Letter from Samuel B. Reed to Wife and Family, May 8, 1864

In this letter from May 8, 1864, Samuel Reed writes to his wife and family describing the difficulty in arranging travel due to the gold-seekers and notes the exceptionally high stage coach fares.

Atchison, KS
May 8, 1864

I leave this place today for Salt Lake City, if nothing prevents. Twenty or thirty persons arrive here each day expecting to go immediately, but are disappointed. Seats are now engaged ten days ahead. What a long tedious ride is before us. Ten days and nights in a stage coach without room to move and the worst living on the continent; nothing to eat but bacon and hard bread. Fare has been raised to $200. and all baggage over 25 pounds to one dollar per pound. My instruments and stationery will cost about $150 to transport them to Salt Lake.