The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-03-30
THE FAR WEST.
From Omaha to Cheyenne.--An Old
Timer Of the Plains, and what
he had to say.--The Valley
Of the Platt.--Cheyenne,
the magic city.
Special Corrcspondcncc.J

e I'M Th"''l0''' H"iCh '"'lI' i.'.'
. When sent my last communication 70 u'
. TRADER had no idea that so long time "o"''
intervene before thc appearance OF my next u"
, business matters nave 50 SNAPPED my "ahae'Iu-
-, that ! found II Impossible 10 write before 'H''
late day. However, snail try to contribute
letter every week after TINS, or while ] remain OF
this coast
= At this time it is not my intention to say any
thlhs ABOUT inc nature oi tnc SOIL inc Dcau'ro VI
e farming, or the art OF CULTIVATION II uu
{ would be writing about subject know nothing
of, and something that Is entirely out OF my line
o OF business. am free to admit that what don
know about farming would Ill heap OF DooNS'
and as have never read " H. e. on the theory,
would feel as though was clear OIL the track
' Besides 1t is winter, ana "oiu frob.' has roocu
the landscape with several inches OF the Dcaulhul
) snow, leaving poor chances Tor soil inNcsllSa-
; tions.
1t may be truly said that from the moment the
train Slide' out OF the depot at Omaha and PIS-
tail Alley is passed, the westward traveller may
j consider himself as really launched upon via
4 western life. From thence forward he Will not
u find things rs good rs he might expect for the
money; but he must consider that he has crossed
the border of civilization, got ahead of the star OF
empire and until the distant shores of the Pacific
are reached he is in the hands OF corporation
that knows no justice and has an india rubber
conscience He can feel confident, however, that
in this trip he Will see more OF the varied features
Of the earth's surface, in the way of broad sweep
ing plains, immense barren deserts and high and
fty N ain M ed n I'M
Fl philosophy.
Now we find ourselves gliding along over the
plains Of Nebraska, close to the banks of the old
i Patt riycr-thc finest and best section OF the
grasshoppcr state. Here we see broad plains,
skirtcd by low hills, which in many places rise to
the dignity Of miniature bluffs, and, with the
thnly scattered woods that here and there dot
the hillsides the scene presents itself rs one OF
quccnly grandeur On beauty such as this the
knights of fiction and the heroes of railroad liter
ature love to larry and spread themselves in their
descriptions Of the blooming (whcn they bloom)
gardens Of the plains
was Interested in the stories of an "old timer,
(who occupied seat next to me- who said he
had "crosscd those plains more times than you
could shake stick" lie remarked that 1.-THE
changes which had taken place within the last
fifteen years had robbed The plains of their most
attractive features" side ana side with TINS
track is the trail OF the prairie schOoners, which
in the carly days were such striking sight upon
those plains. The long line of white covered
wagons, stretching away for many miles in an
unbrokcn chain, made picture once seen could
never be forgotten. The ll-whacker with his
slang phrase, proianc oaths and the crack OF his
long whiplash that would ring out in the clear
morning air like that of rifle, no more is heard.
Their glory has departed, and in their place is the
snorting engine and laundering train. The rail
road has destroyed the occupation of the western
.,.---- - 4. -. s..-.,.--....- r H..
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CROSS SueH vast "''o'V "i,,1H '"e''ic" "''"'
WV "'' '.' -,
S"''P ''"7 VI ms PoPPo' 'i'' ''''''T
".'' VI ''0''' 10 '''o' ms
VI ""',"S glass; "''" Wv San ms, P''"" =,
"''"- w 'o"" va nun '"' ~" Wv ,''' ""'" "'
'o'iiih'"'' ''' VI '''' VI N''''' INV ~
"n'r We '"'''' d" S'"P'o " SUM Io"0 So
'""'N'u ny " Iuuo '"" ~ 'i'o o'u "'''
'l'ic-S'"icu h'c'"S'yP"''s WIN WIN" II 10 u',o-
ralcu We ''"'h inc '"uSc VI 'lc ue'ti VI MN VIM
sleeps pehca'h' IL may pc inc last resting Pi"''
oil some ehlsraht OF irclshicr, VINO, overcome ~
sickness lalu down ana gave up inc ghoSt' OF,
perhaps inc tenant VI th'S rch'icss houS' i'''
WhIc defending MS WIG ana chilurch from 'n'
savage Indians VINO attacked The tram III INC
gray dawn or darker night
Inc rIai rl'er' "hlch looAS SO grand an" MA
Jcsuc ON maps ana rallroau EuideS' Is no river It.
all lherc Is more iah'' IMAM lact ABOUT IL anu
although II l. put down a' Z" proaa ana h''SiI'S
stream, IL Is rs ucceiNlhS "S inc make up vi
Sirl oil the period Like M"oreS des'rP'lo" VI
the river al Washington
" RI y 6 S"" '''" ''''
| Here. ON the majestic Platt," often tcamstcrs
are Obliged to cxcavatc holes in the sand to find
water enough to qucnch the thirst Of their horses
q, Ill. ia, ,,,,r,. ti,.r ,l,..s {, LODI. ,r,,I and