TO AND THROUGH
NEBRASKA.
BY
THIS LITTLE WORK, WHICH CLAIMS NO MERIT BUT TRUTH
IS HUMBLY DEDICATED TO THE MANY DEAR FRIENDS,
WHO BY THEIR KINDNESS MADE THE LONG
JOURNEY AND WORK PLEASANT TO
The Author,
FRANCES I. SIMS FULTON.
LINCOLN, NEB.
JOURNAL COMPANY, STATE PRINTERS,
1884.
A WORD TO THE READER.
If you wish to read of the going and settling of the Nebraska MutualAid Colony, of Bradford, Pa., in Northwestern Neb., their trials andtriumphs, and of the Elkhorn, Niobrara, and Keya Paha rivers andvalleys, read Chapter I.
Of the country of the winding Elkhorn, Chapter II.
Of the great Platte valley, Chapter III.
Of the beautiful Big Blue and Republican, Chapter IV.
Of Nebraska's history and resources in general, her climate, school andliquor laws, and Capital, Chapter V.
If you wish a car-window view of the Big Kinzua Bridge (highest in theworld), and Niagara Falls and Canada, Chapter VI.
And now, a word of explanation, that you may clearly understand justwhy this little book—if such it may be called, came to be written.We do not want it to be thought an emigration scheme, but only what aPennsylvania girl heard, saw, and thought of Nebraska. And to make itmore interesting we will give our experience with all the fun thrownin, for we really thought we had quite an enjoyable time and learnedlessons that may be useful for others to know. And simply giveeverything just as they were, and the true color to all that we touchupon, simply stating facts as we gathered them here and there during astay of almost three months of going up and down, around and across thestate from Dakota to Kansas—306 miles on the S.C. & P.R.R., 291 on theU.P.R.R., and 289 on the B. & M.R.R., the three roads that traverse thestate from east to west. It is truly an unbiased work, so do not chipand shave at what may seem incredible, but, as you read, remember youread ONLY TRUTH.
My brother, C. T. Fulton, was the originator of the colony movement;and he with father, an elder brother, and myself were members. Myparents, now past the hale vigor of life, consented to go, providingthe location was not chosen too far north, and all the good plans andrules were fully carried out. Father made a tour of the state in 1882,and was much pleased with it, especially central Nebraska. I wasanxious to "claim" with the rest that I might have a farm to give to myyoungest brother, now too young to enter a claim for himself—claimantsmust be twenty-one years of age. When he was but twelve years old, Ipromised that for his abstaining from the use of tobacco andintoxicating drinks in every shape and form, until he was twenty-oneyears old, I would present him with a watch and chain. The time of thepledge had not yet expired, but he had faithfully kept his promise thusfar, and I knew he would unto the end. He