New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-11-13
NEBRASKA.
.pdenee of 1l,sN. Y. Tribune.

Correspondence OF lhs N l. Irioune'
OMAHA CITY, n. T., Nov. =, 1856.
We Of Nebraska have many inquiries addressed
to us concerning this land Of cur adoption, and if
you will lend your columns for few moments to
the pen of pioneer, some of these querists shall
be briefly answered. Firstly, the Territory of Ne
braska lies north of Kansas and is under separate
Government and in nowise connected with that
heater of civil war; 1t embraces an area of the
earths surface seven times larger than the State of
New. York, between parallels 81 and 40, bounded
on the east by the Missouri River and on the west
BY The Rocky Mountains. The surface of the cOun-
try is much the same as i'll Kansas consisting chiefly
Of gently rolling prairie. II is drained by several
large rivers of which the Platte, Yellowstone and
NiObowah are the largest. These rivers run from
west TO east to the Missouri, and in their turn are
fed BY smaller rivers, whose course is north or
south. There is an abundant supply of good water
at every point.
The soil possesses a remarkable degree of uni.
foruity, being Of light, loamy nature with an av
erage depth of about five feet, underaid IN most
cases by sand aud in some localities by clay, Ii is
remarkably fertile yielding, even the first year, an
abundant harvest. The farmers raise all kinds OF
crops Except Winter wheat which thrive well in
no prtirie country.
Timber is scarce, though there is an abundance
of it for all present purposes Coal has been found
in considerable quantities at different localities, az
fording fair promise for miners. The demand for it
has not yet warranted the sinking of shafts, but that
near the surface has proved to be Of an excellent
quality. Stone is abundant, aud the materials tor
making the best quality of brick are everywhere
found ard used.
Tie climate is very dry; there are of the
drizzly rains of the East. As usual in most high
ATTITUDES much thunder and lightning accompanies
transforms The Winters are unusually mild,
and that sea son is shorter than in the same ATTITUDES
further East. The ground absorbs the water very
quickly and after the severest showers the surface
is soon dry.
All along the banks of the Missouri, the country
is fast filling up and becoming thicky settled, while
at il teryals of in no place more than tweaty miles
towns of greater or less Importance are being built.
AT the western terminus of the Mississippi and Mis-
souri, Railroad there is singular collection OtOwns.
There are here three cities called Omaha, Florence,
and Sara.oga-a OF them destined, in the opinion
of their respective citizens, TO become great and
popuous towns. The siDgularity consists IN their
distance from each other. Between the limits OF
the two extremes there are about seven m,les ana
the &c those son=uino enough Ia assert that In
few wears they will become united The great
railroad interest of the West is supposed to lie
somewhere near this point; and with fair promise
for a Pacific Railroad their expectations may be
realized. Two years ago there was no white mans
cabin on this river; and now at Omaha, the capital
Of the Territory there ia population OF about
800. ard every day increasing
Many in the East are apt to cOnfound us with
Kansas, ard to suppose that the troubles which re-
tard the progress Of our unhappy sister extend their
shadow over us. We are at peace with all the
world and among ourselves. We give welcome
to the emigrant coming from what section of the
country he may and extend our hand to all who
NAV dare TO brave the prvatiOns of our border
life Nebraska is but little spoken of by Western
tourists and letter writers, and her separate exis-
tence ignored forgotten; yet we are but in the
center of the territory owned by the United States,
though We are on the borders OF her civilization.
BOONE.