La Junta tribune., 1911-11-04
At Taos. Trail
Journey Ends
By Walter Williams
BY Walter W ,lliams

Craig, whose widow now lives In
Kansas City 4 scar ON Captain
simpsons head shows the effect OF
wound received at that time The
American flag was flying 10 the
plaza over Captain Simpson as he
talked II had the faS put UP when
Lincoln was elected president Of the
United States and We have kept II
flying every day since tina, time he
said 1T was difficult task occa-
sionally, but We didn't permit any
body to take II down. This was the
extreme frontier town Of Mexico.
Here was the custom house. her. Vas
trorble with smuggicrs and her. most
OF all. was Tulley's distillery and a
depot for smuggled goods, This town
was originally called Fernandez de
Taos. but soon all that was left of
was made here out Of the native
wheat. raw. fiery spirit. known In
the days Of the Santa Fc trade as
Taos lightning II Was the most
profitable article o' barter with the
Indians. who exchanged their buffa-
10 robes and other valuable furs for 4
supply Of II a, tremendous sacri-
flee.
At RI Rito was the last fight IN
this section Sith the Indians This
vas With the Apaehes ard was a
most vicious struggle. vas an
express rider Tor military heaiquar.
ters travelled from Santa Fe 10
Trinidad. and then east Five days
after the overland mail started
would leave headquarters with mli-
tRry dispatches ard o,ertakc the oy-
crlaud mail on the Way Vas paid
$3.50 month as express rider and
IN addition received two rati1us.sach
worth So a month
4 knew Kit Carson. Of course. very
well he was made great largely by
General Fremouts writings Carson
was not a great man There were
other hunters aud 'rappers and lndi-
an FIGHTERS who were his equal Gen
cral Fremont could not get along vell
With his men. however. and Carson.
with his even disposition and easy
manners would get along well with
everyone and thus aided General Fro
mont, who gave Carson all praise
There we're other hunters and fght
ers older aud better than Carson
and some of them called him Bub'
Colonel ST vrain. whom ! knew
rell. was of French descent u"
weighed about 200 pounds. was dark
complcnioned. and his face was badly
marked with smallpox lie was not a
hard drinkcr. but h. wass an inyet.
crate gambler There was more gam
bling than religion In Taos then. ~.
erybody gamblcd
The fayoritc gambling games al
Taos were monte. poker. faro and
brasg Brasg vas thrre.card game.
which nobody plays anymore. II was
a modified form of poker
The pioneers suffered more from
whisky than they did from Indians
and Mcsicaus Probably twenty per
cent met violent death and the
most off th-s. deaths were causd a.
result Of whisky drinking. They
were a hardy set Nobody ever wore
an oy"rcoat Most men wore cot.
ton shirt and ths, opened at the
breast Mos, Of the spanish and In.
dian women wore single garment.
They lived long aud enjoyed lie.
Il remember Santa Re when there
was only on" American woman In
that town, Mrs Mary Green. whose
husband was the proprietor OF the
Fonda Whisky was made In si,
distlllcri,s In Taos and fr.ish,cd to
n.ighboring towns wha, drunk
1t gave you
In the fifties when came Ia
Taos. board at the Fonda a, Santa +.
was s. day FOR room and si5
month for table board This was the
hotel a, the End Of f,ho.Tral Bows
and arrows Nrr. still In us. and