Monte Vista journal and Monte Vista graphic-reporter., 1923-02-23

CrOS6eu tue pldSus Auu SAC tnouu
tains, from Shawnee. Kansas. to
Virginia City. Montana. in 1864.
At the time he was 10 years old and
the following article tells OF his
experience:
Mr.. Geiser was living with his
parents in Shawnee. Kans.. eight
miles from Kansas City. 1t was
during the Civil war and bushwack-
ing was a very common practice.
QuantreIl. the terror OF all north
ern sympathisers, especially In Kan
sas. raided the Kansas towns with
frequent regularity.
The father OF Mr.. Geiser ran .
black smith shop besides operating
q hotel The hotel Accommodations
had become too small for the pat
Tonsge and the elder Mr.. Geiser had
started building a three story build
ing. II was almost finished when
Quantrell visited the town. A short
time later. the bandit raider again
came to Shawnee and after sacking
most of the town, left Il to the raw
ages of fire. But the hotel which
Mr.. Geiser was building escaped
Fearing that the next visit Guam
trell would make sure all the town
was anihilated. Mr.. Geiser decided
not to finish his hostelry.
Western towns were booming
with the discovery OF gold. An
epidemic of the gold rush was still
spreading and Mr.. Geiser decided to
try his luck in mining town. In
stead OF digging for gold as so many
did. he wanted to start a black
smithing business there.
Mr.. Geiser and man by the
name OF Herman Wollfcuie fitted
up three four mule teams and
wagons. loading them with the
blacksmith tools, groceries and
other provisions. On the first day
OF May. 1864 they were ready to
leave amid crying on the part OF
relatives and cheering from their
adventurous friends.
Mr.. Geiser decided TO take his son
Louis along for company. leaving
behind his wife. a daughter and 4
son both Older than Louis. Mr..
Louis Geiser now wonders just how
much company he was for his faith
er.
Young Louis was overjoyed at
being allowed to travel overland
with his father. He thrilled at the
adventures which he would have
which were to he denied his older
brother. The covered wagon lured
him and turned hts Imagination
loose upon what he would do II In
dians attacked the party. But all
this Was the first day.
The Geiser wagons had Joined
several other wagons whose occu-
pants were going u try their luck
In the west and the first night.
after pitching camp and eating. the
men gathered around the campfire
and began To tell OF the Indians and
the many depredations which they
had committed Realizing that their
destination was far away and that
mos, OF their travel would be
rough uncivi!ixed territories
young Louis begged his father IA
send him back To shawnee. He was
not as scared OF the murdcrous
bushwhackcrs AS he was Of the In.
dians. His father refused to do =.
and soon the hoy forgot his In.
Limitations. Too many other things
arose to attract his attentions:
The party had Just reached tn,
famous plains OF Kansas when q
wheel OF tn. wagon In the train
broke. MIR. Geis-r got out his forge
and fire was mad. out Of some
sticks. and although all things were
not as conveniently arranged an In
his shop nj home. Mr.. Gc,ser soon
had the wheel repaired and tbs
line OF wagons took up their west
ward trend.
Al the various trading posts aionl
the route they were Joined by othc,
wagons. most OF which were koins
10 tn. gold fields. by the time Den
vcr was reached tho train Of wagon,
was quite lengthy.
Denver made quite an imprcsajor
on young Louis. Although this
houses were low and squatty and oi
undetermined architecture. the no,
thought them beautiful because thcy
were made of red brick. In the near
ly sixty years which have come and
gone since he first visited that town
destined to become one Of The
mesropoiises OF the west. . grea'
change has taken place. Instead ol
the rough uncouth business bsiid
ings. skysrrsperp soar above ths