Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-09-18
PREMIUMS CARAVAN pkUJtCT.
Across the American Desert Before the
Iron Track Was Thought OF.

Across the American Desert Before the
iran Track Was Thought OF.
Mrs. NJ. \. Bingham, widow of the
late Gen. Bingham, met Gen. John G.
Fremont in Kansas City in the days
before the war, and has many incidents
10 relate Of the Pathfinder. One Of
| the most interesting refers 10 the meet
ing Of Senator Benton and Gen. Ere
mont in this city forty years ago to
discuss the establishment of a caravan
route 10 California.
Il met ten. Fremont along in the
%fifties," remarked Mrs. Bingham. HE
came here and stopped several days at
the famous Gillis house. l remember
taking dinner with him. He wa re-
garded as a brave, adventurous, daring
spirit. Welooked upon him very much
as people of today look upon Stanley.
At the time Gen. Fremont was in Kan.
sas City planning for a aravan to travel
across the great American desert. His
right hand man in this project was
Lieut.. Beale. a civil engineer, educated
at West Point. The father-in-law Of
Gen. Fremont, Senator Benton, was
also here, and regarded the arava
scheme ithfavor. They proposedtoim-
port camels from Africa and use them in
transporting goods overland along the
route known AS the Santa Fe trail. The
camels Were imported at a considerable
expense. but the trip was found i'm
practicable. The camels could not
stand the climate. 1t was proposed TO
winter them in Texas or Southern Cali
fornia, but the project fell through,
and the promoters Of the Echcme lost
considerable money.
II shall never forget" continued
Mrs. Bingham. ''how one bright sunny
morning Zen. Fremont rode away from
Kansas City on his way Ia California,
looking every inch a soldier in his
handsome uniform and military trap
pings. Refining his steed Ia II side. he
said lauEhiN-ly t. me: Whom ! come
back, get your saddle ready and | will
give you Il ride on M of my camcls.'
never In! the privilege of taking that
ride. Gen. Fremont soon forgot the
camel scheme, and went off 10 new
fields. The camel idea seemed perfect
~ feasible aud practicable. hut the idea
OF a Pacific railroad seemed prcpostsr.
ous. While discussing the caravan pro,
icct Senator Benton said 10 me-: 'You
are young, but YOU will live t. see the
iron ears start from Kansas City and
eros the mountains TO tho Pacific slope.
| am old. | shall never live Ia see il.
But | lmye confidence in the country,
and ! believe in the future of the rail.
road. This little town Of 800 inhab-
itanis will yet become one of the great
cities vi the world
II could not comprehend such a
project. was surprised Mt lis magni.
tude. Visions of my school days Of
the great American desert, second only
to Sahara in size, the Biographies said.
came fitting through my brain, and |
remarked:
But, senator, how about the great
American desert! Now can they ever
cross it,
THAT is nothing he replied.
Standing in the moonlight on the por-
tico of the famous old ellis house,
impressive and majestic in manner, the
aged senator has seemed To me ever
since a prophet. The caravan, which
seemed ; plausible, a failure-the Pa
ciiic road. which seemed so far away, a
success. Who can tell what To expectF'
Kansas City Times.