Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1895-01-10
From Nebraska
Arapahoe, Nebraska,
December 60, 1894.

some interest to the readers of the
LEADER to hear from a country
1000 miles distant, and "across the
Re- ,,,;;ses. so I W.. &;gc hem 9
short pen sketch of the western
part of Nebraska, as 1 have found
it.
Coming from Billings Montana,
on the B. & NJ. hallway, the first .
part of Nebraska seen in daylight
was in the vicinity of Broken Bow,
Custer county. 1t was with con-
siderable anxiety that the writer
hereof noted the approach of day
light after the train was within
Nebraska, in order 10 note the con-
dition of the country, and it was
with a sinking heart that it's coh-
dition was noted after daylight
spread over the prairies. Such
scene of grim and gaunt misery
never before appeared before our
eyes. Farm after farm was passed
without sign of feed for stock or
man appearing in the surroundings,
The fields were absolutely bare of
stalk or stubble. For two con.
secutive years the drouth and
dreaded hot winds have wreaked
destruction to the crops Of the hard.
working farmers. Twice have
they sown and have not, had. the
vestige of a harvest. The bleak I
barren condition of the country
beggars description by pen or
word. A gentleman on the
train informed me that the vote of
Custer county had decreased over
1900 votes out of total of less
than 5000 in the last year. This
would make an exodus of at least
one-fourth of the population, and it
is safe to say that a large number
have left since the, election. AT
EGrand Island the famous Platte val
ley was crossed, but the same scenes
were still encountered. In the vi
cinity of Hastings, near the cente,
of the state, where crop failures
have almost been unknown, the
same story of a two-years drouth is
told. The same pitiful story is
told by the rows of empty corr
cribs and grain bins that stand by
the side of each railway station.
After weeks stay in the south
western part of the state, the de
plorable condition of the country !:
but intensified to the observer
Two years of crop failures hav'
driven the people to the verge Q
desperation. At not one farm il
twenty will any grain be found
Empty cribs and dreary, wind swep
, fields are the universal sights tha
greet ones eyes. And who Cal
picture the desp0ndency Of the peo
pie in general. The same tale c
blasted hopes and despairing future
greets ones ears. The winter ha
been open, and for this country eS
tremely mild so far, thus enablin
stock to live off of the short grasse
t,aa. the scanty rains of last summe
permitted to grow. But Il th
winter should set in cold an
stormy, then God pity both the pei
pie and poor dumb brutes of til
region.
The desperate condition. of II
reoaie Ecvc f..rcaly arpen.e !. 10 4
sympathies OF the people from a
over the United States and muc
aid is being sent to this portion
the coputry, but The failure was .
>, universal, and extended over sue
ali exPause Of territory, that the
cannot help but be much sufferir
and privations, Perhaps the wor
feature of the whole deplorable 81
uation Is that the people will ha,
neither seed nor feed to put in a
other crop. Much help is needt
before another crop can be harves
. ed.
!, One naturally wants to kno
why the people stay here. II
answer is plain. They have /
other place to go. The drouth e
tended all over Kansas, Nebrask
the Dakotas, Iowa and Missoui
While absolute failure has on