The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-04-02
From the Iowa City Reporter.
Letter From Fl. Kearuey.

my trip thus far, ] suppose might as well
give, according to promise. The Fort IS
situated in the valley with no very great nat
ural advantages, it is really on an island,
small slough, dry now, running back OF it;
it is some distance from the river and is
Guitea little town-nothing more-has some
fine dwellings around the flagstaff square,
outside of these soldiers quarters, guard
house, etc. Four sbull dogs" limbered up
stand over each corner Of the square, but do
not look very savage with their mouths stop
ped and tarpauins on. The wood is all on
Grand Island and it keeps about 30 teams a
day busy hauling it to the Fort--they all
have to cross the Platte every day to the
island Major Morris is now commanding
officer. So much for the Fort, now for the
trip.
left Chicago on Thursday the 18th, with
through ticket to Fl. kearney, via {. d X. l.
and 81. l. N. r. RPS taking Western Stage
Co.'s Concord coach ut Iowa City. left
you prepared for long and hard trip, but
was drawn through without delay to Des
Moines the roads rather muddy. After
leaving Des Moines we had good roads to
the Bluffs where we arrived Sunday night,
stopping with Jones of the Pacific House,
good landlord and No. house. Crossing
the State we passed large number of teams
and emigrants bound for the mines, and
found they had begun to pour into the Bluffs,
and had already large number gone west
of the Missouri. heard no complaints
from cmigrants about procuring outfits any
where in the State, about the same cost at
each place.
Crossing the Missouri on the ice which
was thin, rotten and risky, coming very near
letting us in, we had just time to call on the
"IIerndon" and mine hosts, Messrs. Miller
6 richardson whom no one can leave Oma-
ha without giving call, and took seat again
in the Western Stage Co.'s coach, behind
fine team, for TT. kearney, prepared, after
any number Of warnings, to be sloughed
down, drowned in the Platte or killed by n
treacherous Puwnce. We were rolled
through in little less than thirty travelling
hours, to the other side Of Jordan, ali sound
but awful hungry, not slough or stream
detained us minute, we had jolly crowd,
and quick and pleasant trip. The Platte
Valley we entered at Elkhorn and passed
through considerable settlements to Loupe
Fork, some small towns, Elkhorn, Fremont,
Wallace, Ashhurgens and Columbus. After
entering the valley we kept it al! the way
and finer road Inerer sG,c-to see the
Platte valley is worth Il trip to the mines: at
the Loupe Fork we were ferried across with
out delay; they have two fine fiat boats run
ming here and another ready to be put in
this side of Loupe Fork. Settlements are
few and far between; Grand Island City,
(half burn. down short time ago,) Crock
er's and Henry's Ranches being all except a
stage station or two. We forded the Platte
without trouble or delay, crossing several
small islands and numerous channels, the
river bed apparently firm with about Is
inches of water. The government l sec
makes continued use of the ford in hauling
wood from the islands to the Fort and they
bring over very heavy loads without the
least trouble, and must say am highly
pleased so far with my trip and the stories
have been told about this route: bad roads,
no settlements, streams unabridged, etc., Is
ali a humbug, and you can refutc them in
toto, and believe from what can learn
here from those who have been the other
routes, that this is the quickest and best
from Chicago to the mines, and shall bring
my teams this way. You tell "English'' to
be at the Bluffs with the teams by the middle
of April sure, and come this way, for the
road from Omaha is bridgei by the finest
road bridges ever saw, and am told here
that it cost the Government over 100000
(rather cxtravagant,) but in my opinion
well spent. The bridges across the pappil-
lions, Elkhorn, Shell Creek, ETC., would be
good models for the St. Joseph and Burling
ton road croakers in Iowa and Illinois to
copy from. Twas also surprised to see the
heavy settlements in the Platte valley; corn
i'll , =. -, re- '",hel pc fay "e L.,
Ip nj. oil bn
way through from Iowa City found good,
with one or two exceptions, and there are
stores, blacksmiths, etc., up to this place,
this side Of the Missouri and am told here
it is the only road from the Missouri that
has any settlements 80 miles west. came
through in seven days from Chicago and
Charley who started with me and went the
St. Joseph route, arrived to-day. lie came
directly through but was seven days from
St. Joseph by IIockaday's Salt Lake coaches
in making the trip and all the passengers
were loud in their denuucia:ions Of the road
between here and St. Joseph. ain told
here that seven days is quick trip, as they
consider it full $50 miles from the Fort to
St. Joseph from here to Omaha it is called
from $50 to 100 miles, and should Judge it
was correct. There are no stages running
except Omaha and St. Joseph, and advise
all who intend to visit the mines either by
stage or their own conveyance. to come by
railroad to Iowa City and to buy through
tickets at Chicago and all the points where
they can for Fort k"arney, as 1t gives one
considerable advantage in seals and in being
put through quick, and they will beat those
who go by St. Joseph, if hy railroad and
stage, at least five days, ana if by team, ten
to fifteen. The teams here now from St.
Joseph and Leavenworth have been twenty
to thirty days on the road, while several teams
from the Bluffs and Omaha have been but
eli .ht Or ten days. 40 teams have as yet
arrived from Portsmouth or Nebraska City.
There is one mnn here who came to Platts.
mouth via Burlington roHd he had to hack
it through to the Missouri, there being moth
ing bnt two horse hacks beyond the Dcs
Moines and then had to come up to Omaha
and take the stage there. The agent here
tells me that teams generally made trips
from Nebraska City and l!attsmouth in Is
to 81 days. There has already passed here
quite a number and variety Of teams for the
mines hand carts, ga Ia Mormon" wheel
barrows, OK. carts, Pembina faslIon,'' and
two men with Il 'shect-iron prairie Hat boat
l should call it, but believe they call it a
sTubogia.' If what have passed is fair
sample Of the crowd bound for the noun
tains,' it will be young energetic, but as
motley crew as was Napoleon's army On
its retreat from Moscow. We think of going
on to the crossing of South Platte in the
Salt Lake stage; if We do will write you
from there.
am truly,
Ell. FORD.
| CT A Southern editor publishes James
Gordon Benefits " Mary Ann," with few