The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-06-09
KIT CARSON

Ill very mucu inc same Why Until Hl'
name became known as a hunter an(
trapper from the Columbia river tt
the Rio Grande, through the Sierra
and Rocky mountains. Where Boone
had migrated hundreds OF miles, Car
son travelled thousands, impressing his
personality upon the then uncivilized
portions of the southwest, reaching
out as far as the the Golden Gate or
the west and Texas on the south.
Whenever Kit Carson accompanied
an expedition it was always success
full. He could go for days without
food, and as a hunter and trapper hi
probably never had an equal. He
was cool and resourceful in emergen-
cies, and while he did not court dan.
ger, when ne found himself involved
he was always able to extricate him
self and his companions from peril
Those who knew him best loved him
most, and among these was General
Fremont, the Pathfinder, who had oc.
casion to know the kind of stuff Kit
Carson was made Of.
An incident is told of his craftiness.
He was being pursued by number
of Indians. They were so near him
that he halted his horse and decided
to sell his life as dearly as possible.
The scene was vast prairie section.
Before the Indians could attack him,
however, thought came to him. He
had lighted the prairie grass, and as
the wind was blowing gale and in
their direction and between him and
themselves blazed a wall of fire. He
mounted his horse and sped away.
At the smell of the dreaded prairie
fire the Indians ponies snorted and
reared and would not advance.
Carson was born on Christmas eve
in 1909, and in his babyhood his par
ents had moved to Missouri. From
early childhood he was master of
woodcraft, hunting and Indian fight
ing His first adventure far from
home was when he joined party of
traders on an expedition to Santa Fe,
the capital of New Mexico, from which
he proceeded to Fernandez de Taos,
which was to become famous as his
home, in after life. BY this time he
was regarded as the most noted hunt
OF and Indian fighter on the frontier.
Six years he spent as trapper in the
savage wflds. He then returned to
Fort Rent, where he settled down for
a time and married an Indian wife,
who died soon after the birth of a
baby girl. While on a trip to st.
Louis to place his child with his par
ents, he met John C. Fremont. FIRE.
mont knew his fame and secured him
as chief guide in his expedition of ex-
petitions. Kit knew more about In
dians than any other man in the west,
and without his assistance Fremont
could scarcely have succeeded. He
spoke their many languages or dia-
lects as readily as he spoke English.
lie krew their customs AM by the
time he met Fremont he had become
the friend of most of the tribes.
Fremont appreciated his services,
and tried to secure him an army lieu
tenancy, but congress refused, and
Carson retired to private life. Six
years later he won great admiration
by driving single-handed a herd of
close to 1000 sheep over the mount
aims safe to California. When he was
40 years of age he had acquired
amount of money, with
which he purchased a small tract of
land and settled down. The govern
ment made him chief Indian agent
for large part of the southwest, and
there never was a more successful
one in that section.
Kit Carson won his greatest fame
during the Civil war as commander
Of 1000 picked men who had been
selected by General Carlton to fight
the Navajo Indians. Carson in one
brilliant engagement defeated the In
dams and took 10000 prisoners, be-
ing the largest single capture of In
dams ever known. For this service
he was brevited with the rank of
brigadier general of volunteers.
Honors now crowded fast upon the
luiet, unassuming plainsman. But he
did not live long to enjoy them. The
of blood-vessel in the
neck killed him 1868. The Indians
mourned for him as for demi-god,
and his name is still a household word
throughout the west.-Statesman.
5000. 900. 900 BOND ISSUE