Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1899-09-28

time, for southern Minnesota is large.
/ ly devoted to the growing of that
cereal. Instead of the big wheat
elevators that we are accustomed tc
seeing at the stations along the rail.
ways in the Red River Valley, We
find here long cribs for the storing Of
the corn, and facilities for the ship.
ping of hogs and cattle. From Sioux
City the road follows the Missouri
river until we reach Council Bluffs,
where great iron bridge spans the
stream, on the opposite side of which
is Omaha, the metropolis of the great
state of Nebraska. After partaking
of substantial breakfast at the Pax.
ton hotel, in Omaha, the editorial
party resumed it's journey westward
over the Union Pacific, the great
overland route. As our special train,
on that glorious, sunshiny day, sped
up the famous fertile valley of the
Platte river, the great agricultural
resources of Nebraska were revealed
gradually to our wondering eyes.
Here tall King Corn is jolly good
fellow and appeared to have almost
unlimited sway. We were told that
Nebraska has this year produced
300, 600, 900 bushels of corn, and leads
all other states in the Union in grow
ing this cereal. It is an enormous
crop. Well may Minnesota wheat
and Nebraska corn bow to each other,
and exchange compliments. But we
noticed also, as our train steamed
along, vast meadows dotted with hay
stacks as thickly as mountain peaks
in Colorado. Cattle and hogs were
seen in large numbers. Countless
beautiful farm homes, where peace
and plenty appeared to prevail, were
passed as our train glided along, also
many thrifty cities and villages. At
Columbus, a town of 4 or 5000 peo-
pie, we halted a few minutes while
our engine took breath. A citizen,
whom we interviewed, said that the
first settlement in the vicinity was
made in 1855 by Germans, the town
laid out in 1858, that the railroad
came through in 1866, that land
around there is worth 30 to 40 dollars
an acre, and that the farmers are
prosperous. Central City, town of
about 1900, is said to be the greatest
stock feeding point in the United
States. We arrived at Grand Island,
city of 5000 inhabitants, 1853 miles
west of Omaha, in time for late but
fine dinner at the Kohler Hotel.
This town contains large sugar beet
factory, and on our return trip we
saw here, and at the stations near by,
many farmers wagons loaded with
sugar beets that were to be delivered
or shipped to the factory. The sugar
beet, we we're told, was especially
we'll adapted to be grown in dry re-
gions where the rainfall is scarcely
sufficient for other crops, as its slen-
der tap root will penetrate the soil to
depth of five or six feet until it
strikes moisture. Resuming our
journey, we pass Kearney, another
good sized town of about 5000 inhab-
itants, 1879 miles west of Omaha.
The Platte river valley is not unlike
the Red River Valley in Minnesota,
excepting that away from the bottom
lands the surface is more or less roll
ing and broken. But the country
was more beautiful and less monoto-
nous to look at because 50 much tree
planting had been done-a large
grove by every farm house, and rows
of trees along the roads and often be-
tween individual farms. By the
planting of trees the Red River Val
ley can and will in time be made just
as attractive to the eye. AS we pro-
coed westward the country gets more
arid, and the land must be irrigated
in order to produce crops successful
ly. The water from the Platte river
and other streams coming down from
the mountains, is diverted by means
of irrigating bitches, making thou
sands upon thousands of acres pro-
duce sure and most abundant crops.
Numerous sheep and cattle ranches
are found in the western part of the
state. Gothenburg, 255 miles from
Omaha, a town of l, 900 people, named
after the chief commercial city of
Sweden, and where we were told that
many sons and daughters of the far
Northland, had builded their homes,
was passed late in the afternoon. At
North Platte, 294 miles west from
Omaha, we cross the Platte river,
which we had followed more or less
closely during the day. From the
appearance of the bed, it is broad
and shallow stream. Now there was
very little water in it. Here, also, we
were advised to set our watches back
one hour to make the change from
standard to mountain time. Another
day its course had run and darkness
brooded over all. Again we sought
our berths, and when we awoke next
(Monday) morning we were in the
great city of Denver, the capital and
metropolis of Colorado, $40 miles
from Omaha, and 5,170 feet above
the level of the sea. All the time
after leaving Omaha we had climbed
gradually to higher altitude, the
more rapidly the farther west we pro-
ceeded. AS Omaha is l,O31 feet
above sea level, we had climed nearly
a mile in going to Denver, but SO
Ind L