Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-08-22
00(ortester 1ailp gpp.
GREELEVs OVERLAND IouRNEY.
M.
THE EMIGRATION.
SALT LAKE CITY, July u.

of last Spring. The people OF the old States
have no adequate idea of the extent and force
of this mania. | estimate the number who
started for Pixies Peak during February and
the three following months of this year at
nearer one hundred thousand than fifty thous-
and-in fact, hardly short Of the larger num-
Der. To this gold-seeking crusade, all the
slave States except Missouri contributed less
than one thousand persons all the free States
east of the Ohio, hardly five hundred. There
were few from Western Pennsylvania, and
a handful from Kentucky; while the great
mass were from the richest States and Terri
tories of the West, in about this proportion
Illinois, 5000 Indiana, 5000
Iowa, 10000 Ohio, 5000
Missouri, 10000 Kansas, 5000
Wisconsin, 5000 Nebraska, 5000
Michigan, 1000 Minnesota, 1900
All other States, per-
haps, 5000 Total, say, 1900
OF this number, perhaps the odd two thous-
and were women and children; the residue
men, mainly athletic, energetic and in the
prime of life How their dreams of sudden
wealth were rudely dispelled, and the great
body of them turned back on the road home
ward, without having been within hundreds
of miles of any possible gold mines, is already
known. | estimate the number now i'll our
about our Kansas gold region at barely fifteen
thoueand, and they are quite enough. Unless
discoveries and developments have been made
faster than was to be reasonably expected
when | left that region three weeks ago, not
even this reduced number can find employ
ment and subsistence there through the long
Winter impending. Mining is business
which will not be hurried; if the Rocky
Mountain gold region should ultimately prove
as rich and facie as either California or Aus
tralia in its best estate, it would still be mpos-
sible to set one hundred thousand persons
probably at work in it in less than two years.
pixies Peak having las they supposedly
gone up, the great majority of the gold
seekers set their faces towards home, while a
considerable number returned only to civilized
Kansas and took up "caims" there. But a
considerable proportion, having started for
gold, or at least to go further in quest Of it.
SO meeting the wild rush of disappointed
Pixies Peakers down the Platte they changed
their course and steered for California, with
er considerable emigration, compelled by
"hard times" in the West, was already pro-
ceeding. Swelled by these DETECTED Pixies
Peakers, estimate the total number now on
the road to California at about thirty thousand
persons, with teams of oxen, mules, horses,
and loose cattle amounting at the start to a
little less than one hundred thousand Of
these, more than half fare or were) working
oxen.
1t was about the LIST of June when the van
guard ofthis long array appeared in the South
Pass, then considerably encountered with
snow and it is now OF course considerably
west OF the city. Its rear, on the other hand,
was far west of Laramie when left that post
aud can hardly yet have passed it. The emf
grafton, therefore, covers the great trail for
an extent Of more than seven hundred miles
L think for not less than eight hundred-or
fully half the distance from the settlements of
Kansas to those of California west OF the ST.
ezra Nevada. The head of this magnificent
column will enter the valley Of the Sacrament
to early in August; its extreme rear will be
struggling down the mountain slopes, sad,
lank, and tootsore, as late as the LIST of Octo-
Der.
So far as Platte Bridge 125 miles this side
of Laramie, the Emigration is divided by the
Platte and North Platte-about one-third, l
judge, keeping north of those rivers, where
the best grass and water are found, and where
the loss of cattle is consequently much less
than on the south side From Platte Bridge
to the South Pass-a distance of nearly $50
miles-all the emigration and travel to Utah,
California, and Oregon pass over common
trail, and for most OF the way the deficiency of
grass was already fearful when l traversed
that section ten days ago. What must it be,
then, after three weeks more of scorching sun
shine, and the daily passage of hundreds, if
not thousands, of hungry cattle
From the South Pass this way for more than
a hundred miles, feed is even scarcer than on
the other side but here the travel is divided.
A glance at the map will show this city far
south of direct line even to Placeryile, much
more of due course to the Feather Yuba, or
even the American. Nor is this route less
rugged, probably, on the whole, than one or
two others, considering the rough mountain
passages between this city and Bridger. All
the little emigration to Oregon leaves the
great trail on Col. Lander's new road that
strikes off on the other side of the South Pass,
and while many more of the California bound,
sick of the deficient forage and the infrequent
water on the Salt Lake route, strike off more
northerly at various points, expecting to find
more grass if higher mountains and rougher
road by the fainter trails they severally take
to reach the land of gold. Some of them will
probably pay for their temerity by the loss of
their cattle if not also of their lives but this
diversion will save many who could not other
wise have gone through on the bare trail
through the deserts westward of this point
which the emigration already in advance will
certainly have left. Many cattle will die any
how, but think considerably fewer than if all
had taken this single route.
This terrible waste and destruction of ami
ult, WHICH SNGIJ llscll vi Illc
travellers attention, is one of the most repul-
sive features of a journey across the Plains.
From Laramie Bridge land, l am assured, for
a long distance east of it) to this city, the way
is lined with carcases, mainly of dead oxen.
You can scarcely cast your eyes abroad with
out seeing one such while three, four, and
even six, are often visible at once. | know
that some of these have lain in this dry, pure
atmosphere for year OF more STILL the NOR
tally of this season has been fearful, and is
daily increasing as grass fails, cattle tire out,
and larger number of the emigrants reach
the more destitute and dangerous portion of
the way. was hardly halfway over when l
heard lat the South Pass of one party which,
having started with loaded wagon drawn by
eight oxen, had lost every OK but one, which
they sold, and, taking what they could carry
on their backs, started to make their way on
foot to and across the Sierra Nevada. This is,
of course, an uncommon case; but every day
for more than month has seen its hundreds,
if not thousands, of cattle on the long journey
lie down to rise no more and every day
henceforth till October will see that number
largely increased. Hunger, thirst, WEAKNESS,
over-driving, abuse, each and all claim their
victims; but what is vaguely called alkali wa
ter is more destructive than them all Hence,
i judge that loose cattle suffer more than those
yoked and drawing wagons, because less under
control with regard TO the water they drink.
! am told here that cattle accustomed to aka
line water, so far from stunning it, acquire a
taste for it which they eagerly crafty; but
they generally choose that so weak that itmay
be drunk without causing death.
This alkaline, corruption, or whatever it
may be called, of a region large enough for a
kingdom, is most remarkable. | heard it com
planned of before we struck the Republican,
some three hundred miles eAst of the Denver