The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-01-24
CALIFORNIA CORRESPONDENCE.

CALltURNiA CORRESPONDENCE.
We are indebted to JAS. L. LOGAN, for the
following extracts from letters received
from his brother under post mark, Great
Salt Lake, Oct. llth. They are decidedly
better composed than any we have yet re-
ceived from our emigrants:-
DEAR BROTHER :-Ishallno inform ouwhere
am, what am doing, and what my prospects
for the future are, so far as am capable Of ;udg-
ing. In the first place am sitting in a,wagon,
in the suburbs ofthe Great Mormon City, and in
full view Of The mountains covered with perpetual
SHOWS, about TO give you little intelligence re-
specting my journey here, which has been rather
tedious one. We left The Missouri river about
the first of May, the country rolling and roads
good as far as Elk Horn river, 40 miles from
Council Bluffs, where we found village of COO
Omahaw Indians in most distressed condition.
The cholera had got amongst them, and their fear
ful wailngs were heard in every direction, and at
all houses. have seen the strong and the weak !,
the young and the aged, touched by the whitening
wand Of death, and alike placed beneath the cold
and clammy sod. The dreaded cholera made a
simultaneous attack on every hand, its victims
were chosen from every class, age and sex. The
deaths from cholera and exposure, have been i'm
mense. AS high as 10 graves may be seen in .
place on the South side of the South Platte, and
many others scattered on the route from Elk
Horn TO this place.
But, my dear brother, the cholera was not the
only difficulty with which the emigrants have had
to contends the destruction of property on the
road is Observation-Disclosures out horses, mules,
and lame cattle were to be seen at every camp
ground, and scattered along the road at intermed-
ate points. Good wagons, trunks, boxes, chains,
many other articles. were strewn along the road
from the time we crossed the South Fork of the
Platte until we reached here. The emigrants
have lost innumerable cattle the route by drink
ing alkaline water which standsin little lakes and
springs the whole route from the South Fork to
this place; and dead cattle lie thick along the
road, that it is almost impossible to catch breath
Of fresh air.
Hundreds and even thousands who left the
States last spring will not reach their place Of
destination until year from this present time,
owing to the condition of their cattle and the
scarcity offood We had frequently to drive %
and 30 miles without grass or water, and il is
said 10 be worse from here to the Sierra Nevada.
have inst heard from the emigrants on the Fort
Hall road. Their suferings are truly distressing,
men, women and children are packing their pro-
visions westward, their cattle having literally
starvedte death, there being no food Tor stock, far
or near, on that road have heard hundreds say
that if they were back in the States among their
friends, nothing would induce them TO attempt
the trip again.
should just advise you and my other friends
never to attempt this journey; only think Of the
thousands who left comfortable homes and cheer
ful fireside companions, who are buried BY the
way-side, and such is likely to be the case again
should another such tide Of emigrants attempt to
cross these naked plains.
In my last gave you an appalling account Of
the ravages Of the Cholera and the destruction Of
property on the route to California, far Ihave
rayelled on the road. I shall again begin Al
Fort Laramie The road from the Fort to the
South Pass is very rough, difficult to travel and
mostly mountainous. There is little or no tim
ber from the Missouri here there is great scarci.