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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
Copyrighted 1906 by H. W. Foght and W. W. Haskell.
The Author.
) Furne The Trail of The Loup
Being
A History of the Loup River Region
With
Some Chapters on the State
H. W. Foght, A. M.
1906
DEDICATION.
TO ALL THOSE EARLY "TRAILERS OF THE LOUP," LIVING AND DEAD, WHO BY THEIR INDOMITABLE COURAGE AND ENERGY OVERCAME ALL OBSTACLES OF NATURE AND REDEEMED FOR CIVILIZATION AND ENLIGHTEN- MENT THE BEAUTIFUL VALLEY OF THE LOUP, IN ORDER THAT WE, THEIR CHILDREN, MIGHT REAP IN FULLEST MEASURE THE FRUITS OF THEIR:SOW- ING, THIS BOOK, IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR.
Introductory
Years ago-a quarter century past-the author, then a little chap herd- ing cattle in the valley above Ord, according to his daily wont, reclined one day in his retreat in a shaded nook on the banks of the river, while his charges were left to shift for themselves; and well they might, for was not the prairie theirs for miles around! He dreamed all enrapt in the charm of the virgin prairie, dreamed of things yet to be. As he lay there, listening to the gurgling, eddying water swishing by, he saw visions and heard
the tread of pioneers Of nations yet to be, The first low wash of waves where soon Shall roll a human sea."
And they came, those pioneers, and they are as silently leaving us again, passing away to the mysterious realm beyond; while the great human sea, wave upon wave, rolls over the prairies first trodden by them, obliterating their very footprints, making this a new land, almost beyond the recognition of the old timers.
They endured much, those pathfinders, for us their children, that we might reap the fruits of their industry and toil. And shall we then repay them thus, leaving the history they inade, unchronicled, unsung? No: a thousand times no! Let it be taken down, that the generations yet unborn may know at what a cost "The Trail of the Loup" was blazed, and how the fathers suffered and toiled, and even died, that the trail might remain open.
To write an old settlers' chronicle is at best difficult; and when, as in the instance of the North and Middle Loup valleys, no systematic efforts have been made to collect and save historie data or to spare from untimely destruction historic structures, the task becomes almost impossible. In the following pages the author has had to depend, in great part, upon the memory of the first settlers. When more than one version of an episode or event was offered, the materials were carefully sifted, and the version which seemed the most likely made use of.
I lay no claims to have exhausted this interesting field of investiga- tion, but I do claim that I have, in the work as far as it has been carried,
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THE TRAIL OF THE LOUP
stated the facts just as I found them, without fear or favor. This is not a partisan history, but the story of a limited section of our common wealth, and, as such, the individual has in every instance been accorded a space in the narrative in due proportion to the part played by him.
Finally, I wish to make grateful acknowledgment to the men and women who have assisted in the work by valuable information, freely given, and by furnishing photographs and other materials for the illum- ination of the text. Special obligation is due Hon. Peter Mortensen, Elder Oscar Babcock, Messrs. George McAnulty, David Gard, George Miller, Truman Freeland, James Barr, C. J. Rood, W. G. Rood, John Kellogg, W. B. Weekes. Jorgen Miller, Tom Hemmett, Will Johns, William S. Mattley, Melville Goodenow, W. H. Rood, Mansell Davis, Miss Ina Draver, Mrs. George McAnulty, Mrs. A. M. Robbins and Mrs. Emma Haskell. HAROLD W. FOGHT.
Contents.
CHAPTER I.
SOME PHYSICAL FEATURES OF NEBRASKA.
Archian Time, Nebraska a Part of the Ocean Bed-Paleozoic Time- Nebraska in the Carboniferous Age-Coal in Nebraska Nebraska in the Permian Age-The Mesozoic Time-No Triassic and Jurassic Rocks in Nebraska-The Cretaceous Period in Nebraska-All Nebraska Dry Land- Groups of Cretaceous Deposits- - Cenozoic Time- The Tertiary Age in Nebraska-Bad Lands in Nebraska-Picture from Miocene Nebraska-The Loup River Pliocene Deposits - The Quaternary Age, the Age of Man-The Glacial Period-The Champlain, or Melting Period-Beginning of the End -River Bluffs and Terraces The First Nebraskan-A Resume.
Situation and Size -General Topography-Nebraska Climate-Health and Strength-A Land of Beauty-A Bird's Eye View of Nebraska-Prof. Samuel Aughey's Verdict.
CHAPTER II.
THE ABORIGINES.
Father Marquette and the Nebraska Indians-Marquette's Indian Chart-The Pawnees-The Four Great Clans-Lieut. Pike and the Repub- lican Pawnees-The Major Stephen H. Long Expedition-Long and the Loup Indians-June 12, 1819, on the Loup-The Red Man's Plague-The Sioux Sweep down the Loup-The Last of the Pawnees-The Siouan Migration-The Sioux, or Dakotahs-Sioux War of 1862-'69-The Chey- ennes Become Involved-Magnitude of the Westward Traffic-The Plum Creek Massacre-Battle of Summit Springs-Gen. Custer's Massacre, June 25, 1876-Sioux War of 1890.'91 -- Present Status of the Sioux.
CHAPTER III.
GLIMPSES OF STATE HISTORY.
Earliest Glimpses-The "Seven Cities of Cibola"-Coronado Sets out, February, 1540-"The Great Kingdom of Quivera"-Across Kansas into Nebraska-Quotations from Francis Lopez' History of the West Indies-
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THE TRAIL OF THE LOUP
A Graphic Description of the Buffalo-Quivera in Nebraska ?- Coronado's Letter Locating Quivera-Judge Jas. W. Savage on the Question-Was Quivera on the Loup ?- Mounds and other Signs on the North Loup-Lewis and Clarke in Nebraska; July 13 to Sept. 5, 1804: Aug. 31 to Sept. 11, 1806 -Other Pathfinders in Nebraska-The Old Mormon Trail-Mormon Set- tlers on the Lower Loup-Importance of the Gold Fever to Nebraska-The Louisiana Purchase, Apr. 30, 1803-Slavery Agitation-Slavery forever Prohibited in Nebraska-Lawlessness in the Territory-The Compromise of 1850-The Kansas Nebraska Bill, 1854-Shaping the State-Territorial Government organized-Census of 1854-The Territorial Capital Fight- Nebraska Gains Her Statehood-The Making of the State-Educational Factors-Agriculture-Stock Raising-Political Nebraska.
CHAPTER IV.
GLIMPSES OF THE NORTH LOUP VALLEY.
The North Loup from a Car Window in 1904-The Dream of Empire Has Come true-Why These Pages Were Written-Limits of the North Loup Valley-The North Loup River ; Its Falls-The Sand Hills once again -Valley County in Outline-Alkali Spots not Frequent-Preparing for the Pioneer-The Cedar Canyons-Some Important Native Grasses-Why the Buffalo Grass is Disappearing-The Buffalo in the Valley-Herds of Elk-Numbers of Antelope and Deer-The Only Bear-Other Denizens of the Wild.
CHAPTER V.
COWBOY REGIME AND FORERUNNERS OF CIVILIZATION.
Bloody Pages of History-How the Valley Escaped the Cowboy Regime -The Cowboy and the Settler-Two Causes of the Cattlemen's Complaint -Murder and Burning of Mitchell and Ketchum-Trouble between the Olives and Ketchum-Death of Bob Olive-The Cold Blooded Murder at Devil's Canyon-How the Assassins were Captured-Trial and Conviction of I. P. Olive and Fred Fisher-Vengeance at Last.
Surveying the Valley, 1868-'70-"Happy Jack." Hunter, Scout and Friend-"Happy Jack" in 1904-Geo. McAnulty's Sketch of " Little Buck- shot"-"Buckshot" Comes to the Loup.
CHAPTER VI.
COMING OF THE PIONEERS.
The Trail of the Loup-Founding of "Athens," or St. Paul-"The Danish Land and Homestead Colony" Founds Dannebrog-The Seventh Day Baptists, Their First Committee-The Voluntary Second Committee-Ex- .
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THE TRAIL OF THE LOUP
tracts from W. H. Rood's Diary-Crossing Nebraska-Advancing up the North Loup-Game Seems Plentiful-First Actual Settlement in Valley County-Mortensen, Miller, Anderson and Smith "Trecking" to Valley County-Camping on "Raccoon Creek"-Settlement of Section Eight, Ord Township-Peter Mortensen's Dugout; Hostelry, School House, Court House-Occupations of the First Summer-"Mell" Goodenow's First Square Meal in Valley County- Christian Frey's Adventure with the "In- dians"-"Det Var da som Pokker"-The Seventh Day Baptists Reach the Site of North Loup-Elder Babcock Conducts the First Religious Services Held in the Valley-Some of the Early Homesteaders-A Faithful Band -Preparing for the First Winter-The Dane Creek Colony Strengthened -Falle Moller and Family Arrive-Coming of the Post Clan and other Frontiersmen-Everyday Life in the Settlement-"Mell" Goodenow Gets His Start-Mortensen's First Pig; Its Sad End-The Settlement Across the River-Charles H. Jones Tells His Story-Arrival at Jones Canyon, Nov 10, 1872-Nucleus of Garfield County Settlement.
CHAPTER VII.
ORGANIZATION OF VALLEY COUNTY ; EARLY POLITICS.
Valley County and the Organic Act of March 1, 1871-The First Elec- tion in Valley County, March 1, 1873 Resolutions-Certificate of Election -Early Commissioners' Meetings-First Tax Levy-First Ten County War- ants-Squabble over Militia Accoutrements Odds and Ends-The Ord Bridge Struggle on-How the Injunction Failed -The Sheriff Arrives too Late-Cost of First River Bridge-The County Pays $1200.00 for a Small Safe.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE MEMORABLE YEAR 1873.
The Restless, Thieving Sioux-Battle of Sioux Creek, March 1, 1873- The Men Who Went and how They Were Armed -- Hot on the Indian Trail -Face to Face with the Foe-A Hasty Retreat-Counting Losses-Captain Mix on a Scouting Expedition-Mortensen on the Indian Raids- Emma Haskell Describes an Indian Scare.
Easter Sunday, April 13, 1873-The Storm Breaks-Losses in the Upper Valley-Losses in Howard County Tragic Death of Mrs. Cooper and Daughter Lizzie-Dillon Haworth and Family Freeze to Death.
CHAPTER IX.
INDIANS AND GRASSHOPPERS.
Crops in 1873-The Battle of Pebble Creek, Jan. 19, 1874-Richard
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McClimans' House Attacked-Looting the Trappers' Cabin-Council of War-The Battle Is on-Death of Marion Littlefield.
Breeding Grounds of the Migrating Locust-Our First Locust Year- How They Migrate-Some Exceptional Locust Years-The Locusts Reach the Loup , July, 1874-Times to Try Men's Souls.
CHAPTER X.
FORT HARTSUFF.
The Several Appropriations for Fort Hartsuff-Erection of Fort Hart- suff a Fortunate Circumstance-Ruin Wrought in the Cedar Canyons - Hartsuff a Fort in Name only-Who the Commanders Were-The Fort Abandoned May 1, 1881-Some Good Citizens early Identified with Army Life.
CHAPTER XI.
VILLAGE ORGANIZATION.
How North Loup Was Organized-First Two Schools in the County- North Loup Platted-Growth and Later History-The Ord Townsite Com- pany, 1875-The Court House Proposition-The Beginnings of Ord-Fur- ther Accessions to the Town's Growth-Ambitious Calamus-Records and Affidavits-Rise and Fall of Vinton-Ord, a Strong Business Center- Quotations from Andreas's History of Nebraska-Ord has "Git, " etc.
CHAPTER XII.
THE MIDDLE LOUP AND ARCADIA
First Comers to the Middle Loup-Some Early Hardships-The Post Office Named-The First School and Its Teacher-The School Bond Fiasco -- The Criminal Trial in Mortensen's Dugout-George McKellar Convicted of Murder-John Wall's Advent to Arcadia-Early Arcadia-Hard Times A'knocking at the Door-Arcadia in 1905-Lee's Park Settled in 1874- J. L. H. Knight on Lee's Park-Early Settlers -- The First Post Office- The Town of Lee Park.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE FURTHER HISTORY OF GARFIELD COUNTY.
A Resume The Battle of the Blow-out, May, 1876-Death of Sergeant Dougherty- C. H. Jones'Version of the Battle-Some Timid Settlers Leave -- Better Times a-coming Wheeler County Organized, Apr. 11, 1881-First Election, Dec 30, 1884-Second Election, Jan. 30, 1885-Willow Springs
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Declared the County Seat-Last Act in the County Seat Drama-Affidavits and Minutes-Burwell Made the County Seat, Feb. 18, 1890-The Combat- ants Bury the Hatchet-C. H. Jones Tells the Story of the County Seat Contest-Origin of the Name Burwell-Building the Town -Prosperity Comes to Burwell-The Future and Garfield County.
CHAPTER XIV.
LOUP COUNTY AND ITS POSSIBILITIES.
The Pathfinders-D. A. Gard and Others Arrive-Making Three Hun- dred Mile Trips for Flour and Groceries-School District No. 9-Other Set- tlers Spread from Kent to Moulton-Loup County Organized in 1883-The Building of Taylor-Taylor Made the Permanent County Seat, July 23, 1883-Hard Years in Loup County-What Alfalfa, Bromegrass and English Blue Grass Will Do for Loup County Statistics-Descripton by Town. ships.
CHAPTER XV.
SCOTIA AND HER BUILDERS.
The Oldest Settlers Arrive-The County Organized; Scotia Made the County Seat-Irish Catholics at O'Connor-The Railroads and the County Seat-The B. and M. and Greeley Center-The County Seat Goes to Greeley -Immediate Effect on Scotia-Scotia's Future.
CHAPTER XVI.
HARROWING TALES OF A THIRD OF A CENTURY.
Approach of a Prairie Fire-The Beautiful October Day in 1878-Ter- rible Death of Albert Cottrell by Fire-Widespread Ruin in the Valley- A Scarred and Suffering Community- Cause of Hailstorms in our Valley- The Destructive Hailstorm of Aug. 5, 1885-The Ord Quiz Tells the Story -The Storm at Calamus-Notes from over the Affected District-The Cyclone-Widespread Destruction in the Blizzard of January 12, 1888-The Storm-Instances of Suffering-Mrs. Powell at Hard Scrabble-Minnie Freeman at Midvale-Views on Hero- worship-The Whole Truth in a Nut- shell-"Give Honor to Whom Honor Is Due"-The Burwell Tornado of Friday Evening, Sept. 15, 1905-The Storm Breaks-Frank Hennich's Ex- perience-Miraculous Escape of the Hanna Family-Sad Death of Mrs. E. B. Mckinney-Last of the Star Store-The Storm Retraces Its Course- In the Country Districts-The Relief Committee at Work-Odds and Ends -Some Miraculous Escapes-Freaks of the Storm-An Estimate of Losses.
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CHAPTER XVII.
CHANGES DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS.
Elections in Valley County by Years-Drawing Party Lines-The County Adopts the Supervisor System-The Fight on Clerk in 1895-The New Office of Clerk of District Court-Valley County again in the Repub- lican Column-Influence of Railroads upon Settlement-Our Mail and Stage Lines-Mail Movements-Ord and North Loup Vote to Secure the Railroad -The Railroad Celebration Meeting-The B. & M. Builds into the Valley in 1887-"Railroad Racket"-Some Results of the Coming-Arcadia Gets the B. & M.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE NEWSPAPER AND THE VALLEY.
The Printing Press in the Loup Valley-First Newspapers in Valley County-The Valley County Journal Established, March, 1879-The First Opposition Paper-The Ord Quiz almost Twenty five Years Old-The Standard and the Democratic Press-The Star and The Blizzard; Prohi- bition Papers-The Ord Journal and The Independent; Populist Papers- Other Changes in the Journal Management-The Real Estate Register and The Valley County Times-North Loup Newspapers-The Loyalist-The Arcadia Papers-The Arcadia Champion-Early Newspapers in Garfield County-A Mixed Newspaper History-Genesis of the Tribune-Loup County Newspapers-Scotia's Newspaper History.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE CRITICAL PERIOD IN LOUP VALLEY HISTORY.
The Nebraska Grangers-Fight to Collect the B. & M. Taxes-Strin- gent Money and Low Prices-The Dull Years 1875 and 1876-Immigration to the Loup in 1878 and 1879-The Prosperous Decade 1880-'90-Land Grabbing in the Early 80's-Real Estate Speculation in Our Valley-The First Dry Year, '90-The Critical Period in Loup Valley History Begins- The Hard Years a Blessing in Disguise The Great Drought Year, 1894- A New Cycle of Good Crops and Prosperity Ushered in -- What the Hard Years Have Taught Us-Prosperity.
CHAPTER XX.
THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO OPENED "THE TRAIL OF THE LOUP:" BIOGRAPHICAL.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE MAKING THE HISTORY OF THE LOUP VALLEY.
List of Illustrations.
FRONTISPIECE.
The Author.
CHAPTER I.
Toadstool Park, Nebraska Bad Lands. A Seventy Five Foot Mosasaurus. Tusks of a Mammoth from Gosper County. Jurassic Stegosaurus. Nebraska Forest of Late Cretaceous Times. Titanotherium Robustum from Sioux County. Fine Loess Formation in Garfield County. CHAPTER II. Roam Chief and Yellow Hair. Pawnee Village. Pawnee Ceremonial Lodge. Rosebud Sioux Group. Sioux Mother and Babe.
CHAPTER III. One of the "Seven Cities of Cibola. " Quivera Monument, Junction City, Kas. Nebraska Territory in 1854. Nebraska Territory from 1861 to 1863. First Dwelling in Lincoln, 1867.
CHAPTER IV. Section of Jones' Canyon. A View Taken in Olsen's Canyon. Road in Olsen's Canyon. Falls of the North Loup River. A "Blow-out" in the Sand Hills. In Its Native Wilds.
CHAPTER V. Old Mitchell Ranch House in Custer County. Conrad Wentworth or "Little Buckshot." The Last Buffalo in the North Loup Valley. Elk at Play near "The Forks." Garfield County Hunters.
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THE TRAIL OF THE LOUP
CHAPTER VI.
Historic Map of the Loup Region.
H. C. Rood, Member Locating Committee.
Founders of the Danish Colony in Valley County.
Peter Mortensen's Dugout (Reproduced). Elder Oscar Babcock of North Loup.
Marilla Flynn, the First White Girl in the Upper Valley. CHAPTER VII.
Precinct Map of Early Valley County.
Township Map of Valley County.
Daniel Cooley Bailey, First County Commissioner, at 85 years of Age.
Dr. Charles Badger, First County Superintendent.
The First Frame House in Valley County, 1872.
Mr. and Mrs. William Hobson, First Couple Licensed to Marry in Valley County.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Battle of Sioux Creek from an Original Water Color.
D. C Bailey's First Home.
Clifton Hill from the Distance.
A Typical Sod House.
The Original Dowhower Log-House.
CHAPTER IN.
George McAnulty, Indian Fighter and Pioneer.
A Second View of Jones' Canyon. Tom Hemmett as He Looked in the Seventies.
A Hand-to-hand Encounter.
CHAPTER X.
Fort Hartsuff, taken from the Hills. Fort Hartsuff, taken from "Skunk Hollow."
Emma and George Alderman Rescued by Soldiers.
CHAPTER XI.
The Beginnings of North Loup, 1878.
Plat of North Loup. Joseph Green on His Way to North Loup in 1872. The Founders of Ord. Original Town Plat.
Plans of First Court House. S. S. Haskell, the Father of Ord. Plat of Calamus. Plat of Vinton.
CHAPTER XII.
First Extant View of Arcadia. Hon. M. L. Fries of Arcadia. Hon. A. E . Bartoo of Arcadia.
Ord in 1887.
.
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CHAPTER XIII.
Early Precinct Map of Garfield County. View of the River near Burwell. William Draver's Original Log House. Cartoons from the County Seat Fight. Plat of the Defunct Cedar City. Plat of Burwell.
Typical Burwell Homes.
CHAPTER XIV
Early Precinct Map of Loup County. Landscape in Loup County. Hog-Ranch in Loup County.
CHAPTER XV. Map of Scotia and Vicinity. Greeley County's First Settler. Plat of Scotia. David Moore of Scotia. The Hillman Family. Bishop James O'Connor.
CHAPTER XVI.
The Prairie Fire. Minnie Freeman, Heroine. Midvale School House. Old Settler's Meeting.
CHAPTER XVII. Newspaper Cartoon. Report of the Election. Court House Spuare. Ord, in 1890. Andrew J. Gillespie, Sr , the Centenarian of the Valley. "Railroad Racket." The Largest Ear of Corn ever Grown In the Loup. CHAPTER XVIII.
Ord in 1887. John R. Williams's Home at Ord. Street Scene in Burwell. Public School Building, Burwell. White Towers, Home of A. M. Daniels, Ord. Cedar Lawn Farm.
CHAPTER XIX. Ord in 1905. "The Evergreens," Home of Dr. F. D. Haldeman, Ord. Block of Houses under Construction, Ord. Hon. Tom Doran's New Home, Burwell. Other Burwell Homes.
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THE TRAIL OF THE LOUP
Home of Vincent Kokes, Ord.
Wisconsin Colonists at North Loup.
CHAPTER XX.
Photographic Likenesses of Old Trailers.
CHAPTER XXI.
Photographic Likenesses of Present Day Business Men.
PART I.
Some Physical Features of Nebraska.
CHAPTER 1.
"To me it seems, that to look on the first land that was ever lifted above the wasted waters, to follow the shore where the earliest animals and plants were created when the thought of God first expressed itself in organic forms, to hold in one's hand a bit of stone from an old sea-beach, hardened into rock thousands of centuries ago, and studded with the beings that once crept upon its surface or were stranded there by some retreating wave, is even of deeper interest to man, than the relics of their own race, for these things tell more directly of the thought and creative acts of God .- Jean Louis Agassiz.
TT DOES not come within the scope of this work to dwell at any length upon the evolution of our state from the primal rock. Such a discus- sion, while interesting in the extreme, belongs rather to the field of science than to that of history; the space herein allotted it is therefore necessarily somewhat limited. Particularly is this true since the bulk of the text is in- tended to narrate the story not so much of Nebraska as a whole, as the living, throbbing history of a limited section of the state-the Loup Valley. How- ever, a passing glance at the geological structure of Nebraska may not be altogther out of place.
In the aeons of time since Creation, our planet, the Earth, has passed through many marvelous changes. At first a companion star to the Sun, blazing a path through the universe, cooling gradually, its enshrouding mantle of vapors condensing to water, the Earth became involved in a uni- versal, shoreless ocean. Then countless ages slowly slipped away ; the first folds of contracting firerock crust of the earth appeared, and we had the first dry land. In the Western World the wedge-shaped Laurentian High- lands, approaching the shores of Hudson Bay, had appeared, and strips of land were slowly emerging to the east of the present Appalachians, and in the western part of the United States stretching from Colorado to Cali- fornia. This was during the so-called Archian Time-the dawn of earth- building. And all through this immense age, as far as we know, Nebraska formed a part of the bed of a turbulent ocean.
Now followed the Paleozoic (Ancient Life) Time during which the land
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THE TRAIL OF THE LOUP
areas were gradually enlarged, and myriad forms of strange organisms appeared. Geologists usually divide this aeon into three distinct ages: The Age of Invertebrates-subdivided into the Upper and Lower Silurian Eras-when numberless Sponges, Corals, Starfishes, Molluska and other strange animal types dominated the ocean depths, and a few terrestrial plants appeared; the Age of Fishes, or Devonian Era, when the ocean swarmed with sharks, gar-pikes and turtlelike placoderms of huge size; and the Carboniferous Age-subdivided into Subcarboniferous, Carboniferous and Permian Eras-when coal plants grew and the coal measures were formed.
During neither the Age of Invertebrates nor the succeeding age of Fishes did dry land appear in Nebraska. Vast land stretches had however been added to the Archian backbone and numerous islands dotted the pres- ent states of Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri and Iowa.
The Subcarboniferous Era, too, must be passed over as unproductive so far as Nebraska is concerned. But we now approach the Carboniferous Age proper, of absorbing interest because then did the first dry land appear in Nebraska, and because during its progress were the greatest and most valuable coal measures formed.
That the Era was of great duration there cannot be the slightest doubt. "A murky, cloudy atmosphere, surcharged with carbon-dioxide gas, envel- oned the earth and gave it a uniform hothouse temperature. A vegetation remarkable in its luxuriance sprang up. Conifers much akin to the Araucan- ian pines of present day equatorial regions flourished and ferns of surpass- ing grace and beauty grew to the size of mighty trees." The American Continent over its broad surface was now just balancing itself near the water's edge, part of the time bathing in it and then out in the free air. From Pennsylvania to eastern Nebraska and central Kansas, it presented a changing view "of vast jungles, lakes with floating grove islands, and some dry-land forests." Vast amounts of vegetable debris accumulated, form- ing peat beds of varying depths.
The era of verdure then gradually drew to a close. A general settling of vast land areas took place and salt water by degrees submerged the low lands, destroying every vestige of the late prolific vegetation. Thus, we may picture the old peat-marsh, with its bottom full of stumps and roots in position as they grew, with its surface covered over with heaps of leaves, branches and prostrate tree trunks, to have been overwhelmed and buried. Subjected to enormous pressure from accumulating top sediment and slow chemical change, it, in time, became one of the several coal measures. Alternate submergance and emergance of the surface crust readily explains the alternation, in these rockbeds, of coal seams with layers of sandstones, conglomerate, shales, clays and limestones. The second and largest coal measures of this age extends from Texas and Arkansas northward through Kansas and Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa. The westward boundary is near the central part of Kansas, and crosses the state line into Nebraska near the banks of the Blue River, whence it takes a northeasterly trend,
Toadstool Park, Nebraska Bad Lands·
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THE TRAIL OF THE LOUP
leaving the state in southern Washington county. £ It will thus be seen that part or the whole of some twelve counties in our state overlie these in- teresting beds. In Richardson county a workable stratum has been en- countered, though borings at Lincoln and other places seem to indicate that profitable mines should not be looked for in Nebraska.
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