Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-11

T WAS the uuIIhiO ana HmdheF
IAY f~ur-bearing animals that led
both the Indian and the white
m man TO Harlan county. Before
tafN the coming Of the homesteader
- and for long sfterwsrd the en-
tire county was covered with grasses and
forage plants. In no other locality on the
western p~rairies were the buffalo so nu-
merous as in what Is now Harlan county.
Here was every natural advantage. Here
was the richest Of wild grasses and many
streams OF clear, swift-running water. No
country the Indian found in all his wan
derings suited him and was made for him
like this. Not only were the buffalo
abundant. but also all the fur-bsaring ami
mails and wild game common to the plains.
The little beaver led discoveries from the
st. Lawrence to the Mississippi and from
the Mississippi to the Rockies. 1t is an
industry that has led to the pathfinding Of
half the world.
1t may Astonish most readers to be told
hat on the American side OF the line the
volume of the fur trade is the largest ever
known in the United stateszgreater than
In the days when the buffalo and beaver
had the whole country as a stamping
ground. More money goes to the trappers
today for skunk and muskrat and fox
than was ever made out of beaver, sea
otter and the rare furs. The demand for
skunkskin Is so much greater than the
supply that men In the west are running
skunk farms, and for the skins receive the
same price as used to be paid for the
beaver, all the way from 81 to 50. A sill
yer foxskin brings from $3.50 to $3.50.
Fashion 10 as capricIous as the wind.
Trade doesn't create fashion; It is fashion
that creates trade. In 1872 twenty-one
large gray wolves were poisoned in one
night at Mark Coad's homestead in Harlan
county.
The cattlemah was next to inhaoit Har-
Ian county sitter the trapper and fur
trader. Though his herds might and did
roam over great tracts OF country, his
actual land possessions might amount to
a mere quarter section. The guardian OF
these cattle, the ~cowpuncher, kept a watch
full eye on the stock. driving them to water
courses In dry weather and pulling them
out OF the mud in the wet season. Much
OF life during the summer was delightful.
The skies were blue, the work easy. The
larder low, but an exciting chase after the
inquisitive antelope brought recreation and
a change Of diet from the perpetual bacon
and beans. The early cowboy OF Harlan
county became almost as resoureeful as an
Indian. fearless, open-heaTted. lean OF
body, quick OF mind. self-reliant and faith
full. a good fighter. and yet often tender
as 4 woman. His morals were generally
good. for his visits to the settlement were
rare, and even then he was not as the
dime novel would lea one to believe, the
bold. bad man, ready to shoot on sight.
His virtues were OF the manly, positive
sort, and his vices OF the same open char
acter.
Thu first explorers of Harlan county
with a view Of making a permanent settle
ment, came from the eastern part of the
state in August, 1870. AS late as ls6a Bucks
party OF United States surveyors were at
tackled by the Indians in this county and
all killed. Whenever the hunters returned
to the eastern settlement their praise Of
the fertility and grandeur of the Republic
can valley treated a strong desire on the
part Of many who proposed going west to
make this their future home. A stockade
was built two miles west Of Orleans, and
about fifteen people remained here during
the winters OF 1870 and 1871 The winter OF
1871 and lS72 was very severe. The first
storm came on the 18th OF November. and
the bad weather continued until the latter
part Of February. One band Of cattle OF