Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-02-21

during their months Of weary toiling
across the plains. through winding can
ons and over mountains. The whistle
shrieks. the cry of '.all aboard rings
through the chilling air. and our train
starts on It's road which stretches out so
many. many miles. The passengers set
tie down into their places. each with
that reserved. self-eontained air one is
apt to wear among strangers We all
knew the ice would break after awhile.
but there must needs be the little time
in which formalities are carefully OBJ
I served. so we fall to reading or studying
the landscape so constantly changing
befors oe-eyes.
As / am not writing guide book. it
viii be worse than useless for me to at
tempt ever 50 meager description of
all the two hundred and 6fty-four sta
tions which lie between Omaha and the
golden gate. so we will only notice
those Of the most Importance.
Nebraska has considerable foreign
element. made up of Germans. Swedes.
Scandinavians and Irish. That there is
sufficient of the Yankee element to leav-
en- the whole. is evidenced BY the rapid
development Of the resources of the state.
Villages. some of them of considerable
size, are frequent. and some of them are
inviting in appearance. The Platte val
ley, which We enter about 81 miles out
from Omaha, extends for distance of
400 miles, and it seems to me it must
be, in time, one Of the richest agricul-
tural regions in America. 1t may, in
dry seasons, require irrigation to pro-
duce It's full measure of crops, though it
is claimed that, so far, that has been
found unnecessary. The Platte river
has reputation for instability. 1t is
broad, often reaching its arms out three
fOurths of mile. and it looks deep, but
am eredibly informed that except dur
ing rainy season, it averages not more
than six or eight inches, with shifting
quieksand for its bed. This valley was
grand to look upon. even under a dull,
November sky, and l can easily believe
it to be very beautiful in summer time.
when the grass is green and the fields of
grain whitening for the harvest. How
the corn here must lift up its ears as the
trains go laundering by
Timber is scarce. as in many of the
western states; but the farmers along
the route are eultivating groves which
they have planted, and which not only
add much to the appearance CT their
farms, but also shelter their buildings
from the winds which must sometimes
sweep through the valley.
Fremont is the largest town in the
valley, and as it has large grain eIe-
vater near the station, conclude it is
the shipping point for the grain raised
On the fine farms about 1t has about
24OO inhabitants and is growing
like the little boy at school. who is "6
goin' on T."
All the afternoon our road lies up the
valley, straight on, almost as direct as
it is possible to build road. At night
We halt for supper at Grand Island. the
county seat Of Hall county, with a pop
ulation of perhaps thousand, and the
usual accompaniment Of stores, grocer
les, bar-rooms, etc. Six months ago
three newspapers we're alive there, but
it IS doubtful whether they still exist.
Under the genial glow Of the lamps,
the ice Of ceremony was broken and the
evening proved very pleasant Our near
est neighbor proved to be Mrs. George
Wilkins of Stowe, Vermont, on her way
to Vallejo to visit a brother. Not fal
away was Mr.. ShiOda, minister of tbs
japanese government, with his two sec
retaries and two servants. on their way
home from France He proved cult
waited gentleman. and very agreeable
travelling companion.
From the organ came the notes 0
Home. Sweet Home" sending on
thoughts back to the old fresides. Will
: our train drove steadily on. every mo
ment carrying Us farther from 1.-The dear
est spot on earth.
Early in the morning we halted 70
breakfast at Sidney. Neb., q militar,
POST With the usual outgrowth Of sucl
place The morning was cold, ant
: the dry snow drifted about in the wins
: making everything as cherries as pOssi
? bic.
Along our road through the mornin
hours, prairie dogs, not much large
than fair squirrel, are very numerous
and 90 scudding to their burroughs a
We approach them. We must have pass
ed thousands Of them IN . few hour,
time. solne one saw an antelope z
d bounding across the plain: | ate som
4 antelope steak. but came no nearer tha
; that to seeing one
{ Sheep and cattle we're numerous. an
E they looked as fat and sleek as one eoul
( desire. With DO hint about them tia
finding ones living under Eve or ak in
4 ehes Of snow il undesirable. That the
,. do live cut Of doors. unfed, uneared Il