Snake and Shoshones, the first three on the plains and the
others to the west. These were among the most warlike tribes of the
West, and during the construction of the road they were the occasion
of serious trouble, not to speak of the annoyance and delay as well as
the extra expense occasioned.

The following summarizes the conditions existing on the plains during
the time the road was under construction.

During the summer of 1864, the whole line of the Overland Stage from
St. Joseph, Mo., to Salt Lake City, was subject to Indian
depredations, so much so, that Ben Holliday, its proprietor, asked the
Government for five soldiers at each of the stage stations, and two to
accompany each coach. Without these, he stated, he would discontinue
the line.

The year 1865 was known as "The Bloody Year on the Plains," and its
history is one constant account of attacks, skirmishes, depredations
and murders by the Indians.

Notwithstanding the Peace Conference at Laramie in May, the year 1866,
was not much better and the relations between the whites and the
Indians were kept at a fighting point, culminating in the massacre by
the Indians at Fort Phil Kearney of eighty-one regular soldiers.

The year 1867 opened with troubles all along the line. The Government
inspectors reported "Indian depredations have caused serious
embarrassment to the locating, construction and operation of the line.
Constant and persistent attacks have occasioned great delay and
expense." The Government aroused to the dangers of temporizing, pushed
a large number of troops into the field, restored old and built many
new posts. This, together with the ease of communication resulting
from the rapidly extending railroad, had a deterrent effect on the
Indians.

1868 was a repetition of the preceding year. A Peace Conference at
Fort Laramie called for April was not attended by the Indians until
November. Numerous attacks were made by them on the whites and the
country kept in a turmoil. During the fall there was desperate
fighting and the army assisted by citizens soldiers punished the
Indians as they had never been punished before, resulting in a much
better condition of affairs during 1869 and thereafter. Nearly all the
Indian troubles occurred on the plains and east of Cheyenne. West
thereof, either owing to better organization on the part of the
railroad and military, or else to the intimidation of the tribes,
there was but little annoyance from this