Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1875-01-07

December 29, 1874.
Mr.. EDIToR:
Respected SIR-21t is now about
nine months since we cast anchor at
this place. sad although constant
reader OF. your popular JOURNAL, l
dn nos,remember of having ever seen
letter from this part of the State in
your columns. In the Eastern pa
pers of a few weeks ago, read long
letters from the Black Hills, and also
from Colorado, and the question was
asked me, why no one ever wrote any
thing about this portion of the coun-
try, with its broad acres of the rich
est and most inviting agricultural
lands within the entire bounds of the
Union, open and available for set
tiers on the most easy terms, and we
might say free to all who desire to
come and occupy them, without
money and without price"
And, now, Mr.. Editor, perhaps a
few words about our new homes in
Central Nebraska might be interest
ing to your readers, and also to the
friends and acquaintances whom we
have left behind us, and are, no
doubt, much interested in our wei
fare, fearing, / suppose, that we are
in danger of starving in this far-otf
region, as the reports that have gone
east from Nebraska would lead many
to suppose that the destruction OF
that s'pestiferous and voracious in
sect, the irrepressable" grasshopper,
extended over the entire State; when
as it was principally confined to a
strip of territory including about
fifteen counties running diagonally
through the State from the North
east to the Southwest, and from
East to West, beginning about
Schuyler, in Colfax county, and run
ming west about one hundred and
twenty miles to Plum Creek in the
eastern part of the county. As we
are new settlers, we suppose Mr..
Grasshopper concluded that it was
not judicious to invade us in force,
consequently we received only a fly
ing visit, and we are very thankful
that they did not conclude to inspect
our crops more closely.
DAWSON COUNTY
is situated almost in the center of
the State, and as at present constitu-
ted, is forty-two miles long from
east to west and twenty four from
north to south, traversed its entire
length by the Platte river and the
Union Pacific Railroad. This coun-
ty is in the great warm or grazing
belt of the State. This warm belt is
to this country what the Gulf
Stream is to the Atlantic States for
warmth, as it furnishes perpetual
grazing for live stock in winter and
does away with all necessity for
sheltering flocks. as the winters are
as mild as those of the boasted gra-
zing plains of the far-off market
lacking Texas, whence large fiocks
are driven to Kansas and this part of
Nebraska to winter and fatten for
market. Water of purest and cold
est christal is found at depth of
four to forty feet, as the altitude
above the river bed may be, and the
danger of overflow so incident and so
destructive to many of our richest
valleys is beyond possibility here, as
our rises are from melting snow far
away at the mountain sources of our
"Nile of the West" and so do not
reach us, until after the mid-sum
mer heat of July, when all the con-
fluent streams are at their lowest
stage.
The soil of this country is rich
alluvial deposit from two to ten feet
deep, mixed with vegetable mold.
very fertile, and admirably adapted
to agriculture. The valley at this
point is seventeen miles wide and
bounded by bluffs on both sides of
the river, which extend out into roll
ing prairie, .interspersed with shell
tered hollows or canons, and covered
winter and summer with a fine
growth of buffalo and blue Joint
grass, on which large herds of stock
are kept and fattened during the en-
tire year without hay, grain or shell
ter.
THE HEALTHFULNESS
of this part of the State is unsur-
passed, as there is no stagnant water,
the drainage heing perfect with a
slope of seven feet to the mile, which
carries off the heaviest rainfalls
promptly. Grass, weeds, &c, cure
dry and sweet without decay. In
proof of the purity of oar healthful
atmosphere, we can cure fresh beef
winter or summer in the open air
without salt, just as in the dry,
healthful attitudes of California and
Oregon.
COZAD.