The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-05-24
ruE BONNER PARTY.
Authentic Story of Their Trip
Across the Plains.
as RELATED BY THE CAPTAIN.
r,,e victims of False Information
starved in the Snow-Heroic
Actors of Rescuers.


Examiner, headed "Cannibalism, or
Some Horrible Tales OF Mans Struggle
with Starvation-The Sufferings of the
bonner Party etc., published the 2fst
inst. The account given by the writer
in relation to the Bonner party is SO
much at variance with the facts and
cumstances connected with those I'M
fortunates who suffered in that snow
bound camp in the Sierras Nevada, that,
in Justice to those who survive, feel 1t
nv duty to make some corrections
in the aforesaid article in order that the
public may know how that Inflated
party came to be caught and hemmed
in by the snow in the fall and winter
Of 1916. The major portion of the i'm
migration of that year was nom the
State of Missouri, among ON was
the writer of this article and wife and
fathers family Ex-Governor BoggS and
family). Our party assembled near the
boundary line of Missouri in the
month of May, 1916, to the number of
seventy-five or eighty families, COM
prising train of about ITO or 120 wa
CONS, and loose stock. After crossing
the Kansas or Kaw river the company
effected an organization and proceeded
on the Journey. at the first camp
made after crossing the Kansas river
some families from near Quincy, H.,
came I'D with our train and asked per-
mission to travel with US. Among these
we're the family of James F. Reed,
George and Jacob Bonner, both old men
with large families Also Mr.. Been and
family, the Murphys, Foster, Pike. Nc
Cutchen and others. All were well
provisioned and had plenty of loose cat
tie and horses, especially the Donners.
whose old-fashioned wagons were lad
ened down with provisions and many
other articles thatwere totally unneces-
sary for such a journey. They were
considered well off in the way of stock
and provisions and were said to have
several thousand dollars in cash. James
T. Reed had
THE BEST EQUIPPED
outfit of any man with family in the
train, with comfortable family wagon,
constructed like an omnibus, with all
the conveniences of small family
room. Mr.. Reed had an interesting
family and he was an intelligent and
educated gentleman, full of energy and
an enthusiast for the trip across
the plains. The company had
many distinguished persons along,
among whom was Bryant, afterward
Alcade of San Francisco; Colonel AL
phonso Boone and family; Ex-Governor
Boggs and family; Captain Jacobs, SON
inlay of Colonel Benton Colonel A. J.
Grayson and family; the two Messrs.
Putnam of Kentucky, and Colonel
William H. Rupell of Missouri, who
was elected captain of the entire train
at the start, but resigned at Ash Hol-
low, on the Platte River, when the
writer of this was elected to fill that
reaching the Sweetwater River en-
camped near independence Rock. Our
party was met by a Mr.. L. w. Hastings
and Mexican attendant. Mr.. Hast
ings had been IN California and came
out to meet the incoming einigrants.
He represented to Mr.. Reed, Governor
Boggs and oshers of the party, that he
had discovered new and better route
by which the emigrants could reach
California than the one we proposed
following, viz, the old Walker Trail, by
Wav of the Truckee Pass. He so
wrought upon Mr.. Reed that he won
him over to try the new discovered
route Governor Boggs. Colonel Boone
and about .one-half of the train dis
scented and refused to adopt the advice
of Mr. Hastings in trying the new route.
After some considerable discussion the
company concluded to divide, and one
half the party, including the Reed and
Bonner families. undertook
THB HASTINGS ROUTE,
The portion of the company with Gov
ernor Boggs moved out OF camp next
morning, after bidding an affectionate
farewell to Mr.. Reed and his friends.
All parted in good feeling and friend
ship. The companies came in sight but
once after parting, the Reed and DON
ner party going by way of Fort Bridger
and Salt Lake valley. The other party
taking what was then called the Green
wood Cutoff. started across from Big
Sandy to Green River. The Reed and
Bonner party all had bountiful sup
pIy of provisions when we parted at the
SWeetwater river. The writer had killed
q number of buffaloes few days before
in sight of the wagon train, and. re-
uuested a halt that they might butcher
and dry the meat for future use; but
the Donners especially said that they
had all the provisions they needed AS
this was the last buffalo seen on the
route. there was no other source of sup
ply but what they brought with them
which seemed at that time to be :lort
than sufficient to last them into Califor
MIA. But they were left by Hastings tC
find their way through the mountain:
and CANYONS the best way they could
They failed TO get through certain can
yons in the mountains and had to turn
back and retrace their weary journe,
over much of the same route they haC
gone, and finally reached the Humboldt
Valley. much worn and their cattle Civ
ing out. "A misfortune happened abou
this time to the company, to which
have ALWAYS attributed as the principa
cause of the failure of the so-called Don
ner to get through. James f. Reed ha'
the misfortune to kill a young man Il
AN. ALLEGATION,
which caused him to leave the party an
come ahead to California, thereby de
Driving the party of his valuable service
as conductor of the party. The long an
circuituous route taken by the Rec