Nebraska palladium. [volume] (Bellevieu City, Neb.) 1854-1855, 1854-12-27
[From the Argus.l
NEBRASKA AND KANSAS.

/ Missouri compromise line and the estab
Iishment Of Territorial governments fo
Nebraska and Kansas have rendered al
The descriptions Of these Territories inter
esling, and especially 50, because, for 20.
liiical reasons, a tide Of emigration hal
been turned TO that region which will fiji
il up with settlers more rapidly than an,
portion Of the west has been heretofor,
settled.
For some years past business has car
fied nb> 'hresga various roFuons or lns
western States, and led me 10 examine into
their resources and future prospects.
During the past year these examinations
have been extended west Of The Msss-
sippi through Iowa and Northern Ms
souri,, up to the eastern boundaries Of the
new Territories.
z work has just been published cnri-
tied kansas and Nebraska" by Ed. T..
Hale, which contains much useful inror-
nation for the proposed settler, and cor
responds with the descriptions Of the face
OF The country, climate, soil, water and
timber, which ] had previously received.
This writer also states, aud others have
reformed me, that the eastern portions Of
Kansas and Nebraska are almost identical
with those of western Iowa ann Missou-
ri, an examination of which confirms me
in the general accuracy of the siaten.o, ii.
| have 10 furnish.
There is no portion Of the United States
possessing so many advantages for agri-
cultural wealth, as that drained by Tie up
per Missouri and its tributaries.
That portion of the country bounded by
the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, EN-
bracing Iowa and northern Missouri, ex-
ceeds, in fertility and the advantages OF
wood, water and a healty climate, any dis
lrict of equal extent east Of the Mississip-
pi.
Within this district, the valleys of tie
Des Moines in Iowa, and lie Platte il
Missouri, have been regarded for ,nsus
years IS 'ae gardens even Of the fertile
West, and have been Glled up with a pop
ulation Of sagacious settlers, more rapidly
than other portion Of the West.
The valleys Of the Missouri and lis tri-
butaries, the Kansas, Platte, &c flowing
through eastern Kansas Ond Nebrasks,
arc equally as fertile as the garden valleys
above named, and VIII now become even
more rapidly settled than they were.
The knowledge OF the extraordinary
fertility Of these districts has, until re-
Gently, been almost entirely confined 10 the
frontier population Of Iowa and Missouri,
and the Mormons and California enigrsnts
The line Of forty deg, which divides
the two Territories, passes nearly through
Springfield, the Capital of llrinois; India
nspoIis, the Capitol Of Indiana; Columbus
the Capitol Of Ohis; and Philadelphia, the
commercial capital of Pennsylvania, and
the temperature and climate corresponds
nearly with that Of those States. The
settlers of northern Missouri and Iowa
have suffered less from the bilious fevers
which were prevalent in the first settle
menl Of the other north and western
States, and there is every reason 10 believe
that Kansas and Nebraska will prove
equally healthy.
The plateau through which the Nilsson
ri river flows is elevated about one hun
dred and fifty feet above the level of the
river, and has a general slope towards
tho southeast of about three feet per mile
The upper portion Of the Missouri riyeI
has fall of two feet per mile, while th'
lower portion has about ten inches fall
The larger tributaries Of the Missouri
have a fall Of from two TO three feet, an,
the smaller ones a much greater fall.
These tributaries have cut their chan
nels through the plateau TO the depth O
from fifty to one hundred feet, and henc
they have more fall than the general slOp
Of the plateau. This slope gives suiii
cient current 10 the streams to prever
siagna,on, and in many places to furnish
sufficient water power for the domestl
use Of the country.
r The surface of the country for NOR
= than one hundred miles back from th
J Missouri, is nowhere level, but is in q
e cases rolling and slOping towards the no
i lows and small streams, which lead to Il
i main water courses.
i This feature Of the country is essel
c TALLY different from the extensive lev
= prairies of Illinois and Indiana, and n
c where is seen either lakes or ponds
i siagnant water, but everywhere a w
d watered country.
II The valley of each stream is "boiton