The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-04-09
BANK OF THE PLATTE,
OppoS1TE Fort SEDGWIGK, }

fine sample of the variable charac
ter of this season of the year
Perhaps it has been an unusu'
ally favorable specimen Of its fan
tastie changes. An average of three
snow storms weekly, accompanied b,
excessively high winds of an equal,
excessively low degree of temperature
has been our experience here The
river at one time last month showed
signs of breaking up. The ice was
becoming slushy, and we were con-
graduating ourselves that the rigor Of
stern Winter was over; but the north
ers commenced again, and have con-
tinued in such quick succession ever
since, that the ice is frmer than any
time heretofore of our witnessing.
The records at Sedgwick show the
thermometer to have stood for two
days at seventeen degrees nelow zero.
This / know: that one could, by walk
ing in the wind with his ears I'M
unprotected, have had them cropped
very expeditiously, and with less pain
and apprehension than by any other
method. From these remarks do not
imagine the climate to be irremedia-
bly, disagreeable. It is cold, but not
damply and depressingly so. The
moisture is all blown off, or frozen
out. Remember that the men here
the force and all it's attaches, team
STEERS, mules, horses, and several
other ansnals-have been living all
this time, the men in tents without
fires, or out of doors with one scant fire
to seventy men, and the other animals
without any protection. Yet we have
not lost man by disease engendered
here. Indeed, we have only lost one
man by death from any cause. and he
brought his ending with him and upon
himself. One chief reason to which
/ attribute the impunity with which
the men have passed through the se-
we're ordeal of Winter campaign on
the plains under such weather, is that
they arrived in good condition. They
had lived well in Washington, upon
plenty of fresh and diversified diet.
Their blood and general system was
therefore in good order to resist the
exciting causes of disease to which
they might be subject, more es-
pecially that Of cold. We have
had also here regular issues of beef
until latterly, and will again imme-.
diately; as well as occasional messes
of krout, dried fruit, &c. We are
about having few loads Of onions
hauled for US from Denver, to be paid
for out of the company's funds. IF
our military commanders would pay
more attention to these matters, and
exert their ingenuity, and the power
they possess, to procure these or
similar essentials of a healthy diet,
less would be heard of death in camp;
and camps would not so commonly
be followed by decimating epidemics S.
Commanders would, thereby, render
" distinguished service to the United
States, to humanity, and to science.
The connection of army camps and
deadly epidemics has become proven
bal. but I think my observation and
experience prove that they are not in
separable concomitants.
Returning to consideration ofthe
climate, | should say the most un-
pleasant features are the winds, which
also cause the mercury to fall much
lower than it otherwise would.
Houses. settlements, and plantations
o OF trees would much diminish
their force, and certainly miti-
gate their disagreeableness. Trees
may be easily introduced with the
railroads and the incoming popula-
ton; and the first pioneers, it is to be
hoped, and anticipated, will not neg
lect to do so. A little care, in their
earlier years, would be all they re-
auire. The danger of destruction from
prairie grass fires will no doubt disap-
pear all too soon, in some respects,
for convenience of ready-made hay.
Never mind what the old fogies of
the plains and prairies may say that
is about the truth of the matter
concerning plantations ofswood. We
have had interesting days, beautiful
as poets dream, with an atmos-