The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-08-14
PIONEER TO DRIVE
OK TEAM ITO IOWA
Man Who WENT TO California In
1852 Will Camp Out on
His Way Back.
A TRIP or 1000 NILES
ezra Meeker, Aged rs, Buys Oxen aEt
Rsbuilds Wagon from Remains 81
One Which He Used in cros1
ing Plains Years Ago,

Startfng from the Pacific coast and driN
ing an OK team behind which will be
hitched a wagon In every detail like tbs
prairie schooner with which so many peo-
pie crossed the Rocky Mountains IN tho
Sos TO seek fortune and homes Ia the weNk
Ezra Meeker. aged rs, Of Seattle, WASH.
viii cross again the mountains to Iowa.
this time on the eastern way retraci1g SO
far as possible the old Oregon trail which
he followed in making the periious trip IN
1852
After winding his way through n over
the various ranges OF mountains he will
enter the state Of Nebraska near Collins
on the North Platte, following this river
and crossing It three times by ford az he
did years ago and reaching Iowa at Me-
braslka City, Neb., and Payne In Iowa
He will then GROSS Iowa to his ola
home In Eddyvilie, 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 many
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 number of cast
of wagons. The woodwork is all new ex-
scept 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 Ind beneath the rear ons
hangs the tar pail OF old. One inc use
grease on such a wagon without hnally
.loosening the spokes In the wheels 80 tar
Is used to prevent this. The wagon 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 util-
lied for an emergency in case a river has
to be forded, @. @"lah. ,tHa
The proposed trip OF Meeker began last
week when he left Seattle by boat 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 n Dave are
much heavier han my Buck and Dandy
of fifty-four years ago and so I nave
thought It best to have them shod at the
inception of the trip. The crowds were SO
great at the shop where ] went to have
the work done thai 1t wGs forced to be
done al, night behind, closed, 50 Differ
ent from the days when ~oxshoeing was
so common all over. Eg &S a..
There Is a pretty story connected with
the shoes thar are now worn by Twist and
Dave. These shoes were brought across
the plains q few years later than my frstf
trip and were sent. me by an aged lady
with the statement that she knew / would
need them before ! should finish my long
trip. a
Saved from Butchers Hammer.
Twist Is a well trained OK and weighs
1,F70 pounds, and will work well In harness
as In the yoke. I can drive him with o.
eVRolA, xnsOra oiuanlxr hy a TaNfinSs ~ fhnt
hand, Dave weighs 1,560 pounds, In at
range-raised 4-year-old steer. Inc never
had q yoke on him until two weeks go.
He is a fine fellow and / was lucky to get
him out Of the very slaughter pen,
Nov as to the g I had that built
at Puyallup after the pattern OF the old
time wagon that crossed the plains IN the
early days. The irons are from the re-
mains OF three ago that crossed the
mountains In 1922. The woodwork is all
new except one locust hub from q wagon
OF 1852 which was found to be sound and isl
now a part OF the nigh front wheel. The
axles are OF wood of the same pattern of
my a of 1857. Inch pins and all OF,
course; and under the bed hangs the old
time tar bucket well filled with tar for use.
Wagon Bed Is a Boat.
'''The wagon bed Is really a boat as all
the prairie schooners' were; but I have
taken great pains to have this one tight
and ready for use at a moments warning.
/ crossed Snake river in my trip OF 1852 at
two points with my Foutfit in the, wagon
bed and may possibly cross II again the
same way during the present trip.
"And now a word az TO my ability to
make the trip. Many of my friends arc
solicitous lest at the age OF rs / will be-
come exhausted and unable to proceed.
20 such I will say that have never been
sick a day in fifty years and more: that
justice to both and as for ~sIeep-well, who
ts 1t that can't sleep In the open air and
be hearty n happy. But / do not pro-
pose to do all the labor Incident to such a
trip but v well provided sufficient aid
that all the brunt Of the journey may be
taken from my shoulders, leaving me free
work" "