, 1900-06-25
SARATOGA

Saratoga is a town with a future.
With the development of the mines in
the surrounding mountains and the ag-
ricultural lands of the valley its posi-
bilities are almost limitless.
In company with Mayor Schnitger of
last week. The town lies on both sides
Of the North Platte river. % miles south
Of Fort Steele. The principal business
portion is on the west side of the
river. The Platte is spanned by a sub
stantial bridge, somewhat better than
the n the people of Laramie con-
structed at the mouth of Big creek, two
years ago, and which afterward furn-
ished driftwood for Casper.
Saratoga has numerous business
houses, carrying large stocks of goods.
IL has a bank, chartered by the state
md owned by the Cosgrif Brothers,
nat is doing an immense business con-
srdering the size of the town. A year
ago the deposits of this bank amounted
20 $50, 900. Now they are $50, 500. Mr..
John d. c. Kruger, the gentlemanly
and efficient cashier, states that the
business of the concern is constantly
on the increase and that a dividend of
10 per cent is one of the very agreeable
features Of the first year. Modern
banking facilities and the latest i'm
proved fire arms render the business
safe and profitable. Burghers, who
seek to make a draft, will be given free
and unlimited lead.
Two churches, one school building
and nine saloons and gambling houses
have been provided for the religious
training, the educational development
and the degradation of the people. In
the matter of churches the people have
gone to the extremes and have erected
edifices of the E~piscopalian and Presby-
terrain creeds. The school house is a
crude affair, located far from the center
Of population on the east side Of the
river. To the outsider it would seem
entirely inadequate for the children Of
an enlightened community Of 500 peo-
pie. The devils chapels" are numer-
JUS and apparently prosperous. Nine
saloons would seem entirely adequate
for so small a town. 1t is stated by
those who ought to know that the old
timers of the valley do not keep up
these resorts by their patronage, but
thai they gather their shekels from the
miners Of the Battle Lake and En-
who flow in and out of the valley. Were
1t not for the numerous saloons Sara.
toga could be likened to the country
towns of central Nebraska, but they
lend it an air foreign to the Nebraska
village. 1t is a combination between
agriculture and mining, the two great
industries that will make it great and
famous.
The agricultural possibilities of the
Saratoga valley are almost beyond
measure. The beautiful river which
flows through 1t will furnish ample wa
ter to irrigate lot only the low lands,
but the vast plateaus as well. At the
present time a plan is being engineer
ed to bring a large tract Of land lying
to the north and east of the river I'M
der irrigation. In the tract in question
there is more han $50, 900 acres, now
covered with a luxuriant growth of
brush, which proves the fertility of the
soil. With the brush removed and va
ter upon the land, small grain of all
kinds may be produced safely and prof
itably. The proper development of the
valley will require the investment Of
large aggregations of capital and the
division of the land into small farms.
Stockraising is now the leading indus
try and will continue to be for many
vNars to come.
Te-a'oga has two weekly newspapers,
tNe Tyre and the Sun. Captain Craw-
ford, editor of the Sun, lives to the
south of the town on a kopje command
ing a beautiful view of the valley. The
North Platte river runs with
in a few hundred feet Of
his door and whenever he
runs short of fish lies for his paper he
goes down to the banks of the stream
and manufactures some. He is a past
master OF the art.
Across the river from the Crawford
residence stands the Hot Springs hotel,
a handsome structure which is now
ready for the entertainment of guests.
A new bath house is being constructed
to the north Of and adjoining the hotel.
This will make the baths more con-