CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1908-11-26
FRONTIER

which stirred the every day lie Of
the old freighterS on the old plains
would form the theme Of great work
which will probably never be written
for the reason that no one Of the
literary bent has ever taken the
trouble to assemble 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 q pleasing skit
Now there was the case OF Amos A.
Howell, one of the distinguished
plains freighters of the early days
He ran twenty-seven wagons with six
ira 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 along the way.
but when mules were used in winter
1t was necessary to carry grain for
them. Thirty men were employed in
a 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 q gov
ernment regulation that all trains
bound for Denver should be held at
Fort Kearney until a hundred armed
men had collected. Then a captain
was elected who was commissioned
by the government and had absolute
| charge of the train while passing
through the indian country. Mr..
Howell frequently occupied the posi-
ton, being well known on the plains.
On one occasion he halted at Cot
tonwood on the Platte. as the indians
were very troublesome and soldiers
were 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 iE sight
OF Cottonwood. a band Of gaily paint
ed indians attacked the train, suppos-
Ing II was q little outnt. but when the
indians came within range. the men
In tie covered wagons opened IRE and
began dropping the indians on their
ponies. The had . very pretty night.
in which the indians were badly
worsted. The bucks never attacked
wagon trains except early in the
morning or late In the evening. The
favorite sport OF the indians. however.
80. 60 r,su 0TP ehA ~en<pnr >eN~. Hh~ er~a
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 up on q high
point and look around awhile. This
would always be in the evening when
the train was near Its camping place.
Then he would disappear and come
back presently with another indian
wrapped in his blanket and riding
behind the same pony. One indian
would drop OF into the grass and the
rider would 20 back after another one.
In this way the indians were collect
Ing an ambush. thinking the freight
ers would never think Of II. A driver
called whisksy Bill was particular
clever at hating indians and whenever
an ambush was preparing he made It
his business to select four or i've
other men equally clever and 20 after
them.
He often killed a. many as four In
one ambush and sold their scalps in
Denver to the Jews for 4 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 great roaper and used to
take n horse when In sight of buf-
falo herd and go out after calves
which made tender meat. Riding into
the herd he would rope a calf, fasten
the rope to the ground with stake.
and then go on after another one
before the herd got away. He caught
several calves In this way for Ben
Holiday, who took them east
On one occasion when the train
was this side of Fort Kearney It was
necessary to stop to let herd of buff
falo pass. The men always had fresh
buffalo meat. In addition to their
bacon, beans, fried apples. rice and
bread. There was cook with the
train who drove the meas wagon but
he did not do an other work. Every
driver had to take his turn getting
wood and water for the cook and In
herding the cattle at noon. but the
~l~AA A>~A~. .AlA ~aHhh~. 49, -