Oroville daily Butte record., 1857-12-22
More or Kirk,Rep,y 10 the Mountain
Democrat.

Democrat.
EDITOR OF BUTrE RECORD:
If you will permit me the use of your
columns once more. and for the last time.
will notice some remarks that appeared in
the Mountain Democrat of November 18th,
under the caption of "Mr. Kirk and the
Honey Lake route"
In the first place l would say that do not
write for notoriety, therefore sign fcti-
tious name Mr.. Kirk never discharged er
reproved ne, and DO not write from any
malicious motive, but will state merely what
| know to be facts.
Mr.. Kirk. and many others of the expe-
dtion, did continually use their influence
against the Honey Lake route, advising i'm
migrants to take some one of the routes to
Carson Valley. Again, if Mr. Kirk, (or
any ne else) states that the waters ofHon-
ey Lake are poisonous, he must be mistdken
for cattle are allowed to run at large, and
drink of it freely, AMI are said by residents
there to like it extremely and to thrive up
on it, and the rushes that grow near the
shore.
| believe that before stated the true
cause of the disease among "our" stock, but
will repeat it, viz Overwork and starvation
for three weeks on the johnson cutoff,
where we had no business or right to be at
all, although they died in Honey Lake Val
ley and would have died at the same time,
had they been anywhere else
There were many among the Immigrants
who ha crossed on all the routes from the
bend of the Humboldt, and knOring ~ pre-
ferred the Honey Lake route. 1t is without
question the nearest and best road known
into California from the bend OF she Hum
boldt.
Two thirds of the immigration (notwith-
standing the arguments used by our party
against it), came that route last summer,
ard iCW and do speak favorable Of it. |
have 40 doubt that much stock died on that
route. The same is the case on both of the
other, and particularly in Carson Valley
and the johnson cut off, and, in fact, as far
as we went, City Rocks) the same was the
case, and little common sense will enable
one to account for it,
From the time that the first trains passed
through the "Shoshone" country, the Indi-
ans were necessarily annoying. stampeding
the stock, and numbering men, women and
children. Immigrants were ever on the
alert, no rest at night for man or beast
The stock had to se collected in the smallest
possible compass, and continually guarded,
ahdtby day driven 20 the very limit Of their
endurance If zone showed signs OF weari-
ness he was left to shift for himself Eve
rything was sacrificed to the grand object of
hurrying through with the women and chill
dren. Hence the great number of dead
stock strewna!Ong all the routes.
The Democrat has some reasonable sup
positions with regard to me, but they are
all wide of the mark | assumed "nomme
de plume" as is customary, not that l wish
to screen myself by it,. or avoid investiga-
ton. again say that | am prepared to
prove my statements, and (though not in
fallble) fear not the scrutiny of the Demo-
crat, whether an official organ or not.
say that the expedition was not properly
fitted out, or constituted. i wonder who
drew the "Physician's salary" as We had
none with u.s. for want of which have since
understood one of the party had te suffer an
irreparable loss.
Mr.. Kirk was undignfed, vascillating,
and profanely passionate at times, continual
ly at loggerhcads with his officers, and too
familiar with the men. DID not seem to
have any definite object in view, (after do
ing all the work on the johnson cut off,
but TO 60 over the balance of the road in as
short n time as possible. Yours,
HsINDRICH.
49,