Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-22
ABROAD IN NEBRASKA.
Our lin River Jomer Travels One Hundred
Miles VI ~ N'obrara and Seventy
five Down the Elkhorn.
A Graphic Description Of the Country
and Settlements, and Predictions
I'm Regard to h Future.

|jovial companions, your correspondent took
in Niobrara City and its surroundings last
week Starting up the Niobrara we passed
through . beautiful valley, we'll cultivated
and yielding bountiful crops. Each farm
has its ripping stream and its spring of
cold, clear water, soft and sweet as the dews
of heaven. Nowhere have l ever seen a
valley that reminds me go much of the val
ley of the Juniata in old Pennsylvania,
only the waters are blue in the aforesaid,
and "~yaller" in the Niobrara. The country
along the river needs but one thing to make
it the most beautiful in the northwest, and
that is to have it settled on the north side,
which is now Indian lands. How provok-
ing to the home hunter it is to see such
beautiful spots reserved for the savage, to
look at probably once in twelve months.
You want no better illustration of this folly
of reserving hunting grounds for the In
dams, than this particular section up the
Niobrara fifty miles from its mouth.
Fifty miles ends the charm Of fields and
gurgling streams. The bluffs close upon
the river and contracts its channel. They
are not so high, but break up into knobs,
reaching back to the prairie some miles,
through which tiny streamlets twist their
way to the river. From this point begins
the sheep country, or I should say, a sheep
country without sheep, and why it is so /
cannot say. I am familiar with wool grow
ing. Notwithstanding I have had wool pull
, ed over my eyes so often. I can clearly
, see that this is the best wool-growing coun
try that I have ever seen. There is room
. in this fifty miles of river bluff and bottom
for 100000 sheep. At the termination o.
the 100 miles from the mouth of the river,
, , begins the larger cattle ranges, on Ash
Creek and Long Pine creek. There are
> many others that we have passed on the
' creeks below this point. but they are small,
herds compared with those above, which
number from five to fifteen thousand head
Fifty thousand head are now grazing within
> one hundred and fifty miles Of the mouth o
, the Niobrara. OF this number 10000 viii
be shipped the coming season to eastern
. markets. :
From Ash creek We took a southeast di
%rection over the boundless prairies, and NJ
object hindered the gaze away into the i'm
o. mense space before us. We continued thi
course for twenty five miles until we found
little water course, and a little water whicl
we dipped up with a cup for our thirst
+ selves aud horses. The day was hot-n
sign of animal life except a few grasshoI
. pers of various kinds and forms, and on
\ lone antelope, which was shot at and MISE
of course, by our experienced marksman,
n member of a Wisconsin rifle club, who car
ries with him a globe sighted, highl,
mounted, late improved Springfield rifle.
Now we soon, after striking Gordon's trail
|. come in sight of habitations, the outpost o
the O'Neill settlement twenty miles fromAt
kinson. Here the valley commences t
display its beauties, bounded on either sid
by a row of sand. hills and about Is to 2
i miles wide. A few trees along the strear
; relieves the monotonous space we have lie
behind US. Fields of yellow and dark gree
show us a rich and fertile valley, fast film
up with wheat and corn. The soil is a blac
sandy loan, quick to generate. There
better wheat and better corn than we hav
this season in Dakota. Harvesting h.
commenced, and the corn is in ear. The Sc,
son is in advance of Southern Dakota
least IL or Is days.
q Atkinson is village like all frontier vi
lagea, composed of a store, hotel, blacksmi'
shop and several dwelling houses. Fro
d this place We pass down the valley toO'Nei
twenty miles eastward. The road sides q,
lined with wheat, oats and corn. Respects
BILE dwellings rise upon this broad and lev
prairie, reminding one of southern Dakot
C.. O'Neill is q prosperous looking little pla,
of some 10 or IL houses. Too much cred
cannot be given the Irish settlers of tn
valley for their thrift. their we'll titled farm
=, and their comfartshlo ond raot h.h;tot;or