In 1825 a party left Santa Fe in June and…
source date: 1891
availability: public-domain

and dollars was appro- priated for that purpose and that of obtaining the Indians’ consent to the road and its unmo- lested use. The U. S. Commissioners appointed to conduct the survey were Benjamin Reeves, George C. Sibley and Thomas Maher; and Jo- seph C. Brown as surveyor. In 1825 a party left Santa Fe in June and arrived in Franklin, Missouri, in August, with 500 mules and horses, and “the Santa Fe trade” continued to grow without intermission until the present time. But not without interruption from the Indians, which caused the committee on military affairs to report to congress, in 1828, in favor of a movable escort rather than a fixed garrison. The recommendation was given ef- fect in 1829, and Major Riley, with four com- panies of the 6th infantry, from Fort Leaven- worth, were detailed as the escort. Protection was not continued the following year; never- theless, there was an increase in traffic of just 100 per cent over the preceding year. In 1821 the Santa Fe trade may be said to have become a business propositon. Captain Glenn, Mr. Bicknell and Stephen Cooper were the pioneers of that commercial enterprise, al- though small parties of trappers and traders