USA > Kansas > A standard history of Kansas and Kansans, Volume I > Part 20
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15
07
KANSAS AND KANSANS
109
From Ft. Osage. Miles. Chns.
From Taos. Miles. Chns.
728
16
19
57
1
01
732
17
15
56
15
56
747
73
the valley to what it is on the moun- tain. The road continues westward along the small path, bearing a lit- tle more from the branch and fall- ing on it again near the foot of a mountain, which is the dividing ridge, and which is about two miles from the valley springs.
Foot of the dividing ridge. This mountain, especially on the east side, is more timbered than the other, but not so bad to eross. It also has prairie on the top like unto the other, through which the road passes to the western brow. Through the timbered parts of the mountain the road is open.
Western foot of the dividing ridge. Here is a small stream, which flows with inereased size into the valley of Taos. Just by the village of San Fernando the road continues clown it to the best advantage, cross- ing it frequently. This valley is extremely searce of grass and the road not good, though with little labor it might be excellent.
San Fernando, the principal village in Taos. This being the nearest of the Mexican settlements, the most northern and the most abundant in provisions for man and beast, de- termined the survey of the road hither, although the way to Santa Fe by St. Miguel is said to be some- what better and equally high. From Taos. which is in latitude 36° 24' 00", to Santa Fe, in lati- tude 35° 41' 15", the distance as traveled is about 70 miles, and with a little labor a good wagon road may be had. The course is about south-southwest. The Rio Del Norte. 7 or 8 miles west of Taos, and about twice that distance west of Santa Fe, is about three chains wide and has many ripples and places to hinder navigation. The road leading from one place to the other falls on the river and con- tinues along it a few miles. Be- tween these two places are some half-dozen villages or more, the chief of which is Santa Cruz, about 22 miles above Santa Fe and in sight of the river.
110
KANSAS AND KANSANS
In conclusion a few remarks will be made on the road by St. Miguel, not from observation, but from information. Immediately after crossing the Canadian the traveler will turn nearly south, and after going a few miles will reach a bold running stream, the same which the road to Taos continues up. He will cross it at a fall or rapid, as below he can not for its rocky cliffs, and above he can not on account of mud and quicksand. After crossing this creek he will continue forward in the same direction, and, where convenient, will ascend the high tableland which extends all along on the right, and will proceed forward just by the east end of a small mountain shaped like a shoe, with the toe to the west. It is very plain to sight from the elevated lands before crossing the Canadian, and when first seen bears 25 west. It may be a day's travel or more from the crossing of the Canadian. After passing it a lenger mountain will be passed, leaving it on the left. This too is in sight as soon as the other, which is called the Pilot. After passing the long mountain on the left the directions are general. The mountain will be a guide on the right; some small, isolated ones will be on the left. The road is level and generally good. Several creeks will be crossed, and the road, bearing a little west of south, will lead to St. Miguel, which is about 45 miles southeast from Santa Fe, from which the road is plain. OCTOBER 27, 1827.
The Kansas State Historical Society has worked out the course of the Trail through the different counties of Kansas, and identified it with present day geography, as follows :
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE SANTA FE TRAIL THROUGH KANSAS
JOHNSON COUNTY
The different Missouri River branches of the trail, whether from old Franklin, Fort Osage, (Sibley), Independence, Westport, or Kansas City, came together in the northeast part of Johnson County, and by one common course passed out of the county near its southwest corner. An early course of the road entered the county and state just nine miles due sonth of the mouth of the Kansas River and east of the village of Glenn. The line from Westport passed near the old Shawnee Mission. From near Lenexa the trails passed over one route southwest through Olathe and Gardner, across Bull Creck and into Douglas County. The junction of the Oregon and California trails was near the present town of Gard- ner, and at one time there stood at this point an old guidepost which bore the legend : "Road to Oregon."
DOUGLAS COUNTY
The trail entered Douglas County near its southeast corner, a few miles east of Black Jack, from where it took a northwesterly course through Palmyra and on to Willow Springs. Here it turned to the southwest, passing close to Globe and Baden of later days and into Osage County about three miles north of the southwest corner of Doug-
111
KANSAS AND KANSANS
las County. Palmyra, which later became a part of Baldwin, was long a favorite place for repairing wagons and for rest. Willow Springs, about seven miles to the northwest of Palmyra, was also a favorite place and had a thrilling territorial history.
OSAGE COUNTY
In passing westerly through Osage County, a distance of twenty-four miles, the trail dropped only one mile south, entering from Douglas County at section 3-15-17; thenee to Flag Spring and almost due west along the natural divide for ten or more miles, passing where the town of Overbrook now stands and on to 110 ereek erossing in seetion 12-15- 15. From this place it ran westward, passing within a mile south of the present Seranton to the present location of Burlingame, where it erossed Switzler Creek. This was the location of the Council City of territorial days. For a mile through Burlingame, Santa Fe avenue represents the course of the trail. After erossing Dragoon Creek its course took it through the old town of Wilmington, in the southeast corner of Wabaun- see County.
LYON COUNTY
Entering the county of Lyon near the northeast corner, the trail crossed the county dropping about five miles south of a westerly course. Wanshara, on Chieken Creek, Elm Creek, the erossing of 142 Creek, and Agnes City, on Bhiff Creek, were stopping places of more or less im- portanee at different times. In Lyon County the main line of the Mis- souri Pacific Railway is from three to six miles south of the old trail.
MORRIS COUNTY
The trail entered Morris County about seven miles east of Couneil Grove, and in crossing the county dropped south just six miles. A short distance east of Couneil Grove it crossed Big John Creek and ran elose by the "Big John Spring" now in Fremont Park, where at one time were numerous stones bearing inscriptions, names and dates.
Conneil Grove was the most noted stopping place between the Mis- souri River and Santa Fe. Here the treaty with the Osage Indians was made, August 10, 1825, for right of way of the trail across the Plains, and for years it was the last chance to obtain supplies. Its Main street, on both sides of the Neosho, marks the course of the trail. From Council Grove for several miles there were two routes, one along the high divide to the north of Elm Creek, and the other passing up the valley of said ereek, the two roads uniting a mile or two southeast of the present town of Wilsey.
From Conneil Grove the trail passed westward, elose to Helmiek and Wilsey of to-day, thenee directly north of the "Morehouse ranehe" pas-
112
KANSAS AND KANSANS
tures and through seetions 33 and 34, township 17, range 6, of the ad- joining "Diamond Spring" or "Whiting ranche" where the famous prairie fountain, "The Diamond of the Plain" still flows. This is about four miles north of the present village of Diamond Springs, on the A. T. & S. F. railway. The trail passed about three miles north of Bur- dick and entered Marion County some six miles south of the present Herington, Dickinson county.
MARION COUNTY
The trail entered Marion County at the east side of seetion 12-17-4, a mile and a quarter south of the northeast corner of the county. Its first place of note was the well-known "Lost Spring," situated about two miles west of the present town of Lost Springs and fifteen miles due north of the present town of Marion. This spring is at the head of Lyons Creek, a tributary of the Kansas River. From here the road passed in a westerly direction near the sites of the present towns of Ramona and Tampa, dropping southwesterly to the Cottonwood, cross- ing near what is now the town of Durham (at one time "Moore's ranche") : continuing southwest, it passed out of the county at a point directly east of the present town of Canton, MePherson County.
The survey of the trail between "Diamond of the Plain" and Cotton- wood Crossing passed two or three miles south of the route as used, and thus crossed several creeks in Morris and Marion counties, which the upper route avoided by following the watershed between the Kansas and Cottonwood rivers.
McPHERSON COUNTY
Entering the county midway of its eastern boundary, just east of the present Canton, the trail bore slightly southwest, crossing Running Turkey Springs, and Dry Turkey Creek and passing out of the county some miles south of the present town of Windom. On seetion 21-20-3, about five miles south of the present city of MePherson, is a place on Dry Turkey Creek (once called Sora Kansas Creek) where the United States commissioners, while surveying. the trail, met the chiefs of the Kansas Indians in council on the 16th day of August, 1825. A monu- ment to commemorate the event has been erected near the spot.
RICE COUNTY
Through Riee County the trail passed almost east and west through the center. Entering at the east side of section 13-20-6, it erossed the Little Arkansas at the noted Stone Corral and breastworks thence ran west, passing less than a mile south of the present eity of Lyons; crossing Jarvis Creek, and Big and Little Cow ereeks, it passed out of the county at section 31-19-10 into Barton County. About three miles west of the
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KANSAS AND KANSANS
present Lyons, elose to the trail, are the "rifle pits" and "Buffalo Bill's well."
BARTON COUNTY
Entering Barton County the trail ran due west five miles to the present Ellinwood, where it first came to the Arkansas River. Following the river, it passed Fort Zarah, located near the erossing of Walnut Creek. From here the trail rounded the north or great bend of the Arkansas, turning southwest near the 'present town of Great Bend, and passing out of the county elose to the famous "Rock Point," afterward known as "Pawnee Roek."
PAWNEE COUNTY
The trail passed through the present Larned and old Fort Larned reservation, erossing the Pawnee River. From this point to Fort Dodge, in Ford County, there were two routes, one following eloser to the Ar- kansas River and touching Big Coon Creek near the present Garfield; the other passing Fort Larned and running southwest, sometimes at a distance of ten miles from the Arkansas River.
EDWARDS COUNTY
Through Edwards county the trail followed two main routes. The oldest, or river route, kept between the Arkansas River and the parallel stream of Big Coon Creek, (formerly Clear Creek), and passing by the present sites of Nettleton and Kinsley. The other route kept from four to six miles from the river, erossing Little Coon Creek about three miles west of Kinsley at the old Battle Ground, and passing out of the county about a mile south of the present village of Offerle.
FORD COUNTY
The trail entered Ford county from the northeast by two routes; the lower route followed the north side of the Arkansas, while the upper route entered the county about eight miles north of the river. These two lines eame together near Fort Dodge, and then followed along the north side of the river, through the present site of Dodge City and near the "Caches" five miles west, entering Gray county just north of the Arkan- sas. There was another route of the trail in this county which was some- times used. It crossed the Arkansas River near the mouth of Mulberry Creek, and following up the ereek, ran to the southwest. This trail was not safe in dry weather, there being few living streams near it.
GRAY COUNTY
The old trail, as first surveyed through this region in 1825, was the route along the north side of the Arkansas river. This was the road Vol. 1-8
114
KANSAS AND KANSANS
unless wagon trains took the shorter but more dangerous Cimarron cut- off. The river route passed by the sites of the present towns of Wettick, Cimarron, Ingalls, and Charleston. The branch known as the Cimarron route crossed the Arkansas river near the present town of Cimarron at a place known for years as the "Cimarron Crossing." It was so named because it was the shortest and most frequented way to the river of that name. It was sometimes called the "Middle Crossing," to distinguish it from the "Lower Crossing" near Mulberry Creek junction, and the "Upper Crossing" near Chouteau Island. The Cimarron Crossing and route was generally used after 1830, except during the dryest seasons or when the Indians were especially dangerous. It passed southwest into Haskell County of to-day, and was by far the shortest road to Santa Fe.
HASKELL COUNTY
The Cimarron branch of the trail entered Haskell County near the northeast corner and passed southwest between the present Ivanhoe and Santa Fe, and out of the county midway of its western border. Wild Horse Lake was to the north of the trail, but there were no important stopping places along its twenty-seven mile course in the county.
GRANT COUNTY
The trail entered Grant County midway of its eastern boundary, and continuing its southwesterly course, crossed the North Fork of the Cimar- ron River and passed on to the well-known "Lower Springs," later known as the "Wagon Bed Spring," on the main Cimarron River. This stop- ping-place was in the extreme south part of the county, near the present Zionville, and was the point on the Cimarron to which the caravans headed when they had followed the trail, as surveyed in 1825, up the Arkansas river to Choutean Island (near the present Hartland, Kearny County,) and there turned directly south. This route up the river was considered safer, the water spots not being so far apart, but it was not used much after 1830, the route to and from the Cimarron Crossing of the Arkansas being so much shorter.
STEVENS COUNTY
Through Stevens County the trail paralleled the Cimarron River in its course through the northwest part of the county, but there were no important camping places. In following up the Cimarron to the south- west the trail sometimes kept fairly close to the river, but at times was several miles away; hence there were really two routes-the "river" and the "upland."
MORTON COUNTY
Morton County has some thirty miles of the old trail within its borders. Entering the county about eight miles south of its northeast corner, the
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KANSAS AND KANSANS
trail followed up the Cimarron and passed out of the county and state at a point about seven miles north of the southwest corner. The "Middle Spring" of the Cimarron route was in this county, not far from a noted place and landmark known as "Point of Rocks," this point being on the southeast quarter, seetion 12-34-43. There was also another "Point of Rocks" known in trail days, about 130 miles further on, in New Mexico. The Cimarron route of the Santa Fe trail, after leaving the present boun- daries of Kansas followed up the Cimarron River, first on one side of the stream, and then on the other, through the present states of Colorado and Oklahoma, for a distance of some sixty or sixty-five miles, when it entered the northeast corner of New Mexico.
THE UPPER ARKANSAS RIVER ROUTE, AND FINNEY COUNTY
This route of the trail followed up the north side of the Arkansas River from the Cimarron Crossing, through the counties of Gray, Finney, Kearny, and Hamilton, and is to-day represented by the main line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. It was used by those desiring to stop at Bent's Fort, in Colorado, or go on to Santa Fe via Trinidad, Raton Pass, ete. Through Finney County the trail touched the sites of the present towns of Piereeville, Garden City and Holcomb, but during trail days there was only one place of historic importance. The United States government survey of 1825 crossed the Arkansas River to the south side at.a point about seven miles up the river from the present Garden City and not far from the Holcomb of to-day. From this crossing, carefully deseribed in the survey, the trail followed south of the river to Chouteau Island, where it turned due south to the "Lower Spring" of the Cim- arron.
KEARNY COUNTY
The Upper Arkansas River branch of the trail followed north of that river through Kearny County. Chouteau Island-near the present town of Hartland-was a place of historie importance. It was to this point that the disastrous expedition of Chouteau (1815-1817) retreated and successfully resisted a Pawnee attaek. Here too the Santa Fe trail, as surveyed by the United States Government in 1825, turned due south to the "Lower Spring" (Wagon Bed Spring) of the Cimarron. This route was sometimes ealled the "Aubry route" sinee Franeis X. Aubry was known to have partially followed it on at least one of his famous rides between Santa Fe and Independence. It was a much better watered route than the one by way of ('imarron Crossing.
HAMILTON COUNTY
The line of the Atehison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railway represents the route of the old trail through the present towns of Kendall, Mayline, Syracuse, and Coolidge. Four miles east of where Syracuse now stands
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KANSAS AND KANSANS
is a spring discovered by the famous French-Canadian scout Aubry. The United States Government established Fort Aubry here in 1865, but it was abandoned within a year. The trail passed out of the county and the state near the present town of Coolidge, and ran on up the river to where it turned southwest to Santa Fe via Trinidad and Raton Pass.
From Wetmore's Gazeteer of the State of Missouri, 1837, page 269, the following table of distances is taken :
From Independence, Mo., to Santa Fe to
Camp Grove
16
Big Blue river ford.
20
Round Grove 14
Belmont 20
18
Right-hand Grove
18
Elk Creek
5
Marie des Cignes
11
Roek Creek
5
Prairie Camp
13
Indian Camp
9
High-water Creek
15
Council Grove on the Neosho.
8
Diamond Spring
8
Hook's Spring (in prairie)
8
Lake Camp
18
Small Creek
20
Little Arkansas
18
Branch of Cow Creek.
12
Main Cow Creek.
13
Arkansas river
15
Walnut Creek (up the Arkansas)
20
Ash Creek
24
Pawnee Fork of Arkansas.
8
Plain Camp
15
Little Pond
21
Small Drain
20
Anderson's Caches on the Arkansas
20
Pond Camp west of Arkansas river
7
The Two Ponds
22
Several Ponds
19
The Lake
12
Sandy Creek
12
Lone Pond
14
Small Pool
22
The Semiron
8
The Lower Spring
2
Salt Camp 8
Nitre Camp 21
The Willows
7
Saltpetre Camp, in view of Sugar Honse Mound. 10
5
Prairie Spring
8
Cottonwood Grove
13
Plain Creek
Left-hand Grove
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KANSAS AND KANSANS
From Independence, Mo., to Santa Fe to
Upper Semiron Spring.
10
Seven Mile Creek.
Drain Camp
8
Two Pools
17
Rocky Pool
8
Bad Water
7
Sugar Loaf
5
Kiawa Camp
10
Sabine Camp
15
Round Mound
4
Rocky Braneh
14
Summit Level, in view of Rocky Mountains.
8
Harl's Camp
6
Point of Roeks 10
7
Canadian Fork
15
Mule Creek
6
Pilot Knobs
19
Tar Kiln Grove
20
El Moro
10
El Sapiote
2
Rio Las Guineas
18
San Magil (village)
25
Santa Fe
40
Total
897
The following note and table will be found in Gregg's Commerce of the Prairies, 1844, page 313 :
Having crossed the Prairies between Independence and Santa Fe six times, I can now present a table of the most notable camping sites, and their respective intermediate distanees, with approximate accuraey, which may prove acceptable to some future travelers. The whole dis- tanee has been variously estimated at from 750 to 800 miles, yet I feel confident that the aggregate here presented is very nearly the true distance :
From Independence to-
Miles
Aggregate
Round Grove
35
Narrows
30
65
110-mile Creek
35
100
Bridge Cr ..
8
108
Big John Spring ( erossing sev'l ers.)
40
148
Council Grove
2
150
Diamond Spring
15
165
Lost Spring
15
180
Cottonwood Cr. Turkey Cr.
12
192
25
217
Little Arkansas
17
234
Cow Creck
20
254
Arkansas River
16
270
Walnut Cr. (up Ark. r.)
8
278
Ash Creek .
19
297
Pawnee Fork
6
303
Coon Creek
33
336
Caches
36
372
Ford of Arkansas.
20
392
Decp Hollow
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KANSAS AND KANSANS
Miles
Aggregate
Sand Cr. (leav. Ark. r.
50
442
Cimarrone (lower spr. )
8
450
Middle spr. (up Cim. r.)
36
486
Willow Bar
26
512
Upper Spring
18
530
Cold Spr. (leav Cim. r. )
5
535
M'Nees Cr.
25
560
Rabbit-ear Cr.
20
580
Round Mound
8
588
Rock Creek
8
596
Point of Roeks
19
615
Rio Colorado
20
635
Ocate
6
641
Santa Clara Spr.
21
662
Rio Mora
22
684
Rio Gallinas ( Vegas)
20
704
Ojo de Bernal ( spr. )
17
721
San Miguel
6
727
Peeos village
23
750
Santa Fe
25
775
In 1828 two men were killed by Indians on the Santa Fe Trail. The traders had feared attacks from Indians in previous years. They had requested the Government to furnish the caravans a military escort, but this it had failed to do. It has been the theory of the military men that a strong post on the border of an Indian country was sufficient to hold the savages in check, and they pointed to Fort Leavenworth, recently established to replace Old Fort Osage. No military post could entirely restrain wild tribes roaming six hundred miles away. This fact was finally the cause of the detail of the escort of 1829.
In 1829, Major Bennett Riley was at Fort Leavenworth. In the spring of that year he was ordered to take four companies of the 6th Infantry and accompany the trader caravan to the western frontier. He moved on the 5th of June, and joined the traders at Round Grove, in what is now Johnson County, Kansas. If the Indians had entertained any intention to attack the train the presence of the troops dispelled it. Major Riley escorted the caravan to Chouteau Island, in the Arkansas, without any molestation whatever. The traders turned south towards the Cimarron, and as they entered Mexican territory as soon as they crossed the river, it was impossible for Major Riley to accompany them any further. He camped on the north bank of the Arkansas and watched the American wagons disappear in the desert wastes. They had hardly disappeared below the desert horizon when horsemen were observed coming towards the American encampment at full speed. They announced that the caravan had been attacked by Indians and one man killed, and that they had been sent to urge that the American troops come to the rescue. Major Riley well knew the gravity of the step he was requested to take, for the caravan was on Mexican soil. But he chose to take the consequences in the emergency. The Indians retreated over the plain upon the appearance of the troops. To .reassure them, Major Riley went with the traders one more day, then returned to Chou-
119
KANSAS AND KANSANS
teau's Island, in the vicinity of which he camped for the summer. He had agreed to wait there until the 10th of October for the traders on their return journey from Santa Fe. Ile was beset by Indians the whole summer and had more than one encounter with them. The caravan did not appear on the 10th of October. On the 11th Major Riley broke camp and marched for Fort Leavenworth. He was soon overtaken by horsemen, however, and informed that the caravan was approaching under a Mexican escort.
The Americans halted and awaited the traders. They soon came up, with the Mexican escort under command of Colonel Viscara, Inspec- tor-General of the Army of Mexico. A scene of fraternity ensued. The Mexican troops were feasted by Major Riley, who put his troops on review for the Mexican commander, who remained with his army as guests of the Americans for three days. On the 14th of October the commands parted in the most friendly manner, and the caravans returned to the borders of the Missouri without further incident.
There was a second military escort for the caravans. It was in 1834.
THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN SMITH
Captain Jedediah Strong Smith was one of the most remarkable men who ever traversed the mountains and plains of the West in the pioneer days. He was born in New York near the Seneca Indian Reser- vation. He was given a good education, but he had as playmates the Seneca Indian boys, and his associations with them bred in him a desire to see pioneer life in the Far West. He was but a boy in the War of 1812, yet he was one of the victorious sailors in Perry's Victory. He continued westward, arriving at St. Louis. There he entered the ser- vice of General Ashley, of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. He soon became the first trapper in the Rocky Mountains. His coolness in danger, his daring, his judgment, his aptness for trade, his compre- hension of the fur business in all its bearings, made him a leader. He formed the Company of Smith, Jackson & Sublette to take over the business of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company when General Ashley decided to sell out his business. His company did a heavy business, and Smith amassed a competency. He determined to retire from active life in the mountains, for he had seen them all, to the Pacific Ocean. At an early day he led a party into California to hunt. This party passed a winter in the foothills on a stream east of Sacramento. From that circumstance the stream was called the American River -- which name it still bears. Leaving his party there, Smith returned to the Great Salt Lake for assistance. He returned and led his companions home through Oregon, up the Columbia, and south through what is now Idaho. As an American explorer Smith stands in the first rank.
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