The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-01-22

A TRIP Across THI PLAINS.
JANUARY 18th, 1880.
Ed. IHTKLII01xcsR Oar family
cop,istipg Of myself snd VIII and seven
sons. started from Crawford county,
soutbeastsro Kansas. on the let Of Nay
last. With two wagons and mule teams
In company with twenty -ons othes
wagoas. 10 cross the Plaias. There
were sisteen wseans eassyiag twelve
families for Wsshington Territory. -four
wagons for Idaho. two for Eastern Ore
Ron aud one for Aentans. Our train
vas composed Of two niaisters Of The
N. <. Church. With their families, snd
eighteen farmers and their familiss-
altogether. IS scala We sleoAed no
captain. bot. bsiag from three di6ssant
neighbssrhoods. thsee msa we're sslss1ed
soal mads . couoittse, vho had chesgs
of the train asa its smosomesGA "
course. ws had . meeting. regularly
elected officers and drew up various by
laws. among which was . clause that
ON Sundays We should lay BY and rest;
but on the third Sunday. whsn psss The
Ststs line. the train diss6sa n ths San
day question. when fourtesa ~sgoos
hitched up and stsrtsd aud nine staid
Our uine Travelled without . jar and
with our sui~als securely tiad to our
wagons at night) without . guard. ax-
cept in dssgsross localities.
At Port Kearuey We struck the main
emigrsnt road. which there rss side by
side with the union Pacific Railsos.l.
From Kearney. through Julesburg and
Syd"ey - cheyssss. osr road hii Al
and On with the Uoion Paei1c, follow
lug the Platte river OF iss tributaries.
For fuel VIC bsrnt Old raiisosd ties.
We bsd plsnty OF grass and an abua-
dance 1T water With Que exceptien.
when. aztec travelling 81 miles without
il. we helped ourselves to watsr from
One of the Union Pacific taaks.
The whole Platte valley 10 covered -
with enc iumense herd Ct cattle. No
other business is followed hess. The
stock yards 1t tbs city Of Nossh Piatto
are aln0st - extensive - the Unioo
stock yards ut Chic, ,go. Fsoo Chsy-
enne 10 Lsrsmie srs the foot. hills Or
Black Hills; but instead II being . e.
ffes of hills. - here. they are one i'm.
msnse elevated plateau or rsw Of peaks.
and with the exception Of . lev Inland.
like masses Of bare eocks 20 altered here
and there. it is - level on tip Of the
Black Hills ~ in the Plstts valley. A
Few groves Of csda:. Quaker esp and Ar
trees ere sssu. which incrsass il nulti>
tudy ~ we descend towards Laramie.
Thi. town 10 not the Fort LAsamie spo
ken OF in Fre'nout's mar .stive, but 10 .
new railroad town. c"mpsetly built. and
With 60 suburbs. The Larasis river
and masshy plAio sspasats Il fsoa The
Hills. But such climate! Every day
between noon and one o'clock vs he'd .
storm either OF snsw. r.in or hail, and
fiost every night.
Here ws lsk the railread asd fol-
lowed the old snigrant road twelve
miles s0sth. Then Ne cemmeneod our
acquaintance with sagebrush for fuel.
We were slsa to sss avay iron shs
railroad. % many men uacsremeaiously
made our camp their hons both night
end day. These osn vses valking 70
the western CO. { snA diseascs1 - q.
most Two - QUE. OF coasss ths1 vsald
gst Lift oncs in . while.
From Laramie the county soea 49,
suuss high rolling prsifie.leok. ths.
hills add bla6b. 6sew il al~sys 10
siehk % The noaataia psahA 1sssy
littln valley costAiaiag satss b sone-
body's ranch. Than. With = y~y sssy
sscent. We stood on The summit Of The
Rocky 1caatains June 4la, Aasina
pamed the JaAt DssaA ix usiase tseo ~
divide. lt has froess h camp evosy
night sincs 10 lsh Chsysnns. Ous -
scent vss - sasy - our asosnt; the rod
following 8 lissls sisslss. whieA ssoa
opened On . creek. This sooa heouRAl
10 to Bie Muddy. = sanall sivss, Which
~ followed all dAy deuo hill.
We are now On tbe old Buttesnold
staxs road, With ~ stuopo of tolsRvUpA
poles. and ito ruisvd staes slaaisea Ard
burst h.usea. Heso wo net The 0ess
drove Of sssEle C11oo hoa1 aod in oea
driving them) isoo Waahiagtao 1sssi.
tnsy eod Easlssa OeeGoo. JAGoo voso
stuck caesiss esws - tAsie yoapG. Ssh
srqusntly - ~ 53,0Qo ness. llany
we're Stock cattle: ths remaandse wssv
dssieued Sse ~ C1i1aoe snasksA 90.
orally taking The RAil 6 Nosth PlnAlo.
Theeo eatale as1sainhe1 ~ bsiaeneo-
sise . - balk q eus Dnetexn Smn-lbd
o1ao.s
Ths luagsss skssSsA vithnse uaaas
vas tron BIG Nu16y = bsyond DieAss
Greek, g oilea ls being oiGAk -
vseo snahoss . AoA sAe spsinx. and
made dry ennp. ~ sely - . ~
se;n 0ue nd Sn0eSnenr1 arnnw k1wk