Yet More Wagons Ho

[W. Gray]

People traveling the Oregon Trail in 1850 probably did not have much money, right?

Or, did only the wealthy travel the trail?

In the Oregon Trail game of several years ago, an Illinois Farmer headed west from Independence with five people in his family had $400 on him. That is the equivalent today of $11,499.60.

Matt's General Store on Independence Square made several recommendations to the farmer and his wagon train fellow travelers as to what supplies they should take with them on the long and rugged trail.

Matt recommended each wagon have three yoke of oxen. He sold oxen for $40 per pair with yoke. At this recommendation, three pairs would cost $120 or $3,449.88, today.

Matt recommended 200 pounds of food per person for the entire trip, but that was for basics only and did not include meat, except for bacon. The farmer would have to have sufficient ammunition to kill game along the way. Matt sold the necessary foodstuff for 20 cents per pound, or $5.75 today. At this recommendation the farmer's family of five would need 1,000 pounds of foodstuffs totaling $200 or the equivalent of $5,750 today.

Matt recommended two sets of clothing per person and charges $10 per set. At this recommendation the cost to the farmer would be $100 for 10 sets of clothing, or $2,874.90 today.

Matt did not make any recommendation for ammunition but he charges $2 per box of twenty bullets or $57.50 today.

Matt also did not make any recommendation for spare parts but he charges $10 each for a spare wheel, a spare axle, and a spare wagon tongue. Buying one of each would be $30 or $862.47 in today's money.

If the farmer purchased everything that was recommended, it would cost him more money than he had and he still would not be able to buy ammunition for his rifle or spare parts for his wagon, which he would surely need along the trail.

The farmer would also need at least $200 to buy his 160 acres once he got to Oregon.

One web site says that it took $800-$1,000 to travel the trail--$22,999 to $28,749 in today's dollars.