Los Angeles herald., 1891-02-24
"A KANSAS EXPRESSION.
CURIOUS ORIGIN OF A PECULIAR
PHRASE USED IN THE WEST.

CURIOUS ORIGIN OF A PECULIAR
PHRASE USED IN THE WEST.
ssvollowing Toms Wheelbarrow" Is a
Term That Has Become Very Common.
who tom" Was-It Means That q
Man Has Done Wrong.
Among the scouts who accompanied
Gen. Sheridan during the campaign |
against the Indians in the winter of
1868-69, who were attached to headquar-
teis in the capacity of couriers, selected
for their courage and knowledge Of saw
age methods, was Tom McFadden, who
made record for himself, and was one
Of the scouts sent out by Gen. Sheridan
to bring "Sa-tan-ta" in as hostage
when the viIlainous old savage was sit
ting on his horse apart from his great
band Of allied warriors on a knoll, con-
templating whether to attack the troops,
who were in battle array one morning
IN front Of Fort Cobb, and who was ex-
tremeay impudent. McFadden wasafter-
ward one Of Gen. Miles scouts in his
wonderful campaign against the Indians
In 1871.
Late in the fan of 1867 McFadden and
two other trappers established a camp on
the Paradise, about two miles above its
junction with the Saline. They had re-
markable luck, and in a short time had
accumulated large lot of pelts, furs,
buffalo hams and elk and deer meat.
They possessed but one small team of
horses, and their supplies running low
they concluded to go to the then embryo
town of Ellsworth, on the Smoky Hill,
which had just been started on account
Of its proximity to Fort Harker, then the
most important military depot and post
on the plains. 1t was also the nearest
trading point for the many hunters scat,
tered along the rivers and streams of the
wilderness of central Kansas, and about
seventy miles from McFadden's camp.
So Mac and one of his partners hoofed it
into the new town, intending to hire
teams to bring their meat and skins to
the railroad, to purchase their needed
supplies, including poison-the most nee
essary article Of all their wants-with
which to kill wolves.
FINDING THE BARROW.
Arriving at Ellsworth they vainly en-
deavored to hire teams, but all in the
region had been employed by the quar-
termaster's department at Fort Harker
in hauling hay from the various "grass
camps" in the vicinity, so they had to go
back, as they had left their only other
partner alone in camp with but few
rounds Of ammunition and the Indians
anything but friendly. The railroad. at
the time of their arrival at Ellsworth,
was running train to what is now
Bunker Hill, then only water tank sta
ton, to which point they shipped their
supplies, as it was some miles nearer
their camp, intending to pack the most
needed articles on their backs and return
with their own team in a few days for
those things they could not take along.
After arriving at Bunker Hill and
dumping their supplies ON the little plat
form, dreading to start out on their long
tramp loaded down with what they must
take, intending to store the rest in some
secure place until they could come for
them, McFadden happened to see pile
of wheelbarrows belonging to the,rail-
road company piled bottom side up along
the track, and with the inspiration that
is born Of genius he turned to his part
ner and said, ''Dan, this darned question
of transportation is settled right here,
for here is vehicle that looks as if it
was constructed for our special purpose
at this ticklish juncture."
So, waiting until the station men were
out C sight, they proceeded to load up
one of the fortunately discovered wheel
barrows with their supplies, which in
cluded among many smaller things 200
pounds of -four, and away they went
across the high prairie toward their
camp. Their route went over smooth
country until they neared the ''breaks'
of the Saline, and then it required a
good knowledge Of the region to find a
passage through the precipitous lime
Stone bluffs which characterize that por-
ton of Kansas.
FOLLOWING THE TRAIL.
It is a.dificult matter, or rather was
in those early days, for "tenderfoot" to
find his way down into the valley of the
Saline, as it is the most tumpy region in
that part Of the state. Knowing the
whoae-country well, Tom and his part
ner struck for the'nearest point on the
river, satisfied that with their unique
means.o Of transportation they could go
down the bluffs anywhere and cross the
stream where wagon would not dare
to attempt it. At last the fortunate
hunters arrived at their camp, tired,
but'with their supplies intact.
The next season that immigration
which grew to'be phenomenal in SO short
q time began to seek the beautiful and
tempting valleys of the tributaries of
the Saline, and of course the only route
to the coveted localities was through the
rough country north of the Union Pacific
in Kansas, and the starting points the
stations of the road. Bunker Hill was a
favorite initial point on account of it's
neafness to the Paradise valley, and
McFadden's whee1barrow trail, which