Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1902-10-17

manding personality made him q force
ful and prominent figure. From 1876
until the early sos his "bull teams"-
oxen-freighting from upper Missouri
river points we're about the only means
Of commercial communication with the
frontier.
"When the Sioux City street railway
was started, July 4, 1884, Fred Evans
was the superintendent and general
manager. The track extended from
the intersection of Fourth and Pierce
streets to Otto street. where the big
barns for long time were located.
"At the beginning the rails we're light
and laid on small ties, which were few
and far between. The equipment con.
sisted of four little cars, ten feet long,
each drawn by little Missouri mule
no bigger than the ordinary Jerusalem
donkey. Mr.. Evans at that time lived
in the homestead at the southwest cor
ner Of Seventh and Pierce streets. The
mules we're kept in the barn, which
still stands on the premises, and an
office was erected on the corner of the
alley and Pierce street, on the same
lots. It since has been removed.
"Mr. Evans was born November %,
1885, in Geauga county, O. In 1855 he
left for the west, and for year stayed
at Hedens' Point, Wis. In the fall of
1856, in company with two other young
men, he took skif and pulled down
the Mississippi river to Davenport,
whence he went by rail to Iowa City.
From Iowa City the three young men
walked to Kanesville, now Council
Bluffs. Kanesville was Mormon out
fitting post. Barefooted and out of
money, Mr.. Evans gladly accepted an
offer of 81 cord to chop wood. Dur
ing the years of 1856 and 1857 he worked
in logging camp. In the spring of
1858 he bought yoke of oxen and
went to teaming for himself. In 1859
he joined party of seven which teamed
a part of the distance to Pixies Peak.
A disagreement arose in the party, and
three went to California and five to
the Walla Wslla valley, Mr.. Evans be-
ing one of the number which went to
the latter place. 1
"In 1860 he returned with load of
ponies to the Missouri valley, and in
1861 bought ranch near Grand Island,
Neb. It was not long before he owned
LOCO head of horses. Here he secured
his real start. He was the first treas
urer of Hall county, and was this
counties representative in the Nebras-
ka territorial legislature. In 1868 he
and Miss Theresa M. Beal, of Grand
Island, were married. Mrs. Evans
still is living.
"In 1868 Mr.. Evans moved from the
Platte valley to the Missouri valley,
and founded the town of Sloan, south
of Sioux City. He plated the town on
his farm, established a general store
and started the place doing business.
From the timber on his land he fur.
nished the ties which we're used in the
construction of the Illinois Ceutral
railroad from LeMars to Sioux City.
''In 1871 Mr.. Evans removed from
Sloan to Sioux City, and he and the
late Frank H. Peavey entered into a
partnership to engage in the hardware
and agricultural implement business.
"Mr. Evans in 1875 organized the
Black Hills Transportation company
purchased an outfit and started for the
gold fields in the vicinity of Deadwood
In 1876 he and John Hornick organized
the Evans & Hornick Transportation
company,w which ran steamboats, from
sk.-A L.