Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-26

cause Il wasn't no uncommon thing to Sc,
bears almost any day In Pike county II
them days AS for a matter o. that, it't
a been somethin' more to talk about IL
feller travelled Hvc miles without seem {
bear than II would a been IL he seen ont
every mile or So
When Majors learned OF tho proposed
mutlny he walked over TO the campfire
where Van Winke the ringloader was
sitting. and asked him II the report was
true. Van Wrinkle said 1t was. aud showed
by his hearing that the men proposed TO
stand By him Without discussing the mat
ter then Majors told the men to so to bed.
saying he would see about II In the morn
ms. At break OF day the guards came In
with the oxen, which had been grazing on
the nutritious grasses OF the prairlcs and
Majors was up ready for the contest, He
called for all bands to assemble, and then
lie gave them lecture Having explained
his side os the case and having shown them
chat he had performed his part OF the
agreement he said IN conclusions
END OF THE MUTINY.
And now hcys, 7 admit that you have the
power and the numbers to do as you
propose. iour pan Is certainly a good one,
and II looks as Y you ought to win but
there Is Que thtng you have forgotten. he
fore you succeed there Will he funeral
Either | will manage this train or you will
have to bury my body right on this spot.
All you who Will stand by me aud my
orders walk over there where the wagon
master is standing aud you who refuse re.
main where you are. Then VIC can scon
settle the question who shall rule"
He had scarcely finished before the men
with one accord moved over on the side OF
order, leaving Van Wiakle standing alone
Van Winkle burst out into tears and
begged to be killed at once but Majors
replying that he had no time TO bury dogs.
walked away, and the train was soon in
motion, Van Wrinkle was exchanged for
another man of train which was met a
few days later
Mutinies We're not uncommon on the
plains, and sometimes a freigh,er would be
left alone on the prairies, or would be COM
PEELED to submit to the dictation OF his men,
no matter what their demands might be.
Instead of cards ana noisy demonstrations
about the campfres, the men of Majors
trains sang hymns and read the scriptures,
and often Majors led in prayers. sundays
were regularly observed and the teams and
men had the entire day in camp.
THE UTAH EXPEDITION
When the government decided to send
General Albert Sidney Johnston with an
army of 5000 soldiers out to Utah TO compel
the Mormons 20 obey the courts and ter
rltorial government the business of transport
ing government supplies quickly assumed
large proportions. The army halted in
the fall of 1857 at Fort Bridger TO await the
arrival of supplies before proceeding for
ward. The delay of the government in get
ting the supplies up the river to Fort
the immense quantity of freight across the
plains, compelled General Johnston to put
his men on short rations before the winter
was over. He sent Captain Marcy with
detachment Of men and pack mules across
the Rocky mountains in the winter season
H.. .l,,,- Ia hA I "a
valley, for supplies. The expedition
foundered through deep SHOWS until their
limited supply of provisions was exhausted.
The mules starved to death, and the soldiers
had to subsist upon starved mule meat Tor
weeks. Their sufferings were terrible ana
when they finally struggled into the valley
many were barefooted and in rags, and had
relief from the fort not come in time they
would have perished.
Three of the trains with supplies from
Fort Leavenworth were captured near Green
river by the Mormons, the men were sent
back the oxen driven off into Utah and the
goods burned Early in 1858 the freighters
had matters moving in good shape and be-
fore the end of that year they had 3,5OO
wagons and 40, 600 oxen moving about l6,-
900 600 pounds of freight into Utah for the
subsistence OF the army. To assemble such
a great number of wagons, TO purchase ana
drive to the frontier post the number of
several thousand men employed demanded
experience and executive ability OF the
highest order. Majors had the needed
qualifications. while his partners had the
energy and skill necessary to handle the
business end OF the contracts.
When the government stores had been all
safely landed in Utah the freighters sold
some of the wagons and oxen to emigrants
bound to California and the remainder OF the
wagons were stored until the following year,
when they were sold at auction for about $40
apiece to the Mormons, who broke them up
for the hard wood material they contained,
and used the heavy tires In the manufacture
of nails. The oxen were driven over to
Nevada to be kept over winter and then
taken en- into California to be fattened for
the market, but snow storm of great
severity overlook them and ont Of the $1,000
to the states in 1860 and the government
stores were sold to the Mormons at auction
at absurdly low prices. The military occupa-
tion of Utah was a profitable matter for the
Mormons.
That was the climax of overland freighting
on the plains. Majors and his partners
cleared $2 0000 900 in two years out of the
business and lest much of 1t afterward by
the pony express and daily stage line from
Fort Leavenworth to Denver. Majors con-
tinued the business until the railroads
pushed across the plains. Freightens then
confined their labors to distributing supplies
from railway stations into the mining regions
Of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Now there
are no long wagon routes. for the railroads
reach every place of any importance through
out the entire mountain region and the bull
eams with the bullwhackers have passed
iWay,