The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-05-04

La,e., frola the Californian. In Missouri.


have returned from the Missouri river with
10 the past week, that the cholera prevails
to a con siderable extent at all the principal
points on the river, where emisrants are
conyrecated. Among its latest victims is a
Mr.. Harris, who left this place in Mr.. Del
amos company. Oar Informant states that
there were at least $4,000 emisrantS at the
! different poiI,ts ca the river, snd more conn
ing daily. 5 me were alreacy starting a
cross the plains, carrying food ion month
or so. Grass was yet too scarce 10 rel! up
on il.
The 81. Loui, Republican Of Saturday
publishes a letter from esu).r pond
eni at Independence, Mo. from which VIC
condense the following particulars;
"Darins the last week, more emigrant>
have arrived at uhis point, en- route I"
California, than al any time preSIouSior the
same period.
.'The supply of oxen and mules, a; this
place, exceeds the demand, AMI prices range
at about my previous quotations say, Iur
ordinary to good mules $40 To $50, aud
choice at $40 TO 500 per head, Is in quality
aud condition.
s'Sales Of oxen have Lccn made as low as
SO per yoke, and r,uleS at SO per head,
bat are not the IN srkotablc rates stock sold
at those prices will las, jlsi Ion. enough oil
the trip 10 carry their owners 20 point
where il viii be Impossible 10 rel'cnish:
aud from the numbers If such that have
been purchased, fenrthere will be immense
suffering on the plains. and ia the mountains
! during this season. What men are thinking
ABBOTT. or calculating upon, when they pro-
vide themselves with such teams Tor a Jour
ney ofnenr two thousand miles, is mys-
/ terry yet hundreds are going so, and even
theu combining themselvs to barely sui
| fcienttean TO move their wagon"
The writer says that disturbances have
sprung up in many companies ready to
move, resulting, in one or tw 0 instances, 10
a complete dissolution. One Of these dis
solutions, or winding up &c affairs, came
near proving fatal to an innoccntparty. ln
rcncoutrc between two Of TIE com
pany, Thos. s. Sawyer and Mr.. Waters, Of
Illinois, respecting a balance claimed by
Sawyer as due him, shots were exchanged,
and Mr.. AlexWder II. Baldwin, Of
Elnyra, n, Y, who Glanced TO be passing
the belligeremts at the>iinc, received the
contents of gun, fred by Sawyer, into his
loins. Baldwin will recover. Sawyerwas
arrested; plead guilty to all assault, and was
( fined 81 and costs.
Another letter, from the same correspou-
dent, dated April2l, says:
! Nearly all the companies that have been
! forw arded you, both from this point and St
Joseph, .'in,end to be the first To move to the
, plains" This is their calculation, and /
| have no doubt each will make every exer-
/ ton in their power 10 carry itin,oeXecutiOn.
/ To be sure Of "being first" several have
( already moved as far a' Kaw river, are
/ there in camp, and ready to proceed when
others appear This desire 10 be in
the lead, will, fear, cause many to urge
! their teams beyond their capacity a, the
| Start.
/ Much apprehension is manifested, owing
! 10 tho Immense emigration, that the glass IN
the vicinity of such places AZ must neceS-
I sariy be selected for camping, will prove
{ inadequate, even at the mos, favorable
part of the season. TO sub>ist the stock.
Those best acquainted with the country,
/ however, deem 1t ample for the number
that will move this season, yet cousider that
companies hazard muchby a tooearly start,
unless provided. The great majority that
move first, make no such provision.
/ The companies you have already publish.
| cd as IN camp ready TO move, including
those given in this communication. comprise
$500 persons, who will carry at least 5000
head Of stock, in oxen aud mules. This
body Of men, with this amount Of stock, in.
tend moving the coming week. Allowing
that all succeed in starting. each anxious ia
oui-trav-l the other. it is feared that the
young grass they Will find near their camp
ing places will prove wholly insufficient, aud
aided by hurried marches, tend TO reduce
their stock. This being done at the start,
will retard them greatly in reaching their
destination.
The past few days the weather has been
pleasant and warm, andvesetation is advan-
cling finely.