The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-06-16
terrible sunerink ON the PIaInsl

Terrible sunerink on the PIaIns!
We have received the Rocky Mountain
NeSs published at Cherry Creek, Of May
Tth. The following is the leading editorial
Of that paper -
Every day we meet men arriving from the
States by the Smoky Hill route-most of
them in an almost furnishing condition. A
few days ago a man arrived at Russellville,
and reported that his companions-ninein in
number-had given up and laid down upon
the prairie some miles distant. A relief
party was sent out, who found one of the
party dead from actual starvation, and two
others so far gone that they died soon after
reaching the settlement.
A few days later party of thirteen arriv-
cd here, who had followed the Smoky Hill
as far ss practicable, and then struck across
the divide to the Platte, by which route they
reached here nearly starved, having been
obliged to kill their pack horse and subsist
for four days upon his flesh.
Three days ago nine men reached Fort
St. Vrain, whilst we were there, mere totter
ing skeletons. They stated that they had
not tasted bread for more than ten days, part
OF which time they had lived upon the flesh
Of dead OK, which they found upon the prai.
rie but Partially devoured by the wolves, and
for four days they had nothing but roots.-
They stated that they travelled more than
one hundred miles without finding water, and
must have pershed of thirst but for some
snow squalls that occurred.
All these men tell the same story: that
they we're induced to take the Smoky Hill
route by the representations of certain par.
ties in eastern Kansas, who employ runners
on the steamboats, to mslead emigrsnts by
their representations, and by distributing
circulars and cards purporting to be guides
over this route, representing good, plain
road, with good camps, and two hundred and
fifty miles shorter than any other route
, They are thus induced to start out with
short supply Of provisions, and learn, when
too late, that all the above statements are
false-that there is no road at all, and but
little wood or water; that instead of being
$50 miles il is full 500, and 600 OF it without
any trail or track of any kind. Great des.
titution prevails all along the latter part OF
the route. Emigrants are wandering over
the plains in all directions, discouraged and
bewildered. Some are striking for the Ar.
kansas, some for the Platte, and others still
searching for what does not exist-the
Smoky Hill road. Men leave their trains to
search for road, and are never more seen;
others lie down and die and become food for
wolves.
One man tells US he knows OF seventeen
men who have thus pershed or disappeared:
another says the remains Of one hundred moy
be seen along the track they have followed.
We hope the reports are greatly exaggera.
ted, and that time will show thai the missing
are not lost, but we greatly fear the worst,
and give the reports precisely as they were
given to US. This much is certain-the
Protruding eyes, the sunken cheeks, the
trembling knees and cracked voices Of those
we have seen do not lie.
What must be the feelings OF those who
have been instrumental in turning so large a
travel over this route, which at best is but
an untried experiment. Could they but ira
vel over the same road, and look upon the
bleaching bones and suffer the pangs Of hun
ger endured by these victims Of misplaced
confidence, we think they would learn les
son not easily forgotten.
Since writing the above we have seen two
footmen who have just arrived via the Smoky
Hill route. They appear to have suffered
severely from hunger and thirst. They re-
port having passed some ten or fifteen dead
bodies unburied, Gone Of them was that of
man named Carpenter) and many new made
graves, also many cattle turned loose upon
the plains, wagons deserted, and some burn.
ed. These men say they lived for nine days
upon prickly pears and one hawk.
On the evening Of the 9th inst, the "Pio-
neer Train," Capt. A. Hess, arrived. The
party numbers 80, and left Leavenworth on
the 3rd of March, being 63 days on the road
We have the following report from G. a.
Fox, of Huron CO., Ohio, and N. o. Ames,
OF Lorain county, Ohio 1--WE had good
road to Saline, l72 miles from Leavenw orth,
after which we had no road at oil, having to
make the first track great part OF the way.
We Travelled twelve days without seeing
wood, and $50 miles without water, except
from melting snow. which fortunately for US
fell twice during the time.
"We also had 60 miles of continuous and
very difficult sand hills, whilst passing over
which we picked up three men who had Civ
en- out and laid down to die of hunger and
thirst, having eaten nothing for four days
we fed them and brought them in with u.s."
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