The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-01-22
For the N0p1rcI
The Routes TO the Nines-t,onfliCting State ments


Editor Nonporcil-Thc conflicting state
ments published in the papers along the Mis-
souri, River. in regard to the distances to the
Cherry Greek Gold Mines. are calculated to
bcwilder rather than cnlighten EN- grants,
and are incxcusahI", with the amount Of
data accessible. When it is known that the
Great Plato Valley Route, and nearly every
other route from the Missouri River, above
Kansas City. ria Tort kearney, to Lodge
Pole Creek, has boon measured either by
chain or odGmetcr, with special reference to
accuracy, by the officers attached to the
various regiments Of troops that have passed
over tho route during the past FIVE years,
and bv the Chief Engineers of the different
Rail and Military road expeditions, there
would seem to be no excuse for these mac
curnte statements, through want Of data to
work from. know Of no actual measure
mcnt Of the road from Lodge Pole Creek
(GlO miles west Of Kcarney) to the mines,
except that Of Col. Fremont, who Travelled
over the whole distance once, and over a
portion Of it twice.
The extreme Southern route, from Kansas
City, ria the Kansas and Arkansas Rivers,
to St. Nrain's Fort he also measured, and
found the distance 80 miles. But this
route has been almost entirely abandoned
the emigration that pissed over it last Fall
invariably advising the future cmigrant
to shun 1.-THE principal election being its
long stretches of sandy, barren deserts, and
the Kansas, Arkansas and Platte Rivers,
800 feet above the sea. 1t was, in cross
Ing this Divide, that Capt. MARCY lost 50
many animals last winter, in his expedition
from Camp Scott to New Mexico, and come
so near losing his whole command.
There remains, then, but one route
universally conceded by all points on the
Missouri River, and BY all who have travelled
it-viz: The Great Pld'te Valley Rovte.
The roads from all points on the Missouri
come together in the Platte Valley at or
near Fort Kcarney, and pcrsue one route
to the mines. The distances to Fort Kcar-
ncy arc respectively as follows:
From Council Bluffs and Omaha lS4 miles
s. Plattsmouth, 235 /"
'' Nebraska City, $50 L"
g St. Joseph, 2yO "
" Leaycnw Drth Via New Mill
tary Road, 3i3 "
g Kansas City, 33j Sc
The great disparity in the distances from
Council Bluffs, Nebraska City and Platts-
mouth, is solely on account of the roads
from these two las, places arriving at the
Platte River at or near Loupc Forks miles
north Of this city-thc cmigrant not only
having to make northing Of 80 miles from
PIattsmouh, and A. from Nebraska City,
but also has billy and circuitous ridge
road, over which to s'drag his slow length
aloDg.'
From Fort Kcarncy to the mouth of
Cherry Greek, the distance is $50 miles.
notice, however, that the st. Joseph, and
other papers. state the distance at 20G miles
"A falling off Of 80 mies-thcy making the
whole decrease in the distance from
the crossing of the South Platte to the
mines done, no doubt, SO show as short
distance from each of their points as pos
sibie-thc saving being made in that portion
Of the route but little known. Assuming
this distance (296 milcs) from Fort Kcarncy
correct, the distance from here would be
less than 50J mics. But taking the COR
rec: distance $3.50 miles, from Fort Kcarncy,
the whole distance to the mines from each
point is as follows:
From Council Bluffs, $40 miles.
" plattsmouth, 600 g
s. NahraSka Citv 6l5 ss