Omaha daily bee., 1890-06-18
LAND OF BUTTES AND CACTL
Newswaper Mon on Their Travels in the
Black Hills Country.
THROUGH NEBRAsKRs bad LANDS"
Original Package Joints Welcome the
Strangers to Dakota-End of tho
Road in the Wyoming
Coal Fields.

b. & NJ. SPECIAL NEWSPAPER TRAIN, NEW
CASTLE, Wyo., June 10 Special to THE BEE
The excursion comprising the newspaper
men who are taking "a trip TO the Black Hills
as guests of the Burlington road was pleas
antly entertained at Hcmingford yesterday
morning. Hcmingford is tlourishing town
with quite a number Of business houses, stu
ated on the border of what arc known TO geog-
raphy us the bad lands of Nebraska" But
if this is bad land almost all of the state must
be bad, If not worse, for grain and even corn
is grown with great success. The townspeo.
pie are irrigated by number of wells situ-
ated at the intersections of the main streets.
1t must be patriotic city, for one
of its most notable features is
a flagstaff placed in prominent position.
Even Young America IN TINS place floats the
national colorS as ornamental neckties.
THE SOD HOUSE ERA.
Northwards the settlements begin to grow
scarccr. Wooden houses are few sod houses
still fewer The latter have an interesting
appearance. They are built of rectangular
pieces of sod, placed one upon the other. The
roof is wooden framework covered with liv-
ing grass Windows and doors are fitted in,
giving the whole an inhabitable air. Some of
the dwellings are half underground, being
veritable dugouts Others approach civilized
logs plaStered over the mud.
From Crawford on the land becomes more
sandy. For quite distance the plains
are perfectly treeless except where the
inhabitants of the towns have planted trees
in the neighborhood.
BUrTEs AND CACTG.
The hills rise gradually, getting higher
ana higher until, in the northern part of the
state, they lit themselves abruptly and are
surmounted by gray, conical butteS. The
ate mass of truncated cones, separated each
from the other by deep tissures. The grass
affords good pasturage, but is interspersed
with punches of sage brush. Wild flowers
blossom in abundance. Now and then cactic
are seen with their yellow buds. Along the
Niobrara the region of coniferOus trees COM
mences. These are seen in the dark green
pines which cluster upon the sides of the
buttcS.
DAKoTiS ORIGINAL PACKAGE.
The Dakota line is marked by no noticeable
divergence in scenery from that in Nebraska,
but soon the rich fields of the Sioux rcServa-
tion attract attention. For miles and miles
these fertile but unbrokcn prairies stretch
out to the horizon, occupied in very few
places by settlers. The CaCti becomes more
numerous. Deciduous trees again make
their appearance along the valleys, mostly of
the cottonwood variety.
Siding Seven is the station at which the
Burlington is beginning its now road to Dead
that South Dakota is a prohibition state is
vividly impressed upon strangers mind by
the large and attractive sign which decorateS
the best building in the place. This inforIus
the thirsty and wcaricd traveller that original
packages are sold here"
IN THE FOOTHILLS.
The hills slowly attain greater attitude.
The sage brush becomes thicker Villages of
prairie dogs seem to whiz past the windows
of the cars. The yellow CANNES sit on their
launches, scamper to their holes, and then to
all appearances, seem to fall headlong into
them. As the Wyoming boarder is ap-
preached the pine covered hills become more
numerous. They seem to be strewn with
rocks. Frequently the strata of stone iut
dcular precipice. Some of the mountains
seem to exhibit soil mixed with
black shale, on others the distant pine gives a
blue black color. Either might suggest the
name Black Hills, but these are only foot
hills of the Rockies. The canon leads to New
castle, the mining district. After pull up n
heavy grade the train stops-a pretentious
town looms up in front 1t is Newcastle, the
end Of the road V r