Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-06-11
LETTER FROM NEBRASKA.
G1BBoN, BUFFALO Co., NEB.,
Nav 05 1873.

G1BBoN, BUFFALO Co., NEB.,
May %, 1873.
EDITOR CHRONICLE - I find In
vour issue Of the 7th inst, q letter
written byA L. Fitch from Repub-
lican City, in which the writer makes
some reflections upon my letters
written for the CHRONICLE, upon the
Platte Valley. He says: "But the
Platte Valley can be compared to the
Republican Valley about as Champi-
pion or Southington can be compared
to the best townships in your eoun-
ty.n Now the writer has either neY-
er seen the Platte Valley or he means
to misrepresent. 1 have not one
word to Ietract with regard to Ne
brasKa having given your readers a
correct account of the country as far
as my knowledge extends. 1t is true
that there is a little timber on the
Republican and a very poor quality
Of limestone, and perhaps so far, the
Republican is superior to the Platte
Valley. But the soil on the Repuo-
lican is very far inferior to that oil
the Platte Valley that section being
without railroads our preference is
with this section Of the State. South
ofthe Platte, there are certain sand
hills that extend south, but lose much
Of the sand before reaching the Re-
publican and the soil becomes passl'
bic. but by no means anything to be
eompared to that Of the Platte Valley
which is as 1 have said, from to Y
feet deep and for richness and fertili'
ty is nowhere equalled, in my opln'
ion. The Republican has very mar
row valley and in many places none
at all. and no railroads within 40 or 81
miles. There is one surveyed which
will be built when the country VII
upport it and the necessary capita
is forthcoming. 1 think it is far t'
saw that at least five or six years mus
elapse before any railroad will Pene
trste that section. Nevertheless, l
people wish to emigrate to a section
of country void of railroads and mar
kets. and in short, "out Of human
tvs reaeh,n we shall not object. MI
Fitch tells us, April SOth, that the.
have had no rain since September
Now where was the gentleman du
ring our great storm which com
meneed the 18th Of April with rail
and continued to rain for five hours
and then turned to snow and eontin
ued with unabated fury 10
seventy-two hours 1 thin
all the citizens living betweel
Fremont on the east and McPhersol
/, on the west, both old and young, WI
remember that storm with terror un
til their last breath. For did not ful
" one-half the cattle and many hor
ses and mules, perish ? The gentle
8 man must have a poor memory, Q
, else wishes to ignore the worst storn
: ever witnessed by mau since the day
r Of Noah. Scientific men tell US
was electrical and if they had added
and hell broke loose, we should hav
believed them. 1t were idle to al
tempt any description but will say
was appalling.
The spring is about five weeks late
. than one year ago, and farmers al
D growing uneasy for fear seed tim
will fail to arrive in time to mature
: crop of corn. Wheat and oats are i
: and looking finely. A shower
i grasskoppers pounced down upon U
!. the 23d and are cleaning out the ga
dens. Having swallowed all Texa
: they appear before US nice and fat
a how long they will continue is diff
a cult to tell.
: Ithas rained nearly, or quite ha
! the time since the 18th Of April an
this valley has soaking which "
a doubt if it has had the like since tt
s food. Having lived here for over
wear 1 am now in a better eonditio
r to answer those inquiries made b
If friends in the east relative to climat
/ the prospects for mechanics, &C., &
II PEOPLE do die sometimes here. NM
d notwithstanding the excellent el
!. mate, many came here with po'
hooItb and sra very soon benit1tte
d and others do not realize their expe
y tations and are under the necessity
le hurrying out Of the country, AS
general rule, persons troubled vii
is pulmonary diseases are benehtte'
r but there are exceptions which hay