to our coming, and had a small log house partially completed. While camped here we lived high. Wild turkeys, deer, antelopes and buffaloes are here in great abundance, and our nimrods bring a liberal supply to camp and we take trophies home with us. It is proper to state, that while we have been here we had the company of three trappers, a Mr. Zink from Wisconsin, Mr. Wm. Proctor, now residing twelve miles up Red Willow, and a Mr. White. On the morning of the 29th we break camp and commence our return journey, through intense cold, deep and drifted snow, and reach our homes on the 10th of December, but not until the report had reached our friends that we had all perished. As we crossed the then uninhabited "divide," between the Republican and the Platte, or between Orleans and Kearney, we saw abandoned wagons scattered the whole distance, some with loads of corn, some with loads of meat, some with trunks and baggage, and some empty. Some with wagon boxes nearly ate up by the famished and starving horses and mules which drew them. When the storm had subsided, drivers and teams had sought the nearest settlement as best they could. On our return, our company approved our work, and published in pamphlet form our doings, together with a description of the country, followed by the publication of two or three numbers of the Red Willow Gazette-several thousand copies -and Red Willow became extensively known as the place where a colony would settle in early spring. Our state legislature met in January following, and we prepared a bill defining the boundaries and naming Red Willow county. The bill fell into the hands of a bad general, was delayed in its passage, and unfortunately did not reach Governor James for his approval, until a quarrel had sprung up between the legislature and that functionary, and he had prorogued them and refused to sign this and other bills. Thus we failed to secure the early organization of the county that we had planned. We were delayed somewhat in making our filings in the land office, then at Beatrice-waiting for the plates to be prepared by the surveyor general. On the 10th of January, however, we were able to make our filing. At the same time the first homestead entries were made by Messrs. Black, Longnecker, Jones, Wm. Byfield, Davis and Mrs. Shaw. Quite a number of others soon followed, many of which were never occupied. During the winter a large number of persons were enrolled as members of the Red Willow Colony. But there was some extreme bad management by the company, and those who should have started out in a body, under competent guides and help, were left to start alone, or in small groups, and when they arrived in the valley, were beset by parties interested in other towns and counties east of us, and no story of Indian hostilities and prospective dangers were too great to imagine and tell as facts; and thus a large number of Red Willow colonists are settled all along the valley east of us. Harlan and Furnas counties have reaped quite a heavy harvest from our sowing, notwithstanding every precaution possible had been taken to evade it. Anticipating not only the dangers, but the fear of them, as president of the company, I had secured from Gen. E. O. C. Ord, then in command of this department, the assurance that a sufficient military force should be thrown into camp at Red Willow as early in the spring as possible. Accordingly, early in May, two companies, one of cavalry and one of infantry, established a camp on the east side of Red Willow, on section 16, where they remained until November following. FIRST ARRIVALS The first arrivals here in the spring were Messrs. Hunter, Hill, Korn, H. Madison and W. Weygint and son on the 29th of April. A few days later, Mr. L. H. Lawton and family, Mr. Young and family, Henry Berger and several other single men arrived. In May quite a number of families came, also Mr. Thomas with his herd of cattle, and others continued to drop in during the summer. In the summer of 1872, the Red Willow Town Site Company sent out a surveying corps, under Prof. W. W. W. Jones, to survey and make an authentic plat of the town. In the exploration and survey, the company expended about $700. In neglecting to follow up the settlement first made, the amount proved an entire loss, and the land is now occupied by preëmptors and homesteaders. On the Fourth of July, Mr. W. M. Hinman came with his portable steam saw mill and made settlement where his mill has remained until the first of May last, when it was removed. While it remained it was a very great help to the county, and all regretted its removal. DANGERS FROM INDIANS There may have been times when our settlers have been in danger of Indian depredations. That many had fears, is true. But one fact is remarkable, that though this country has, up to this year, been the hunting and camping ground of the Sioux, yet since the first settler reached here, not a Sioux Indian has been seen in the settlements, no depredations of any kind have been made, and not a horse or any other animal has been driven off or stolen by them. During the summer of 1872, the Pawnees passed up on their annual hunt, loaded their ponies in Hitch cock county and, returning, made a camp on the banks of the Republican just east of Red Willow, where they remained three days, giving us a chance to see something of Indian camp life and war dance. They came and went peacefully and were only a brief annoyance as most intolerable beggars. While here there was not a herd of cattle in the settlement that could be kept in a corral even without being tied, so intense seemed the fear of these dumb brutes of the redskins. In the summer of 1873 the same tribe again passed through the county, and while hunting in the western part of Hitchcock county, were surprised by their old time enemy, the Sioux, and near one hundred men, women and children were massacred and left to bleach in the sun. Their exit from the valley was in frightful haste, and their visits have never been renewed. FIRST YEAR'S FARMING Our first year's farming was, on the whole, quite satisfactory. Very few, if any, furrows were turned before the first of May, 1872, and all planting had to be done on the sod, and the latter part of May and most of June being very dry, much of the planting did not germinate until about the first of July. But those who were fortunate enough to plant early in May raised very fair crops of corn, potatoes and other vegetables, some of the cornfields yielding from 15 to 30 bushels to the acre. SECOND YEAR'S FARMING Our second year's farming was more satisfactory. Only a few fields of small grain were sown, and they gave a very fair yield. Corn did reasonably well. Some damage was done by the grasshoppers, which came upon us about the middle of September. Potatoes were badly damaged by the bugs, mostly by the ash colored blister bug. THIRD YEAR'S FARMING 1874 will long be remembered as a complete failure. The hot, blistering south wind commenced to blow early in June. Comparatively, no rain fell during June and part of July. Five straight weeks of drouth and burning wind. The heavens over our heads seemed like heated brass, and the wind like the breath of a furnace. All small grain and garden vegetables were early ruined. Corn badly damaged by the intense heat and drouth, and then, to add to our calamity, about the middle of July the locusts settled down upon our fields in clouds, and, in a few days, what was left of our cornfields from the drouth, was stripped and ruined, the bare and blistered stalks only stood up as if to mock us in our desolation, and as we stood still before the devouring hordes, we were made to fully realize how powerless is man to stay the ravages even of insects. From the best information that can be obtained, not a hundred bushels of grain of all kinds were raised in the county. This was a severe blow to our citizens. Nearly all had come with limited means, which now being exhausted, it became a serious question to every one, What shall we eat, what shall we drink, and wherewithal shall we be clothed? It was indeed a trying time. Gloom settled over almost every household. If ample means had been at hand, nearly all would have left-some did leave-not only in disgust with the country, but with the spirit of murmuring which took possession of the children of Israel in the wilderness; while others, though humbled and prostrated by this stroke of providence, yet turned trustingly toward the source of strength, and believed the promises of holy writ. "Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thoudwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." In the latter part of August a meeting was held at Red Willow, at which representatives were present from all parts of the county. At this meeting our circumstances were fully discussed, and this conclusion reached: "That we would make a canvass of the county, and ascertain the extent of actual and prospective needs of our people, to be reported to an adjourned meeting, and that we would advise our citizens to stand by their homes, and we would ask our eastern friends for aid." Accordingly, the county was divided into districts, and a canvassing committee appointed, and the meeting adjourned to meet at Indianola about the first of September. At this meeting a full report was made which showed that there were but few families having either supplies or means of purchasing beyond four or six months, and many in want of immediate assistance. A "Relief Society" was organized, and solicitors of aid appointed to present our needs to eastern friends. Dr. A. J. Shaw was appointed to represent us at Crete, where he was about to remove, Royal Buck at Nebraska City and other places. The latter place was visited late in September, and nearly a car load of flour, groceries, clothing, etc., secured, which was received late in October, it being the first aid received. Soon after this a "State Relief Society" was organized and an active canvass commenced in behalf of all devastated districts. Before much assistance had been afforded from this source, through the efforts of Dr. A. J. Shaw at Crete, much valuable aid was obtained and forwarded to this county. Soon after the war department made large donations of clothing, boots and shoes, and during the winter the State Aid Society was enabled to make large shipments to all the needy districts. ' Psalms, XXXVII, 3. The legislature authorized the using of $50,000 in bonds, to be invested in seed, grain, etc., which, though badly managed, gave many farmers seed to make a new commencement, who could never have procured it without this help, and thus our people were carried safely through a long and severe winter, and through another seed time; and in calmly looking over these trying times, even skeptics and doubters were forced to admit that In some way or other the Lord will provide. It may not be my way, It may not be thy way, The Lord will provide. OUR FOURTH YEAR'S FARMING was a success. Though many plowed, planted and sowed in doubt and fear, though there were some partial failures in small grain, yet, as a whole, when the harvests were all gathered, it was pronounced good, very good! Some localities were visited by the locust, yet their stay was short, and damage light. But from about the first of June to the middle of September they were flying over our heads daily in clouds, going north. So far during the present year we have had immunity from them, and doubtless the prayer of all is, "Good Lord deliver us." POSTSCRIPT.-Between the 20th of July and 10th of August the grasshoppers made their appearance in greater numbers than ever before, and as a consequence not a field of corn in the county was spared; all other late crops, except sugar cane, shared a like fate. This, together with the extreme heat and drouth which preceded the grasshoppers, made the devastation more complete than any previous year. In looking back over these three years, with the exception of the last, there has been but little to encourage immigration, but much to discourage even those who were here. In fact, it would have been but reasonable to suppose that we would lose rather than gain in population. But by a reference to the census as taken by the assessors yearly, we have this very gratifying result: 1873, census not taken; 1874, population 545, assessors' valuation of property $66,318; 1875, population 602, assessors' valuation $70,000; 1876, population 662, assesssors' valuation $60,000. 'Late in the year 1874 Brevet Brigadier General Nathan A. M. Dudley, then in command of the garrison at Fort McPherson, as major of the Third Cavalry, investigated conditions in that part of the state, for the department of war. He estimated the population of Red Wil |