Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-02-03

teamng outfit 10 a. 900 oxen and 1000
wagons, dividing them into outfits, or
Trains moving out Of independence.
Mo-, on a certain date, and scheduled
10 reach Santa Fe or Salt Lake or Dem
yer, as the case might be. on a certain
date. The organization for crossing the
plains consisted Of twenty-five wagons
carrying from three 10 three and one
half tons each, the merchandise being
protected by sheets Of ducking. Each
wagon was drawn by twelve oven. and
the train was provided with thirty or
forty extra animals In case some OF
those drawing the wagons went lame.
The whole train consisted ~ from 800
10 $50 cattle and o half dozen mules
for herdlng and riding. The force Of
men consisted OF a wogan master, his
assistants. the teamsters, a man 20
look after the extra cattle. and three
or four reserves, in case some OF the
Transfers were III or were picked OF
by hostile Indians. The teamsters did
not ride on the wagons. but walked
alongside the six yoke Of oxen No
sooner did a driver undertake 10 ride
awhile than some OF the cattle baked,
some wanted 20 trOt, and the whole
NMflNt were III an ulipdIs
oxen almost altogether were used In
freightng, because they were more re-
liable for long trips, and because they
foraged for their own food, and, with
proper care, could travel 1000 miles be-
tween April and November. and stu be
sleek and salable. A freight train made
about twelve or fifteen miles a day and
when necessary could make twenty
miles over good roads and for a short
time. All day they logged along the
trail. the only sign OF civilization In
great circle Of hundreds Of miles. The
wagons carried -four and provisions
and clothing and implements to the
mining camps from the Eastern centers
Of supply. In the mining camps the
arrival of the train was looked forward
10 with the most pathetic eagerness.
a delay Of a few days might mean
that the outfit" had been attacked by
Indians. the drivers killed. and thou
sands Of dollars worth Of supplies which
were 10 stand between the miners and
starvation had been burned Day after
day the train crept along al almost
snall's pace. At night the oxen were
turned loose TO Craze. Wagons were
drawn up to form a corral, each wagon
tongue being turned out and the fore
wheel OF one chained TO the hind wheel
Of the wagon In front In this way
they formed an oblong pen, protected
by wagons. This offered a bulwark
against Indians. and a lot into which
the cattle could be driven and harnessed
In the morning. BY daylight the camp
was astlr, the herd was rounded up,
each man cooked his breakfast OF coffee
and bacon, yoked his oxen and started
at blast from the wagon masters
horn. Colonel Majors used 10 time his
men In hltchlng up, and found that In
sixteen minutes they could yoke the
twelve oxen hitch them 10 the wagons,
and be ready to move.
Day and night the train was guarded
by two men, the teamsters taking turns
at the duty The wagon-master's word
was law. He knew the trail he knew
the Indians, and even II there. had been
a disposition to disobey orders a man
who left the train and its protection
and supplies was almost sure 10 be
found a skeleton bleaching on the
plains before many weeks. Each team
ster was paid 81 a day and expenses.
At first the Santa Fe trail, in the
valley OF the Arkansas river. was used
almost entirely In carrying freight.
Later there was a great traffic over the
northern route. In the valley Of the
Platte. The government sent out sup
plies from Fort Leavenworth 20 forts
fur-her west, and when. in 1857, troops
were sent to Utah, the business greatly
Increased.
ColOnel Majors was constantly with
one train or another on his overland
freight, and had many adventures Of
one sort and another.