The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-11-20
The Story of a Pioneer.

The Story of Pioneer.
Mr.. George Simpson, the old Colo
RADIO pioneer who died at Trinidad a
few days since and was buried in
rock tomb on the top of high mount
ain, had seen many phrases OF life
In his early days he had been wan
derer from palatial home IN St.
Louis, and had mingled with the IL
dian tribes in the northwest far away
from civilization.
John McBrown, a ranchman on
Bear creek. recently related an inter-
esting reminiscence to a reporter for
The Denver Tribasaae- Republican con-
cerning Mr.. Simpson:
Mr.. McBrown was in charge OF the
Commissary of the army OF Capt.
Marcy in the spring of 1858, when on
its forced march from Taos to Utah to
supply Gen. Albert Sidney Johnson's
suffering soldiers with provisions. 1t
camped on Cherry creek, and Mr..
Simpson, attache of the command,
then and there washed gold in his
breadpan from the glittering sands OF
the suream.
Said Mr.. McBrown: 'Away back
in the early days, when the Missouri
river was the westermost border OF
civilization, young Simpson left his
home in St. Louis and wandered with
The Indians out toward the waters OF
the Columbia river. After long alb
seuce-like the prodigal son-he took
it upon himself to return to his home.
He carried with him skins and furs
from the Columbia with which to pay
his fare down the Missouri on the
steamer when he should arrive at that
stream. This happened in the year in
which the cholera first swept across
the country. AS the boat on which
Simpson glided down the stream
would approach sand bar, he MOTTO
ed line would be thrown out, made
fast to some snag or tree, and then
couple of deck hands would jump upon
the bar, shovel little hole in the
sand, pop a hlman being in it, cover
it with few inches of debris, and
then the boat would move on as though
nothing had happened.
Simpson made inquiry, and found
these hum an bodies thus left for the
crows and buzzards were the victims
of cholera. No sooner had the infor-
nation flashed upon him, than he be-
gan to realize that he, too, was des-
tined to be dropped upon one OF the
sand-bars of the Great Muddy. He
felt twinges of pain in his stomach, his
feet and hands were becoming numb,
and as he lay upon the deck, the
death crew would occasionally slap
him, to see if he was ready TO be
launched. At last he mustered
strength, and called the captain to him,
and requested that, when he was dead,
his body should be carried to his faith
er, at st. Louis.
...And who is your father?' inquired
the captain, as he looked upon the
diving man in buckskin and mocca-
sins.
".My father is old DR.. Simpson,
whom all the good people OF st. Louis
we'll know"
CDR. Simpson, said the captain,
why he is my family physician. Your
request shall be complied with.
"a few moments later the dying
prodigal saw the deckhand crew bring
a huge box filled with Jumps of ice,
which they placed by his side. The
last that he remembered was seeing
one of the grim and dusky crew, with
his hands placed together SO as to
form foot-span, measuring his body
so as to ascertain If the corpse would
fit the casket. Directly all was over.
The prodigal was dead.
'.For time the boat went creaking
and groaning along over the sand-fiats,
when, miraculous as it was, young
Simpson returned to life and began
kicking the ice in all directions,
and nearly frightened the wits Out
of the captain and all hands on board
"This was more than thirty years
ago." said Mr. McBrown, land Simp
SON not unfrequently related it
while sitting about the camp-fires
as his famous trip across the rivel
Styx."
AnecdOte of Lord HOughtOn.