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Show 32 !WC'K Y ~10 NTAfN · I'NERY. vallq of th, Platte rxpn.tH1H wit1<'ly. TIH• llil_Js Oll Pitlwr sidP arr quitP ] 1 d ''lt'l clothed with a Lh iclOW, l'OII nt l' ,. · <'ai'JH' t of g nti'R. Hu L we Bllall look c ' • in vain for any lar ro naturnl grovPH ol' l'or('Ht tr ·c , LlWI'~l lw1np; only n. V<' ry llfii'I'OW fri 11g of willows or eotton ~l'oods :Llo~1~ tlH• l1tllP f't~·<':l.nt s. Th t• Elk Ilorn ri ses far to tht' northwt•st, 111 tl1t' prn.li'IC 11Pa1· th·<' :N 10hra1·a. n~<l flowH for a tli ·t:wcr of m•nrly 200 1nilPs through :ome ol t ht• moHL IPrttl" n.nd llrnutifullancl in rl'lmtska. Each of' its more• in1portan t bmnC'ltt•s, n.s lllapl , Pebbl P, and Logan Cn•pks, has carved ouL fo1· ih:wll' brna<l , finely 1·oundt•cl valley, , o thaL almost <'Very acn• may b~· b 1 ·o u ~ h t 1111d.<·r th, hirrll<' t stab• of ·ultivation. TIH• gn'itt ll<'t'd h<' I'P w1ll lw tlntb<·r for fu •1 rtnd other >conomil'fLl purpost•s, illlll also I'O<·k tn: L( •ri:il for b~tilding. Lill the r('somce of Lllis rPgion an• t-:o vasl, tliaL tlw <•ntnprisinp; HPitlt r will cll'ViR• plans to nm<'t1y Hil tlt <'>H' ddicic•nr i<'s. Tl <' will ]>la.ttL tn·<·s, an<l thus yai !:'e hi own f'on•sts a11d illtprore his h1Hhl in a<·co1·da1HW with hi;; wants and ncct•t;t~ilicH. Tll'S' va.llrys havP alwayH be<•n tlH~ favorilt· pl:u·<·H of a bod<' for llllm •rou (rib '• of lndia nR !'rom tillll\ illllll('Jll(Jt'ial :wd Ute Hi(PK or tlll'ir old villagr · ar • till to b t~l'l'll in many lo ali( i<'s. 'l'ht> hufl:do dePI', Plk, antelope auc1 other kiudH of wild gam· s1mrm •cl ]J<'I'C in ti1P grPntPst numbers, and a thPy 1·c do 11uUH•r lo thr wps(ward into Lh<' •nore :tri (l :Lnd bH.I'I'Cll plain , beyond lhl' l'l'ilOh of ci 1·iliza Lion, till' wild nomadil' lndinn i~ oblig'd to follow. Ol'CHO, tluelcH all(l oth<•r kind~; ol' wii<l l'owl, with now ~Lnd then a RLra.y anL<•lopo or r d cll'PI' umy y!'t, bo S<'<' ll, n.nll tit c•nt<'rprisincr ]mnt<'r mny trNtt hini HPlf' to a largo an10unt of foil mill a ·n1fdl :tmount of ganw. 'l'hP uudt> rlying r ('kH a.H far wP.-t aH ('olumhtiK n.ntl bryond, though \'Cry ,·p]tlom visib l!', ar wpll known lo lwlong to tlt<' d1alk pel'iod, and ·o11, h;t of yi<'1<1ing sands, cl:ty · nn<l elmlky limPRtonPR. 'l'lw 'l' ol't r cks, so readily crnn t b lin ~-; unupr llu• atmospheric infltwn ·ps, lmve giVl•n a v ry gently undulating anclronJHk<1 a.ppmmn<'e to tlH• ·ntire urfae<'. One may travel for tlay;; in l11iH r 'gion and not find a st<>JI' large enough to to s at a birc1, and very sc l<lolll a lwslt suOi ch•nt in sizr to furni ~ h ft ·anc. Yet thi · n•crion iss >ttl in ()' Lli1 with <'tniO'J'a.nts with O'n•at 0 0 0 raridiLy; raili·oad are 110w in proYr•ss of constru ·tion, or Me in con- ~mplation, and villa()'> ar pringing 11p jn num<'l'ous lomliLi<'s. Tho p1·incipa.l on s at th pr s 'Jlt timr, arc Fremont ancl Coltunbus. The lalt>r, from its nppo · •cl c •ntral g •ogmph irnl po it ion, l1as been n·gard ('(l as th • po ible at of the Capital of tl.t Unit cl 'tatt• · in case of its removal to the We t. O~IAIIA '!'() ('HEYENNE. It may not 1)(' a111i ss to gin• a pa~;;; in g nolit·p to OIH' of t'ltt• 111orP iu(PI'<'Stin<r f'l'ILllll'<'i'l of \V('Slt•I'Jl Jif'-•, witi!'IJ iH llOW :t portion. of flu• hi :;(O I'j' ol' the pa ·t. It wa:; along Ut ' l.wautif'ul Platt(• \ ralll'Y that ~<o 11m11y tliOilsandR of <•ntigrants ancl fl'eight tmiu:; llladt• tiH•i1· slow and labo1·iouH ,j<llll'l1l'Y to iht' \'ll.l'iOUH p:trt of t iH' l'(' ll1 0ll' \\'p:;( hi'I'OI'!' tltt• C'Ollt]Jl PtiOII of till' PnC'ilic mil1·ontl. .1\ll lltl'se wonclPrf'ul H<'t'II!'H ('all 11 <'\'<' 1' bE' l'<'p ro< lnc!'t\ nncl IIlli t f;OOI1 be stort'cl away witl1 the dint 1'< •c·on1s of tlw pa~;t; but nll tlto ·p wilo ar<• now living, a1Hl l1avt• 't'l-'11 and f'OI'IIH·d a I art, can n 'VPl' forrret tlll'lll. 'l'hP c·on:,;!.ru ·tio11 of 0111' mili'Oads Ita: ·o n volu tion iiwa th W ·st, that at tlw lH' Y<·nt tim, w<· <'iW H<'<' or l'l'alize Y<' I'Y littl e· of its fomwr condi tion. Evl'n tl1e lon!•ly gmv1·H l>y tlt t• road ·ide havp be ·n oblitemt •d so Lhat ltarclly [t tm 'l' ol' tlH'nl is H<'t'll. Many yp1u·:; ago thou ·a11tls of Mormons annually pass<·cl a 'I'Oi:lS liH•so plainl:l on tit >ir way to th> pl'Onti r tl .land in 'ni t Lakl' Valley. Jn tilt• l'lpt'iu.cr of J807 I :aw a tmin of 00 l1ancl ca rt~ drawn by wonH'II and ('hildn•H, pa;;~;i 11g up the valley, with mo r·p titan 1,200 milt•s of uni1il1abi tt•t l country lwfot·t• tlll'llt. llow<'vt'l' old o1· f'p ·o le, t hry ouly dl•sin·d to start Oil tlit>it· way, fnlly assun·ll that if tlH•y Wl'l'' 1hithful to tlt t' t•nd tlwy would ret·<'in· th • 't·own. ]low many dayH of weary t1·inl atHl :ufl'!'ring th<' ·e poor ]WOple ndul' ' d, and how many laid <1own th<• bnrd •n of life b fore tlt<·y 1't •aohed tltl' end of tlu•ir Joum ·y, w (':til ll!'VPI' know. 'l'h bu ·iut•ss ol' fh·ig ltting wa ]Wrfo•·n1t>d ltPI'P on Knelt a ·eale a~; to c;on;; t.itute one of tlt ' won<ll'.I'S of tli, \Ver:;t. During tho entire m~:;on, <•itlwr O'Oiog W<' ·twan1 iu lhe spring or returning in tlt <' autumn tlw wltilt• corer •d wncron · ·ould b ~ i:lt' •n ' tretcltilw away for mill's antl the L'Vl' lling c·a ntp · would fOI'I11 a l'iLy with their multitudt•H amll11Pi1· noi ·• au<l b u ·tll'. Onl' writer li<Ls t'stimated that clu1·i1w tli • yt•a1· Jfl(jl) tiH•I' • wPt'l' pngagl'<l in thi · uu ·iness 10,220 mc•n, with 8 960 wagons <lmwn hy 14,6:20 1uule and n9,440 cattle, <·nnyinp; lo it· t1P'tina.tion 134,000 ton· of fr •ight. Jl• also p,• (intatt•S t]Jat, in tt'ILIIIH ancl W:t<l'()Jl' :tlOnl', 11101'(1 than li;7,0()() ()()() Wl'l'l' inn•sf('d. 'l'llousands of Lit<• ' • imnll'llS • l'rvig hL wagons, eapable of canrinp; 15,000 to 20,000 J>Ounds Wt'ight each, almudoHt•d ancluow gradualiy falling to d •cay, al'!' scath•red from tl1 , Mii:l·ouri H.iv<·t· to tlt Pacific 'oast. Front J8GO to J8Citl tl1 • Pmicrmnt routl'fi migl1t be known by till' dril•d up oa.rms <'H of lllnles and c:Lttlc that \Vl'l' • eli lrib11t •d along till' 1·ond. The clr·ynP ·s of tlte atmo Jll ,., i · ·uch Utat tl1• bo<lie of tlu· animal ell:' ·ay very slowly · · min()' mtlwr to t1c · ·ieak, ancl th >ir slC<· It•· G |
