The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-06-09

pretty EEL settled and goodly portion Of the
soiI under cultivation and fencing. Tie better
class Of faFmers dwellings are simple. oue-story,
woalher-boarded hulldlng1. not without IA air
ofnealness and comfort about them, though far
from The slateliness and durability Of their East
err compeers. No more slabllng surrounds them
han e neoosaaFy for the protection OF Few hor-
eea during the severe months Of Winter 90 cattle
are gunefaIly without shelter throughout the en-
tire year. The principal nricutural product Is
corn, which grows luxuFiantly with little culii-
vnlion. Somoiimcs the corn Is planted rs the
Geld e ploughed, BY dropping The Sod In every
run across an unploughed iield Of las, year, for
the reception Of the Sod, and the soil Is 80 rich
and porous, that even thus good crops are raised
In favorable season. Spring wheat does well
here but Fall sowing 10 apt 10 perish from the
high winds aud cold Of Winter, unless little
oats or buckwheat 10 mixed with the seed NJ n
protection. The most profitable business on the
prairics IL stock-Faising. Cattle, horses, mules
and sheep will flourish and grow Eat on the rich
pralrie-grass during The Summer, while the hay
Gu, thereftom will Bubsist them 10 Winter. The
immense ffeighting business carried on with the
far West creates q constant demand for draugn
animals. They cell Al good prices aud cost it,
tie or nothing In the raising. Sheep grazing
would also be highly rcmnneraiivc, u mills were
nearer NJ hand Tor the manufacture Of wooen
goods.
Mounting an occasional elevation higher than
ils neiehbors, the eye disceFned long wagon
trains moving OF toward Salt Lake City and the
Mining regions Of Colorado Idaho and Montana,
laden with stores for the far Western pioneers
A. the saowy-covered wagons stood out 10 relief,
amid the deep green Of the surrounding country
they might well have been called 1.-THE sehooneFs
Of the prairie"
Twenty-Five or thirty wagons are sometimes
found In single train, drawn by from three To-
eight yoke Of oxen, or ffom two 10 four pairs Of
mules. Oxen are preferred because they are
cheaper and les troublesome, though not quite
50 speedy ~ mules. They draw their loads ~
OF 10 miles per day, aud ut night are turned
loose 10 feed on the prairie grass requiring only
herdsman TO keep them together and bring
thrm TO camp In the morning. ready to be yoked'
NJ for the next days march.
The pony which We rode galloped along easily
and rapidly, lcaping over gullies aud slight ob-
strueiions In the road as nimbly rs deer
Here and there the smoaldering embers Of n camp
Gre were seen, marking the place where train
had gone into Cofrall " the night before aud
had already started on lie inIcrminabla Journey
Westward Al other places, te..mstcTs were
smoking their afler-breAkfast pipes rs they yokcd
the oxen and attached them 10 the wagons.
u Was yet early when We crossed the Nemaha.
= narrow, sluggish stream flowing into the
Missouri river. The cabns OF the settlers mp.
peaEcd At longer intervals aud became ruder
"a construction a. we advanced. MANY u
them were built Of round logs ana - chink,d "
with The black mud OF the prairie The low
root In some cases. was OF split boards with a
light covering OF earth, on which a green sod
had sprung up from the seeds carried there by
the wind. But little Of the land was cultivated
and no fences were scen except the little garden
enclosures around the dwellings. Immense herd.
Of cattle with an occasional flock Of sheer were
grazing on the sunny slopes, In charge Of
mounted herdsman. The roads through this
section ere mere wagon tracks, running ai will
ovrr ihe open country. They iniersect at every
conceivable angle without any apparent system
or design. Seeing but few persons Of whom To
inquire the route, with no land marks or finger
boards 10 direct our course, II was not strange
that We frcquently lost our way, more than once
the last vesiige Of road faded in the spfinginr
grass, aud We found ourself 10 the heart ~ q
prairie, stretching away till the distant elevation
touched the horizon, with no living being. no
human habitation. no mark OF civilization IN
sight-noihing but the interminable sea 81 green
around aud the blue sky overhead.
Toward the close Of the afternoon, the cloud.
which had been lazily floating through the sky
suddenly gathered in dense black mass ia lhc
Northern horizon. The mutterings Of thunder
were heard In the distance, like the oIening guns
Of great battle. and from the bosom Ol the
clouds the forke.i lightnings began TO flash forth
4 siin Norih-W Nest wind sprung up. driving the
heavy mass rapidly toward the zenith Soon
the big. steady drops Of rain began to fall. aJ-
vance guards Of the coming army The storm
swept over the defenceless pnifie with fury.
dashing tue torrents Of rain full in our face -
Flash followed flash, and peal followed peal IN
quick aud stunning succession Storms like
this spring up very suddenly on the prairie. aud
are sometimes quite fierce aud destructive. uu-
roofing houses and killing stock In the fields
We urged our pony TO his utmost. but long ere
We reached our destination, were drenched 10
| the skin.
Pawnee City is q small but neat village. the
prospective County seai Of Pawnee County II
lies In the midst Of ~ fertile a country. and ID
Inhabited By A. Intelligent, moral and enierpri'.
ing people, A. we have sen ia the West Il
has ahourishing Academy aud considerable trade
with the country around. An N. Z. Church j.
in course " erection, and number Of stores aud
dwellings will he put up soon a the brick can
be burnt. There u q scarcity Of timber aud ~
water power. Limestone - found IN the vicinity
and good quality Of biiuminous coal has laiely
been discovered near by. The community needs
mechanics in almost every trade, aud with n
ture prospects for the Territory, we consider this
a good point for emigrants 10 locate. L. Nh