Buffalo County, Nebraska - Chapter 20, 1916

An April Blizzard

About 2 P. M. Sunday it began to "spit" snow, the wind shifting into the, north. By nightfall a furious storm of wind and snow was raging. When Monday morning came the snow was piled as high as the tops of the cars in which the colonists were staying. In the two emigrant cars there were stoves which the emigrants had brought with them.

The only other stoves were small affairs in each end of the passenger cars. It is recalled that in one of the passenger cars were four women and four children besides several men. In each end of this car were small stoves fed by Cottonwood. The force of the wind drove the snow through the ventilators and window and door frames sO' that the seats, bedding and floor were wet. The women and children huddled about the stoves and the men took turns bringing wood from the pile of cordwood some forty rods distant and cutting in lengths to fit the playhouse stoves. About noon three men, headed by I. D. LaBarre, came into the car and began taking down the stovepipe to one of the stoves with the evident intention of removing the stove. They were landed outside, and then concluded to explain that in a box car was Dr. I. P. George and wife with n6 stove in the car. The situation is best explained by stating that on May 15th, following, occurred the first birth among the colonists, Gibbon Thorp George, son of Dr. and Mrs. I. P. George. Understanding the situation, the occupants of the car helped to remove the stove to Dr. George's car. With the going down of the sun, on Monday, the storm ceased. Tuesday was, bright and sunny. Investigation showed no snow on the prairie, but all sloughs and Wood River packed full and so hard as to be crossed readily on the snow. On Monday, during the storm, word was telegraphed from railroad headquarters at Omaha to take all women and children to the section house, but only one or two women availed themselves of the offer, all others cheerfully accepting conditions in the cars and making the best of them.

Such a storm as occurred on April 9, 1871. would not at this date be considered at all serious or worthy of mention. With groves of trees, fields of corn stalks, the prairie covered with dead grass, with comfortable houses, with barns, sheds, fences and the Hke to break the force of the wind and cause the snow to cover all the ground and not be drifted into sloughs and other depressions so as to fill level with the surrounding prairie ; but on the bare prairie, devoid of everything, burned bare of all vegetation just a week previous, the wind swept along with nothing to obstruct its force and the drifting snow filled every slough and \\'ood River level with the prairie.

Ranchmen like the Boyds and Woods, who kept large herds of cattle, did not want homesteaders, because it would destroy the range for their herds. The early settlers, as they were called, those living on squatter claims before the arrival of the colonists, discouraged the colonists. Not one of these early settlers had filed on claims ; most of them had small herds of cattle with an unlimited range for them, and also their source of revenue or market for the corn and vegetables which they raised had been the emigrants which traveled the trail. The coming of so considerable a number of homesteaders as comprised the colony, meant the taking of all government lands in nearby Wood River Valley and a complete change in local conditions. A few of these early settlers had been here living for quite ten years, yet their habitations were mere huts; some of logs, covered with a dirt roof, others living in a habitation part dugout (a hole in the ground), part sod with a dirt roof. Not a thing about such habitations was inviting, especially to members of the colony who had just come from long settled localities in the eastern states, where people took pride and pleasure in their immediate surroundings, houses were comfortable, buildings painted, fields fenced and all the surroundings showed thrift and comfort.

One young wife, with two small children, had plead with tears in her eyes to be permitted to accompany her husband on the morning of April 4th, and when it was explained that there would be no place for her or the children until a house could be built, replied, "Fll be perfectly happy to put up our tent in the corner of a fence until a house can be built." But here was a country with no fences, no nothing but the bare prairie, and while these few early settlers had caves filled with potatoes and other choice vegetables, and also had small cribs of corn, some of the colonists were inclined to reason that if in ten or more years these early settlers had not been able to raise enough to build frame houses, and have tables, chairs and like furniture, as well as horses and wagons and farming utensils Hke farmers in eastern states, it was not much use in trying to make a home out here where it hardly ever rained and settlers did not seem to prosper and get ahead. It is recalled that a story became current that one of these settlers, living in a dugout, was worth $10,000, and at once colonists began to speculate what they would do if they were worth such a sum, and it is quite sure their speculations or dreams did not contemplate living in a dugout, though such was in reality the habitation of many of them for some years. The statement that one of the early settlers was worth $10,000 is greatly exaggerated; of these early settlers living in the immediate vicinity of Gibbon Switch, the record of the valuation of their property for purposes of taxation was as follows: James E. Boyd, $6,830. This represented the Boyd ranch with its thousand and

Immediately after the storm the railroad company sent hox cars for members of the colony to live in, and such cars remained as long as occupied; in fact some members of the colony lived in such cars during the winter of 1871-2. These cars did not make a very comfortable home, as often in the nighttime a passing freight train would take the siding, come bumping into the box car, upset the stove, and cause a fall of crockery and cooking utensils. The railroad company at once removed the pile of cordwood beside the siding, but as there were plenty of old ties there was no lack of fuel.

The Wood River Valley Of The Platte

The writer has often wished that some one, gifted, might have written, for the benefit of future generations, a fitting description of Wood River and the Wood River Valley of the Platte before the hand of the white man came to change it. In the fall of 1871, C. Putnam, a member of the colony, wrote as follows of Wood River:

To this delightful description might be added that in the bends of this winding river were orchards of wild plums, in their season loaded with fruit, the red and yellow of the ripening fruit with the green bordering of trees making a picture of surpassing beauty and loveliness, while the fruit itself was most delicious to the taste.

Standing on either bank of this meandering stream, which with its fringe of trees lay like a thread of dark green in the midst of the far reaching valley, and looking across the smooth prairie as far as the eye could reach, could be seen herds of innumerable buffalo feeding and fattening on the nutritious grasses. Always there could be seen flocks of timid antelope, their white "flags" discernable miles distant.

Occasionally would pass herds of stately elk and boimding over the prairie were smaller herds of black tail deer, while the accompanying whir of prairie chicken and quail seemed but the echo of fast fleeing footsteps.

Before the coming of the white man, a land of fatness, a scene of loveliness passing description. To the white man and his descendants a home of plenty, a dwelling place of contentment, peace and happiness.

A third of a century after the coming of the colony. Chancellor Samuel Avery of the state university, having visited this valley, in a public address at Omaha, spoke of it as follows:

"A few years ago I stood on the bluffs overlooking this valley, near the Village of Gibbon. Below me as far as the eye could reach were fields of wheat, corn and alfalfa. I have made a similar survey of the Rhine Valley from' the mountains of the Odenvvald. I have seen the best of the Columbia and the Willamette from the bluffs of their borders, but I have never seen an agricultural paradise to compare with the valley of the Platte as I saw it on that July day,"

On Tuesday, April nth, there was held the first meeting of the colonists. This meeting was held on the open prairie, on the south side of the railroad track and to the south of the present section house. Who presided as chairman or served as secretary can not be recalled. The first question, whether the colonists would remain, was decided in the affirmative, as recalled, unanimously. As each member wished to locate a claim as near as possible to the proposed Village of Gibbon, to be the future county seat of Buffalo County, it was voted that choice for such location should be determined by lot. As some members desired to secure claims adjoining each other, it was also decided that two or more might unite in drawing together.

There were sixty-two who took part in the drawing, divided into twentyeight lots. In a hat were placed slips of paper containing numbers ranging from one to twenty-eight. The one who drew was to mark on a United States land office map his choice for a claim, and no member of the colony could take that claim until the party had decided he did not want it. This rule held good with all members of the colony with a very few exceptions. Some members did not take part in the drawing, and it developed later that (doubtless having inside information) they had secured claims in the immediate vicinity of Gibbon Switch, which claims the government maps, as furnished, did not disclose were open to homestead entry.

Drawing The 'Lots

William Brady drew lot No. i and chose the northwest quarter of section twenty-four (24) adjoining the proposed town site of Gibbon. Choice No. 2 was drawn by John W. Wiggins, Charles E. Brayton and Charles Monks, who took the remaining quarter sections of section twenty-four (24). Choice No. 3 fell to S. C. Ayer, F. F. Blanchard, F. S. Trew and Dr. I. P. George, who located claims on section eighteen (18) immediately adjoining the proposed town site on the east. Choice No. 22 fell to John M. Bayley, who located on section twenty-two (22) in town nine, range thirteen (13). Qioice No. 26 was drawn by S. C. Bassett, B. C. Bassett, Robert Waters and Henry Fairchild, who located claims on section six (6), town nine (9), range thirteen (13).

Choice No. 28 was drawn by George H. Silvernail, John Silvernail, Daniel R. Davis and T. J. Hubbard, who located on section ten (10), town nine (9), range fourteen (14).

Locating The Claims

Having made a choice of a claim, on a map, the colonists spent the next few days in locating the claim, looking it over and deciding if they would file upon it. Some could not find the corners of their claims and were assisted by J. N. Paul, a surveyor, who had been sent by the railroad company for that purpose. The J. N. Paul referred to is now Judge J. N. Paul of St. Paul, Neb. Mr. Paul had helped to survey government lands in the state, and while with the colony began a survey of the proposed town site of Gibbon, which later was completed by C. Putnam. From the nth to the 15th of April was thus spent in locating and viewing claims as selected.

Filing On The Homestead Claims

Judge Walsh was paid a fee of one dollar ($1) for each entry, and the government fee was fourteen dollars ($14) for a quarter section, and was entitled "surveying fees." Very little friction, as between members, developed in filing on the claims, and it appeared then and later that each felt, all things considered, that he had secured a most desirable location.