Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1857-05-28
Nebraska VS.. KRnsas

log ana smoke nave cleared away. anu peoTle
are left TO their 'sober second thought" we
propose to suggest n few facts of these two
great Territories, irrespective Of politics, but
in regatdt 10 their relative advantages and dis
advantages their merits and domcrits.
We desire the reader, before going into the
detail Of facts We purpose 20 present, TO run
his eve over the map OF the Northern States.
Start, N you please, az far east rs Boston, In
"the land OF steady habits" travel on to the
city Of New York, the great metropolis Of the
New World, thence on through the many in
land cities OF hat State TO Buffalo, thence
along the line OF lakes to Chicago, the great
eat wonder of the age, and still on westward
"as the star Of empire takes its way" and
bring up on the confines OF civilization on
the western banks of the Missouri, and you
strike The very heart Of the new-settled por-
ton Of Nebraska. Does not every one see
with half an eye, that the above described
route is destined to be THE great thoroughfare
across the continent, and that It must even
tually pass up the valley of the Platte, termi-
mating on the shore OF the Pacific. Does not
the food of emigration, the swarms Of people
rushing hcadlong, by railroad, steamboat,
stage-coach, and finally. by express and COW
cred wagons, over this particular line, drive
one TO the irresistible conclusion that this
particular route has some great natural ad-
vantages, som uncommon incentive more at
~tractive to the emigrant than any other route
In the whole of this mighty republic?
Again, this route has already the prestige
- aa.. a. ,lvontro ..a. Aas tn.
Eastern spectators, Western sharpers, nome
seekers, and lastly, Old Bullion and n vast
majority of the Congress of the United States,
have all along had the same opinion, and to
prove their professions of friendship to, and
the sincerity Of their opinions of this route,
they have lent their aid by four large and
liberal grants, TO four different Railroad Com
panies, to secure the early completion of four
different Railroads, running parallel to each
other from the Mississippi west, and making
a grand terminus on the Missouri river within
the short space of one hundred and twenty
miles, thus facilitating by the aid OF govern
ment the inundating and continually over
flowing tide Of emigration. Will it be posi-
BILE, we ask, that when these railroads (now
in contemplation and actually located), are
completed, and their iron horses are daily
coursing their fiery way over the Prairie
State, bringing us within a ride Of twenty
four hours to Chicago, for any other route to
attract from this any considerable portion Of
either travel or transportation? Then, we
can safely add, that no portion Of Gods crea-
tion, however fair, fertile or productive, has a
-. 49,. l.s-lA.. A. H. - "
braska for a series of years TO come.
Nebraska has attracted less attention since
it's organization than Kansas, because it had
nothing in its political history so exciting as
to elicit the pecuniary aid and sympathy of
the people in the Eastern States in its behalf,
but peaceably and steadily II has grown in
wealth and population for the past year be-
yond the widest expectation of it's earliest
settlers.
Nebraska has on her eastern border-the
entire breadth of her Territory-the Missouri
river, navigable at least nine months in the
year. Kansas is touched by the Missouri
river only on a small space Of her Territory.
Nebraska is reached, as we have shown
above. by -four great thoroughfares across
Iowa, directly from the East, while Kansas
may be reached alone by the Hannibal and
81. Joseph Railroad, thus making the ingress
and egress to Nebraska far moro convenient
than TO Kansas. Nebraska lands, so far
famed for the depth of their black ~alluvial
soil, pure, clear, healthy water, vast and
beautiful p%rairies, dotted over with groves of
hardwood timber, and unsurpassed in fertility
of soil, are all opened to be claimed and owned
by the actual settler while on the other
hand, the choicest and best of Kansas lands
are taken up by Indian Reservations, and
many towns in Kansas are being slowly built
up on indifferent sites, because the most ia
vorable points are in possession of the In
dams and are yet reserved, thus rendering the
future Of these towns very uncertain for an
investment. But, in Nebraska, the whole
field being open for a preference in selection,
the towns that are Of any considerable i'm
portance are, as their unrivalled growth
would seem to indicate, located where per-
maneney and perpetuity are added to natural
advantages. We venture the assertion, from
facts and personal observation, that the far
famed and much talked OF city of Leaven-
worth, in Kansas, with her blcod-stained lots,
all covered with houses, cannot honestly
boast of as great an actual resident popula-
tion, as many fine brick structures, as either
Nebraska city or Omaha, in Nebraska, and
lots in either Of the two last-named cities are
commanding as good prices, and are in much
greater demand than in the former place.
The future is what Nebraskians can dwell
upon with pleasing anticipations and most
exhilerating hopes, with the addition of a
conscious certainty of success. For now,
while Jim Lane and Stringfellow are drinking
out of the same bottle, sleeping in the same
bed. and bnYing real estate with Joint notes.