52 WESTERN INCIDENTS.

completion the mammoth work which they have under-
taken.

When it is remembered that this great transition has
been accomplished in one short year, in a country desti-
tute of labor, materials, and supplies; and with nothing
but the dangerous and uncertain navigation of the Mis-
souri River to rely upon during the summer months as a
base of operations, it must be admitted that a new era is
dawning, or rather has already been successfully inaugu-
rated, in the history of railroad construction.

ARRIVAL AT OMAHA—DEPARTURE OF MR. WILLIAMS.

Arrriving at the Omaha depot in the early evening, we
were met by our genial friend Major Bent, of burnetiz-
ing notoriety, who kindly assisted us to the Hernden
House, and saw that we were comfortably quartered for
the night.

We found, however, that the Hernden, which has long
been regarded as one of the most prominent institutions
of Omaha, was in a sort of transition state, and its guests,
as the farmers say, “ between hay and grass.” Our long
time friend, and distinguished host, Mr. Allan, had been
called upon by Dr. Monell, the landlord, to surrender its
use and occupation into the fair hands of Mrs. Brown-
son, who had recently leased it, and stood ready to enter
upon the duties of hostess as soon as Mr. Allan could
find it convenient to evacuate the premises, all of which
the said Allan seemed in no haste to do.

An entire week had been spent by the parties in strat-
egy and legal skirmishing, during which it was not unu-
sual for Allan, on visiting the kitchen in the morning, to
find Mrs. Brownson’s cooking-stove standing in the place
of his own, which had been thrown over the adjoining