Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-10-02
The WEST.

midst of a rich country. There is
quite lot OF timber all around it
A great many of the citizens are en-
ployees Of the railroad, who have
their home there. When they got
the rail road there first, the people
thought Red Oaks would soon be a
second New York. As it is there
is quite a large amount ol
business done, although the town
itself is not large. The. western
portion ofIowa along this railroad
the Burlington d Missouri River
roads beautiful. The land is
rolling, and is quite fertile and pret
ty well watered. We like the face
of the country much better than
where it is so very level as in other
parts of the West. 1t was at this
point we took breakfast,as we men
toned in our last, in one OF the hand
some dining cars which are always
attached to the trains on this road
between Burlington and Council
Bluffs. Every thing is served in a
manner, equal to any hotel in the
land. 1t is a very great convent
ence to the traveller, and one that is
highly appreciated. Shortly after
this we begin to descend the
slope that leads down the stream and
ravines through the bluffs to the fat
below, and soon arrive at the Pa
cife Junction where we change cars
for Plattsmouth, the train we leave
going on to Council Bluffs twenty
five miles up the Missouri river, and
then by transfer into Omaha. We
cross the Missouri into Plattsmouth
by ferry boat. The river at this
time is very low, and sand bars are
seen almost everywhere. Landing
in Nebraska, we enter the waiting
room at the depot and see two clocks
differing in time about half an hour,
yet both right. One is Chicago time
by which the trains east of the Mis-
souri, are run and the other is Oma
ha time by which the trains west Of
the river are run. just one hour to
wait. We look around for some
thing to stay our hunger. as it is
now nearly noon, and dinner more
than sixty miles away. We find a
dry lunch, poor bread without any
butter, as the young man said there
was no butter in town that morning
to be had, which we afterwards
learned was fact. We here by &C
cident find that one or two OF our
fellow travellers formerly resident of
Holmes county. We refer to Mr.. 4
Mrs. Humphrey Huckins of Illinois.
Mrs. Hucki1s was Miss Boyd from
near Berlin in this county where she
says she has yet two brothers. They
we're going out to Nebraska to look |
around among their friends and
where they will probably
ocate. Leaving PlattsmOuth about
loon, we soon find ourselves travel
ing along the Platte river, with
bluffs to our left, and the sandy bed
led river to our right. This river
s very wide and spreads over a
,reat deal of ground. It is not navi-
Fable, owing to the immense sand
'ars, that are continually shifting
rom one place to another. The wa
er is very shallow. About eight or
en- miles from Plattsmouth, the
ranch from Omaha unites with the
me from Plattsmouth. The face of
he country along this river is rough
or several miles into the State.
Near Ashland we leave the river and
trike out across the country in a
outh westerly direction. There is
ONE beautiful country along there
The soil is rich and well watered.
Is we proceed farther towards the
apital, the land becomes quite lev
!. The country is beautiful to look
t, but it is said that the land is not
o good as in other parts of the
tate. The soil is good enough on
he top, but there is what they call
'hard- -pan"under meath which gets
cry hard, and prevents the water
rom going down or moisture from
oping up. Lincoln, the capital of
'ebraska is about sixty miles west
{ the Missouri river, and is situa
ed on a small hill or rolling ground
is quite an enterprising town, be-
lg about six years old.and contain
ng eight thousand inhabitants. Our
'ain stopped here for dinner. There
oes not seem to be that hustle nor
-ir around the depot as is generally
the State capitals, perhaps owing {
, the small size of the town in I
with other capitals. AZ I
,r dinner we move on westward. For s
few miles, thirty or forty perhaps I
le face of the country is rolling, c
ith quite number of small e
,reams here and there. About L
rate, which is the first principal sta L
on beyond Lincoln, there is some a
zcellent farming land. The soil G
productive, fruit can be raised to
ood advantage, and water can be
ad at small depth. We liked the
ppearance of that part of the coun- b
y very much. Judging from the :
Dpearance of the stubbles on the s
elds, they have had an excellent
'op of wheat. Beyond this point n
lie prairies again begin to grow lev C
and continue so through the re t