Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-05-28
Starvation at the West,


yet there is no distress that we are aware Of
West of the AlIeghenies, however, cattle are
perishing by the hundreds, and people pine for
lack of food.
In Iowa the traveller finds no hay or straw
for horses at any of the hotels. At Des
Moines corn is considered cheap at two dollars
and can scarcely be had at that 1t is repor-
ted that five dollars is the regular price in
many places between there and Council Bluffs
Dead horses aud cattle along the road are
said to be ordinary sights Wheat seems to be
nearly as scarce as corn and hay. Flour is
selling at five dollars and five dollars ffty
cents per hundred, and rising High as this
price is, farmers who could afford it were feed
ing their carriage-horses on wheat.
The suffering in Michigan has been SO ex-
treme that public meetings have been held
and measures taken by the public authorities
for relieving the destitute. The Relief Com
mittee of Lansing report that in Gratot coun-
ty people were selling their land for means to
get away with-that none have provisions to
last more than two or three weeks. What
they have, consists of -four and meal mere
ly they have meat, the smoke last fall
from the extensive fires having driven off the
deer
One of the most substantial farmers in the
town Of Arcadia reports that in lis neighbor-
hood most Of the families have only a few po-
tatOcS left for seed !; they have divided with
each other until they can divide no more, and
have seed to plant. Each has from one to
three bushels He had last season one and
half acres Of fine corn, that was cut off by an
early frost when it was in the milk, and he
could only use it for proYender for his cattle
The cattle have had to subsiSt mostly through
the winter on browse He has heard of neigh
Dor hoods north of him, from ten to thirty and
even sixty miles, that have nothing but oats to
boil for food, and that one woman and two or
three children west of him, in Montcalm couu-
ty, had died for want of food
Samuel Hewlett, ,ole of the leading butchers
of. Detroit returning from business trip
through the north part of Macomb county, in
the same state, reports to the editor of the
Detroit Adrertlser that he was compelled to
ride miles in order to find feed for his horse
He says that the cattle and horses are suffer
ing greatly, and that the sheep and lambs are
dying of the scours by the hundred. This
state of things he reports upon his own ohser
walton, and adds that he saw q number of
persons from the county of Lapecr ada-
cent, who say that matters are much worse
there.
The 4drerttscr attributes the excessive scar
city in Michigan, in a measure, to purely local
causes. 1t says
which cut of corn and buCkwLeat and nearly ruined po
tloes the miserable crops Of other vegetables aud bit
ter winter, have combined TO depress III. standard of life
TO point of starvation. The worst has not The
cattle can begin to live is true and the milk Will help
out OF the fare Of the poor children bit large portion
of the dead and il Will be two months before
the ground will yield anything upon which human beings
can rely for support"
In Tennessee things are in a still " orse con-
dition. The Knoxville Register of the Tth
inst, says that everywhere in East Tennessee,
the greatest scarcity o. rrovender and grain o.
every description prevails The cattle are ac-
tualy dying by the thousand, and in some
sections the dependence is to cut down trees,
that the cattle may eat buds Nor is this
alarming state of affairs confined to CATTLE
In many sections of the country, families that
have been well provided with not only the
necessarics, but man Of the uXuries Of life, are
80 straitened as TO be compelled to go forty or
fifty miles to buy corn or wheat.
While this is tile case with those who have
heretofore been comfortable and independent,
the GashTille Aoserican says that the greater
want prevails among the poorer classes, and in
counties east Of Knoxville, that some of them
were actually unable to have more than one
meal day.
From Canada the same cry of hunger is
heard. The Hamilton Spectator says that hay
brings $50 ton that no oats arc to be found
except what are needed for seed. and cattle
have been driven into the woods, "where they
are now dying il numbers from sheer starya-
tom
These are some Of the fruits of the excessive
stimulus given to western emigration by the
immense laud grants Of Congress. 4 popula-
ton that might bc more productivity employed
IN compact society, through these influences
is spread over thousands and millions Of acres
tempted by the prospect Of 4 new railroad to
be built, or a swelling current of emigration,
to spend all its money, and perhaps run in
debt for more land than it can afford to hold
or cultivate. This class Of settlers generally
have to sell their first crops out pretty clean
for money to meet their interest account max
ing but little provisions for the family con-
sumption through a long spring They also
have overlooked this year the extraordinary
emigration which has deuged the West, and
indefinitely multiplied the number of consumers
With their money all gone, the produce Of
their land all sold. what have they to to do
but starve or beg ? In some instances, as in
Michigan, no doubt local disaster has contri-
buted to the general desttution but, in the
main, the scarcity which now prevails in the
West may be traced pretty directly to the
land gambling proptnSities which Congress has
been cultivating for some years past by its do
nations of public lands. Ten millions Of acres
annually is all, and more than all, the new land
which is required for the proper accommoda-
tion of a healthy emigration
Twice that amount is forced annually upon
the market, usually coupled with condition
that some railroad or other improvement be
built through or byit. Thus double tempta-
ton is created TO Withdraw money from other !