Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-03-01

The SantaFe Trail is in my opinion the
oldest trail upon the continent. Certain it
is that when the first Spanish expeditions
went to exploring North America. start
ing from Cuba, they all were lost and
persisted in the wilds of the south. until
finally one survivor OF the third expedi-
ton wandered off northwest from the
gulf and found himself at last on the
Arkansas. and decided to try to go to Old
Mexico. over the trail which led up the
river, and in this he succeeded and thus
became the first white man to pass over
what afterwards came to be known as
the Santa Fe Trail. This explorers name
was Cabeoa, and he gave the first ac-
counts of the interior of the continent, the
first description OF the buffalo. and the
accounts of his wanderings through the
wild life of the plains when told in Spain
gave tremendous stimulus to the Span
ish explorers. When Coronado had con-
CURED New Mexico and started to leave
the mountaics and Gross the plains. ne
also struck the old trail and followed it
nearly if not quite to the Missouri.
Thus 400 years ago the white man
began using the old trail; the first trap
pers and traders used it with their mules
pack trains. 100 years ago; Captain Pike
got lost whenever lie left the old trail and
got into jail when he got to the end of it
The first wagon freighters came over
the Santa Fe Trail, the overland mail
coaches used it continuously, the United
States army used it in subduing the saw
ages; the Atchison. Topeka and Santa Fe
railroad used it; the automobile tourists
are using it now and must use it in the
future and soon the flying machines will
be following its course.
In 1912 just one hundred years ago,
Captain Beekwell took the first stock OF
goods from the Missouri river through to
Santa Fe, and thus started the trade
with New Mexico. He used pack mules
for his transportation and followed the
Arkansas clear into the mounteins and
crossed over into the Rio Granda valley
reaching Santa Fe via Tacos. Because CT
abundance of water and wood this was
the route usually travelled by the pack
freighters of the early trade, and many
of those who tried to cut across from
Fort Dodge to Las Vegas perished oil
thirst and hunger. While the longer, this
is still the better natural route and passes
- tair
scenery along many fine trout streams,
over our easiest mountain passes and
through much of our best farming and
ranch country.
Why not have a centennial celebration
of the opening of the Santa Fe trail this
year and mark the old pack trail from
La Junta to Pueblo, Canon City and on
over the pass to Fort Garland, San Luis,
Taos and Santa Fe9 This route would
tend to draw travel into the mountains
and to enlist the support of the mountain
towns for the making of good roads, and
enlist the active support of very much
larger region thanif our efforts are center
ed on the Santa Fe wagan trail alone.
The pack trail was used from 1882 to
1872 fifty years. and there was scarcely
one of those seventy years which did not
cover some momentous event which might
be used for centennial celebration all
along the trail for the next seventy years.
We all have to use it. And there's a
reason. Away back in stone age of man.
when the aborigines were living in the
ruins of southern Colorado. New Mexico
and Arizona.in their search for new homes
and better hunting grounds, they very
naturally followed up the San Juan and
the Rio Grande. passed through such low
places in the mountains as Costello and