The Ottawa free trader., 1849-04-13

! iN"'''"N '' h' paris ul the l nlttd States, thi
number, whose oljrc, in going was non,
Other than 10 dig FOR gold, would not ral
short Of some hundred thousand men - an,
allowin S3 per day TO each Individual fol
one year, they would produce in that shor,
period Of lime more than double the amount
Of the entire circulating medium Of this 70.
vernment: this we regarded as rnprobeble
we never could believe that the gold was
so plenty, aud ther. fore cautioned our re "a
ders TO "think before leapiug," but, rthey
were determined 10 go, not to think Of doing
so"ithout abundantly supplying themselves
with provisions, for We anticipated much
difficulty in that resprc.
Need we here say that every circum-
stance touching this matter, since then. has
more or less tended to prove the cerrectuess
Of these antlcipations? Who has seen the
! trains and boat loads Of teams daily pass.
ing through our town and leaving our " harl
for California ihat has not felt convinced
| that even ''one hundred thousand" was too
low an estimate? Quite number OF those.
aud some too who called at cur statements
eXagerations, who had commenced making
/ preparations, on seeing the crowds pressing
on regardless of the inclemency Of the wea
4 ther and the almost impa>sability Of the
roads 10 get into the front rank. have wise
ly concluded that it would be better TO sui
fer the disgrace Of 'backing out,' than TO
enjoy the honor Of scattering their bones
upon the plains or in the valy ofthe Sscre.
men'y.
In another article in reference TO the
number that would attempt to reach tie
gold regions by the route through the South
Pass, published in our paper of the OH Of
Feb, we showed that 10000 men, with
. team OF three yokes Of cattle TO every three
men, would make lerger train than could
possibly subsis. on the limited quantity Of
grass that is found, after crossing the South
Fork Of Platte River. Whilst, az the same
, time we believed, aud stated, that the mum.
that would attempt this route would not fall
short of $1,000. This may be too high, bu,
be i, a, it may, we have good reasons for
thinking that 1t is not much out Of the way.
The following extract is from highly in.
tellisent and respectable citizen of Inde.
pendence, received by US in answer to one
in reference to this matter. lie says,
SIN the fall had set the number Of EN-.
igran's that would start from this place at
10000; but, from information have since
received, am satisfied that the number
will not fall short Of 10000.
This number will make it difficult to cross
the mountains where the grass is scarce"
This is saying much for person living
at Independence, when we consider that
the place has been built up almost exclu-
svely by the mdeey spent there by emf,
grants to New Mexico, Oregon, and Cali
fornia, in buying their outfits. Ii being 10
their interest 10 have as large number as
possible collect there, of course, they would
say nothing to deter single soul, though,
at the same time they were satisfied that
but comparatively few could cross the
plains. St. Louis, too, was interested in
having large number; and in fact almost
every town or the western rivers. Hence
the sielnce Of the papers, all through the
west, on this important subject. For the
sake Of gaining few dollars, in the way
oftrade, every inducement was offered to
get persons started, and after selling them
their outfits, they would let them hurry
of to the plains to die.
But since the current has commenced
moving, and the eu;grants are beginning to
experience some ofthe difficulties attendant
on such an expedition, we see by the papers,
that many are coming TO their senses, even
at "the eleventh hour" Almost every boat
that comes up from below brings more or
less passengers back, who have sold out
their equipase, often al a sacrifice, and are
on their way back TO whence they started
And, in all cases, where we have he ard their
reasons for abandoning their journey, it has
been, simply, wha, we warned them Of two
months ago, viz: lst, the impossibli,y ofso
large concourse's getting started in time
to reach California before the winter sets
in, and adly, should they get started, the
total insuiliciency of grass on the greater
part ofthe road 10 feed the cattle.
We clip the following extract from the
State Register. 1t shows that somo are
beginning to discover these important facts, at
Burlington, Iowa:
"The Burlington Hawk Eye ofThursday
! gives gloomy account, Of the condition Of
the smigrants vino have arrived in that oity
from northern Illinois, Wisconsin, aud Mi.
chigan, oil their way to California. MANY
OF their teams were jaded out. The pros.
pect and uncertainty of getting an early
start so as TO secure food for their teams,
have discouraged many, and several in the
vicinity of Burlington have indefinitely
postponed their visit TO California. The
editor does moi believe that more than half
Of the mu'titudes who will coucrera,e at
Independence and st. Joseph will get off
before the first Of July, which will make il
too latd TO &c, through"