La Junta tribune., 1911-09-16


- trail The trail had other
starting points at other times In It's
history The first expedition To
Santa Fs vent out from ST Louis in
1903 aud never returned In later
years Fayetie. Independence. " est
port Landing, In Missouri. and Lsay-
enWorth In Kansas. we're initial out
flung points for the Santa Re trad
ers. When the national government,
spurrod 10 action by demands from
the west. surveyed. mapped and. for
a brief t.ne. guarded the trall. the
surveys had for beginning point,
Sibl.y. the site Of Fort Usage. where
the Atchisou. Topeka and Santa Re
railroad nov crosses the Missouri
river But Ia the early days Of the
Santa Re trails glory aud romance il
began at the town Of old Franklin.
IN the county Of Howard. iu the state
OF Missouri
Where old Franklin stood the wa
ters Of the yellow Missouri flow The
toWnsite is in the very channel Of
the river When Captain William
Beckmell-the father OF the Santa
r. trade-lsd his first trading eNpe-
dition in lsz0 from Missouri to santa
Re, Franklin VAS the largest town.
the social and commercial capitol uf
Central Missouri The Missouri river,
a turbid, tr"acherOus stream. shifted
It's channel and the Franklin tosu
houses acre washed away Tn. old
town vas abandoned In Is1s and
after the great flood Of Isif.th. town
site became N" channel over which
steamboats, had their way
Only one house remains OF old
Franklin This house. nov the farm
residence Of William Buschmryer.
was originally schonlhouse or. 10
quote the name given by the charter
under the provisions Of which il
was erected. ID vas Franklin Ara-
deny n ls a iRO-story brick house
In excellent state Of preservation
Houses a"re built 10 last Boa the
days Of the beginning Of the old
trail and they fulfilled this purpose.
In Missouri. the general assembly
has passed, follow Ink the example Of
Kansas Colorado and New Mexico. a
bill, which has been signed by Cover
nor Iiadley. making appropriation for
marking tho old Santa Re trail II
IN" first marker H. placed where the
center Of IN. old town pf Franklin
stood. 10 Will b, somewhere near the
north pier OF the Missouri. Kansas
and Texas railway bridge across the
Missouri river from Howard county
10 the toWu Of Buonyille Boz Cooper
county A group OF apple trees may
De- found ON the hill overlooking the
bridge Where these apple trees
stand laden with fruit today Vas Fort
Hampstead. IN. fort 10 which th.
early settlers of ola Franklin fed FOR
rrtug. from On. Indians A. the old
trail ran by fh. fort a marker might
well be- placed near IN. Hickman
house or the Hrrudou, residences
which date back thr-rqmrtsHs nf O.
century Near the Hickman house
stands au old loE structure. said 20
har" been originally a doctors office
IN Fort Hampstead The apple trees
are llual descendants 1f On. first
apple trees Do th. Missouri river val
ley Tradition has d. that apples from
Kentucky Nyro eaten Ia IN. old fort
and the apple seeds thrown out Of
the stpokad" and sprsug up into seed.
liug trees There are good apples
on the trees today.
The snrtinE point ot tb. old trail
Wa nlso the birthplace. of the first
American newspaper west of St
Louis This vas the Missouri lnt.lIl.
gcnc"r, which began It's publication
April %, 1878. its editors aud pub
fishers ver" Nathaniel Patton and
benjamin Holiday The first i,su.
OF The intellis"ncor Was four pages.
each lNHsi inches la size. and was
printed upon Ramag. press. a
wooden contrisanco With cast.Irun
bed IN" press II nov owned by the
M"rcantil" Library. 10 which Il was
presented In 1883 by the late Col
William > ssitzl"r. historian aud
journalist of Columbia Tn. press
o. vrll as the school came az the b..
ginning of the Santa Fe trail
Great names In western history as
vel ~ great events are associated
with the history u Old Franklin. tho
starting point of the sanaia Fo trail.
brief though that history Nas At
The hright Of l's Elory IN rNgo old
Franklin had nearly 1000 lbbahI,a,t.