Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1862-07-02
ITEMS FROM THE PLAINS.
FROM JAY wHIPPLE.

/ DEAR Lutte = We are marching on" at
the slow rate of 20 miles day, to the erich
/ diggins." We are now just opposite Fort
kearney, distance of 100 miles from Omaha.
! 1t was our intention to ford the Platte at this
1 place, but the water is so high We are COM
! PEELED to go up this side to Fort Laramie, a
/ distance of 400 miles, without a house on the
road. The stage road and telegraph cross the
! Platte River at Fort Kearnev and follow the
Platte Valley TO Fort Laramie. The Platte
River is higher than it has been for many
/ years preyious. The snow from the noun
/ tains is coming down and is the cause ofthe
! present high water
The Platte river is one of the mo st singular
streams I ever saw. 1t rises in the mountains
and running nearly 1000 miles, empties into
the Missouri at Plattcsburgh. about 20 miles
. below Omaha. 1t seems that a river of such
length ought to be navigable. but it is not
In high water the river is in many places three
or four miles wide 1t is studded with innu-
merable little islands, and at Fort Kearney
there are seven different channels from one
side of the mainland to the other The water
is very muddy, running at the rate of five or
six miles an hour, and the bed of the river be-
ing quicksand, the channel changes its place
nearly every day.
There are settlements hom Omaha TO Fort
kcarney and l have seen no country more a.
dapted to traffic and making money than this.
Every settler on the road is a trader, doing a
/ oIeI,y l.,
take the advantage of every traveller destined
for some ''far off country" They say they
left the pleasures and comforts of civilization
and settled on this road for the express pur-
pose of bleeding pilgrims"
Corn advances in price at the rate of a cent
per bushel for every mile from Omaha to Fort
Laramie. Farmers could amass fortune by
by settling on these praries and raising corn
at one dollar per bushcl. There is so great a
scarcity of timber that the grain fields are not
fenced, and the territorial legislature has pass
ed law that all crops destroyed by horses or
cattle sha / be paid for by Their ownes.
Where we are now encamped flour IS s 4 a
hundred, potatoes 81 per bushel corn 81 $50,
whiskey, So per gallon, lager beer 10 cents
glass, and everything else in proportion.
find this is an admirable road for Good
TeInplar to travel. especially if his pockets
have felt the influence of hard times To-day
we leave all settlements and we pilgrims will
not be bled again until we reach Fort Lara
ME. l have given the price of a few articles
Oh this route so that if any persons from the
~
way, they may be prepared TO procure a full
supply of provisions at Council Bluff, as every
thing necessary for the plains is considerably
cheaper at Council Bluff than at any subse-
quent point on the road.
From Omaha through to Salt Lake, what
few settlers are found are Mormons. | am in
formed that they are increasing in numbers at
the rate of 1000 a year, and we may expect a
Mormon rebellion reaching from Salt Lake
City TO the Missouri River and almost exual-
ing in magnitude that OF the South.
There is feeling of hostility existing
among them towards the United States, and
as soon as they feel confident of success. they
will strike for Mormon confederacy. What
IL" i'aFe coi'e'sea with are not very INTEL
ligent and many of them are foreigners, being
the lowest class of English.
shall not have no other opportunity to
write until we reach Fort Laramie, when I
expect to record buffalo hunt anda skirmish
with the Indians
We are attached to quite a large train, with
many pleasant fellows amonr, whom l. al, on
" son of Ralph Waldo Emerson.
But our wagon is ready to start. and 1
mount the seat to finger the ribbons to "four
horse team J.