Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-05-13

PLUx CRrKx S1ArIos, NEBaasKA TIA,

PLUx CRrKx STATION, NEBassKA TEA,
April 20, 1859.
Here We are, thirty -seven miles from n.
Kssrney. ia good health and good cheer
had intended to write from the Fort, but
ss it Is not good camping place, and We
could obtain no hay. we resumed our jour
ney in fifteen minutes after entering the
grounds Of the Fort. We departed from
DE Soto on the evening Of the 3Oth o.
March. For seven or eight mil the land
is very billy. too rough for guilty alton. but
from there to Elk Horn river it is very high
and level. Reaching Elk Horn river we
were surprised to see the bottom erdowed
fully four miles in width. and was impos
sble TO cross. We accordingly pitched
tents in hollow which the emigrants called
Camp Town Hollow" half way between
Bridge Port and Elk Horn City.
Bridge Port is on the bottom, on the east
side of the river. 1t contains about nine
houses. the majority Of which are taverna
Elk Horn City il on the high, level prai-
RE, one and one half miles from the river.
1t contains about forty houses, one store.
and number of taverns.
On the evening Of the lst inst. it COM
menced showing, and continued until the
night Of the I'd, when 1t was one foot deep
on level 1t continued cold and disagree.
able until the morning Of the 9Th, when the
water fell 50 thatcrossing commenced-two
Germans from Davenport being the first to
venture. II took four yoke Of oxen to draw
twenty hundred for the distance Of FIVE
miles
Fremont is a small town, containing about
fifty houses. 1t 10 on the Platte valley
distant from the Platte river about five
miles. and from Elk Horn about fifteen
miles. From here we GOT good view Of
the Pawnee Indian village. 1t is situated
on the south bank of the Platte 1t con-
tains about eight hundred wigwams.
On the evening of the 9th we camped IL
the city of Hutsonville, at the North Bend.
This is the place to which some want the
Capital removed. There are, suppose.
about six hundred acres staked oil, and
there is one one-story .snd-a-half house in
town, and no other for two miles.
We crossed Shell Creek on the Sth. 1t is
a small, muddy stream, and on its banks
was the only timber had seen to our right
since left Elk Horn. On the 9th the road
led us close to the banks Of the Platte
This river is composed of one half sand
bars, one quarter islands, and the other
quarter water. The islands are generally
small, and ere covered with cedar and cot
ton wood.
The roads have been very bad 90 far
Within nine miles of Columbus we got into
a slough where we got stuck in the center
No exceptions, overheard we went. driver
and passengers, up to the waist in water
Finally we got out, changed clothes, and
made Columbus that evening.
Columbus is on the east bank Of Loup
Fork river, and contains about one hundred
houses. There is a rope ferry on the river,
which will deliver you half way across the
river and charge you So team and 80
cents for every extra yoke or span. We
stopped here to recruit until the morning of
the 18th. when We again started and reach
ed Prairie Greek that evening. Near here
are some bad sloughs, at which we had to
double team. Hand cart companies are in
bad way to cross. On the 18th We camped
on Eagle Islands. and stayed there the next
day, on account of one of the company be-
ing very sick. On the 18th we went ~ far
as Lone Tree Station" There we first saw
signs of alkali, both in the sloughs and on
the ground. At almost all these sloughs
there is bone yard, where cattle have died
from the effects Of the alkali water. On
the 10th we passed through Grand Island
City. 1t contains eleven houses about
equally composed of cotton wood logs and
mud. All their fences are ditch and sod
On Grand Island there is considerable tim
Der, chiefly cotton wood. We camped on
Grand Island and remained until Monday
morning. The island is from one to seven
miles in width and forty miles long. l do
not think that the Platte furnishes any
more water to the Missouri river than the
Wapsipinecon does to the Mississippi.
On the 18th We came to Wood river q
small stream about twelve feet wide aud
one foot deep. On the east bank of the
river is the city Of Mendoza, which has one
dwelling house and stable fitted into a
whisky shop. with sign board over the
door on which is painted Spirit Of the
Times" After crossing Wood river, the
land is considerable higher. The road
keeps along the south Of the river for TWEEN.
ty-seven miles, then the river turns more to
the north. -
On the 18th We came to the crossing on
the Platte. We concluded to Camp on the
North side that evening. and accordingly
loosed our cattle to Craze but they were
not out long when they commenced to
snort and run, which caused us considers
BILE Of trouble before We caught them
Here We saw Q most shocking eight; on an
old ruined sod house near the brink Of the
river. about six feet above the ground, was
the corps Of an Indian squaw. She was
tied upin Buffalo robes and left laying on
her back, with her head uncovered. Stand
ing near her head was pole about twelve
feet long, stuck In the ground. on the top Of
which were some feathers, which | suppose
we're placed there BY some Of the tribe, for
some. TO me) unknown pnrposs. On the
morning Of the goth, We crossed the Platte
crossing pretty good. Fort Kesrnsy is on
n Laval vhsch 10oka Lo,c and m. r>hv, a.