Iowa Old Press

The Gazette
Davenport, Scott, Iowa

Nov 7, 1850
In Iowa City, by Rev. A. Young, on the 23d ult, James B. Howell, (editor of
the Keokuk Register) to Miss Mary Ann Bowen, daughter of Dr. Jesse Bowen, of
Iowa City.

Nov 14, 1850
Married
In this place on the 9th inst., by John Rouser, esq., Mr. Henry Christian
Bloecker to Miss Dores Kreger.

On the same day, by the same, Mr. Augustus Beister to Miss Seila Gessicon.

Died
At Le Claire, Scott Co., on the 1st inst., Mr. William P. Hitchcock, aged 46
years.

Nov 25, 1850
Married
In this place on the evening of the 20th inst., by John Rouser, Esq., Mr.
Frederick Baar, from Holstein, to Miss Elizabeth Ford, from England



Nov 25, 1850

NEWS FROM THE PLAINS
Twenty thousand Men Beyond the Desert--Cholera! Starvation!! Indian
Hostilities!!!

     The Sacramento Transcript of the 20th September, contains a letter
dated at the Great Meadows Humboldt River, September 12th from Capt. Waldo,
the philanthropic and energetic friend of the emigrants. He states that he
met many who had given up to die; others without food, save the worn-out
horses which had borne them thus far on the way to California. Some were
living on dead and putrid horse-flesh- some had died from starvation. He
sayd he has met very few who have any provisions, and nearly all were
traveling on foot, their horses and mules having given out. No one now
thinks of gold-the cry is for bread.
     The Indians have stolen a great number of the emigrant stock, thereby
many families have been left from four to six hundred miles from the
settlements, without teams or means of conveyance, and the Indians are daily
growing more hostile and daring. There is scarcely a day passes, that there
are not more or less skirmishes between them and the whites.
     "Many women are on the road with families of children, who have lost
their husbands by cholera, and who never will cross the mountain without
aid. I have met intelligent packers who left the Missouri river on the 1st
of July; they concur in the statement, that there are yet twenty thousand
back of the Desert. Fifteen thousand of this number are now destitute of all
kinds of provisions; yet the period of the greatest suffering has not yet
arrived, if the supposition is to be correct, that twenty-five thousand are
yet back of the Sink. It will be morally impossible for ten thousand of this
number to reach the mountains before the commencement of winter; and the
probability is, that they will then find these mountains covered with snow
from five to twenty feet deep. All remember the fate of the Donner party."
     In another letter, dated Truckee River, September 15th, 1850, he states
other facts in relation to the prevalence of the cholera, deaths among the
immigrants, and the hostility of the Indians towards them. He closes his
letter with an earnest appeal for help to those unfortunate people. We
sincerely hope his appeal will not be in vain.
     Movements for the relief of the suffering people are made in many
quarters. The benefit given by the managers of the Tehama theatre afforded
over $1,100 and Col Grant of Sacramento City, collected $350.50 for the same
purpose.
     Capt. Waldo has shown a most generous and praiseworthy disposition. He
gave $1,000 in cash, besides one  hundred head of beef cattle, and his
services for the relief of the poor sufferers on the Plains, and is still
engaged on his errand of mercy. He is in active service, is an eye-witness
to the scenes of suffering and death from starvation, Indians, thirst, and
cholera, which are even now daily transpiring there.- What he says can be
believed; it comes from the scene itself.
     From Boiling Springs to this place (Great Meadow) I have met with but
few who have any provisions at all, except the poor exhausted animals which
have worked from the States. Footmen, who comprise nearly one-fourth of the
number now on the road, not blessed even with such food as this, but are
reduced to the necessity of subsisting on the putrified flesh of such dead
animals as so abundantly line the road.- This has produced the most fatal
consequences. Disease and death are now mowing them down by hundreds.
     Those emigrants that are yet back several hundred miles must receive
relief, or die by starvation; and to whom can they look but to the citizens
of California for their salvation. The land of their homes is too far
distant to render them aid in this hour of distress and danger. When I left
your city, the scarcity of money was plead as an excuse for not contributing
for the relief of the emigrants. If dust is scarce, finger-rings and
breastpins are not. There are enough of them in California to send bread to
every starving emigrant between Green river and the Sierra Nevada mountains.
And I would ask, is it possible for an American to wear a ring without
blushing with shame every time his eye falls upon it, when he knows that so
many of his countrymen-yes, in many instances his school mates, neighbors,
kindred- and once brother in Christ, are dying for bread?



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