La Junta tribune., 1911-10-14
Kit Carson Great
Man of Old Trail
become = Mason some month.
BY Wakes Wnlisms

IOre MS ueath.
1 Il do not think ever knew
greater man than General Carson. He
WAS q born leader Of men. He was
not . martinez. as some Of the regu-
lar officers were, nor wrs he domi-
neering or distant He was kindly.
affectioned, brave. hospitable and ex-
tremely courteous He was the great
man Of the Santa Fe trail When he
died the last page OF the last chapter
OF the heroic days Of the old trail
was ended"
When the trail party made It's way
from the adobe dwelling into the sun
light OF the old fort grounds. the
tiger lily had fallen upon the gray
efed walk a gust OF wind had bro
ken the royal flower from Its stem.
Las Animas Is full OF history. They
make much here Of the Santa Fe
trail. Its pioneers.its romance and Its
history. The town has bought the
old stage coach which once carried
along the trail Horace Greeley and
keeps II ON constant exhibition and
brings IL forth at each annual fair TO
show to visitors as the one stage
coach OF the real old-fashioned type.
At each annual fair Santa Fe trail
day Is held, at which yokes Of oxen
are driven. The stage coach is In the
procession and all the pioneers yet
at leaf OF book Of the pas, to b.
present at Las Animas on Santa Fe
trail day. This afternoon In shop
window on tn. main street In the lit
tie town hung placard announcing a
Santa Fe trail dance. reproduction OF
the frolics of more than a half cen
tury ago. II was more than coin
cidence showing changed method
Of transportation In Las Animas
when. after looking In the dusk OF
evening at the old Greeley stage
coach. one turned to the highway TO
see coffin carried through the
streets to farmers home by auto
mobile
L. a Allen. who helped organize
Bent county when II covered prsctl.
cally all eastern Colorado. came to
Las Anlmas boy In 1863.
AT that time. said Mr.. Allen.
there were no real settlers on the
Arkansas river from Spring Bottom
east to Eastern Kansas. none on the
Picket Wire river aud up to Jim Ora.
hams stage station near Trinidad. II
was all Indians. buffalo. deer, ante
iop.s. and other Wild animals: moth
Ing going through the country only
on the old Santa fc tran or the
mountains or to Mexico some immi.
grants aud others with OK and mule
freighting wagon trains. II was In
thos. days On to Santa Fc.' pixies
Peak or Bust. mostly with them II
was busted proposition. Late In the
fall Pixies Peak returning. II was
Busted by God and back To their
people In the states. The frelghters
made money when they Tot throush
to Mexico without losing their mules
and oxen or having their soalps
taken. These were strenuous times
Mule skinncrs. bull whacks r.. freight.
ers. COW punehers and gold hunters
there were In and through the coun.
uy and all felt good. helped or
ganixe old Bent county. IL extended
from Hank Hunrerford's ranch upon
the Arkansas river east to what was
supposed To be the state line aud
a. far north and south as one want.
ed to go-bo defined line.
Il came on To the Picket Wire
river In the fall Of 1868 with n herd
Of cattle from Maxwell and BoKKs ON
the Grecnhorn Mountains. the first
herd In the country. The Indians
ran Us out over into New Mexico In
1854. We freixhted across the plains
In 1865. We came hack to the Pic.
ket Wire river In the winter Of
1855. We had much trouble that
winter with the Indians and they
killed some of our people. In isss
they killed lot Of our cattle and ran
Off muies and horses. but we got q
few of their scalps.
The first white pcrron In the
country vas Colonel william Bent.
who baiit Bcnt's 81 fort vp the Ar.
kansss river and Beats stoae fort
down the river twenty-five miles,
near old Fort Wis.,. atssrvard cailsA
Fort lysas. and Picket Wire rort.
near the mouth Of Pirkss Wire rivss.
u 70 voaAesfui The chanae that has
come oves the couatPy. fron Q Wild