The Portland daily press., 1894-02-21
OVERLAND IN '94.
An Encounter With Indians and Fourth.
of-July Speech.

Friends of Col. William r. Morrison,
chairman of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. tell story of how the
Colonel came to make the most ardent
Fourth of July Grafton he ever delivered
in his life, and under circumstances that
have left lasting impression with those
who heard it. Col Morrison was one
of party of about forty who crossed
the plains in 1S49 for the California gold
fields. Three of the party hailed from
Illinois, fourteen from Lafayette, Mo-,
and the remainder from no place in par
ticular. They had not been out more
than two or three ways until the neces-
sity of organization became manifest to
every member of the expedition, and
they decided to elect Col. Morrison their
commander AS events proved, Col.
Morrison was the right man for the
place.
The party carried with it from civiliza-
ton a wholesome fear of Indians. and
considerable quantity of alcohol, to use
in case of scarcity of fuel. One pre-
cept which had been impressed upon the
little party with special stress was not
to allow an Indian inside the picket
lines. All went well until they had
pentrated into the wilds of Kansas
some two or three days journey, when
early one morning one of the guards de-
serted the outlines OF two redskins in the
distance coming toward the camp at a
gentle lope. AS they approached, the
men in camp motioned them back; but
the Indians, presumably installing the
sign, continued to approach, and a shot
was fired which lodged a bullet in the
leg of one of the redskins.
They Disappeared; but they had not
been gone many hours before band of
Sioux mum bering nearly 500 men-the
Sioux being then on the warpath against
the Pawnees-swept down on the camp
like a whirlw;nd. Col Morrison ordered
the men to park the wagons, and to pre-
pare for the struggle that seemed 1nevlta-
BILE. but the redskins stopped when they
came within easy hailing distance and
a parliamentary advanced under flag of
truce to engage in a conIab.
Some of the men were for fighting
without parley, but the prudence of Col.
Morrison prevailed, and he advanced to
meet the Indian. The redskin demanded
to know why the whites had shot at his
the conditions to his associates, and a
consultation was held to decide what
course to pursue. Most of the men were
for fighting it out without surrendering
any bacon and -four, but again Col. Nor
rison's prudence carried the day. Valor
would have been misapplied in this case.
ouantity Of Bacon and -four was turned
over to the Indians, and they went away
satisfied.
The next day was the Fourth of July.
The men were feeling good over their
recent exploit, and resolved to COM
| memorate the day in truly patriotic
spirit. 1t had not taken the party long
to discover that Col. Morrison could
make speech, and they insisted that
in no better way could they testify their
regard for the great day than by listen
ing to an Grafton from their Captain.
The Colonel was lifted into wagon, and
from that position addressed his audience.
Those who heard it, and who have heard
him in Congress since, declare that the
Colonel never equaled that effort of 1s49,
standing erect in the midst of the great
plains, and addressing his thirty nine fol-
| lowers from wagon bed. Only once he
was interrupted. One Of the men, in
| patriotic exuberance, asked the Captain
| If it wouldn't be good idea to have
| a little something to drink, to which he
assented, and then finished his Grafton.
Just one incident in connection with
the celebration remains to be told. The
men continued to dilute their alcohol
all that evening in their desire to burn
incense to the eagle of liberty. and when
night came there was pretty seriously
disorganized camp; but worse happened
when morning dawned and they discov-
cred that there was no alcohol left with
winch to k1ndle fire big enough to cook
coffee Somehow they managed to get
along without coffee, and with no fur
ther serious mishaps the expedition
reached the end of it's journey.