Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-04-15
BELLOWS FALLS, VT, FRIDAY,

miles in an almost unbroken chain. Now,
on the north side of the river, in full
: view of the "old emigrant road" the
cars are bearing freight and passengers
0 westward
How many blows from the butt Of an
ox-whip have here fallen ON the sides of
the patient oxen as they toiled along,
hauling the ponderous wagons of freight
ers, or the lighter vehicles of the emf
grant. Here, too, the traveller will occa-
sionally catch the glimpse of a lone
grave marked by rude head board, the
last resting place of some emigrant or
freighter, Gho, overcome by sickness, laid
down and gave up the spirit to Him who
gave it. Orperchance it is the grave of
one who fell defending his wife and chill.
dren from the savage Indian who had at
tackled the train for plunder, at grey
dawn or darker night. There is a sad,
brief history connected with each, told
to the passer-by-perhaps by rude lines,
or the broken arrow or bow rudely drawn
on the mouldering head-board.
To give some idea of the vast amount
of freighting through this valley, l will
give the following official and authenti-
Gated statistics. During the year Of 1866
there were employed in this business,
$3.50 wagons, 14,620 mules, 59, ,440 cat
tie, and 1920 men, who moved to its
destination $4,000 tons of freight
The Platte is generally thought to be
a mighty river broad and majestic, but
after you pass the junction of the North
and South Forks, it is as deceiving as the
make up" Of fashionable woman of
to-day. The form is there in both cases,
but Of what shape, size or color, cannot
be told by outward appearances.
The river looks broad and deep,-tfy
it, and you find that your feet touch the
treacherous sand ere your instep is un-
der water. There is nice place where
the water appears to be ripping along
over smooth hard bottom close to the
surface-try that, and in you go over
your head in water, thick with yellowish
sand. Thus the crossing of the Platte is
often very difficult, as well as dangerous.
especially by heavily loaded teams,
which often become embedded so firmly
in the yielding quicksands that it re.
quires more than double the original
force to extricate them from this modern
slough of despond."
Fifteen miles from Fremont the cars
stop at North Bend, telegraph and pas
senger station, with an elevation above
the sea of 1895 feet, a town as yet of but
little Importance. Leaving the station
for few miles we pass along close to the
river side, so close that it seems as though
we could leap from the car into the mud
dy stream.
Fourteen miles from North Bend we
stop at Schuyler, the county seat of Col
fax county. This town contains about
$50 inhabitants. The first view of the !
Platte valley is impressive and should |
the traveller chance to behold it first in |
spring or early summer, it is then very
beautiful. Should he see it for the first !
time in midsummer, when the heat has /,
parched the plains it may not seem so /
inviting,-its beauty may be gone, but .
its majestic grandeur still remains. The
eye almost tires in searching for the
boundary of its vast expanse, and longs
to behold some rude mountain peak in
the distance as proof that the earth is
not one vast plain.
Leaving Schuyler Is miles, we arrived
at Columbus town of about 800 in
habitants, three churches, several hotels
and good schools. 1t is the county seat
of Platt county, and is called by George
Francis Train the geographical centre of
the United States. He is one of the ad-
vocates for the removal of the United
States capital and declares that it should
be located at this place. This was at
one time very busy place, large amount
of government corn being shipped to
this point during the months of July
and August of 1867.
Over 100000 of pounds were re-
shipped on wagons from this point to
Laramie and the government posts and
camps in the Powder river country.
Leaving Columbus 81 miles, we arriv-
ed at Grand Island, beautiful place
named after an island in the Plat river.
which is about two miles distant. Grand
Island, from which the town takes its
name, is the largest island in the Platt
river. 1t is about so miles long by four
wide, well wooded and fertile The ISL
and is reserved by government and is
guarded by soldiers.
In leaving this station we are told to
/" keep our eyes pealed' for buffalo. For
the next 200 miles we are within the
buffalo range where at certain seasons OF
the year, these animals range through
this pot1ntry in vast numhers The ad