The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-10


grounds boulevards and parks, but beau
tiful shade trees were planted along near
ly all the ordinary streets, and they
seemed to understand that it was about
as necessary to mulch and protect the
trees as to set them out.
Rapid Drive.
Referring again to George A. Bracket
and his dangerous ride with Frank Steele
between ST. Peter and Fort Ridgely during
the Indian war. and their meeting Dave
Redfeld, who had been wounded in the
battle at Birch Coulie, 1t was just like
Dave to jokingly ask for a drink, whether
or not he was i'm pain. He was a great
wit and amusing character. Your article
reminded me of a lively ride I had In
company with Bracket and Redfeld
across the country from Sioux City to
Mankato in June, 1865. They had been
filling an army contract. I was then en-
gagged in the Indian trade on the upper
Missouri and had come down to Sioux
City on my way home to Mankato. There
was no railroad or stage line across that
country at that time and we had to travel
by private conveyance. They had a cele-
brated pair of road horses called Rat
Tall and Red Iron," and 1 feared I
could not get team to keep up with
them, as they contemplated making
quick trip: but a contractor there had
pair Of young mules that he said were
good roadsters and that they would aver
age seventy-fve to eighty miles q day. As
I could find nothing better, bought his
mules: and buggy for 1915. : o.. g
The night before we started some OF
the boys were making considerable noise
on the sidewalk In front of the Warregan
house, the principal hotel in the place.
rel C9nfqjr (l1ff
who was sleeping on the parlor floor, uni
der a window opening on the sidewalk,
rose up suddenly saying he was a govern
ment officer and did not wish to be dis
| turbed.
Redfeld, who happened to be standing
close by, says: "You ant be We? Are
you an Indian agent or 'quartermaster?'
| The captain said he was neither one.
'"rhen,' says Redfield. shake, am glad
to know you, for you must be honest
The following morning was fine and we
got an early start, the rolling prairie was
beautifully green and looked like a park,
there were no settlers, between Will
coxes on the Floyd, fourteen miles from
Sioux City. and Cherokee, forty-fve miles
distant. It was called 'forty-f1ve miles
of prairie" and when the weather was bad
| it was dreary ride across It,. Mrs. Will
cox by the way, when a girl, was captured
by the Sioux Indians, under Inkpaduta
but was released.
By noon it was apparent my mules could
not keep up with Brackets team unless
let one Of them lope. The other was the
easiest going, fastest trotting mule ever
saw. In this way managed to follow the
horses closely. I do not remember the dis
lance made the first day, but it was a longs
hard days drive. The horses had extra
care but the only grooming the mules had
was a chance to roll in the sand when
ever we stopped long enough.
| The second day we lunched at ranch
near Fairmont, where there was q young
lady with some young friends about start
ing for Fairmont to have their pictures
taken. Redfeld manifested great inter-
est in the matter and offered to help Sc
cure good pictures. as he said he wished
to have one of the young lady to keep.
Early Day Photography.
Upon arrival at the artists Redfleld
asked all sorts Of amusing questions and
complim ented the artist on his fine out
fit, and told him he must be first class
artist If he could take a good picture with
that machine, but the artist took no Of
Tense and Redfeld never smiled. Soon the
young lady had arranged her toilet for the
first sitting and Redfeld urged her to put
on our watches, chains and rings, saying
he wanted her picture and to see how nice
she would look with three or four hundred
dollars worth Of jewelry on her. he posed
her, placing one arm on the back Of the
chair, allowing her hand to hang down
clasping the fingers with the other hand,
showing the rings conspicuously. He then
arranged the watches and chains satisfac-
torily and the artist said he had good
picture, when our jewelry was returned
to us and we bid them good bye, leaving
them all in good humor. I never saw
Redfeld again to ask him If he got the
girls picture.
In the afternoon Bracket made rapid
drive to Winnebago City. I thought he
tried to test the endurance Of the mules,
but to my surprise they stood the pace
and when unharr ,sed they rolled over
and over as usual, ninlble as dogs and
were eager for their supper, after making
200 miles, as the road ran, in two days
The next day we drove slower, after rest
ing at Vernon Center I started on ahead
with the understanding that would wait
for them at Rush Lake where intended
to Craze the mules and take a bath. After
waiting a while was surprise that Brack-
EFT did not come along and I feared they
might have passed by without stopping
to play a joke on me- But soon they ap.
peared with one Of them walking beside
the team as one of the horses was abou
played out and it was decided to stop ant
let them Craze to freshen them up a tlittl,
before pressing on to Mankato
AS we neared the town they undertook
to pass me, but the mules had done s,
! well thought they ought not to be beaten
and we drove up to the Mankato Hous,
. on run, finishing the 235 miles in abou
two and half days. over the prairie
. Bracket made a. big drive the next da,
, to Minneapolis. which think would hav
4been too much for the mules, for the
were very tired and dumpish for severa
days.
Band Of Elk
| The year previous to the above trip