54

CROFUTT’S NEW OVERLAND TOURIST

distance is 200 miles, following the course
of the Platte River. During the winter of
65 and ’66, most of the wood used at J ules-
burg and Fort Sedgwick, was hauled on
wagons from Denver, at an expense of
from $60 to $75 per cord, for transportation
alone, and was sold to Government, by
contract, at $105 per cord. The wood cost
in Denver about $20. Besides this, the
contractors were allowed by Government

to put in what hard wood they could get |

at double the price, or $210 per cord, which
by many was thought to be a “pretty soft
| snap.? The “hard wood? was obtained
in the scrub-oak bluffs of Colorado, fifty
miles south of Denver City, and cost no
more for transportation than did the pine.
John Hughes, of Denver, was the con-
tractor—a more successful and enterprising
one it would be hard to find in Colorado
or elsewhere.

About the only business now done at
Julesburg, is connected with stock-raising.
The shipments of cattle are very heavy du-
ring the shipping season; sometimes 100
cars a week.

Fort Smepewick—was established May
19, 1864, by the Third United States Vol-
unteers, and named after Major-General
- John Sedgwick, Colonel Fourth Cavalry,
U.S. A., who was killed in battle at Spott-
sylvania Court House, Virginia, May 9th,
1864. Itis located in the northeast corner
of Colorado Territory, on the south side of
the South Platte River, four miles distant,
on the old emigrant and stage road to Col-
orado, in plain view from the cars. Lati-
tude 31 deg., longitude 102 deg. 30 min.—
now abandoned.

Tun Pruartr River, west of North
Platte city, is called the South Fork of the
Platte. e have ascended it, almost on
its banks, over 350 miles, and shall now
leave it and turn to the right, the northwest,
and follow up the narrow valley of Lodge
Pole Creek, to Egbert, about 100 miles dis-
tant. The South Fork of the Platte rises in
the Middle Park of the Rocky Mountains
in Colorado. The valley extends from
Julesburg up the river about 275 miles, to
where the river emerges from the moun-
tains. The average width of the valley is
about three miles, the soif of which affords
excellent grazing. |

From Julesburg it is 10 miles to

Chappell—a small side-track where
passenger trains never stop, and 9 1-10
miles further to

| Freight in large quantities is shipped from

Lodge Pol e—another side-track.
This valley is narrow, but with the bluffs,
and a great open prairie country to the
northeastward, extending to the North
Platte River, a distance of 30 miles, affords
the finest of grazing range, and large herds
of cattle, and numerous bands of antelope
can be seen while passing on up the
valley. Ten miles more and we reach

Colton—which is another new station,
ten miles from Lodge Pole. I* was named in
honor of Francis Colton, Esq., a former
general passenger agent of the road, now
‘President of the Farmers and Mechanics’
Bank of Galesburg, I].

From Colton it is 7 7-10 miles to

Sidmey—named after the president of
the road. This is a regular eating-station,
where trains stop 80 minutes, those from
the East, for breakfast, from the West for
supper.

Sidney is the county seat of Cheyenne
county, Nebraska, and within the last few
years has improved in buildings, and in-
creased in population, until 1t now con-
tains about 1,500 people. The “Lock.
wood? house is one of the largest build-
ings constructed, and where good fare is
provided; the cars stop nearly in front of
the house.

The principal outfitting store is owned
by ‘Mr. Chas. Moore, the pioneer ranch-
man of the Old South Platte route—as well
as of Sidney—but “Charley” talks poor.
Besides his $30,000 worth of goods, and
other property, he only has about 8,000
head of cattle and 8,000 sheep,—and by
the way, SrpNzy is not much behind in the
number of prosperous stock-men. There are
scores of her citizens who own 500 head,
many 5,000, several 15,000. With the great
range belonging to the “Cattle King,”—
Tliff, close on the south, on which graze
48,000 head. :

The Iliff Ranche isa huge one. It is
about 150 miles in length, with an average
width of 25 miles, commencing near
Julesburg, and extending west along the
Platte River to Fremont’s Orchard, 60
miles northeast of Denver.

The railroad company have a round-
house of ten stalls, and a machine shop lo-
cated here, besides an extensive freight
warehouse, and depot building.

The Black Hills business is one of great
importance, a stage line daily taking pas-
sengers through to Deadwood, 267 miles,
for $50 in winter and Jess in the summer.