Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-04-20

In CAxr, NEssAsxA CrY. n. l.
Anil 2. 1859.

.
Dx.x DMx:-On Sunday afternoon last.
in the midst Of heavy snow stoF"' We
,.naaa from the steamer Hannibal and
nitched our tent for the first time upon the
.hors. If Nebraska. Before night, snow 70
n. d.,.b Of three inches had .allen. ard
the coolest east wind to which II WAS ever
my m;.fortune to be exposed was b'owing
IN through the covering Of the tent and un'
as- and about it. To tell the truth. the Po-
e,rv Of camping out is very different from
g. ..,u.l realization. We have, however,
MANAGED to exist by liberal use OF Uncle
SANS wood in the little sheet iron stove
with which we rrc-ided ourselves in Da-
venport, and plentiful application OF salt
pork and pilot bread. At the moment
when write the snow has not yet entirely
Ji.appeared, but from present indications It
will have been G oletely melted within
day or two, when, taking ten days feed for
our teams, We will start on the road.
With the character Of the country here
and the progress which it has made. have
been sgreeably disappointed. For the dis
lance of ten miles from the river the coun.
try is we'll settled, and some of the finest
farms which | ever saw are Immediately
about the city. The city itself has about
three thousand inhabitants and 10 in most
tlourishing condition. Its location is,
think, without exception, the best upon the
river, and its facilities for fitting out emi
grants for the mines are unsurpassed. and
doubt whether they are equalled BY any
other. Thote who are unable, in conss-
auence of the state of the roads, to haul
their supplies across the State Of Iowa. can
find no better or cheaper place to buy them.
Flour may be had at 1915 per hundred,
which is twenty five cents less than it can
be bought in st, Louis and shipped to this
point. Bacon and side pork Is worth II
cents per pound, the same price 1t which !,
is sold in St. Louis Corn is worth, shelled
As cents and in the ear 40 cents. and IN
almost inexhaustih'e supply is on hand.
So far, not so ihany enigrants have Or
rived at this point as at Leavenwsrth; but
there are now about two hundred Pixies
Peakeans in town. and four or five teams
per day are arriving. AZ to the superiority
of the route from this place, any doubts
may have had have been completely 81
fenced by the reports which | have heard
from old plains men wrom ! have met
The route is two hundred miles shorter than
from Leavenworth, and as ehort If not
shorter thon from Omaha, and what is Of
still more Importance, the emigrsnt will
find but two streams to cross, both Of which
are easily forded. Grass does not Of course
grow SO early upon this route a. upon those
further south, but for our purpose, taking q
few days feed with US, we shall find cuff
cient grass to carry US safely through g ie
mines
The stories of danger and trouble
the Indians which We have seen in the
pers are wholly without foundation, 1t :.
ing represented that no more peece ,.e
persons exist than these tribes with WIFI h
we shall come in contact between here and
the mines. 1t may be we'll perhaps to come
provided with some few presents of tobac
co and sugar for them, but no danger is te
be apprehended.
The advices from the mines which have
come in within the past three days are en-
coLraging in the extreme. Mr.. Brookfield
formerly mayor of this city, in whom all
have met express the greatest confidence
reports the discovery by his party Of sho
gold. and states that he is making from fiv'
to ten dollars per day. This letter come
with more might from the fact that unit
the present letter all his communication
have been of q most discouragiEg charac
ter. Other persons in the same party with
him, and others still, belonging to different
parties, corroborate his statements in every
particular.
Upon the road, from TT. Kearney, if moi
before, and possibly again from this point
if the weather is unfavorable, you will heal
from me again. Truly,
TALMAGE.