, 1860-03-30

i. etter from; =. ID. Ward.

ST. .JosHu' No. March q, 1s'e:
Edtors rsrss and Tribuns:
uosts of friends mud acqnaintanccs, before I
lef, Chicago, urged me to write them md give
them all the information l could gather as to
ronte, outfit, &c, on my journey to the mines
I cannot write to half Of those who hnye urged
me t. do so, and this must satisfy all.
We CAME 10 this place by tue Chicago Quin-
cy railroad to Quincy, from that place to Hanni-
bal on the River, and from there By the 11auni-
bal and St. Joseph railroad. We contracted
With Vim. Martin, General Freight Agent Of the
Chicago & Quincy railroad for car to st.Joseph
for $l2o. Into thAt'wc put our nine mules and
three wagons and pserisions-took tickets for
ourselves and came With the sume trim which
brought our freight.
At Quincy, Capt. C. G. Brand, Of the steamer
Pike, ,and at Hannibal, John aver, Freight Agent
Of the Il. St. J. r. r., did all in their powerto to
hurry US along. and We arrived at this place
Wednesday night The line by which we came
make special efforts to forward al Pixies Peak
ers," as they cali us, and oil who have come this
way are loud in praises Of the facilities afforded
them The lines By which We come have an ex-
I
preferences over oil others in forwarding freight
outfits. Our company unanimously voted the
| officials have named, true geutlrmcu, for the
many kindnesses they showed us; and hare
no doubt all who come that way will find them
| 50.
This place is very lively and tile streets arc
filed with pc:sons rushing their way for the
gold regions. counted seventy -fre wagons
for the plains, in few minutes, day before yes
terday, and several hundred hare already start
ed On tie long journey.
St. Joseph contains $1,000 Inhabitants, and
from its location must be always healthy. Many.
in fact most Of its business men, are from the
East and Norlb, and Stree labor" Is respected
To tloso intending to come out, l say buy
your mules and principal part Of your outfit
there, for everything is somewhat dearer here,
with the exception Of bacon and hour-buy
your bacon here.
Don't start withouta good outfit, for I have
already seen enough to convince me that there
will be no romance in crossing the plains, and
to do so one needs good teams, plenty OF pro
visions aud clothing
; There is one thing which has impressed mt
more than ever, and that is the importance tt
Chicago OF direct railroad connection with th'
Missouri River. As pass through the street
of this city l see "ChIcago Storcs,' y ":Chicag'
lumber" and "Chicago ALI advertised, an'
with the connection spoken Of our city can d
an immense trade with this country which nov
goes St. Louis. hope our capitalists an'
/ merchants are not asleep to this fact.
. The ucws from the mines is Of q very faEora
| ble kind, and have no doubt oftheir richnc::
. ! bu. he who wins must work as he ncver worke
4. before, and endure hardships which seem terri
| ble-]et all remember this before they start.
), Day before yesterday mounted II mule 70
/ the first time in my life-they tell nc it was
6 very kind mule--I ncver liked mules, and neE
D er made very good figure mounted. Theboy
: say am CROSS to-day, and laugh because loo
/, as though had been thrown in the dirt.
i know an sore, perhaps crozs-if so TINT nul
Il is the cause We star. to-day across the plain:
d Yours truly, J. D. WARD