Letter from Eli B. Kelsey, 19 December 1849
New York
Dr Brother Woodruff
according
to your request I will give you
my oppinion with regard to the best
route from Saint Louis to the Bluffs.
the route I would advise—is—that
by Montrose or Keokuck Iowa
from thence to Fort desmoines and
from thence to the Bluffs by way
of Pisgah or by the new route lately
laid out. My reasons—are these
1st. You will abvoid the difficult and
dangerous navigation of the Missouri
river
2nd You will ^be^ enabled to purchase your
waggons in Saint Louis—ship them up to
the above places—there fit them up for your
journey while at the same time a portion
of your company couldcan go out into
the Northern part of Illenoise or
into Missouri bordering on the
Missippi where oxen and cows
are much cheaper than at the Bluffs
