The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-02
ENGLISH TOMS GALLANT EXPLOIT.
He Saved a Station from an Indian Attack
by q Surprising Revelation of HeroIsm.


haint heny meat hat the station!"
English Tom" as the boys called him, was
tenderfoot if there ever was one. He went
from Castle Garden to Galveston, Tex. and then
came directly to the far frontier. where he was
employed at one of the stage stations. He had
not been in the country over month, and
therefore was to the ways of the people
and also to life the border. AT that time
the stage line extended from Fort Worth, Tex,
to FL Paso, passed on westward through New
Mexico and had its western terminus at San
Diego. Cal. Branches extended from San An
tonic to Fort Concho and from Messila. N. M,
northward through that territory to Colorado,
but the main line from Fort Worth, then
quite a lively little city, to San Diego. distance
of about 1, 700 miles. This was the longest stage
line in the world And what country was
traversed by those heavy, rocking coaches with
their four wild mules.
From Fort Worth to Ell Paso. q distance of 7G0
miles, there was not town. The first place OF
any importance west of Fort Worth was Fort
Concho, over two hundred miles away, and one
of the frontier outposts. About every thirty
miles a stage station" occupied by
station keeper a 'stock- tender" and guard
of four five soldiers. Further west was
Stockton; still further Fort Davis and then
Ell Paso. 4 few saloons, a number of gambling
places and store or two comprised the s.town'
at each of these forts, but all along that
stretch of 700 miles there was not human hab-
itation except the stage stations. The four or
five soldiers at each station acted as guard. IN
case Indians attacked the place, as they often
did. Each stage also carried one soldier who
sat beside the driver and who was supposed to
represent the United States army in case the
coach was ambushed by Indians or attacked by
road agents. The drivers drove about sixty
miles Every other station was Swing
station. where the mules were changed, and ev-
cry other station was a home" one, where the
drivers lived. stopping at one home station
when going west, and the other when gong
east. Life at these far outposts of civilization
was dreary enough, but still it had some simple
pleasures. and not infrequently hardsh1ps and
perils.
The second station west of Fort Davis was a
''home," and called Van Horns Wells.
The stage company had spent considerable
money on or rather In, these wells, but at a
depth of about 200 feet they were as dry as at
the top. The next station westward was Eagle
Springs and here was large spring OF clearest
water. The distance between the two stations
was TWENTY-FIVE miles, and two men were con-
stantly employed hauling water from Eagle
Springs to supply the men and mules at van
Horns Wells. The poorest mules owed by the
company were used with this water wagon-four
broken-down animals that could not. by any
possible urging or abuse be induced to go faster
than a very slow walk. The wagon was com
mon affair, containing barrels that were filled
through the bung. The road between the two
stations led along gullies and washouts where
the tall grasses and bushes afforded easy ambus-
cades, Sometimes it led through small canyons,
where the Indians had been known to hide be-
hind the rocks and shoot the men on the wagon
The only water in that region was at Eagle
Springs, and for many years 1t had been Ia
| vorite stopping place for the rowing bands OF
| Apaches and Comanches.
1.English Tom made his appearance at Van
| Horns Wells in the summer of 1877. The first
thing he did upon arriving at the station was TO
become the possessor of a wolf-skin cap, with q
| long tail hanging down the back. The boys told
| him that the cap the proper thing and SO
| he sweltered, and suffered and wore it.
Indians had murdered the driver of the water
wagon, and the company had considerable diff
Guilty in getting any one to undertake the dam
gerous and monotonouS task OF hauling water
| to the and animals at Van Horn; Finally
''White Buffalo," a reckless young daredevil.
who had lost his last cent with the monte players
| at Fort Davis, was induced to take the place at
double pay, and English Tom. WAS sent to M
| The latter smiled when he saw his assistant,
| but said: Hell do, 1 reckon. I'll try him any
way" -,
place near the road and started away with a long
lope s'White Buffalo" reached for his rifle. but
| English Tom" sprang from the wagon, waved
| his wolf-skin cap in the ar, and started after
| the aeet-footed coyote as fast as he could run
| Thenit was that he exclaimed. LEAD i'm hoff!
| Fad i'm hof! There hahn heny meat hat the
| station"
| The rife dropped from White Buffalo's hand
| and he fell on the seat in ft-of laughter that
| threated to result in serious commissions 1t
| would be easier to catch an antelope than coy,
| ote, and even if it had been shot no civilized
man ever heard of eating one.
| Many joke was played on English Tom
during the weeks that followed. and his mist takes
| and absurd blunders seemed to promise a fund
| of inexhaustable fun for the drivers Besides,
| the boys felt strong contempt for the English
| man; for it was thought he was something of a
coward But there came a day when the lives
| of a dozen men depended upon English Tom,
| and he nobly did his duty.
| The summer had nearly passed away, no more
| Indians had been seen. and the superintendent
was thinking about putting cheaper man in
| White Buffalos place, when morning the
| station-keeper at Eagle Springs found Indian
/ signs near the water. He dared not follow the
trails any distance, but waited until later in the
/ day when White Buffalo and English Tom ar
| rived The former made a careful examination
| Of the footprints around the spring. Then he
| saddled mule and. without saying WORD,
| rode away. English Tom filled the barrels with
| water, and then went into the station and SAT
| in silence and waited.
The sank behind the hills along the lao
| Grande Soon the ''too-hoo. too-hoo' OF owls
echoed disnMlly through the canyons, as IL the
birds knew there was trouble in the, the air 7,
and the men in the rude cabin looked q,
each other One tried to tell a story and
another essayed song. but the story fell haa
| into silence The station keeper was the first
to speak of the thing they were all thinking
| about AZ wonder if he will try to pipe EN-
| 1t will be mighty risky to come back on thu
trail" he said The barrier has been broken
| and they freely discussed the situation. Would
White Buffalo endeavor to follow the indians