Nebraska palladium. [volume] (Bellevieu City, Neb.) 1854-1855, 1854-12-06
For the Palladium.
BELLEvIKW AND ST. MARY.

So much has already been said about
Belleview, that prehaps, any further des-
cription is unnecessary. l will only add
the testimony Of a stranger to the beauty
Of the location. Prehaps a more beauti-
ful site for a large commercial city,
never existed. 1t is situated on the right
bank Of the Missouri, six miles above the
mouth Of the Platte, or Nebraska river.
Bordering on the Missouri, is an %alluyial
prairie Of more recent origin, covered
with willows and a fine growth Of cotton e.
wool; this, in high wafer, sometimes
overAows. Then comes the more elevated
%alluyial bo,tol prairie, Of vast extent, and
in The spring and early summer, covered
with a deep green carpet Of the most lux 70
uriant grass, ensmeled with myriads Of
flowers Of every variety and hue, aud over
all these, a delightful. prairie breeze is
perpetually blowing, rendering the atmos-
phere pure and healthy. The soil is in
eyhaustible, composed Of a rich vegetable
mold, Of great depth; which, when expos
ed 70 the sun by the farmers plow, will,
prehaps, render The climate unhealthy for
a few years. Next in succession, comes
the highland prairie, rising about fifty
feet above the one jast described, on which
Belleview is laid out. This site com
mands a most beautiful prospect for many
miles arounl. This, also, is a broad pla-
teau, as level as the great sea, and in the
background, are a series Of gentle undu-
iating pyramidal hills, covered with a rich
carpet Of grass, rendering tho survey
beautiful in the exterior. | will suppose
that you are standing on this beautiful
plat eau and looking at the broad valley
through which the Missouri travels It's
resistless course. On your left is a series
OF lofty conical hills, in the distance. ris-
ing enc above the other and clothed with
a dense growth Of valuable timber-oak
ash, elm and hiekory-far up extends the
valley of the Missouri fringed with mag
%niiicent groves Of cotto nwoo1, and on the
opposite side, a series Of gigantic bluffs,
composed Of conical hills, rising one above
the other and extending further than the
eye can reach, forming immense bends, in
which are those broad rich alluvial prai-
ries, peculiar to this country. Opposite
BellevIew, is one Of these p%rairies, inclos-
ed by the hills, as if by a gigantic wall, on
which St. Mary is located. On your right,
in the foreground, winds the Papillion, =
fine stream, fringed with timber, and in
the distance, is the rich and fertile valley
Of the Platte, one OF the most beautiful
valleys in the world. Here is found an
abundance Of excellent timber, and time
will reveal rich mines of coal, iron, lead,
copper and salt.
The Geological formation around Belle
view is carbonifercius which extends as far
as the Big Sioux river, where the Creta-
Genus formation commences. Fine beds
Of coal may be exhibited when a thor ough
survey is made. About a mile North of
Belleview, the bluffs strike the river, aud
a valuable bed Of limestone is exposed.
This will have an important bearing on the
settlement of Belleyiew. a Geological
section Of it would be as follows: lst, An
argiilaceous scbistose limestone, Of a yell
lowish color, very compact, not suitable
for line, bu, well adapted for building
purposes. This bed is very near the va
lcr's edge. 81, A course grained, greyish
while limestone, containing no clay, and
therefore, suitable for lime. This is an
important bed, and second only to a coal
mine in its value 10 this portion Of the
Territory. r. v. II.
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