Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-03-15
c0rTespoaterOs Of he Stale sen;inel
OVERLAND TRIP TO CALIFORNIA.
Nevada Territory-Death OF a Child
I'm the Desert-Quartz mIiis-Siiver
Mines IN the Valley.
Ausrrx. NKvApA. Oct. 20. 1864.

We traFei nifeen mics 10 Egan canyon, Vnere /
there il, near the entrance, a village called Step
toe city. coutainipg four houses. Here IS the |
western boundary OF Utah. and the city is within |
the limits Of Nevada. high mountain, or
rather range OF mountains, rises up near 10 and
west OF The "city" through which is the canyon,
down which runs arapd little stream Of four
feet width and siI inches depth, from the valley
at the west end Of the canyon. There Is an
abundance Of timber scattered about the noun
tains. for building purposes and for fuel, and
grass abounds.
Here little babe-a bright eyed child or near
twelve months old-belongiug to one OF our
party, the pet of the train aud delight OF its fond
parents after brief but painful struggle, ended
q months sickness. contracted from teething. IN
the ICY embrace OF death Hard a. il IS to part
with a loved child. and as agonizing to parents
when they are called TO witness It's death strug-
giles at home, amidst sympathizIng friends, after
the appliances OF The healing art" have been
exhausted. how much more heart reDding to pass
through the ordeal far outin the desert, removed
from those scenes we love most, and without
medical aid other than the impromptu assistance
given by those unnitiated in the mysteries OF
medicine
The pure spirit of the little sufferer winged lie
fight 20 the God who gave it, and It's little body,
decked in such habilsments of the dead as limi
ted resources 10 such a country could command,
WAS Uuflco LOt IOul tic lOOt VI TIE UOuu-
tain, and a rude ad-board, on which il
scratched the dear name "Lotte." marks the
last resting place, Oh earth, OF the angel babe.
Proceeding through the canyon, We reach. IN
about three miles, little village which is spring
ing I'D because of recently discovered silver
mines IN the mountains neGr it. Here there are
twenty or thirty houses aud ore five stamp quartz
mill in process Of erection. The design OF these
mills is 10 crush the quartz rock so that the sill
= ell % - haat
consist Of large shafts OF iron from six TO ten
feet long, with head down, which. being raised
70 a certain hight, are permitted to drop of their
own weight upon the ore beneath them Five Of
them alternately rising and falling. The ore
when crushed il exposed 10 intense heat in fur
mace where the silver is detached. Various pro-
cesses are resorled to- according to the character
of ore and facilities
Here will undoubtedly, be lsrge and -four
ishng town. There are numerous springs Of ex-
cellent water convenient, with abundance Of
grass and fuel. The mines are cl-imed to be ex
ceedingly rich and extensive The soil of the
! valley is rich. and when irrigated IL may be
| to a considerable extent will yield wheat, oats,
barley, and the usual vegetables in abundance
Salt Lake City is about two hundred and seventy
miles distant, with good road on the stage
route: and about six hundred and fifty miles TO
Sacramento, California. Heavy loads of ma
| the Missouri river here as soon as from Caliior
MA and at much less expense Provisions of
all kinds will pay we'll if hauled from the Mis-
souri, which is about / 900 miles distant; and the
stock can be reaoi wintered on the hay viii,
can be cut anywhere in the valley. few miles
from the mines A surveyors Office il already
opened; and eating houses and whisky shops at
ttsi the progress OF the place
From Egan Cany on the road reaches, by grad
4 a. -.
crest OF one Of the mountain ranges q mixing the
| valley, down the western slope of which trsv
e, and over a sage brush plain, to Butte Station,
| 10 miles from Egsn Canyon where there is a
| well of brackish water for the stage company 5
use. From here westward the road proceeds
over a stony ridge into q vale covered with grass
and groves of cedar and pine, but destitute OF
water. High Cp the mountain side winds path
| leading TO spot OF green grass. where. We were
/ told, water might be found. But we travelled up
the vale into the canyon. aud up TO the summit
of mountain; down long, winding road into
another rocky, narrow canyon, through which
we passed into and over q sandy plain up anoth-
| CT canyon the summit of another mountain
thence down into valley to MOuptain Springs,
where there is stage station, about pc miles
from Egan Canyon. Here there is abundance of
grass, water and timber
From Mountain Springs journey into n
covered with bunch grass and pine and cedar
trees; thence out upon a sandy plain. at the far
| ther edge of which is q little Mormon village Of
ten or fifteen houses. trading store, and stage
station. 4 li;tle creek about three feet wide and
! six inches deep, runs near the village. Two
miles west of il, within view. is military sta
ton, whereat, by way Of diversion, radical re
publicans smuse themselves by making emf.
| grants swear to support Abraham Lincoln, or
L
and thus they protect the persons and propert,
OF American citizens Ruby Valley is suscept
! BILE of cultivation at and near the eastern base
! of the mountains west Of il. and the mountains
about il abound in rich silver lodges. IL is about
twelve miles from Mountain Springs to the Ru-
by VALLEY Station.
From Ruby Valley the route proceeds up
wild. grassy canyon, with low bench on the
south side, slOping off to high mountains in the
distance. Timber-pine and cedsr-is scattered
over hill ard vale. and thickly stud the distant
mountain side Down the caGyon We drive
amid clouds of dust, so dense, at times. TO
conceal our mules from us-tO Jacobs Wells,
when we we're told we could get no water, as the
supply barely sufficient for the Stage Com
pany's use but that, elk miles further on, at the
\ foot of a mountain then pointed out to US, we
would find spring One of cur wagons. con-
tanning our cooking utensils and the grub" in
| the meanN nile ndQ fallen lar ia the rear ana
went on alone. reaching the spring about dark ,
when We we're permitted to slake our thirst, at a
cool mountain spring. With plenty of grass for
our mules all around our camp: but no fuel save
sage bush. aud il OF very stinted growth and
scarce at that. Our commissary wagon failing
TO come up, We went supperless 10 bed and it
was not tin ten o'clock next dsy that 1t glad
dened Us with its presence. 1t is about thirty
miles from Mountain Springs TO Diamond Noun
tain. at whose base se camped.
! the summit of the mountain is reached by
very steep and toilsome road, over a mile long,
covered with rocks and sbounding in sharp
curves This Is decidedly the most difficult and
the steepest ascent on the stage route, from the
! Missouri river To- Austin. From the summit the
road winds down rocky canyon, AID around
/ the base of the mountain. about four miles, TO
| Diamond Springs. where there is stage-sta,ion,
delightful spring. and plenty of grass.
From these springs We travelled across sandy
desert. shout fifteen miles 10 the base OF a range
OF mountains. TO a stage station, near some
! springs OF brsckish water, where We found no
grass and no fuel but sage brush Thence 10
Roberts creek, fourteen miles, We journey tbro'
canyons and over the hills, with grass and pine
and cedsr 10 abundance This creek swels out
20 the extraordinary dimensions of two feet
breadth and six inches depth From here 10
Grubb's Wells, fifteen miles. the road ploxs
through sea OF sage brush. Plenty of water j.
found at these wells, but no grass.
81 IL =. T.