The Columbus journal., 1881-09-21
ICor. Ohio State Journal

years, the writer revisits the scene
of his former efforts as a pioneer OF
the great West-this flourishing and
prosperous little city Of $500 inhab-
itants named after the Capital City
of Ohio, and destined some day TO
rival il as q railroad center. 1t lie
situated on the north bank of Loup
river, four or five miles above IFS
confluence with the Platte, on high
level plateau, and already makes
quite an imposing appearance as
you approach it from the east. Al
though this valley was originally a
treeless plain, the town is well sha-
ded with cottonwood, elm, box elder
and other trees. The surrounding
country is also putting on the sp-
pearsnce of a wooded country, as
nearly every farmer has planted
groves of timber, some of which are
now quite large and look like our
original Ohio forest. / prophecy
that in one hundred years, or per-
haps in fifty years from this time,
Nebraska will be a better wooded
country than Ohio or any of the
Eastern States, for the reason that
here the people are making every
effort to produce timber, while in
the East the effort is to destroy it, in
order to make more fields. This
couatry was originally all field, and
the prime necessity and want now
10 trees to serve as shelter to both
man and beast, and as q protection
to fruit.
This part of the grest West has
made wonderful progress since my
first visit of twenty years ago. At
that time the number of farms be-
tween Columbus and Omaha could
be counted on the fingers; now the
farms are continuous all the way
q distance OF ninety-five miles-snd
extend toward the west and north
indefinitely. In spite of the very
unpropitious season, the corn crop
is going to be good. Corn that was
planted early, and which has been
well tended, will produce consider
ably more than the average Ohio
crop. Some fields will run rs to 80
bushels TO the scre--100 bushels is
not an unusual crop in good sea-
sons. Wheat has not turned out as
well as usual perhaps not more
than a half crop will be garnered
this year. Potatoes are of an excel
lent quality, but not very great 10
quantity, owing to the extremely
dry season. Other crops are fair,
considering the season. What do
you think of 42-pound watermel-
on2 Myself and some eight or ten
friends devoured such one, and il
was all we could do. Melons of all
kinds flourish here, the soil being
something like that of the Pickaway
plains near Circleville.
Columbus now has four railroads
centering here-the Union Pacific,
which passes through from Omaha
to San Francisco; the b. & NJ, con-
Meeting Columbus with Lincoln, the
Capital of the State; and two
branches of the Union Pacific, the
one running from this place to Mad
ison, north some fifty miles, and the
other up the Loup Valley to Albion.
All the stations along these roads
seem TO be fiourishing. The coun-
try north of here is very unduIating
In character, and is interspersed
with numerous small streams, form
ing many charming little valleys.
Land can be purchased anywhere
within ten miles of station at 81
to $40 per acre, either on long time
or at a good reduction for cash.
Cattle raising is yet the most pro-
ductive business, as pasturage is
abundant, and a good quality of hay
for winter feeding can be made from
the wild prairie grass. The meadow
lands are generally situated in the
valleys and depressions i'm the hills,
although much hay is also cut on the
uplsnds. II is all native grass, and
very nutritious.
find sll of the pioneers of twenty
years ago either well fixed on large
farms in the country, or at the head
OF fourishing business houses i'm the
city. They cane here without cap
ital and grew up with the country,
and the result is they have attained
to position and wealth which would
have been entirely out of reach of
many of them in the older States
and who came here with a combined
capital not exceeding s3,C D, who
to-day are worth from sl0,t,0 10
$500 each.
There are quite a number of Co.
lumbus boys here, who are promi-
nent in business and in official sta
tions, and sill doing well. You meet
Ohio people everywhere, and, as in
the affairs of the Nation, they are
generally found at the top of the
heap. PLATTE.
Gymnastics as N Cure of Dis
ease.