The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1890-09-25
HAYrwIsTER HATS.



AS will be noticed by the hcaGing. We are
not yet in New Mexico and perhap; may new
err be. alth )ugh hate to give up the notion.
The facts are that for five hundred miles We |
w3nt along with hopeful hearts AMI tired |
tones without accident delay or hin,irance. |
After that he luck Of the expedition changed |
somewhat. 10 we'll rs tho grass and water. |
The cattle began to get lame and we heard
such awful stories of drought and famine |
along the trail further ahead that we began
to lose confidence. As news was considerably
corroboratcd by a constant stream of return
ing settlers and the question asked us gener-
ally after leaving Grand Rapids, Neb., was
not what part of the West are you going TOP
but, what part of the East are you return
ing tor" Consequently when we camped one
night by the northeast corner Of Colorado wit n
man who had only a wife and one child, who
drove two little cows to rickety wagon, and
| who was likewise possessed Of II nimble
| tongue, a loud voice with no end of yarns
about the hard times west, we turned the
head of column toward the North again. where
We could get hay cheap yet-for, be it remem-
| bere, huy is a costly article from the North
| line of Colorado down. This was the last straw
we could not find courage to surmount, for
Cured: First, Winona next to the haby-eat
| too many green pluns, and before we could
get to doctor Inflammation of the bowels
| set in and we were only too thankful to bring
her out alive. After that one mshap after
another happened, including number Of
break downs. cattle getting lame, etc, so We
returned to what is LEGALLY known as The
North Platte Country" and here we are half
| inf n n nod Sh0ntN.
hired place to Craze and winter cur cattle.
and perhaps may settle, although the outlook
Is not bright with everybody leaving for the
| East.
| There ere no crops raised west of the one
raised heavy crops Of corn, and believe con-
| Siderably small grain uni fine gardens and
the cry was again taken up by the settlers
| copied from the bOomers-"The Great Amer
icun Desert is thing of the past forever"
| But somehow she shows up again with con-
siderable plainness this year. OF course I did
| not leave Redwood because l expected this
great western cattle country to permanently
| turn, or rather remain permanent reliable
| agricultural country. The real truth is that
two out of five are barren years, and one in
| five, with extra cndeavor, a partial crop can
| NC raised, anu TWO HOOl crops Cdu Dc scCuiCo
| In these five years as Il large portion of this
| western country near the mountains has cx-
| ccllent SOIL in fact very rich, although VIC
Travelled through 80 miles of very sandy and
billy country. The climate is said to be more
| agreeable than farther east on the same par
| alIel of latitude. l believe this to be true as
| there is 80 much more sun shine Last winter
! they claimed that Oue-half the time they
| went around in their shirt sleeves. The sum-
mer days are quite hot, but the nights are
| very cool. By Our thcrmometcr we have had
it 107 in the shade during the heat Of the day
and fail to 80 degrees before marninY The
contrast Is 50 great often felt certain there
had been frost, until disprovcI.
| Everybody is baJing now. neighbor is
putting up 500 tons. They'll is tirm-huve
| E0) head cattle and 10 horses. We are very
busy stacking hay now for ourselves.
Next time I will give description of the
country passed ever. There is great deal of
| government land here yet, bu! no man from
| Redwood county will ever fluid her equal after
| he gets west of Marshall AMI southwest Of
| Curre, and hardly there. Therc'll be no more
Of the best kind of pillow land, right along side
of the best of hay land with good markets
| cheap timber, etc. think the climate more
| agreeable here lard it is probably more agree
| able to raise stock under certain conditions,
| What they are will explain in my next.
| HARVESTER.
|