The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-12-26

| w men we uNOk6 Iltt IOllONlnS HlOEH'
ing we we're on the soil of the great
state of Nebraska, near a small town
called Sidney. Here the country began
to look fairly cheerful, and, as in for
mer instances where prosperity was
apparent, the cause could be traced to
the artificial application of water to the
soil. Some distance beyond Sidney evil
dences of regular farming was notice
able, but yet stock raising seemed to be
the general order of things. Small corn
and wheat fields could be seen from the
railroad, but the meadows, dotted with
innumerable hay stacks, stretched off
as far as the eye could reach. Large
herds of cattle roamed over the hills,
reminding one of past times when the
buffalo, unmolested and unrestrained,
in numbers unaccountable, grazed on
these same boundless prairies where
now thousands of free American citizens
till the fertile and responsive soil
The country around North Platte
seemed to be very prosperous. Green
meadows and extensive fields OF sugar
beets bordered the railroad track on
both sides, and 10 and behold There
| saw an orchard; not large certainly,
perhaps only 35 trees, but still an or
chard What kind of trees they were
| cannot say, but believe some kind OF
plum Fine groves OF cottonwood and
poplars surrounded the homes OF the
farmers and large sugar factory and
creamery buildings were very much in
evidence. Some miles beyond North
70 hln frYr
aginable; miles and miles of meadows
and an army of hay stacks guarding
every meadow. The country is as level
as floor and in the center of this fertile
plain runs the river Platte. The mead
ows consisted mostly of natural grasses,
but occasionally an alfalfa field would
be interspersed. The river Platte is a
very shallow, muddy and in places
broad stream, and its low and level
banks form the famous valley of the
same name. In all this great stock and
agricultural country there were no barns
OF any consequence on the farms, but
occasionally near some railroad station,
long, low buildings were arranged, not
unlike soldiers barracks, and these
buildings was informed were feeding
stables for fattening stock. Heretofore
whenever the state Of Nebraska and its
resources have been discussed in my
presence never thought it worth the
while to listen to it, always assuming
that Nebraska was in a large measure
desert inhabited by populists and
cyclones, but let me state right here
that the large green meadows of both
natural grasses and alfalfa, smooth as
city lawns, the numberless haystacks,
thousands of head of fat, sleek cattle,
corn fields, beet fields and wheat fields,
pretty and comfortable farm homes
pleasantly situated in groves of cotton
wood and poplars, present to the casual
observer a scene which will for years to
come linger in his memory as pleasant
dream.
We had hoped to arrive in Omaha be-
fore nightfall but the train was several
hours behind time and darkness over
took us long before we reached the
Queen of the Prairies, so there was moth
ing to do but 60 to bed, and after having
said "good night" to some of our fellow
travellers and wished one another good
sleep, we abandoned ourselves to the
mercy of Morpheus.
When the blessed daylight broke over
the earth we were at Clinton. The fog
hung like a pail over the wet, green
world, and there must have been plenty
of rain in this part of our great country,
for everything showed a surprising ver-
dancy-even the people, it seemed to
me. Large fields of corn appeared on
either side of the railroad, but from its
green appearance | should judge that
most of it would not mature. The soil
here must be exceedingly fertile, as the
grass and grain everywhere showed a
most luxuriant growth Fine large
farmhouses and also barns were very
much in evidence, Small groves of oak
and hickory dotted the landscape and
somewhat relieved the monotony of this
rich prairie country. The same condi
tions existed in Illinois as in Iowa. |
was told that even in the southern parts
of these two states the corn would not
mature, and if the same murky and
rainy weather continued the fodder also
would be useless. | saw stacks and
stacks of grain that would rot on the
ground, an utter loss to the owners. As
we neared Chicago the English sparrow
on the scene and great flocks
of them hovered around every station
and town.
We arrived in Chicago at 1915 and
here we had three hours rest, a square
meal and half of us a shave. BY buying
an extra ticket in addition to those we
bought in Portland, we were allowed to
ride on the fastest train, but one, that
runs between Chicago and New York,
over the l.. S. and NJ. c. and H. II. rail
roads. The run from Chicago to New
York required only % hours, and this
is as fast running as | care for. The
country here had the same general APP
pearance as west of Chicago, with the
exception of being little more rolling
and considerably more wooded. The
soil was probably sandy in many places
and the drainage poor Here as else
where | observed that the corn was not
nearly matured, and the quality will
consequently be second-class. The fruit
crop, as far as was able to Judge, SEEM
ed to be almost a failure and what there
was of it did not look inviting, nor did
it make your mouth water"
The day closed at Waterloo in a man.
ner that reminded me of Oregon, that
is, in drizzling manner that was both
wet and cold That night we did not
sleep, as the vibration OF the car caused
a peculiar sensation which more resem-
bled an electric current than anything
else. | dread sleepless night more
than anything | can think of at the
present time.
AT O'Clock Thursday morning Syra-
cuse, n. Y, was at our doors, and in
this vicinity | noticed the first really |
large and well-kept orchards, OF cour sc
| know we had passed large orchards |
before, but they had not come under
my observation; but nowhere did l see
apples that even approached the Hood
River apple in size, color or flavor.
Later in the forenoon we had glimpses
of that watery grave in which SO many
millions of the taxpayers dollars have
been sunk by corrupt political shysters
and their satellites, the New York
canals. Several boats, steered by old
4 / l