The San Francisco call., 1910-07-11
SHAFT TO PIONEERS
BONNER LAKE JllEI
Subscription Aims 10 hecp
Tragic Memory in Stone

tains OF these 50 oleo,
entire number passed through
ard mains worse than death But hau
those victims not been saertneed on
+ha snow white altar Of the Sierfas'
as the first born emigrants into tne
fair land of California. how many tnou-
sards might have perished in other
uvtn+ers7 For more than 1919 years
most of US white people have known
that human sacrifices on nlsn ~t.@
do not get US anywhere IN the airs
tior Of heaven, but il Is dimcuH 10
believe that the, victims OF the Dohne'
partv were not unconscious martyrs 10
a wonderful movement. and II Is as
r,sr+vrs that they must be considered
when we ioin their names on a monu-
ment with the generic name OF al pio-
neers who crushed through the VII
derness TO found a great western com
monwealth. California may wen nave
its yaIhalla at Donner lake--no heaven
of departed heroes could be placed In
a more sublime park than nature has
scooped out of the mountain sides as
the theater of CaIifotnia's bitterest
ragedy.
One of the plans of the Native sons
of the Golden West is to raise funds
for the monument by selling Generai
c. F. McGlashan's History OF the Don
ner Party-a Tragedy of the Sierras
In this way the people OF California
may learn of the Donner. party
General McGlashan has been accepted
by the survivors OF the Donner Tragedy
as the responsible historian OF their
experiences. There has been mucn
written about the tragedy. and un-
doubtedly much that is false has crept
into the legends and traditions OF the
disaster. McGlashan interviewed or
corresponded with all the survivors be
could reach at the time he was fnvestf-
eating and writing-which was prior
to 1879. His book may be considered
as an authentic narrative of the expe-
riences of the party. And IL Is PROB
ably as mild an account as could be
written and yet convey the ideas or
the mountain horror.
The Donner party was organized In
Sangamon county, Illinois, by George
and Jacob Donner and James F. Reed.
and early in April. 1S4s, set out from
Springfield Ill. bound for California
That was before gold was discovered
in the territory and the start was made
before California was under the Amer
ACdu nag. 1AcTe WeTe SV members III
the party. 1t was not a harmonious
company. Continually on the way
across the plains there was trouble
among the members. There were other
misfortunes besides the temperamental
ones which led to dissensions
MeGlashan. as friendly as possible 20
the party, says; (Chapter I'D "As
will presently be seen. the dissensions
existing in the company and the petty
differences of opinion and interest were
the fundamental causes Of the calanii-
ties which befell the Donner party"
In crossing the plains In Utah the
party heard of a new route which was
highly recommended II was the Hast
iEigs cutoff There was a division over
the route question. Many wanted gro
follow the main Travelled trails. and
those who did reached California be-
fore the storms of winter set in.1 But
the Donner group chose the new route
and there lay their first fatal error.
Instead OF reaching Salt Lake in a
week from the junction point. the party
was over 80 days In making the trip
and that delay led to their misfor-
tunes in the Sierra
That was the first serious trouble that
befell the party Murder was TO come
In the Humboldt desert James F Reed
one of the leaders of the party. killed
John Sydney. a young man popular In
the train The killing occurred dur
ing quarrel. McGlashan is inclined
to exonerate Reed. BUT exoneration or
no. the killing shows plainly in what
a trrfbly rancorous state the Don
ner party was even before their vital
hardships began Reed was banfshed
in the desert from the train. Later
ne was instrumental>in saving the lives
OF many of the storm bound party. a
cold blooded murder occurred later. A
wealthy German named wolfnger was
murdered on the route, presumably nv
members OF the party, who robbed his
corpse. Such was the internal situa-
tion Of the Donner party.
1t was on October 90, 1s4e. that their
grimmest tragedy began. Then thew en-
countered the first snowstorm Of the
year, storm that came earlier by
month than was normal After that
came the ordeal of the Donner party
Starvation. death. cannibalism. the
murder OF two Indians, who had come
to rescue the party in order THAI their
flesh might be eaten 1t is a tale ~
agony-this history OF the Donner na~-
". Seldom has it been duplicated in
the history OF the world. 1t is raw
tragedy. gripping at the blood and stor
ping its flow, so horrible is the tai.
Today. nearly 64 years afterward
there are eight survivors OF the party
living and three old ladies' were AZ
Donner lake In June Of this wear 70
partake of one of the most bountifuI
barbecues ever served In California
The tables for the feast were spread
within sight of the spot where. & "a
years before, these three women then
little girls, starved to the point Of
death, and only sustained life by what
the civilized world considers the rnosf
repulsive expedient. But Is there
man who can not defend the Donner
party In their extremity?