Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-09-21
Pixies Peak. Valley of the Platte.

If any of our readers are as ignorant re-
specting the Platte River, and its Valley, as
were ourselves, the following brief descrip-
ton given US by Mr.. George Soule, Of this
place,-who returned from Pixies Peak, a
few DAYS since ;-will be as interesting to
them, as it was to us.
Mr.. S. went via Omaha, crossing the Elk
horn Oh the Military bridge, reaching Platte
Valley, about 20 miles from Omaha. then
following the valley, on the north side of
the river to the junction of the North and
South Plates, then the valley of the North
Platte to Fort Laramie. From Laramie,
he went to Boulder City, Auraria, Cherry
Greek. Denver, and returned via the south
side of the South Platte, to its junction
with the North Pate, and the south side
of the Platte, to within a few miles of Oma-
ha, thus having a fine opportunity to see
both sides of the valley, nearly from the
source of the river to its mouth.
From the mouth of the Platte as far up
as Fort Kearney, the river varies from n
and a fourth, to two and 4 half miles in
width. but is so shallow as to be fordable at
almost any point at all times of the year,
except during the highest freshets. Like
the waters of the Missouri, those of the
Platte are turbid. and are preferred for
drinking by travellers over the clearer wa
ter of the smaller streams.
The Platte and its tributaries arc full of
islands, some of which are very large, while
others are exceedingly small. Some of
these are exceedingly beautiful, and greatly
add to the scenery of the Platte country.
Most of these are covered with verdure,
many of them thickly wooded with cedar
and cottonwood trees. Grand Island (just
below Fort Kearney.) is42 miles in length,
and averages about one and a half miles 10
width. The north half of the island is Gov
cred with a large growth of cottonwood,
while the south part is prairie.
The Valley of the Platte varies from
FIVE to twenty miles in width, is very fer
tile, but almost entirely bare of timber
From the point where the stage road from
Omaha to Fort Kearney) reaches the river,
to the German settlement opposite Grand
Island, and near Fort Kearney, a distance
of about two hundred miles, there are no
white Inhabitants except at Columbus, near
the mouth of Loup Fork, where are 10 or
20 families. Besides these, the Stage
Company carrying the Salt Lake, Leaven-
worth and California overland mail have
stations, from Is to 20 miles apart, at each
of which is a family of whites. At Fort
Kcarney the stage road crosses to the south
side of the Platte. and follows the south
side about los miles, or some So miles
above the junction of the North and South
Platte, where the road crosses the South
Platte and continues to Fort Laramie, on
North Platte, at the mcu.h of Laramie
River, and thence by the South Pass, to
Salt Lake and California.
From Fort Kearney to Fort Laramie,
about 500 miles, there are no settlements.
For 200 miles of this distance there is no
timler. not even brush wood, except on
some of the islands, all the rest being prai-
RE. Here bufaloes, deer, antelopes and
wolves are abundant, and a few black
and brown bears are to be seen. Along
the river, are immense numbers of wild
geese and ducks, and back on the higher
lands, are the curlew and plover.
From Fort Laramie across the country
via. Boulder city, to Denver, about 10
miles, is a rolling prairie, almost entirely
barren, except near the small streams.
The South Platte. from Denver city to
the junction of the North and South Platte
River, has the same general characteristics
as the Platte, before described, being a
very broad, shallow, rapid stream, its bot
tom covered with shifting sand, constantly
widening and changing its channel, and
forming new islands, during the freshets,
and although passing a large body of wa
ter, yet can never be available for purposes
of navigation