Year: 1873

l tSSAoAky StsIOO " III VIII


template taking for themselves home


steads in the wilds Of new country.


The climate of this country is very


mild. The weather the last winter


has been very pleasant, the mercury
only in one or two instances falling
below zero. Our easter storm has
been very near as severe as any we
have had the past winter, though it
has not been cold enough TO freeze.
| am told that the winds blow on the
river bottoms pretty warm some
times in the month of July, but that
is owing to the buffalo grass which
grows up from three to six inches
and then curls down, forming a mat
like buffalo robe, which, when the
sun shines upon it, acts as q reflector
throwing up the heat until it is said
the air gets very warm. But it will
not be SO long, for the buffalo grass
does not predominant long after the
country is settled, and the buffaloes
driven west. A kind of blue stem,
pretty much like prairie grass in
Iowa, supplants the buffalo grass Civ
ing country quite another appearance.


The soil of this country is of the
very best quality. The much preach
ed up theory that this country is full
Of alkali is all a hoax. Alkali is q
caustic substance which neutralizes
acids. Now we know that if the soil
and clay beneath was full of alkali
that the water would be of sweetish
sickening taste which is not the case
with the water here. have dug
two wells on my farm and purer,
clearer and better tasted water, ]
never drank in any country.


This country is well adapted to
raising the cereals and every thing
seems to grow to perfection. Such
things as squashes, melons, etc., grow
to perfection even when planted on
sod. Sweet potatoes are decided
success here. While travelling about
thirty miles east Of here / stopped
over night with = family who seemed
to be very genteel nice folks. ] did
not in any way doubt the veracity of
what they said, but when the lady of
the house told me that they raised
last summer sweet potato that
weighed ten pounds averdupois, and
several others that wasn't far behind,
| Immediately began to fix my mouth
up for whistle, for / thought it was
big fish story, but the lady told me
it was of no use for it was actually so,
SO thought ! might as well be recon-
ciled at once. The wild fruit that
grows here, such as plums, grapes,
wild currants, etc, surpass all under
standing. A most delicious wild
plum grows here upon little bushes
not over two feet high which is nice
as well as an oddity.


The Campbell, Buell. and Johnston
boys from old Cedar Co., have ar
rived and settled down upon farms,
and now can step out of their shanties
and be lords of all they survey lat
least one hundred and sixty acres).
They are well satisfied with the
country.


Smith Centre since it has secured
the county seat, has been building up
very rapidly and in the course of q
year or two will be a flourishing
town and win probably be called a
city like many other towns in this
country.


This is fine place for sport and
adventure as will be shown in the
following account of a buffalo hunt
A young man by the name of Vail
saw some buffalo passing along few
days since, whereupon he mounted a
horse and pursued after them. On
overtaking them he singled out one
and began firing away at it with his
pistol, at the same time running along
side the buffalo. The buffalo becom-
ing thoroughly enraged turned and
jumped at the horse and rider. Be-
ing close to steep bank the horse
plunged over throwing Mr.. Vail to
the ground. The buffalo coming over
the bank alighted with one foot OH
Wallis thigh, and also in the muss had
his elbow dislocated. The buffalo
did not tarry but ran on, the horse
turning and following a short dis
tance, but finding he was riderless.
stopped. Mr.. Vail gathered himself
up, secured his horse and started for
home not sure whether he had been
buffalo hunting or had been dreaming.
Most of the time the night following,
he was delirious and thought there
were thousands Of buffalo circling
around him ready to make dive.


APRIL 16TH.-The easter storm has
not abated in its fury. 1t seems as
though we were going to have our
share of snow and wind this time.
To-day it is showing with high wind
from northwest. All persons living
on the prairies know the consequences
Of such storms. The weather has not
been cold enough to freeze much as
yet. Having written more now per-
haps than you will find room for in
your columns, / will close for the
present by wishing the ADVERTISER
success. L. Il. Is.