The Busy Life of Eighty-Five Years of Ezra Meeker: Ventures and adventures; sixty-three years of pioneer life in the old Oregon country; an account of the author's trip across the plains with an ox team; return trip, 1906-7; his cruise on Puget Sound, 1853; trip through the Natchess pass, 1854; over the Chilcoot pass; flat-boating on the Yukon, 1898. The Oregon trail.Meeker, Ezra
History
The Busy Life of Eighty-Five Years of Ezra Meeker: Ventures and adventures; sixty-three years of pioneer life in the old Oregon country; an account of the author's trip across the plains with an ox team; return trip, 1906-7; his cruise on Puget Sound, 1853; trip through the Natchess pass, 1854; over the Chilcoot pass; flat-boating on the Yukon, 1898. The Oregon trail.
Meeker, Ezra
Alaska -- Description and travel; Frontier and pioneer life -- Northwest, Pacific; Overland journeys to the Pacific; Washington (State) -- Description and travel
"This afternoon as we were driving, with both in the wagon, William
heard the rattles of a snake, and jumped out of the wagon, and
thoughtlessly called the dog. I stopped the wagon and called the dog
away from the reptile until it was killed. When stretched out it
measured four feet eight inches, and had eight rattles."
CASPER, WYOMING.
I quote from my journal:
"Camp No. 90, odometer 1,117½, Casper, Wyoming, July 6.—At the noon
hour, while eating dinner, seven miles out, we heard the whistle of the
locomotive, something we had not seen nor heard for nearly 300 miles.
As soon as lunch was over I left the wagon and walked in ahead of the
team to select camping ground, secure feed, and get the mail. Received
twenty letters, several from home.
"Fortunately a special meeting of the commercial club held this
evening, and I laid the matter of building a monument before them, with
the usual result; they resolved to build one; opened the subscription
at once, and appointed a committee to carry the work forward. I am
assured by several prominent citizens that a $500 monument will be
erected, as the city council will join with the club to provide for a
fountain as well, and place it on the most public street crossing in
the city."[24]
Glen Rock was the next place in our itinerary, which we reached at
dark, after having driven twenty-five and one-fourth miles. This is the
longest drive we have made on the whole trip.
[Illustration: As an Old Scout.]
GLEN ROCK.
Glen Rock is a small village, but the ladies met and resolved they
"would have as nice a monument as Casper," even if it did not cost as
much, because there was a stone quarry out but six miles from town.
One enthusiastic lady said: "We will inscribe it ourselves, if no
stonecutter can be had." "'Where there's a will there's a way,' as the
old adage runs," I remarked as we left the nice little burg and said
good-bye to the energetic ladies in it. God bless the women, anyhow;
I don't see how the world could get along without them; and anyhow
I don't see what life would have been without that little faithful
companion that came over this very same ground with me fifty-four years
ago and still lives to rejoice for the many, many blessings vouchsafed
to us and our descendants.
DOUGLAS, WYOMING.
At Douglas, Wyoming, 1,177½ miles out from The Dalles, the people at
first seemed reluctant to assume the responsibility of erecting a
monument, everybody being "too busy" to give up any time to it, but
were willing to contribute. After a short canvass, $52 was contributed,
a local committee appointed, and an organized effort to erect a
monument was well in hand before we drove out of the town.
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