Arizona republican., 1922-05-14
Story Of Arizona Pioneer Woman
Wins the First Prize In Contest

and Fox Indian reservations in west
ern Kansas one of the men missed
his dog, After we were camped he
went back to hunt for ii but was un-
successful; but when he got angry
and drew his revolver the Indians
took him into tepee where the dog
was tied. No doubt they were pre-
pairing to have n feast of dog meat.
The government had built two good
stone houses of two rooms for these
Indians, but they would not use them
and were living in ragged teepees
near by. They had used the floors
and the window and door castings for
fires.
We saw many Indians but no hos
tiles although we had been warned
before starting not to cross the
Arkansas r1N er. l was fortunate in
being the first to see the mountains,
which to me was a glorious sight.
as it was just at sunrise, None of
the party had seen a mountain and
all were very much excited with our
first view of the Rockies in Colo
rado; we rejoiced. too, that we were
nearing the promised land and land
of promise it indeed proved to most
of US. Some felt they were too far
from civilization and returned to
the old home, but the families re-
manned and prospered.
1t was a rough life living in log
cabins with dirt roof, forty miles from
a post office or supplies. An OK
team was our only means of travel
and yet We We're so gloriously full
of life and health. We had lived at
this beautiful place at the foot of
the Rocky mountains for three years
In Sf1
the old Maxwell grant and could get
no title to the land.
We had read of the possibilities
of the Gila valley, pronounced with q
c. of course. so my husband decided
to come still further west and left
us in the spring of 1877. In October
of the same year he made arrange
ments with a Mr.. Chandler, who
owned and operated a large OK train,
to bring us a distance of five or six
hundred miles. So. with my two lit
tie daughters of Il and 6 years, and
a baby girl of IA months, we again
boarded an OK train, which consisted
of 16 immense wagons, each drawn
by 10 or II yoke of oxen.
Start PeriIous Trip
The one provided for us was a
good sized spring wagon with bows
and a canvas cover. 1t was trailed
behind the last wagon. In this we
carried our clothes and bedding, the
bed being rolled up in the back of
the wagon during the day and at
night we spread it in the bottom and
made a fairly comfortable bed. The
man who owned the train promised
to make the trip in six weeks, but on
account of having poor oxen and en-
counterinS stormy weather, we were
almost three months on the way.
Some nights the oxen would wander
so far they could not be found in
time to move on the next day, and
we would be compelled TO remain in
camp, much against our wills, for
when we were moving, even If it were
eyer. so little, we felt We were draw
ing nearer to the end of our jour
ney. The drivers were all MeXicans.
After camp was made at night and
the teams were turned loose a large
fire was built for the men and a
smaller one was made near our wag-
on. The provisions and cooking uten-
sils We're brought to my wagon as,
unless it was very cold or showing,
I did my own cooking. In the case
of stormy weather, food was brought
to us. If there was snow the men
WOuLu SCIdpS II Oh, GU piiS pouS ilS
and build a break wind; then we
would wrap up and sit out by the
fire. They We're good to the chill
dren and would have held them. This
would have been a rest for me as l
had to hold my baby all day long to
keep her from falling out of the
wagon: but they were so filthy and
so infested with vermin that I didn't
allow them to help me. AS it was