Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-09-05
LETTER FROM NEBRASKA.
Increase OF Population and Property Va
ues-Reminiscences.

Increase OF Population and Property Val
ues-Re miniscences.
EDS. RECORD UNION: Your correspond
ent left Sacramento one week ago, and is
now visiting in this wonderful State OF
Nebraska. Indeed it is wonderful Take,
for instance, Adams county, and consider
its unparalleled growth. Seven years ago
Hastings, the county seat, contained about
one dozen houses, and farm lands adioin-
ing sold at from three dollars to FIVE dollars
per acre. Now it is fine city of 900 in
habitants, and farm lands anywhere with
in dozen miles bring forty and fifty dol
lars per acre.
Twenty years ago the writer passed
though this country, and would not have
accepted ten thousand acres of the finest
land as a gift. The buffalo, the prairie-dog.
the antelope. the wild Indian, held posses
sion. But these have ali passed away. and
in their stead we see luxurious homes and
every indication of wealth and happiness.
Everywhere you look tens of thousands of
acres are seen of growing corn, with long
and beautiful ears almost matured. The
crop Of Adams county alone will certainly
amount to a million bushels. Corn was so
plentiful here last year that is brought but
nine cents bushel, and the yield promises
to be even greater this year.
But forty miles away is old Fort X carney.
where but few short years ago we did
camp duty, ate our hard tack and SOW
belly" guarded Ben Holidays great stage
line, shot buffalo and wolves and had an
occasional short fight with the Indians. 1t
has passed like magic. 1t is all gone. The
great hand of progress has painted new
picture-a picture of rich fields and happy
homes.
But a short distance farther west is old
Fort Julesburg. Twenty-one years ago we
were camped there, while 5000 Indians
were roaming up and down the valley.
seeking our scalps. How they used to out
wit US! l remember one bright morning
when we were strolling about camp in an
active, lstless manner, thinking the Chey-
ennes were hundreds Of miles away, that
the stage station but two miles below the
fort was discovered in flames. A dozen
warriors were seen skulking around in high
glee, and these thirty-tive of the eighty
men in the fort were selected to follow and
punish. The soldiers galloped off cheer
fully, following the Indians up deep can
yon into an awful trap. In moment they
were surrounded by 5000 warriors, and but
twelve of the brave men returned to tell
the story, and nearly all these were
wounded. Twenty-three of our brave bows,
among whom was my friend Hall, were
horribly mutilated-with scalps and hearts
carried away as trophies to grace the war
dance.
Then l remember that these same Chey-
ennes fully 5000 strong. when the winter
season set in, went into Fort Laramie and
surrendered to the Government Every
body was in ecstasies, and the Indians were
very much satisfied. They finally made a
proposition to go out and fight the Sioux
and the Comanches-tw very troublesome
tribes of Indians-and the officials in
charge accepted the proposition. The next
day 5000 Cheyenne warriors appeared, in
blue pants and army jackets, and later on
they were given good arms and good horses.
In the spring of the year, in company with
Company d, Seventh Iowa Cavalry Volun-
teers, and under the direction of capable
white officers, they started out to fight the
Sioux. When far enough away from the
fort they seized a favorable opportunity to
butcher their officers, kill and wound the
company of soldiers, seize the ammunition
and provision train, and seek their favorite
haunts in the great wilds of the country
They thus not only got fed during long
hard winter, but got, each one, good
horse, plenty of clothing, good gun and
revolver for each, and large supplies of
forage and ammunition. 1t was wonder
full piece of strategy
But all these are Of the past. Julesburg
and Laramie are now rich pasture lands
enriching and making glad the hearts Of
the more than prosperous ranchers.
Nebraska is great State. Born but yes
terday, it has population of but few
thousand short of one million. Its farm
ers are either rich or prosperous and happy.
1t has universities, colleges, academies and
high schools that compare favorably with
like institutions in any of the older States
Besides these, it has common school sys-
tenn excelled by none. Your correspond
ent had the pleasure of delivering three
lectures before an association of teachers
one hundred and ten strong. They were
as handsome and as intelligent as any like
body in all the world. Questions of sci
fence, of Jurisprudence, of civil govern
ment, and of things pertaining to the every
day life in school room. were discussed
with an intelligence and an earnestness
pleasant to behold.
Hastings is destined to become a large
city. 1t already supports five newspapers
one of which is a very readable daily and
the noise of hammer and saw can hourly
be heard in the erection of beautiful and
substantial business houses and places Of
residence. Yours, at the end of q quill,