Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-08-03
The Oregon COlOny..Letter from
Capt. GilliaIM.

The Oregon Colony--Letter from
Capt. Gillian.
! GaEAr NEMAHAw SuB-AcENcY,
Indian Territory, May IL, 1874.
ALLEN M'LASE, ESQ:
| Dear Nr-Having given notice to the
public last summer, that l should start for
Oregon this spring with several families, l
have thought il would not be uninteresting
to your numerous readers 10 know the size
of the colony that has crossed the Missouri
at Elizabethtown this spring, and is now
thirty miles from the river, all in good
health and the best Of spirits, on their jour-
ney for the ''land Of promise"
The Independent Oregon colony is FIR
the largest, from the most authentic inior-
nation that can get, that has ever sta ted
from any point On the Missouri L. cross
the Rocky mountains. II mt .ins the fol-
lowing professional MN and mechanics,
viz: One minister, one law.e one MILL
wright, three nillels, one tailor. foui black
smiths, ole cooper, two cabinct-make,s,
five carpenters, ole whccl-wiight. three
shoemakers, one gunsmith, ole Wagon ma
ker, and the rest farmers. There are how
in the colony So families, l35 men, $50
persons, 4SS oxen, l89 cows, { Ii Of which
are team cows,) lbs young cattle, IS hor-
ses, "a mules, ana Sc wagons-makine in
all Of the horned cattle, $50 head. The
inspectors, Messrs. jeremiah Clark and
Jeremiah Burns, of Andrew county, Mo-,
having inspected the wagons. allowed that
20 were capable Of sustaining $500 cwt.;
48 1000, and Is 1900, and the strongest
teams were allowed to draw 5000, others
5000, and none less than 5000, while the
weight Of the loads was found, OH inspec-
ton, not 10 be more than ha 1 what the
wagons were Judged to bear, and but half
the strength Of the teams. Thet con-
sist entirely Of oxen and cows, no mules
nor horses being used for teams. The in
spectors also reported that they found . full
supply Of provisions and ammunition in the
colony, to Wit: $50 pounds OF flour to each
person, and so lbs. Of bacon; and 5 lbs. Of
powder and 10 It's. Of lead for each male
person over the age Of fifteen years, and a
good gun.
The crossing of the Missouri at Eliza
BEETHOVEN, Andrew county, was found to
be an excellent place for ierrying stock and
heavy loaded wagons, there being an eddy
on each side Of the river at that point, (Sam-
uel's landing, which greatly facilitates the
crossing; and the river, at the ''Great
Bend" being driven against the high bluffs
at Elizabethtown, is very narrow, and is,
| am confident. the best place for ferry
to cross emigrants going 10 Oregon there
is on the river; and in addition to the nat
ural advantages which Elizabethtown at:
fords, having many cold springs pouring
frcm its hills, for the health and comfort O
emigrants that may arrive there next spring
and encamp around It before ferrying their
effects over the river, l would say that
tlizabethtown will soon be one Of the mos
thriving and delightful villages in upper
Missouri; and would advise all to come
there to cross next spring, as they can OBJ.
tain all kinds Of merchandise for their out
fit at Elizabethtown, as losc az can be pur.
chased at any village on the Missouri, and
Mr.. billing, who has fine Touring mil
within two miles of the village, will fur.
nish flour for the emigrants on the mos
reasonable terms; and saw mill being
also in the vicinity, furnishes facilities fl
making any repairs of wagons which ma,
be found needful. The route, also, from
Chicago, on lake Michigan, when emigra.
ton will begin to set towards Oregon, a.
am confident it will, in year or two
from the middle and New England states
will be found to be the most direct and ex.
peditious in coming from Chicago to Bloom.
ington in Iowa Territory, from thence t
Iowaville on the Des Moines; from Their,
to Grey's mill on Grand river, from ther,
to Savannah, in Andrew county, No., ant
froifi thence to Elizabethtown. on the rive
making, in all, from Bloomington, Iowa
to Elizabethtown, Mo-, distance Of abou
go miles.
The road TO This point, the Agency
+ from the Missouri, is very good af.er psss
ing out Of the Missouri bottom, a distanc,
Of about four miles, which is rather low
, land, but presents no serious impeachment.
in going over any part Of it with heavy
wagons. On the arrival of emigrants a
the Sub-Agency, the Great Nemahaw, a
!. present under the superintendent o
Maj. w. p. Richardson, they will fine
every favor rendered them ly him
which, will be consistent With IL.
: high trust confided to him BY the gov FERN
! ment-that Of the peace and safety Ct IN
Indian tribes over which he ha~ r. iar;s
diction, and every facility Mni.n can b
, rendered them by him, his btneyolepc
, will prompt him to exte..d to them whic
am most happy to say has been to OF,
colony in variors '1ays-especislly il as
sisting in the hdrial Of Mr.. Andrew L
} Bishop, Of st Louis, Mo-, who arrived
j 2 very feeble state Of health, on the bank
/ OF the Missouri, and was e,ing 10 Il,
J mountains for his health but The Almighi
I iisposer ofevents saw Sit that he shout
end his journey over Wolfli er, and b
! was inferred at the Mission Of the Agenc,
The eighty-six wagons being divided il
!. to four companies, gave orders for the'
: to move from this point to-day, for h
: Falls Of the Willamette in Oregon. and a
!. rolled for,odri over the prairics with the
!. wives and little ones rejoicing with the,