The Coolidge examiner., 1932-10-28

men took their herds to SELL but Goodnight
saw a greater opportunity up in New Mexico,
Colorado and Wyoming, where there were
Indian agencies looking for beef and willing
to pay well for 1t.
The drawback in the scheme was that between
the Panhandle and this promising territory lay
a great expanse of desert and territory inhab-
tied by Comanche Indians ready to pounce upon
invaders and drive off the cattle. Without heavy
protection, no herd could get through Goodnight
knew that as well as any of his neighbors and
he laid the plan before them. He knew the
country and mapped out a route by which he
hoped TO trail his animals up into Colorado.
But the other cowmen had troubles of their
own to attend to when he sought their coop
GRAFTON. They saw only the danger connected
with the venture, and excused themselves.
But young Goodnight found a partner. He
was Oliver Loving, who became of his
closest companions. Loving was probably the
most experienced cowman In Texas at the time.
In 1859, while the Comanches were quiet he
had taken Il herd through TO Colorado a di-
rect route. Young Goodnight had helped him
out of the timber country as far as Red river.
Loving also had trailed cattle into Illinois and
to the New Orleans markets He asked to go
with Goodnight on his trail-blazing venture
Goodnight had prepared a huge bois dare
wagon, requiring twenty oxen to pull, which
he believed the first chuck wagon ever seen In
the COW country. Each man gathered up his
own cattle, making a combined herd OF some
thousand head Of mixed stuff. They started In
June, with eighteen adventuresome COW hands
and reached Fort Sumner two months later.
On the whole trip not an Indian had been
sighted. Through GOO miles of totally unin-
habited country new route for Texas cattle
had been bazed Immediately becoming known
tha Srcf
of the coloners trail breaking achievements.
Later 1t was extended through the Ration noun
tains, past Pueblo and Denver and into Chey-
enne and Fort Laramie. Three hundred thou
sand cattle passed over II in six years, while
thousands perished on the way or fell into the
hands of the Comanches.
When Goodnight arrived at Fort Sumner he
found the government had 1900 Apaches loose
herded like cattle there. Loving and Good
night sold their cattle two years old and up on
the hoof for eight cents pound enormous
price for the time. Loving took the stock cat
tie cut back by the government into Colorado
and Goodnight took a part of the hands and
$4,000 in gold and silver. and returned to Palo
Pinto county. There he purchased extensively
of his neighbors and trailed back over the route
he had marked ont.
1t was in the spring of 1867 that Loving lost
his life. The partners started with two herds,
the two men going ahead with the first one The
second herd made up OF weaker cattle lost
1000 head TO the Comanches before 1t had
reached the Pecos. Another band of Indians
attacked Goodnight and Loving on the Clear
fork of the BraZOs. Joe Loving. who no
relation TO Oliver Loving, shot in the neck,
the herd stampeded and 160 head OF cattle
ran out Goodnight pulled arrow out of
Lovng's neck with pair of nippers and Joe
got WELL
After the herd had been driven about 100
miles up the Pecos from Horseshoe Crossing,
Oliver Loving decided TO take one man and 20
ahead to Fort Sumner. One-Armed Bill Wilson,
the coolest head in the outfit" according to
Colonel Goodnights description. selected
as escort. What happened on the trip is still
an epic of the COW camps.
The second day out, in the southern part of
New Mexico. the two men were attacked by
some 500 Comanche warriors. The only shell
ter was the Pecos four miles away. They head
ed for it long run. Dismounting, they hid
in the cane brakes. An Indian, creeping through
the cane. shot Loving in the arm and side. Not
wishing to die and his folks not know OF his
end. Loving persuaded Wilson TO go for help.
Wilson swan the river and. barefooted, walked
three days down the Goodnight TRAIL through
cactus. mesquite and other plants containing
thorns until he came to the Goodnight herd.
Colonel Goodnight took all available hands
and set out for the scene of the fight, sixty
miles away. Late the next day the party ar
rived. but there was no trace of Loving. Two
weeks later Texan told Goodnight the star