Summer Meeting Minutes
The Wet/Dry Routes Chapter met for its summer meeting on July 21, 2007 at the Dale Otte farm, Larned, Kansas. Following a wiener roast and an ice cream supper, thirty-six members and guests convened for the business session. The secretary's and treasurer's report were given, also reports with regard to the marking project, the Fort Larned Day Camp, and the Faye Anderson Award. An announcement was made in relation to the field trip on the Fort Hays/Fort Dodge Road to be held this coming fall. In other business, the chapter voted to prepare and distribute a booklet describing the DAR monuments in Pawnee, Edwards, and Ford Counties. Jerry Buxton, Great Bend Tribune reporter, was presented a Lifetime Membership for his extorordinary coverage of chapter activities. As usual, many members were in attendance from long distance locations in Kansas. However, the chapter was especially pleased to welcome Sal and Annette Morreale from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

New Members
The chapter is pleased to welcome new members as follows: Jack & Lorna Singer of Larned and Janice Rose of Hudson, Kansas.

Fort Hays/Fort Dodge Road Field Trip
By the time this issue reaches you, the October 13 field trip will probably be history. The bus will accommodate twelve passengers, and that number was quickly met. Perhaps, we can review the field trip at our October 20 meeting.

DAR Booklet Update
The DAR Booklet is ready for the printers. Hopefully, copies will be available for the October meeting.

Pike Plaza
High winds displaced the large marker at the Zebulon Pike Plaza on September 18. Fortunately, no major damage was done. Kudos to Milden Yeager for making the necessary repairs.

Poster Contest
The Santa Fe Trail poster contest will involve 5th grade students at Larned this year. A report in this regard will soon be forthcoming at our Winter Meeting.

Fall Meeting
The fall meeting is scheduled for Saturday, October 20, at 5:30 p..m., Little Red House, at 2nd and State Street, in Larned, Kansas. A special demonstration will be made on how to bake biscuits in a Dutch oven. Dr. Leo Oliva will present the program on Santa Fe Trail cooking. For your information, the following is Josiah Greggs listing of provisions per man.

The ordinary supplies for each man's consumption during the journey, are about fifty pounds of flour, as many more of bacon, ten of coffee and twenty of sugar, and a little salt. Beans, crackers, and trifles of that description, are comfortable appendages, but being looked upon as dispensable luxuries, are seldom to be found in any of the stores on the road. The buffalo is chiefly depended upon for fresh meat, and great is the joy of the traveler when that noble animal first appears in sight.

You may be pleased to know that our meal will deviate from Gregg's menu. We will be served beef stew with biscuits. In case of inclement weather, an alternate meeting place will be available. Please bring lawn chairs, and appetite, and a smile (Note: restrooms are avaliable at the park.)

Other stuff about the preparation of food on the Trail
For the most part, the personnel in the caravan would be divided into messes of five-six men who would be responsible for the preparation of meals for their group. Tom Crammer, who compiled Rules and Regulations by which Wagon Trains, wrote:

We always find it best to move a train on the road by messes, from the fact that men generally prefer messing together from friendship, and then if an accident happens to a man on the road, he could more justly depend on his mess-mates for assistance than on any one else; besides, they want their wagons together on account of greasing.

Sometimes a cook was employed. Crammer described the cook's duties as follows:

It is the duty of the cook, after he has been furnished with wood and water, to prepare the meals of his mess. He should depend on none but himself to take care of his cooking equipage. When we drive before breakfast, which is a general rule, he should have a cold snack of refreshments for his mess-mates immediately after starting. It is also his duty to see that the sick of his mess are properly cared for. He should invariably put his mess "kit" in its proper place at night before he retires, also at noon before the cattle are in the corral. Though he is as mentioned in Article 1, excused from all other duties except to yoke, drive and unyoke his team, prepare for yoking, and, of course, assist in all other duties while the train is in motion.

Crammer's publication was printed in 1866 when the huge freighting firms, operating under strict regulations, were the major America freighter on the Santa Fe Trail.

Dues are always Due to the
Fastest Hand in the West
Chapter dues in the amount of $10.00 per family, are due at the Winter meeting or may be mailed to Alice Clapsaddle, 215 Mann, Larned, Kansas, 67550. Checks should be made out to the Wet/Dry Routes Chapter. Dues and email addresses are welcome.
"Printable Dues Form".
Do Not send our dues to the Santa Fe Trail Center

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