Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-06-15
STERLING, JOHNSON COUNTY,
Nebraska. June I, ISL.


STERLING, JOHNSON COUNTY, I,
Nebraska, June |, 1871. I
/ MR. J. Z. KELLY After taking bris
drive in the country, and viewing severa
herds OF cattle, | will undertake to fu!f
my promise to you.
A few years ago the savage native Amer
/ lean, and great herds of buHalo.s roame,
here in lar.e numbers. Following ther
came the honorably discharged soldier, an
other hardy people, as emigrant settler
from the east to take their place. TSelv
years ago there was not house to be seel
here, but now there are several hundred in
habtants in this town of Sterling. True Il
its name, they are all On a stir. Encour
aged by prosperity, they soon came to tn,
conclusion that this is the place to make
fortune quickly and easily. There are M
lazy people here, but, on the contrary
every man is alive to his own interest, anC
also TO that of his neighbOr, So as to en-
courage emigration. Town lots and land
are raising in price every day. The people
are kind, Obliging and honest, and spare nc
pains in showing the Pennsylvania around
and giving him hearty welcome. The
most of the people here are from Pennsyl.
yania. Their habits and customs are the
same as among the same people in the east.
The same HynInal is used in the Presbyte-
rian church; the same books are used in
the Sabbath-school they whistle the very
same song on the street and in the fields.
Decoration day was observed here. A
large concourSe of people collected to wit
ness the ceremonies of Post 81, q. A. K.
Not one drunk man was seen that day, which
is owing to the fact that liquor is sold only
by druggists on prescription. The spring
is late fartlers are planting corn; wheat
and oats look very well.
One reason why Johnson and Gage coun-
ties are preferable places to locate in, is on
uccount of the depth and quality of soil,
and its being abundantly watered. Springs
and creeks abound in almost every section.
The creeks are deep, which accounts for
them never Overfowing, as in many other
localities. Lands along this railroad, from
AtchisOn to Lincoln, called the A. and n.
b. K. r., which were fought ten years ag o
at from 80 cents to s. per acre, are now
worth s. to $50 per acre. All of it will
Weld 100 to 100 bushels of corn per acre.
They farm it every year. There are many
thousand bushels Of corn in cribs, and more
is yet unh4sked IN thefields. Corn Is worth
p cent? per bushel for the best. 1t is no
uncommon thing for q farmer to have 100 to
500 hogs and 80 to $50 head OF cattle. The
cattle can be put out to a her-'e- at acOst of
one dollar per head for the summer. They
are kept fat all the time. Many cattle per-
ished last winter for want Of shelter. The
winter, like with Us, was colder and pro-
duced deeper fall Of snow than is usually
the case. Harvest comes in July and Au
gust. After that they cut and stack the
prairie grass, at an expense of fifty cents
per ton; consequently the man that gees
into the live stock busirpss can realize 4
large profit on the money invested. Hogs
are worth cents per pound, and beef )
cents per pound. Many hundred head of
both cattle ard hogs are shipped east.
Wheat is worth IS cts. per bushel; corn,
20 cts, as il runs; oats. % cts; rye, 50
cts; fax, s to 10 cts. per pound butter, g
to 10 cts. per pound. 1t is astonishing that
such great crops grow from such poor farm
ing. Tomorrow expect to 60 to see a
herd of ten thousand cattle.
The people here have good habits; they
are moral and cultured. The culture Of
music is closely attended to. There are
more musical instruments in use in the
than in Juniata country districts.
As to single life, the ladies here marry at
10 years of age; at 20 they are called old
maids. l find quite large number of bach
elors; of course they have my sympathy.
have promised to ship car load of ladies
from the east, so you may expect matri-
monial recruiting Office open IN Miffiintown
after my return TO Juniata. Ladies that de-
sire to be recruited must have the requisite
qualities TO meet western life.
While out on a drive the other day the
horses were halted in front OF an elevation
on the plain, when out of the ground popped
two young girls. After a short chat We
were invited into a ''sOd house," and to cur
found an organ there. We
spent a Lively half hour with the family.
Yours in haste,