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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 tim-
ber 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 op-
portunity 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 ma-
jority of the emigrants are now on foot with their
packs on their backs, haveing lost almost every-
thing. the speculators are sending large quantities
of provisions to sell to those still behind us
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 moun-
tains. 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

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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.

we

In ascending the Mountain this morning I discov-
ered 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.
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 Tri-
umpantly 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
country is a dense forest of pines and Balsom fir,
The Fir largely predominateing. there is a few
whortle berries, some Rosberries-a new variety,
and also a goosberry in great abundance, Bigger,
Better and thornyer than anything of the Kind in
the States. The bushes are low, the fruit almost
lying on the ground. our days travel will be
about 13 miles
13.

Today we have laid by all day resting and graze-
ing our stock. but little grass to graze on and
none at all for the next 40 miles. I have seen
several new kinds of squirrels and birds among
which I saw a mountain Blue Jay, a noble Bird
entirely blue, nearly as large again but in other
respects resembling the Jay of the states. the
Black tailed deer are here in great abundance
we again took up the line of march over the moun-
tains, our road very rough and stony, dense forests
of pines fir and Cedars. Cedar trees do grow 100
feet high and from 2 to 4 feet in diameter. a
few Oaks made their appearance today. The
Emigrants have cut down nearly all of them that
their stock might feed on their leaves and we
have done the same this evening. we have had
a little shower of rain this evening and trav-
eled
14m.

Today we have traveled about 18 miles. the [road]
has been extremely dusty, some portion rocky.
the oaks become more plenty and the forest has
lost its beauty. we are this evening in pleasant
valley. there is no feed here nor anything pleas
ant save a few very large scrubby oaks
18

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

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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.

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