Omaha daily bee., 1884-06-05
THE NORTHWEST.
and Thrift Everywhere Wis.,
iblG in the ElkhOTI Valley.
The Growth of o'Neill, Atkinson and
stuart-Disreputablc Characters
Valentine.
Correspondence of The BEE.

Correspondence of The BE.
VALENTINE, Neb. June 2,-The thrift
and industry hat is manifest, coming
through the Elkhorn Valley is apleasant
surprise to any person who may have
travelled through this portion of the
country years ago. 0'Neill seems to
have the most beautiful town.site In the
valley, aud the vast number of farmers
to be seen busily engaged in buying agri-
cultural implements, ETC., denotes that
the town will sustain q healthy growth
for years to come. Atkinson and Stwart
are also thriving towns, and to their
credit they support two very live papers,
Long Pine and Ainsworth will soon
lock horns over the location of the county
seat, as the recent decision of the Sup
rene court compels another election to
decide the matter. The town OF Aims
worth has been booming for the last year
and from present appearances the boom
shows no sign of exhaustion. In fair
play l must say q good word for the
Burns House, for there is no hotel in
northwestern ebraska thatc excelit for
comsort. Its excellent management is
manifest on all sides, and the host and
hostess spare no pains in catering to tho
wants of their numerous guests.
I visited Valentine with a prejudice
against the current stories Of rowdyism
which are in circulation in regard to that
place, but / am forced to believe that
some of these stories are well founded,
In going through town l observed the
corpulent editor of the Niebrara News"
soliciting subscriptions to start a mail
route from Valentine to Porcupine Creek,
where MIR. Santee intends starting
traders store.
The Republican party of Cherry county
feels ashamed of their would be-organ,
the Reporter" which issues a weekly
TRADE of abuse on the head of every re-
spectacle republican in the county. Some
of the leading republicans here wanted to
know if there was a post office inspector
in this state, and a few questions brought
out the astounding information that the
postmaster of Valentine allows men of
disreputable character to loaf around
where the mail is accessible to them.
One of these men was known to take up
a collection for a minister of the gospel,
and then go up town and ''blow in" the
proceeds against monte. Another one of
there characters took a minister's over
coat out of the Valentine House, and
pawned it in the saloon for two drinks of
whisky.
Such characters are allowed inside of
the post office, where they have every
opportunity of indulging in their dishonest
proclivities. l have heard several COM
against the postmaster himself,
for talking about the correspondence
which passes through his office. Amy
letters that arouse his suspicion, are care
fully scrutinized and if a morsel is
found to satisfy his gossipy nature, every
hard character in town knows his con-
illusions in regard to it.
The post Office is a means of conveying
thoughts to our father, mother, bro
Lhers, sisters, wife and friends
and the feeling aroused here against
Mr.. Hill for talking about matters,
which ought to be secret
and inviolable, certainly de-
mands the attention of the post
office department. The disgraceful man
ner in which ministers of the gospil are
of by the deputy democratic post
ard his cohorts is not very edify-
If Nh. King comes up here he will
have a rich field to explore.
Yours Respt'y
TRAVELLER,