The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1886-04-29
NEBRASKA.

McCook is located in Red Willow county,
situated in the Grand Republican Valley,
one of the most productive and beautiful
valleys in the west.
THIS COUNT
is the third east of the Colorado line in the
southern tier; has an area of 720 square miles,
or 460, 500 acres. In 1880 the population was
3,044, which since has increased to about 5000.
The general surface of the country is undu-
lating or sloping, and from top to bottom OF
the slope it is from One-half to W miles
across. At the top of the slope there are
what is called flats" These flats are from
two to twenty miles in extent, and almost a
perfect level, with no rock, gravel, stumps.
or anything of the kind to hinder farming
operations. As l write 1 can look out on
this magnificent scenery, where corn rows
can be made on a straight line five miles
long, and can see the rows nearly the entire
distance. The uplands, or divide-lands, are
considered the best lands and most productive.
TIE SOIL.
is a rich, deep ~alluyial loan, from three to
five feet in depth, very productive, and is
capable of supporting a population as dense
us any portion of the East. 1t seems pecu-
liarly adapted to this country, absorbing
moisture very rapidly and retaining it with
remarkable tenacity. The subs0il is com
posed of a light yellow clay with some sand,
and that is underlayed with limestone, and
is especially adapted to drouth, although
there has been sufficient rainfall for several
years past to mature all kinds of crops, and
the rainfall has been visibly increasing, and
appearances indicate Ill abundance for
growing purposes. Red Willow county is
one of the most productive as well as the
most beautiful in the Republican Valley. and
is capable of sustaining a population five
times greater than it now contains, and it
will not be during our generation that the
West will hold the drawbacks of the over
crowded East. There has been
NO COAL
or other minerals discovered in this county,
but a fair grade of magnetism limestone is
found. which is used for foundations and
building purposes, and makes a very sub
Stantia structure.
The county is watered by the following
STREAMS:
Republican river runs through the county
from west to east: Beaver and Driftwood
creeks on the south, and Red Willow and
Coon creeks on the north, empty into the
Republican river in the county, except the
Beaver. Beaver and Red Willow creeks
furnish a fair water power, as also does the
D.--lI:o. x,n, Fn,nrn - 1a,rilnrnhIa
timber found along these streams, which is
used for posts, c~OrralS, fuel, etc. Posts are
worth eight cents a piece in the timber: wood
50 per cord in the tree. This is
RICH AGRICULTURAL COUNTY,
and the land is held principally by those who
entered and perfected the titles under Gov
eminent laws. There is no railroad land
here. Land sells at from IS to S15 per acre,
according to location and improvement. I'm
cultivated land, seven or eight miles from
station, can be had for 50 or Sc per acre.
Some accomplishments to claims can be bought
from $500 to $500 per claim of 100 acres. Let
me give you an instance OF two:
There is one farm of $40 acres, fine smooth
level land. can cultivate 31S acres, nine miles
from station, 40 acres in cultivation, can be
bought now at IS per acre: One-third cash,
balance on time to suit purchaser at 10 per
cent. interest. 100 acres, three miles from
station, all smooth, can cultivate every foot
of it: house, well, cellar; 20 acres in %cultiva-
ton: price $40 per acre, one-half cash, time
balance. Some claims ten miles from
with 100 acres tillable land, balance
good pasture land, can be had for $50 to
500 per claim of 1G0 acres.
There are 60 school districts in the county.
with school in each. The 10th and 36th sec
ions i'll every township i'll this State are
school sections.
CRoPS.
We raise corn, wheat Cboth winter and
rye, barley. oats, flax, cane, broom
corn, in fact everything that can be raised
in a good agricultural country. The yield of
corn is from 40 TO 60 bushels per acre; rye
about 50; wheat from 20 to 30 bushels per
acre; sod corn yields % to % bushels per
acre. BY sod corn l mean where the sod is
broken in May or fore part of June, and
corn planted on it and not cultivated in any
manner whatever the entire season. Potatoes
yield an abundant crop planted on sod.
CLIMATE.
This is 2 wonderfully delightful country
and extremely healthful. Ague is unknown
here, the atmosphere being dry, bracing and
salubrious-days warm, nights i'll summer
cool and invigorating. There are twice the
of fair days here to any other place
| have ever lived. There was not one really
disagreable day in the month of February
Just past. The farmers were busy on their
farms, most of the time the ground was in a
condition to plow and SOW, during my seven
years residence here there has not been a
February that the ground was not in a condi-
ton to receive cultivation, at least during a
of the month. January is the only
in the year that will not admit of the
of the soil. There is very little
mud here, and there has not been a time in
the past seven years that the roads have
been muddy over three or four days at a
time. They are now dry and solid, and when
much travelled they are dusty.
MCCooK
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