The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-06-25
Our Missouri Correspondence.
ST. JOSEPH, Missouri, June 8, 1919.
The Overland Emigration to Caiifornia--Antiei-
rated Suffering and Distress &c.

OF. JOSEPH, MteSOuIi, June D, IcfS.
The Overland Emigration to Catitormia--Antiei-
pated Suffering and Distress, 8c.
To you, from this remote frontier point, pro-
pose TO communicate some items of intelligence,
which, at this extraordinary immigrating era, may
be interesting to the innumerable readers Of your
Herald, though doubtless you have been constantly
advised of the preparations and progress of the
Immense throng Of eager Adventures, who have
set ont to the seeming endless plains, tor that
delusive country called Golden Fornia; and, oh {!
what patient toll, privation, and suffering, are to
be endured by them before that far distant region
OF mineral wealth will be reached! and oh, what
intolerable anguish and agony will overcome many
stout heart, and cause them to fail u prey To the
devouring monster IN a desert country! Alas!
how mournful to reflect, that many hundreds of
those gay aud Iovlal spirits, who left the frontier
with such buoyant hopes, will strew the long,
lonely pathway with their bones.
Your readers will probably term this horribly
dark picture; but when the unfortunate truths of
the great disaster, TO this seasons overland mm-
grafton, shall reach you, and be printed in the CO.
iumhs OF your Herald, next sprlng, then, indeed,
will your readers be startled by It's tale OF horrors
-ior thlnk lightly of II now as they may, such dis
asuous INNING ration never before ON tins continent
has been heard OF, MS this present season will real
lie; aud thousands have madly rushed to encoun-
ter the pers, when the facts 80 strongly evil
dent Of the dangers, for, at other seasons, when
large numbers have attempted 10 make the Jour
ney, immense losses and suffering has been the
sequence' ana me highest number, at any previous
ilnie, did not exceed above 5000. What must now
be the result IN the mountain passes, when there
more than hve tunes that number on their way;
and yet 90 well as Is known, that for the want of
subsistence IN the mountains, and on the great
Basin desert, a large portion OF their mules and
cattle there perlshed, and left the Immigrants to
the mercy Of chance Still the hazardous Adventure
er with his senses open to the facts rashly persists
IN attempting the desperate chances OF hls getting
through. Many who had advanced nearly 500 miles
on the Journey, having become sensible Of their
desperate chance, have already returned to this
point, disposed of their effects here by private and
public sales, and have left for their respective
homes. Numbers are now daily returning here,
who have been out only from five To ten days.
some from causes of dissentlon in their party
others, fromcauses OF sickness and great mortality
and others, from causes OF great perplexltes and
dscourugements with them, unaccustomed as they
were TO the exposed hardshlps OF such tedious
journey; and great numbers will be returning dur
ing the season, even some who have gone beyond
the South Pass.
Some five to eight thousand will, IN all proba-
biliiy, get successfully through, Of those who
were the first of, and in the advance, but after
they shall have gone through the mountain passes,
and the subsistence for Cattle been exhausted by
their stock, then disaster and calamity will be Sc
we're upon hose to follow, who, unfortunately, will
be compelled TO make the best of their chances for
winering within the mountain SHOWS. Within a
few days, we have received Intelligence through
the Mormon mall from the great Salt Lake, and
considerable number Of the immigrants had
passed Fort Laramie, as early as the 10Th May,
and were then pressing onward with all possible
haste.
The Mormon train, which is to leave Council
Bluff about the Goth of June, will number about
5000. They expect to reach their settlement In
September, and have been commanded to take
Elk months stores of provisions extra in order to
meet such emergency as may arise, from the APP
pretended inundatlon Of their settlement by the
thousands Of unfortunate California immigrants.