Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-27

tho bottled beer sold only by the post trader
at Fort Reno, and any one taking bottle OF
that out of the fort will have his team confis.
Gated II discovered by the marshal. 1t had
been thought that man should 90 well
armed here, but no weapons of any kind are
needed. Except stories of one or two kill
ings the frat week. out on claims, not an as
sault OF any kind has been heard OF in the
territory Such a fact as this should be
printed in capital letters far and wide, con-
sidering we live where cowboy law reigns
supreme, and where none of the statutes OF
civilization are binding. Does IL not speak
well OF the kind of material that will lay the
foundation OF our new statel
THE SOIL OF OKLAHOMA
is variable, but rich green verdure crosses
both hills and valleys. In the north part, as
well as in the Cherokee strip, about one-half
OF the land is red, sandy loan on the surface
with bright red clay subsoil, but grasses of
all kinds and rank weeds and timber grow
on this red soil as luXuriantly as on black
loan. IL is as fiery red as blood, as IL i'm
pregnated with some active mineral color
ing. This red earth, when washed away
away from gulches ten to twenty feet deep,
produces slough grass six to twelve feet in
height, so great is its fertility.
The prairies of the central, western and
southern parts of Oklahoma are or a dark
brown loan, a little sandy near the larger
streams and are broad and gently undul0t-
ing, with very few abrupt hills. Between
the two Canadian rivers the soil on the high
land is nearly black, and ranges from fifteen
inches to six feet in depth. The ravincs are
shallow and rich. but grass Is as luxuriant
and fresh on the highest hills as in the ra-
vines. Our teams are now grazing seven
miles southeast of Fort Reno on the hills
with
RICH GRASS UP TO THEIR EYES,
and stand plowing and driving every day
without q mouthful of grain. The cattle,
horses and mules brought from the north
all thrive excellently, and such a thing as
disease has not been observed among them.
The idea that northern stock will not do well
here is simply preposterous. The grasses
are mostly the kinds that grow on the prai-
ries of iowa and Nebraska. and the sod as
close as that in any northern prairie. The
prevailing opinion now is tnat Oklahoma
will be q stock. raising country, and that lit
tie land will be kept for blowing. Though
corn is considered a sure crop here, cattle are
thought to be more profitable, as they will
thrive the year round on grass without grain.
There has been much talk among settlers of
fruit raising, as apples, peaches, pears and
all small fruits, where experimental with in
adjoining localities, have produced abund-
antly every year. For general farming the
land between the two Canadians is the best
because the soil is deeper, the country more
level, with good drainage, and better wa
tered than any part of the territory. On a
hill where we are camped, ninety feet
above the river, we struck u splendid spring
IN ulgglnR SIX teeU with water enough
TO supply hundred head of stock.
TOWN HAS BEEN STARTED
on the north side of the river four miles cast
of Fort Reno, on the Rock Island survey,
but as the location is low bottom land, with
no possibility of sewerage it can not become
a city Later a city may spring up on the
point before mentioned near the fort. The
difficulty of all our new towns is the home
stead filings, causing litigation for titles to
lots. To obviate this difficulty, l have se-
lected town sito in the best part of Okla
homa, free from incumbrance, and will have
something interesting to say about it for our
Omaha colony in my next letter. All of the
Omaha people now here are well located and
in prosperous circumstances.
j. w. EvARTs.