White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1871-10-05
ne Nebr.slka Exearsien.

The Nebraska Exeasaion.
Upon invitation Of MAJ HKTH, Superintendent
of the Atchison and Nebraska Railroad, we accom-
panied the excursion party, on Thursday Of last
week, and attended the business meeting at the
Picnic Grove on the Nemaha.
The train reached here at half past twele, and
bad ON board large number of business ussn Of
Atohison, and number Of porsous from other
placea Among the party were senat~ PoxERor,
GEN. srRrNorrIIow, a brother Of JAMES T. joy,
the editor Of Railroxd papss In Chicago, W. 8.
BURxE, Of the Leavenworsh Bstiefis, and many
othera Some got on hsse, and number at Rulo;
and with those ~lp were ON the ground nom
points above, the whole number reached several
hundred.
The Picuic Ground Is On the banks of the Nem-
aha, at fss second crossing, about midway be
tween Rulo and Falls City. 1t in beautiful spot
belonging to the Railroad Company, and has been
fttsd up expressly for picnic purposes. pcrma-
sent stand has been erected, with floor and seats;
a well dug on the ground, and enclosed; and Ia
bles provided sufficient to accommodate three or
four hundred picnicers. Ample preparations had
been made, and when the excursion arrived on the
ground, dinner was ready, consisting of roast
chicken, ham, bread, pickles, fruits and salads ice
water, and lager.
After dinner, the meeting was called to order,
for the purpose of effecting organization to Sc
cure just share Of emigration to Southern Ne
braska. Committees were appointed for the va
rons details Of organization, and officers of the As
sociation were chosen. Short speeches were made
by Senator PoNERoY, Gen. STRINGFELLOw, Mai.
FIKrH, and A. ScnEoNHErI, Esq Messrs. POM
ERoY and SmNGFELIOw gave some practical
views about advertising the country and inviting
emigration and pointed especially at the two evils
of large bodies of lands being held by spectators,
and reservations occupied by worthless and un-
civilized Indians to the exclusion Of settlers, who
alone could build up a country. They were en-
phatic in the opinion that the Indians must he got
out of the way speedily, and their lands sold to
actual settlers, at e125 per acre; and they rub
bed rather roughly upon those officials who were
standing in the way of this consummation, when
the Indians were anxious to sell and be off to join
their people in the Indian country. Maj. FIRTH's
remarks were brief, aud related chiefly to the
willingness and the intention of the Railroad
Company to do all in their power to advertise and
draw emigration to Southern Nebraska He said
| the more the country was settled and developed,
the better it would he for the railroad, and that
while assisting to build up the country, they
| would benefit themselves
After the organization and the speeches, the
party again took the cars, and proceeded to the
end of the track, within about quarter of mile
of the town of Humboldt, and about IS miles from
Atchison. The road, Q short distance above White
Cloud, enters the beautiful Nemaha Valley, and
| traverses it the entire distance to Humboldt,
| crossing it a number of times This valley is n
magnificent country. On one side of you is the
winding stream, skirted with groves of timber,
and ON the other side the valley enclosed in green
slopes, dotted with fields and farm-houses. A
short distance above its mouth, there more
high and abrupt bluffs. The ground presents an
almost gradual slope to the river, leaving but lit
tie waste land For some distance up, the two
sides of the stream present not very pleasing
contrast-the one side being occupied by farms,
while the other is as wild as the day America was
discovered, being reserved for the dirty remnant
of q tribe of barbarians who make use of it
| themselves, but debar those who would improve
it and make it productive. large body Of the
very hest land in the United States is thus lying
waste and unapproachable, that, in proper hands,
would support thousands of industrious people,
aud nearly all of which would would be tributary
| to our town.
| Rulo is not on the main track of the road, but
| is approached by SWITCH or "Y." 1t had been
thirteen years since we had the place, and of
course we found it improved wonderfully. It is
going to make substantial town, and already
contains number of citizens full of soul and en-
ergy.
Falls City is a considerable town, handsomely
situated ON high ground, about half a mile from
the Nemaha. the Falls City men are general,
wide awake. Falls City has the best depot on the
road. 1t was built by the citizens, at their own
expense. This town is the County Seat of Rich
artlson County, and says she intends to remain go;
while others say they are going to confer that
honor upon Salem. That question will be decided
next week, and We shall soon know the result.
Salem is situated on the west hank of the Mem
aha, and we saw very little of it, but it looks like
pleasant situation. The large school-house, said
to be the finest in the County, was in full view.
With school-houee standing sentinel over the
town, there must be something good about the
place.
humDOidt is ABOUT quarter OF a nile OeyOnu
the end of the track 1t is small village, stand
ing upon the hill side, facing the winding valley
of the Nemaha. A bridge over the stream was
just approaching completion, and in few days
the trains will be running to Humboldt The
abutments of this bridge are of a beautiful mag
nesian limestone, said to be found in great abun-
dance in the vicinity. 1t is the finest building
stone we have yet seen in this country. The COM
pletion of the road to the above point, will place
this choice building material within reach Of the
towns below. 4'-&-- &ss
The excursion, returning, reached White Cloud
at 9 o'clock in the evening, and the hungry crowd
at once repaired to the City Hotel, and sat down
to of the best suppers got up in the State
This supper was ordered by Maj. FIRTH, at his
own expense, and was part of the excursion exer
cises.
1t is just one year since work on this road was
commenced in earnest, under the auspices of Mr..
JOY. The work that had been done was in very
incomplete state. In one years time, we may
say, seventy five miles of road have been graded,
tied, ironed, and equipped, in the best aud most