Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-03-16
PLYMOUTH INDIANA THURSDAY MARCH 16 1854
NebraSka--ItS glimate, etc.


At :hiS time, when the Nebraska ques-
tion is go prominently before the coun-
try, it will be interesting to know some
thing of the climate. geography. &c. OF
the territory. We recollect meeting with
an intelligent gentleman. some fifteen
months since. who had just returned from
jaunt Of several hundred miles through
that country. He was perfectly enchant.
ed with it; and declared the country and
climate TO be the most delightful he had
ever seen.
The information on Nebraska is mea.
gre at most. Altogether the fullest and
most accurate account that has met on,
eye. is that TO be found in the large vol.
ume of Col Ere mont. containing report,
of his expeditions to California and Ore
gon in 1923 and a. The volume con.
taIns in addition to Fremont's narrative,
reports on the botany of the country, by
those having charge of these departments;
also astronomical observations, &C.
Horns OVERLAP nd guide to California is a
thin book. and its informa tion is confine
to the routes pursued by emigrants. Ow
ems Geological Survey gives information
on the Geology of Nebraska. and School
crafts large work on the Indians. gives
quite full statistics on the Indian tribes
of the territory.
Nebraska is named from one OF its three
largest rivers. the Nebraska. or Platte
According to the returns Of the last CEN
sus. i. contains 1860 square miles,
or territory ss large as New England,
New York and South Carolina. II should
be stated. however, taking the southern
line a. 81 deg. as Mr.. Douglass proposes
the territory as thus organized will be
much larger than the proportion that has
usually been designated as Nebraska. en-
bracing large portion of the Indian Ter
ritory, and most of the Indian tribes. ex-
cept the Choctaws. the Creeks. the Chick
asaws, the Seminoles, and portion Of
the Cherokees.
Nebraska. as proposed TO be organized.
will be vast region. having the various
climates that are enjoyed in Missouri. To-
wa and Minnesota. that lie on is East
ern borders; only the climate. like the
face of the country, is more Asiatic. The
eastern portion of il is chiefly prairie and
rich alluvial. The middle is more sandy
and barren, containing the Grea, Ameri-
can Desert: and the western is mountain
Gus, the highest mountains being covered
with almost pa!petual snow.
The inha bitants Of Nebraska may be
IS 900. mostly Indians. The whites are
military men. Indian agents. and mission
aries. Within week. paragraphs have
appeared in the apers. announcing that
newspaper is about to be published at
old Fort Kearney. called the Nebraska
Democrat. and that a post office is to be
established some forty miles from it. for
the accommodation of the enigrants-
two important elements TO begin the
work of civillzing the territory.
Nebraska is, and must ever be, mainly
an agricultural region. 1t is far from the
oceans. and has no great lakes. The
Platte river. though from one 10 three
miles wide, is only navigable for steam
boats forty miles.
From what even the Indians have ac-
complished in agriculture. the country
seems 10 hold out great hopes 10 the far
rner. The indians there are mostly sup
ported by agriculture. and according to
returns before me, four tribes If Chris
tain Indians on the northern and south
ern banks Of the Kansas, cultivate four
thousand acres From these they raised.
in late year, $4,000 bushels of corn.
1890 bushels of wheat. and h 600 bush
els Of oats, 4 1000 hogs, and 300, 900 mel
ons of different kinds. They kept 600
working oxen. and large number of
horses. The annual value oftteir product
is put down at S3l 600 The number of
these Indians is placed o, 2,700.
The territory is not well wooded. Pop
lar, elm, birch, willow. pines, white oak.
maple and other trees are found there in
moderate numbers. The cotton wood
tree much abounds on the rivers. Wild
animals. such as buffaloes, deer. wild hor-
ses. mountain sheep. prairie dogs. wolves.
elks, and antelopes, abound in this coun-
try.
The territory is capable of supporting
a large population. The people are i'm
patient to have an organized Territory.
that they may make State after State of
it. No wonder that the question. wheth-
er these shall be free or slave States, |
should greatly excite the various sections
OF our land.