Nebraska As It Is.

The following letter f rom G. M. Monroe, whom most of onr Ann Arbor folka know, to Dewitt 0. Fall, of this place, gives a good deseription of Xebraska as he seos it, and is wJ] worth reading: "My field of labor since my return has been in Búllalo county, along the South Loup river, known liere as the "Santl BlufB." It is not a desirable section oi' the state tor agricultural purposes, and principally used for grazlng. There are a nuinber of quite extensivo cattle ranches tip along the Lonp rivor. The "ravines" known in the west as "ilraws" are tilled with the wild snnilower In full bloom. It is a perfect "Oscar Wilde" country. I closed my labors In l.ulïalo county last Friday, and returned here to spend the Sabbath. This aftcruoon 1 take a trip of 75 miles up through Howard, Greely and Valley counties, northwest from Grand Island. The northern branch of the Union Pacific rallroad lias its terminus at North Loup. I wlll be Obliged to stage it from there to Ord ( 'ity, a dUtance of :ü miles t'urthcr. A few word in regard to Grand Island. It is the county seat of Hall county, is 154 miles west from Owaha, 92 miles from Lincoln, and 700 from Denver. Jt stands on a gravelly plateau, a short dlstance ir jin tl.c great Plait; river, and 100 feet abovc its level. The present city springa trom one of the oldest settlemonts in the state. Away back In 1857, a band of sturdy Germana from Iowa set their stakes bere, and to-day a great niimber of them, ortlieir cliildren, are enjoying the wealth and comfort earned by earlj yenrs of toil and deprlvatlon. Those iirst days recall scènes of hardshipsonly known to the liarsh experience of the frontier. There were disaster from storms, fire and grasshoppers, together with tbreatened starvation and brutal assaults from the liendish Sioux. But now they live only in the memory of the pioneer, and generally are forgotten amid the fortune and favoritism ot the present. The overland travel to Plke'8 Peak in 1859 cave the settlers their flret encouragement and taught the crecpinff colony how to walk. And the whistle of the locowotive on the U. P. in 18GG was the sound tliat channed the immigration to Hall county, which gave Grand Islam! its great vigor and progressive steps to fortune. The city is handsomely laid out, and was incorporated in 1872 .It eau lay claim to most important improvemenlJ-, the leading beiug the immense machinu shops of the Union Pacific raihvay compnnj. Thc.y aic locaicU In il) e eastern part of the city, 120 acres of ground are devoted to the purpose, and the buildings are all substantially constructed of limestone, the total expenditures being about $300,000. Grand Island' lias splendid rallroad facilities east and west, north and BOUtb. It has a splendid system of water works, the supply being obtained from 12 welig, and the power comes from one of the large engines in the machine shops, whlcb is kept running night and day for this purpose. The court house, which stands in the beautilul public park, cost over $20,000, and is a solid and well built structure. Two large brick school buildings, costing $20,000 eacli, are among the best in tlie state. Attractlve churcii edifices, substantial commercial houses, lire hotels, and rich and comfortable rosidences give a business air to the city, and a guarantee ot prosperity that the most casual observer can recognize at a lance. Three ably conducted papers are published here. Trade in all of its varied branches is represented here by lar;rcapital and energetic operators. Grand Island is the seat of trade for all the èxtensive nortliwestern Nebraska territory. It is the largest city on the Union Pacific west of Omaha. This county is esceedingly well watered. The Platte honors the county with its broadest chañad, Wood river comes next in size and importauce, while Prairie creck and inuncious suiall streams, and plenty of living springs of fine volume, can be found on almost cvery section of land in the county. About forty per cent. of the land is valley, and the rest gently rolling prairie. The soil is of a deep black, Bandy loam, and this generation wlll never see the day that its fertility wlll have to be "coached" by artificial means. In 1S82 this county obtained the fint premium at the State Fair, held in Omaha, for the linest and best collection of fruits. 8imn E. Sinke, the genial and sociable teller of the First Natioml bank at Grand Island, is well pleased with bis situation, and is giving good satisfaction. (He was formerly in the Ann Arbor Savings bank.) liemcm ber me to the boys. We are having exeeedingly warm weather liere at present, but ComfortaDlfl niglits for sleeping."