The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-09-01

now the iron horse veers to the right,
and plunges with wild snort under
the mountains, through q tunnel CHS
eled in the Adamantine rocks AS
the darkness closed around us, and the
hot smoke filed the passage tI thought
I smelled 6rinasto'ae) it required but
little of the mind to imagine that we
were passing near His Majesty's do
minions
Emerging from the Canyon we
cross Bear Valley, quite thickly inhab-
tied by Brigham's Saints. We are
now passing over the vast coal fields
of, the West.
A coalbed has been opened near
the line of the railroad 80 feet thick
and of a fine quality. Coal is shipped
from this mine to San Francisco in
large quantities.
At $3.50 p. NJ. we reached Fort Brid-
ger Fort Bridger proper is situated
some miles north of the Station.
There is history connected with this
Fort that might not be uninteresting
to your readers, though some of them,
no doubt, are familiar with il.
This post was established by Gen
A. S. johnson and called after James
Bridger, the renowned hunter and
guide. Early in the winter of 1857,
on the 23rd Of November the u. S.
forces, comprising the Fifth, Seventh
and Tenth Infantry, Second Dragons,
four Companies OF the Fourth Artil-
lery, and the whole under the com
mand of Brigadier General A. S.
Johnson, entered Fort Bridger on
their way to Salt Lake to chastise the
Mormons for certain alleged crimes
against the Government. Here they
established camp, while part of the
supply train accompanying the expe-
dition, numbering l60 wagons. was be-
hind, delayed by the heavy SHOWS, en-
,irely separated from the command,
were forced TO camp about 100
miles from Bridger. While encamped
there, party OF Mormons under the
command of Elder Pratt, assisted by
one Fowler Wells, another formidable
leader of the Mormon Church Mill.
tant, dashed in and surrounded the
trains in the dark hours of the night,
completely surprising the entire party,
not one escaping to give the alarm.
After taking the arms and equipments
from the men, they gave them a very
limited amount OF provisions to last
them through 10 Leayenworth, Kan
sas, and then started them of in the
wilderness to reach that place, dis
tance of 1000 miles, with no weapons
to protect themselves against the TOM
ahawk of the Indian, or to procure
game when their limited supply of
food had failed. There were go souls
in that despoiled party. Only eight
of that number reached the settle.
ments. The knife of the savage,
starvation and Winters frost finished
the cruel work begun by these fiends
in human form. a fearful retribu:ion
awaits these outlaws of God and man.
The entire train of wagons were
burned and the teams driven off to
Salt Lake as the trophies of a glorious
victory over the armies of the Gen
tiles.
Late in sthe evening we crossed
Green river. a short distance below
the bridge is situated Green River
City, once thriving town of 1000
inhabitants, but now deserted. More
than two hundred roofiess adobe
houses present To the traveller very
strange and gloomy appearance. Not
human beng dweils there-it has
been given to the owls and the bats,
and to the wild beasts of the field.
We are now ascending the Rocky
Mountains-air cool and bracing-a
good night for sleep-and in the
morning we wake up $50 miles fur
ther on our way than when we lay
down. Friday morning we entered
the Laramie plains. Breakfastcd at
Laramie dined at Cheyenne and
supped at Sidney. We are now pass
ing down the Valley of the Platte,
the finest belt of grazing lands on the
continent. Here the buffalo roamed
unmolested for ages, but he has disap-
peared before the advancing wave of
civilization.
Saturday morning as we rubbed
sleep from our eyes, stately mansions,
beautiful cottages, and waving fields
of corn greeted our vision. The
dreariness of the wilderness is passed
and the busy hum of industry breaks
upon the ear and thrills the heart.
Time flies and We sweep onward
toward where the old Missouri's tur-
bid waters roll AT Ii o'clock P. NJ,
Saturday, July 22d, we reached Oma-
ha, 1000 miles of the way is passed
and we feel that our journey is almost
over.
Thanks to kind Providence that
has shielded us from danger and pros
pered us on our way.
y
Omaha is a fourishing place, of
some twenty thousand inhabitants,
and is destined to become one of the
great cities of the West. No cars
run from this point St. Louisward, af-
ter the arrival from the West on Satur-
day. So, much to my disappoint-
ment, ! was compelled to lay over
at Saturday, 2 P. NJ, till Sunday night,
when | took the cars for st. Louis.
Reached Mexico City at 2 o'clock P.
NJ, Monday, where I laid over for "a
hours. / was the guest of Benz. Cau-
thorne, son of my old friend and Broth
er, A. Cauthorne, of Corvallis. had a
very pleasant interview with Colonel
Taylor. informedme that he would
i start with his farnilu fo,. Rnrtland