Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-11-16

fair remuneration for the labor bestowed
but not sufficient to cover their sum tota
of expense in the majority of instances
The majority have just acquired sufhcien
experience, to enable them to rightly com
mence operations next Spring, and an eager
penchant to pass another year of sCjourn
which, by the way, is hugely mOllifed afte
they have returned to the States to spenC
the winter The trip, without any other in
ducemcnt, is sufficient to pay an observing
man. The knowledge gained. by actua
experience of the country, mountains, rivers
Indians, camp-life, &c, is no trifing acquis
ton. And whoever has spent a month il
the mountains will not regret the journey
To give full description of the scenery
the healthful climate, and the beauty an,
allurements of a mountain visit, is tasl
for which my pen is inadequate.
1t is surprising to behold the improve
ments which have been made in Denver
and other localities, within the last fev
months; now thriving towns cheer the wear
emigrant, where was naught before but ;
dreary waste. The Platte Valley abovt
Denver, to the mountains, and sixty mile.
below, has been siezed by emigrants; ever
by persons who crossed last winter, to Sc
cure farm.
1t cannot be long TIL the vallies of al
the neighboring streams. viii be taken fol
cultivation. Sould any wish to cross th'
Plains there is but one Route, worthy O
the need of praise, and that is the sOutf
side of Platte, from either Plattsmouth Oh
Nebraska City. From ST. Joe or Leaven
worth to Ft. Kearny, the road is longer
rougher, and with the exception of the val
ley of the Little Blue, nothing but a sue
cession of long tedious stretches without
wood or water
BY starting at the former, no change oi
water will be experienced, few rough places
and while in bottoms, the best of thorough
fares. which is always the case except at
the eastern terminus
There is one serious detriment, besides .
scarcity of wood. About two hundred and
fifty miles of the western extremity, is san
dy, becoming worse as you near Denver,
which in very severe upon cattle's feet, now
worn thin by their previous tramps. Itis
not one continuous sand bed; but is plen-
tifully iutersPerced with sandy stretches,
sometimes fifteen miles long.
From Denver to Fremont's Orchard, a
distance of ninety miles. there is plenty of
wood. But from the latter to O'Fallan's
Bluffs: one hundred and ninety miles, moth
ing but few willows can be found And
even cast of the Bluffs many days travel.
there is a scarcity Of wood in places, on the
SOnth side of the river, but always plenty
on the north side From the Bluffs to
Cottonwood Springs-forty miles, the road
lies away from the River, passing over the
low hills, but mostly at their base, on the
extremely wide bottom of the Platte. This
is the only days travel away from good
camping places on the margin of the Riv-
er.
There are good springs on the stretch
and plenty of chips for fuel. Below the
Springs the bottom of the Platte is very
wide and fertile, to twenty miles of Kerney:
beyond that have not passed. Oppo-
site the Springs is one of the largest best,
we'll timbered islands in the Platte, being
twenty-five miles long and from two to five
in width.
This is said to be taken by squatters.-
Plum and Beaver creeks, the first small,
;lcar, shallow stream, about two yards wide,
Implying into the Platte thirty miles west
IF kearney, the other Ike the first shallow,
lear, timberless. near six yards wide, fow-
NJ into the Platte one hundred and twen-
y miles east of Denver, are the only creeks
long the south side Between Plum and
learney is the main Buffalo range, though
hey are scattered from Pawnee Rancho on
he Little Blue, to Cottonwood Springs, a
istance of one hundred ard thirty miles.
'ersons about to cross the Plains shauld
rovide themselves with dried beef. cheese.
rackcrs and so forth. which will enable |
hem to pass if necessary, the entire jour /
ey without cooking.
If any person is 50 foolish as to provide
iimself with that superluity, gun, for
and hunting, let him take gen.
ing pumpkin singer as no other is suit
bic. There is really no more danger
assing by the Platte Route than passing
n equal distance through the States. The
myth of the Arkansas Route is at once
nough to condemn it.
The Smoky Hill and Republican are
,mewhat longer than the Platte Route,
nd they are otherwise exceptionable. Of
le Smoky Hill no guide books can be found.
he road never hugs the River. only cress-
; it ten times, but passes over arough
,lling prairie covered with scanty Buffalo
rass. Add to this seventy miles destitute
timber or water. The Republican and
moky Hill Routes, unite one hundred and
fly three miles from Denver, and from
leir confluence the stretches from camping |
ace to camping place are long, and many.
here are many little crseks to be crossed
i the Republican Route. Besides these
Re the most dangerous roads across the /
lains '-'' >- I,
There will scarcely be any travel on