, 1922-10-17

a
! forum by Mr.. Mokler in ex-
mons at that time as well as with the
Indians.
In the fall and winter OF 1858
Louis Guinari. a French Canadian,
built e bridge across the river at this
point at a cost OF $4,000. and then
tho name Of the place was changed
bf the government from Mormon
Ferry 10 Platte Bridge Station An
order vas given by the war depart
ment on Mach 20. 1883. to Abandon
the post at Platte Bridge and no
more troops occupied the post until
May. 1862. when il was occupied BIZ
volunteer troops who served as an
escort for the emigrants and the pro
lection OF the Telegraph line.
The post was enlarged and rebuilt
in 1854. n two companies were sta
toned here for the purpose Of chas-
Using the Indians. who had violated
every agreement they had entered
into By ro1png and killing the emf.
grants. destroying the telegraph line.
robbing the mails and committing
many other depredations. II was while
the United States government was
In tho process OF chastisng these
thieving b~loodthirsty hostiles that
Lieutenant Caspar w. Collins. with
five OF his men nd twsnty-one sol.
dierx comprising n wagon train. were
killed This fiG.ht occurred on July
26. 1865. and on November n. 1865,
by an order from Major General Pope.
The military post situated at Platte
Bridge. between Deer and Rock
creeks. will hereafter be known as
Fort Caspar. in honor of Lieutenant
Caspar Collins. 18th Ohio Cavalry.
who lost his life while CALAMITY at
lacking a superior force OF Indians
at that place
The Indians. in due time, We're
properly chtstised. and many Of Their
bleaching bones were scattered over
the plains when. on October 10. 1867.
Fort Caspar was officially abandoned
by the government. and the Indians
shortly afterward burned tho bridge
and the buildings that were left at
old Fort Caspar. The small route IA
long since been changed to branch
on at Julesburg. going via Denver.
and again connecting with the old
trail at Fort Bridger. but most OF the
emigrants continued to travel over
what was known as the Platte and
the Sweetwater river routes of the
Oregon Trail until 1859. whom the
Union Pacific railway was completed
to the Pacific coast. and then the old
trail was practically abandoned by
the western homeseekers.
Tn 1856 the Northwestern Railway
company built a branch line into wy
oming. and in the summer of 1883 II
reached a point in Central Wyoming
and the terminus wa SCALED Casper,
because it vas In close proximity TO
old Fort Caspar. The town was not
named in honor of Caspar w. Collins.
as many people have been led to be
lieve. but It derived its name from
Fort Caspar. and the Ian agent OF
the railway company. who selected
the name. put an e IN the last syl-
liable instead of an "a for no other
that Caspar was spelled with an "a
in the last syllable.
But 1 have digressed from the
point at issue. My purpose in speak
ing to you Is at the request OF a num-
Der of gentlemen who arc OF the opin-
ion that the site OF old Fort Caspar
should be properly marked Some
have voluntarily offered to contrib
ute toward raising a fund for this
purpose, but It is the opinion OF many
the municipality. the city de-
rived its name-aithoush il is spelled
differently-from this historical old
fort. should have tae honor OF acquir-
ing title to a portion of the land and
having it suitably fenced and properly
marked. in order that the present
generation. as well as the future gen
erations may know exactly where II
was located. and how and why the
metropolis OF Wyoming and the best
city in the west vas given the name
Of Casper"