The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-12-23
ONE OF ORIGINAL JAYHAwKERs,
Story of the Career of AIOnzo C. Clay,
Pioneer and Gold Hunter,

.Galesburg. Ill, Dec. 19.-In the death
of Alonzo G. Clay, Knox county loses
one of its historic characters. Tomor-
row the remains of one of the covered
wagon emigrants of 1887 will be con-
signed to its original estate. and the last
chapter in the history of one of the
hardy pioneers of the plains will have
been written.
Alonzo Clay was educated ut Knox
college. and then taught school. Early
in 1919 news reached here of the dis
covery of gold in California. and Mr..
Clay was one of those instrumental in
organizing party to go from here and
Knoxville. But very few of the original
party are living. They styled themselves
the iayhawkers. Mr.. Clay and Col. John
b. Cotton, now of Kansas City, were
perhaps the leading spirits of the party.
Mr.. Clay occupied the front wagon,
which was drawn by four oxen. The
party left here in April, 1910, and pro-
ceeded to Omaha. where they took
what was known as the Mormon trail to
Salt Lake City. They arrived in that
city in good condition and without SER
ious adventure, but unfortunately re-
manned there until October. 1t was then
too late to take the northerly route
across the mountains, and so they de-
cided to take more southerly one across
what was then known rs the great
American desert. The mountain guides
and the famous scout Kit Carson warn
ed them against the folly of this step,
but to no avail.
1t was in October that they left Salt
Lake City on what was a most hazard
Gus journey. AS time passed they found
that their directions We're erroneous.
They could not return. because the
drifting sand had covered their tracks.
A mercileSS sun was overhead. The
alkali plains supported no animal life
and was devoid of fresh water. The
streams were alkali and the springs
were saline. AS the thirty-seven brave
jayhawkes pressed on in as nearly a
westerly direction rs they could. they
finally entered Deaths Valley. Mean
while their water supply had diminished.
Their food had been so reduced that
they were obliged to feed on the hot,
fevered flesh of their oxen. They
were forced to break up their
wagons. and to make parks for
their then few surviving animals. In
this valley their sufferings became eX-
IRENE. They were often deceived by
mirage, and FASTENED forward hoping to
find the promised lakes and vegetation,
only to find that they were decisions.
Their oxen finally died. The men were
reduced to skeletons. Death seemed to
be in store for them, as it had been for
others who had attempted to pass
through the valley. Seven of the party
were left behind to perish in the sand.
while the enfeebled remnant pressed for
ward. For five days they were without
water and were on the point of perishing.
Then a fresh water spring was reached.
This was christened Providence spring.
and still retains the name. One of the
party named Robertson. of MaQuon. could
not reach the spring because of his OK
bausted condition. A canteen was filed
and carried to him. With a smile on his
face he began drinking, but as his thirst
was uuenched his spirit fled.
The sufferings of the party were nearly
at an end. A few days later, making a
turn between two sharp-angled cliffs in
the mountains, they came, on February
G, 1850, abruptly into beautiful and
fertile upper valley of the Santa Clara
river. After time spent in recovering
from the effects of their desert. journey,
they proceeded to the gold regions.
Mr.. Clay returned here in 1853 with
considerable gold.
The jayhawkers in 1872. in commemo-
ration of their marvellous escape from n
horrible death in Deaths Valley, set