Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1868-09-03
Letter from NeyE nIe1ico.
FT. UNION, New MEXICO,
InIv 29th 1863

ern Colorado and New Mexico, via
steamer to LeavenwOrth and thence
west by rail. I stopped two days al
junction City, three miles from Fort
Riley, and at the Junction of the
Smokey Hill and Republican rivers.
I procured team and visited Fort
Riley and the surrounding auntry
ind the Fort guarded by one com
pany of soldiers, and it will eyentu-
ally be abandoned, as tits useless here
any longer. Junction City, built uT
and sustained by the railroad and the
patronage Of the Fort, has attained It's
fun size. There are very few inn
proved farms around here, as apart
from the valleys of the Smoky Hill
and Republican, the country is very
rough and broken, and seriously af-
| fiicted with the Kansas complaint
"drouth." The grass, crops and
stock all show the effect of it. The
railroad having passed on, the town is
left dependent upon its own resources,
which to me are not apparent to any
desirable extent. The crops of small
grain around here are medium, the
corn far inferior, and grazing decidedly
poor, in comparison with Southern
Nebraska.
The valleys of the Saline and Solo
mans forks of the Smoky Hill, like
better, though the effects of the drouth
are here visible. These drouths in
Kansas are of too frequent occurrence
to make any point remote from the
Missouri river desirable; and at pres
ent the transfer of the surplus produce
of these valleys, and the reception of
supplies are wholly dependent upon
one line of railroad, a monopoly ex-
torting exhorbitant prices, eating up
what profits may be in grain growing
or stock raising.
From Saline up the entire valley of
the Smoky Hill to Pond Creek, and
thence to vicinity of Bent's Fort, on
the Arkansas river, a distance of sew
eral hundred miles, the whole country
is what an Englishman would term a
"blasted 'un." Not stream on the
entire route worth a dam. Grass all
dried Out-burnt up-and no water fit
to drink. From Bent's Fort to Trini-
dad, at the foot of Ration Mountains,
in Colorado, the grass is better, but
not good grazing; and at no point
from Fort Harker to Trinidad, will
soil repay cultivation.
Leaving Trinidad we commenced
the ascent of the Rattoon Mountains,
up most beautiful valley, watered by
aclear, cold, ,dashing mountain stream,
covered by luxuriant growth of
grass; the mountains on each side
thickly set with straight, flourishing
pines; the road excellent, all contrast
ing so strongly with what we had
previously experienced, that thought
it the most delightful place 1 had ever
seen. But then I am credibly in
formed that these beautiful mountain
passes, and these lovely valleys are
frequently covered with deep snow
late in May and early in October, and
that often fearful and violent storms
rage here. I also notice in gardens
here green peas just blooming, and
other vegetables, all from two to three
months later than with US. These
long winters are not desirable for stock
raising, and for any other purpose this
country is worthless.
From the western base of the noun
tains to the Cimeron river, (Maxwell's
Branch, } the grass is but medium for
grazing. At Cimeron we found Rich
ard Brown and family, of Brownville,
and Judge Holly, of Nebraska City,
doing the wind work of new town
they have laid out here" Cimeron
CITY," But it is entirely dependent
upon the success of the mines here;
and in regard to them L can get no re-
liable information, we're flattering.
That there is gold here, there is no
doubt. That there are excellent OPP
portunities to invest money in the
purchase of claims and town lots, is
also true; as is the fact that hundreds
of men are leaving here every day
who vote the whole thing humbug.
The only water furnished here is by
one ditch owned by Maxwell & Co.
Maxwell owns the land; hence. as 1
see it, tits a monopoly-Owned and
controlled by few men who will
make all the money, if any is made.
Leaving the Cimeron, we pass, on
the road to Fort Union, numerous
small Mexican farms. The wheat and
oats now only from one to two feet
high, and just headed out; and the
corn from two to three feet high. A
Nebraska farmer would estimate the
yield per acre of wheat and oats at
about eight or ten bushels, and the
corn a failure. At Maxwell's 1 seen a
few acres of heavy growth of wheat,
the result of expensive manuring and
euItivating. The Estates" corn, as
they term it, cannot be raised here, the
only variety grown is a very small
fiinty kind. The stock throws out no
lateral roots, grows about three feet
high, and shoots only from near the
ground.
At Fort Union / overlook the traln'
and found Col. Porter and family, Mr.
Silas Tidwen and family, and Mr.. W.
w. Bremen, all safe, in good health,
and getting along finely. Frank Chap
lin and family stopped in Trinidad.
Mr.. Neffe and wife, and Miss Nellie
Mills stopped at CimerOt. 1 snail
here Join the train and proceed dAreGIiy
on to and down the valley OF the no
GraDdH