149 AT THE PAINTED WOODS. > 
in Cipher’’ or ‘*‘Chronicle of a Spanish Woodyard”’ it Bei 
former work*, were but items in the woodyard history 
of the past forty years. While the record in most cases 
will lie buried with the actors, there will stand out now . 
and again a case kept alive by public inquiry or sympa- 
thetic interest. With such a case the writer now pre- 
sents to close these varied pen pictures of pioneer life 
at Painted Woods: ; 
One early summer day inthe year 1881, a traveling 
outfit consisting of two or three teams and wagons,drew 
up in front of Mercer’s ranch. The spokesman of the 
party announced himself by name—Adams—K.W.., 
and that the party hailed from Red Wing, Minnesota. 
With Mr. Adams were his two sons—John and George 
by name,both husky boys in their teens, Besides these 
were some other relatives and friends. The leader, 
with his father-in-law, John Day, sr., also of the party, 
was among the very first settlers of Goodhue county, 
Minnesota, and founder of Red Wing on the Missis- 
sippi, where the former had been proprietor of a wood- 
yard many years, but was ‘‘done up” by the introduc- 
tion of railroads that had taken away the steamboat 
trade. He had come over tothe Missouri to try his 
luck, and after distancing rival yards—would have no 
fears of railroads for some time to come. In response 
the ranchman host told Mr. Adams that there were at 
that time three woodyards within a distance of ten miles 
and were not considered profitable investments. To this 
the Minnesotain responded that the reign of the old 
timer was at end here, as on the Mississippi, and as a 
Missouri River ‘‘tenderfoot’’ he would stake off claims 
for his party as near by as possible, which he immedi- 
*“Hyrontier & Indian Life on the Upper Missouri & Great Plains.” 
