The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1852-03-27
From the Waukegan Democrat
California Correspondence.

large immigration - coming across Tue IAlhs
next season, and presumng some from "Old
Lake may try the venture have thought It
best to sketch few desutory hints in relation to
that route.
In the first place ! would say, Keep ardy from
~ liyou will come to this country, come 10y
water. 1t is the quickest, safest, and best route,
and time is computed with money.
But If any should conclude to come by aud, |
would advise them to make Council Bluffs the
starting point from the Missouri Riyer-lt Is as
near aukegan as St Joseph j., and saves 100
miles travel Oh the plains, aud the supplies nee
essary tor journey can be as readily obtained.
Having crossed the plains, aud knowing pret-
ty well what is needed for an outfit it may not he
Inappropriate IN me To press npon those who in-
tend coming the necessity Of being prepared, and
nn, iOOlshly undertake to perform the trip on
short allowance. BE sure you have plenty Of
provisions. Believe no idle stories about sold
eis ratlons," OF If you do, lay IN from third to
half more than those said ratIons call for Be
fore you get through YOU will see the wisdom Of
tins advice. Don't believe, either, that YOU can
make the trip N go or 20 days, from the Mssoui
River to Sacramento and therefore lay in sup.
ply only for that time but rather mrkc your eS,
innate for one hundred days, and it ia more pru
dent to ovcrun that, than to fall short Of il in the
such a. IS best suited for -uch journey reference
being had as to the quality and bulk.
For team. prefer horses. thongh mules are
more hardy and oxen more sure. Should come
with an o1 team. would have tholn (to make an
lllsh buli) one third cows, that is, one yoke Of
COWS to two Ofoxcn-.good cows being valued here
at from 500 To $3.50 each The wagon should
! be a stout common farm wagon, neither too light
nor too heavy and then not too heavily loaded,
/ Bring no useless baggage. From three to five
are enough TO a wagou.-More are useless-less
would get along better. Each wagon should have
a good tent aud pIonty Of bed clothing. 1t i
a foolish idea that one pair Of blankets is enough
/ for man IN crossing the plains The fact Is un
/ I'll you geGueArIy through, the nights are colder
! than Ihey are IN Illinois. Provide Yourself with
a good large, heavy quilt--one you can wrap
around you. You can have pillow made IN one
corner II you choose In this way you can keep
comfortable during the night and thus prevent
much sIckuess. Ny opinion is much OF the sick
/ ness on the plains is caused from exposure TO the
cold during the uights. When came over, there
was q ram OF hail storm almost every night for
six hundred miles aud we found the nights very
uncoml,rtably cold until after We passed the So
I ia Springs IN Oregon For clothing, you want
| good stout, heavy cothng-say sheep gray's sat
/ tuet, or kcrseymere. Bring only enough to last
/ you through Clothing Is cheaper here than there.
/ Put IN Il small supply Of medicines for yourselves
aud team. Every man who crosses the plains
/ ehould have a supply Of Soan's Ointment, and
q l.yg.c ..d Cattle Powders ''li.py are Invaluable
| in such a journey Monuments have been raised
/ to Wholesale butchers and those who are expert
I in deyising ways and means 10 destroy their fel-
/ low men, why should not Sloan have 4 monument
a. high - Bibcls Tower raised to his memory.
{ Tor making medicine for curing man and
/ bca,t' Mcic he N California, he would not only
WIN golden opinions tu: win golden "ore TO
bis hearts content.
( After having laid in the above articles don't for.
get to put from 5000 to 500 in your pockets
you will see the wisdom Of this advice before, or
or soon after reaching here. 1t is madness TO
start ON such journey empty.hanied aud in the
"land Of gold 1t requires gold TO live. The i'm.
migrant after crossing the plains, Is worn down
with fatigue, and perhaps sickness. lie needs
rest Of mind as well as body, and If he /, destitute
Of money unless he has rcli friends he Is truly in
"bad tix" Ictuo married man think of com.
| Ing unless bis family come with him, OF no young
Uau unless he makes up lis mind to siaythree or
/ four years Fortunes are not made in = day, and
although there Is plenty Of gold in this country,
[ it takes steady, hard and unrcmtting labor, to
obtain It--hardcr perhaps than most olour young
men are used TO-
/ Having thus given few hints in relation to
getting ready for the journey, will now proceed
to lay down synopsls,oi the route, ior the oehe-
| tit Of those who may come.
| From the Bluffs, lat Al deg 5 m 81 :, to the
/ ford Of Loup Fork. Ia miles. This ford is not
considered as good as the upper one From the
npper ford to Wood river, 90 miles; 10 head Of
| Grand Island 2l miles. Fort ksaruey is near the
head of Grand Island, on the opposite side Of the
river TO the junction Of the North and South
Fork latitude IL degs., min Al sec; long, 90
deg Il 5. Is min; altitude, , GS5 feet - l.2 miles.
After going . miles further YOU find no more
timber for .os miles on the north side, except one
low tree-Iour only dependence fer fuel will he
Buffalo chips and driftwood From the Last
Timber to the Lone Tree" il 7S miles. Ash
Hollow is on the south side Of the Platte about
three miles irrm the lone Tree" To opposite
Chimney rock" is 20 miles, Twenty miles fur.
ther on you will be opposite SCOTS Bluf" the
most romantic scenery in the world From the
Bluff to Fort Laramie is 30 miles, lwoud advise
emgrans to keep on tho north side of the Platte
instead Of crossing at Laramie, they will save at
least some ierrage, II not some time. From La
ramie over the Black Hills, on the south side Of
the Platte, the road is heavy and rough The
distance from Laramie to the Upper Platte fer
~ is l27 miles. Here commences the tedious
portion of the Journey. On leaving the Platte
you had better take in supply oi water for the
day, as il is rs miles TO "W low SPRING. 1t is
true, you will pass pond IL miles from the
Platte, but its waters are poisonous, but Ivy gong
down the ravinc abouta mile good grass and good
water can be had From the Willow Springs to
the sweet Water i. 81 miles. The Alkal
springs are numerous here. Don't use this water
yourselves nor let your teams drink it. IL you
do you must give them lard Immediately, Il you
wish to save them Here is curious rock called
"lndependencc Rock" 1t covers about IL acres,
aud is about 900 feet high. Six miles further on
is the Devils Gate" curiosity worthy the ira
veler's attention. From Independence Rock to
! the South Pass" is 100 miles. You travel UP
tho Sweet Water nearly all this distance crossing
it some nine times--1he fifth time you cross the
| Sweet Water, il will be well to fill your water.
casks, for it is lG miles before you find any water
! fit to use. You will recognize the summit Of the
| Rocky Mountains by two mounds, cn either side
Of the road They are called the Tram Mounds
altitude 7,O5s Three miles further on are the
| Pacific Springs, tho head waters Of the Colorado,
| in lat i2ds Is bS'' long losds, 40, seventeen
miles. bring YOU to the junction of the Salt Lake
aud Oregon roads. From the junction ofthc roads
to the Mormon City, 2l9 miles. On the Oregon
Road lSublctts cut.oil) from the junction of the
road, TO Fig Sandy II from Big Sandy to Green
| River, ~ mlles There is no water in this dis.
tance. Many persons travel this route in the
ni,lt Mi. I thinL a hnl Milan and Ia. L. al Of