Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-09-02
TO.MARK TRAIL
CHISHOLM CATTLE ROUTE ENDS
AT ABII.ENR
Now h Is Proposed TO Identify !,
Aur0ss tho Coantry-should
10 Monument Here

and deserves commsmoration.
Charles siringo OF Santa Fe, v
NJ, WIN endeavOr TO rescue the old
Chisholm trail from the oblivion
that is fast envelsping It.
Next to the Santa Fe ran the old
Chisholm trail has an importance
that history can not afford to ignore
It Ia doubtful to many II II has not
beCn a relatively greater factor IN
the development OF Kansas-South-
ern Kansas at least-than the big
ger trail OF graater fame.
Mr.. Siringo will not be content to
write a description of the trail from
q geographic and historic viewpoint,
but will go to the extent OF marking
It 30 that future generations will be
able TO identity its location In con-
nection with the landmarks of civil
lizatlon.
Disputed Title ia Discovery
Already some of the most distin-
guiEhed pioneers are disputing over
the course or the trail. The title to
its discovery rs growing shadowy.
One will tell you that it was made
by Jesse CHISHOLM, the half-breed
Indian, who, although Of Cherokee
and Scotch blood, was adopted into
the Wichita Indian tribe Another
win tell you that 1t was blazed by
a Texas cattleman of the same name.
Both are probably correct in a.
measure.
1t is very true that Jesse CHS
holm, the han-breed from whom our
present Chisholm Creek was named,
made wagon trail from the WIGHT
ia INDIAN village, which was at the
mouth Of the Big and Little Arkan-
sas rivers, to the Washfta river in
Oklahoma as eearly as 1856. That
this was the true basis Of the"Chis-
holm Trail" there is no doubt, al
though the other Chisholm material
" added to it and made itmore def
mite on the Texas end.
Anyway the cattle tran did not
adhere strictly to the wagon tracks
made by jesse Chisholm for the
of traders, bHt follow
ed them so closely that amy dispute I
On that score oEn not be considered X
material.
Evolution of the TkadA
The Chisholm trail, says the
Wichita Beacon, sas matter OF fact,
,xtentied itself finally to Gan An
ONTO uGn the sonth and to Abilene
N the north. mt was through the
fforts of Joseph G. MeCOy, for
nany years a resident of this city,
hat 1T extended from this point Z
not ttl,an a town. north to Abilene.
came from the bridge over to n
bout where Main street now tn and "
len north. In 1868 it was straight .
ned out TO make 1t shorter and ran
q bee line to abilene. passing
trough w.here the Dold Packing
Duse is and going least of Valley +
enter few miles.
When steers We're Cheap
Iohn Blafrs partner, Mr.. Will lie
noson. was an old stage man, Ell
,erating lines from independence b.
ross the plasns and mountains no pt
.lifornia, He also operated long fl
aims of OK teams and shortly after FL
e wsr, the next year, in fact, he or
mt to Texas to buy omen for his pr
erland trains, having heard that wi
ev were cheap there. He loaded @r
with some tobacco, shoes, over
q and things of that sort. he de
night the best oxen for a pair OF re
>es and tfae next grade for plug ca
tobacco. At that time In Texas sa!
ing to the Mississippi having been far
for so long during the he
r, a mans poverty was measured
the number of cattle he had Az thu
It adventurous men sought TO eig
We them to the corn states OF the bal
rth and as early as 1865 some cat thu
had been driven by way OF ForI wa
son ito the Missouri Pacific at cap
ala. The farmers in Missouri bar
ected and then what was known rat
the shawnee trail was establish cen
1t came by way of Baxter
Ings into Kansas and extended va
Inward to q point opposite 81.
sph. Mo. This was not satisfac-
and about the time the Kan y
Pacific road was building into
lene there was a great demand 80.
trail be moved westward TOT 80
q or four reasons. In the first 80