The Van Buren press., 1869-06-15
From the California Trains.
CAN'T ON SNOOPY RIVER, KANSAS, !
q MILES WEST Fr. HARkEY, May ~, 6JN

CAN'T on SM00kf RINEk, hANoAo,
40 MILES WEST Fr. HARKEY, May ~, 69S
EDITOR Van BuHEy PREss-Sr: improve
the first opportunity to let you know OF the
California train; the strength of it and how
we are getting along on our journey as
promised TO do the day we left Van Buren,
We have had a very pleasant journey SO far
We have met with some Usage Indians. l
talked with the big chief and he asked me for
beef; he told me our train should not be mo-
Tested if we gave him one. l consulted with
Mr.. VIM. johnson, and we agreed to give him
one two year old heifer and he was very well
pleased with it. One Usage came into camp
on Holly Creek with nothing but blanket Oh
could not talk English and only made signs.
We came on up to the mouth of Little Arkan-
sas river and there our iatwoods- men left
us, and went on up to Harker-that was
Brown. Green, Bowen & Co.-as they were
told if they went up the Arkansas river they
would all be killed by the Red men of the
West so VIM. johnson, myself and our old
friend Jackson White concluded that we
would go up the river for safety, and onward
we rolled; we saw the plains covered with
buffalo, but not an Indian did we see. We
followed up the river to the mouth of Cow
Creek, and the old trail being so dim we had
| to abandon it; we kept up Cow Creek TO JAS
per Creek, crossed the old Santa Fee road at
DIR. Beechers old rancho, and then kept upts
Plum Creek, till we struck the Santa Fee
road; "a miles from Fort Zarke and IS miles
to Ellsworth; miles West of Fort 1arkee,
and there We weht into camp and remained
two days, and then came Brown, Bowen and
Company with reinforcement off more wag-
ons and in two hours after up comes a Wash
| ington county party with 20 or more wagons; !;
and on the 9th inst. we all left camps with a
very good train. At IL o'clock A. NJ. the
Washington county party called for Oregon
men to stop and form camp of themselves
and the Californians to do the same. We
made camps separate but nigh enough to as
sist each other in ease ofdanger. Now | will
band:
Crawford County, Arkansas-Wm. Ellis
and family, Whitmorc and Hamilton drivers
all well.
VIM. johnson and family, VIM. Dwyer VIM
Johnson. jr., e. johnson, A johnson and e..
| Mailer drivers.
Jackson White and lady-stands the trip
well so far.
James White and family, Joe Howell and
VIM. Scrimpshire.
F. Palmtag and lady, A. Palmtag driver.
G.. Seegrayes and family, j. Ilargroyes driv-
er.
A. Nelson and family.
Scott County, Arkansas--J. S. Butler and
family, Wm Spurgon driver.
W. p. Butler and family.
Mrs, NJ. Geist, John Pulley, of Crawford
county, driver.
Yell County. Arkansas-L. II. Brown and
family, j. Lewis driver, G. Dunahoo and fam
ily, a. 5. Brown and family, q. Wilson and
family, Il. G. Wilson, G.. Mahon driver, g. w.
Cooper driver making in all 20 lighting men,
IL children and If women.
: so our old friends will see that we are on the
war path and have not taken some other road
leading North or East, as it was reported be-
fore we left that some would do. We are lay.
ing over to-day. both trains in plain view
about % miles from Fort Hays; we have
travelled slow for the purpose of letting the
Scott and Yell companies come up; now we
shall make time. Our oxen stand it well; a
few them have got the foot evil, but are
mendng fast. The range is good and the
stock looks better to-day than the day we left
much stores at Van Buren, as some people do,
as they can get anything they want at Ell
derado or the mouth of Little Arkansas,
Ellsworth, Hays Sheridan, Denver, Salt Lake
City and many other places on the road flour,
bacon, rice, sugar, coffee, and every thing in
general but tin ware, is better and cheaper
herc-it comes from New Mexico
l think, Mr. Editor, that this will let the old
folks know how we are getting along. |
would like to have the Press sent to Denver
for us as we pass through, so as to see the
times in the old county.
Yours in haste, w. T..