Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1859-06-02
Letter from Returning fikes Peake

PdiClclpdIOH III tle AoTIndIlOu Ol STATE
Government
Letter from Returning fikes Peaker
Elwood, Kansas, May 2e, 1850.
Editors Telegraph -
DEAR SIRs-Our company arrived in
the city ofSt. Josephs on Saturday, May
81. Here we found things about as we
expected, the city being full of disap.
pointed gold-hnnters without the means
to get nearer home. On our way thro'
the State Of Missouri, we were continu-
ally meeting teams on their return trip;
and within so miles OF the city, it would
average SO teams day coming back.
We have all seen the elephant
great many Of them painted en- the wag,
on covers of the returned Peakers, with
red chalk and mud. Wagons are con-
stantly arriving at St, 10. from the west.
Occasionally you see wagon going
west. There are great many cattle
going through to California in droves at
an average Of 200 head per day for the
last week. Last Saturday evening the |
packet Hesperioaa came down the river
from Omaha City with $50 returned |
gold seekers, who came on shore at St. |
10. About 100 of them were direct from
the Peak they had sold out their wag-
ons, supplies &C., at Omaha and Coun-
Gil Bluffs. They informed the citizens
of st. Jo., that there were some 900 |
more coming down soon, and they in
tended to raze St Jo., and then 90 to |
Leavenworth and destroy that city
They succeeded in frightening the citi-
zens considerably with this story, who
called public meetings, enrolled many
volunteer police and mustered the mi
litia to serve as special police. The |
Mayor issued proclamation authori-
ling the arrest of all persons found in I
the streets after 10 o'clock at night. I
was on the levee when the Hesperidu
swung around and landed, and never did
L see such mass of elongated faces as
came ashore from that steamer, swear
ing blooeshed and rapine"
There are rumors here that large par
ties are organizing on the plains with
the intention of coming back and rails
ing "Hail Columbia" with the river
towns,
Market Square, St. Jo., is constantly
crowded with wagons, horses, mules,
oxen, supplies, &c, &c, of the return
ing miners, who are obliged to sell them
at auction and at great sacrifice in or
der to raise the money to get home
A person with capital could make a re-
spectacle fortune here in q short time,
by attending these sales.
Horse-flesh and mule meat are cheap,
short and long hams drug in the mar
ket Everything, should Judge, has
been practising extensivelyin compound
reduction since previous quotations. I
Good wagons are bid off at $25 to $;35:
horses $50 to $40; oxen, per yoke $25
to S35. L saw a good wagon and two
yoke of oxen sell for / 90 dollars a
light spring wagon for $40; and horse
for 500, which would have brought
500 in gold in Wisconsin; provisions
of every description are cheap. Flour
can be bought from wagons for $500
per sack. Bacon and ham, 7aIOc, and
other things in porpoition. If person
wishes to equip for California, here is
the place to get an ''out fit" | was in
formed by Mr.. Ackerman of Wiscon-
sin, that the Col. at Ft. Kearney had al
ready purchased $4,000 worth of pro-
visions Of the returned PeakerS. Mr..
Alderman, left Cherry Creek the End
of March, he says the gold excitement
is nothing but speculative humbug-
every body is returning home-the mi.
ners do not realize fifty cents day and |,
that they can be worked only four
months in the year, on account of cold
and dry weather; when he left what
few that were mining, had to use boil
ing water to wash the dust.
He was prerent when Bassett the P.
NJ. of Denver city was shot; he saws
there are thousands Of persons on the |,
plains, made desperate by disappoint-
ment and restitution, who swear ven
gence against the Originators Of this stu
pendous humbug; but if the cities on
the borders treat the returning emf
grants fairly, no danger deed be appre-
hended. ST. Joseph was set on fire in
four places on Thurday uight last-no
arrests made.
On Saturday afternoon last we cross
ed the Missouri River from St. Jo. to
Elwood in Kansas, directly opposite.
One mile west of Elwood we succeeded |,
In getting pasture for our cattle. and
here we are encamped in company wit.
% or 80 other teams who like" Macaw.
Der are waiting for something to turn
up" Yours truly,
d. G. MCVEAN.