The daily tribune., 1908-11-27
4 FRONTIER STORY.

The thousand and one incidents
which stirred the every day life OF
the old freighters on the great plains
| would form the theme of great work
which will probably never be written
for the reason that one CT the literary
bent has ever taken the trouble to as.
semble the facts. Once In a while We
get little glimpse Of the experiences
Of those days but the tales are only
fragmentary and merely form the
etching for pleasing skit. Now there
was the case of Amos A. Lowell. one
Of the distinguished plains freighters
OF the early days. He IAN twenty
seven wagons with six yoke Of oxen
to each wagon. An extra herd of
oxen was always brought along to
take the places of those that gave out
Altogether he owned 400 head Of
work oxen which were expected to
pick up their living on the way, but
when mules were used in winter it
was necessary to carry grain for them.
Thirty men were employed in train
of twenty seven wagons pulled by
oxen. Mr.. Howell was his own wagon
boss, assisted by his son Nat In
those days there WAS a government
regulation that all trains bound for
Denver should be held at Fort Kear.
ney until hundred armed men had
collected. Then n captain was elected
who was commissioned by the gov.
ernment and had absolute charge of
the train while passing through the
Indian country. Mr.. Howell frequent
ly occupied the position of captain.
being we'll known on the plans.
On one occasion he halted at Cot
tonwood OIL the Platte. as the Indians
were very troublesome and soldiers
we're expected to go through with the
train
But none came and finally Mr.
Howell unloaded five wagons, filled
them with armed men and struck out
for the mountains. Almost in sight
Of cottonwood,a band of gaily painted
Indians attacked the train. supposing
it was little outfit, but when the
Indians came within range. the men
in the the covered wagons opened FIRE
and began dropping the Indians off
their ponies. They had very pretty
fight. in which the Indians we're bad
ly worsted. The bucks never attack.
ed wagon trains except early in the
morning, or late in the evening. The
favorite sport Of the Indians, how
ever, was to run Off the stock after
the train had gone into camp for the
night and they always had one way
of doing it, which Mr.. Howell finally
learned
An Indian would ride upon a high
point and look around awhile. This
would always be in the evening when
the train was near its camping place.
The u he would disappear and come
back presently with another Indian
wrapped in his blanket and riding
behind the same pony. One Indian
would then drop off into tho grass and
the rider would go back after another
one In this way the Indians were
collecting an ambush thinking the
freighters would never think of It,
A driver called Whisky B II was par.
ticuiarly clever hunting Indians and
whenever an ambush WAS preparing
he made 1t his business to select four
or Ave other men equally clever and
go after them.
He often killed rs many as four in
one ambush and sold their scslps in
Denver to the Jews for suit of
clothes each, The Jews bought them
as relics and disposed Of them in the
east. The killing of Indians In this
manner was according to government
orders and strictly legitimate. An.
other driver was named Rube Dugan
He was a great voper, and used to
take horse when in sight of buf.
fao herd and go out after calve.
which made tender meat. Riding
into the herd he would rope calf.
fasten the rope to the ground with a