Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-06-11

Every day we meet men arriving from the
States by the above route-most of them in an
almost lamishing condition. A few days ago
man arrived at Russcvle, aud report d that
h's complniuns-nine in number had gwen
up and laid down upon the prairie some miles
distant. A relief party WIS s'nt out, who
found one OF the number dead from actual star
vatlon and two others so far gone that they
died soon after reaching the settlement
A lew DAYS later party OF thirteen reached
here who had followed the Smoky Hill us far
as practicable, aud then struck across the di-
vide to the Platte, by which route they reach
ed here nearly starved having been oblig to
kill their pack horse and subslst Tor days upon
his flesh.
Three days ago nine men reached Fort St
Vraiu, whilst we Nere there. mere tOttering
skeletons They stated that they had not
tasted bread for more than ten days, part of
which time they bad lived upon the flesh of a
dead OK, which they found upon the prairie bat
partially deyUured by the wolves, and for four
days they had nothing bat roots. They stated
that they trave,ed more than one hundred
miles without fuding water, and must have
perished OF thirst but for some snow squalls
that occurred.
Ali these men tell the same story that they
were Induced to take the Smoky Hill route by
the representations Of certain paIties in eastern
Kansas who employ runners on he steamboats,
u misead emigranjs by their representations,
and by distributing circulars aud cards pur-
porting to be guides over this route, represent
ing 1t as a good, plain road, with good camps,
aud 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 state
ments are fase-that there is no road at all,
and but little wood or water that instead OF
being $50 miles it is foil 500 and 600 of it with
out any trail or track OF any kind. Great desti-
tuition prevails all along the latter part of the
route. Emig'anls are wandering over the plains
in all directions, discouraged and bewldered
Some are striking for the Arkansas, some for
the Plate, and Others still searching for what
does not exist-the Smoky Hill road Men
leave their trains to seach for a road, and are
nuver seen more others lie down and die and
become food for wolves.
One man tells us he knows of seventeen men
who have thus perished or disappeared; anoth
er says the remains OF one hundred may be seen
along the track they have followed
We hope the reports are greatly exaggerat.
ed, and that time will show that the missing
are not lost, but we greatly fear the worst, and
give the reports precisely as they were given to
IS. This much is cerlaiu-the protrudIng eyes,
the Suuken CneekSt Jne treuiDlug knees ana
cracked voices of many of those we have seen
do not lie. Since writing the above we have
seen two foOtmen who have just arrived via the
Smoky Hill route. hey appear to have sul-
fered severely from hunger aud thirst They
report having passed some ten or fifteen bodies
uuburied, Zone of them was that OF a mannam-
ed Carpenter,) and many new made graves,
also many cattle turned loose upon the plains,
wagons deserted, and some burned. These
men say they lived for nine days upon prickly
pears and one hawk.
On the evening of the 5th inst the "Pioneer
Train" Capt. A. Hess, arrived The party
numbers thirty two, and lett Leaveuworth on
TIE Sd Of March, being sixty three days on the
road. We Lave the following report from G.
A Fox, of Huron CO., and N O. Ames of
L rain CO., Ohio 1--WE had a good road
to Saline, l12 miles from Leavenworth, al.
ter which we had no road at all 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 so miles of continuous and very
difficult sand hills, whilst passing over which
we picked up three men WI o had given out and
Iald down to DIE of hunger and thirst, having
eaten nothing for four days we fed them and
brought them with u.s.