Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-08-12
ANDERSON ON GREAT WEST
Usols Dave Tells Of Come Things He Has
Seen During Life.
DEVELOPMENT OF WONDERFUL EMPR
Some T'hOuEhts Suggested by = aide
from Omaha 60 ogden on
the Overland Limited
Hete set Down.

OGDEN, Utah. Aug. ito the Editor of
The Bee: One year ago l penned an article
from this mountain city for Publication IL
your valuable journal in which / described
many scenes and Incidents in a reminis-
NSnt way that occurred in my experience
while roughing it on the plains during I'VE
pioneer and freightng days" of nearly nfty
years ago Travelling over the Union Pa
cihc railroad a few days since on the
finest and best equipped passenger train in
America, the Overland Limited my thoughts
irresistably ran back to those early days
and scenes in an almost wierd and inco-
herent contrast to the present time-that
was long before the advent of railroads
beyond the Missouri river
When l first located on my homestead
and ranch east Of Columbus. in 1885, that
region was many miles beyond the rain
peit' and for ten or twelve long years Of
hardships and toll we experienced severe
drouths and destructive grasshopper raids
AT present, and for the last two decades
a sun1cient and even superfious amount Of
rainfall has abundantly extended as far
west as North Platte and far beyond to-
ward Colorado and Wyoming. This is ac-
counted for by the rapid settlement Of the
country, extensive turning up OF the soil
and the great stimulus Of tree planting
lub Dtdulllul NoDu river country, at
one time deserted by it's few inhabitants
because of its dry atmosphere. Is now
thickly settled. presenting a splendid dis
play Of agricultural success and enterprise,
the farm lands selling at from $40 to $50
per acre.
Tale Of an Investor.
In 1859 a MIR Taft of Natchez Miss,
purchased with college scrip at 60 cents
m
between where Schuyler now stands and
the town of Columbus. The railroad now
runs through the body Of this valuable
tract, every foot of which is now valued
at 500 per acre. Mr.. Taft and son took
dinner at my ranch I'm lS61-shortly after
Fort Sumpter had been fired upon He in
formed us at that time that he held large
real estate interests throughout Mississippi
and he expected to have all his property
confiscated by the rebel government on ac-
count of his union sentiment
In 1862 his prediction became verified.
He was arrested for disloyalty to the
southern cause. thrown into a rebel prison
at Jackson, Miss, and actually died from
starvation, although worth s25OO0.
Nebraska people OF today, as rule,
know but little by personal observation Of
the present and future vast possibilities
of the progressive giant commonwealth,
traversng the state by rail from east TO
west. One Is amazed and serenely gratihed
by the numerous magnificent farm homes,
adorned and surrounded by large bodies of
stately timber. flower gardens, evergrccns,
shrubbery, etc, large, expansive grain and
corn fields Great herds OF we'll bred cat
49,. hogs, horses and sheep even and anon
attract the critical eye of the observant
tourist, all of which illustrates and fully
Al
braska sovereigns.
All this inpels me to remind our young
men, and poor men with families, OF the
Importance and necessity of obtaining a
few acres of land while It may yet be
had The time for securing desirable home
steads and cheap lands will soon pass
away.
Utah's Attractions.
Entering the state of Utah by rail
through Weber canyon after an all-night
ride over the desert sagebrush region, one
will recognize at once their advent into
Mormon settlements. On little farms of
zen TO twelve acres each are grown
large amount of cereals vegetables, fruits,
etc, than is produced on the same space
of land anywhere else In America. This
successful system of small farming pre-
walls all over the state. with the same
TtSullS everywhere ODtdlneut
with the aid of irrigation.
have oberved carefully the history and
progress OF Mormonism since 1 first met
Joseph Smith, the prophet and founder Of
that faith, at my boyhood home in Penn
sylvania in 1888 up TO the present time.
and l sincerely believe they are as indus
trious. temperate and frugal religious
sect of people as exists today in the United
States. When / visited Ogden and 5alt
Lake City nearly thirty years ago, when
these people were in complete control.
there were distilleries, saloons,
gambling dens or houses of prostitution.
Being gentle myself, I claim the privi-
lege of critclsing moderately some OF the
political methods and unjust tendencies
practiced in Utah cities of late years by the
gentle population
The greater evils and vices that prevail
come from the migration of dscontents
and political Adventures, who have in
troduced and established all the elements
that create disorder and Generalization In
= heterogeneous community. The Mormons