Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1909-12-09

till. becoming exasperated, he at
tackled them in fist fight. The In
dians were never trained in that sort
of sport. and he threshed the two of
them beautifully. The camp then
took him, bound him, threw him into
a lodge and sat down to decide as to
whether they should return him to.
his companions or take him to the
mountains, and have a half days
sport roasting him. The latter was
decided on. A young lady of the
tribe, beautiful of course, as such
maidens always are in the stories,
went to where he was tied and re-
leased him guided him out of danger.
When parting she promised that after
certain number of moons, whether
there was peace or war between his
people and hers, if she would then go
with him as his wife. She was on
the spot on time and they returned
to the trappers camp together, where
she took up the duties of cooking
game, and curing pelts in his wick
up. 1t is said that he was always
true to her as any white man could
be to his wife. Smith and he spent
one winter on the Yellowstone and
over in the Black Hills. trapping
and trading with the Indians. l
have some doubt as to their being
on the Yellowstone that winter, but
believe the whole time was taken up
with the Black Hills trip. When
Smith passed southwest Of Salt Lake
across the desert to California,
Bridger remained on th- east side of
the snowy range. Always alert and
capable, he was trusted to make
many excursions for trade and trap
ping and on these had his share of
adventures, which time and space
forbids publication in this sketch.
In l83o3I, James Bridger was
one of the parties who with Fitzpat-
rick, one of the Sublettes, Frabe and
others, bought out the business of
Smith, Jackson and Sublette as the
Rocky Mountain Fur CO. and con-
tinued the business. Says Chitten-
den "he had long before this become
a daring leader.
Now acting on his own iniative
he led his expeditions every where
into all the hooks and cranies of the
northern range of the Rockies, and
as far south as the Green river, saw
many fights with the Indians, and
had many hair breadth escapes.
| On one occasion when the men of
the American Fur Co. followed him
into every beaver territory where he
went to shake them off, he at last
struck across the nges direct for
the Blackfoot country, where the less
experienced American Fur Co. men
essaying to follow, were masacred
by those implacable foes of the trap
pers. In 1882 he was wounded by
Blackfoot arrow, the steel head
remaining in the flesh, and the mis-
sionary Whitman extracted it in
1885. The Rocky Mountain Fur
Co. quitting the business, Bridger
ASSOCIATED with Vasquez in the fur
business. In I84S he founded Fort
Bridger, and for some time remain
ed at that fort in the transaction of
his business. When the overland
travel to Oregon and California
came, he fitted up with goods,
horses and supply of iron for the
fort blacksmith shop. Here while
the travel lasted he did a fine bust
ness. But as the business of his
earlier life had then began to van
ish SO this soon saw the approaching
end. The Union Pacific was tax
ing shape as an enterprise certain of
accomplishment. Bridger then or
even before had became a we'll known
guide for Government expeditions.
That great thoroughfare, the Oregon
trail, was in his estimation, the one
great road, the wonder Of the ages.
And indeed was the creates road
knnwn 70 hictoru In 1Q-o nhila