——_—————_+~ <9 - owvmOvOvm 18 BUNKER HILL. celebrated on the roth of April, 1874, on which day three years ago sixty persons, comprising the “ North- Western Colony,” from Ripon, Wisconsin, here unloaded their households to stay for better or for worse. And it was for better, as is attested by the thriving appear- ance of their town. Impossible as it may seem, I have ascertained it to be a well authenticated fact that. two years ago, early one morning, a herd of buffalo came in from the prairies and were killed in the very streets of Russell. This will give some idea of the strange admix- ture of civilization and aboriginal wildness created by the building ot this great national highway over the plains. We stop a moment at a very handsome stone station house called Victoria, the location of an English colony, whg have about eight thousand sheep, and a number of thoroughbred cattle and horses, and have built several fine farm houses through the surrounding country. At Hays, the county seat of Ellis County, is another headquarters for Uncle Sam’s servants. The fort was established in 1867, and is prettily situated on elevated ground, about half a mile south of the town. From this point the Government receives its supplies for many points south. The next stopping place of importance is Ellis, where the railway company has built a handsome hotel of the white magnesian limestone found in such quantities throughout this country. A look at this building will convince the tourist of the elegance and importance of this invaluable building material, which has been pro- ‘ See" >—+— -