Morning journal and courier., 1891-12-09
agtw yapea 9ailg gornins yonsnal and Courier

 Laramie somewhat later. The searching l party at once headed in that direction, | and arrived at the fort October 16. The | six weeks journey from Independence to | that place had been an eventful one. At the start, on September 1, the party numbered but five, but two weeks later United States officer and two men joined, and still later anoth- CT officer Captain Papin) and six men, who were waiting for sufficient force to safely cross the dreaded Pawnee country. Their strength now being adequate they moved on. On the 25th of October they reached the Platte river unmolested, having seen but one small party of sIndians and half a hundred thousand buffalo. Andrew Good year was impatient and remained at the fort but two days before pressing forward to meet his brother. On the 27th they reached the Sweetwater river and little later passed Chimney" and "Castle" rocks, famous in later days. The search was prosecuted with yigor, but it was not until November 9 that the brothers met. No words can picture the surprise it gave the old guide and trader as his brother was announced.
 In the thirteen years, existence of this trading post no other had been established within hundreds of miles. This solitary station had stood upon the very confines of exploration. Recently, however, party of Mormons had broke into Miles Good
 years solitude by locating a station some forty miles further north. This was forty miles too near; such close neighbors were far from being wanted in that latitude, and when few weeks after his brothers ar
 rival overtures were made by another
 party of Mormons to purchase his post and stock, he closed bargain at once, and quartering his family safely struck out !, ,;s for Tha Ar,oo ori- can Desert" as denominated then.
 The following winter was passed in that region and in California. In the spring they returned to the old post and spent l the summer in preparation for returning
 to the east. A large drove of horses was | collected and in September the train started. It reached what is now St. Jo-
 seph, Mo-, late in December. At this point they expected to cross the Mississip- l pi, but the lateness of the season and @ lack of suitable boats prevented. Besides, here all was turmoil and confusion. Waves of adventurers from the states were dashing against the insufficient accommodations | for time, and then plunging forward in
 mad race over the plains. Gold had l been discovered in California and the con- tinent was on fire to secure it. The Good years sold their stock at fabulous figures and, carried away by the rush and the hopes of the hour, engaged themselves as guides to large party, turned their backs
 on home and civilization, and swept west | ward like tornado for the promised land. The familiarity of Miles with the coun- | try was of immense advantage to his l party. They crossed the mountains in | ffty-four days, landing the wearied and begrimed gold hunters on the Sacramento
 ten to fifteen days in advance of any other | train.
 l rho o,o,4;o,, oe .r,,,1;o. fo- 4ba Iord..
 pouring in the brothers saw would be 8
 serious one. Packs and trains of mule teams were immediately set in motion,
 8 scheme which proved far more
 profitable than practical mining.
 This enterprise was followed dur l ing the summer of 1S49. In the fall
 of that year Miles set out with a train for | the head waters of the Tuba river. Be- | fore reaching there he was taken sick, and
 so grave were the symptoms that an Indian | was dispatched hurriedly back to his
 brother. The latter lost no time in reach
 ing him, but was too late to be of service. He died shortly after, with the request
 that his children be cared for and that he
 be taken back and buried beneath large
 oak near the village of Benicia, where he
 had fondly hoped to some time make his | home.
 Thus his eventful life closed November | 12, 1849. Well may it be asked, if in the
 brief space of thirty years, many of the
 sons of the old commonwealth of Connecti-
 cut saw more of romance-experienced
 more of adventure-shaped more events
 which have passed into history, than did
 this hero of our sketch.
 The returning train tenderly bore him
 down the Nevada slopes and he was buried
 as requested under the majestic tree. The
 passing tourist curiously gazes at the mar
 ble slab which marks his resting place
 there, and if he draws nearer to the sacred
 enclosure he may read the epitaph pre-
 pared by the sleeper only few hours be- l fore his death.
 The mountaineers grave.
 He sleeps near the western Oceans wave. l SHELDON B. THORPE