USA > Nebraska > Nebraska history and record of pioneer days, Vol IV > Part 3
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3. (Manuscript) Pen and Ink sketch map showing road between Fort Laramie and Fort Randall traveled by the 2nd Infantry and 4th Artillery in the years 1859-60.
This original military map is a most valuable document. It shows the road, the camping places, the chief topographic features of the route used in the early marches across the then nearly unknown Niobrara region. The route crossed the North Platte on a ferry near Fort Laramie, angled northeast by Rawhide creek to the Niobrara near Agate Springs, followed the Niobrara to a point south of the present town of Cody in Cherry county, then crossed to the lakes near the head of Min- nechadusa creek, thence northeast to the head of the Keya Paha and down that stream and its divide to Fort Randall. The total distance as measured was 36514 miles. Twenty camps are marked on the route. This was one of the routes (approx- imate) advocated for the Pacific railroad at that time.
4. (Manuscript). Military journal of the march of bat-
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talion of 2nd Infantry from Fort Laramie to Fort Randall under command of Major H. Day-May 15-June 3, 1860.
This record contains notes of the journey, each day's march, incidents, weather, Indians, characteristics of the country, with pen and ink pictures of some points.
The manuscript map and journal show at least three things hitherto unknown to the editor:
a. Eden Springs was the early military name for the famous Boiling Springs about eight miles southwest of Cody, Nebraska.
b. The map shows Minnechadusa creek flowing northeast into the Keya Paha river instead of into the Niobrara below Valentine.
c. Military names of creeks along the route have changed in later years. Bead Root Creek is now Bear Creek. Mar- row Bone Creek is now probably Spring Creek. There are several other similar cases. Antelope Creek is named and placed where it is today.
It is the fortune of the editor to have homesteaded in 1887 in the country crossed by this military march and to have ridden horseback over the entire region. He confesses to regret that the early and appropriate name of Eden Springs did not stick to the remarkable body of clear water which bursts from the foot of the high sand bluff on the Niobrara, where is now Boiling Springs Ranch. After a hard trip over hot sand hills the beautiful wooded flat with its extraordinary springs throwing up columns of clear water is quite enough to earn the title of Eden from the traveler.
FURTHER NOTE ON WALKER'S RANCH
Hastings, Nebraska, October 20, 1921.
Having just received a copy of the "Nebraska History and Records of Pioneer Days," I have read it with much pleasure and especially the article entitled "The Adventure at Walker's Ranch." But in this article I notice some few errors that I believe should be corrected. In the first place Walker's Ranch is better located by referring to it as three miles northeast of Wilcox, in Kearney County, Nebraska, this being its nearest town. Second, the name of Mr. Ball was Daniel B. Ball and not David B. Ball.
There are also some particulars of the matter in which
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Ball captured the two desperadoes at the ranch that vary ma- terially from Ball's story. Mr. Ball has told this story over and over again to the writer and I am very familiar with his version of that capture. Mr. Bengston has followed Mr. Ball's version of the matter and agrees fairly well with him except- ing how he decoyed Smith's partner into the barn and there captured him first.
Ball with his assistant had come up from the south, as told by Mr. Bengston, where a few hundred yards from the ranch-house was located some haystacks. He had left his posse secreted behind these haystacks and when he had reach- ed the barn and unhitched his horses, as detailed by Mr. Bengston, he busied himself about the buggy until Smith's partner came out. He greeted him in a friendly manner, asked to have his horses put in the barn and gave the des- perado one horse to lead in. He followed close behind this horse chatting all the time and directed his assistant to bring in the other horse. When Ball and the desperado had reached the stall the desperado removed the bridle, put on a halter, and was about to tie the horse to the manger when Ball threw himself upon the desperado and by his weight threw him to the ground and sought to put the hand-cuffs on him.
The fellow was yelling at the top of his voice. Ball knew that he had but a few seconds to complete hand-cuffing the man cr Smith would get both him and his assistant. He called to his assistant and as Ball said, "It seemed as though he would never get there." But soon the desperado was hand- cuffed and Ball sprang to his feet and drew his gun on Smith just as Smith entered the barn door. £ Ball having the advan- tage by being behind the partition in the stall, Smith threw up his hands and the capture was complete before the posse was called from behind their haystacks.
It seems to me that this version of the capture is more of a credit to the wonderful old frontiersman, Daniel B. Ball. It showed what risks he would take, his indomitable courage, his quick mind and strong will.
I might add that one of Mr. Ball's daughters still resides on the old ranch. A new house has been built and the old ranch house in which the murder was committed is fast falling to decay.
F. L. CARRICO.
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Of this issue of Nebraska History 1,800 copies are printed. Our mailing list includes 576 annual sustaining members, 14 life, 14 honorary, 19 corresponding, 134 historical and scientific societies and 558 newspaper exchanges. We plan to have 1,000 sustaining members before the close of 1922.
DRIPPING FORK CAVE OF THE PLATTE
A letter to the editor from W. M. Caldwell of the Federal Land Bank of Houston, Texas, raises an interesting historical question. The letter cites the following extract from a rare book commonly called Hunter's Narrative, copy of which is in the Nebraska Historical Society library :
We passed the summer in hunting and roving; and in the fall, ascended the La Platte several hundred miles, with a view more particularly to take furs. Near the place where we fixed our camp, which was on the Teel-te-nah, or Dripping Fork, a few miles above its entrance into the La Platte, is an extensive cave, which we visited on several occasions, and al- ways with great reverence and dread.
This cave is remarkable as having been the cemetery of some people, who must have inhabited this neighborhood, at a remote period of time, as the Indians who now occasionally traverse this district, bury their dead in a manner altogether different.
The entrance to this cavern was rather above the ground, and though narrow, of easy access. The floor was generally rocky, and much broken; though in some places, particularly in the ante-parts, strips of soil appeared, covered with animal ordure. Parts of the roof were at very unequal distances from the floor, in some places it appeared supported by large, singularly variegated, and beautiful columns; and at others it supported formations resembling huge icicles, which I now suppose to be stalactites.
Lighted up by our birch-bark flambeaux, the cave ex- hibited an astonishing and wonderful appearance; while the loud and distant rumbling or roar of waters through their sub- terranean channels filled our minds with apprehension and awe. We discovered two human bodies partly denuded, probably by the casual movements of the animals which frequent this abode of darkness; we inhumed and placed large stones over them, and then made good our retreat, half inclined to believe the tradition which prevails among some of the tribes, and which represents this cavern as the aperture through which the first Indian ascended from the bowels of the earth, and settled on its surface.
Our camps were fixed on a high piece of ground near the
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cave, in the vicinity of the Dripping Fork, a name which this stream takes from the great number of rills that drip into it from its rocky and abrupt banks. Near this place is a salt lick, to which various herds of the grazing kind resort in great numbers. The buffalo, deer and elk have made extraordinary deep and wide excavations in the banks surrounding it, where we used often to secrete ourselves, sometimes merely to ob- serve the playful gambols of the collected herds, and terrible conflicts of the buffaloes ; but more frequently do destroy such of them as were necessary to supply our wants. The beaver, otter, and muskrat, which find safe retreats in the cavernous banks of this stream, were very abundant, and our hunt was attended with great success.
John D. Hunter's book entitled "Manners and Customs of Several Indian Tribes located West of the Mississippi," was published in Philadelphia in 1823. The story of its author, as given by himself, is that he was captured by the Kickapoo tribe of Illinois when a very small child, carried away by them and lived with them until a young man. He learned Indian languages and was unable to speak English until his escape from them. He was, for a time, in the service of Manuel Lisa the noted Indian fur trader in the Nebraska country. So far as known neither the Dripping Fork of the Platte referred to by him nor the cave mentioned have been identified. From the description given by him they are rather more likely to be found in Colorado head waters of the La Platte than in Ne- braska. They may, indeed, be the gift of his imagination to posterity. We know that alleged travels in the Nebraska region, such as La Hontan's, are pure fabrications.
A still later letter from Mr. Caldwell answering the reply made his first letter, says:
After a very careful examination I have been unable to find where any of the other pathfinders of the West had men- tioned such a cave as that visited by Hunter, and beginning to feel as some historians have already branded him,-an im- poster. Your letter would indicate that they were not far wrong.
John Dum Hunter figured in early Texas history and was assassinated here, his death being instigated by Chief Bowles of the Cherokees-or so claimed by the enemies of Bowles.
Once a year the Pioneer Historical Society of South Omaha holds its reunion. The meeting held December 4, 1921, was a fine example. Five hundred people were present crowding Eagle Hall. South Omaha is a cosmopolitan city-
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hence a large part of the program was in the form of enter- tainment by the young people of high school age. There were Highland Scotch with bagpipes, Polish national dances in cos- tume with Polish music, plenty of Irish reminders and old time quadrille dancing by the real old timers. President J. J. Breen and Secretary Emma Talbot produced a wonderful printed program with gems of poetry from the best English poets on every page. There were present many of the first South Omahans who saw the city rise from a corn field. The annual reunions of this society are, in fact, great Americaniza- tion mixers-and not a word is said about Americanization. All the people are there and have a part.
XEERASKE STATI TOPTORSTAR
CHATLITNL
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Shelf of Nebraska Historical Society Publications 1885-1920.
NEBRASKA HISTORY PUBLICATIONS
Interest in Nebraska history and demand for information in that field grows continually. From 50 to 100 specific in- quiries per week come to the State Historical Society. These range all the way from data on prehistoric man in Nebraska to origin of local place names.
The publications under auspices of the Nebraska State Historical Society now include nineteen bound volumes, five pamphlets, and three years' issues of its historical magazine- "Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days."
The publications began in 1885. The first series includes five volumes, closing with the volume published in 1893. The second series began in 1894 with a change in title and number-
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NEBRASKA HISTORY PUBLICATIONS
ing of the volumes. In 1911 the distinction between the first and second series was abolished, and the volumes are now numbered consecutively from the first one issued in 1885. The list of publications with table of contents follows :
Transactions and Reports of the Nebraska State Historical So- ciety. Vol. I, 1885. 8 vo. clo., 233 pp., $1.25; paper in 4 pts., $0.75. Edi- tor, Robert W. Furnas.
Proceedings of the Society from January, 1879, to January, 1883; list of histories of counties; Historical Recollections in and about Otoe County; Historical Letters from Father De Smet; First White Child Born in Nebraska; origin of the name of Omaha; Some Historical Data about Washington County; relics in possession of the Society; First Female Suffragist Movement in Nebraska; Autobiography of Rev. William Hamilton; Indian names and their meaning; History of the Omaha Indians; Anecdotes of White Cow; fifty-seven pages of biography; Death of Governor Francis Burt; Annual Address of President Robt. W. Furnas, 1880; The Philosophy of Emigration; Admission of Ne- braska into the Union; Gold at Pike's Peak-Rush for; The Discovery of Nebraska; The Place of History in Modern Education; The Organic Act of the Society; constitution, by-laws and roster of the Society.
Vol. II, 1887. 8 vo. clo., 383 pp., $1.25; paper in 4 pts., $0.75. Edi- tor, George E. Howard.
The Relation of History to the Study and Practice of Law; Sketches from Territorial History-In the Beginning, Wildcat Banks, Sectional Politics, Politics Proper, Pioneer Journalism; The Capital Question in Ne- braska; How the Kansas-Nebraska Line was Established; Slavery in Nebraska; John Brown in Richardson County; A Visit to Nebraska in 1662; Forty Years among the Indians and on the Eastern Borders of Nebraska; Notes on the Early Military History of Nebraska; History of the Powder River Expedition of 1865; histories of Cass, Dodge, Wash- ington and Sarpy counties; Sketch of the First Congregational Church in Fremont, Nebraska; Early Fremont; Historical and Political Science Association of the University of Nebraska; The Discovery of Gold in Colorado; On the Establishment of an Arboreal Bureau; twenty-seven pages of biographies; annual meetings of the Society, 1885, 1886.
Vol. III, 1892. 8 vo. clo., 342 pp., very rare, $3.00. Editor, Howard Caldwell.
American State Legislatures; Political Science in American State Universities; History and Art; Salem Witchcraft; History of Education in Omaha; The Christening of the Platte; Development of the Free Soil Idea in the United States; The Beginning of Lincoln and Lancaster Coun- ty; Early Times and Pioneers; The Fort Pierre Expedition; The Military Camp on the Big Sioux River in 1855; Reminiscences of a Teacher among the Nebraska Indians, 1843-55; The Sioux Indian War of 1890-91; Early Settlers En Route; An Introduction to the History of Higher Education in Nebraska and a Brief account of the University of Nebraska; Asso- ciational Sermon; Congregational College History in Nebraska; Thirty- three Years Ago; The Pawnee Indian War, 1859; Early Days in Nebraska; Reminiscences of Early Days in Nebraska; miscellaneous correspondence; official proceedings of the Society, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890.
Vol. IV, 1892. 8 vo. clo., 336 pp., $3.00. Editor, Howard W. Cald- well.
From Nebraska City to Salt Creek in 1855; Old Fort Atkinson; The Indian Troubles and the Battle of Wounded Knee; biographies; Remi- niscenres of Early Days in Nebraska; history of the Fontenelle fami- ly of St. Louis; Old Fort Calhoun; Arbor Day; What Causes Indian Mounds; The First Postmaster of Omaha; Supreme Judges of Nebraska; Omaha Public Library; Judge Lynch's Court in Nebraska; Stormy Times in Nebraska; County Names; Lieut. Samuel A. Cherry; Origin of the Name Omaha; Omaha's Early Days; Early Days in Nebraska; Personal
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NEBRASKA HISTORY
Sketch of Rev. Moses Merrill; Extracts from the Diary of Rev. Moses Merrill, Missionary to the Otoe Indians from 1832 to 1840; Some Incidents in Our Early School Days in Illinois; Papers Read on the Laying of the Corner Stone of the Lancaster County Courthouse; Hardy Pioneers of Dixon County; Nebraska's First Newspaper; biographies, pp. 215-271; History of Butler County; Tribute to the Mothers and Wives of the Pioneers; annual meeting of the Society 1891; constitution and by-laws of the Society.
Vol. V, 1893. 8 vo. clo., 295 pp., very rare, $5.00. Editor, Howard W. Caldwell.
Records and Their Conservation; The Lincoln Public Library; The Arikara Conquest of 1823; Some Frenchmen of Early Days on the Mis- souri River; Reminiscences of Early Days in Nebraska; Admission of Nebraska as a State; Nebraska Silver Anniversary; Early Life in Ne- · braska; The Political and Constitutional Development of Nebraska; A Brief History of the Settlement of Kearney County and Southwestern Nebraska; annual meeting 1892; treasurer's reports for the years ending January 13, 1891, and January 11, 1893; List of Members.
Proceedings and Collections of the Nebraska State Historical Society. Second series, vol. I, 1894-95. 8 vo. clo., 264 pp., $1.25. Editor, Howard W. Caldwell.
Part of the Making of a State; The Life of Governor Burt; Reminis- cences of Early Days; Freighting in 1866; Early Nebraska Currency and Per Capita Circulation; Municipal Government in Nebraska; The Soldiers Free Homestead Colony; The Effect of Early Legislation upon the Courts of Nebraska; notes on the Society; Wanagi Olowan Kin; Reminiscences of the Third Judicial District; Freighting Across the Plains in 1856; necrology and notes on the Society; Some Financial Fallacies among the Pioneers of Nebraska; Proceedings of the Society 1893-1895; list of members; officers of the Society 1878 to 1896; constitution and by-laws; appropriations 1883-1895; list of donations.
Second series, vol. II, 1898. 8 vo. clo., 307 pp., $1.25. Editor, Howard W. Caldwell.
The Poncas; A Brief Sketch of the Life of Captain P. S. Real; Belle- vue, Its Past and Present; Edward Morin; Travelers in Nebraska in 1866; The Cost of Local Government-Then and Now; Underground Railroad in Nebraska; Biographical Sketch of Major W. W. Dennison; President's Communication 1897; The First Territorial Legislature of Nebraska; sundry reminiscences, pp. 88-161; Nebraska Women in 1855; The True Story of the Death of Sitting Bull; annual meetings, 1896, 1897; Papers and Proceedings of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences.
Second series, vol. III, 1899-The Provisional Government of Ne- braska Territory and The Journals of William Walker Provisional Gov- ernor of Nebraska Territory, 8 vo. clo., 423 pp., $3.00. Editor, William E. Connelley.
The Wyandots; The Walker Family; The Provisional Government of Nebraska Territory; Documents Relating to the Provisional Government of Nebraska Territory; A Brief Sketch of Abelard Guthrie; The Journals of William Walker, First Book; The Journals of William Walker, Second Book.
Second series, vol. IV, 1902-Forty Years of Nebraska at Home and in Congress, 8 vo. clo., 570 pp., $2.00. By Thomas W. Tipton, (former U. S. Senator from Nebraska). Editor, Howard W. Caldwell.
Territorial Governors; Territorial Delegates; The State Governors; Nebraska in the United States Senate; Members of U. S. House of Re- presentatives.
Second series, vol. V, 1902. 8 vo. clo., 381 pp., $1.50. Editor, Howard W. Caldwell.
Territorial Journalism; Newspapers and Newspaper Men of the Territorial Period; Pioneer Journalism; Communication of Hadley D. Johnson; Joseph L. Sharp; A. J. Hanscom; Reminiscences of Territorial
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NEBRASKA HISTORY PUBLICATIONS
Days; My First Trip to Omaha; Judge Elmer S. Dundy; The Nebraska Constitution; History of the Incarceration of the Lincoln City Council; A Nebraska Episode of the Wyoming Cattle War; Recollections of Omaha; Death of Logan Fontenelle; Reminiscences of the Crusade in Nebraska; Along the Overland Trail in Nebraska in 1852; Thomas Weston Tipton; Algernon Sidney Paddock; The Farmers Alliance in Nebraska; Reminiscences; History of the First State Capitol; Early History of Jefferson County Overland Route; The Indian Massacre of 1866; Bull- whacking Days; The Pawnee War of 1859; Early Days in the Indian Country; Freighting to Denver; Freighting and Staging in Early Days; Freighting in the '60's; The Plains War in 1865; Overland Freighting from Nebraska City; From Meridian to Fort Kearny; Freighting Reminis- cences; Mary Elizabeth Furnas; Freighting-Denver and Black Hills; Early Freighting and Claims Club Days in Nebraska; The Building of the First Capitol and Insane Hospital at Lincoln-Removal of Archives; Underground Railroad in Nebraska; minutes annual meetings, 1898-1900; minutes executive board meetings; list of members.
Nebraska Constitutional Conventions. Three volumes.
This series of publications was planned as a four-volume series. The first two volumes were issued under the editorship of Addison E. Sheldon. The plan of publication was then changed and the third volume was issued under the editorship of Albert Watkins. The fourth volume as planned was combined with the third volume. Therefore there is a gap in the numbering of the volumes of the second series, volume IX not being issued.
Second series, vol. VI, 1906. 8 vo. clo., 582. pp., $1.50. Editor, Addi- son E. Sheldon. Official Report of the Debates and Proceedings in the Nebraska Constitutional Convention, 1871.
Second series, vol. VII, 1907. 8 vo. clo., 628 pp., $1.50. Editor, Addi- son E. Sheldon. Official Report of the Debates and Proceedings in the Nebraska Constitutional Convention, 1871.
Second series, vol. VIII, 1913. 8vo. clo., 676 pp., $1.50. Editor, Al- bert Watkins. Official Report of the Debates and Proceedings in the Nebraska Constitutional Convention, 1871, concluded; Address-to voters on the submission of the constitution of 1871; The Constitution of the State of Nebraska-1871; Incipient Convention of 1860; Enabling Act of 1864; The Convention of 1864; Constitution of 1866; Convention of 1871- history of; The Constitutional Convention of 1875-minutes of; note; the vote, by counties, on the adoption of the constitution and on the separate article relating to the seat of the government.
Second series, vol. X, 1907. 8 vo. clo., 422 pp., $1.50. Editor, C. S. Paine.
The Mormon Settlements in the Missouri Valley; The Great Rail- road Migration into Northern Nebraska; Nebraska Politics and Ne- braska Railroads; Territorial Pioneer Days; Campaigning Against Crazy Horse; Personal Recollections of Early Days in Decatur, Nebraska; History of the Lincoln Salt Basin; Early Days at the Salt Basin; Judicial Grafts; My Very First Visit to the Pawnee Village in 1855; Early Days on the Little Blue; Early Annals of Nebraska City; biographies; Railroad Taxation in Nebraska; The Work of the Union Pacific in Nebraska; Early Dreams of Coal in Nebraska; Unveiling of the Thayer Monument, Wyuka Cemetery; Proceedings of the Nebraska State Historical Society-annual meetings of 1901 to 1907, inclusive; museum catalogue; newspapers re- ceived by the Society, January 1, 1908; legislative acts affecting the Society; constitution and by-laws; publications of the Society.
Collections of the Nebraska State Historical Society.
Vol. XVI, 1911. 8 vo. clo., 296 pp., $2.00. Editor, Albert Watkins.
Dedication of the Astorian Monument at Bellevue; Early Days in and About Bellevue; Kansas-Nebraska Boundary Line; Nebraska and Minnesota Territorial Boundary; Territorial Evolution of Nebraska; Re- mininiscences of the Indian Fight at Ash Hollow, 1855; The Battle Ground
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NEBRASKA HISTORY
of Ash Hollow; The Last Battle of the Pawnee with the Sioux; The Indian Ghost Dance; Some Side Lights on the Character of Sitting Bull; The Early Settlements of the Platte Valley; The First Catholic Bishop in Nebraska; Birth of Lincoln, Nebraska; English Settlement in Palmyra; History of Fort Kearny; Missionary Life Among the Pawnee.
Vol. XVII, 1913. 8 vo. clo., 382 pp., $2.00. Editor, Albert Watkins.
The Work of the Historical Society; Historical Sketch of South- western Nebraska; Nebraska, Mother of States; Nebraska Territorial Acquisition; Addresses by James Mooney-Life Among the Indian Tribes of the Plains-The Indian Woman; Systematic Nebraska Ethno- logic Investigation; A Tragedy of the Oregon Trail; The Oregon Recruit Expedition; Influence of Overland Travel on the Early Settlement of Nebraska; Incidents of the Early Settlement of Nuckolls County; First Steamboat Trial Trip up the Missouri; Origin of Olatha, Nebraska; The Semi-Precious Stones of Webster, Nuckolis and Franklin Counties, Ne- braska; Historical Sketch of Cheyenne County, Nebraska; Organization of the Counties of Kearney, Franklin, Harlan and Phelps; Annual Ad- dress of John Lee Webster, President, 1913; Adventures on the Plains, 1865-67; An Indian Raid of 1867; How Shall the Indian Be Treated His- torically; Importance of the Study of Local History; History; The Path- finders, the Historic Background of Western Civilization; An Interesting Historical Document; Memorabilia-Gen. G. M. Dodge; A Study in the Ethnobotany of the Omaha Indians; Some Native Nebraska Plants With Their Uses by the Dakota.
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