The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-11-10

From Nebraska.
OaAuA, NEB.. Nov 9th, '88.
Editor Free 7radey.-From far off Nebras'
ka write few lines to you. left our own
town October 20, and came through many
towns before reaching this point: the first,
Dayton, then Wedron, Serena. Sheridan,
Milington. Milbrook, Fox, Yorkville. 0s-
wego. Montgomery, Aurora, where we stopped
to change cars. We had a couple of hours
here and went up town and saw many fine
residences, churches, school houses, q fine
stone structure, the Peoples Church or Uni
versalist, two fine Methodist churches, stone,
Gothic style, Baptist, Presbyterian; the
yards raised above the sidewalks by stone
fences very much like our cemetery lots at
home; beautiful bay windows full of bloom
ing flowers, DR.. Brigham's residence among
the finest.
The cars came In on time and we got on
the Pullman car belonging to Harvest Excur'
sion train Of Mr. Miller. Of Aurora, land
agent. lost the names Of the different
towns as evening descended, but coming to.
ward the city of Burlington We ses in the
distance the lights CLEAN out in the darkness
"A grand sight, the rockets and fireworks;
for they are having grand rally here.
Just before daylight We got into Pacific
Junction. II is grand sight to look along
the track as our car stands still the head
lights in the distance CLEAN and dance. cas-
ing different shadows along the track. As
the dawn appears, a grand sight bursts upon
us Of unbroken prairie land, one side then
on the other side churches, from whose lone
porch
The reverent moses gray,
Just tell the pilgrim
Where IL Jays.
From the the Belfry Tower the sweet sound
floats away over the prairie.
Soon the train goes on again. At Omaha
it stood fully two hours at the platform to
change cars. The heavy, numbering coaches
roll in and We are on our journey again.
The coaches are so full one can hardly find
an empty seat and many are standing.
At Valley we get off to change cars again,
and the train being behind time We are left
until evening This is nice town Of 200 or
800 inhabitants and has fine depot. Miss
Mire near the depot told me two years ago
there were only six houses here. We took
the evening train for Valparaiso and met
Mr.. Ladd, Of Dayton, who came with US to
this point where we put up al the Linden
Hotel, a nice hotel, put up within two
years. As I rose saw my first sunrise in Me-
brsska. The town is in the valley and as the
sun appears above the hills, soft shadows IA
and soft mirage floats above the distant
table lands. looking like mountains in the
sunlight. This is prohibition town; We see
no saloons here.
We start at 10 O'Clock for Oscecla, Mr., |,
Ladd leaves us at Rising City; the 10 other
passengers that we're still left with US at the
stations along this route: Brainard, David
City. Rising, Shelby and also at Osceola
where we 90 out in the country, over splen>
did roads and with fine weather.
Osceola is q nice place with some loo
inhabitants; has fine court house, from the
flag staff of which flies Harrison and Morton;
hotels, churches, two drug stores, postoffice;
dentist H. Elmer, d. d. S; bank, banker
residence, a very fine recorders Office and
other places too numerous to mention. Prices
arc about as at home turnips here are only
2Octs. a bushel. The land here is very fine
and there are fine roads. The table lands
are fine for farms but down in the valley it
is not quite so good. My cousin, Mr. Bow
en-. took us TO Duncan, q small town on the
Plat. As we descended from the table
lands into the valley the sight was perfectly
grand. The inhabitants are principally
Poles in the valley. They have fine gardens,
nice poultry, chickens, geese and turkeys
We found one lonely grave fenced in on a
mound with deep canyons belov-s mark
for the resting place Of this lonely pilgrim
We saw many "soddies" as they are called
in this country. was in one which was
plastered, whitewashed and had modern
windows rs in other houses. The lady was
Mrs. Burgess Of Whiteside county, Illinois
The house WAS furnished with comfort and
taste, and bird sang sweetly in its cage in
this far away home, We went over to see q
dug.out The little girl. Maud, picked up q
German gospel hymn to bring home with Us.
II put me in mind Of Luther in the early
days Of the reformation, when they rose and
sang songs in the night, The Plat river is
very wide at Duncan, a small town with