, 1889-03-13
READY FOR THE ROAD.
An Inviting Field for the Cheyenne
& Northern Extension.
Some Facts About the Enterprising
Town of Buffalo.
Matters Which Merit Immediate
Consideration.

peopie Vi thls CITY, ana more especially
the merchants, learn through the medium
of The LEADER that there is a reasona-
BILE prospect of work being resumed at
an early day upon the Union Pacific's
Northern teeder-the Cheyenne & North
ern railroad-a survey Of which has been
completed to Buffalo.
Let me tell you that we are ready for a
railroad, and why. A more progressive
community than Buffalo can scarcely be
mentioned. The county seat of johnson
county, it is lighted by electricity and
supplied with crystal water from Clear
creek by the Holly system of waterworks.
1t had as late as 1881 a population of but
twenty five souls, the combined assessed
valuation of whose property then would
now scarcely equal the price of a corner
lot. AT the present time it is peopled
with 1000 intelligent, energetic souls,
and a careful computation places its prop
erty valuation at 81 200, 900.
Here Is located a roller process Touring
mill with a capacity oil 100 barrels per
day, and the output ranks as exception
ally good -four. This mill supplies the
local demand. and on the arrival of a rail.
road the Buffalo Mill company, the chief
spirit of W hIch is Hon. George I. Beck.
will be ready to increase its capacity and
displace imported flour in every town in
the territory with a home product equal
in quality to the prime Minneapolis
article.
Buffalo is essentially the i~mportantgrain
market OF Northern Wyoming. The oat
crop Is SO heavy and the yield so excellent
that 1t pays even now, with our primitive
bull and mule train transportation facili-
ties, to export that grain, and a merchant
tells me that fully 2, 500, 600 pounds were
shipped from this point alone last season.
Vast fields of hay we're suffered to 90
uncut last summer for want of market
and transportation facilities. Baled, this
product would command top prices in any
market in the land by reason OF its supe-
rior quality, and twill form an important
article of export.
The Buffalo merchants handle a great
deal of merchandise. commanding a trade
which is scarcely confined TO q radius of
seventy miles. During the year OF 1888
there was imported to Buffalo and Fort
Mckinney via one route freight amount
ing in round numbers to 100000 pounds,
and over the other the aggregate was
greater, making in all about l,500, 900
pounds of local merchandise.
In addition, the cattle shipments from
this vicinity must be calculated in order
to arrive at an approximate computation
of freights, An exact estimate cannot be
given, but it is safe to say, from data at
hand, that the numbero of beeves marketed
last year by companies in this immediate
district was about 1000. Range fed
beeycs from johnson county commanded
the highest price paid in the Chicago
market last spring. The system now in
vogue of fattening young Texas steers on
our ranges will work to the double advan-
tage of a railroad from the South and
East, as n moments thought will convince
you. 1t will be remembered that one
months freight receipts from cattle ship
ments owe the Cheyenne K Northern last
spring aggregated $26, 900. Were the
road extended to Buffalo the figures would
not only be doubled but quadrupled, since
the Texans would not only come over the
line but would return on the way to mar
ket. Thousands of young Texas cattle
will be transported hither annually, as this
is the central distributing point for North
ern Wyoming, geographically and by
usage.
Passing by all speculation as to the prob
able increase OF all classes of local traffic
which would follow the stimulating advan.
tage of quick transportation, | wish for a
moment to turn to Johnson county and
make a note OF the immensely of its area,
the diversity of its present and prospec-
tive Industries, and the almost fabulous
extent OF its u
A small empire in itself, johnson eoun-
ty comprises 5,000,00O acres of land
equal in area to the entire state of New
Jersey. Of this, our territorial engineer
states that one.tifth, or ZOO, 900 acres.
is susceptible OF irrigation, and the wealth
of pure streams flowing from the Big
Horn mountains insures ample moisture
to render it fertile. All the grains and
vegetables common TO the temperate zone
are raised here in a marvellous state of
perfection, and the possibility of a failure
of crops from drouth is precluded by the
system of artificial irrigation.
Supposing, for example, that the avail
able agricultural land should be sown to
wheat. At the average yi9ld-twenty-
two bushels per acre-we would thresh
22,O00,O0O bushels, representing at the
prevailing eastern price of 81 per bushel,
the sum of 500, 900, 900. Plant potatoes
in this giant patch, and at the actual aver.
age yield of 400 bushels per acre there
would be 400, 900, 900 bushels of potatoes,
which, at the Eastern price OF fifty cents
per bushel, would return 5000, 900, 900.
Artificial irrigation is especially agreeable
to the nature of the oat, and | have
learned from good authority that the yield
of this grain averages forty-ive bushels
to the acre. and in weight the averagefs
forty pounds to the busAel. Thus it is
possible for johnson county to annually
produce 1900, 000, 600 pounds of oats.
These figures may appear large to the un-
informed, but the skeptic has but to In
vestigate the subject for himself to be
convinced of their accuracy.
To a corresponding degree ofIperfection
grow barley aud rye. Two large brew
cries are in operation here, one in Buffalo
and the other in Sheridan, which are sup
Piled with homegrown barley. Our
farmers have Just begun to realize that
corn can be proftably raised, and with its
assistance and that of the pure, unde6led