Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-10-15

,!eii"u WI oui o'ff" ~ Nhio iIS' Stage
and therefore it gives me r'aasulr
to see the young and adventurous 20.
ing to seek their fortunes IN lands Vet
unrecIai.ned from the desert. In "a.
ing this they are probably securing
rurtlnes for their progeny ard an
easy old age for themselves.
Fort Usage. $50 miics mp the .Ns.I
souri, Rirer, .Narch 90. 1917
Sir have rcccu,is had the vIea.
sure to receive your very interesting
letter of the Esd September last, adj.
dressed jointly to my brother Hopkins
! and myself. Although il is principal.
" directed to my brother at Nachito-
ches, it happened some how or other
| to get direction to St. Louis, from
whence it has been forwarded to me
at this placc.-To say'that / derived
pleasure from hearing from an old and
valued acquaintance, after lapse of
many years, would be but feeble
expression of my feelings while read
ing your letter. 1t seemed like re.
newal of the days of my boyhood,
and like a revival Of (what We ali
are apt to call iD good old times.-
Although am at this moment much
pressed by official duties, have taken
my station at my desk with the full
determination to write you long
letter; and to answer as correctly as
AN able, your enquiries concerning
this country. Tie same express by
which | send you this letter to ST.
Louis Post Office, will convey Your
letter (agreeably to your desire to
NatcbitoChes, under cover to my bro.
tipr Hopkins, and you may expect to
hear from him, in the course Of about
wo'months from the very time Won
receive this letter. The public news
papers as well as yoarletter, had in.
formed me Of the general failure Of
the grain crops throughout the south
tern and eastern sections Of the union
and | observe also. that the same
scarcity had occurred pretty extern
sivc!y in Europe. ibelic"e our grain
crops in the western country have
been generally pretty good. though
sumewhat inferior 10 what they are
usually. As far as my observation
and information extend. ! think the
mast crop was unccmmonly abundant
last year throughout the western
country. Such was the case l know
in this territory; and yet the price
Of pork has been exceedingly high,
and will probably be higher-the u
suai price of pork is from 2 l-2 to
s l-a dollars per hundred ;-beef
g 1-2.-Now, pork is S TO 6 and beef
q 10. This is altogether owing to
the immense swarms of emigrantS
who are constantly flockins TO the
country from all parts of the union.
refer you to the last edition Of
Bradley's map of the United States.
No. Twill copy such part of it here
as may be necessary for my purpose.
1The eiitor is sorry to be under the
necessity Of omiting the section of
map inserted in this part Of the letter.
IT lays down the course Of the Missou-
ri, through part Of the territory of the
same name, to its junction with the
Mississippi. Boone'sLick settlement,
with the positions of Fort Usage. st.
Charles and st. Louis, as we'll as the
courses of the Usage, ard other tri-
butaries of tue Missouri are also laid
down..
This is truly very rough sketch,
but it will answer our purpose. Fnrt
Usage was established in tie fall Of
1908. At this time the highest hu-
man habitation on the Missouri, eI-
cept Indian Huts. was on the banks Of
the river, about where the red letter
A is placed on the annexed sketch.
say about IS miles by land, above the
village of 81. Charles. In Deem
her 1909, business called me to st.
Louis. ] traversed the country from
Fort Usage, geo miles, to the Arrow
Rock at Is, where crossed the Mis-
souri, by swimming. From thence |
travelled in direct course towards
st. Charles, 100 miles to- G.. before
I came to q house or mark of ci'i!i-
zcd beings. IL February last | re-
turned to this place.and in NY rlute o.
yertook The first families Who moved
n