GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



101 



earth beds of carbon for bis needs. If tbis idea could be sbown to be 

 true in any case, we would ask why are tbe immense beds of coal stored 

 away in tbe mountains of Pennsylvania and Virginia, wbile at tbe same 

 time tbe surface is covered witb dense forests of timber? We now know 



Fig. 4. 



"' "5fe ,' , . vl 



Cretaceous No. 1, on Little Blue River, Nebraska. 



tbat tbis law does not apply to tbe natural world, and if it did, tbis 

 western country would be a remarkable exception. Tbe State of Ne- 

 braska seems to be located on tbe western rim of tbe great coal basin 

 of tbe West, and only tbin seams of poor coal will probably ever be 

 found. But in tbe vicinity of tbe Eocky Mountains, in Wyoming and 

 Colorado, coal in immense quantities bas been bidden away for ages, 

 and tbe Union Pacific Bailroad bas now brought it near the door of 

 every man's dwelling. 



These Eocky Mountain coal beds will one day supply an abundance 

 of fuel for more than one hundred thousand square miles along the Mis- 

 souri Eiver of tbe most fertile agricultural land in the world. Every 

 acre of land in Eastern Nebraska is already in possession of tbe thriv- 

 ing farmer, and some of the most beautiful farms in the West can now 

 be seen there. Although comparatively new, it looks like an old settled 

 country. Farm-houses and small villages meet the eye in every direc- 

 tion, and the great interest which the more intelligent and enterprising 

 citizens have taken in tree-planting is covering the once naked hills with 

 the most elegant artificial groves. The time is not far distant when 

 Nebraska will be noted all over the world for the grandeur and beauty 

 of its agricultural portions. Being composed entirely of plain country, 

 with rocks of comparatively modern age, all holding a horizontal posi- 

 tion, or nearly so, without a single mountain range within its bounda- 

 ries, Nebraska can never be remarkable in any way for its mineral re- 

 sources. It is true that it has its salt springs, which are annually be- 

 coming more important and valuable. These springs are located near 

 Lincoln, the capital of the State, and the saline water flowing from them 

 into Salt Creek has given character to quite an important tributary of 

 the Platte for thirty miles or more. This stream flows through a mowt 

 beautiful, rolling, fertile region, covered with splendid farms, and has <i 



