The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-03-09
PIONEER TO DRIVE
OK TEAM TO IOWA
Man Who Went to California In
1852 Will Camp Out on
His Way Back.
A TRIP OF 1000 MILES
Ezra Mceker, Aged rs, Buys Oxen ane
Rebuids Wagon from Remains Of
One Which He Used in Cross
ing Plains Years Ago.

Starting from the Pacific coast and dfiv-
ing an on team behind which will he
nltched a wagon in every detail ike the
prairie schooner with which SO many peo-
pie crossed the Rocky Mountains in the
aOs TO seek fortune and homes in the west,
Ezra Mecker. aged 49, of Seattle, WASH,
will cross again the mountains to Iowa,
this time on the eastern way rctracing SO
far as possible the old Oregon trail which
ne followed in making the per!lous trip in
1852
After winding his way through and over
The various ranges of mountains he will
enter the state of Nebraska near Collins
an the North Platte. following this river
md crossing ii three times by ford as he
lid years ago and reaching Iowa at Ne
oraska City, Neb.. and Payne in Iowa.
lie will then cross Iowa TO his old
iome in Eddyville, q small town in Ma
,aska county. Here he lived in 1862 before
ae went west
Retrace the Old Trail.
The old wagon which he used many
7ears ago in his trip will be used partly on
this trip as he has made new wagon
rom the several parts of A number OF cast
of wagons. The woodwork is all new eX-
,ept one locust hub which Is from wagon
of 1852. Ii was found 10 be absolutely
sound and is Il part of a front wheel. The
axles are of wood of the same pattern
they were In 1852 and beneath the rear one
hangs the tar pail of old. One cannot use
grease on such a wagon without finally
iooscning the spokes In the wheels so tar
Is used TO prevent this. The wagon bed is
really boat as We're all the wagon boxes
in the old time. This one used by Mr..
Meeker Is tight and can be readily util-
'zed for an emergency In case a river has
Ia be fordeu.
Tho proposed trip of Meeker began last
week when he left Seattle by boat and
landed ut Tacoma. From there he went by
water to Olympia. From that point he
yoked up his pair OF oxen and started out
in the style of the travellers of fifty years
ago eastward to old Iowa
Has Fine Ok Team.
The trip as laid out and mapped by Mr..
Meeker is we'll told in a letter recently sent
by him. In part 1t follows:
MY present team Twist and Dave are
much heavier than my Buck and Dandy
Df fifty-four years ago and SO l have
thought 1t best to have them shod at the
inception of the trip. The crowds were SO
great at the shop where l went to have
the work done that 1t was forced to be
done at night behind closed, so differ
snt from the days when oxshoeing was
so common all over.
There Is a pretty story connected with
the shoes that are now worn by Twist and
Dave. These shoes were brought across
the plains a few years later than my first
trip and were sent me by an aged lady
with the statement that she knew would
need them before | should finish my long
trip.
Saved from Butchers Hammer. (.
Twist is a well trained OK and weighs
lao pounds and will work well in harness
as in the yoke. can drive him with a
spoken word. simply by motion of the
hand Dave weighs 1850 pounds, liz a
range-raised 4year-old steer, and never
had Il yoke on him until two weeks ago
He is fine fellow and was lucky to get !
him out of the very slaughter pen.
NOW as to the wagon had that built
at Puyallup after the pattern of tho old
time wagon that crossed the plains in the
early days. The irons are from the re-
mains OF three wagonG that crossed the
mountains in 1929 The woodwork +. all \
hew except one locust hub from wagon
of 1852 which was found to be sound and is
now part of the nigh front wheel The
axles are of wood of the same pattern OF
my wagon of 1852, Inch pins and all of
course; and under the bed hangs the old
time tar bucket well filed with tar for use.
Wagon Bed Is Boat.
The wagon bed is really a boat as all
the prairie schooners were: but have
taken great pains to have this one tight
and ready for use at a moments warming
crossed Snake river in my trip of 1852 at
two points with my outfit in the wagon
bed and may possibly cross 1t again the
same way during the present trip
And now word as 10 my ability TO
make the trip. Many of my friends are
solicitous lest at the age of 70 I will be-
come exhausted and unable to proceed.
10 such l will say that ] have never been
sick day in fifty years and more: that
while l eat but two meals day ] can do
Justice to both and as for sIeep--well. who
Is 1t that can't sleep in the open air and
be hearty and happy. But ] do not pro-
pose to do all the labor incident to such n
trip but have well provided sufficient aid
that all the brunt Of the journey may be
taken from my shoulders, leaving me free
to follow the trail and plan each day.
work"