Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1849-07-05
cHARLEsToWN MINING COMPANY.
cerstspondsnee r ,hs : spin " Jsfspon.''
q T. IAIklkNEX, 2
Monday, Nat d, lsA9.

Correspondence of The Spiiis pf Jefftrson.'
Posr KEARtEr.
Monday, Maj as, lsz9.
The ChaFlestown Mining Company reached
this point early to-day, and camped for the pus.
pose q xamining the several laaa4 in the Wagons
IN order 10 see what srticles might most easily
b dispensed with. We are now $40 miles from
ST. joseph. and $50 from Fort independence
Formerly. fertilization existed al lie mouth of
tho Piatrs river, bearing The nane Of R5ss Keas-.
ney, which has lately been eFaduaied, and he
name transferred to the present Fort, know here
iofoye as Fort Chsgdess III
The Gommandans At the Fort reports that thir.
! tyrone hundred wagons are ii our advance. -
Each Of these teams average eight oxen, which
uiakes ttrentyfus tsOsisdnd head of o<sn ahead
/ ofus, This IS enosgh to stHrile ne sioaiest
heart, for all who have passed over the road state
ti1a, u ls Impossible sur 50 great number as this
I I'd subsist on the plaiAs!
| We intend either selling Oh throwing away,
! several thousand pouads OF Bacon, Flour, &C.,
! ID order 10 tighten our wagons as much as posi-
/ bic, for We find that no headway can be made
| withsour present loads. Oar guide, Mr.. Frank
1 Smith, one Of the best that ever travelled over
the road, says he with take US through in sixty
| FIVE days from this point, II OUT wagons have not
more than fifteen Or eighteen hundred pounds ~
! 0nr object is 10 get 10 California and we must
part with good many things we would mot.
/ were il possible for us 10 take Rhsm along. I'VE
must dispense with our tents, among other thngs,
/ and take il in The open air. last night made a
trial ofthis kind Of rest, and found qtite sweet
/ rspose.
+ Yesterday and 10. day. we saw quite number
Of antelopes, but our boys couhln't get within
gnnshot" Of them, So We didn'r bring Them down
The only game i prairie hens, Ppvers, srks, and
| other small birds
| Fort Kearney is situated on Grand Island, ID
/ al most beautiful location. The waters Of the
| Platte surround Il wbilstain font is vast plain
1 of almost iIimitabe extent-the eye wanders fddr
some object olrelief, but nothing presents itself
| save she<saa pIaihs' clothed III most luxuriaat
/ herbag9. H II
| HI Those who have never pissed through this
| country can have no idea Of The dull and monds
t6nous life The emigrsnt lives, orraiher drags out
-for asto living, wesdon't Do that, 70 we don't IL
/ VIE only erist on very poor Subsistence All
] along, il has been bacon and shott cake until
/ yesterday, when il was determinedthat our wa.
| epns should be ighened. We tllen dipped'
into tSe moissses, sugar, yinega raisins cheese,
tobacco, and ie~ other nrk nacks -delicacies
which liked TO have turned the beads ofsome Of the
| boys. Hl |E
/ In consequence of>this general distribution
We had filters, faisin pudding, &c. The TACT Of
| it is, we are" some" when il cuines 10 making
| nice things! III I83
/ have been much disapppnlel in regard I'd
| the weather we taEe On the plains i calculated
Eon weather hot enough to bake bread in the sun
but instead of TINT tlse stormy west wind makes
| a thick heavy coat entirely cumfDFable. /
II Whilst in camp ON severaloctasio we were
assailed by a swtrn,of bugs, numbering asmani
| as the locusts ofEgypt We wete compelled q
/ turn ont, and Surround cur mules, fearing 4
i stampede. sV
HI have SPOKEN Of tie number INCUR advance
Il as 10 how many Rreinfour rear, cannot say with
III any accuracy Weybaye passed as many as \
i hundred wagons in day, and The whole road
h seems to be swarming with emIgrants. II
Il The members OF Cur Company have all been
II restored 10 good health, and ahere is not one cn
the sick li5t. Wehave good cause to be thanSE
H full for this, asl many c6mpanies have suffered
much, and many ded \ Statce 4 day that we dp
II not pass the grave Of some pnep who started Il
buoyant 10 spirits, aud with az fair prospects A.
Il ourselves I'VE have been made 10 differ ffost,
|. them 10 This respect. Man is truly ungrateful-
n for although We have been blesl, we fail TO rem
der that praise and thankfuaness which grateful
l hearts should offer up. ii
/ We have unSefs,ood that -four and bacon Mil
not bring over i cent per ponndlat the Fort Ne
shall probably leave ours q perish on the way
/ side f.ss Ii
4 Mr., Frank Smith, onr guide ,33has been elecltt
i our Captains with Supreme aulhpriiy. Unterea
direction, think WEI viii GET along in. Perfsc
safety. an
Vi Font Kearrey consists dc ssme have doker
long, low houses, built Of sod cut square, piledlep
and covered with the same. ID presents guile
move! appearance The HOUSES are lined viii
heavy osnabuTa, AMI said % be very comfortable
\ 4 | expected to write 10 many Of my frldnd
whilst on my Ifouie, but really The thing cant b
Il done. Therelis something 10 do every momen
II during the day, and at night all are so much Ira
tigned that tlIey 60 to their beds with peftes
rush. Hin
A The trip over The country isEentirely fFeeffcI
N danger, so farias Indians are ooneered. Tier
Ehas not been do hour since We left st. JossP
that we were hot ID sight 81 other trains Of en-
VI grants. aH
H am blessed with most excellent health, an
II believe | will get thFoughpsafey- Twill write |
II yon xheneverl can, but presume my next vi
be from Fort l.arafia, some 390 miles Distant
III There are monthly. mails from the Fort, and 20
may not get this for more fhan month.
II MONDAY EvESIsG, May %, 1919.
h We disposed Of most Of Bur surplus articles a
this Fort--though atabont one-fourth what the
A cost us.
II find that Fort Kearney is not on Grand i
\ land. but on the border OF The Platte river
III nv resnects IN fTiensl rs j. Ill. h.