The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-13
The OLD SANTA FE TRAIL.
ihe Famous Highway Across the Plains and Its Place
In History.
In History.

1r1o DGCn GGl1CnGQ DIV "A.
new history of the wild west" from
the pen of Colonel Harry Inman, late
assistant quartermaster of the United
States army The Old Santa Fe Trail"
IS the title of his book, and it is Dor
rowed from the name of that famous
highway across the plains which occu-
pled the center of the stage in the
great drama of the frontier, enacted in
the memory of the generation now
graying. The book is one of 500 pages,
and is admirably illustrated With draw
lngs OF Frederick Remington, repro
duced IN photographers, and by Thorn
as Wiling. The Macmillan company,
New York, are the publishers. The
story is told in admirable style and the
author keeps his own personality in
modest subsection. He writes out of
his own experiences and observation on
the plains, covering a period Of nearly
40 years.
Colonel Inman begins with q brief his
torical sketch dating from the explo-
rations and adventures of the Span
1ardS in the 10th and 18th centuries, and
a description of the ancient manners
and customs of the inhabitants of New
Mexico. Ultramontane commerce be-
gan in 1904 and 1906, when a French
creole named La Lande and a Ken
tuckian named James Pursley pio-
neered their way to Santa Fe. He traces
the gradual development of the trade
between st. Louis and Santa Fe. Up to
1924 all merchandise was transported
by pack mules. The dangers and the
advantages of that mode of transpor-
tation are entertainingly portrayed.
Colonel Innan recalls an instance
where a number Of mules loaded with
ammunition -'tumbled nearly 500 feet
down an almost perpendicular chaSm,
yet some of them got on their feet again
and soon rejoined their companions,
without having suffered any serious in
jury" Speaking of the stampede of
mule trains, he says:
Il remember one instance that oc-
CURED on the trail between Fort Hays
and Fort Dodge, during General Sher-
idan's winter campaign against the
allied plains tribes in 1858. Three Of
the wagons were dragged away by the
mules, in a few moments We're out Of
sight and were never recovered, al
though diligent search was made for
them for some days. Ten years after
ward farmer, who had taken up d
claim in what is now Rush county,
Kansas. discovered in & ravine on his
pdace the bones Of some animals, de-
cayed parts of harness and the re-
mains of three army wagons, which,
with other evidence, proved them TO be
the identical ones lost from the train
so many years before.
The advent of the wagon trains, the
development of a great commerce, the
addition Of the overland mail stages
and all the attendant circumstances are
traced, the narrative being enlivened
with accounts of many thrilling adven-
lures.
Hostile Indians and renegade whites
were a constant menace, and the old
trail has drunk the life blood Of hun
dreds of ill-starred mortals. The au-
thor gives this account Of how one Of
the most atrocious Of massacres was
avenged:
The fate of the Apache chief White
Wolf. who was the leader in the out
RACES in the canyon Of the Canadian,
was fitting for his deviliSh deeds. 1t
was Lieutenant David Bells fortune
to avenge the murder OF Mrs. White
and her family, and in an extraordi
nary manner. The action was really
dramatic. or romantic: he was on
scout with his company, which was
stationed at Fort Union, y. M, having
about 80 men with him, and when near
the canyon Of the Canadian they met
about the same number of Indians. a
parley was in order at once, probably
desired by the Savages, who were con-
fronted with an equal number Of troop
ers. Bell had assigned the baggage
mules to the care OF i've or SIX OF his
command, and held a mounted inter
view with the CHIEF, who was no other
than the Infamous White Wolf of the
Jfcarilla Apaches. As Bell approached
White Wolf was standing IN front Of
his Indians, who were on loot. al well
armed and IN perfect line. Bell was
g l.
about 90 PAGES from the Indians, eX-
actly equal in number and e5tent Of
line: both parties were prepared o use
firearms.
The barley was almost teGously
long and the impending duel was ar
ranged White Wolf being Vely DO q
and defiant. At last the leaders ex-
changed shots. the chief sinking &c one
knee and aiming his gun, Bell throwing
his body forward and making his horse
ear. Both lines, by command, fired,
blowing the example Of their Supeli-
ors. the troopers, however, squirting
forN ard over their enemies. The war
riors or nearly all of them, threw
themselves on the ground. and several
vertical wounds were received by horse
and rider The dragons turned short
about. and again charged through and
over their enemies, the fire being con-
tinuous AS they turned for the third
charge the surviving Indians were seen
escaping TO a deep ravine, which, al
though 100 or 200 PAGES off, had not
previously been noticed. A number of
savages thus escaped, the troopers
having to pull UP at the brink, but
sending a volley after the descending
fugitives.
In less than Is minutes, q of the 46
actors in this strange combat were
slain or disabled. Bell was not hit, but
four or FIVE Of his men We're killed or
wounded He had shot White Wolf
seven times, and so did others after
him: but so tenacious of life was the
Apache that 10 finish him a trooper
got a great stone and mashed his head.
This was undoubtedly the greatest duel
of modern times; certainly nothing like
it ever occurred on the Santa Fe trail
before or since.
g o o
In the case of Charles Bent, the SEN
timentalist, who believed that educa-
ton is all that is needed to change
the heart of an Indian, had a severe
disappointment. His mother was a
Cheyenne squaw and his father the
famous Colonel Bent He was born at
the base of the Rocky mountains and
at an early age was sent to st. Louis
ana given every possible educational
advantage. He was not allowed to
return to his home until he had reached
manhood, and then he spoke no Ian
guage save English. But on attaining
his majority he joined his father Al
7adi l,eal