The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-26
HAS HAD LIFE
FULL Of THRILLS
James Hanrahan, Scout, Buffalo
Hunter and Indian Fighter,
Is in Salt Lake.
WAS FRIEND OF WILD BILL"
PARTICIPATED IN THRILLING
BATTLES WITH REDSKINS.

Drawing thoughtfully at a well-aged
briar as he stood before the blazing
crate fire in Judge E. F. Colborn's
home in Popperton Place last evening,
James Hanrahan, one of the few living
frontiersmen whose valor and grit
marked the entrance of civilization into
the west, told a story of pioneer days.
Mr.. Hanrahan is visiting old acquaint-
ances in this city for a few days. be
is reticent in talking of the thrilling
events in which he participated, but
there are friends here who know his
career.
When he tells of the west when the
west was in its infancy, the hearer is
carried TO wide dreary stretches of
plains dotted here and there with
droves of bUffalOes, he sees lonely lit
tie cabins-the trading posts of the gov
eminent for railroads had not spread
their iron arms across the west vet.
Battles to death between Indians and
desperate little bands of white men
are fought in all their savageness- The
Indians had not learned that civiliZa-
ton would eventually take from them
their boundiess lands and strip them Of
their war paints. Each miles progress
was met with bitter onslaught by the
savages. the path of the white man.
invasion of the west is an endless Gem
were buried together.
Came With Johnson's Army.
Mr.. Hanrahan came to the west with
Johnson's army in 1857. He was among
the first Gentiles to reach Utah He
located at Genoa, New, the first Nor
mon settlement made in that state. The
streams of Nevada held gold in their
beds. Mr.. Hanfahan prospected along
the creeks for the precious mineral and
met with some success. Later he went
to Fort Smith, and from that post
moved to Camp Floyd with an eXpedi-
ton. In 1868 he became acquainted
with Judge E T. COlbOrn in Hayes
City, Kan. This acquaintance ripen2d
into firm friendship. Hayes City Was
at that time the western terminus OF
the eastern division of the Union Pa
cific railroad. Freight was hauled by
wagon west from this point and Mr.
Hanrahan became government super
visor of the governments freight
transportation. The Indians, ever
ready to fight the onward march ot
civilization, found in the heavy SLOW
freight wagons a target for their at
1acks. The Cheyennes, ArapahOes and
Comanches were especially trouble
some A post was established at Fort
LeavenwOrth, Kansas This became
famous through its connection with the
overland freight hauling. Government
posts were established at Fort Dodge
! Fort Hayes, Fort LaTned and Fort
! Knew Great Generals.
1t was at this juncture in the history
of the United States that General P II
Sheridan. General G. H. Custer, Gen
eraI William H. PenTOse, William F
Cody buffalo Bid. Jack Hickocl
ovid Bid. Jack Stillwell, Benjamin
SHa1 nd
of others began to attain prominenc'
from their participation in TIE event
that went To mould the nations his
tory. Mr.. HanTahan was a persona
friend of these men. He took part II
many of the exploits that brought thel
names into history. Mr.. Hanrahal
served as a scout under General Custe
and had an active part in the famous
Black Kettle enga cement, which is con
ssdered by many as the most nOtaDi
exploit credited TO the fearless Custer
Riding into a. camp Of sleeping Indians
Custer and his small band Of best mel
captured fifty-twO prisoners before tn
1000 redskins who were camped nea
bv. could make any effectuaI resistance
Seventeen soldiers and three officer
were killed in the skiTmish that fol
lowed as the soldiers rode away carry
ing their prisoners with them. IN
savages lost at least 102 men. Thes
hand-tO-hand fights between Ihe Whll
men and their enemies continued wit
frequency up until 1874. In fact, 5
FREQUENT We're the battles that the ftgh
was almost continuous Mr.. Hanraha
passed through this period of warfar
without injury
He next turned his attention to buf
faIo hunting. The animals were roam
ing the western plains in enOrmOu
droves. Old hunters believed theT
were two droves, the northern an
southern droves, each containing mil
lions of animals. These two drove
ranged from the Canadian territory [
the Panhandle country in Texas. NJ
Hanrahan went to Texas and at Pal
Dora became acquainted with Fred ,
Leonard. now a member of the boar
of public works in Salt Lake, an
James LangtOn of Salt Lake. At Pal
Dora a supply post was established
In a few rough but strongly built 10
houses supplies of all kinds were KEEP
Hunters-and there were thousands