Plentywood herald., 1932-11-24

night hastened there and learned thar the dav
after Wilson's departure for help the Indians
-fiad-feft- IHFHgs Bend as The place Is nov
called. Loving had dragged himself five miles
TO narrow pass, where he remained five days
and was eating a glove when some Mexicans
found him. lie gave the Mexicans $3.50 to take
him the 100 miles in a cart to Fort Sumner AL
though Loving was walking about, the wound
In his arm was infected and nine days after
Goodnights arrival Loving died
Goodnight went on up into Colorado and in
January returned Exhuming the coffin. he
drove with it GOO miles to Weatherford. Texas.
where he delivered it to Loving's family
year later he turned over to the Loving estate
$4,000, gave his partner. sheek. $4,000, and
with $4,000 as his own share went his way
alone
The second of the famous trails bazed bv
the colonel was that known as the New Good
night trait, from Alamogordo, n NJ, to Ora
NADIA. Colo
Colonel Goodnight found ten cents head
was being charged for all stock which passed
through Kaon Pass, the only known passage
through the Ration mountains. In New Mexico
BY the famous Uncle Dick Nooton, the keep.
er Of the gate through the mountains The
colonel refused to pay. He struck another trail
100 miles shorter, through the mountains and
UP to Cheyenne.
Goodnight was married on July 26. 1870 to
Miss Mary A, Dyer Of Tennessee and soon aft
erwards established ranch in Colorado. But
the panic Of 1873 ruined him financially and
he had just 1,s00 head Of cattle with which to
make new start. lie turned his face as al
ways toward the new country and the Pan
handle seemed to hold the greatest possibilities
with the fewest inhabitants In fact, none but
Indian and buffalo. It held. though that great
Palo Duro canyon, with its rim of Cap Rock. Its
ragged depth Of 1900 feet its marvellous valley
ID miles wide In places, q paradise for cattle
PaIo Duro canyon proper begins In the western
part Of Randell county and extends approx
mately rs miles.
Colonel Goodnight took supplies for six
months. erected four-room log house and re
turned to Denver for Mrs Goodnight
At this time John George AdaIr OF Wrath
dar, Ireland, consumed with the idea or
ranch in America. He was breezing about
In Denver. talking cattle and range and look
ing for man big enough to handle his proJ.
ect. few years previous John Adair had
opened a brokerage office In New York CITY,
had met and married American girl In 1869.
and they then divided their time between their
estate in Ireland and the Joys of the New
world. Mrs. Adair was the daughter Of Major
General Wadsworth and the young widow of
Montgomery Richie, attached to General Watfs-
worths staff
John Adair and Charles Goodnight met In
Denver and made contract which brought
the first development to the Panhandle 1t is
there today, the j. A. Ranch with Its 400 900 |
acres and it's 19-room ranch house that was
built around the log home OF Charles Good |
night The ranch at one time comprised 1900 |
600 acres and more than 100000 head OF cattle |
Tba fwct n1n
and specified that 10000 acres should be bought |
the first year with additional Increase to 2s5O00
acres. Adar, however, so respected the judg |
ment Of Charles Goodnight that he gave him
personal authority to buy what he saw fit. and |
at the end of the first five years 926o9 acres |
were on record.
Goodnight bought land at various prices as
well as In various places, paying on an average |
OF % cents to 35 cents an acre. He admitted
that he bought up every good water hole
every good range; every place rancher was /
likely to 60, and that 1t was the .very devil to /
survey" This original section was called the |
Old Crazy Quilt.
John AdaiE bought the land gave Goodnight
a $500 yearly salary and at the end OF the /
five years one-thlrd of the land and cattle. |
out charged 10 per cent interest for the use OF
the money during that time 1t might seem q |
'iasf~
Charles Goodnight knew he would be rich In
Inc end. and incidentally the contract was
renewed for another five years
From the ]. A. ranch Colonel Goodnight nexf |
laid of trail to Dodge City, Kan. trayersing
territory then inhabited only by Indians and
buffalo. II was 250 miles In length and known
rs the Palo Duro-Dodge City trail This was
he third Of the great trails he had bazed
After partnership OF ten years with AdaIr
Colonel Goodnight sold his third interest In the
property to his partner and together with
man named Moore from Kansas City bought
he QultaqUe ranch. Later he sold this properfv |
md In 1883 purchased what was known as the
Goodnight ranch which he operated until recent
'ears. Mrs. Goodnight died In 1926 and q year
alter Colonel Goodnight's marriage to Mfxs
-ornne Goodnight. twenty-sx year-old feIe-
,raph operator md former nurse In Montana
ttracfed nationwide attention Although bear.
ng the same name, the ninety one yea r-fId
'laInsnan and his young bride were not related +
heir romance developing during correspond
.nce started by the similarity or their names.
ia by Western Newspaper uniau