The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-06
A TALE OF MISFORTUNES,
The Mishaps That Befell q Family Of
Emigrants.

destitute family arrived in Seattle Sat
urday night, the story of whose adventures
In coming across the plains and the noun
tains is very sad one. Mr.. George l..
Campbell, several years ago, was prosper
Gus farmer at Huron, S. ID. A succession
OF bad crops came and he concluded year
ago to sell out his farm and stock and
move. With his wife and five children
ranging in ages from to 10 years, he
started, in September, 1889, to return TO the
old home III Shawnee county, Kansas.
There he fitted up an old-fashioned prairie
schooner for the baggage and a two-horse
carriage for the family, and started, in
April last, Tor Washington. arriving at
South Seattle Saturday evening. They
came all the way across the country by
wagon, the trip taking them six months.
It was while travelling along the side of a
deep canyon III Wyoming that they met
with terrible accident. which caused the
death OF one OF the children and the loss of
nearly all of their possessions. They were
travelling slowly along the road the buggy
short distance in advance OF the covered
wagon in which were all or nearly
all OF their goods and three men,
bers OF the family. Suddenly, when
on the very edge of a preeipice running up
from the Riney river, the road gave way
and the schooner, with the father and
mother and Ernest, the second son, II
years old, went crashing down into the
water. Mr.. Campbell and his wife were
both sick with the fever at the time, and
were lying in the bottom of the wagon.
With great difficulty Mr.. Campbell
succeeded in extricating himself and his
wife. He was horrified then to find that
the boy had disappeared and had probably
been drowned. Search was made but it
was unavaing, and nothing was ever
heard of him again. 1t was never known
whether he was drowned or whether he
had been buried under the tons of earth
which slid down before them into the
water. They stayed there five days hunt
ing for the body, but were forced at last to
give it up.
One of their horses, all of their provisions
and extra clothing and several hundred
dollars in money had been lost Weary.
sick and sore, they sorrowfully left
the spot and moved on to the
town of Alton, in Star valley,
where Mr.. Campbell sold the carriage
and the few remaining things which they
had, and bought provisions and clothing
for his little flock. Several weeks more of
weary travel brought them to Seattle,
where they arrived in even more destitute
circumstances than after the accident,
being obliged to sell off all their little valu-
ables for food on the way. Mr.. 7. p. Car
roll saw the family yesterday near the
race track in South Seattle.
They are..quite destitute. he said. "Mr.
Campbell had expected 10 arrive here with
means to care for his family until he could
secure foothold, but now he is going TO do
the best be can. He is anxious to secure
employment and. as soon as he can get
house to shelter his family, will 60 to work
at anything
II think continued Mr.. Carroll, "that
the citizens of Seattle who nave means
should assist this family. You may say
that contributions for them may be left at
my office in the Boston block, or at the
PosT-INTELLIGENcER Office. It is sad and
needy case, and shows very plainly the
need for home for immigrants"