Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-08-21
THE TERRITORY OF NEBRASKA.

The following interesting article concerning the
Territory OF Nebraska, is copied from lao number
OF the Fbiadephis Evening Argus:
"rhe Territory Of Nebraska was once part OF the
old province Of Louisiana, purchased from the French
during the administration Of Mr.. Jefferson, and ceded
10 the United States in 1913. territorial govern
ment was organized in Nebraska 10 1854, and Omaha
selected as the seat oe government The progress OF
tho Territory since theu has been gradual, and II now
contains population Of sbou; 600, aud real estate
amounting to g. OU0OU0. while Congress has provided
for opening four laad Offices in the Territory Ioe
south line oe N.bra.ks is The i0ib parallel iis north
the 18TH On one side IN Kansas and on the other the
British possessions boundary which will one day
require fortresses and troops % the east the Mis-
souri river, and the west the Rocky MOUNTAINS
lis area 10 335 S2 equara miles, larger ex;eht OF
country haviug government than any other 90 Inc
continent and enough for several Ststes. fnysloany
it is divided into three large portions the nrst. tn
angie, having the Kansas line tor ts base, Witn the
Missouri for ts eastern and the nlnety pinth iine
L! longitude for its western SIDE. Inc second Is
between that meridian scd the Rocky mouo
tains, running north from the Kansas line 10 tne
Black hills. The third is the Northwest han of tpe
Territory lying between the Black halls and tue
Rocky mountsios. III tue 6rst division are ootoln
lands Of extraordinary fertility. being mixture oi
sand aud clay, carbon aud large qaantt.s OF deoou
posed vegetable matter, forming porous oiscH
mould ihe soil il easy of cultivation and very pro-
duc,ive. Two hundred and e y bushels Oh potatoes,
or one hundred and My ot corn, are tuo Psouuet
single are. There are numerous springs aug streams
ofexcellent water, every quarter section OF a9a os
ing we'll irrigated. This region is vel! tlmoeLed win
oak and black walnut, ash, cotton WOOD ~hio" aoa
cedar. Its rock formation il principally sandstone
aud lime It, 1t also possesses REQ pipe c!ay'
soft when fret worked but exposure 10 the ar De-
coming as hard ss Hut. There are limestone quar-
ries possessing the Same feature, and prooaoly re-
ssmbliug the famous atone OF Caen when Is COW De-
ing imported n large quantities into the Cnned STATES
This circumstance will, at no distant day. have Us
due affect upon the architecture Uf The Territory ana
invite to elaborate work nsnship III the construction
OF public and private buildings. lu addition 10 mess
are large quantities OF white cbslk, olscx: band iron
ore, aud coal and salt in various sections OF the couu
try.
1.-The second section is no. 50 productive, a large
portion of it ia represented as no better tnan desert.
One Of the mos, features OF this section h
that of the anouscs tcrrcs. or bad lands depre "a
portion OF the surface, that seems 10 have sunk down
from the high prairies several hundred ieet' leaving
everywhere standing prismatic and coumnar masses
Of the same height, resembling the ruins OF Hercu.
aneum or Pompe, or az old European town WIN
streets and lsnes To the imagination OF the
romantic traveller some Of them resemble old castles
in decay. with actual turrets and butresses, arches
clustered shafts, and tapering spires. One might
imagine, says Mr. Owen, the geologlst that he was