Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1858-08-19

ing 70 the interior, ana the best point of
starting is the vicinity Of Omaha City. An
appropriation Of $4,000 has been expen.
ded on bridges, &c, on The eastern portion
Of it, aad the only important improvement
remaining to make it far superior to any
route on the south side of the Platte is the
estabiishm of good crossing Of Loup
Fork, either by bridge or ferry, both Of
which are difficult; the first OH account of
the width Of the stream 900 yards
and the latter on account Of the shoals and
shifting sand bars. The ford is bad, by
reason Of quick sands. $4,000 would
probably make good crossing to this
stream, as the place is within the limit Of
the settlements. No road improvement in
the west would be of greater value to the
emigrant or to military operations and
this once done, the route would not only
be the shortest one in this latitude from
the Missouri to the mountains, but would
not throughout have one serious obstacle
all the way to the South Pass. Any route
tha: takes the south side Of the I4atte riv.
er has the South Fork to cross, (which is
about as difficult stream as the Loup
fork,) at point where bridging it or es,
tablishins ferry is, at this time, imprac.
tieable; the road. then, along the North
Fork has bad places, at Ash Hollow and
SCOTS Bluffs and has to cross the Lara.
mie river and the North Fork of the Platte
by bridges, over which the emigrant must
pay toll. The route by the north side of
the Platte crossing the Loup Fork is there
fore of particular value, especially for
early travel in the spring, when the streams
are generally high.
The valley Of the Loup Fork is broad,
fertile, and well wooded up as far as the
old Pawnee villages, distance of about
so miles. About this, the valley begins
to grow sandy and wood more scarce, and
about the meridian of 100 becomes almost
worthless. An occasional farm site could,
however, be found almost to its head
Near its source, it flows through high rock
precipices similar to those on the Niobra-
ra, but its source is in the open and des-
olate sand hills-a miserable region, i'm.
passable for ordinary wagon trains. and by
all means to be avoided.
The Niobrara being stream heretofore
unknown, and one i'll which the people Of
Nebraska feel much interest, shall de
scriDc II in detail. This river is about 40
miles long. From its source to longitude
l030 l5>, il is beautiful little stream Of
clear running water, of width of from 0
to Is feet, gradually widening as it de,
scends. Its valley furnishes here very
good grass. abounding in rushes or prele,
but is for the most part destitute of wood
even for cooking. After flowing thus far
it rapidly widens, till in longitude lO2o 30/,
II attains width Of GO to so yards; its
valley is still quite open and easy to travel
along, but destitute of wood except occa
sional pines on the distant hills to the
north. In longitude 102o 3O> it enters
between high steep banks which closely
confine it, and for long way it is com
plete canon; here, however, wood becomes
more abundant and pine is occasionally
seen on the bluffs, while small clusters Of
cotton wood, elm, and ash occupy the mar
row points left by It's .indings. In iongi-
tude DO AZ the sand hills come on the
north side close to the river, while Oh the
south side they are at the distance of from
one to two miles off, leaving q smooth road
to travel on along the bluffs. The bluffs
gradually appear higher and higher above
the stream as it descends until they reach
the height of 300 feet. The sand mostly
ceases on the north side in longitude l00o
23> but it lies close to the stream on the
south side nearly all the way to the Wasi.
honska. Throughout this section lying
between longitude 1929 00> and longitude
93o 2O>, q distance Of ls0 miles, the Mo.
brara is in every respect peculiar stream,
and there is none that know Of that it
can be compared with. 1t flows here be.
tween high rocky banks Of soft white and
yelo@ish calcareous and siliceous sand.
stone, standing often in precipices at the
waters edge, its yerticality being preserved
BY Gaping of hard grit. 1t is here i'm.
possible to travel any considerable distance
along its immediate banks without having
frequently to climb the ridges which rise
sometimes perpendicularly from the stream.
As you approach from the north or south
there are no indications Of a river till you
come within two or three miles Of the
banks, and then only by the trees, whose
tops occasionally rise above the ravines in
which they grow, SO completely is it walled
in by the high bluffs which enclose its mar
row valley. Itsecms to have resulted from
fssurc in the earth's crust, and now
flows at depth Of about 800 feet below
the general level Of the prairie. The soft
rock which forrls the bluffs is worn into
the most intricate labrynths by the little
streams, all Of which have their sources
in beautiful gushing springs Of clear cold
water. In these small deep valleys the
grass is luxuriant; pine, ash, and oak are
abundant; cherries, currants, gooseberries,
plums, and grapes grow in profusion in
their season. Elk, deer, and other animals
find here their choicest haunts, and here
they congregate during the SHOWS and cold
OF winter. The reri1. Ia q perfect para