The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-06-21
FROM THE PLAINS.


Our latest date from 81. Joseph 10 to the
Cd inst; and from For, Kearny. Nebraska
Territory, TO the 9th ul.. Fsom the 81,
Joseph's Adventure, al tho lat inst, we
learn thnt trader jus, arrived, twenty days
from Fort Laramie, represents the road as
very much crowded, "pcr.iculsrly beyond
the junction Of the Independe nee sud 81.
Joseph roads; in some places there were
several teams abreast, generally going for
ward without accident or detention. There
was more or less sickness in almost every
company, and some had died. The grass
from Fort Laramie 10 the Missouri river Is
good and plenty, but beyond that post, IN
the Buffalo range, about two hundred miles
across, where grass 10 thin in the most "a
sorable seasons, il j. already eaten down
by the unusual large nombcr Of Buffalo on
tho plains, which were driven from the
more mountainous parts BY the severe cold
and deep SHOWS Of the past winter. The
only danger tho emigrants spprehend is
from scarcity Of grass for SO many mi
mails. There arc probably on tho route,
beyond Fort Kesrny, not less than fifty or
sixty thousand oxen, mules and horses"
A gentleman who arrived in St. Louis
last Friday, direct from Fort Kearny fur
nishes the Republican with the following
| i,ems:--
1.-THE condition Of The emigrants on the Plains,
and in the vicinity rf Fort kearny, is represented
10 be rea ly distressing, and their difficulties have
not yet more than commenced"
sAlong the whole line, more or less Of cholera
aid other diseases prevailed. Our informant, on
his journey, observed at frequent intervals, the
fresh graves Of dece persons. Among the
number, he noticed one OF Ir. r. Sims, Of Lou
isiana; grave containing three Tndianans, and
another containing three lllinoi-ians. There
were many oihers-some unmark ed-and 0foth.
ers the names are not TecolIected.
"Aiong The route the water was good,
and, until they reached the valley at the
Platte, the road was generally all that
could he desired. Bat for mare than 20
miles bei;'re reaching Fort Kcarny--which
is about 800 miles from For, T.eavenworih
The ground is exceedingly heavy, aud j,
is with difficulty that any teams or hcnv,
wagons cnn get through it. Along the
route, from the settlements 10 Fort Kenr-
nv, the emigrants had t"liowcd the same
| road, and il il now M distinctly marked
as ans road in the United States. The
grass fnr mile nr more has been DESTROYED
and eaten up. MANY Of tho oxen, mules
md horses were giving out, aud ut the
Fort men were nbandoning every thing,
in their zeal to press forward. Many
even went On far ~ To abandon their wag-
ons, clothes, trunks &C., and attempted 10
convert their harness into pack saddles,
and in this way 10 prosecute their journey.
Coffee. sugar, meat, -four, &C.. &c, were
offered 10 the sniler, aud persons about The
Fort, Mt any price. mud often thrown a.
way, for the want Of a purchaser"
A correspondent Of the above paper da-
ting at Fort Kenrny, May Goth, speaks
thus Of the emigratinn:
Since my last, the army Of gold diggers has re-
ceis.d mighty and powerful reinforce,nents II
now numbers over ZOO men, and has baggage
aud pro, ision train Of 2,5e7 wagons. The prai.
rie is dotted with them as Ear as the eve can reach;
no, an instant Cor the last two weeks has there
been, that enigrants and emigrant wagons have
not been in sight from this post. For two or
three days p,st, our weather has been most dis
agreeable, and the effect has been somew hat 10
dan,pen the aldor Of The emigsanis, particularly
so, as the rain has been falling in torrents most OF
the time. ] have heard hundreds wish them.
selves NJ home, and several have actually turned
back at this point. The great majority now
crossing the plains, were profoundly igornan,
when starting, Of what was before them-had no
idea OF what an outfit consisted OF, and in short,
looked upon crossing the praities as nothing but
pleasure trip, where killing buffalo, wolf hum
ting. &c, formed the prominent features. The
result Of such want Of experience, was. that d.
most every wagon that left the frontiers, was
overloaded, not With articles absolutely necessa-
~, but With such things As each might fancy he
would want while on The prairi-s or after he reach.
ed the end oil his journey. Saw.miils, pick axes,
shoveIs, anvils, backsmiih's tools, feather beds,
rocking chairs, and thousand other useless arti.
cles for such trip, filled the wagons o. they leit
the Missouri river. Soon il was found that The
loading was loo great Tor the teams, and now
overheard goes every thing. The road is lined
with various ariicles--even goli r0ses and gold
srashers are abandoned by the roadside. Quanii-
ties OF provisions share the same fate, which il is
TO be feared will be sadly wanted by those who
threw them away, before the, reach the Pacific.
ssSeverai serious accidents have occurred on
the road from the car. less use offirearns Three
men have been shot dead, and yesterday young
man WAS brough: 10 the hospital dang ronsly shot
through the shoulder. Ills name 10 Swop, be is
from Missouri"
WISCONSIN will accept our thanks for late
ST. Louis papers.
6JAs.G &. PALrREY, the Free Soil can.
didate in the 18th Congressional District,
Massachusetts, has again been defeated.