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VALLEY OF THE PLATTE. 69

and varied productions, but one which never can be properly deyel-
oped until a great line of railway shall connect it with the States on
and east of the Mississippi, and with the cities of the Pacific coast.
But when so connected and made easily and quickly accessible, will
give an impulse to our national prosperity beyond anything known in
our past experience.

I have no inclination to depreciate the grand and unexampled en-
terprise of our California brethren in pushing a railroad from Sacra-
mento across the Sierra Nevada range, into the rich mining State of
Nevada. Their energy demonstrates that, although in choice of
routes they may find it necessary to traverse the dreary and serpen-
tine valley of the Humboldt to reach the region of Salt Lake, the
great work will still go on, conferring immense material benefits, and
generously rewarding them for their outlay. Noram [I at all inclined
to underrate the other great work of making a road from Omaha, up
the valley of the Platte, and over the Rocky Mountain range, to
the great valley of Utah; for this, too, will be a road the value of
which it would be difficult to estimate; as over it Southern Dacotah,
Idaho and Utah, at least, can be reached. But as to the value of the
country over which these two divisions of one great line will pass, as
compared with that of the “ Eastern Division” through Kansas, Colo-
rado, New Mexico and Arizona, there is an incalculable difference.

Alexander K. McClure, Esq., editor of the Chambersburg Repository,
who went up the U. P. Railroad of the Platte in May last, thus de-
scribes the valley of that river:

“There are but few settlers on the line of the road; and after we
enter what is called the Platte Plains, about Fort Kearney, there
seems to be little that can ever invite the husbandman. The valley
or vast plain is bounded on every side by vast bluffs, ranging from
twenty to thirty miles apart, and the bluffs seem to be terribly sterile
and repulsive. The Platte river rolls lazily along south of the rail-
road, hugging the southern bluffs at times, and again striking out
near the centre of the valley; but it tires the eye to look at it and
its surroundings. It is a murky, shallow, treacherous stream, with
shifting sand for its bed, and naked banks skirting it most of the way.
I have looked for miles along its banks without seeing so much as a
shrub, much less a tree; but at times, where it nears the bluffs, it puts
out along its banks a stunted, miserable growth of cottonwood. ....
The valley is a miserable waste, and I fear ever must be.......
I have not found a single stream in it but the Platte river — the
whole plain thus far, north of the river, not furnishing a single tribu-
YY... 24. There is not a habitation on the route for nearly two
hundred miles, but such as are necessary to accommodate the railroad
and travel.”

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