The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-07-14
ON the Road 10 California.
In CAMP 40 MILES BKLow Fir. LARAMIE,
.June Olaf. 1859.

june 2lst, 1859.
EpiToRs GATE CITY: In order that may
redeem my promise, ! will write you snort
account Of our journey thus far. We left
Pennington on the last day Of April and ar
rived at Council Bluffs on the Goth Of May
We had good deal of cold and disagreea-
BILE weather, and some Of the way bad roads,
but we got through in safety. We then
formed company of ten wagons and twenty
FIVE men, with two small families besides my
own. We have in our train about 225 head
of cattle and some horses. We crossed the
Missouri on the 23d and took up our line of
march for California. Wewere landed from
the ferry boat about half mile above Oma-
ha, but we passed right through the city
which is situated on high ground and has a
fine appearance. The capitol stands back
upon quite an eminence and can be seen for
long distance in any direction. For two or
three days travel we passed over beautiful
rolling prairie, which, should Judge, would
be very fine for cultivation, but there is a
lack Of timber. We then came upon the
plains, where you can see fora long distance
with slight ascent in the road, oil the way.
We found all the streams bridged with good
and substantial Government bridges. The
bridge at Elkhorn, in particular, is very
excellent one and much credit is due to the
builder. The emigrants to California render
many thanks to our Government for these
bridges, for the streams were all high and
could not have been crossed without much
trouble. We began to meet the Pixies Peak
emigration in Iowa but after we crossed the
Missouri We found the road lined with the
disappointed gold-seekers until we reached
| Ft. Kearney. From Omaha to kearney the
country is more or less settled. There is,
however, very little timber, and that is main
| ly cottonwood. think it will be some time
before the population becomes very dense.
There are quite number of towns along the
route also some with houses and inhabitants
and some with long rows Of stakes; the lat
ter were quite numerous. When we reached
kearney we got into the buffalo range and
We had fine time hunting them. Our COM
pany killed six or seven and We lived high on
buffalo meat for few days. We are now
out Of the range of them again, and have not
seen any for several days. There is very lit
sle game of any kind. We occasionally see
some antelope and large kind Of rabbits.
We have nearly passed over the 200 mile
stretch without wood. We use buffalo chips
for fuel and get along finely, and have had
some excellent light bread and biscuit baked
with that kind Of fuel. We have been very
fortunate in escaping the terrible storms Of
the Platte.
AZ the crossing of Loup Fork we campet
on this side of the river. Columbus is stu
ated on the other side. A severe storm cam,
up in the night, which did considerable dam
: age in the town. Several houses were un
!, rooted, and one or two entirely demolished
There were some wagons camped on that sid
9 of the river which were blown over and owe
! and broken to pieces. We escaped unframed
, | find that large number going to Califor
. MIA this year started for Pixies Peak, Blu
: finding that great humbug are going throug
!, to California.
= The emigration is very heavy. We met som
e teams from Salt Lake, and they report tn
number very large ahead of Us.
70 We are ON the north side OF the Platte, an
4 a great portion Of the way can see on til
other eide, and there seems to be almost on
unbroken line of teams and cattle all tn
way. To-day we saw a company of dra
goons going down on the other side, but d
!, not know their destination.
We have not been molested in the least b
= Indians. We sawa few Pawnees after cross
ing the Missouri, but have seen none sine
! We are in the Sioux Nation, which extent
= beyond Laramie. We occasionally see son
u of their lodges, but they do not show then
u selves.
n Wehave been in sight of Chimney Rock 4
Dis several days. II can be seen for distan
- Rock, Chimney Rock and Soott's Bluffs Q,
IL all be seen at the same time, and they appe
n very grand and beautiful; they have the a
n, pearance of works of art-look like soI
u grand citadel in the distance. We were mu
"a deceived in the distance to them-supposil
ne We were near when we were many miles Q
ID, have not time to write more at preser
IN Yours, in haste,
!; A. j. HOUGHTON.
by