Show OVER THE GHASTLY HIGHWAY the scattering overland migration to oregon and california beginning so early as 1846 became a never par uleleh tide by the spring ot 1849 when the gold rush was really on says charles F lammis in mcclure s in all the chronicles of mankind there Is nothing else like this translation of humanity across an unconquered wll in its pathless distances its ineal table hardships and its frequent sav age perils reckoned with the char adai of the men women and children concerned it stands alone the era was one of national hard times and not only the professional failure but ministers doctors lawyers merchants and farmers with their families abight the new yellow fever and be ook themselves to a journey fifty almes as long and hard as the aver aap 0 them had ever taken before powder lead foodstuffs household goods wives sisters mothers and ba rode on the Osna berg sheeted prairie schooners or whatsoever wheeled conveyance the emigrant cou d u up from ancient top bug gies to new Cone while the men rode their horses or mules or trudged beside the caravans A his party of five frenchmen pushed a bandwagon from the missouri to the coast and one man trundled his possessions in a wheelbarrow at its J best it was an itinerary ble to the present generation at its worst with indian massacres thirsts snows tender foot edness and dis ease it was one of the ghastliest high ways in history the worst chapter of cannibalism in our national record was that of the donner party snowed J in from november to march 1849 in the sierra nevada in the 50 s the asiatic cholera crawled in upon the plains and like a gray wolf followed the wagon trains from the river to the in the height of the ml I 1 gration from 4 to 5 grants died of this pestilence and it there was a halt mile where the in dains had failed to punctuate with a grave the cholera took care to remedy I 1 the omission the 2 mile trip was a matter of four months when easy and of six with bad luck children were born and people died worried greenhorns quarreled and killed one another and the train straggled on |