Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-06-28

suppose an immense volume of
water, but which is perhaps not ex-
travagantly described as of an av-|
erage width Of three miles and an
average depth OF three inches. Ito
banks are fringed with cottonwoods
and tho plains contiguous are wa.
wing with rich verdure. We pass
on through North Bend, Schuyler,
Columbus-where the road crosses
Loup Fork-to Grand Island,
smart town of 1000 inhabitants,
with newspapers, schools, &C., and
an eating station. Beyond Grand
Island we enter the buffalo region,
but "nary" sight Of hide or hoof
of buffalo blessed the eyes of the
editorial party, going or coming
This showed q singular lack of
shrewdness on the part Of the bison.
1t may be a long time before he
will have so favorable an opportu-
nifty Of being appreciativcly written
up as was presented by the visit to
his native haunts of the Iowa quill
drivers. His ancient enemy, 'Lo,"
was not SO stupid. He presented
himself to the editorial party on
several occasions, in all his native
amplitude of dirt and rags, armed
with bow and arrows, and accom-
panied by his squaw, who carried
the inevitable certificate of charac-
ter, written by some white scalawag
whose greatest need was in the
same direction. We noticed along
the road, at various points, the rude
forts or stockadcs, loop-holed for
defense against the Indians in times
past, and the necessity for which at
isolated stations is not yet removed.
Some of these are partly below the
surface Of the ground, the parts ex-
posed thickly covered with turf,
and the fort communicating with
the dwelling by a subtcrranean pas
sage.
Passing Grand Island, we ira
verse a good agricultural region,
but sparsely populated, night clo-
sing the first days journey at Aida,
the crossing of Wood river. Du-
ring the night we pass North Platte
City, place of considerable impor-
lance, from which is projected a
branch of the Union Pacific road to
connect with the Northern Pacific
in the Yellowstone region. We al
SO pass the alkali belt, which for
70 miles east Of Julesburg presents
q scene of utter barrenness and des-
olation. In the early morning we
pass Julesburg. When the Pacific
road was being constructed, this
place had at one time about 1000
inhabitants, and was perfect hell
upon earth; made so by the roughs
who congregated there in over
whelming numbers and inaugurssed
o reign Of bloodshed and terror
1t now has less than 100 people,
and all that remains Of the once
populous pandemonium is o cluster
Of adobe ruins about forty rods to
the right Of the track. The next
station of any Importance is Sidney,
an eating station, where are o round
house and machine shops, also
military post. Twenty miles fur
Their on we come to the Prairie Dog
City, where several hundred acres
on each side Of the track are thickly
strewn the mound dwellings Of these
cunning little animals. On the ap-
proach of the train they scamper to
the mouths of their burrows, and
there sit upon their launches As
erect as q soldier ON drill until it
passes. In this region also we saw
numbers of antelope, singly and in
droves. Further on we come to
what is designated by the herders
on the plains, the finest grazing
country in the world. Here is the
famous bunch grass, one Of the
most nutritious known, affording
not only unbounded feed in summer,
but also-curing on the roots-the
best of hay in the winter, without
the trouble of cutting. Stock get
fat on it the year round with no care
or attention except to herd them.
THE MOUNTAINS.
A little after noon, and about ten
miles east of Cheyenne, We get our
first view of the mountains. Stretch
ing away to the right is the bold,
dark and jagged outlines Of the
Black Hills, and far to the left rises
in sublime grandeur the white peaks
of the Snowy range, Of the Rocky
mountains; the backbone of the
continent. No after or nearer view
of them excites such emotions in the
breast Of the beholder as this first
sight of the eternal hills, cloud-capt,
and their TANKS glittering in the
sunlight. We could only look,
wonder and adore. But the rafting
train is q poor place for sentiment
and we are soon whirled into Chey-
enne, the largest town between Oma-
ha and Ogden. The population is
from 5000 to 1000, and the town
enjoys . good share of trade in sew
eral branches. 1t is SIG miles from
Omaha and 10 from Denver CITY.