The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-09-27
Kansas and Prosperity.

AoA6oo o0O xAOSp01AIy.
As Kansas becomes more explored, says
the Cincinnati Columbian. as the delicious
prairies, her rich wooded bottoms and her
thousand streams, are viewed and interro-
gated by the practical agriculturist, and
the thoughtful man of science, the estima.
ton of her value, her beauty, and her pros
poets, grows higher and higher. There is
a large class of our fellow citizens who
are devouring with avidity every line Of
information about the new country, i'm.
parted by the press, and who have their
eye fixed upon it, as those of the children
of Israel were upon the promised land. 1t
is the class of small means and great pru-
dence, the men who work hard and live
economically, and who, yet, can do no
more than provide their fsmiles with q
decent maintenance. These men feel
that they want room for their strength, and
space to indulge their just ambition; which
ambition is to rise, to own farm, TO get
out Of the shackles Of dependence, and 10
tread their own ground "every inch a
man." A single fact in our own city, will
show how little chance such men stand
here. Every one is aware that on the
suburbs of the city, in all directions. hun
dreds of cottages were formerly built every
summer by working men; now, as shown
in Smiths recent annual report of the
commerce Of the city, the building is al
most wholly confined to expensive edi6ces
inside Of the city. The reason is. land at
the outskirts has become SO dear, that a
workiDgman cannot afford to buy, and he
must submit to have his means hampered
with the payment of a high rent, or he
must be off to some other spot, where q
man OF small means has chance to live
and prosper. And where is that? The
answer from New England from the North.
and from the West, is-KANsAs. There
| is fine climate, a rich virgin soil, and
mo monopoly All have an equal chance,
! and the sober, Industrious, and prudent,
will draw the prizes.
The following excellent article upon the
topography and soil OF Kansas, is from the
St. Louis Democrat:
Kansas has but two strongly marked
features in a typographical view, both OF
which are well deserving, however, of at.
tention. II is partly an agricultural or ar
able. and partly pastoral regon-the
latter predomin ating very largely over the
former. The agricultural portion consists
Of: First, A strip Of territory bordering on
the Missouri river, being some sixty miles
in width, and extending from the great
Nemahaw river to the bend in the Missou-
ri a, the town Of Kansas. This embraces
in great part what is known as the 'allu-
vial bottoms composed of the deep. rich
moulds. caused by the yearly deposits OF
the luxuriant grasses and the leaves, thick
ly timbered on the skirts with heavy fores,
growth, and we'll watered by numerous
small rivulets and springs. Already the
emigration from Missouri and Iowa has
occupied the choice sites Of this part oi
the country. and but little is left for the
selection ofthe newly arrived emigrant.
Secondly, The valley OF the Kansas riv-
er, and its numerous branches, presents q
scope Of country varying from three to ten
miles in width, of great fertility. This
valley extends from the Missouri far up
into the interior, above the Republican
fork, and almost until you reach the point
where the stream itself heads in the great
table land on this side Of the Rocky noun.
tains. Of its many tributaries, perhaps
the most inviting are the Vermillion. the
two Blues, the Wakarussl, Turkey creek,
the Republican fork, and Strangers creek
Each OF them affords fine strip Of luxu.
riant bottom land, free from overflow. and
clothed upon the margin of the streams
with abundance of timber.
This part Of Kansas, we regret to say,
is now in a large measure covered by the
| Indian reservations, and some OF the very
| best locations are at present. and have
been for several years. cultivated by the
Shawnees, Delawares, Pottawatomies, and
few Of the Sacs and Foxes.
Thirdly, comes the "Neosho Country"
as it has long been called, being that par,
included in the valley of the Upper Neosho
lin the vicinity Of Council Grove-and
in the plateaus Of the aff1uents of the Up.
per and Lesser Arkansas. This, We in.
cline to think, surpasses at many points
! in the richness OF its soil, even the bottom
lands of the Kansas, although, generally
the margins between the sand hills and
the river are narrower. and the timber
more scanty. than in the former. But few
settlers have as yet ventured so far ou
into Kansas, and consequently the favor
able opportunities for locating claims are
much greater there than in the immediate
vicinity of Kansas, ST. Joseph, Weston, OF
the several missions. In truth, we deem
it one of the very best portions of Kansas
and are only surprised that Of the thou
sands who are now vending their way
} thi,her, more do not bend their steps to tn,
valley OF the Neosho, and the vicinity o
} Council Grove. The latter especially ha
some fine lands around it that would vel
repay, settlement and cultivation, and III
location being upon the direct line of tn
! Santa Fe trade, will always insure a mar
; ket for the productions of the farm and tn
comforts OF contact with more civilized
life.
In addition 10 the foregoing. there ar
also many spots of well watered and wei
,imbered lands, with mild climate and ge
nial soil upon the streams which empt
, into the Usage river and which find thei
rise in the dividing ridge between the wa
ters of the Kansas and those of the Arkan
. saa. Such. for instance. is the Neehara
! and its tributaries of the Lower Blue, On
e \ E:.L