"The members of the Wyandot Mining Company set out for the gold mines on May 31, by way of the Oregon-California Trail. Other emigrants joined the Garrett party, and soon the caravan comprised twenty-five wagons with accompanying animals. The train was joined at the start of the journey by a party of Missour-ians made up of Washington Henry Chick, Evan G. Hewitt and B.- F. Tibbs. The Chick party had three horses, four oxen and a wagon. The hopeful argonauts made good time for the first 100 miles of their westward trek, but then cholera struck the caravan with all its fury. Chick noted that “a great many died.”"