The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-08-16

Towards night the fact OF his
death could no longer be concealed.
major Ogden dead!n passed from
mouth to mouth, the last sentence
many ever uttered.
All was confusion, not only at the
Fort, but in PaWnee aud the adjOin-
ing settlements. Everywhere were
evidences Of grief.
As darkness was approaching, Mr..
Morris, with the assistance Of Mr..
Joseph Myer, lowered the body OF
Major Ogden into his grave. Those
two men, who had Cone many noble
deeds, were physically unable TO en-
dure another hours work, 80 they
went TO their homes weary and sad
OF heart.
a modest monument was after
wards erected to the memory of
Major Ogden upon a high knoll at
Fort Riley.
But hard fate was in store for
Pawnee. The sturdy defence OF free
dom by its citizens had given much
offense to the authorities at Wash
ingtOn. The town where such a
manly struggle had been made for
law and order, aud which it was
evident would become a rallyiug
UlAEE AuN III " Alu AAEEAAEA " Sec AkAn-
sas free State was OdiOus to the
supporters Of slavery. IL was, there
fore, determined to wipe Pawnee
from the face OF the earth. For
bringing about that result there was
ample legal machinery, and no de-
lay was made in putting that ma
chinery into operation.
In the original survey for Fort
Riley, which had been accepted at
headquarters at Washington, tract
three miles square had been laid out
for the Fort Reservation. But now
President Pierce ordered a new sur
vey for the Reservation OF ten miles
SQUARE, which made the site Of
Pawnee aud miles of the surround
ing country Government property.
RumOrs of this new survey reached
Pawnee as the summer was drawing
to close. The people resented this
injustice, but they were pOwerless.
Many had invested all they had in
making improvements and prepar-
ing for another year.
One day im September, as evening
was approaching, squad Of mount
ed troops rode into Pawnee. They
came to give official notice that the
site Of Pawnee had been taken for
the use OF the Government and all
Of its citizens must vacate their
homes on or before the tenth Of
October. Many refused to listen to
the grievOus words Of the officer in
command and shut themselves In
their dwellings. But this of course
availed them nothing. On every
house aud structure in the place was
found next morning tackled to the
=. r.1aaarH haarHaH
tiOn,n and signed Franklin Pierce,
President Of the United States"
The angry people, i'm their rage and
despair, pulled down the placards,
tore them into shreds and stamped
upon them. But unfortunately that
did not help the matter in the least.
On the next day the Quartermaster
at the Fort made the lower story Of
the capitol building "A commission
airy department.
The officer in charge told Mr..
Morris, who was still occupying the
upper story, and was strapped to his
bed with an injured leg, that he
would hold him responsible for the
goods beneath. This so enTaged his
friends, that they at once, although
late at night, carried him and all his
household goods to the vacant house
of Government Reeder.
The following morning found
every man securing the country for
shelter for his family, or for the
family OF friend. Some abandon
ed log huts were found, and these
were soon taken possession Of.
And so the days passed by.
The three weeks Of grace were al
most over, and the much dreaded
tenth of October would soon be upon
them, with all its possible horrors
and attending miseries. The fall
rains prevented much progress IN
the work OF getting out logs and
building houses; still every fair
hour was made the most Of.
The ninth of the month found
many still I'm their homes, II homes
these houses could be called. But
they reasoned, "Surely, we will not
be turned out; leniency will be
shown US, for we are n part OF the
Government"
What good were the vacant
houses, except to be pulled down or
burned? And yet the men who had
built them, who had invested their