The Columbus journal., 1879-06-25
WESTWARD BOUND.
Journey by Wagon from Columbus. Nebraska, to
Washington TerritOry---JO,tings by the Way.

EDITOR JOURNAL: In my last, an
speaking of kearney Junction, |
omitted 10 mention that the govern
ment land is all taken up by actual
settlers for four or five miles east
and west, and that the L. II. land is
all taken up by spectators. Ii will
be remembered that Fort Kearney
of the past does not occupy the same
ground rs Kearney Junction, the
latter being on the north side Of the
river and four or five miles west of
the old Fort.
Westward from Kearney juno
tion, we pass in succession the fol-
lowing stations: Stevenson, Elm
Creek, Overton and JOsselyn-there
is no town at any of the stations,
but usually one store and a section
house, and a good large school
house, there being a line of farm
settlers north of the X. Il. and along
the foot of the blufTs-from whence
come the scholars.
Next we reach Plum Creek, 81
miles from Kearncy Junction. This
is quite a good sized town with five
or six stores, church, school house
and hotel, but oh! strange TO saw,
not a liquor saloon in town.
Cozad, Is miles from Plum Creek,
is quite a neat town, we asked a
citizen what keeps up this town ?"
"Ohl" he said, "there is a good larm
settlement six miles of here, and
several fine farms under cultiva-
tion," and began pointing out ia the
distance some of the houses.
Willow Island, Warren, Brady
Island, Mcpherson and Gannett are
the next in succession. Along here
at this season of the year would be
called the stOckman's paradise, as
thousands Of head may be seen
quietly feeding along these broad
valleys-usually from bluff 10 bluff
about 20 miles wide, and no farm
ing lands to interfere with The range.
The scenery along here is pictur-
esque, the high bluffs on the south
side presenting such rough-guaged
and dark blue and smoky appear
ance like range of mountains at a
long distance.
North Platte Is situated between
the forks Of the North aud South
Platte, and is reached by crossing
the U. =. r. II. bridge over the
North Platte, which is planked solid
and the planks pretty well worn by
the tires of the numerous wagons
that cross it every season, bound for
the different territories OF the far
west. AT each end of the bridge is
a notice in substace rs follows: All
trains must come 10 a full stop be-
fore crossing this bridge, and cross
at rate not exceeding 4 miles per
hour. In crossing the bridge we
drive one horse in the centre be-
tween the two rails and the other
on the outside. The telegraph wires
are fastened on each side of the
bridge, aud no toll is charged, and
this, no doubt, will seem strange.
when il is considered that toll could
as well be collected as not, as there
is no way to get around, and like
wise that trains sometimes are de-
layed while wagons are on the
bridge. This was the fact i'm our
case; eight out of twelve wagons
had crossed and were about q half
mile in advance, and while nv team
and one before and two behind me
were on the bridge, a freight train
came numbering down from North
Platte meeting us, and there was no
chance to turn one side and leave
the iron horse his own road. The
man in front of me became pretty
badly scared; he was from Missou-
ri, the state where on election DAYS
the candidate who can provide the
most whiskey will command the
most votes, and not being used to
railroads and these "pesky sort of
things" he naturally enough saw
danger in the iron monster now
approaching, and raised i'm his wag-
on, and while he was telling his
wife and family that they would all |
be killed, he laid on the whip, max |
ing things lively, when 10, and |
behold, the iron horse stood still