Newspaper Reports of the Expedition's End

Utah Historical Quarterly

Vol. XV, 1947, Nos. 1-4

NEWSPAPER REPORTS OF THE EXPEDITION'S END

The Powell Expedition

By the courtesy of William B. Dougall, Esq., of the Deseret Telegraph Line, we learn that the Powell expedition, concerning the supposed loss of which there was so much excitement a few weeks since, arrived safely at the mouth of the Rio Virgen, on the Colorado River, on the 30th ult. Major J. W. Powell himself had arrived at St. George in good health, and expects to reach the city en route to his home East, in a few days. It is interesting to know that all that was necessary to the success of the Expedition was saved at the time the boat was lost of which accident mention has been made in previous communications from him, and that his trip has been a successful one. The Colorado River has now received a thorough exploration. Lieutenant Ives explored the river up to about the point where Major Powell has landed, and the Major has doubtless given it a thorough examination from the place where he launched upon its waters.

Three of the Powell Expedition Killed By Indians

We have received a dispatch through the Deseret Telegraph Line from St. George of the murder of three of the men belonging to the Powell exploration expedition. It appears according to the report of a friendly Indian that about five days ago the men were found by peaceable Indians of the Shebett [Shivwit] tribe very hungry. The Shebetts fed them, and put them on the trail leading to Washington in Southern Utah. On their journey they saw a squaw gathering seed, and shot her; whereupon they were followed by three Shebetts and killed. A friendly Indian has been sent out to secure their papers. The telegraph does not give us the names of the men.

Exploring the Tributaries of the ColoradoThe news of the safe arrival of Major Powell at the mouth of the Virgen River, though he has lost everything except what is necessary to make a successful report of the expedition, has given rise to general congratulation and has excited considerable interest with regard to the River Colorado and its tributaries; we therefore believe that the following extracts from a letter of Mr. Samuel Adams to the Cheyenne Leader regarding his exploring expedition down the Blue and Grand Rivers to the Colorado, will be interesting to our readers. Mr. Adams says:

"On the 12th of July my party of eleven men and four boats, constructed on the Grand, left a point on the Blue River, ten miles from the summit or main divide of the Rocky Mountains. For the first one hundred miles we descended five thousand feet. The canons of the Blue and Grand rivers were much swifter and more dangerous than any I have found on the Colorado proper. The fall of water for the entire distance we ran after leaving Summit County was never less than seventy-five feet to the mile. All boats, instruments, papers, etc., were lost. My instruments were replaced, and with ten men I proceeded on our destination—built a raft, and continued forty miles further, when this was broken up, and all provisions, except five days' rations, were lost. The country and river when I left were very favorable, wild wheat, barley, rye, oats and timothy growing up spontaneously, and the timber increased in size. I have, after four years' experience in the exploration of the Colorado River, no hesitancy in saying that this stream, whose waters run over two thousand five hundred miles, has been and continues to be the most splendidly misrepresented river on the American continent. I have not time to enter fully into the facts connected with my explorations up and down the Colorado."

The Powell Expedition

We have received the following dispatch through the Deseret Telegraph Line:

"The three men supposed to be killed by Indians were named O. G. Howland, Seneca Howland and W. H. Dunn. They left the party 80 miles above the mouth of the Virgen to walk to the settlements, since which nothing has been heard from them. It is possible, however, that the men said to be killed belonged to some other party, as nothing yet has been found to identify them, and there are many prospectors in the mountains to the north of St. George. The exploring party reached the mouth of the Virgen forty-eight hours after they left for the mountains, having had good success in the objects for which the expedition was made. No men were lost on the river, the rations were not quite exhausted on their arrival. No Indians were seen on the trip. Major Powell and his brother are on their way to Salt Lake City. The other members of the party have gone with the boats to Fort Mohave.

(Special to the Deseret News)Exploration of the Colorado Finished

Major J. W. Powell, Chief of the Colorado River Exploring Expedition, accompanied by his brother, Captain W. H. Powell, arrived in this city last evening, having performed his task and made a complete exploration of the path pursued by that stream. After all that has been published about this Expedition and its loss, according to the lying statement of Risdon, it was with feelings of pleasure that we met the Major, in the enjoyment of excellent health, after having made his adventurous and hazardous descent of this remarkable river. He appears to have endured the fatigues and anxieties of the trip remarkably well. There are but few men who have the opportunity in this life of learning what the world thinks of them after they are supposed to be dead. Major Powell is one of those few. Though Risdon's statement was quickly contradicted by Mrs. Powell, still there was a feeling of wide-spread anxiety on the subject throughout the country, and many regrets were expressed, before the contradiction came to hand, at the loss of so valuable a life as his, together with eulogies to his memory.

We gathered from his conversation, in which we were very much interested, a few of the features of his journey, which we lay before our readers, to whom everything connected with the Colorado River is interesting.

After the accident to the boat, an account of which has already appeared in our columns, the party performed a land journey of about thirty miles, to the Indian Agency, where, after obtaining three sacks of flour and other supplies, they again started down the river, passing through a canon, which, from the entire absence of vegetation, they named the Canon of Desolation, and had a pleasant trip until they reached the junction of Green and Grand rivers. Upon leaving the junction of the Green and Grand they entered Cataract Canon, so called from being filled with cataracts, the latter being so numerous that the average distance between them is not more than half a mile. From a point fifty miles below the junction of Grand and Green rivers the canon is broken by a lateral valley coming in from the south-east.

On leaving Cataract the party entered a canon, about twelve miles long, which they named Narrow Canon, at the foot of which they found a very dirty stream, upon which some of the men bestowed the euphonious name of "Dirty Devil Creek." From this creek they entered the Mound Canon, the sides of which are composed of beautiful mounds of orange-colored sandstones, which had been formed by the erosion of the water. In this canon they continued to the mouth of the San Juan, another dirty stream, running in from the west [east].

Leaving the San Juan they entered Monument Canon, containing many monuments of red sandstone, formed by the same agencies as the mounds of red sandstone mounds in the other canon. They next reached the Paria, or Elk River. From there to the mouth of the Little Colorado, the party passed through Marble Canon, so named because the rocks forming the sides of the canon consist of variegated marble—white, slate, gray, cream colored, pink, purple and chocolate, beautifully polished by the action of the waves. Probably no finer marble can be found in the world than in this canon.

From the Little Colorado the region for about ten miles, has been disturbed by igneous agencies, lava being scattered over the rocks, showing at some period, the outburst of a volcano, the location of which they were unable to discover. Leaving this region they entered the Grand Canon of the Colorado, which makes three great bends to the south, and three corresponding bends to the north, swinging around to the mouth of the Virgen, its general course being west; the distance to the mouth of the Virgen River, in a direct line is about 140 miles; but by the river, owing to the sinuosity of its course, nearly 300. The walls of the Grand Canon of the Colorado have a granite base, the floor of the river being granite, and they are surmounted by marble cliffs; the granite base varies from a few to 800 feet in height; above the granite base tower marble walls to the height of 2600 feet. This canon extends to Spanish Valley, about forty miles from the mouth of the Virgen, and the party were upwards of three weeks in traveling it.

The country throughout the entire length of the river traversed by Major Powell is rocky, and characterized by an almost entire absence of timber. There is no country on its banks susceptible of settlement. The peculiar color of the Colorado, from which its name arises, is owing to the washing of the red sandstone forming Mound and Monument Canons; but the water in many places varies, being gray, green or red, according to the color of the rocks in the vicinity.

The first human beings they saw on their journey, after leaving the Indian Agency, was about six miles from the mouth of the Virgen, where they saw three Indians. At the mouth of the Virgen they met with Brother Joseph Asey and his two sons, who were fishing.

From the mouth of the Virgen, Major Powell sent an Indian to St. Thomas for his mail matter, and upon the news of the arrival of the party being made known there, Bishop Leithead and Bro. Andrew Gibbons went down, taking melons and flour, and other necessaries for their use. The men and boats were sent by Major Powell from the mouth of the Virgen, down to Fort Mohave, and he and his brother, Captain W. H. Powell, came to St. Thomas with Bishop Leithead, who furnished them the necessary animals to overtake Bro. Henry Nebeker, who had started northward with a four-mule team, which they did by traveling all night. They came on with him to this city.

The men who left the expedition, who, it is supposed, have since been killed by Indians, separated from the party when about forty miles above the foot of the Grand Canon of the Colorado. They left because the cataracts ahead were, in their opinion, too dangerous to descend. On making their descent, however, they were found not to be as bad as had been anticipated. Two miles below these, the party encountered another, and worse series of rapids and falls, which, as the Major states, were run by accident, and made safely; thence to the mouth of the Virgen they had smooth sailing, and no more difficulty.

Major and Captain Powell both wish us to express their gratitude to the citizens for the many acts of kindness of which they have been the recipients, from the time they landed at the mouth of the Virgen, until reaching this city. Speaking of the fruit generously supplied, the Major says that, at the mouth of the Virgen they had melons; when they reached Beaver Dam, to the melons peaches were added; at St. George they were regaled with melons, peaches and grapes; and at Fillmore they had melons, peaches, grapes and apples, all of the very best flavor and quality.

Salt Lake Correspondence, Salt Lake City, Sept. 15, '69.

Major Powell, of the Powell Expedition who has been lost, drowned and resurrected a dozen times (on paper), arrived here last night from the south, in the best of health and spirits, a plain, unpretentious gentleman.

B [J.H. Beadle}

Major Powell's Lecture To-night

At the solicitation of numerous friends, Major Powell, who, when at home, lectures on Geology, being Professor of that science in the Illinois State University, has kindly consented to deliver a gratuitous lecture on the exploration of the Colorado River. Bishop E. D. Woolley has tendered the use of the 13th Ward Assembly Rooms, and the lecture will be delivered punctually at 7 p.m., this evening. The necessity for punctuality will be apparent when we mention that the Major intends to leave the city this evening for his home in the East on the stage which leaves at 9 p.m.

Major J. W. Powell, who with a party had just completed an exploration of the Colorado River gave a gratuitous lecture upon the subject in the 13th Ward Assembly Rooms.

Major Powell's Lecture

Last evening the 13th Ward Assembly Rooms were crowded with a highly appreciative audience, who listened with great interest to Major Powell's account of his exploration of the Colorado River. We shall not enter into the details of this brave man's recital of the incidents, dangers and triumphs of the expedition as it forced its way through Desolation, Coal, Still Water, Cataract, Mound, Monument, Marble, and Grand Canons to the mouth of the Virgen, as we have already given, from the Major s own lips, a detailed statement of his discoveries; and a synopsis of last evening's lecture would add little to our reader's knowledge of the great work he and his party have accomplished.

Among the incidents of the journey, the following was one of the most exciting and perilous; shortly after the three men (supposed to be killed by Indians) left the party, the Major attempted a portage of his boats over a series of rapids, and just at the last found it impracticable. One of the boats, then being held by four men on the rocks above, by means of a rope whose entire length had been played out, was swinging partly in and partly out of the water, at one moment dashing against the rocks, at another carried into the middle of the stream. An old explorer named Bradley, was in the boat and doing his best to steady it. This was a rather perilous dilemma; it was equally impossible to pull the boats back, and it seemed equally impossible to save either, the man or the boat. While the Major was considering the question, the stern of the little craft gave way, and she shot like an arrow, clearing rapid after rapid, and wave after wave until she reached the whirlpools below. The party were full of anxiety for their brave comrade Bradley, fearing that during the perilous course of the boat he had been thrown out and drowned. But great were their surprise and joy when they saw him wave his hat, in token that all was safe. They afterwards found that he had shot the falls without shipping a bucket of water. The Major said it was not often that he shed tears, but on that occasion tears of joy filled his eyes, and he declared it was one of the happiest moments of his life, for he felt the greatest dangers of the expedition were then over. Fearing there might still be a probability of Bradley being engulfed by the whirlpools, the Major and two of the other men immediately followed him in a boat to render assistance, if possible, in case of such an emergency. But the second boat was not so fortunate as the first, and Bradley had actually to come to their rescue and help them to bale out the water. But no damage of any importance was done.

In summing up, the lecturer observed the Colorado River was one of the grandest examples of the least possible erosion of the waters—the rains and snows of the clouds. In the Mississippi and other valleys we have examples of the greatest powers of the waters; there the lateral rains have washed out immense valleys, removed the rocks and rendered the country fit for human habitation, but in the Colorado River the case is quite different. As there is scarcely any rainfall in the neighborhood, there has been but little lateral erosion, and the river has simply cut a gorge through the solid lime, sandstone, and granite, leaving the masses of rocks towering thousands of feet on each side.

Amongst other interesting discoveries it was found that part of the country was once thickly inhabited by Moquis Indians, a tribe of diminutive men kindred to Aztecs, driven by stronger tribes to the region of the Colorado; they built their L-shaped houses amidst its almost inaccessible rocks, the remains of which are still plainly visible far above the waters of the river.

A vote of thanks to the lecturer, proposed by Alderman S. W. Richards, closed the proceedings.

Major Powell—This gentleman, concerning whose fate the world of science and letters was long in suspense, has been spending a few days in Salt Lake City, where he delivered a lecture on Thursday evening, at Bishop Woolley's church. His subject was: "What I saw on the Colorado," which was quite interesting, though the lecturer labored under the difficulty of making a rapid selection from such a mass of facts as he had evidently collected. A painful uncertainty rests upon the fate of three men connected with the expedition. They declined to attempt the passage of the large rapids towards the latter part of the trip, and started to make the journey of nearly a hundred and fifty miles overland. The Major states that he has not yet heard from them, but within a few days a report has reached the city of three men having been killed by the Indians on that route. He fears that his former companions were the victims. Immediately on the conclusion of the lecture the Major took the stage for the east.

Return of Colonel Powell The Reported Murder of Members of his Party

We have received a brief note from Major Powell, dated Mouth of Virgin River, Aug. 30, announcing the safe arrival of his expedition at that point. Virgin River is at the head of navigation on the Colorado', and the exploration, therefore, of the dangerous portion of the river may be considered as successful. In a few days we hope to receive from Major Powell the full report he promises of his adventures and observations.

The Deseret News of the 7th inst., says, as had already been stated in a dispatch from Detroit, that Major Powell had arrived at Fort St. George in Utah, and the same paper of the 8th says that it has received a dispatch from St. George with the intelligence that three of the men belonging to the expedition had been killed by the Indians. The story rests on the report of a friendly Indian, who stated that the men were found, very hungry, by a portion of the Shebett [sic] tribe, who fed them and put them on the trail leading to Washington, in Southern Utah; that on their journey the men fell in with a squaw and shot her, whereupon they were followed by three of the Shebetts and killed. The names of the men are not given, and it is to be hoped that the whole story is untrue. It does not seem probable that the Powell Party would have scattered immediately on issuing from the canyons of the Colorado, and if kept together Major Powell would have had sufficient authority over his men to have prevented any collision with friendly Indians. If his men straggled, however, it is quite possible that they may have got into trouble. The Detroit dispatch, published some days ago, announcing to the Major's family in Detroit his arrival in St. George, does not mention this story of the Deseret News.

Concerning the death of three of his men, Major Powell informs us that these men left him a few days before the completion of his journey down the river, and struck across the country for the Mormon settlements. After his arrival at Salt Lake he received a dispatch from one of the Southern Mormon elders, stating that the dead bodies of three men had been discovered, but the Major does not deem it at all certain that they were his men, and utterly discredits the report that they killed a squaw, as he says they were honorable men and gentlemen. The men were O. G. Howland, formerly of the Denver News, and his brother, and William H. Dunn, an old mountaineer.

I have known O. G. Howland personally for many years and I have no hesitation in pronouncing this part of the story a libel. It was not in the man's faithful, genial nature to do such a thing. [Statement by J. W. Powell.]

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