30 GUIDEBOOK OF THE WESTEKN UNITED STATES. 



dear to tlie heart of the western man to be easily replaced by the more 

 homely terni; the tendency in intensive development under irrigation 



is to speak of ^^farms." 



Near Sutherland, between the rivers, about 6 miles west of Ilershey, 



begins a narrow ridge which toward the west gradually develops into 

 a broad table-land. From Dexter to Ogalalla the South Platte and 

 the railroad are close to the bluffs bordering this table-land. This 

 stretch of (he river bed is dry most of the year, all the water being 

 used for irrigation farther upstream. 



come 



manv travelers m 



by Indians and white outlaws, who would swoop down unexpectedly 

 from their hiding places in the hills to murder and plunder. It is 

 difficult for the modern traveler surrounded by the luxuries of the 

 railway train to realize the hardships and dangers endured by the 

 men and women of indomitable courage and energy who under such 

 conditions invaded and finally conquered the West. 



Beyond Dexter the train passes the station called Paxton before 



reaching the town of Ogalalla. 



Ogalalla (see sheet 6, p. 34) is a name used by the Brule Sioux, a 

 powerfid and warlike tribe which under Chief Spotted Tail is said 



to have included 10,000 warriors. About 25 miles 

 Ogalalla. northwest of the town is Ash Hollow, where Gen. 



trney defeated these Indians in 1859. In the early 



Elevation 3,211 feet. H 

 Population 643. ^ 



Omaha 341 miles. ^^ 



Union 



& 



rious for its lawlessness and for the pranks of cow- 

 boys. It was the point to which great herds of Texas cattle were 



Kansas 



cars for shipment 



toAvn 



dry most 



miles to the east. Although the river 



just below the surface. This supply has been utilized for irrigation 

 at OgalaUa by means of an underflow channel or underground drain 

 into which the water finds its way, to emerge farther do^\Tistreara 

 upon the lands to be irrigated. The bluffs consist of beds of sand 

 and gravel cemented together in some nlaces into a reliitivelv hard 



rock, locallv known as '^mortar 



name 



of sand and pebbles mixed with mortar. In these rocks 



masses 



the Ogalalla formation. 



mammals. The rocks constitute 



i The Ogalalla formation consists mainly j Union Pacific Railroad as far west as Pine 

 of sand aud gravel, cemented in some Bluff and occurs in large areas in western 



Kansas and Nebraska and eastern Colo- 



places by carbonate of lime into a resistant 

 conglomerate. It crops out along the 



rado. This formation is widely diatrib- 



