The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-07-29

plains in 1857, to battle with the Nor
mons, gave the travellers comparative
immunity from Indian depredations for
a number of years.
IN 1859 the rush began to the gold
fields that had been discovered in 1888
near Pixies Peak and at other points
IN the Rockies. From 1859 to the COM
pletion of the Union Pacific railway
in 1863 the trails across the plains be-
came great thoroughfares over which
passed thousands of people to and fro
between the settlements in Colorado,
Wyoming, Utah and Montana ana the
Missouri river.
THE PRINCIPAL TRAILS
During all these years led up the
level valley of the Platte river. For
over five hundred miles no obstruc-
ton was met with, and roads were
wade by simply travelling along over
the level plains. Beyond Fort Larimie
the country became much more broken
and the travelling more difficult
Through the Black Hills, over The main
range of the Rockies, and acros the
barren deserts of the Green river, and
over the "Wasatch,' the traveller met
many difficulties. The scarcity OF
grass and water in these regions, ana
the steep, rough and rocky roads,
made it indeed an undesirable and dan
gerous part OF the journey.
Stage lines that '.annihilated space -
at the rate of ten miles an hour, and
collected % cents per mile fare, sprang
into prosperous existence on the plains
and in the mountains. pony ex-
press" carried dispatches and letters
across the continent in less than ten
DAYS at the rate of five dollars per
ounce postage, and the freighting bust
mes became colossal in the decade bet
ween 1859 and 1859.
THE FIRST BIG CONTRACT FOR
FREIGHTING ACROSS THE
CONTINENT.
Though the business of freighting
with OK teams across the plains had
been carried on to Santa Fe and other
far outposts, the movement of John
sons army opened up possibilities
for the freighter never before dream
ed oe by the few hardy spirits who
were engaged in it.
Alexander Majors, a resident of In
dependence, Missouri, and w. II.
Russell of Lexington, Missouri, under
the firm name of Majors & Russell
were among the most prominent and
best equipped freighters upon the from
tier. With them contracts were made
for the transportation of supplies for
the army, which marched westward in
July. 1857.
Cold weather caught the army and
the supply trains in the nigh attitudes
around South Pass and Fort Bridger
This. and the depredations of Mormon
scouts. who hung on the flank Of the
army and its supply trains, was dis
astrous to Majors & Russell. Several
of their trains were burned and their
animals driven off. The scouts were
under the command of a Mormon noun
taineer of many wives, named Lott
Smith. One of the trains was in com
anand of r. D. Simpson, known all over
the west as "Dick" Simpson, a man as
ready to fight as to eat. The scouts
came upon Simpsons train while 1t was
corraled on stream known as the
Sandy. at a. place ever since known as
.'Simpson's Hole" Smith and his mer
asked for the wagonmaster.
Hes out looking for some strayed
steers" was the answer Whereupon
without resistance, Simpsons thirty
teamsters. or "bull-whackers," as they
were called, were disarmed.
Then Smith seeing Simpson ap-
proaching, rode out to meet him and
said: 81 want your pistols
"Sir; no man ever got them yet, and
&c you think you can get them while
I'm alive, you have my permission tc
begin, sir" answered Simpson
II don't want to kill you" said
Smith. 'sbut must have your pistols
BY this time they had reached the
corral, and Simpson, seeing his mer
disarmed and under guard, said:
81 see you have me at a disadvan-
kage sir: what do you want?"
81 don't need the advantage. What
would you do if you had your arms?'
II would fight you"
mot rluch, said the disarmed team
eters. 1--WE came out here to whacl
bulls not to fight Mormons."
sfyou cowardly curs." cried Simpson
n1f I had been here before you were
fiisarmed, and you had refused to fight
I would have killed every yaller dog OF
Hurry UP Simpson" said the captain