Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1854-02-14
TIE NEaRAsEa TRRR1ToRY.

The immense TERRITORY Of Nebraska he
Indian name for the great riysf running thro'
it under the French h;ine of La Platte
hiss the States Of Iowa and Missouri on its
Eastern limit, and on Its Western the Rocky
Mountain Ridge, which separates it from Utah.
On its Northern limit Is yknt is known as the
North Western territoFY and portion of Nin-
uesota-and its Southern boundary Is the same
parallel of latitude as that Missouri, sc degrees
80 minutes North. The territory is at its
Eastern extremity .about IS 0 miles from North
to South-at the Western end, about 200
miles, and having anaEss lge width of about
24O miles.
1t is estimated that-tllere are about $4,000
Indians in the country. 4iey are the Chero-
KEGS. lin part) the Osagesl sshsrokee Reserva-
ton, Wyandottes, Patowatslnies Ottowas and
ChiDDewas. Peorias aud ElsRaslsias, Wears
and Pmkashaws, Shawhes, k3lnas, Delawares,
Kckapoes, Iowas, Sacks and Foxes, Halt
Breed, Otoes and Misscufi:gs
At Fort LeaYenssYfs estel5tssite
Of the Missouri river, ifiege ga reservation Of
nine square miles, belonging to the United
States Government. Here Is centered the en-
tire white population Of the territory, which
varies according to the season ct the year and
the demands of the army. 1t comprises Off
GERS, soldiers, civilians in the service of the
government, mechanics farmers, teamsterS, ect.
The Whole population varies from four to
twelve hundred persons, and ordinarily the
number docs II exceed siA hundred. About
seventy votes were poed last year for dele
gate to Congress. None of these votes came
from Fort Leavensworth, and most Of the
white residents did not vote at all.
In regard TO the physical character Of the
country, recent writer who speaks, we infer
from passages in lis work, from personal OBJ
servation, says the valley of the territory west
ward from the Missouri, is a rich loan. The
valley ofthe Platte nearer the Northern boun-
Diary is low but for some two hundred and
fifty miles is very fertile; when t changes in
to deep sand The two great ridges, be-
tween the Arkansas and the Kansas, and the
Kansas and the Platte, are mixed loan and
sand, or gravel, which makes delightful soil
to till, ANA returns heavy crops. The ridge,
between the Kansas and Platte, is more beau
titu and fertile than the other The valleys
are toIerably supplied with timber There is
also some tmb.r along the NJ ssouri river and
Il slight growth is found along the small
streams. Coal has been found of Il superior
quality at several kc.tions, and they are
ind;ctrions that an abundant supply will be
found for the whole Territory.
The Usage orange is indigenous to the
southern part of the country, aud can be cult
waited with the greatest ease in all the Terrific
ry; So much so, that with tolerable attention.
three Years will produce hedges sufficient to
turn any sock. The want Of timber for tcnc-
ing is thus readily supplied to the prairie land,
and the expense OF clearing timbered land,
fencing and bringngit into cultivation, far ex-
coed the trouble time, and labor Of producing
the finest hcdged farms i'll the prairie dis.
trictS.
The want of materials for building will be
supplied by the pine, brought across by the
Hannibal and S, Joseph railroad, which can
be sold bv t!Ia, route lower than that which is
now used in Western Missouri, and brought
up Tie river.
The want of lumber viii also lead to the
erection of brick stone and even beautiful free
stone houses, rs the materials can be ahumd-
antIy obtained in various localities. Such is
the nature of the country, for som. 800 miles
west; then there are fertile ridges and fine
prairirS scattered over Il country, in some
places almost barren.
Ii is also thought that ere long, the cutting
and saving pine viii become heavy business
on tho James AMI Sioux rivers, which wu."
place ;hjs country on an equality OF prices.
for lumber and Shingles with the States or
the Mississippi.
These fats arc gle.ned from rec Mt South
crn bIic;ion-trom the pm Of one who
may be died Il Southern treesoilcr-a walm
supporter and admir,r Of Col. Benton. He
argues that slavery is d ;ing out in Missouri
and that it is absurd to think of new slave
holders settling in that Strte, lie makes this
emphatic declaration ;-"Surely, If a man is
fool to G. at this Ia'c hour into Missouri with
his negroes, he is madman to G, with them
into Nebraska" His sketch of the country,
an! general observation upon It, lead to the
belief that what Mr.. Webster said of slavery
being excluded from Ne" Mexico by a law or
decree Of Nature, also applies to Nebraska.