Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-10
sport, but more than once it ended in mur

| sport but more than once it ended in muir
| der.
At one time Sidney became so tough and
! there was so much shooting upon the
streets that the Union Pacific ran its trains
| through the town without stopping. This
continued for number CT days and until
! the authorities were induced to adopt
| police regulations for the protection of
| passengers and tranmen.
| After the departure of the freighters, most
of whom left when the Pierre route on the
| Hills was established, came another ele-
! ment even tougher than either of the
! former These were the cowboys from
| Texas. During the latter '70's and the
early SOS the owners of large herds Of
cattle grazing in Texas discovered that
the grasses of the Nebraska plains were
better for stock than those of the south
and consequently they move their herds
north. For some reason Cheyenne county
and Sidney in particular became the cen
ter of this great cattle range of the north.
Immense herds grazed along the bottoms
of the Lodge Pole creek and numerous
streams flowing through the county. Each
herd had from six to a dozen cowboys, all
wild, dare devil fellows who delighted in
their ability as marksmen. These young
fellows were paid off monthly and always
came to Sidney to spend their money, most
OF which went for drink. After filing up
they would Immediately start in to do the
town, and the way they did it was a eau
ton Everything in sight was target for
their revolvers and nothing pleased them
more than to catch a stranger upon the
street and pepper away at his feet, seeing
how close they could make the bullets
strike without injuring the pedal extremi-
ties. For some years these fellows had
fu11 win finally law and order
stepped in and they were forced to sue
cumb to the inevitable and become
respectable citizens.
Cowboys Become Prosperous Citizens
Today many of the old time Texas cowboys
are the wealthiest citizens of the county,
owning large ranches, well-stocked with cat
tie and horses. The days of loose herdng
have passed. and now the stock is all kept in
pastures or is close herded
Old Fort Sidney, which until close up 10
1880 was one of the features of the town, is
no more. For long time after 1t was aban-
doned as an army post 1t was kept in eX-
cellent condition. The streets and drives
were cared for and the parade ground was
kept as clean as parlor, but later it became
a COW pasture and the buildings were per-
mitted to go to decay few weeks ago all
the buildings that had withstood the ravages
of time and the destroying hand of the van
dal were sold at auction and went for a
song Notwithstanding the fact that when
erected they cost close to 100000 While
not modern, yet all are substantial and most
OF them will be converted into barns sheds
or dwellings. The beautiful parade ground
has been cut up into village streets with
a portion to be used for a new railroad that
is expected within the next few months.
The country around Sidney is an ideal
paradise for the sportsman. In the hills a
few miles south there are still large herds
Of antelope. Thousands OF jackrabbits
roam over the plains short distance from
the town. and during the open season hun
tors find plenty of prairie chickens.
All through Cheyenne county there are
irrigation bitches, and in many places on
the prairies and in the rayines are small
lakes, formed by the water stored from the
irrigation bitches. In and around these the
wild ducks nest and raise their young. A
trihe earlier than this in the fall the prairie
seems to be alive with these ducks, which
help to make a days shooting most enjoy
able There are not only ducks but geese
and brants as we'll. These birds when
winging their flight from the north seem to
make this portion OF the state a resting
place and according to the statement of the
truthful old settler, It is no trouble to go
out any morning or evening and return In
a few hours with fine bag OF game.