The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-03-30

Of the many that started rs We "'"' '''o W.
crn border OF Nebraska we see 'o' NV "'' ''''0'
perhaps, one OF those
PRAIRIE DOG CITIES
which are so full Of curious features lAc Iitle
brutcs or inhabitants Of these cites are queer
specimens of the animal kingdom. They are OF
4 sandy brown color, and about the SIZE OIL pup
Ipy. Their houses are mounds or burrows Gu
rously shaped, rounding at the Top WIN noI'
on one side which answers Tor Il door, 0" ""'i
they will sit and bark at the tram as II goes n.y.
Should anybody approach or throw something at
! them, down they go, and in moment al Is is
quiet and still rs city OF the dead Inc H'tlc
rascals live on grass, and are 7au 10 DC d. 'cH"e'
rs chicken when rightly co'Neu' l"oS arc :,
iayorilc dish with the MrAIrah'' inc owl ""',
rattle snake make lhcH h""'' wiz" '","' "',,'
abuse the hospitality Of their iourAoo'cu 'rIcnuS
by dcyourins theiryomS whenever 'hcy 'ee' i'N'
taking square meal.
give You here few selections u INC H'"Oi9
means used to lure poor NcI'In9 ''""i ""pPS
homes, to inhabit regions in the lar "csl' an" 10
swell the pockets OF the lana 4r"OOc'' "'o"S
these lines Of railroads:
Leave the crowded cities OF inc east an" StcN
a home IN the west carve "''P So'' ""'''0 "P-
on the pages OF history, ana IcI 'u'u't se"c'",
tons sound your praise IAcr' are '"t'i'o''S u
acres OF the finest lands inc sun ct sho"c vi,
yet untouched by the mana ol man 'oln' anu
possess H. mere are injurious Vi p'O'"'
valleys, rlch IN vegetation anu "'"''e" ~
Of pure water capable OIL ocliiS ih"uc l,l'o tiouS
ands OF homes OF beauty ana comfort po'ue'ihS
the valleys are low, rouhaeu Al'Is Ih'V S'""u"'ly
diminish III size rs thcy Iccc"c Hoi'' 'ilo '"ioS
until they Olcnd with inc prairie anu S'e'oh
away in broad, unduIatlhS 'aOle ianus' suS'eP'''
bic oil beng ulilizeu anu ii'ue " '"'" SUSIE
nance for thousands OF families
There are broad prairleS, WIN thclr ieluS Oh
yellow corn and waving grass, sIrelchlhS away
for miles upon miles, ana all only waiting LOT INC
harvester"
The "old settler with MS immense nc'us vi
grain and herds OF cattle, his nome SO attractive
surrounded with orchards, gardens ana mower
trees and the snug little school mouse anu neat
white church with its tapcring spirc pointing TO
the abode OF Him who rules all thlhSS, COMES III
for their usual share of praise. All oil when OK
list only in the mind Of the writers, ana may per-
haps be reality some time I'm The sweet by ana
by" but Is not now.
Look at the thousands OF iamillcs,' lhey say
"now living in peace and plenty throughout the
west, enjoying the healthy Vlgor which honest
labor gives, beyond the reach OF harrasslnS deDts
and pinching poverty who but Tor the inspiring
words of a venerable philosopher would be to-day
among the unemployed hosts in eastern cites
We appeal to the starving, shivering poor and
all the swarminS multitudcS who are out oil work,
urging them to turn their faces toward thc lar
west, out on the boundlcss, fertile prarleS, "heFe
there is room for all, work for ALL pay FAR all ana
Il home for all!'
Such are the specimens of literature which are
floating round Turing people away from pleasant
homes to inhabt wilds in the far west ana lVe'
heaven knows how, for the next generation or
two The idea of appealing 10 the starving,
shiycring poor ana SWarmnS mullltuues VINO are
out Of work" Pioneers must be oil different
stuff; and everybody blessed WIN Ihlineie iuil
of common sense knows TINS class arc not "h"I
are wanted on the "DoundIess pr"irleS oil any
state
The traveller who has crossed thcse pialhs
knows too well the condition OF the poor deiuded
victims who have been lured from the so-caiieu
crowded cities oil the east To carve acep lheu
names upon the pages OF history
Could the readers OF the TRADER bchoid some
of these people in their new homes % ana see
how wrctchedly they are obliged to 1--we, they
would say to themselves, as thousands have SAID
before, as this civilization, or can it be possible
that human beings must live as these do" Yes,
dear readers, there are hundreds OF families to-
day living on the plains OF the lar west III con-
dition that civilized pcOplc would consider cruel
ty to animals.
If you can recall some lowly holcl or wrecked
pig-sty, or dilapidatcd cellar, you can form some
kind Of an idea Of the beautiful home of many
n family in the far west. True, there are few
fine houses and residences, but most OF those you
read about are more fancy than fact, existing on