F v^ w io OF MOSES STOCKING, ESQ.. !l AND L. R. WARNER, ESQ., ON THE LANDS BELONGING TO THE / I' BUELINGTON & MISSOURI RIVER RAILROAD COMPANY IN NEBRASKA. AN!) OTHER VALUABLE INFORMATIOiN. JANUARY 1, 1870, HBTiAID BOOS AND JOB OFFICB, PLATISMOUTIi, NEBRASKA. ^Q,^*^ K/E:poi^t BY MOSES STOCKING, ESQ. Mr. Q/rus Woodma n, ilanaging Di- rector Burlington and 3Iisso2iri River Rail Road in jVebraska : Sir : — The district of countrj- iucludod within the scope of 1113' instructions in- cludes parts of the counties of Lancaster, Seward, York, Saline, Fillmore, Clay, Hamilton, Adams and Kearney, and is a portion of that immense line of tabic lands that form the southern coast line of the great Platte river, and whicli seem to have their eastern ternjinus in Saunders county, and in the point of land betvreen the Platte bottoms and the valley of the Wahoo. The features of this table arc peculiar. It is very level, containing numerous small depressions or basins, usually drainable from one to another, and finally to the verge of the plateau, by very shallow drains, of one foot or so in depth. It is destitute of trees, but everywhere clothed with rich grasses. It is the source of numerous small streams, that in connection with its nnmercus basins, aft'ord stock water on nearly every sec- tion. It is nowhere entirely cut through by its numerous water courses, but on the contrary offers, it is believed, the largest level njtland route for a wagon road on this continenc. It also presents one of the finest surfaces for the con- struction of railroads to be found in the known world. The .surface having an incline to the southeast, nearly all the waters issuing from this immense lino are discharged in that direction, including all the northern tributaries of the Ile]>ublican. the north- ern heads of Little Blue, West Blue. Beaver and Lincoln Creeks, and North Blue : and, fiirther ea.st, Willow, Plumb, Middle, Oak, Wahoo and Otoe Creeks. Again, many of the above named streams reach outward and upward to the very verge and summit of the Platte river coast, and thus furnish the easiest grades and the finest lines of communication between the latter and the country to the east, soath and west. The waters of Hhis region flow with a brisk current and are sweet and pure. Mill sites are plen- tiful, but as yet only a small number are improved. At Milford and Camden, on the North Blue, are good mills ; a fine mill is also in process of erection at Pleasant Hill, on Turkey Creek. Mr. David Heed, at Ulysses, and Mr. West, on West Blue, also have saw mills ; more saw mills and at least one good flouring mill on West Blue would pay the enterprising builder largely who shall undertake it. The want is daily becom- ing a necessity. Who is to be the lucky man? The climate of this region is one of great salubrity, and offers strong induce- ments to the rheumatic and consumptive of the eastern States to settle upon thesi> fertile and beautiful prairies, and breathe; the pure, invigorating air of Nebraska. Timber, consisting of Oak, Walnut. Maple, Ash, Elm, Cottonwood and AVil- low. was found upon all the streams vis- ited, and geuerally in quantities suffi- cient to supply pretty compact settle- ments, until such tinjo as a full supply can be grown by cultivation. Cotton- wood, of a size to answer for stove wood, lias been and can bo grown in three years. Plant close with seedling trees, cultivate as for corn, and thin out the third year. It is believed that the whole region examined belongs to the great marl deposits of Nebraska, varying in color and composition from the yellow marl of the bluff formation along the Missouri river, to that of the white and chalky marls of tlie middle and western part of the State, and that in the coun- ties bordering upon the Platte river the ^^trata of marl are of great depth, gradu- ally thinning toward the south and east. In Saunders county the marl seems to have a range of from six to twenty-one feet in depth, under which is a thick bed of sand ; and, in one instance, a soft, yel- low sand rock was pierced to a depth of thirty feet. These marls, whether yel- low, white or red, contain everywhere nodules of lime, and in considerable quantities, and offer to the agriculturist as desirable a soil for the growth of clover, root crops and the cereals, as the world affords. In short, they bear a close resemblance to but are not excelled by the famous wild oat soil of tlie Sacra- mento river, of California. On the drj'er portions of this plateau hogs and sheep should constitute a large percent- age of the farmers' stock. Deep tillage should be the farmer's motto, and his ]_>ractice as well. Deep plowing will en- able the surplus water of a rainy season to readily sink out of his way, thus es- tablishing a reservoir below ibr the use of his growing ])lants in seasons of drouth. Again, free jjlanting^ both of fruit and forest trees, for ornament and for profit, should engage his early atten- tion. Although west of range one west there is .scarcely an acre of ground that h;i3 been broken more than three years, or produced more than two crops, yet the settlers have this year grown from twenty to thirty bushels of excellent wheat to the acre, fifty to seventy-five of oats, fifty of barley and twenty-five to sixt}' of corn ; and further east, on ground four or five years in cultivation, seventy to seventy-five bushels are re- ported. Potatoes and other roots of the very finest quality and large yield have been obtained. Thirty miles below Kearney and on the Platte bottom, })eaches are grown upon trees four years from the seed. A section of the Platte bluffs known as the Sand Hills, and averaging perhaps one mile in breadth, say from range two to range eighteen west, is believed to be admirably adapted to ])each growing. In the valley of Rock Creek, and in the counties of Saunders and Lancaster, are several ©ut- crops of new red sandstone, belonging to the Dacota group of Doctor Hayden. This rock is very well adapted to build- ing purposes, and is within a short dis- tance of the line of the railroad from Ashland to Lincoln. In the same valley, and near the resi- dence of M. lliddle, is a small salt basin. The northwestern portion oP Lancaster and eastern portion of Seward counties are quite rolling and abundantly sup- plied with small streams. The soil indi- cates more clay than is usual in Nebraska soils. The grazing is somewhat inferior, in consequence of the large proportion of the fetid wire grass that abounds. The other grasses of this section arc rich in nutritious qualities, as are the grasses usually found throughout the State. Mr. AVm. Imly, an old settler of Ne- braska, formerly of Cass, but now of Seward county, and who has been for three terms one of her County Commis- sioners, says that Seward is a better county than Cass for wheat and oats, but perliap5i not quite as good for corsi ; thinks the soil more compact and clayey ; has examined tlic count)}- west of 8ew- ard and .southwest to the Republican. — Thinks the country on the Bhies the best he has f-een, and admirably adapted to the ]n-oduction of grain. Mr. Wm. _ E. Davis and Mr. Ellsworth, of 8ewai\l, corroborate tlie statement of Mr. ludy. Cros.sing the North Blue at Seward, our route Iny down the west bank some four or five miles. After crossing (,^1-ookod Creek, a small tributary, with limber, turned southwest across the ))i'airie to Walnut Creek, a branch of \Vest Blue, and also showing timber ; thence west on wagon road to Beaver crossing. The whole aspect of the coun- try since crossing North Blue, has changed for the better. More timber, smoother surface, soil more frial)le and much less of the fetid Avire grass. Mr. Boland Heed lives at the jinu,-- tiou of Et^aver and Blue: owns ]u,(;i((0 acres, has farmed four years, had good crops, no trouble from drouth, thinks the soil unsurpassed. Mr. l''ou?t has farmed five years in the fork of Blue and Beaver ; has good crops — this year ha.s seventy bushels of corn to the acre — has grown wheat, oats and rye. AU do well. He hasno trouble from drouth and thinks the soil exceed- ingly fertil--'. The Beaver and Vv'est Blue make a fine sliow of timber from this point. Contiiated up the road to sec- tion 2:1, town 9 north, of i-ange 1 west ; crossed the table land in a southwest di- rectioji to the West Blue, section 7, town y ranu'O 1 west. Table land level, rii'h. wanii, light, friable soil, and cov- ered with rich grasses — the rcdstem pre- dominating, mixed with bluestem, bunch, butlalo, and a little of the worth- less wire -grass. 'fhe bottoms have a beautiful slope to the river, and arc high and dry and very fertile. Timber suflicient for a comj^act settlement. The high land drops down at an easy slope. Every .settler talked with reports good crops and no trouble from drouth ; and the appearance of the deep, rich soil, fully corroborates their statements (jrossed the table land again, to Captain Wymans', on Beaver, section 0, town 10, range 2 west ; sur- face very level ; passed a wet basin of some forty acres in area. It is believed that these basins could easily be con- verted into permanent Avatering jilaces for stock — a desideratum where the table is wide or running water too distant — and thus not only add a permanent value, Init increase the beauty of this ali'eady beautiful plain. At Wyman's saw .'-;ome line samples of wheat, oats and corn of his growing. Followed up the Beaver to David Baker's — a new settler, who has lived in Iowa, 31issoun and West Vir- ginia — section 10. town 10, range 3. The valley of Beaver offers fine site?' f(u* farms, except that it is deficient in timber; much of its original stock having b'een cut off by the overland travel; -still there is sufficient for several additional settlers. Mr. Baker has a splendid loca- tion, is evidently a man of energy and some capital, and will soon make a notable mark here ; claims are now taken on this stream some sixteen miles above Baker's. Several parties are stopping tlicir families here, while jireparing their houses. From this point, contin- ued up. the stream tlire(> miles; passed a village of prairie dogs ; turned south to West Blue: liit the stream at the mouth of School Creek, section SH, town '.i, of range 4 Avost. Beautiful i)lace, fine land and plenty of timber. Table land was very level. Badger holes show a creara\- colored marl under- lying the surface and containing nodules of a chalky lime inconsiderable (fuanti- tities. In the middle of the table land found a second village of the ])rairie docs; crossed to the south side of the Blue, and went up stream to Fairbanks" section 28, town G, range 4 west, who set- tled here July ISCG ; did some breaking, too late ; did not rot well. Soil rots quickly if broken at the right season of the year. He believes in deep plowiui;-, t'hbks the ground resists the drouth rc- Tnarkably^oll. He has had good ci-ODS andthmksthe upland full as good as the bottom for a crop. His neighbor ou the opposite side of the river, and where the table terminates abruptly m higH bluffs, has good crops and no damage from drouth. Fairbanks showed some fine xvhcat corn, oats and potatoes; has cottonwood trees two years old that are til teen feet high and three inches in diameter. U p thestream and just above the Hender- son farm, and nearly opposite a north branch of the Blue, which shows consid- orable timber, found corners ot sections iq o,), 29 and 30 of town 9 ot range 4 west. The Blue .shows plenty ot tim- '°At Waddles-section 2G, town 9 of raP-e 5 we.st-obtained samples of wheat ancf barley; yield of wheat twenty-six, and of barley fifty bushels to the acre Thinks barley one of the surest and best crops to raise, just the soil for it. Has qood corn, potatoes and other roots believes in deep plowing, says the turt rots quickly if broken at the proper sea- son; thinks the upland will produce crops equal to the bottoms; says that stock will thrive all winter on the range; tLat a pair of horses belonging to a neighbor ran out last winter without gram and l,ut very little hay, and in the spring were in good condition for work, ihis settlement, now only three years old and embracing about a dozen ff ^i^^^^' ^^l^ this year grown and threshed 12,000 bushels of small grain of excellent qual- "Up stream several miles to Chaffee s, ill the forks of the Blue, slope of high- land cut up with ravines so as to present -irollino- appearance; bottom fine but narrowing to half a mile or less; timber • still plenty, soil getting lighter, more friable, (luick and warm. Chaffee has good crops: oats twenty-five bushels per acre, and wheat twenty-six. Turnipsand potatoes were very fine. His California pink-eveseouldnot be excelled, bectiou U town 9 range 6 west, 1^ mdes up north forkfoundtheSalmons brothers -new settlers with their first crop-a fine location, section 28, town 9, rang^ 6 The stream here is small, sluggish and muddv; timber thinning up stream.- From Salmon's toheadof timberis about nine miles; one farm in this distance.- Frequent gullies from the upland cut up the slope and bottom into small sections, otherwise they are very fine. Timber, elm and ash. The grasses are rich anu abundant. These bottoms and slopes should be grazed, and the upland farmed Left stream and turned north-northwes t for the cut-off road, which was reached a little past sunset, and the Platte river at 8 p. m. Table land very level aiu well covered with redstem, bluestem and buffalo grasses. At Geo. Marston's, north-east corner of \dams county., section 28, town 10. range 9, saw good wheat and oats grown on the Platte bottom; he tmnks both bottom and upland as good as the coun- try farther to the east. Bode south from iunction in north-east corner of Adams •county,eight or ten miles; table lam. level and dry; grass redstem and buffalo^ soil hght loam. Badger holes show a grayish marl, with nodules of the chalky lime Found the southwest corner o town 9, range 9; turned west and kep near line between townships eight aiid nine for some seven or ^igbt mile-s. Crossed a ravine, the head of Elm creek, a fork ofWestBlue, and containing water laKl four cottonwood trees; examined a cliff of gray marll5 feet high and con- taining the usual fossils chalk: hmu Whole road to-day over beautiful prair.c crassv and rich; came in at Martm s an Englishman, sectionl2, town 9, range lowest Mr. Martin was wounded by the Sioux Indians inl8G4 and his two sons were pinned together by an arr<.Y, . while mounted upon their father shorso- They are now well, and correctly appre- ciate the iVoWe iJeJ .Van. Mr. Martm., .states that he sowed four bushels of bar- ley on 2.} acres of ground, and harvested and threshed two hundred bushels from the same: has fine samples of wheat, oats and barley, i)otatoes, cabbage, beets,' car- rots, i)arsnips, onions, etc.; has raised peaches this year on trees four years from the seed. His trees do not winter kill; thinks ihe upland fully as good as the bottom. Martin says that the alkali ground on his fVirm comes all right in three years. ^ Three fourths of a mile southwest of Martin's examined a cliff nine feet high, first six feet gray marl full of foinlh, next a thin sheet of rock and horizon- tally under this was three feet of dark brown soil, without fossils and belonoing tea former age. These dark lines of old soil are quite common along the Platte Valley. At Cottonwood Springs are three distinct lines, and in the bank of the river below Geo. Martin's is quite an extensive deposit of bones of a large Mammalia. Between Martin's and Kearney the surface near the Sand Hills IS undulating and in places some sandy • shows signs of denudation ; grass thin,' water scarce ; farther so>iTth is found the smooth surface of the gray marls. At Kearney City examined some very fair vegetables and seed corn grown by Mr. Mitchell, among the sand hills of the Platte bluffs, on new breaking; also vegetables and grain grown in thePlatte bottom by Messrs. Talbot and M. H. Sydenham, all of which were fair as usually fuund in the eastern counties of the State grown , upon new ground.— These gentlemen express great confidence in the productiveness of Kearney county. Nov. ;i From Kearney, in Kearney founty, travelled south, crossed the sand hills, and outupon the plain, to corner of seetions 22, 2.3, 26, 27, of town 7, range L) west, near center of Kearney county. Those sand hills are one mile in breadth and will some day be crowded with peacli orchards; next about one mile of undulat- ing marl of :i creamy color, compact, looks dry and hard; covered with shoit buffhlo gntss. In a cliff, twelve feet high and six toGt nom the the top, was the dark line of an old soil and usual ix'd grit. On the table land again. ^ To the ea,st. south and west, the eye cannot reach U the limit of the plain. Buffalo grass com- prises four-fifths of the herbage, and this has been grazed close ; and tl e "chip"- sign shows which species of the '-i^o <' ' has been here. Turning east, passed one lirge and several smaller pond,s, from one o which issues a branch of Little Blue. Fol- lowed down this one hour and came to a pool of clear good water. Near by v^as a cliff seventeen feet high, fifteen Vect of light colored marl, with the chalky nodules oflime resting horizontally on two feet of dark brown soil, and conhiin- ing coarse grit resembling grains of new red sand-stone. Followed this brancli till dark— but little water— surface rou-h near the stream, but smooth a half mile distant. Timber begins to apj.ear and also considerable water; a fork comes in from tlie south west— camped liere. In the morning ascended a knob some fifty feet liigh, and took a survey of the country ; rough and full of gullies near the stream, and quite sandy; gra.s.s coarse and but few trees ; smooth in the distance. Bode northeast half a mile to the marl i)Iain ; turned east and rode over a beautiful level tract, well covered with grass, to a second creek, studded with Cottonwood trees, an old camping place ; plenty of water in long lagoons" steep cliff, banks of white marl, offering good .shelter for stock ; on again over the level and well grassed plain ; cro.ssed two old wagon trails pointing north and south. At 11 o'clock, a. m. came to a third creek, ut six large elm trees— water in holes— timber below far as seen, banks low, grassabundant, and mainly rcdstern; one mile farther east came to the St. Jo- seph road ; one-fouth of a mile further came to a fourth creek witli cottouwood timber ; continued east over beautiful and well grassed prairie until an old Indian trail was reached ; here found a quarter corner. Turned north half a mile, and fouTid corner of sections 20, 21, 17, 16, of town 7 north, range 10 west ; the center of Adams county ; north three miles to township line ; found all the section corners. Turned cast again two miles crossing a fifth branch of Little Blue, to the corners of sections 2 and 3 of town 7 north, and sections 34 and 35 of town 8 north, range 10 west ; north again one mile to a fork of West Blue ; down stream two miles and camped on good grass near water ; here the hollow turns south. All of this stretch of prairie is most beautiful, rich, and covered with grass, mainly bluestem. Nov. 5. Traveled north a short dis- tance, swung around east and south to the high land on south side of creek ; east and north again to the first timber — eleven cottonwood trees — at the fork and near the quarter post of sections 34 and 35, town 8, of rajige 9 west ; just below the cotton are thirteen elm trees. Here found fresh chopping and the track of a wagon drawn by sjiod mules. North again, some two or three miles, twining more east, found corners of sections 2, 11, 13, 14, of town 8 north, of range 9 west, in eastern part of Adams county. Twining still more to east and southeast, came upon the trail of railroad surveyors at stake 5618, in northwest corner of Clay county ; followed line east to stake ;>o30 ; turned ; outh to river for water, and nooned near some elm trees. All the country passed this morning is very beautiful and well covered with bluestem grass ; soil of the best qualitiy ; badger holes show the cream colored marls. — Passed to the south side, and out upon the table land ; turned east and kept near enough to the river to get views of the timber. In range eight the timber is thin, about enough for one family to the quarter. Kange seven has more timber, enough for a compact settlement. In the west part of range 0, the timber •s thin again, but is quite abundant at the east side and around ChaflFee's — sec- tion 34, town 9, range 6 west, in south part of Hamilton county. All of this prairie is beautiful as the "Garden of Eden," and the rich, warm soil, deep enough to produce all the "fruits of the earth" in abundance forever. Nov. 6. From Chaffee's rode south- east, accross the table land. Crossed the railroad survey at stake 2734. About half a mile further came to corner of sec- tions 17, 18, 19, 20, town 8, north of rango 5 west, in the north east township of Clay county — the first corner stake .yet found standing in place. Struck School creek, at corner of sections 34, and 35, tov/n 8, range 5, and sections 2 and 3 town 4, range 5, and a little below the head of timber; country passed over same as ycv-- terday. On south cast quarter of 3, and north west quarter of 2, town 7, range 5, and.on north half of 35, town 8. range T), there is timber sufiicienfc for settlers; still higher up are a few trees. Crossed the creek, and rode east one mile to summit of table laud — level and grassy, as far as the eye could see. lu town 8, range 4 Avest, the north west township of Fillmore county, crossed the railroad line again t;'^ stake marked 2338, P. On the south side of School creek the surface and breaks indicate more clay. At several points a red compact clayey marl, containing tho lime fossils of the white marls with various colored and water worn pebbles of granitio origin, were observed. Grass abundaj;t and mostly redstem. This creek is very well timbered to its mouth, and but a few claims taken. Camped on the prairie, night cold and frosty. Nov. 7. Down Blue to the Whitakcr brothers, — section 8, town 8, range 3 we^t; damp chilly east wind. Mr. Whitaker has been three years in Fillmore county; came from Ohio, has raised twenty-fivo bushels of wheat, sixty of corn and two hundred and thirty of potatoes to the acre; thinks the soil very productive ; han a mill site that he wishes improved. Nov. 8. Southeast from Whitaker'^ found corners of sections 10, 11, 14, 15, town 8, range 3. On the summit of the tiiblo found the usual basins. Crossed theviiih-oad survey at stake marked 1662; reached Turkey creek at noon, about three mil(;s l>eiow the head of timber, at a high bhiff and near south branch having tim- ])ci-. This plateau differs somewhat from anyofl lie proceeding; it evidently con- tains more clay and a closer, firmer soil; the result no doubt, of the red, granitic marly clay subsoil above described. The basins, also, differ in this that they con. tain water and slough grass; also there is' a large ))roportion of the bluestem grass. Again the earth raised by the Badger was darker, more clayey, and the lime peb- bles reddish in color ; the surface more rough, indicating standing water after a rain. Txirkey creek at this point, near the centre of Fillmore countj' — section 27. town 7, range 2 west, is a mere rivulet, but shows evidence of being a river at times. Drift wood was noticed lodged in the branches of treesfifteen feet above the bed of the stream. The bench or terrace bottom is wide, level, rich, well covered with grass and elevated fifteen or twenty fieet above the bed of the creek. The upland to the south has a very easy rise and is of the best quality. Kept on the south side, to the entrance of a con- siderable fork, having a good show of timber coming in from, the southwest- section .3, town G, range 1 west. Passed one claim in this distance, on which was a house and about five acres of sod corn. Timber mainly wdaite-ash, and small.— Crossed to the north side, and rode one .".nd a half miles over a beautiful bottom: came to ten acres of breaking and an empty house. Camped here. Nov. 9. Morning dark and foggy; could scarcely see eighty rods. Rode down stream to section 24, town 7 of range 1 west— east line of Fillmore county. Here found out crop of the red clay in a cliff, and gray marl above. Above the cliff the clay was so near the 5furfa.ce as to be reached by the plow ; with the clay at its base was mixed a notable quantity ot coarse red sand, re- sembling the debris of the new red sand- stone. On section 20, town 7, range 1, found Mrs. Prelan,, from Ohio, who has been here three years ; raised two crops — both good for new ground. Wheat this year, twenty-five bushels to the acre, and some smutty ; corn sound ; planted one- and-a-half bushels of potatoes and har- vesting fifty bushels. At noon reached Mr. John Manley".?, section 4, town 7, of range 1 e-»st in north-west part of Saline county; has been here since June 1866, Mr. Manley is from New York, has raised two crops, last year had eighteen bushels of wheat and twenty-five of corn to the acre. Says the upland suffers more here than the bottoms; thinks it due to the underlying clay, which he says is found within one foot of the surface. Timber on Turkey Creek has become large and more abundant in quantity and variety. Walnut and burr oak are now seen. Mr. Manley reports one hundred bushels of potatoes to the fourth of an acre as his yield this year. Six miles further down found a Mr. Gilbert, from Ohio — section 4, town 7, range 2 east^ — has been on Turkey Creek four years : plows deep and has good crops, twenty- five to thirty bushels of wheat, fifty to sixty of corn to the acre ; last j'ear crops were injured by the drouth and the hot winds that prevailed five days ; this year has suffered from floods; thinks the country far better than Ohio. Reports out-crop of limestone on Spring Creek and near Pleasant Pli!!. says that it is found on both banks of the stream, a distance of one and a half miles ; is full of shells and makes excel- lent lime ; says that Swan Creek, a south branch of Turkey, is quite heavily tim- bered, and that Saline is the best tim- bered county in the State. Nov. 10. Snow this morning. Weat, down stream three miles and crossed. The valley of Turkey is a good farming country, well supplied with timber. Left the creek and took the road for Camden, which is located near the north-east cor- ner of Saline county ; table land high and level, with basins, soil grayish brown, rieh and deep ; elevation of table above river about one hundred feet. Three miles from Camden forded the Blue; maple timber on the banks; good bot- toms; fine stream and valley. At Cam- den forded the North Blue, and came at once upon the rolling prairie that istrecthes away to the Missouri River. From all that I have now seen, and all that has been gleaned from settlers, I am decidedly of the opinion that the ooiintry west of the Big Blue, and north of township 6, will, in the production of fruits, roots, wool and cereals, excel the country to the east of that river, and fully equal it in the production of corn and live stock, beef, pork and mutton ; that Kearney and Adams counties are by no means, the barren wastes that has been represented, but on the contrary, drew the elements of fertility from the same inexhaustable fountain of marl as Hamilton and Clay, Fillmore and York, having less timber and less water ; they are not as inviting to the settler, but for tlie production of fruit, (especially peaches) and wool, I should place them at the head of the list. The great want of these counties, as indeed of the whole region, is a Railroad, on which the pio- neer setler can transport his familj', his ijoods, and the lumber out of which his house must be constructed. Everv train will bring in civilization and comfort, and feeling that he is not out of human- ity's reach he will be content ; and con- tentment favors industry, and industry on these rich prairies, will soon supply an abundance of the good things of life. Ten years after the completion of your line of road, will see these lovely plains dotted over with farm houses, orchards and groves of timber, the school house and the church, the flock and the herd, and long lines of hedge enclosing broad acres of waving grain. Here the farmer Villi put down his plow without fear of turning up the bottom. These views are the result of fifty years spent in agricultuarl pursuits, sixteen of which have been spent on this frontier, either in actual cultivation of the soil or the handling of stock. I have worked cattle hard, the entire year through, and on no other feed than the grass of the lirairie : have seen fine crops of grain and vegetables grown o;i new ground that vcri/ tmse people condemned as worthless. — But sixteen }-ears back the first Indian Treaty, that extinguished their title to the lands of Nebraska, was concluded : and what is Nebraska to-day ? A State and a "loyal State" of this Union— a State unsurpassed in the salubrity of its climate, the beauties of its jKairies, the depth of its fertile soil, the abundance and purity of its waters, t^Q richness oi its grasses, or in tlie proposed facilities of intercommunication for its people. Respectfully, iMOSES STOCKING. Plattsmouth, Nov. 23., 1SG9. K/EI^OIRT BY L. R. WARNER, ESQ. M.'Faddf.x p. 0.. York Co., Xeb. Mr. Cyrm Woodmnn. BTaiinrp'ng Di- ypctnr BurHngtm, ami Missouri River Junl Road in N'chroska : _ Dkar Sir. :— I left my residence (sec- tion 10, town S, ran.ire ?, west,) Wediies- 'lay inornin/,1-, November 17th. JSiiO, to investigate tlic cliaracter of the land in Adams and Kearney counties ; its iitness ibr fiirming purposes, etc., as you re- quested in your letter of the ;JOth ultimo. From my p]:ice I passed up the West Blue river, through a part of York, Hamilton and Clay counties. Entering Adams county on section oC. town 8, range 9, then west northwest to or near section 16, town 8, range II, then south- we.st to the corner of towns .3 and 6, ranges 14 and 15, then east northeast to section I , town r,, range 9, then south- west to Thirty-two mile creek, down which T passed to tlie mouth of More- house creek, where I found sixty lodges of Omaha Indians encamped. Here let mo say, to the credit of the Omaha's, I was received like a brother and treated with the greatest kindnes.«. Being short of provisions, they supplied all my wants free of chartre, giving me corn bread, venison, sugar, coffee and flour.— They were courteous and gentlemanly in their bearing, and very solicitous for my welfare, offei-ing to furnish an escort to accompany me as far as I wished. From Morehouse I took a westerly course, to town .O, range 10, west; then .wuth to the llepublican river, then northeast, crossing Elk creek. Little Blue, Big Sandy, to my place. Above I have given you my course. From this I frefjuently diverge to the right or left, from one to the three miles, occasionally digging through the .<-oil, which, I invtir riably found to be a rich, black vegetable mould, from eighteen inches to three and a half feet deep, slightly impregna- ted with lime, and .sand enongh to keep It friable, but entirely free from stones or gravel. Like the land in the eastern part of the State, it seems to have the singular property of resisting mnisual wet, or continued drouth. The subsoil is a yellowish clay, not impervious to water. The soil between the surface mould and the clay base seems to be. strongly oalcarous, which must be of great value in the production of cereal crops. The points of some of the short divides, between the small streams, I found to be filled with gravel. Towns 5, 6, 7 and 8, ranges 9, 10, 11 and 12 are rolling, well watered and wooded.— I believe these towns to be the very best adapted to fruit growing, especially grapes and peaches, of any locality in the State. The water, in both Adams and Kearney; I found to be clear, beauti- ful and delicious. The reports about its being so strotigly inipregnated with al- kali, as to be injurious to the health of men hud animals, I positively declare to be flilse, ha,sc fabrications. The timber is Cottonwood, white ash, red and white elm, hackberry, oak and willow. The annual fiic, which have swept over these prairies for itgc "'""ast, have kept the tim- ber from spreading Mi:d attaining its full growth. If these fir ;s could be kept out of Adams county for five years it would doubtless become one entire forest. — Along the creeks, plums, gi*apes, goose- berries, i-aspberries and a superior quality of hops grow in abundance. In Webster county I fell in with jMr. Charles Coon and Jacob Haines, who with six associates have been emi)loyed by the State as frontier guards, at Kiowa, and for the past season have been farming on section 15, town 3 range 4 west. Their corn crop this year surpassed anything I ever saw in Iowa or Illinois, where I have been engaged in forming, for the past twelve years. — These men inform me that they have an average yield of seventy-six bushels of corn per acre, and this in soil far inferior to the poorest I saw in Adams and Kear- nej' counties. Messrs. Coon and Haines have taken claims in town 5, range 7 west. I see by town plats, which they showed me, that nearly all the land is taken along the Little Blue, as far west a,s the east line of Adams county. — There is no doubt but nearly all the Government claims in Fillmore, Clay, Adams and Kearney counties will be taken long before the railroad is com- pleted. On my way out I saw Mr. N. Bray and Mr. James Waddle who reside in town 9, range 4 west, also Mr. Robert L. Mont and Mr. J. Cl'.afFee, who reside on section 34, town 9, range G west — (post office Farmer's Valley, Hamilton county.) All these men have been in Adams and Kearney county, and express a firm belief that these counties are as valuable for farnn'ng purposes, and will sell at as good prices, when the railroad is completed, as lands in any county west of range 5 east. It is the fixed belief and expressed wish in the minds of every man with whom I have conversed on the subject, (and they are not a few,) that the Burlington and i\Iissouri River Rail Road Company in Nebraska could not possibly do better for themselves than to build their road from Lincoln to Cam- den, then south southwest along the di- vide nortli of north fork of Turkey Creek, though near the centers of Fill- more, Clay, Adams and Kearney coun- ties, which I respectfully submit for your consideration. In regard to Kearney county in particular, I can only say it i s one broad expense of beauty, rolling away in richest verdure, as far as tlie eye can reach, from any standpoint. As I ascended e,ach successive swell, in that rich field of floral beauty, bounded only' by etherial blue, I could not refrain from adoring the Great Creator, in obedience to whose command, all this wealth, this beauty, this sublime scenery was formed Oh! how the soul expands, what rever- ential awe overspreads the mind as the eye surveys this vast expanse of beauty and grandure. The eye can sec it, the soul can feel it, but the pen connot descrile it to another. God has placed here untold W(^alth, and rich fortunes, and so near the surface that the farmer can easily turn them out with the plow share. In Wcb- st-er county, there is an extensive bed of good coal, lime and sand stone, chalk and slate, and I think rich soap-stone. These will be quarried and shipped as soon as a roadisready to transport them. I saw and talked with Mr. James Whit- aker who resides on the north east qusrter of section 4, town S, range 3 west lie has seen as much of Adams and Kearney counties, as any man on the frontier. He thinks these counties as good, in every respect, as York, Seward, Hamilton or Filmore. His remarks are : Adams and Kearney have as good soil; the land lays as well; they have better water; as good tim- ber and lar better surroundings, than any count}' west ofrange 5 east. And in my opinion, he said, there will bo an ex- tensive local business, and a ready sale of lands in these counties, as any county east of them, if the railroad should l>e am- fitructed through them. Mr. Whitaker also said he had seen coal, Umc stone, t-'atc, soa})-stonc and good plaster in Web- H'cr county. He thinks a branch road to :hc Republican river, through towns in range 10 or 11 Avould pa}' enormous profits. 4 1 believe as he does in regards to a branch !-oad. In closing, I would say, that if there is any diiference in the quality of the ;'»ilin Adams an Kearney counties, or de- ■ct in the lay of the land, from any other (• -'unty in the State I have failed to .see it. . .-ce no ]>ossiblc reason why there .should i\ )t be as extensive local business, as ready f^ale, at as good jiricos for railroad lands, i'l these counties, as any counties in the .State. The r^oW i.s as good, the water, tim- bor, lay of the land and surroundings arc .••■jost assuredly as gudd as any other two counties in the State. The constant dread of Indians, in the minds of new comers, is the only thing that has prevented these counties from being settled. We know how to deal with the Sioux and other hos- tile tribes, but the nuirderous l^awnecs are what we dread. Let these villians be kept upon their reservation, or let the government give us full permit to kill them at sight and I will warrant Adams and Kearney to settle. Yours Respectfullv. LYMAN K. WARNER. Tills is to certify, that I aecominmied Mr. Warner through Adams, Kearney, and Webster counties, and I believe his report to be correct, truthful and not overrated. 0. N. WEBSTER. SAIjXWEESS €OUSTYv "(rcographically Saunders is included in i'lC second tier of counties west of the >iissouri River, and is bounded on the T. M'lli and east by the IMattc river, south i.y Cass and Lanca.?tcr counties, and west ! / Butler county. its area embraces about seven hun- doubt prove a success. The native^ grasses are the blue stem, red stem, bunch, grammar and buffalo, all of whicb. are highly nutritious and valuable.-- Mixed with these is found in bunchoi the footed wire grass, a worthless variety'. In the southern part of the county i^ found extensive quarries of new vi'u sand stone of excellent quality for walls culverts, &c. ; also, in four locaHties ii the Waiioo valley. Again, on the soutl side of Salt Creek, near Ashland, i- found both sand and limestone. Of timber, the principal supply is Ur bo found along the Platte and the head branches of the Wahoo in the west par of the county. Although deficient ol timber, and in the eastern part of rock yet in geographical position, beauty ol topography, fertility of soil, abundanc v of grass, supply of water and watei power and facilities for constructing rai' roads and forming connections with otl. ers that will in a few years be needed ti convey the immense surplus products r/ the county to market, Saunders standi preeminent among her sisters. I£02t9ENT£Al>M AXI> H03IESTEAI>- The Wlsat, tlie IBow atnl 4t5t» Why, or a Sloux'wpjin <';i4o«'hisin for — "Moab hath been at ease from his youth. :in(i hath settled on his lees, — and hath not been emptied from vet'sel to vessel,— therefore bis taste remained in him and his .scent is not changed." "Iloiucstcacler" is a word unknown to lexicographers. You will discover it neither in Woi'cester nor in Webster un- ahridgeii. When John Jnill hears of" it he wiil hully it as an Americanism. But heyond the Mississippi it is a familiar household word, it is a title which every tenant in our country should aspire to, and which he may obtain if he will, tlius liecouiing the peer of his Itmdlord. The lirst time I ever heard the word — "Homesteader" — was last ^November, when crossing the ferry over the Mis- souri to Plattsmouth, in Nebraska. — V/ind, current, and sandbars were too much for our caaft-, so that we were afloat seven hours before we could land. I am glad to add that we were among the last unfortunates who thus watched and waited, for the Burlington & Missouri Kiver Bail Road Company in Nebraska iiave already stationed there a transfer steamer with powerful engines which makes its trips in fewer minutes than the hours which those of the old often consumed. Among the wagons on my tedious journey, 1 notice one carrying under its white cover an emigraTit with wife, j'oung children, and household stuif. ^V'hen I inquired why they were ventui-Ing into a country unknown and un.settled just as winter was settling in, the woman answered: "Why, sir, we have bought out a 'homesteader,' and .shall move right into his cabin." "Homesteaders" would multi])ly could we keep it before the people — the whole ]ieople, how to become one — how easy it is — and how much more truth tlian poe- try lurks in the song that Uncle Sam is rich enough to give us all a farm. Ac- cordingly in hope of aiding the homeless who are in quest of homes, T write down the answers I have frequent occasion to make to the questions of homestead hun- ters, translatmg legal gibberish into our vulgar vernacular. [. What is a homestead? It is a farm given to any man, or woman, who will live on it, or cultivate it. for five years. I say "given," for the charges are only about ten cents an Jit-re — that Ls the cost of survcvim: and recording, amounting in all, for one-- fourth of a square mile, to eighteen dol lars at most, and four dollars of thi.s s-uni is not payable for five years. IT. liow large a I'arm is a home- stead ? It is a farm of one hundred and sixtj' acres, except on tracts, onedialf of which has deen granted in aid of railroads or other ])ublic improvements. On such tracts a homestead is of no more than half the usual size, III. \V'^ho may become a home- steader? An}' man, or any wouian — that is, a na- tive of a legal age. and any foreigner who has declared his intentions to become a citizen, which any immigrant may do on the very same day he lands in America. Anj' man in the military or naval sevice may also become a home- steader by an affidavit before liis officer that .such is his desire, provided that some member of his family is residing — in Western parlance, "squatting" — on the land ho wishes to get for hi.-* home. IV. How does a man become a Homesteader? He goes to any United States land office, and there he has free access to map; showing all the vacant lots in the neighboring region. He then goes and examines lots, picks out the one he likes best, returns to the land office, makes an application according to the legal forms furnished by the officer there, for that lot as his homestead, leaves those forms for record, pays at most fourteen dollars, and is henceforth monarch of all he sur- veys on the firm of his choice. But a homesteader is not obliged to go at all in person to the government land office. In most cases he can ascertain from local agents or residents what lands are vacant, and then make his applica- tion for the homestead he wishes to oc- cupy, before the clerk of the (.-ourt in tho county where it lies. V. How soon must a Homesteader begin to occupy his land? At any time within six months after his application is put on record, and he may journey away from his land at will, if not absent more than half a year at once. VI. Can a homesteader become full owner of his farm sooner than at the end of five yeai'.s? Yc.<. He can at any time purchase his land by paying the Ooveiiiniont price — the maximum of which is $2 50 and the miuimum half that sum per acre. VII. What if I buy out a Home- steader? Then he loses the right to take up an- other free farm ; but if you occupy his land for five years you will become abso- lute owner of it, or you can pre-empt at anv time. VIII. What if a homesteader dies befin-e perfecting his claiiu? His heirs will inherit all his rirhts on condition of doing his duties. IX. What if a Homesteader is in debt? .His homestead is exempt from lia- bility for any debt contracted previous to his perfecting his claiiu to that land, and, in some States, it is not li- able to attachments for any subsequent (tebts. X. What shall a Homesteader do first on his land? If he comes in the fall he can spend the winter in rail splitting. In ea:ly spring he can break up the prairie, and at once put in a crop of sod corn, which, while costing little labor, often yields twenty bushels to the acre. If he has a neighbor he may find board from the start. If he has none, he must camp in his wagon till he can build him a cabin, or at least a half subterranean "dug- out. XI. How is a tull title finally ob- tained? After the Homesteader has resided on his land, or tilled it for five years, as soon as he proves that fact by two wit- nesses to the Ivcgister of the Land Office where his application was re- corded- that officer will obtain for him from Washington a full title to his land. XII. Where are homesteads to be found? All public lands are open to entry by homesteaders, except .«uch as may have been temporarily withdrawn from market. But there are no public lands in the Northeast of the Mississippi — at least none worth taking — and only about one million acres in Iowa, and an equal number in Missouri. As soon, however, as you cross the Plattsmouth ferry into Nebraska, you enter the most desirable district for homesteads now remaining in all the ])ublic domain — a region in the latitude of New Yoi'k citj — fertile, healthy, and which the Burlington & I^IiLsouri River llailroad in Nebraska i.s fast penetrating, aftbrding access to mar- kets both east and west, as it ])ushes on to Fort Kearney, opening a route from the Atlantic to the Pacific more than a hundred miles shorter than that now traveled by way of Omaha. The United States land offices in Nebraska are at Lincoln, the capital, Beatrice, Omaha and Dakota City. Many men in older States, who are themselves no longer young, and have children read\- for education, and are disinclined to rough it on a raw prairie where n.o wind breaks have yet grown, will find something lietter than a frontier homestead, along the line of raifroad last opened through from I'iver to river, namely the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad of Iowa. That company began running through trains on the fifteenth of January. They have received their land subsidy, and in February next will put into market 4(JO,000 acres. None of this land is more than twenty miles from their track. None of it is far from schools, villages, and their customary convenience. All of it has the choice between competing markets. IMuch of it is overspread with the mold called "B'uffdeposit" — having the same chemi- cal elements which gave the Nile banks their world-famous fertility. The cli- mate is the most genial in Iowa, for the road runs through the most southern tier of counties except one. Payment may be made, if desired, in ten annual instal- ments, &c., &c. Ye who are out of v/ork on the sea- board, ye starving clerks in Washington, ye tenants in Pennsylvania, ye that gruli on the hard farms of New England, arise and jiossess the land. In another decade free lands will be as hard to discover west of the Mississippi as thev now arc to the east of it. J. D. B. ' n^tM^L LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 016 086 246 4 \