.- '
Si
"4
i-
" aw m'ti attempts to haul doicn the Jlnurican Flary shoot him on the spot."
VOL. 4.
PLATTftMOUTII, NISBKASKA, TIllTRsDAY, DECEMBER 3, Ifc?G3.
?sO So.
. l.T'r. -Jlf a, fff ITf y - iv -..v -
1 !-'f
f ;
THE 11 E LI All D
IS PUBLISH KO
w l: i : kly,
BY
ill. E. HATHAWAY,
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOH.
11
die, turntr Mail "trust aul Leie. 'ond
$'2.5' per annum.
'otfs of . hlcertisinis
O tare ip4ff of ten lino) oie imertioo.
li tr. i unt 4.a-e-nn -
S n fe I ii ,i ril ii.ittxfei-iio i U
-j 1 tarter eolutna or lei-, per anotim
i x mos-r.
thr e uionli-i
O h.If cola'"a twii t month
six raootbi
lure momM
nx mouth
th re m inthi
itr-iiieutl:rti'!Rtn maii P
d aa-e
f We ire pr.pared to i all atndi of
a .t ort notice, m l in h ty le thai w t.
f ? it n.
, l .'0
l.i 0
10 00
3-" im
3'
Ifl f.u
60. Oil
W.00
0.tiii
1-MMlrt
Cu.(M)
.00
cria
litli-
DWKLI.I.VtiS at all price.
Any persoui wisliinit to purcliaie Farm-property, or
K--ldt.net-,, In Iowa hn'l tticru fur sal? al al
rioci. U
LORnjSGTON',
mr7. K:n Kstatk cknt.
O K. McCALLUM,
Manuf cturerofaLd dealeria
Saddles and Ilanie,
Of ffiry decr!'tion, wbolecale and retail. No 130J
Miin ;n ct, letwe-n 5ltj and tiih atresia, Nebraeka
Ciiy. j13
'111; STATU OF M:iilUMiA
BT iJil.
"WILLITT P0TTENGER.
ATTOICXEY AT LAW,
PLATTMOUTII - - NEBRASKA.
T. Tl 11 VKIHTKTT.
ATTOIiNEY AT LAW
fif.iicitor in Chancery.
PHTIMTTII. X MR ASK A
NOTICE.
JAMES ON'KlL in my authorized Artnt for tfie
Collection of al. accounts due the underMCne d for
liif(iaalsrtii; hi receipt Will be valid tor ih
nmyriiHot of ariT niopie on Paid cciant-
.:iB'!-t 14. 1S67. K. H. LI V I N fiS TON. M.D.
REED. BEAEDSLEY & CO,
Heal Sstato Agents,
weeiixg watei:, m:hi:ska.
Li a la bought, tnaoawoil and sold. Valuable Tim
her Land for le. TaXa paid f.r Noti reiiient
Collei lioni jrouiptiy aitri.d J to.
ma rcli 6 J?CH.
The State of Nebraska, comprised
within the tout.dtrie st-i forth in the
' Kansas add Nt braska Act, approrrd
by Presiar-m Pierce, May 23J, 1S54,
Afrt'.isxr tyf C'v.s -.in r. at law.
llatltiHMilli.)X-b.
B T
IVSrs. Nl. Nieman
In the reir of City Bakery.
Fancy art'rie" waiie l and 'ioLc u;i in the neateH
tyle. fiatiafac i- n i-i aiat.t'ei
flat .Miioiith. N-' r3"U:i. June -J.'.th nlitf.
Sheridan House,
Wm. V. Inisii, Propritftor.
Corner of .Main and Third Slrtft,
Plaltsmoutli, Xeh.
oa-1 tv the lay nraeelt.
1 Sj'uji-- le-ive ttl'i lipase
lur'h, rv.-jtb, K-t and W,-.:.
ChiK' mrderaie.
!aii firxll poiot
IsiliT.
:r nil 'il Keal Krtai , a 1 pay
Im;ir ' n I '1 -.r-yrifed a U anj
J-e .'-.lii-nll'Tt.
taX f r
R. R LIVINOSTON, M. D
Phy.sician and Surgeon
pro'
i..nil "arrict to tti citii'';i
a r. ii. pit .
.i..nr. -.nth-fat cnr ct'a and .Six.
..r'c-e.. iiT.ce - n Mai . life-:. viiimiI ' Coari Hue,
Flit"'noii.h, ! rai.
Platte Valley House
Ed H MfRfiiv, Pn.pritior.
Streets,
Wfi- of ar.. Fourth
llat tniomli. !.
Vtt'all.m-a h:w.uj t- en re flit' I a"d tel.T fur.
,e,,l :fers f. 't
'lay cr .:
c'..-.i ac-guiuiMaaiivfl.
board
ATTORNEY AT LAW
AND
wooLuoirni &, co ,
BOOKSELLERS.
STATIONERS,
Binders & Paperdealers.
SALYT JOSEPH, JUQ.
oeilrtm -
General Land Agent,
Will (i-nciis:
Till b IT a'li l
Tlli", 1 1 uiQi
m t J t.i if
jYf'"'!fl.
is nr of tt C nr'i of the ta'.c ao-
11 Kal '. oil cjc3i:i.u3, rJ
: I'l ici. as
. aUiVlLL SAM. M CHAPMAN
I.ixwell fc C'hapiiian,
ATTOUNKYS AT LAW,
Avr
Solicitors in Chancery.
riT rsU'tL'TH. - JtKbSAHKA.
tt-.t ,f,r biv.t, Bjtt'ry A Co1. trua Mre.
JOSEPH jgSSHLATJBH,
WATC7XAKE3 and JEWELER,
M un Street,
HI. ITTSMOU Til, - - NEBRASKA
A io -a Anttiurn' of Watchei
i wir . ilv-- War-, Tare .
la r nu ri Hi i ti '-n
s ine.l to ln re m i.l be wa
4,.ril lo. 1-1.1.
IB1. P. TODD,
SEWING MACHlr,E-AG'T
,.! TTSMOUTJt, XEBRA SLA.
A good amorUaent of inacbinci aod moliir flml
ItJra kept on liaod. tJOffice at Stad.iiuaDu'
C othiti Store. Kee. 4 07 . .
Machines repaueden short no-ice. ,
g ; , '" '
F'lattsmouth Mills.
C. HEISEL, Proprietor.
3T rrceatly i)en repaired and p'aced in tlior-
Afaotre.
1'3Q,000 ItuslieN or Wheat
Winted immedlateiy, for which fbe.blglitit irarke
prl? wi:; he paid. " au'it) tf
SIIANNON'S
Feed, Sale and Livery
;: ST-A.BJLE.
MaIji St., Plattsmocth-
. am prepared to lexrumodite tlie pablle wtl
Horses, Carriages and Buggies,
Also, a nice Hearse,
X)a ihnrt nolne rH reanmmble terms. A Hack will
cut wneo desired.
raru J, W.SlUN'Xt'X.
FURNITURE!
u'ir- opou any rtrmii of ltowiIi of cedars fihe fir-t
Mtiu.t uuatiiity) fioui ihfir
- Vi.il'Ua and Vi-
,ir.u. Allwork com
a:itd
iatiuual Claim Agency.
WASHINGTON. D- C-
F. M. DORRINGTON.
. fTSMOUTH,
1
PUit AO KM.
. NEBRASKA.
eprd ti iirriiat ind jrotfrt'P elaimi btf-re
i reo, ri !! t.:ina aim ine iei. niin.!.. -V
in. r"rii-"'ii-. B inuti". ud rl ijoty Lainia --
a r, 1 .TT' 'inf.'.- u Miln! 1:1 ir i.ir!in" l(
II iia -U'.t i'(:L- ;li:u. ' il.DOltKli
A,.ril i o, tiS
il'yV.
J. N.
Acri'i-t,
t'rre, Inland anu
Gmeral IAfef
INSURANCE AGENT
Will tki n' it re -. ible rtto in the raot rehalil
a, .il'Hno la the I'vitt-d rat'.
I j-).lice at tUe to..k lor, I'ta fn-.ntli, Xel'ra-
maTil Itf
Tlilliticry & Iro"aIainS.
H mi a. m. uwAi.i a Mv..f. Ka!iaiT
t) irisi:e t'l" t'il'j IliK Tu.
K tt...:M r- '"'ii
llll-e I th I.1l
y, liuHrbnij os
,-.t - ..ok Winter
r. Jlil'bn.. v-'vt. !.
We will -r.i the cne;i,-f.r v,.
W-fjn ceonr.l hU'i-tlomr
Mcjt mer m l m.or new 'e . win avor i.a
iU .;; . m I" . w . i- in our lin- ! -ue to
lira". f-rfect.ataf-tcm.n -'iven or no charge",
nf
in:1
f 'I titvii iinh Hid '"."Hii
r-civei a ufir iii'i r;i fi
ff m l.e n-4M. '.air ' f i'l
I r iiu r. Ac . A.
ti:iii!'i n 'Li.i'; y
HEALTH, COMrOar, AKO
ECONOMY.
3 J.t S O A N O U II OA Ii D IX G
with
GKC. IV. COIVi
mc srKrET,
To UocH aorthwt
f Bi
TI ATTU'0UTU
School -tloLlie.
THOMAS W- SHRYOCK,
CABINET MAKER,
AX If VEALKIt IS ALL KISDS OF
Furniture and Chairs.
THIRD STREET, (Sear Main,)
PLATTSM0 UTII, .XEBRJSKA.
Repurini" and Vartii hiDC neat'y done.
13" KaoeraH attendod at the -tliur:ct uotice.
till.
11
l a BATH II 'CliE.trt to rtroiis;hi
omi are well veotilaiad, and hii price" are.
aona0ie. iiil3 ota-f.
Capt. 1. I VIS. cV CO.,
Wholceale aad Helaii Dealera in
Wines and Liquors,
A'n a eery cho .!ec:ion of
Tobacco and Cigirs,
--- t:a.t, fcacotid -loor eait of Saytaoar Hosm.
XcbtuVi City, 'abratka
A' jmt racaivioi a cw .took of Gtnuin Old
-;rt iivs rcB:oo6Jo:ln,yj Ky- bitir,
ra..lw
Win. Madcliiianil & Co ,
One Joor u-esi of Donelaits Drug-stun.
Dealers in
Ready-made Clothing,
GENTS' FURNISHING GOODS,
HATS, '-APS. BOOTS SHOES.
TiCSA S. YA LIShS,
and a fieueral Mink of
OUTFITTING GOODS
r'or tb l'laia-; aii-o, a lai ge iol cf
r vbber vl o tiija'g. r e vol i -j:rs
iyd jvo tio.vs.
We bought low and will fell cheap for cash. Cat.
and ex. iiii nt- out stock before you buy hut where eael
jyl '66 Wm. 81 ADKLMANN A CO.
W. D. GAGE. W. R. DAVIS.
CENTRAL STORE.
Dry-Goods,
Groceries,
Provisions,
lioo'i smid siioi:s,
Main Strut, two doors above Fourth,
V heri th public n-ay find
THE BEST OF GOODS,
And price a low ai eao be found in it city.
W return fhaoki for the liberal patronage we
kive raciiTed, aofihofi to cerltitf eontinntic.
ail that portion of the "Northwest ter
ritory' Jyir.g orih of 40 degrees N.
lamuJe, and between the Missouri and
Uig Sio ix Rivers, and the middle crest
of the Rocky MouiitHiris. Since fie
pus-acre of tjjtti ac, ilie furmiitiun of
the Territories of Colnrndo. Montam
fid Dakotah has reduced the bounda
ries of Nebraska to the following:
Beemuiii at the mtenrciiiu of the
40 h degree, N. latitude, with the Mis
souri Kiver. run we? t along? thai paral
el to the 102d degree longitude we si
from afhmgtcn, thence north to the
41 degree north latitude, iherire west j
to the lOldecree we.-t longitude.thencrt
north one decree, thence east to the.
Ki ha Pa yah liner, thence down that
treatn t:i ihe Missouri River.ar.d down
the channel ilie Mi-souri River to
the place i.f hepmriina? The total area
e;iina ed at 77 232 Mjuure miles. r
-19 4-J8 -J80 a Ttr, which may be divid
ed a follows :
1-t, class cultivable, 16 123 -1?C
2J, " l-O.OOO.OO
Finr grazing land. 7 000 000
Sandy i.lkaime. bad lands' lG 0U0 000
The surface tf the territory isdivid
-d itiio tioticrn and twble land? arid des
eits The first lie between the mar
in of tlie stream and the blutrs. or
ranges of tt:- hiiln, s-Uirtinj at variable
t!? aiite- all the considerable water
tcuiM s. Tljey are frequently 10 'o 12
miles wide, i,d e!doiu rie titu lilttjiV
HI ley? itifln a
more ujun iniity or forty miles in
lenpth.. . At hvc it icrvaUtwnif tif the
bottoms are rlouded by freshet, but
the occurrence is so rare that its no
aibility does not interfere with their
t-ettlement or cultivation. They are
flat, as a rule- the transverse auction
-e'dt ni exhibiting much change in ele
vation until at the very foot of the bluff
tne a.-cent beciris abruptly Lmiguud
ma'ly, the dilJVrer.ee in elevation l
regular ihe eurlace maintaining a un
iform height above the water line.
Along the Pktte River the country
ri?et about six feel to the mile deter.
mined by a I ne of level run from the
mouth of the ntrenm. and troti Nebra.-
lt Ciy to Fi- n.,OT-y tn nuremoer
1S6-1. Low water at Nebraska City is
1,140 feot above the sea level of the
mouth of the Mississippi, and Fort
Kearney, 169 imIhi due west of Ne
braska City i 1.008 Teet higher, total
elevation at the flag naif n the Fort,
2.14S This vurier. but a few feet from
the barometrical, elevation determined
by Fremont.
The beds of the streams, except the
Platte, run deep.- That of the Little
Nemaha, for .n-Unce, will average
twenty feet to. the ordinary surface i f
the water below the surface of the bot
tom. The soil i rich, blaik vegetable
mold froui two' uT IrnTeet in depin.ff
i ! slightly impregnati d tvnh lime, cou-
lains j'it erout'h f fnnd to kep it
fr'Hble ar d eniirely free from ston- or
gravel. It has he singular property
of resi-tiiig both btiuu.ii tvrt and con
tinwed droui.'i. I does not cake after
rain. i easily plowed to any defiij re
pnred. Mid has proven n?eif adapted
to the pn fitalle growth of all tlie
cereals, and nearly ev-ry other crop
ruhiviiied north of the mouth of the
Ohio River.
Leaving the botii-m by slopes which
are rarely too stei p for carriage travel
we come to the top of the biolF nni
nter ijpiri the table land. From the
Mi'smiri river 150 milr-s west at the
Munher i lioiiniiary, nnd sixty to eighty
at the mouth of the L'Eau i,ui C'ouri,
the table lHrid.-iareroUii.tr; iIimi i.thev
are in series of gentle sloping hiilsnnd
divides" Lpon som of ihe wicfdi
vides. separ.itmg ihe large stream. the
crests tire flatiiud out into level plain
of fometies two or three square iriles
area, but these are rare until beyond
the line defined above, they become the
rtile. and the whole coumry resolves,
itself into an n'lno.-t unbroken ocean of
flu prairies. The si il of the table
land- is Mini'nr io ibhi i.f the bottoms,
except ihut it i not so de. p seldom
reaihing m.'r- iban four feet and up
on the points of the hog backs' short
div d-s fiet ween ihe smallest tributaries
of th i n t r it r streams i- frequently
fu'l of p-bl les or coarse gravel. Gneiss
and granite boold-r are often rr et
with, and a well defined line of inese
wanderers from their primi ive cliffs,
frm twenty to fony utilea in wid-h Iihs
been traced from ihe Kansas River
along the liig Hlue in a N. N. W. di
reition a far as ilw cuntry has been
explored n..r'h of Plutte River. Cereal
and root crups do Avell upon the table
lands. Apples and pears promise suc
Ce. Ptaihes have been so far a com
parative failure. Cherries have in
some localities thrived well ; in others
all labor upn them have been lost.
The wild rlum a slightly atringeut i
bo.tom limber, and upon the i-Iands in
the Missouri Platte and lilue, millions
of grape-vines have formed ,4entang
ling aliiancea with the trees. The
fruit of these vines is nearly black,
abjtit a fourth of an inch in diameter.
very pulpy, and not acid enough to be
altogether unpleasant to the taste.
Wild hop" equal for brewing purposes
to the best cultivated ones, abound in
the groves.
Along the Missouri, the R!ue, Big
Nemaha, Platte, Loupe, aud Elk Horn
rivers, tlie timber or the woods extend
fr-queri'iy up to the top of the biutTs,
ai d indeed as in Richardson and Paw
nee counties, sometimes cover many
.-quare miles of the high lauds. Else
where timber is not plentiful and is
cinfined to groves, or more properly
hues oi trees fringing the immediate
margins of the streams. The streams
are wayward, not infrequently having
a channel of a mile in and out of all
conceivable crooks while only mak ng
two or three rods of actual course. Tfie
c.irrals or tends formed Sy tins laby
rinthir e twisting, are sometimes nt
thrity or forty acres in extent, and cov
er'ed wnh a forest growth. The native
trees are cottonwood a light porous.
yellowish white wood, something in
"ppearance hke the cucumber tree of
New York, of most rapid growth ; the
red and white Elm, the lilack Jack,"
red and burr oak. black walnut, link
berry, a half bard wood unknown in
the Ea-i, 1 ickory, willow and cedar
The cedar is found upon all the streams
funning clear water from tfie west. and
opon no osiers mil we reach the
range of Blacli Hills. The Blue, the
Platte, the L'E.iu qui Curt, ihe White
River, and the White Eanh have a
in very
sourres
down to their mouths;" Those all fl .w
ciear water ; while the Missouri. which
s half mud, has not a single cedar tree
from the mou h of Whit' Earth down.
The Cottonwood is in the Mi-sotiri Val
ley what the pine i to North Carolina,
ir the beech to India nn the one in exi
cess. I' grows every where, and under
any circumstances. ( A fence post set
in the fa'l will sprout in the spring ; a
roof of saplings will embower the sta
ble with foliage if h butts have been
covered with soil. It makes a quick, hot
fire; stock thrive upon its bark, aud it is a
most prolific breeder of. bedbugs.
The grasses e.f th f..1y!.J.--?..-
oottoms'are very nuu-itioua. rioclt
seem to thrive upon itnm as well ,s
upon the cultivated grasses of the East,
and it is believed by many who have
made careful observations end compar
ed notes, that sheep aud horned cuttle
do belter upon prairie I ay than upon
timothy, clover, etc The buffalo''
grass will remain sweet and jmcy un
der the snow all winter, and affords
much fattening to the stock owned by
people too poor or too shiftless to pro
vide feed at home.
The "Desert Lands" lie- away from
he streams of. magnitude, and are for
the most part barr n piaius of sand
between the Plutte river and the Re
publican Fork of the Kama, are well
known. North of ths Platte or rath
er of the Loupe Folk, there are sev
eral hundred square in lie of unexplor
ed (oumry, supposed. from the accounts
of Indians arid trappers, to resent
nothing to the view but a waste of -aud
Nonh of the L'Eau qui Court the des
ert breaks off suddenly into tfie Mail-iai-es
Terres, or Bad Lands, a region
supposed to be from 50 to 7-5 miles in
width noith and south, and from 2C0to
300 miles long of ui.paralh led gran
deur of desolatu u. I is simply a va?t
pit as if tlie ruins of a buried cry had
been cieantd nf the curth and ashes
wlmh dest'ojed i', aid leaving walls
and buttresses column-, pillars, spires,
arid imrrs Manding in their despoiled
-pletidor. the evidence of the miht of
ilie destructive agents cf nature. The
hiernglypus of Egypt, he relievos tf
Babylon and Ninevah, the excavations
of Petite, have no rr cords of the Ne
braska Bud land-. Tl.ose tell of dy
nasnes of men, rehte mly the story of
a thou.-and jvars. These for the
recora are shell.", and bones, arid fins
and scales, fool prints of beasts, tracks
of serpents, impre-sioi o' leaves
God' a shori hand for th- paleontologist
io decipher leil of thodsands of age
can be shoveled fioui the- surface
great quantities, and so pure that it
needs but glazed paper wrappers and a
' i tile warmth in advertising to make it
rise into active demand.
Much has been said about the open
ing of coal beds, veins, and seams in
thickness from five inches to five feet
in various place in the State ; and
much money and ink have been ex
pended to get them into notice. In
several counties beds have been open
in isning ttie sou wl.cn continued gi owing
i
of crops shall have exhausted a portion
of its fertility
A clay, some whit and Erme rose
colored, entirely free from grit, and
closely resembling kaolin, is found in
Jefferson county.
Good bricks have been made in all
parts of the interior.
The outcrops of the rorks alony the
Platte, the Biue. and the northern trib
utaries of the Nemahas. the dis de
rant., berries have been suffh ienily
tested to prove that tbej. can be easily
and profitably culmated. Piums and
cherries have not been satisfactorily
tested.
ened which don't turn out to be bed of j sending from each, indicate the exis
coal. Thev are simply masses of bi- I tence of a basin in the um.erl vin atra
luminous: shales wiih enough of veget- ; ta from twenty to thirty miles in width,
able body arid sulphur to make a fire if ( and fifty to sixty miles long,
burned wi'h wood When the fire dies j The centre of the Great Basin is
out there remains a mass of course grit- j 50 1 4 by railroad survey from Nebras
Ua City, and 02 1 4 by railroad line
t 1 1
ty rtsues, nnea wiin red. orange, ami
buff atones, a frtber proof that all that
is glil-ering black is not coal. At Omaha
the U P. R. R Company sunk an ar
tesian weil several hundred feel with
out developing coal. At Nebraska
City a drill was sent down neatly two
hundred feet with no success. Tlie
burden of evidence, so far, is against
tlie existenre cf coal. It is found, bow
ever, in Iowa from fifty to seventy
rnile from the? Missouri River, aud
when competing lines of railroads, con
necting us wi'h these coal fields-, are
completed, (in two years, at most.) we i
shall he well sopr lied with fuel. Lti- !
til then we have wood enough. j
In the northern part of the Staie
white rbaik abounds. A fine browi.ish j
red p'pe clay is al-o found there. Ii
i soft, easily carved when first taken
out. bjt sron harden to an intense de
gree. It can be worked into manv
tasteful forms of ornuin'tl utenils
Good potters' clay is worked in Da
kota. Ome anl other counties.
Purple shales are exposed in the
bluff at -the levee Bt Nebraska Ci'Y.and
in many places from Plattsmouth down.
They decompose upon : exposure, nnd
make a durable and fireproof paint.
Strata of a whitish compact limestone
frm three to ten inches thick are found
on rr . near the surface of ihe "bluff
along many: of: he streams in the inter
ior.. The none s, excellent for build
"PST purposes. A against rine or brick,
tone houses can be built in almo.-tany
locality to very great advantage in cost
In Otoe and Lancaster counties. for in
stance, walls can be laid up at the cost
of brick at seven to ten dollars per
tSouand in wall Cn the W'eering
tv , .. e 'ire or Oass
i rem PJaitsmouth.
Along this region runs Salt Creek. I
in a nor heasterly direction, emptying
into the Platte about 25 miles from its
mouth. Near its margin, and along i s
tributaries, within an area of 12 by 25
miles, are found innumeruble springs
of salt water, containing 2S S per cent,
of salt ty weight ; the prodoct itself
containing 9,3 to 07 pans of chloride f
Sodium, and 3 to 5 part of chlorides
and sulphates of magnesium, calcium
lime. &c.
There is no question of the
vnst
wia'h which will be at some day de
Upon the eutensive ranges of prairie
in the western portion of the State.stock
raising it already a most remunerative
enterprise. Near the cries ihe mauu
facturt-cf butter and cheese, and the
raising of calves for the grazers, aro
found greatly profitable.
Tlie prairie grasses are pro'ven by
long experience to ie more nuirious
than the celebrated grasses of the eas
tern states, while the ease of procuring
hay from wild lands.and the abunOanca
in yield and rithnes vi tjvi crops tor
whiter feeding, reduce to ihe least pos
s'ble extent both the nun produciog pe
riod f cows, and the expense) of main
taining thm during that Lrief time.
The va!ley of the Plane (througk
which the great continental railway al
ready runs) : the E'khorn, Loupe Fork,
Suli Creek. Weeping Water. Nema
bus. th Blue, are particularly attrac
tive to settlers and have rapacities for
the su.-tenace of a den-e population.
The chief town in the order of popula
tion are Omaha. Nebraska City. Brown
ville. Plait-nmu'h. Fremont, Columbus,
j Lincoln (the capttol). Dakota, Denoto.
rived from this region. The nb.-cencv ' K'llevue. Nemaha City. Beatrice. Rock
- 1 in rr- T i -e . . i 1
of fuel for the purpose of manufacture
i more than comperisH:i d for by the
exces-ive dryness of the atmosphere
and the consequent rapidity of evapor
ai'on. Fn in the 1st of April to the
middle of November scarcely a day
passes without a warm dry wind. Dur-
Bluffs. Rulo, Tecumseh.Ashlmd.Cani
den, St. Johns, We.-t Point Tekamah,
&.C &.C .all rapidly growing and prom
ising lo be of considerable impoi lance.
The climate is agreeable. Droughts
seldom occur until after the crops are
fully developed and beyond injury by
mg the month; of June. July, August ! dry weaiher Although deep and por-
and September the winds ate almost i ous, the soil is singularly retentive tf
constant. jmoi-ture, and p'auts thrive well loog
,i.)V cannot predict- veh result-wiH,,,,'p" the gronnd ha become? at the stir-
afend ihe operation of b.iring for a
fuller supply of stronger brine. Fruin
a few observations upon ihe strata on
the Platte and on the Blue and a com
parison of what hole is known of the
geology of Nebraska with that of Iowa
ai d Missouri. we incline to the- opinion
that no well need be more than four to
five hundred, feet def p ; while there
are some data upon which to found the
opinion that a deposit of rock as ii may
passed while he fir-t five days' of
creation were making ihe earth the in
dwelling place for man. It is not too
wild a -pecu'auou to say.that from what
little is known of this wonderful region,
all the world else does not contain a
uthe of the geological history of the
globe, ilia t will be afforded by this brief
portion, when the Indians are quieted
and an Agasaz can pursue unmolested
hi exploration therein.
So..th of th Republican Fork, the
country is le suudy. but the soil is so
alkaline that egetation is scarce, and
life cannot be well sustained because
of the acrid waters Further south, in
New Mexico, in extension of this des
ert region, cone the Piano E.'catado.or
Staked Plums, where fur thousands of
fruit grows in thousands of groves j square miles to rains fall aud no spring
near the banks of the streams, but the or water coure relieves the baked and
domestic nrticle seems to have no dis- j thirsty soil, n the Fort Laramie re
posi ion to fraternize with the soil igion. (now in Wymiing) and along
The htllswoods are filled with goose-(the extreme ve.-t of Nebraska, the al
berries and raspberries. Upon spots I kaline impregnation is so great that a
of prairie heltf red from the wind,the j profitable maiufncture will soon spring
strawberry thrires luxuriantly. In the up. Indeed, n many parts, the soda
eunty. a fine lime colored carbonaeof
hme is found. That taken out whpn
we saw the quarry wa in large slab
of uniform thickns of five inches It
is susceptible of high polish. and is u-e-foT
for mantels, post and lintel', orna
mental monuments, or work where fine
marble is used. In the Avora setile
innt in Cass county, there is n singu
lar deposit of stones fronn 'he siz of ft
pinhead io a yard in diareer ; .al' with
rounded edges, and of all kind of the
primitive rocks They were probably
dropped from the bae of an emigrating-
iceberg. jwhich. in the shape of a
pj?rir-.badL gathered .thi-m jn.ahe
mountain. ...
At many places along the Missouri
river, at an average height of fifty fee-
above low water, there appears n sofi.
rosrse grained andsione, ark v"llow
i'l gray in color and about tbirtv inch
es tl-ick. It becomes very hard upon
exposure.
In Lanrater county thr are found
inexhaustible quarries of a dark red-di-h
freestone, sorn-'what varring in
color the mor of it resembling the
Sepera or Pommac -ton of which the
aristocratic hrr.vvnton fronts of the .-'h
Avenue and Wa-hington are made. It
i so soft f-hen first quarred that it may
be crumbled between the fingers but a
few weeks action of the Rtinospbere
hardens it r tjifi' it ran scarcely be
marked with a knife. It lis been need
sufficiently to prove its valuable quali
lien. Around" the upper tributaries of Snh
Creek- there are great quarrie of a
b'uih limestone, of fine farvnre. nnd
presenting rll the characterise of the
Trenton stonr Some of the ou'rrop
expose n fare of rck in earp of three
infbes to six feel thick, of twenty feei
ventral, and run h- traced for many
miles alnog the Huff. The firt tory
rar w nil of ihe State Hnu at Lincoln
is laid up of this nne The remain
ing ah'ar of ihi fine edifice, wa sken
from ihe Beatrice qu-irri in Gige
rnunty. It i n fie. whi. yeliowtirt
ed magneisn limeeione. works well
under the rhiel. and is ob'ainable of
mtv Himenion and in an ooa',itv
This 'one is found at Ashland, near
the mou'h of Salt Creek, nn the R!u
r the E'khorn. Lojran Crek arid
Rlnrlihird. Indeed, the expinre on
the Platte and other prir-ci-al srem.
prove the exi"nf of rork enough for
II pnsih!e architectural and erigineer
ing purposes.
The commonest layers of the yellow
tinted stone men nut good p!sterer'
lime. In the b-d of ihe Blue Rivr i
n tratum of limes'nne composed of fos
ii mnllosea,. deposited when oyster
wr unknown inhuman epicure, a nd
each individual therefore, grew -'as
happy a clam." to an elephantine
ize. The product of the ralrina'ion of
thi stone, is of remarkable excellence
for finishing work for cornices, ceiling
centre. Sec
In the Blue, there is also a stratum
of 5tptim, 'o be of service in replen-
be found within a few feet of the sur
face
The salt made by boiling, or waih
ing tne deposits around tbe f pnngs,
erystaitze like the finest table alt.
Thai from solar evaporation or .over
slow artificial heat, form large crystals
from J lb to I 8 of an tuch.and 14 more
theS
yra-
. ' I a
Si f a
cuse or Karawha salt.
The location of the Sail Region is an
evidence of that wisdom and goodness
of the Creaior, which srten are slow fo
acknowledge, hut upon which all human
welfare must rest. Ii is n curious fact
that as far as w know, all the ptinct
pal deposits of thi on absolute rieces
sity to the preservation of animal life,
are situated at about equal distances
spirt, and with an apparent forethought
ofj.be rouunerr-itl -TfJ-jtions of tue ier
rrory between them. This will be ap
parent when nn marks upon the map
of New York Michigan.Virginta.Mis
-nun. Wiscon-in Tennessee Tex.
Nebraska Dakota, Colorado. UiHh, Ne
vada. New Mexico, and Arizona a!i
regions, and notes ihe nearly uniform
spaces between them.
From our pers-onal knowledge of the
lards west, both south and north of the
Platte, we asrme ihe average western
limit of what we have estimated as first
and second rlass cultivable, and -fair
grazing" lands, to bo a few miles west
of Fort Kearney. Between that limn
and he Missouri rivr theie are twen
ty one mi lion, a x hundred and fifty
'wo thousand, four hundred and eighty
acres, every one of which is gnol for
grain or stock, or minerals of commer
cial value.
Million" of acrp? nf thee lands, of
a soil un-urj asing foe fertili'y co.--ti:n
ing a it does to an nversge depth of
over fout feet, all tbe chemical consti
uni of the crora produced in nothern
latitudes are el unoccupied. One
fourth of thi land is ohminable urt'fer
he Homestead Acts of Congress that
i for no other price or con-ideration
than occupation and T:ultivstion ; nnd
fee amounting to lC to 20 cents per
acre. Another portion can be had un
der the Pre emption or Priate Entry
acts at prices dependent upon the mar
k"t value of la-d warrants and Agri
cultural College scrip, say from seven
tv fire c-nt to one nnd s half doilar
per acre. Or occupied land can be
had. in the interior, for two to ten dol
lnrs. arid ner 'he Missouri river, and
larger market town from ten to thirty
dollars per acre. The experierce of
fourteen year since ihe organization
of agricultural indu try here proves ihe
average crp of wheat (whirh com
mands in St. Louis always 10 to 15
rents more pr htMi0! han anv Dther)
to he from 23 o 30 bushels to th npre,
corn 40 to 60 bu-hels ; oats 45 to 50 :
potatoes 70 o 100; orions 100 to 150;
and o for all farm crops, a production
higher to a ereat extent than in any of
th northwestern states In the north
ern ponion of the State ihe efforts al
ready made prove the soil and c'imate
well adapted to tobacco culture.
The fruits all do wall except peaches
nnd it is by r.o means crtain that thy
will not. Apples, pear?, grapes, cur-
face "dry as a powder horn." - Mid
summer is usually hot. but a high range
of the thermometer is invariably ac
rompanied by a treeze.- which mkes
the temperature bearable, even com
fortable. Iotene cold frequently oc
curs in winter; but its usual effects are
frustrated by the exceeding dryness of
the air. Owing to the natural absence
of humidity in the atmosphere physi
cians unite in recommending residence
here for persons afflicted with long dis
eases, and such nervou complatuts aa
rheumatism. &c. Dead animals on the
prairies do not rot: they dry tip
To the tradesman aud ariizan.' the
attorney and physician, the State offers
peculiar inducements ' In " the thief
commercial towns.Omaha and Nebras
ka City, in the county seai of every one
of the ofganized counties ; in ihe vil
lages which are now (under the irffiu
ence if n great inimigiotion) springing
into existence ihroughout the. State;
in the new capitul city Lincoln- be
ginntng a municipal exigence under
the most Haltering circumstances ; the
constant influx of persons makes a con
stantly increasing demand for habita
tions, for wearing appare' and for pro
visions. . lhesa aemaird mechanic ntid
storekeepers; and as a "'consequence
of rapid growth and great demand, the
wages for labor and the prcfiisof trade
are high and being always upon a rash
basis, certain. To sum up all that Ne
braska offers to induce settlement with
in her border ii is in posMble here for
a prudent ruh man to lose his tnenns,
and quite a impossible for an industri
ous poor man not to grow rich.
Omaha aud Nebraska City present
the best openings for active, w ide awakt
business men of considerable capita!.
There operations ore generally uu a
large scale, with corresponding laiga
prufiis or losses, tbe latter not often.
Farmers with gocd capital ought by all
means to go into river counties ; and
poor men, further west. Af ttr rough
ing it a little while, no man nny turn
up his nose at them for want ol wealth,
ludu-try will make met rich nywhere,
but nowhere iu tbe world a. rapidly as
here.
East of the line between rnngee
eight nnd nine, and sou h of the Platte
there is only occasionally a quarter sec
tion subject to preeinpnoii or homestead
and none to private en rv. IntheNe
n.nha district Land office at Beatrice,
Gage county, after November ll h
there are wnhm ranges eight eat to
eight west inclusive i.f townships 1 to
6. incl usive, about 10 5G0 quarter sec
tions of land subject lo homestead pre
emption, or private emry ; about 1U00
60 acre tracts wnhm the railroad giant
Hues, subject only to homestead or pre
einpion; afout GOO 1 4 sections of
railroad reservations, aud about 700
q larter sections of Siate internal im
provement; and about 750 1 4 sec
tions, of State school lauds , making a
total of
Lands in 160 acre tracts 1.6S0.000
SO " home
siead or pre-empiiota aloue 60.000
Land reserved for railroad 96 000
for State internal imprv's 112 000
" for common schools 120 000
An aggregate of 2.0S9 000
acres of land in a region of 6 town
ships by 16 ranges, which will ere long
all be available to the actual settler.
Within the same limits, east an?
west and from the north line of town
ship 6 north .o ihe Platte river, tber
are cow (iLe region beinj? almost
ConchiJtd on 2d pege.
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