The herald., 1895-03-03
Across the Plains to Los Angeles
IN l849
BEFORE THE RAILWAY CAME
Judge Van Dykes Paper Before the
Historical Society
Lake to the Pacific, as Demonstrated by
One Memorable Journey

members Of your society to furnish a
sketch of my trip overland and some pio-
neer experiences. My time, however, is so
fully occupied that have very little time
to devote to outside matters; besides,
have hesitated to repeat the events of pio-
neer days, as they have been so often told
that there can pe at this time very little
interest in their repetition. l say repe-
tition, because the experience of one was
pretty much the same as that OF the
time of the overland route. The wise
Ulysses was made to say to Achilles, while
sulking in his tent, that ito have been,
to hang quite out of fashion, like a
rusty mail in monumental mockery. ?"
The world cares very little for the past of
those who figured in it further than the
recital of the events may either instruct
or amuse those of the present.
About the time | was admitted to the
bar in Cleveland, Ohio the whole country
was electrified, as it were, by the accounts
OF rich gold discoveries in California, a
portion of the country then recently ac-
quired from Mexico. A company of
young men, including some of my friends
ana acquaintance, was organized in
Cleveland in the spring of 1894 to come
overland to California; and, being in the
right frame of mind for little adventure,
it did not require much urging to induce
me to join it, which / did.
We left Cleveland on the last OF May, by
steamer for Chicago, where we organized
an outfit for the plains. This city at that
time was one of the dirtiest and muddiest
| Imaginable; streets unpaved, excepting a
| w
ordinary roads leading from it nearly bot
tomless in mud. The place gave very
little evidence then of becoming the lead
ing city in'America during the lifetime of
many of the Agonauts.
We left Chicago June the 9Th, taking a
direction to strike the Mississippi oppo-
site Burlington, Iowa, at which point we
crossed June 18th, being twelve days max
ing this distance, owing to the condition
of the roads, the inexperience of the men
| with that kind of travelling and the wild
unbroken stock we had secured for the
| trip.
From Burlington we went by way of
| Oskaloosa, Iowa, at which place we were
obliged to halt and have an overhauling
of our outfit by the abandonment of some
of our heavy, wagons and the substitution
of lighter vehicles, and here we spent the
Fourth of July.
Between the Des Moines and the Mis-
| souri, we saw no settlements. We follow
ed the old Mormon trail to Council Bluffs,
where we arrived July 10Th. There was
a little trading place at on near Council
Bluffs called Kanesvile, established by
the Mormons after being driven out of
the Indian Territory on the opposite side
of the river. At this place three of our
party concluded to abandon the trip, and
the company was dissolved or reorganized
and the men thereafter travelled independ-
emily, but remained together. The late
Judge O. A. Mum of San Jacinto (then a
young lawyer from Cleveland, like myself,
was my especial companion thereafter
during the trip.
We were ferried across the Missouri
river above Council Bluffs, opposite the
\ old abandoned Mormon village called by
them Winter Quarters, from which they
had been driven by the authorities of the
Government, as already mentioned. We
left the Missouri river July oath and
crossed the Elk Horn July 18th, about
following up the Platte valley on the
north side of the river about or the line
of said road, and on August 1, came up
to train of Mormon emigrants.
We were late in the season compared
with the great rush of overland gold-seek-
ers that year, in fact, / think one of the
last parties. The great body of the emf
grafton went up the Missouri by boat,
and most of them outftted and left the
frontier from the town of St Joseph, Mis-
souri,, striking the Platte near Fort Kear-
new The route we took, therefore, was
not SO much travelled and the feed was
quite good until we reached that point
where the main road came in, after which
our progress was very slow, inasmuch as
the whole country near the road was eaten
off by the stock of the vast numbers
which had preceded us. AS a general
thing our progress was not much more
rapid than the Mormon emigrants, and
1--we frequently travelled along with them
and from one train to another, the rest of
the way to Salt Lake. And for the reason
stated we saw very few buffalo along the
route, and saw no Indians till we crossed
the north fork of the Platte about twenty
miles below Fort Laramie. This was the
| last day of August. About five miles above
the crossing we found quite large en-
campment of Sioux and Cheyenne In
dians. The train encamped on the river
Just above their lodges.
Another member of the party and my
self rode on in advance to the fort. The
road all along above kearney was like a
highway of nations-so trodden and worn
by the immense number that had Travelled
over it. AS we rounded point on the
road we caught glimpse to the west of
us, of the American flag fluttering over
the fort After two months journey
across the plains from the frontier settle
ments this sight was joyous one to u.s.
as emblematic OF the presence of the
| power anu glory Oh our country even mere
in the midst OF this vast wilderness. My
companion returned to camp, but / re-
manned over as the guest OF Major San
derson, commandment of the fort until
the next day when the rest of the train
came up.
Beyond this point the main road passes
over the Black Hills and strikes the north
fork of the Platte near the mouth of the
Sweetwater, the river between these
points making quite bend to the north.
Inasmuch as the feed along the main road
was all eaten off, our party, as well as the
later Mormons, were obliged to follow up
} the river, which heightened the distance
J and caused further delay.
When we arrived at Rock Independence.
Mormon elder was dispatched to Salt
Lake City, as sort OF messenger to report
the progress of their trains. AT his re-
quest Mum and myself started with him,
, but Munn's horse soon gave out and he
fell in with another company of Mormons
we overlook on the Sweetwater. From
there the Mormon elder and myself travel
ed alone. We were twelve days coming
into Salt Lake City, and on the way
. passed large number of Mormon trains,
camping with one nearly every night. The
night we reached Fort Bridger it COM
menced showing and continued the fol-
lowing day, so we remained over at the
fort. The altitude there is so high thai
, snow commences to fall early in the sea
, son.
: We arrived at Salt Lake City on the sth
.A.1. AHurg