New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-05-21
Overland 10 CaIifornIu-The Mighty "a'e o'
EmiRrnfion.
Correspondence Of The Trioane. =.

III
~ first Of July. During the two weeks la'i pas'
there were more arrivals than 10 any Prs'si'ns
ones.
Since my last letter the emigrants have nAd
much TO discourage them and to cast dampef On
their spirits \ few days since an express arrived
from Fort Kearney to inform them that they need
expect no supplies at the various Forts along the
route and 20 warn them that the grass on the
Plains, should they start at once, will prove made
quate to the support Of their cattle At the pres
eDt rates of grain and provisions they cannot wait
here much longer, for many OF them have exhaust
I'D their funds and will have either to return to
Their homes or push out for the Plains al once
while there is an insulIciency OF grass Many
here are predicting much suffering and distress
among The emigrants, but when il Is remembered
how kindly Providence interposed In their favor
last wear It is 10 be trusted that they will move IN
der its protection now. Never in the memory OF
the oldest mountaineer was grass on the Plains as
abundant as it was last season. Though the pros
pect for feed upon the praires is as yet but gloomy
indeed vet all hope for the best. A few days OF
genial and invigoratng sunshine is all that is need
ed 10 cothe the earth in her Spring garb. The
nights Mt present are cold and damp, with occa-
sional irosts On the first day OF May ice 70 the
thickness OF an inch formed in the Missouri, and In
the vicinity of Council Bluffs boats experienced
considerable difficulty in navigating, owing 10 the
large masses of it floating in the river.
In consequence OF the immense number OF cattle
that have already passed and now atthis point,
all kinds OF grain and provender have been unpre-
cedentedly high, and can at present be scarcely
purchased at any price. At Council Bluffs the
provender for cattle is entirely exhausted, and
some of the emigrants are feeding their cattle on
the meal and floar laid in for their own use. At
this place common prairie hay has been selling as
high as 60 per cwt.; corn from 90 cts. to 81 per
bushel and wheat from 81 to 81 l2l per bushel.-
The d" 81 Joseph Gd=ett6" remarks 1--WE recol
lect seeing corn sell at 10 cts. per bushe Quite
changel' The emigrants grumble Of course at
these California prices. The majority of them
have not the money to buy at these rates.
received, few days back, information from an
acquaintance out on the big Blue" to the effect
that he was encamped on that stream waiting for
grass. Even with his three weeks supply OF grain
he does not think it prudent to venture further at
present. He reports Buffalo in plenty about so
miles ahead of his encampment. Some emigrants
who started without grain for their cattle have been
forced to return to this place to await grass. They
returned with their cattle in weakly and impov
ershed condition.
Many are the narrowing scenes which one wit
nesses here as he moves around among the various
camps. Sickness and death cannot be averted,
and they will make their appearance even among
the emigrants A poor fellow is taken sick his
comrades fancy he has the smallpox, cholera or
some other contagious disease, and heartessly
abandon him to his tate. Exposed to the weather
in some wagon or rude shanty, with no friend near
to soothe his last hour his spirit takes its fight to
that bourne whence no traveller returns while
his body is loosely wrapped in an old blanket and
tossed into the earth as so much useless lumber
Every man for himself" is the motto. Not many
DAYS ago an emigrant was found dead in a wagon
H. rbs,of nua ctf forr~
after noting the fact thus speaks OF the occurrence
"SOme emgrants said be was from Marion Co. in
this State while others were OF opinion that he
from St. Charles He had in his pockets 20 cents
IN cash, jetc old c0N6s, aud a pint bottle By his
side odom haif taH 81 vhiskV :" Thus he died. No
one knew or cared who he was whence he came.
Thiais only one instance among the many such that
daily occur.
For the benefit of those who expect letters from
the States, a private express will start from here
on the l5th OF May, and will reach Fort Kearney
on the Goth and Fort Laramie on the eth, aud the
Pacific Springs about the 9Th Of June. Returning,
leave each Of the above ports weekly until the
emigration has passed. Fifty cents % be prepaid
on each letter-so says the advertisement |
shrewdy suspect that the getting into their pockets
the fifty cents per letter will be the only part Of the
contract that will be performed by the "enteprsing
company" Government, | think, should have
made some ARA agements for having letters for
warded to the emigrants along the route. All are
eager and anxious 10 hear from home, and no one
bur he who has tried it tell what a satisfaction
it is to receive a letter or paper when camped out
upon the broad pTaires
AS yet no accurate estimate can be formed ofthe
number of the overland emigration Of the present
season 1t is thought that up TO this date 600
have rendezvoused at independence, 1000 at Kan.
sss, 1000 At Weston, 10000 at Council Bluffs, and
from $4,000 10 10000 at this point. The total num-
Der Of emigrants that have reached the Missouri
River ut the points abOve-bamed, and other inter
mediate ones will not fall short Of $4,000. How
many more ct remain behind is problem which
cannot now be solved, for thousands are still com
ing in, though the stream has abated somewhat
Just across the Missouri-almost within stones
throw Of us-there is 10 y in the midst OF the will
derness the hum and hustle Of great city. Not
less than 10000 emigrant5 are encamped in the
woods on the opposite bank. The poor Kickapoos
and Potiawottomies owners of the soil where this
mighty mass are congregated, gaze upon the crowd
and their doings with WOnderment, while many of
the emigrants who never saw the abOrigines be-
fore, return their stare with equal curiosity.
The grand bubble ofthe gold mines on the Cav
River, or Kansas, is exploded at last. Those who
went out there some weeks ago to dig for the
dust" have returned with their pockets full of
rocks, but they happen 10 be not Of the right sort.
The story is now tod here that the person who
started the report OF there being gold in abundance
on that stream, had special object in view in get
ting up the report. 1t seems that he was poor
young man deeply ensmoured Of a certain fair
damse residing not far from here and who returned
bis love, but whose relations opposed the match on
account of his not having the "shuneo" To ac-
compish his object he started the report and con-
fded the important secret to the numerous rela-
tives Of his lady love- all Of whom were to parsci-
pate in the profits ofthe golden discovery com.
psny was organized; the ladys relatives of course
all started in pursuit OF the treasure The young
man. on account of " i'll health found it convenient
to decline camp life, and in the midst of all the ex
element managed TO lead TO the altar of "hymen'
the object Of his choice. He certainly deserved TO
be thus rewarded for bis ingenuity. | do not vouch
for the truth Of the story merely tell the tale as
twas told to me"
Since this letter was commenced several hundred
emigrants VI no had got out as far as 800 miles he