The Livingston enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1914, 1885-09-05
Railroad Building Toward the Black Hills.
ri, 10 I

| Railroad BulIOlng Toward the Black Hills.
| Private Letter.
CHADRON, NEBRASKA, Aug. 28th.-
You will probably think that am imi-
tating the Wandering Jew in my rowing
inclinations, but am simply following
my inclination to be at the front and
have located here at present. Chadron.
| Nebraska, is now the western terminus
OF the Fremont, Elkhorn Il Missouri
| Valley railroad to which the people of
| the Black Hills look for their earliest
railway connection with the outside
world. The road was extended to this
point this year from Valentine, 1877
miles distant, where the terminus rested
over two years; the rails were laid here
in the first week Of August. They will
be extended SO miles farther toward the
Hills before the season closes. This
road is now 443 miles long, commencing
at Missouri Valley Junction, Iowa.
Chadron is only Jew weeks old but it
is genuine "booin' town and is stocked
with rustlers Of the choicest grade. You
will agree with me in thinking 50 when
l tell you that one week after the town
was started there were 100 houses on
the townsite-most of them moved from
place four miles west where town
(don't know what they called it) was
started on White River before the rail-
road company decided upon a location.
There are now 700 or 8O0people in Chad
ron, living in about $50 houses; many
OF the buildings are of good structure,
several of them two stories high and all
frame except one which is being erected
as a bank. Four banks are established
here and all are reputed to be in good
financial condition and with good pros
poets to remain so. But you would be
amused to see some Of the buildings
they occupy-little, one-story shacks the
fronts of which are covered with i'm
mense canvas signs that give the history
and connections of the bank from
it's first inception to the present time.
Beside there are enough faro banks to
accommodate all who wish to buck the
tiger. The railroad company is putting
up large eating house, passenger depot,
freight depot and engine house. So far
the ''iron horses" have been stabbed in
the open air subject to all kinds of
weather mostly wet since l have been
here. The sleeping accommodations in
Chadron are yet in very primitive
state, the building of saloons and stores
having hitherto occupied more attention
than hotels and lodging houses. One
nights experience in the best lodging
house in town satisfied me- The walls
were built Of lumber and rooted with
canvas. | aWoke in the night to find
the rain pouring down upon me to an
extent that made me think / had un-
doubtedly gone to sleep in a shower
bath. When got fairly awake the air
was blue from the forcible character of
the conversation that was being carried
on by the unfortunates in adjoining
rooms who had been caught like myself.
AS to the future Of this place l cannot
say. The people all look forward to the
brightest prosperity and l agree with
them. About ten trains Of cattle have
already been shipped from here and the
railroad company says that total of
$4,000 head will be shipped. They have
good. new stockyards here, fine lot of
new stock cars and run their stock trains
under special schedule at rate Of %
miles an hour. Mr.. w. NJ. Spipman is
here as train master and virtually divis-
ion superintendent to Long Pine, Neb.
He is thorough railroad man and very
popular with employees. The distance
from here to Deadwood is 157 miles cov-
cred by the Northwestern Stage and
Transportation company. Harvey
Blakely, man who staged from Bis
marck to the Hills, is the stage COM
pany's superintendent here. You should
see the outfits he runs over the road.
One team in particular, six of the finest
dappled grays that were ever seen, ought
to be in Barnum's circus. Blakely says
his company gets the best of everything
and is bound to give patrons the worth
of their money, Il am not booming the
stage company for pass for 1 am not
travelling their way.) l will give you
better idea Of Chadron, it's people and
the railroad in my next. l send you
copy Of the democratic paper which
made it's first appearance here to-day
and would like to see a Livingston paper
once more. X. Y. Z.
The Eastern Boundary.
Bad Lands Cow Boy: A discovery
has recently been made, that, if verified,
will be received with JOY by residents
of orr country The line dividing Ia.