The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1916-05-25

| for living He came through past
our camp some time ago carrying
sack of fish and a fishing pole. In
conversation with him | tried to learn
what could be raised III this locality.
He said he could and had raised any
thing. | asked if he had ever raised
the devil; he said it took help to do
that, it was the only failure he had
made, as he lived alone. He said he
had lived fourteen years on his
homestead of 100 acres, but had just
sold out for $3.50 per acre.
Wheatland is about 1000 feet
above sea level, and we are located
!, 900 or more higher 1t must be
healthy country or else the real es-
tate and land boosters catch a good
many suckers and make them believe
it IS, for in conversation with almost
everyone coming from a distance l
find they either came for their own
health of for that of some other
member of the family. l hear of but
very little sickness, and the doctors
are starting into other occupations.
An old-timer told me they used to
punch their patients over with stick
when they thought they had lived
long enough, but now they just let
them dry up and blow away.
Our own location is about 20 miles
southwest OF Wheatlanu, a town Of
100 or 500 inhabitants on the Colo
RADIO & Southern R. R., about so
miles north of Cheyenne, in the GEN.
ter of large tract of level country.
most of which is being farmed by
irrigation.
The west side of our land borders
on the Laramie river and extends east
to the head OF Slate creek.
We selected for the site of our
buildings spot OF ground about
mile southeast of the Laramie river.
where each of us had 40 which
corners at this point. Looking west
and north from our buildings we can
see over tract of grazing land COM
prising about 1000 acres almost
entirely surrounded by mountains.
Near the center between our three
claim dwellings,, on an elevated knoll
is a fine spring of excellent water
which affords about 1000 gallons
daily. This water can easily be pip
ed to any place needed for watering
stock kept in the cOrrals and for DO
nestle purposes at each OF our dwell
ings. There are a number OF springs
in a canyon about 50 rods north OF
our buildings, which aggregate a
stream equal to one barrel OF water
per minute, which runs in a north
east course to the Laramie river.
This canyon declines at such a steep
grade that the water coming out OF
the ground always runs down the
canyon unfroZen, while for weeks at
time the temperature registers 20
to "a and so below zero of nights,
making a very desirable place Tor
stock to get water at all seasons OF
the year without any expense or both
er. it being fresh and cold in summer
and yet in winter it seems warm, be-
cause of the contrast with the frosty
atmosphere
To the north of us for several
miles is a rough mountainous coun-
try, large per cent of which is coV-
cred with timber, except in the can
yons, in which are several vari etles
of grass of good quality, with occas-
ional streams of water running down
to the river. This makes very de-
sirable range for our cattle as there
is no one located in the above de-
scribed locality, so we have exclusive
cred with range cattle.
To the south and west OF us is also
open free range country which Is
very rough and billy without any
timber scarcely, except few scatter
ing trees.
One popularity about this country
which is in our favor is that the cat
ne men in this vicinity gather up
their cattle every year about the first
of May and drive them to what is
called the Laramie Plains, about 70
miles to the west Of us, leaving the
open range around our homesteads
practically unoccupied, renewing us
from being annoyed by range cattle
in the summer season. BY running
fence from the Laramie river east
along the south side OF our land to
the head of Slate creek where our
east line is already fenced, we have
a large range of country fenced IN
which we can save for winter pasture
by turning our cattle out on the
range south of us in the summer sea-
son.
This country they call the Laramie
Plains is almost Of unlimited extent.
1t is composed of railroad and gov
eminent land alternately, running
from Laramie City to Douglas, and is
considered by cattle men the best
grazing country during the summer
season in the west, or anywhere else,
so far as that goes, there being plen-
ty of grass and water, cool weather
and no flies. If cattle have once
spent the summer there and are
brought back here to winter they Will
| go through the fences and over the
| mountains until they reach the plains
| when the flies begin to get busy here.
The severe winters, owing to high
altitude and bleak prairie with moth
| ing to protect the homesteader fro !
| the storms, have kept these plains
from being settled, and the general
supposition is that it will be many
| years before it will be inhabited dur
ing the winter season, it being too
expensive and inconvenient to get
building material, feed and fuel to
carry a settler through the long cold
winters.
w. E. Shinn.