Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-08-14
HISTORY OF THE SANTA FE TRAIL.
From the Globe sliver Belt.


James Kirker, Robert Mcknight,
Henry Corlew and Esteven Cushie,
who, in 1880, "made the Santa Fe
trail and marked the route followed
by thousands in after years" That
they marked the route is contradicted
by Gregg's Commerce Of the Plains, as
also by Niles Register. Fifteen thous-
and dollars worth of merchandise from
St. Louis, Missouri, was delivered in
Santa Fe in 1922, and the traffic had
increased to $4,000 in 1880, the year
in which the Las Cruces Republican
claims Hugh Stephenson and others
made the trail.
Freight was carried by pack animals
until 1924, when wagons were intro
duced as an experiment, and making
the trip without difficulty, were used
exclusively after 1925. In January of
that year, through the influence of
Col. Thomas II. Benton, of Missouri, a
bill was passed by Congress authoriz-
ing the marking out of a road. Thirty
thousand dollars was appropriated for
this purpose and that of obtaining the
Indians consent to the road and its
unmolested use. The U. S. commits
sioners appointed to conduct the sur
vey were Benjamin Reeves, George G.
Sibley and Thomas Mather, and
Joseph G. Brown as surveyor.
In 1925 a party left Santa Fe in
June and arrived in Franklin,
Missouri, in August, with 500 mules
and horses, and 'the Santa Fe trade"
continued to grow without intermis-
sion until the present time. But not
without interruption from the In
dians, which caused the committee on
military affairs to report to Congress,
in 1928, In favor of a movable escort
rather than a fixed garrison. The
recommendation was given effect in
1920, and Major Riley, with four COM
panies Of the 9th Infantry, from Fort
Leaycnworth, were detailed as the
escort. Protection was not continued
the following year, nevertheless, there
was al increase in traffic of just 100
per cent over the preceding year.
In ieal tho-f7erTtu I'v. tIrsiy rs1rr.y- bU
said to have become a business propo-
sition. Captain Glenn, Mr.. Bicknell
and stephen Cooper were the pioneers
of that commercial enterprise,
small parties of trappers and
traders had previously visited Santa
Fe. In 1915 Auguste p. Chotcau and
Julius de Nun formed a partnership
and went with a large party to the
Upper Arkansas to hunt, trap and
trade with the Indians. The follow
ing year they visited Taos and Santa
Fe, and were well received by Govern
or Mainez. But there was a change of
policy, the following year, on the part
Of the Mexican government, perhaps
for the reason that the "gringos" were
becoming too numerous, were
monopolzing the fur trade, killing the
buffalCes for their skins, and making
Of buffalo tongues,
luxury in the States, and even then in
the frontier village Of st. Louis com
manded a dollar each.
Who is it that has neither seen or
read Of Pixies Peak? If he has not,
he has neither travelled nor read the
and is therefore ignorant
Of the fact that prominent bump
IA, l47 feet high upon the earta's sur
face derived its name from that of
Major Zebulon NJ. Pike, an explorer,
by authority of the United States.
He was in Santa Fe in 1907. His
on the route, via the Cone
jos, across to the Chama, and down
that stream past Ojo Callente and San
Juan to Santa Fe, may be inferred
from inquiries concerning him and his
party, whether those men in ragged
apparel consisting Of oyeralls, breech
cloths, leather coats, and without COW
ering FOR the head, were a tribe living
in houses. Pike was promoted to
Brlgadler-General and lost his life in
1913, at the taking Of Toronto.
1t was misnomer to call the Santa
Fe road a trail. On either side, for
miles and miles, vast expanse Of
level greensward relieved the solitude
that surrounded you-unless, indeed,
there was visible band Of Indians, a
herd Of buffaloes, a prairie dog village,
a bunch ofantelope, a gray wolf, a
badger, or long-faced coyotes, with
furtiye glance, on a swinging trot,
putting deal Of real estate between
them and supposed danger. A trip
over the plains abOunded in interest.
rarity Of the atmosphere lent enchant-
ment TO the scene, the mirage SO
frequently seen was not the least in
teresting sight. For hundreds of
miles nature denied the wayfarer fuel,
but the buffalo, In the plentitude ofits
nature, supplied the omission, and no
one for the want Of fuel was compelled
to go supperless TO bed.