The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-04-12

was one reason for their lack OF the
education which the school gives
They had the training OF the west,
which gave them rough, uncouth eK.
teriors and unselfgh hearts. Jim OF
Maj. Brldger, born in Washington
City, left the nations capital to traV,
ell "out West and become guide,
scout, map maker through the Rocky
mouEtains. Bridger's pass IN the
Rocky mountains bears his name. Jim
Bridger, II is claimed, first among the
white men Of America, saw Salt Lake
In the winter Of 1S24-5. Bridger waa
in the employ OF the United States
government for some years and served
under Gen. John C. Fremont as q
scout. He also gave valuable assist.
ance to the surveyors Of the Union
Pacific railroad.
The Bents, st. Vrain, Maxwell, Jim
Baker, the Coopers, the Gentrys, James
P. Beckworth, Bill Williams, Tom To
bin, James Hobbs-these are among
the famous soldiers, traders, trappers
and frontiersmen whose names are
Intimately associated with the ro-
nance and history Of the Santa Fe
Trail. Near Arrow Rock, Saline
county, Missouri, yet resides John D.
Turley 85 years old, who was "a
nous trader on the Trail, as was his
father before him. The lifetime OF
father and son covers the entire pc
riod Of the Old Trail. Judge Turley'a
last trip was in 1851, when the Trail
was yet in large use.
we fought Indians across the en-.
tire continent and carried on a most
profitable trade in merchandise with
the Mexicans," said Judge Turley.
I'VE bought whisky from the dlstiE
leries in Missouri at 16 to 40 cents a
gallon, and sold 1t In Taos at SO q
gallon. II was terrible stuff, too. We
diluted 1t with water, making two gal
Ions out Of every gallon, but even then
1t was terrible. The OK teams had
six yoke of oxen and the ordinary
load for wagon was 1900 rounds. A
load of 5000 pounds Is a good wagon
load now. We took our merchandise
to Taos or Santa Fe, opened a regu-
lar store, and would sell out our en-
tire stock in two OF three months. The
remnants of our last stock my father
traded for Mexican sheep at 81 a
head, took the. sheep to California, and
sold them at $40 a head. sold sas-
safras root at $3.50 a pound in Taos.
We travelled about 25 miles a day.
The last trip took 40 days. We met
on that trip Rose, said to be the hand
5omest Indian woman in the west |
My father made his first trip in 1925, |
and the Turleys stayed on the Trail !
until nearly the opening Of the Civil |
war. Various tricks were played on |
he Mexicans. There was tariff |
IN every load Of goods brought into /
Mexican territory. The tariff was
10 much a wagonload. If the wagon |
vas empty, it was admitted duty free.
Some traders would load the goods .
ust outside the Mexican territory into |
lalf the wagons and drive In with half .
he caravan made up OF empty wag-
ms CHuS pay ih5 DuJ Ha4L INC uuty- lAO
andangO-a kind Of public dance
vas the chief form Of social entertain
nent The Spanish girls at the fan.
.angoes were sometimes treated to ice
ream and whisky. It is a devilish
The story of the Old Santa Fe Trail
S the story of its Bents, Carsons,
Bridges, Woottons, Tur.
eys and the rest. They were
1en cast In heroic mold. Made By
he Trail, they we're makers of the
yest