Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1868-08-07
From the Ear. West.
MONTANA. Iowa, July 25, 1868.

!
sixteen and one half miles west of
Omaha. This city was surveyed
and built during the summer and
! fall of 1867.
Its population Las been variously
estimated at from 1900 to 10000, in
Guiding the floating population,
which until recently has been very
heavy. As we foot our own bills
and are under obligations to no one,
| Except the Rail Road Companies
we shall speak of everything just as
we find it, according 10 the best of
our judgment and belief. If any one
says that Cheyenne contains larger
population than $500, he stretches
the truth more than it will bear
Sixteenth and Seventeenth Streets
are through the central portions of
the city. John Smith or some other
man has, for instance, gambling
house or saloon at No 1920 Sixteenth
Street. The reader may ask If it
does not require large city to have
such large numbers. Not necessarily.
But when we inform you that the
numbering of business lots common
ces mile or O mile and a quarter
from the improved portion of town,
you will be able to see the point.
At the time when Cheyenne was at
the height of its prosperity, there
were within its borders not less than
one thousand professed gamblers and
biacklegs, and half that number of
women who were-not what they
ought to he. At the present time
probably four-fifths Of both classes
have removed further West, as it is
for their interest to keep near the
end of the road. One.half of the
houses in the city are either hotels.
gambling houses, dance houses or sa-
looms. Scores of gambling houses
and other places Of amusement (?)
are at present in full blast every |
night, enriching few, impoverish-
ing many, and ultimately running ALL
Legitimate business houses are doing
well but not running wild with ex-
element. Schools are established
and the E3iscopalians are'erecting
fine house of worship. Dwelling
houses are mostly of n cheap and
temporary character, but few sub
stantial buildings are as yet being
built.
The Rail Road Company have
commenced the erection of Machine
Shops, but they will not probably be
very extensive, as they have already
constructed very substantial and ex-
tensive shops at Laramie, only fifty
miles further West.
Three daily newspapers are pub
lished here ut present-two Republic
can and one Democratic. The Chey-
enne Leader is published by Mr.. n.
A. Baker, the Rocky Mountain Star,
by Messrs. Williams & Hayford, and
the Cheyenne Argus, (Democratic),
by l.. l.. Bedell & Co. All appear to
be doing well, charging $500 col
umn per quarter for advertising and
$1,000 per year subscription. Single
papers retail at fifteen cents.
After nights rest at the Ford
House, Ia house by the way which
would be credit to any Iowa city,
we are overtaken by q Mormon emil
grant train, conveying seven hun
dred souls to the promised land
Anxious to reach the end of our jour
ney and return home, we get aboard
this train bound for Laramie. In
conversation with the emigrants we
learn that they are from England
and Wales and that the men are to he
given work on the u. =. II. r., OH
Brigham Young's contract. We
asked fair Mormon-ess, "Whither
goest thou?" She replies, ITO Salt
Lake City" We asked her if she
did not fear that her husband would
take to himself other wives upon
their arrival to that gOodly land
She replied that she could stand it If
he could. Being entirely satisfied
we take ourself to the caboose, which
was occupied by white folks, and
take view of the country.
Most people have an idea that
Cheyenne is situated at the very foot
of the Mountains. We stood i'm this
erroneous view, and hence were
somewhat disappointed to find that
the Black Hills, although in sight,
were located forty miles to the North
West, and the Snowy Range, with
their SNOW capped peaks, forming a
ragged horizon, were no less than one
hundred and twenty-five miles to
the South West, while Cheyenne is
situated OH q high, rough, rolling
prairie, far from timber or anything
that looks like civilization, except
the steam horse. From Cheyenne to
Sherman, q distance of thirty-one
miles, the road ascends heavy grade,
in places it being ninety feet to the
mile. Sherman is located ON the
summit of the pass through the
Black Hills, and is $500 #. above the
level of the sea. At this point the
road commences q descent somewhat
sleeper than the Eastern slope. The
scenery through this section of coun-
try is very beautiful and picturesque.
although Mountains are still in the
distance on either side, Huge piles
of granite rock and deep ravines pre-
sent strong contrast with the hith-
erto monotonous scenery and gives
rest to the weary traveller. .-..
At Sherman the Company own
1900 cords of wood which was
brought twenty miles and cost from
Sl2.O0 to $500 per cord.
Three miles west of Sherman the
| Road crosses Dale Creek, Ia very
small stream) on a bridge one hun
dred and seventy feet high, on either
side of which they were compelled
to blast their way through solid
granite rock.