Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-05-13
(oofrsspondsnss oishs HssALn.,
Letter from Nebraska.
CuRIEw, Nebraska, May I


DEAR HERALD.-Haglng dated my
first letter at the above mysterious
plsce, perhaps it is best to fret state
what and where aCurlew" is, and
thus "detine my position" Journey.
ing southwark from Yankton some
twenty miles into Cedar County,
Nebrasks, one finds O certain tract
of two or three square miles of rich
rolling prairie, known to all the sur
rounding settlers as the town site of
"Curlew." 1t is laid out in streets
and blocks; fine Autograph maps
and views of the future city have
been made, and lots have been sold
here yet few stones around the
edge set by the surveyors are the
only marks of improvement. The
broad rich swells, burned over and
black, look as they always have in
spring.
Three years ago, some Peoria men
got up this scheme. Poor men, la
borers and servant girls, invested
their savings in town lots, and
large colony from Peoria was to EN-
igrate. But the colony failed to
come, and "CurIew" is only known
to . dozen or two Of settlers around;
and as the first postmaster of the
settlement is one Smith, the town
begins to be called Smithland. Two
days ago, came hither on foot to
view certain tracts of land each side
of "Curlew," and got weather. bound
at the poor cabin ola homesteader,"
where must stay till the furious
wind, rain and sleet subside. So
this storm must bear the blame of
causing this letter.
There is such uniformity through
out this region on both sides of the
Missouri, that the reports of the
general run" of homesteaders with
whom l converse in Nebraska will
apply as well to the lands Of south
ern Dakota. Most Of the settlers
ploug the Valley of the Bow Rivers
here, arc Germans l. costs then
limos. nothing tog shoe leather,
though the family be ever SO large
for there is plenty of heavy cotton,
wood timber along the Missouri, TO
be had at two dollars per cord, and
it yields the best of wooden shoes, of
all sizes.
Many here are glad they left
states farther east, on account of the
perfect and almost invarable health
that has blessed them since they es-
capped from the land Of age" The
only general subjects Of complaint
are the absolute treelessnesss OF the
country away from the river bottom,
and the fierce wind-storms of winter
and spring. Women also complain
of muddy floors, poor houses and
general poverty, just as did the pio-
neers of Grant County, years ago.
| ask the men what crops do the
best. They say every thing does
well that no greater yield of wheat,
oats, corr, potatoes, sorghum, onions
aud all Vegetables ever rewarded their
labor. "But don't these fearful
winds lodge your grain, and blow
down your c, m in summer ?" 'tOh |
no; we never have these winds when
the cr'p4 IRE growing" they tell
me aud see tor myself that none
of last years corn stalks have that
leaning 10 the earth so common at
home.
In one part of this Bow Valley,
settled II years ago farms are held
st ID To 20 dollars pr acre, without
the advantages OF riil.ge or rail-
road. Here are sinai! cottonwood
groves, traa@clAn,e'i aud growing
much faster th=r hos near the
Square in lancaster. One grove set
seven years ago had many trees q
foot in diameter and IS TO 40 feet
bigh. Tire astonishing rapility with
which tLe.e vast desrIt wastes will
becom" covered with timber, il the
fires are stopped. will bs the chief
maaue ~ making il more pleasant
and homelIke il lew years. springs
and streain- a'e not so frequent as
in Grant County, but good wells are
twice as easily obtained.
The spring is cold and late, and
the remarkable quantity of rain and
snow promises wet soil and splendid
crops. Here where l write, l see
the fields: green with newly sown
wheat, while every hollow where
snow could lodge contains vast drifts
left by that unparalleled storm of Is
days ago. Most of the small grain is
now sown. The new "herd law"
makes it needless for farmers to
fence crops to keep out stock. This
is the true principle even for Wiscon.
| s'n, 90 Il appears to me-
o. askiug particularly as TO tbs
compaiaI merlss oil hish p!ateaus
or rolling prairie land aud low creek
bottoms, ! am told there 10 hardly
any choice for raising crops; and
the soil is seen to be essentially the
same, except on the swells and rough
land are few graveIly spots. A
severe drought or sudden descent
of a swarm of grasshoppers are the
things worst feared.
Although last winter was very
severe, yet can hear of no deaths
or freezing, ever among those who
haul every stick Of their wood and
lumber fifteen miles. Every settler
| aeerns sfriuinn To hnra hia nun tim.