Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1902-11-29
w MEXICO. SATURDAY NOVEMBER 20, 1902.

"The men who attended these
Thanksgiving feasts were stockmen,
stage drivers, prospectors. government
officers from Fort Union and other
isen who were engaged In work In the
west.
"Wild game was plenty and previous
TO the feast there would be n big hunt.
Nick nacks like one gets these days
were unknown. After the hunt big
fire would be built and the barbecue
would begin. An OK would be roasted
whole. and the big brown bears roast
cd were delicious. Then we would have
lots of venison and turkeys. Those
feasts were great. At Maxwell's place
the tables we're sixty feet long and
they were always filled To overHowing
The Indians sat at one table and we
sat at the others, all eating the best
meals Of our lives. After the dinner
the Indians would have their fire
dances and the boys and Mexicans
would dance until very late at night.
There we're lots of sports then and
the betting stakes were very high.
Those who had money didn't think any
thing Of stalking $1,000 or more on
favorlte horse. Jim Hickland was the
greatest sport in the bunch. Kit Car.
son wasn't much OF sport; he was
rather quiet
people came all the way from San
Ia Fe and Elizabethtown and other
places to attend the one event OF the
year."
NO" concluded Sandy. "Thanksgiv-
ing now Is nothilg like We use to have.
1t lacks the interest and excitement of
the old days on the plains"
Evans Thanksgiving.
Another pioneer, the oldest in the
city, d. r. Evans, was also seen by the
Citizen representative and the story he
told Of the good old Thanksgiving was
equally as interesting.
"The first Thanksgiving l spent In
New Mexico was In 1872" said Mr.. Ev-
pns. his face beaming at the recollec-
ton of the day OF enjoyment. "A party
Of ten or fifteen Of us were camping
rorth of Elizabethtown and We had a
grand celebration. The forests abound.
| ed with wild game of every descrip-
ton. The entire party went on hunt
and on our return We had our roasted
barbecue. We brought in several bear.
deer and other game that got In our
way Then cutting the slain animals
into large pieces we roasted them be-
fore the large fires built for the 0cca-
sion. There were no Indians present,
rs we at that time were not on friend
ly terms. But the feast In the forest
with all kinds OF game at our disposal
was an event | shall never forget.
spent most OF my early Thanksgivings
in Colorado and there we also had a
grand dinner, at many of which the
Indians were present and they would
race. have chicken grabbings and al
kinds OF games. The races at these
events we're particularly interesting
Everything was fast and exciting, ye
never disorderly At the Thanksgiving
in 10, which / celebrated in New Mex
leo was connected with the railroad
stationed at Raton Pass. Yes. XII
Carson, .om Tobin aid other now .sm .m
GUS men were always present at these
celebrations In this territory.
TON Tobin was quite an interesting
character In those days, and was /,
partner Of Kit Carson. A story Is toll
CT how Tobin captured a couple o
native desperadoes on one of thes,
events. II was near the Sangre d.
Cristo range. Tobin with party wer,
on q march across the country. A thou
sand dollars reward was offered for I
, native named Espinosa and his son
Tohin saw a raven circling In the al
above forest. Watch that raven,
he said. and wherever II lights ther'
is meat Of some kind
Everyone kept an eye on the raven
, and advancing closer saw smoke aris
, ing from between the trees. Crawling
on their hands and knees they advanc
, cd within a few PAGES of the outlaws
They refused TO surrender and wer'
! shot through the head. The heads o
, the desperadoes were carried back Il
the camp In bag, which Tobin retain
to this day. This will give you al
idea OF the way we lived In those days
Il could tell all kinds OF storie
which relate to the strenuous life o
the early days. Thanksgiving was al
ways an event OF great interest amonl
, the plainsmen. because 1t was seldom
We could always get together AM
feast and enjoy ourselves"
.
INSURANCE SWlNQlE ERs.