, 1902-04-03
AN UNBIASED STATEMENT.
Saratoga and Surrounding Country as
Seen by the Eyes of a Recent Conner
to This Country-A Very Clear and
Comprehensive Statement of Facts
in Regard to fine Town and Valley.

The following letter, written by
j. ID. Cochrane, one of the propri-
etors of the Waterloo lodging
house, in this city, sets forth our
town, country and prospects in
such a clear and comprehensive
manner that The Sun gladly re-
prints it.
According to promise, | now at
to give yourself and the
Eye readers my ideas regarding
southern Wyoming.
We arrived in Medicine Bow.
February 9th; found the surround
ing country entirely used for graz
ing | saw horses and cattle in
as good flesh as were the same
class of stock in Henry county
pastures, last September. This
stock in Wyoming had not been
fed a mouthful of hay or grain,
but had lived on the range. |
have also eaten beef that was kill
ed from this same range.
We left Medicine Bow, Febru-
airy 2Sth, and arrived IN Saratoga,
March LIST. This is n nice town
of 800 inhabitants, situated on
both sides Of the North Platte riv-
err. Nearly all lines of business.
usually found in Il town of this
size, are carried on here. Several
large stores. two hardware estab-
tishments. wherein John Deere.
Mccormick and Deering goods
can be bought. We have two
churches, Presbyterian, and Epis-
copal. At this place are the cele-
brated Hot Springs of southern
Wyoming, which are n noted
health resort. The springs are
equipped in first class style, very
large hotel, fine and commodiuus
bath house with large porcelain
BATH tubs. Bathing in this hot
water it said to be a sure cure for
rheumatism.
Platte river at this point, and its
adjacent tributaries is said to fur
nish the finest trout fishing in the
world.
There are some ranches in this
valley, but their system of irri5a-
ton is crude. There is now char
tered a company, called the Kuy-
kendall Wilson Development Co.
that have surveyed and as soon as
the frost goes out of the ground.
will begin to cut an irrigation can
al, which will reclaim 10000 acres
of good agricultural land, 100000
acres of this government land,
subject to homestead entry. or
can be taken under the desert
land act, and the remaining So
600 acres are owned by the Union
Pacific railroad company and can
be bought of them, when irrigated,
produces 90 to so bushels of oats
per acre, two tons of timothy hay,
) or 6 tons of alfalfa. and 300 to
400 bushels of potatoes per acre.
l am told small fruits grow well
here, such as c%urrants, ras pberries,
gooseberries, etc. The largest
cabbage | ever saw, grows here,
and She best potatoes, also. These
crops are all grown on natural
soil without fertilization.
l find no trouble from the wind
and cold. | have not had on my
overcoat but one time since |
came to this state and that was
on the overland stage trip from
Walcott to this place, % miles.
The people here do not talk
hard times; they all look forward
to better times, when spring and
summer business opens.
| hear n great deal of mining
talk, rs the various kinds of ores
are discussed every day, in my
presence, but very little of it can
| understand.
This town expects a railroad
this summer, and the road has
been partly graded for several
years.
The wages paid here are about
as follows; Brick and stone ma
sons, 81 per day, carpenters, $3.50;