The chronicle=news., 1914-07-11

Fort Union, before kearney's army
made its road over the Ration pass.
Y The traffic from Bent's Fort on the
i Arkansas into New Mexico usually
proceeded up the valley of the Pur-
gatorie by way OF Red Rock canon
to cross that stream where Vt enters
into canyon "a miles east of Trini-
dad and thence south over the Chico
rica pass and across the mountains
OF Taos by way OF Cimarron. 1t was
at the mountain pass of this trail at
the head of San Isidro creek that
Lucian b. Maxwell was wounded in
January. 1858, by the Utah Indians
when they tool from his possession
a herd OF horses that he was driving
from Bent's Fort into New Mexico
for greater security. The Indians
waited in ambush in the pass and
the first notice that Maxwell or his
men had of their presence was a
volley from the rifles of their assail-
ants. At the first fire Maxwell was
wounded in the neck and his men
put to flight, with the exception Of
; EGcorge Calves. Il Shawnee Indian,
who staid by his employer and de-
Tended him. The Indians easily Sc
cured possession of the horses and
hastened to drive them away where
there would be no danger OF their
being recaptured. Calves, unmolest-
cd by the Indians, carried Maxwell
down the mountain on the southerly
ide to where his pack train and a
larger party of men were encamped.
Ever after George Calves, though an
inveterate drunl,ard ard gambler.
was privileged. as long AZ Maxwell
resided at Cimarron, to take horse
from his stable or a suit of clothes
; from the store. and could getNrom
Maxwell any sum OF money that the
latter knew would be properly used.
Calves died of cold and exposure
while he was intoxicated, on the
road btween Dclagua canon and
Trinidad, about "a years ago.
So much tor the Old Santa Fe
trail. over which millions of dollars
, worth OF goods were annually trans
ported from the Missouri river to
New Mexico Sonora and Chihuahua
=, from 1850 to 1868.
| will now mention n few events
that contributed to change the route
, Of this traffic westward and ulti-
, lEately force II to enter New Mexico
+ over General Kcarney's military road
from Bcnt's Fort by way OF Trinidad.
! ithc Raton p;\s and Rayado to inter
5 sect the Old Santa F'c Triil near
Fort Union.
I'll In April, 1858, Colonel Marcy was
, ordered to Salt Lake to suppress
lawlessness among the people OF
Utah. This officer marched from
/, Fort Union with his snail army over
i the Kearney trail as far as the pres
6 ent site Of Trinidad, following prac-
/ ttcally the line OF General kearncy's
D march. From Trinidad Colonel Mar
g cv's command proceeded north to
Q Pueblo and Fort Larimie to Salt
I Lake. The establishment OF perma-
ncnt settlements in Pueblo and Den
v yer in 1858. which became outfitting
points for prospcctors of the north
/; crn and southern gold fields of Colo
RADIO, opened up a new market for the
surplus farm produce of New Mexico.
and hundreds of citizens of New
Mexico engaged In traffic With the
people Of Colorado. Among the prod
uCts OF New Mexico which found a
!, ready market in Colorado were flour.
/, corn meal. salt. beans. onions, NUT
, ION and beef. Nearly all this traffic
l passed over the Kcarncy route OF tho
, Ration Pass and over the present
, site of Trinidad. On account of In
dian troubles. the United States mail.
!, running frCm Santa F'c to the Mis-
souri, river by coaches left tho Old
Santa tc Trail in November, 1860.
and ever after followed the Kcarncy
> route to Bcnt's Fort and east To
Council Grove. Kansas. and Kansas
city, Mo. The first mail coach to
, run over this route crossed the Ration
? PASS November -, 1860. at which
| time August Clcrmont and man
@ named Chalafu were engaged In
, erecting. at or near the point where
the United States surveyors cstab-
, Iished a latitude and meridian monu-
mcnt OIL the north side of Trinidad. a
, log house for Mr.. Felipe Baco. then
residing at Guatalupita. N. NJ. and
: who two years later moved with mis-
3 family to Trinidad. The house was
, ncvVr completed or occupied.
) ThetJnion Pacific railroad was the
! first railroad to enter Colorado. ana
| was completed as far west as Kit Car
son. ncint north of Bent's Fort. in
SG7 or 1868. The commission houses
that did the forwarding business for
I the merchants OF Southern Colorado.
Now Mexico. Sonora, Arizona and
Iii hnd In,