Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1850-10-03

Magazine.
IL Mr.. l.. II. N. Patterson late cdi-
tor and publisher of the Oquawka (Ill.)
Spectator, arrived at Sacramento City on
the 18th July. He furnished the follow
ing account Of the condition of the emf
grants to the Placer Times
DEAR Sin :-Presuming that your in
tercsting sheet is one Of the principal
mediums of communicating intelligence
60 your eastern Contemporaries, concern
ing immigrants TO the modern Ophir, !
take the liberty Of addressing line, de-
failing few incidents OF crossing the
Plains.
| started with large company from
Oquawka, Illinois, fitted out with four
horse teams. We left the Missouri river
on the Goth April. From Council bluffs,
up the Platte, a country destitute of tim
Der, we made quick trip to Fort Lara
mic; although we had no grass achdteper,
the dead grass having been burned by
the immigrants ahead Of us. Who these
men, these friends of their fellows, were,
could not learn. From Fort Laramie
we found an excellent road across the
Black Hills; up the Sweetwater, a beau
tiful stream, we had no difficulty what
ever across the Rocky Mountains we
found good grass all the way, and had
rain storm every day. This will prove
almost Incredible to last years emil
grants.)
On arriving at Frcmont's " Place of
Fountains" we struck Hudspeth's Cut
off, delightful road, traversing the most
romantic regions ever travelled. From
Raft river to the Humboldt we met no
serious obstruction, but the trip from
Stony Point to III Dorado, will not soon
lie forgotten. Here was much suffering.
Men who never before knew want had
to walk over dusty roads and parched
plains some were entirely without pro-
visions or money, and had to beg and
steal their food ! saw one party who
had lived six days on few pounds Of
coffee.
One man from Wisconsin, having lost
his provisions in crossing Green river,
lived for two weeks on four pounds Of
pilot bread. But enough of this. Suffice
it TO say, when on the Sierra Nevada,
even some Of those who had heretofore
been well supplied, having lost by theft,
were compelled TO dispose Of horses for
-four, at the rate Of horse for ten
pounds. saw several horses which had
lie steaks taken from tnem--some men
who possessed too much honesty TO steal
being forced to this. Our company all
came through safely, however, being
only reduced TO short allowance on the
Nevada.
The inquiry viii very naturally be
made, what was the cause Of all this
suffering? My answer is, that the i'm
migrants, generally, this year started
with not enough provisions, mostly ex-
pccting TO make the trip in much short
er time than il was accomplished.
Again, many persons took the +" Law
son" or Z" Greenhorn Cut-oif, and, IN
returning again TO the old route, lost
much time.
NV note is hastily written, and ! have
omitted many incidents which might be
deemed interesting by those who have
never taken the trip. ] have said moth
ing of the immense destruction of prop
eriy; swimming rivers and wading in
alkali sloughs for grass, the natural music
Of the plains the serenading Of mos
quitoes; the lonely waste, with no trace
Of any green thing, except perhaps a
few g0ld-smiiten immigrants. Let these
things be buried in the water Of Lethc.
With respect, yours, +. II. N. p.