Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-18
kansas Manufactures and Mines.
II HON. ALEXANDRA CALDWELL.

appreciate the compliment intended by
your committee in assigning to me the SUBJ
lect of "kansas Manufactures and Mines ~
bot MI. President, when / see present so
many able gentlemen distinguished in the
annals of our state, must express my sim
cere regret that your committee did not
select from this number some one more
competent than to do justice to the subject
MY lie has been too busy with the press
ing and absorbing cares incident to trade
and manufactures, to afford the necessary
preparation for such an occasion.
However, In Difference to the request of
your committee come fresh from the work.
shop and factory, with the smoke and smut
of the forge upon my brow to contribute my
mite to the exercises of the evening.
Twenty-Five years ago was somewhat ex-
tensively engaged in the business of trans
porting military stores across the plains in
wagons.
Mr.. President, I am aware that an allusion
to this business Is rarely germane to the SUBJ
Ject, but request from members of your
committee that should make some refer
ence to this primitive mode of transporta-
ton is my apology for referring to it.
To those who lived here prior to the con-
struction of railroads west of the Missouri,
can not say much that will be new. About
twenty live years ago there were compare
lively few who realized the MAGNITUDE of that
business.
The great development in Kansas from
keeping in mind the fact that one-third of
century ago the most intelligent people of
the country had but an imperfect knowledge
of this fertile land, and as school children We
knew of it only upon the maps as part of the
"Great American Desert" the solitude of
which was only broken by the war whoop of
the Indian and the bowling of coyotes. To
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that vast country acquired by the war with
Mexico, military posts were established in
what is now Kansas, Colorado. New Mexico,
Utah and California.
The troops stationed at these points and
thousands of civilians who had gone west
In search of fortune were dependent for
support upon supplies east Of the Missouri,
the only means of getting which were by
wagon transportation.
Prior to the war of the great rebellion the
starting and Quitting places were Kansas
City, Independence and St Joseph, Missouri,
but dnring and after the war, Leavenworth,
Atchison and Nebraska City and Omaha
were the principal points of departure.
Leavenworth, however, was the point at
which the great bulk of the stores were con-
centrated.
It is desirable that some record should be
left of what at one time was the principal If
not the only occupation on the plains.
The magnitude of that business will be
better appreciated by referring to what was
done in this line. One company had its
headquarters at Leavenworth. The amount
of supplies required annually for the militia
ry alone amounted to from thirty-tive to
fifty million of pounds. l know that except
to those who are engaged in the business of
transportation by rail, the task of handling
fifty million pounds will not be readily I'M
derstood. Our expert and intelligent railroad
men, accustomed as they are to the business
of the day, will scarcely realize what is was
twenty-five years ago to perform this service.
1t would have been commerce of no mean
porportion for the great Santa Fe or the
Union Pacific railroads to carry.
train of twenty-five wagons, starting
from the Missouri river on the LIST of May, |
would not reach Salt Lake City until about
the LIST of October, or in four or five months. |
Now a train of twenty-i or more cars will
make the journey iu four of five days.
Then a passenger travelling by stage night |
and day, if unmolested by Indians, or not
delayed by storms, could reach Salt Lake in
twelve or fifteen days. now he can ride
there comfortably in the palace car in less |
Such, Mr.. President, has been the pro-
gress of the times.
Now let us see what kind of an undertake |
ing it was to transport 100000 of pounds |
by wagon sUually trains were composed of !
twenty-six teams, each wagon loaded with |
about 6,OO0 pounds, and drawn by six yoke |
of cattle or four to six mules. Oxen were |
used because the first cost was less |
than that of mules, and they could subsist on |
the grass alone, while mules or horses re- |
luired grain to keep them in serviceable |,
condition. Another advantage in the use of |
cattle was, that when they became fOOtSore |
or disabled, they could be left at stations to |
e., Sr,I tal
for beef, as the occasion might require.
With each train of twenty-siX wag-
ons there we're 800 head of cattle,
twenty-five drivers, a captain, or as
We then called him, wagon master, |
an assistant, and three extra
men: in all thirty men.
In times of imminent danger four or more
Of these trains were massed together, and in
cases of attack the wagons were drawn into
a circle, forming corral, If possible, near
stream of water. The animals were driven
inside the corral so formed, and the wagons
used for barricades.
To transport 100000 pounds in this
manner required IL, 600 wagons, 1900 men,
and 10000 head of stock. These trains of
travelled westward along the Arkansas to
Colorado and New Mexico, and in the valley |
IF the Platte to Wyoming, and beyond to
Utah and the shores of the Pacific. Had they
been formed into one continuous line, in the
way of travelling, We should have
lad a column more than 900 miles long.
This was an expensive mode of transporta-
ion. The investment in a single train of
wenty-six wagons was about $4,000, and
he means of transportation necessary to
larry 4, 600. 900 of pounds would cost more
han S5,OOOOOO. The cost of subsisting and
moving these caravans was enormous, and
therefore large rates of transportation were
oaid. 1t may be surprising to the railroad
men of the present to know that as late as
S65 the government paid 81 % per 100
pounds per 100 miles. The distance to Leav-
,nworth from Salt Lake City being LOO
niles. made the cost per 100 pounds $N or
s540 per ton. At this rate a train of twenty
i've wagons would earn 81, 800. To-day the
anne amount of freight is taken by rail at
ost of $500. Nothing better than such a
demonstrates what the railroads
lave accomplished towards annihilating dis
ance. and bringing the remote parts of this
treat country in closer relation.
While it might have been to my pecuniary
,enetit twenty years ago had possessed the
,ower to have said to the builders of rail-
Dads, when they reached the banks of the
,Iissouri: Thus far; no farther shalt thou
o." Yet the progress of the age demanded
he roads, and westward the star of empire
ook her way"
Those of US who lived in the river towns
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