The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1913-08-14
PIONEER TO DRIVE
OK TEAM TO IOWA
Man Who Went to California In,
1862 Will Camp Out on
His Way Back.
A TRIP OF 1000 MILES
Ezra Meeker, Aged rs, Buys oxen ART
RebuiIds waoon from Ren,aipo ~,f
. TRIP OF 1000 MILES
Ezra Meeker, Aged rs, Buys Oxen art
Rebuilds Wagon from Remains ~
Ono Which He Used in Cross
ing Plains Years Ago.

tFIS = III Sot SASs
Starting from the Pacific coast anss driv
Ing an OK team behind which will b.
hitched a wagon in every detail like tn
prairie schooner with which so many PEG
pie crossed the Rocky Mountains In TIN
eos TO seek fortune and homes In the weAi
Ezra Meeker. aged rs, of Seattle, Wash.
will cross again the mountains to Iowa
this time on the eastern way retracing s,
far as possible the old Oregon trail which
he followed In making the perilous trip il
1852.
After winding his way through and oyel
the various anges of mountains he will
enter the state of Nebraska near Collins
on the North Platte, following this river
and crossing 1t three times by ford as he
did years ago and reaching Iowa at Ne
braska City, Heb., and Payne in Iowa
He will then GROSS Iowa to his old
home In Eddyville, a small town In Ma
haska county. Here he lived in 1852 before
he went west.
Retrace the Old Trail.
The old wagon which he used man
years ago in his trip will be used partly ON
this trip as he has made q new wagon
from the several parts of a nambe of cast
of wagons. The woodwork is all new ex-
cept one locust hub which is from a wagon
of 1852. 1t was found to be absolutely
sound and is a part OF a front wheel. The
axles are of wood of the same pattern as
they were In 1852 and beneath the e "a one
hangs the tar pail Of old. One cannot use
grease on such a wagon without finally
loosening the spokes in the wheels 50 tar
is used to prevent this. The wager bed is
really a boat as were all the wagon boxes
in the old time. This one used by Mr..
Meeker is tight and can be readily utfl-
~ m. q N ny-p In 11r~ = -
to be forded.
The proposed trip of Meeker began last
week when he left Seattle by boa and
landed at Tacoma. From there he went by
water to Olympia. From that point he
yoked up his pair of oxen and started out
in the style of the travellers of fifty years
ago eastward to old Iowa.
Has a Fine OK Team.
The trip as laid out and mapped by Mr..
Meeker is well told in a letter recently sent
by him. In part it follows:
My present team Twist and Dave ara
heavier than my Buck and Dandy
OF Hfty-four years ago and SO I have
thought 1t best to have them shod at the
inception of the trip. The crowds were so
great at the shop where I went to have
the work done that 1t was forced to be-
lone at night behind closed, so differ.
ant from the days when o~xshoeing was
10 omnaon all over.
There Is a pretty story connected with
he shoes that are now worn by Twist and
These shoes were brought across
he plains a few years later than my first
rip and were sent me by an aged LADY
With the statement that she knew I would
iced them before 1 shou,a finish my long
rip.
Saved from Butchers Hammer.
is a well trained OK and weighs |
40 pounds, and will work well in harness |
8 IN the yoke. I can drive him with a
poken word, simply by a motion Of the
land. Dave weighs 1850 pounds, Is a
ange-raised 4-year-old steer, and never
lad a yoke on him until two weeks ago. |
1e Is a fine fellow and I was lucky to get
i'm out OF the very slaughter pen.
NOW as to the wagon I had that built
I Puyallup after the pattern OF the old
lme wagon that crossed the plains In the
arly days The irons are from the re-
OF three wagons that crossed the
in 1923. The woodwork is ali
except n locust hub from a wagon
1852 which was found to be sound and is
a part OF the nigh front wheel. The /
xles are OF wood OF the same pattern Of,
ny wagon Of 1852, Inch pins and all. OF
curse; and under the bed hangs the old
tar ucket we'll filled with tar for USE.
Wagon Bed Is a Boat.
The wagon bed is really a boat as all
ne prairie schooners' were; but I have
AIKEN great pains to have this one light
nd ready for use at a moments warning.
crossed Snake river In my trip Of 1852 at
points with my outfit in the wagon
ed n maj possibly cross 1t again the
anne way during the present TRIP.
And nov a word as to my ability to
b trip. Many of my friends ara
lest at the age OF rs I Will be-
m exhausted and unable to proceed.
o s1oh | win say that I have never been
a day in fifty years and more: that
pnile = eat but two meals a day I can do
ustice to both and as for sIeep-Yeu WIN
1t that ant sleep In the open air and
hearty and happy. But / do not pro,
'ose to do all the labor incident to such q
rip but have well provided sufficient aid |
nat an the brunt OF the journey may be
aiken from my shoulders, leaving mo free
9 follow h trail and plan zach days I