, 1923-09-13

interesting aTtlClo CO"ulT1OuLeu ny
Attorney C.. P. Arnold. This article
contains the story OF the famous
Meeker massacre and of the ride of
Joe Rankin to Rawlins-168 miles
away.
Altho we are unfortunat, ely, un-
able to print the entire article at
this time we do publish the account
of the massacre, which account is as
follows:
The town OF Meeker lies some IS
miles south of Craig. 1t is named
from N. c. Meeker. a New Yorker
and friend Of Horace Greeley. Mr..
wrote editorials for the New York
away 'lecturing." Like Greeley he
was an idealist. dreaming the dream
that it was a part Of his earthly mis-
sion to found a town in the then un-
settled west where there would be
happy homes for good people who
liked to farm. and raise garden
truck" and pay taxes, and ponder.
He started this town on the South
Poudre during the last half of the
18th cetury Then Mr.. Greeley
wrote his famous editorials, Young
Man Go West" The part Horace
Greeley played in the settlement of
the west, and the kind OF people
he brought from the east, bled white
Of its finest stock has never been
adequately told.
These two men had every virtue
YER ygift. except the saving sense
Of humor. The town Meeker found
ed was named Greeley" 1t still
exists.
When the name of the town was
chosen they plated the streets and
alleys and public parks arranging
everything just right. Then Gree
ley said:
"Mr. Meeker it's very easy to get
drunk -tooeasy - and very, very
hard to keep sober Many a good
woman &C travelled a rough road be-
cause Of erring husband or a way
ward son. I will populate this town
First ! don't want to have anybody
apply to me for information, and
In the second place. / want the
deeds to lots fixed 81 that the sale
OF whisky will never invade the
limits of the town"
Then. 30 Meeker says in his jour-
nal. the two men rose In the little
editorial room of the New York Tri-
bune. clasping hands across the
table, " and with tears streaming
down their faces" recorded their
great resolution that . man could
not get . drink Of whisky In the
town o. Greeley. for love or money.
Greeley was founded and remain
ed . temperance t0wn-up to the
time Of prohibition.
When Mr.. Meeker had realized
this dream he had another. He was
. devotee TO . second tenent Of his
great patron that III . man works
not. neither shall he cat" He want
ed to apply Il TO the Ute Indians.
Accordingly In 1879. he got appoint
ed Indian Agent. on the White River
Indian Reservation. and started to
enforce his policy Of making the In
dians get busy" II these untutor-
ed wards Of the government planted
the seeds he doled out and raised /
eabbages and head lettuce and the
other things hat are supposed to
grow up from these seeds. and
raised the stuff. they got tobacco
and flour. bacon. beads and blank
cts. But II they didn't plant these
congressional seeds and raise these
things the ywere dead Indians-so
far as any interest Mr.. Meeker took
In them was concerned. This ere
widespread personal dissatis-
faction among the savage children
Of the forest and the plain. Meeker
saw trouble brewing. He sent
to Fort Steele, then . gov
eminent post on the railway. But
he made . mistake. He told the
Keep order. Major Thornbary. from
whom the most beautiful street In
Dur city has been named was thea
living here q Fort Sanders and got
orders to take command Of the
With 100 mounted men and
. wagon train he lett fost 0tssas
for the reservation. When ~ had
IGaeAed Q dsaie on Mlk Creek. leo
miles from Rawlins. 10 found Il
blocked By . vastly superior force Of
Indians. A lieutenant with IS
aoldiev, was ordered 70 advaaos
without nring and learn their In.
teuttons. Tho Indians greeted them
With Q fuslliade. Tho l~ieutenAat's
hone was killed and q man was
He fell back TO the main
body and tho light on Milk Creek
ensued.
These Indians not only greatly
outnumbered tho troops under Ma
jor Thornburg. but they were con.
strategists. Tho wagon
train was about . mile Ia the rear
Of the nghGng force. II had the
and ammunition While the
Indians delivered . frontal attack.
In force, 70 pin Major Thornburg TO
biz advanced positions. Il was their
real object to cut In, with another
band. between Major ThorburG and