Mond Sept 2nd Tues 3rd Wedns 4th Thurs 5th Frid 6th Still laying by I went full eight miles down the river to cut grass to do our team one day on the road up the river. there has been pretty good bunch grass here on the low bottoms but it is all eat out down the river for 6 miles and for 30 miles up stream. people arrive all hours of the night. those that reach here with more than half the team they start in with are considered fortunate. This morning after halling some hay 6 miles we left this scene of devastation, takeing up on the N side of the river. after 6 miles our road left the river and went over a rocky dusty sage plain 16 miles on to the river again, and no grass scarcely, all haveing been eat out. went 2 miles further and stopped. as yet we have all our stock and we are all well. our hearts are light and so is our stock of provisions. our sugar is gone. today we eat our last bacon. our fruit is nearly gone. our supply of rice is bountiful, coffee and tea to spare. we yet have about 10 days rations of breadstuff 24 This morning we went 3 miles to a large Meadow of 1000 acres, all eat off. we found good grass further up the river off from the road. here we sold an ox for 16$. I had drove him loose for more than 1000 miles. our road then left the river for 11 miles over, deep hot sand. we are again encamped on the River. whole days travel 14 Today we have crossed the river. it is a pretty stream but seldom exceeding 40 yds in width. our road has been near the river and yet very dusty. we have made about 16 miles. hereabouts the burnt hills rise up high enough to be entitled to the dignified name of mountains, but no timber as yet save a few cottonwood trees along the River, whose shade I have enjoyed several times today. it is a great luxury to me. this forenoon grass was plenty but dry. this afternoon scarcely any 16 In the forenoon our road was near the river. in the afternoon over a rocky sage plain and our days travel about 21 miles. today we had a shower of rain, running in streaks. scrubby Cedars on the Mountain sides near by. there is spots of Sat 7th Sund 8th Mond 9th Tues 10th old snow and pine timber on the mountains 3 miles ahead to the right. some packers report 4 inches of new on the highest mountains on the 1st of sept. 21 Today we are in the Carson valley. it consists of several thousand acres of the best of grazeing land, considerable quantity fit for cultivation, the river running through the center. bold Mountains on the west, well studded with beautiful pine timber some of which are 6 feet in diameter, many of them from 3 to 4 feet. lots of good springs, several pretty brooks. here white people could live and we have traveled today about 16 miles 16 after going about 2 miles there was a succession of hot springs at left of our road. several times I placed my left hand in almost scalding water and turned up my right eye and viewed those small though everlasting drifts of snow near by. the grass has been burnt in several places. the atmosphere is smoky. The Indians all the way on Carson river shoot all the oxen they can. they also shoot at the emigrants every convenient opportunity but we think so little of it now that I had neglected to mention anything about it. we come about 6 miles and are resting the team and cutting hay to last over the mountains. a majority of the emigrants are now on foot with their packs on their backs, haveing lost almost everything. the speculators are sending large quantities of provisions to sell to those still behind us 6 This morning we had frost. the wind has blown a gale all day. we saw several men today with mules packed with provisions for their friends that are digging gold north and east of this place and we ar considerably east of the highest mountains. we have come on 6 miles more and laid by the rest of the day, preparing for the rugged mountains ahead. there will not more than 4 of waggons that started to Callifornia ever attempt to cross the mountains 6 Last night the wind blew a hurricane bareing down tents, blowing away tinware and hats generally. this morning as cold as December and brisk snow squalls this afternoon. we have traveled 12 miles 7 m of which beats anything I Wed 11th Thurs 12th Frid 13th ever saw before, through the Kanyan on the head of Carson river. here the scenery was most grand and imposing. the Mountains of light grey granite rose almost perpendicular to an enormous height, yet the dark green pines of several varieties and in great numbers seemes to cling to the mountain sides and flourish most luxuriantly 12 This morning the high Mountains wer covered with snow, the lowland with hoar frost, ice 1⁄2 in thick in the water pail. Two new varieties of elder and several new varieties of currants make their appearance in this locality. most of the way today has been among rugged mountains and dense pine forests. many of them seem on the decline and dying. we ascended one mountain about 11⁄2 miles. the road can neither be imagined nor described, a person mus[t] both see it and go over it to appreciate the difficulty. we are encamped about half way up another mountain, the last serious obstacle on our route, and have come today about 16m. In ascending the Mountain this morning I discovered the bluebells and column vine [columbine] both in bloom 300 ft above the level of perpetual snow and within 20 ft fresh mad[e] Icickles. we soon passed among heavy drifts of old snow, the road steep and rocky, and reached the summit at 9 oclock A. M. near 1000 ft above the level of perpetual snow. even here among the frozen earth there are many flowers in bloom. from this hight we had an extensive view of a very rough mountainous country far to the wes[t]. we can now say if we have not rode the Elephant Triumpantly we have at least mounted the highest portion of the Siera Naved [Nevada] Mountains successfully. our road has been very rough, the country well timbered with pines and balsam fir. traveled 16m This morning we passed the tragedy springs and soon came to some large cedars, many of them 3 to 4 feet through. 1 tree was near 7 feet in diameter but not exceeding 50 feet in height. we are encamped this evening 2 miles west of the leek springs. there is to all appearance some Sat 14th Sund 15th Mond 16th Tues 17th little spots of tolerable soil hereabouts. the Today we have laid by all day resting and graze- Today we have traveled about 18 miles. the [road] Our oxen had nothing to eat last [night] save a few oak leaves and we have come on 10 miles to a little town called Ringold. here we sold our team and waggon all together for 295$. he[re] I separated from my companions and went with the team to the Diamond springs 21⁄2 towards sacramento City. at Ringold as at these Springs I have seen several men digging and washing gold. I can now say I am fairly into the gold diggins and will probably cease keeping a Journal 12 EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT THE PLACEMENT OF THE ALLISON MEMORIAL. One of the most notable provisions for the future made by any Iowa legislature is a measure known as House File 669, recognizing and regarding the necessity of the immediate and correct placement of the Allison Memorial elsewhere than "upon the Capitol grounds or any extension thereof" as heretofore provided. For a generation a trend toward the correction and completion of the grounds surrounding our State House has been developing. One by one the larger necessities of the State have been provided. Following the almost complete rebuilding of the structures of all the Iowa institutions, the replacing of temporary ill-planned buildings by those splendidly conceived and, in great part, fire-proof, the logical time for completing the landscape needs of the principal building of the State seems to have arrived. It was so stated in effect in the final message of Governor Carroll, and re-stated with emphasis in the inaugural address of Governor Clarke. The Secretary of the Allison Commission was authorized some months ago to obtain a diagram of the location of the Capitol, the heating plant, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, the State Historical Building, the other lands adjacent owned by the State, and a proposed placement of the Allison Memorial appropriate to its own value as a work of art and not detracting from existing structures. In consequence, E. L. Masqueray, expert advisor of the Allison Memorial Commission, was directed to prepare such a sketch as would conform to the above requirements and, furthermore, would take notice of the needs in the probable development of our State throughout the remotest future, and of the natural as well as artificial elements for economical but correct final disposition of all structures in accordance with artistic principles. 63 |