The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-05-16

Letter from Gen. IN. Je9erssn Sutherland.
COUNCIL BLuFSs, HKrRAsKA TERRITORY
April "A, 1861.
Council BiHfs-1As North Platte CoGnsrs and the
Omaha h.dsaas-N atssal Rssouyces Of fie Nsbasts
Tgrit@B--Emigyetsoa 70 caafoTais, Oregon,
Utah, SC.
JAMES GoRDos BxssErr, ESQ.,
Dear Sir-Entertaining the beles that few
items Of information from this remote and very in
teresting section Of our country, would be received
with interest by your readers, have avaed myself
Of an opportunity 70 forward You this oE-handei
sketch.
Council BluAs, as yoa win perceive BY reference
to the maps. is on the right bank of the Missouri
river, and consequently within the proposed terri
tory Of Nebraska ID IS at present the headquar-
ters Of the Omaha Indians who claim the territory
this si6s Of the river for the distance of one hun
dred miles up from the mouth Of the Nebraska or
Platte river, (Which is ON the west side Of the Mis-
souri,, about eight miles below this place,) and
other hundred miles back.
A few weeks since | made trip OF hundred
miles more in the Omaha country. going up tho
north eide Of the Nebraska, and then up the Elk
Horn. The country has no parallel for beauty and
richness Of soil The water Is running and pure,
springs and rivuls,s abundant, and atmosphere
bracing-all which are evidences in favor of the
healthiness Of the country. The larger streams
afford plenty OF water power for mills and manufac-
tories and besween the mouth Of the Nebraska
ard the Elk Horn, discovered in the bluffs iron
ore, which appears to be Of good quality. In
several places il makes its appearance in boulders
and IN one place, on the Elk Horn saw il in rcgu-
lar strata.
The Omaha Indians have village Oh the Papio
small stream continent with the Missouri, between
Council Bluffs and the mouth of the Nebraska. The
situation is magnificent; but II more miserable race
Of beings than those who inhabt l.; cannot well be
conceived. The whole number Of their huts, in
cluding those Of sod and those Of buffalo skins, PEI
count, was 81 and in these sixty-one cabins, small
as they are, 300 human beings said 20 reside
But believe their numbers are greatly oyer-ratel
A pair Of leggins, breech clout and q buffalo ski
constitute the whole wardrobe Of each, and dog
and ponies their only animals. OF sheep, cows
oxen, hogs and fowls, they have none; and TO tn
whole tribe there belongs only about fifty ponies
They plant some forty acres Of corn, and beyond
this, these miserable people rely for subsistence
upon hunting, in a country where the game has
been almost completely hunted out.
Across the river from this place, and distant eight
miles, Is kanesvle, the headquarters Of ali Of the
Mormons this side Of the Great Salt Lake. The
town, iftwo three dozen log cabins crowded into
cannon Of bluff can be called town, is not
4 likely to acquire any commercial or business i'm
portancc, though it has been made the capitol of
\ Pottawatamie county, Iowa. Whenever the In
dams shall be removed from this side of the Missouri
river, here at this place, will be the town. 1t is
the best town site between the Big Sioux and the
Z hanSae, ana mere, no distant Jay, Will conccn-
trate no ordinary amount Of business operations.
| have much Of the Nebraska territory
which stretches along the west side Of the Missouri
river, from the Kansas, (Which is here called the
Cav riyer), to the I'D deg Of north latitude IL is
well watered; has healthy and salubrious climate;
and its soil for fertility and Of cultivation is
equal to any in the world In addition to these, it
has considerable advantages for commerce, and
great mineral resources.
Twenty-Five miles below this place, in the bluffs
on the Missouri river, vein of scmi bituminous
coal shows itself; and fifty miles further down the
river, there Is a vein Of coal, which has been opened
and worked to some extent for the benefit Of the
United States forces stationed at Fort Leavenworth
have also credible information that vein Of coal,
Of good quality, has been discovered on the Big
Blue river n tributary of the Kansas. running from
the north. Upon these facts, ii may be presumed
that there Is sufcency Of coal in this Territory.
Clay for brick. and limestone, exist everywhere;
and stone for building purposes is abundant On
the north side of the Nebraska. saw quantity of
sandstone, in strata, such abeunds in the valley
Of the Ohio; and along the Missouri river there are
exhibitions of hard clay such as is found along the
Ohio river, and there used fer pottery aud lire
brick.
On the south side Of the Nebraska, distant forty
Eve fifty miles from the Missouri, at the head Of
one Of the branches of Saline river, "a tributary o.
the NebrGska,) Is salt spring, sufficient FOR tn.
manufacture Of salt enough for the preservation o
half Of the sinners Of this world-rrovdt9 any kind
| u pickle We ld save them.
The eastern shores Of the Missouri river, opposit
this territory. and which are included IL the state
Of Iowa and Missouri, lack al Of the mineral re-
sources which exist here: and AL Of the eligibi
town sites and localities for manutaeories are IN
this eide Of the river. Therefore, the agriculture
resources q the opposite side, which great,
never bo fully developed while the Nebraska ter
territory remains an Indian county.
The emigration from this point now about 70
the plains is much less than that q formes
seasons since the discovery of gold in California.
The greater nun Der Of the emgrants Of this year,
tfwlom there are now about : go gathered in this
neglborhood, arc Mormons, bound 10 the city Of
the Great Salt Lake. There also few CALI
fornia adyenturers and the residue are farmerS,
with droyes Of cattle, set out for Oregon.
Respectfully, yours, &c.
In. JEPrERsCs SUTHERLAND.