Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1908-05-23


movement to mark the historic
al Santa Fe Trail is reaching it's
climax and consummation, by one
OF those ironic freaks of fate that so
often come to cap the best laid plans
of men with an antf-climax the most
notable remaining memorial of the
old highway is threatened with immi-
nent destruction. This is the Fonda,
later known as the Exchange hotel
which was the southwestern terminus
of the trail from the beginning to the
end of the commerce of the prairies
1t stands at the southeastern corner
OF the plaza in Santa Fe, and vas the
rendezvous of all the freighters
scouts, plainsmen, bad men. Indian
fighters, gamblers, prospectors, pion-
GERS, travellers, soldiers and settlers in
the southwest when Santa Fee was the
chief mart and emporium beyond the
Missouri. After bull team traffic came
to a close on account of the successful
rivalry of the railroad the old hotel
fell upon evil days, and soon degen-
Grated into a rooming house for So
Journers in the City of Holy Faith
Then the corner apartments were used
as a meat market, while the others
were rented out for housekeeping
rooms. But within the past few
months the old adobe walls have be-
gun to bulge alarmingly, making it
necessary to prop them up with heavy
t1mbers-- Naturally the ''roomers"
sought safer quarters, the butcher
moved elsewhere and the hosiery is
now vacant. Then an enterprising
merchant bought the property, and
has announced it as his purpose to
10 III
This impending disappearance of
the last relic of the Santa Fee Trail re-
naming in the city of Santa Fe is to
be compensated by the erection of a
memorial arch. This will be placed
In the plaza, directly opposite the
Fonda, at cost approximating 81 500.
A bill to that effect was passed by the
legislative assembly in 1903 1t was
provided that the work should be SUI
perfntended by a commission consist
ing of the mayor of Santa Fe, the
superintendent of the Territorial peni-
tertiary, and third person to be ap-
pointed by the governor Nothing has
yet been done. but only the other day
Gov Curry appointed Bradford L.
Prince to act as the third member of
the. commission, and the building of
the memorial viii proceed without
unnecessary delay. BY further pro
vision of the assembly, the arch must
be of stone quarried in New Mexico,
and the work must be performed by
convfcts from the Territorial peniten-
tiary.
Few Relics Now Left
The remaining bonafide relics of
this highway to the southwest are
few Through a large part of its
length, the trail is now followed by
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe rail
road. In many places the rails and
ties were laid along the exact line fol-
lowed by the old wagon trains Cross
ing the Ration Pass of New Mexico.
the trail is distinctly visible from the
car windows; and near the summit of
the divide may be seen one of the old
hating places-a road house on the
old Southern Overland stage route A
few miles further on is Starvation
Peak. landmark familiar to every
traveller in the old days, where it is
said that a number of early traders
were besieged by the Indians until
they died of thirst and hunger
Across the region which the Span
fards called The Grand Prairie" but
which the Americans named the
mile stretch, devoid of either trees or
waters This is now comprised in
southwestern Kansas. between Rich |
field and Hugoton. This desolate and |
sandy waste is now inclosed by the
wire fences of cattlemen, but is still |
unsettled and likely to remain so: and |
here, straight as the flight of the crow. |
stretches the Santa Fe Trail, still |
plainly visible. although no wheels A
have traversed it for the lifetime of |
generation Four wagon tracks. |
showing the deep-worn ruts left by /
the wheels, the paths trodden by the |
feet of mules and oxen. and the little /
ridges between, run parallel as far as /
the eye can follow them from the |
northeastern to the southwestern
horizon.
As the trade with the southwest