New-York tribune., 1875-03-06
THE STRICKEN FRONTIER.
HOW THE FAMINE WAS ENDURED. o

n
GREELEY, Colorado, Feb. GA correspondent
In an Eastern journal makes three serious charges IN
regard 10 the suffering in Kansas and Nebraska. He
ays that the esttulon Is much e1aggerated secondly
that par; of the money and goods get Into the hands OF
those who do not deserve them and who do not nccd
them; and, thirdly that a large proportion OF the
settlers are naturally so inefficient that they ought to be
forced back to the places whence they came
Now IA probably that there are bcggars travel
ing IN many places their own account who are
swinders but nobody needs give to them for hero are
Trustworthy agents who will see that every dollar
reaches q proper destination; and up to the present
time no local complaints been made OF perVerslon
Of funds, nor Of msmanage though o. heces-
sy some must exist. Whether tho destitution 10 ex-
aegeratod may to some be asoertained when We
como to know what 1t is to settle new country, whcre-
over lt may be- For the last five years the settehehs
of the western portions OF Kansas and Nebraska has
been extremely rapid and during the last two years
pioneers have reached hundredth meridian and
pushed beyond This meridian is 200 miles west
of TIE Missouri River. and it Is The dividing hno Dc
tween tho two climates OF North America-namely, OF
the moist and arid though each partakes OF ucD OF
tho other there Is gradual blending In ordinary
seasons good corn crops raised on the western sdo
OF this meridian but the cultivation must be thorough
Two years ago saw iue sod corn 100 miles west Oh
this line. but here properly Is the border OF
the great stock ranges where the grass cures
az Is stands, furnishing excellent Winter fecd.
The best crop along these Is whea
snce this grain needs but little moisture ana my in-
preston Is that In the future immense crops VIII DC
raised here equal In the aggregate to the whoe prOdce
OF California while the quality will DO equal TO IT, BE-
sides apples most other fruits will hoursh whiie
millions Of cattle will feed the nutritious grasses
short distance westward Thls is In the heart OF the
great plains and upon the buffalo ranges, extend
ing north and south. Timber IS never found except in
the valleys OF the streams and the cold winds OF winter
blow with terrible power During the last Two years
the immigration into this region has been so great tha
perhaps u counties have been settled and organized
having population OF about 5000 each, and 1t may be
said that there are noineghborhOofs more than two
years old In such country lumber ia and dear
Most OF It cottonwood which warps beyond ones con-
ception, and it Of this material that the houses
were built, often by mailing the boards up
and down, 'barn fashion, and strapping with
strips two inches wide. WarDng began imme-
diateIy, however letting in both the and wind
the only remedy being stuff the cracks with mud or
rags Generally such houses have only one room,
though there NAV be partition for bedroom; and
bed is In tho loft, reached by ladder Inc
warming done by stoyeof course Is cook-stove,
and the fuel burned IL cottonwood cm and perhaps
some ash and black walnut L have mover seen man
more Industrious than when on one occasion was wind
bound for a day, and ho undertook to keep the room
which is really comfortable. The side OF bank IS dug
into for the proposed house. and upon such level that
the wall on the back side will be 10 feet hgh then
poles logs laid along the soping Sides and poles
are laid for roof, which is placed thick bed OF
grass the whole covered with earth from one foot
to two feet deep The front made OF lumber poles or
of sod and with window Another good material
Is sod cut from bottom land, generally turned with
heavy plow and divided into blocks with a spade The
thick grass roots hold material together and con-
struction is comparatively rapid. Such house Is I'm
peryiOus to the wind and where sod can be had
This is the best way for "homesteader" build or
course dwellings Of this kind will not be neat for dirt
and dust will constantly fall and after two or three
years the sods decay and likely to fall, but
times the whole will stand 10 or Is years; and have
seen some that pastered and papercd inside look
ing really neat The greatest objection to dug-ouP
and house is that they afford refuge to such vermn
as usually abound small dwellings, and it impossi
bic TO expel them
THE FAMINE
The crops raised two years ago. being on sod, were
corn bucwheat and vegetables and last Spring wheat
and oats were sown in addition, and theywho able
planted fruit trees. To large extent the settlers
"homesteaders"that is they undertook to occupy 50
Of Government land within railroad limits for lve
years. when they would title. 100 acres beyond
the railroad mitsthat is, 20 miles from the track. The
majority had but little than to build houses.
buy teams and Seed and perhaps trie to lay by for
some unknown calamity unexpected sickness, and
they wholly unprepared for losses by Insect ene-
mies. Is is certain that some had no knowledge OF
farming they had always lived in thickly settled
communities, and their main idea in coming West was
homes OF their and to be removed from the
apprehensons OF dependence and dstressful poverty
which they saw awaited them indeed, thousands Of this
class have been coming West every year for the last Is
years. and it Is known that they have in the end sue
ceeded as we'll rs many who knew more.
The season Of 1874 dry one, and the crops could
not have been full average except moist ground in
valleys or utervaes. All at once, and In the hight OF
the growing season. while corn was nearly ht to be
roasted, while vines were beginning to yield, while
flowers raised from seed by Eastern friends
bright with blossoms and buds tho grasshoppers came.
and they covered every green and living thing The
insects gisened from aoft in tho bright sunlight then
they came in still greater numbers; darkness and despair
settled on every household almost much II the
rstborn were about carried to the grave. In two
days In three days. in week. everything was gone, the
green grass turned browa the foliage OF the trees dis
sppeared and yet neither frost Winter had come.
This WAS tho end and more can be told. In long
settled community, much more could bo told. because
there cultivation is extensive and parts OF fields and
corners OF gardens would be saved or in the CRIB or IN
the cellar In the barns and in the ROOMS are the
fruits and earnings OF other prosperous years. Years
which were calamitous taught them how TO combat and
to survive but these poor folks fresh on the prairie
sod and almost as inexperienced as their own dear
children were bowed TO the dust. The disaster would
have been insignificant there had been only few for
these could have relieved but here was enough 10
mako whole city full" scattered through the frontier
counties concentration of inexperence and OF want
II they had been years they could have helped
themselves have seen whole counties In Ohio where
the drouth that not enough was raised TO
keep even the cows there no suffering for tho
farmers had money enough to purchase grain from
abroad.
or course, men and women and children must have