l, or st. Fabi
ola, in 400, is the reputed founder Of
intirmsrIes supported by voluntary con
trlbutions. 1t is related in the life Of
st. Ephraim that in the year $50 ter
| r,Li., fum,ua O0enrrad in tht, city al