Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-10-10
EHasroRv oEArEoNEEE-
Buying cholera Vleurns ia che lLis.s1zs
River Thirty Years Ago.

EuEylng oholoEa ElcClHns Ia she lLfs.GuEE
River Thirty Years ago.
1Er. George Simpson. the old Colorado
pioneer VINO died st Trinidsda few days
since and was buried in a rock tomb On
the top Of s. high mountain, had seen
many phases Of life. In his early dsys
ne had been a -Haouster nom 8. llalzsllL
home in st. Louis, and had mingled
with the Indian tribes In the northwest
far away nom civilization.
John McBrOWn, 8 ranchmsn on Bear
creek recently related an interesting
"Reminiscences to reporter for 1hs Den
Der Irlb4Hs-R Republican concerning Mr.
Simpson:
bfr. McBrown was in charge Of the
commissary of the army of Capt. Mar
cey in the spring of 1858, when on its
forced march from Taos 70 Utah 90 gupe
ply General Albert Sydney Johnstonfs
suffering soldiers with provisions. &c
camped on Cherry creek, and AiF,
Simpson, an attache of the command,
then and there washed gold in his bread
pan from the elittering sands cf the
stream.
Said Mr.. lIcBroWn: "Awsy back in
the early days, when the Missouri river
was the Wester-most border Of CiViliza-
ton, young Simpson lett his home in st.
Louis and wandered with the Indians
out toward the waters of the Columbia
river. After q long absence-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 ct 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 a sand-bar, he
noticed q line would be thrown out,
made fast to soma snaR or tree, and then
a couple of deck-hands would Jump up
on the bar, shovel q little hole In the
sand, pop a human being in it, cover il
with few inches Of debris, and then
the boat would move on IS though moth
ing had happened.
simpson made inquiry, and found
that these human bodies thus left for the
crows and buZZards were the victims OF
colera. No sooner had the information
flashed upon him, than he began 20
realize that he, too, was destined 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 OCca-
siOnRlly 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 father,
at St. Louis.
"And who is your father 2" inquired
the captain, as he looked upon the dying
man IN buckskin and moccasins.
"My father is old DR.. Simpson. whom
all the good people Of st. Louis well
know"
CDR. Simpson ?" said the captain, why
he is my family physician. Your request
shall be complied with
"a few moments later the dying prodi-
gal saw the deCkhand crew bring g
huge box filed 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 a foot
span, measuring his body so as to sscer-
tain if the corpse would fit the Casket.
Directly all was over. The prOdigal
was dead.
'For a time the boat went creaking
and grooming along over the sand fats,
when, miraculous as it was, young Simp-
son returned to life and began kicking
the ice in all directions and nearly
the wits out Of the captain
and all hands on board.
"This was more than thirty years
acc" said Mr.. MCBrOWn. Sand Simpson
not unirequently related it, while sitting
about the camp-hres. as his famous trip
across the river StyX."