New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-06-30
KANSAS.
ITS SOIL. STREAMS AND PRODU'

June ~. fopf
ieal account Of Nebrasl J""' -
Kansas. '""Fo'o '
.sasr;es Of this territory fixed by the late
&C. 81 Consres. ere the western Ike Of the State OF
1,,our an the east the 10th parallel Of north lat
titude on the north the same being the southern
boundary of Nebrasks the 37ta parallel the south
and the maine ridge Of the Rocky Mountains on the
west
The face Of the country ia nearly uniform from the
State line 70 the base OF the mountains. IL ia one
continued succession Of gently unduating ridges and
yalleys The ridges not uniformly north andso
or east ard west; their general inclination is north
and south but they are thrown into various other Ill
rectons by the course of the streams and the con'o
tons Of their Valleys Within the mountain chaH
fhere is 10 be orrd every variety Of aspect pecuai "
mountain districts The first districtof county,,
ING westward from any point on our "estein
marked by all the cbsrsctefistics ., we e frnn Tho
cur western border This district stretches from ,ne
,r,hern IN fe soubern boundary and varies IN wldt
from ightyo one hundred and hity ana TWO huhafeo
miles IL rcludes the sources oil the Neosho inc 'e
degrs the Marais des Cygnes ana otner Vi
The Usage and the lower section OF the Kansas ilVer
7, 10 yp,yaled for the fertility OF It's SOL, the
y,lue Of rs timber and forest trees the amenty ana
l~saty Of its broad pares the number OF ITS crysta'
streams and the salobry OF ne climate. IL i raee1
more .rau of timber than within the state line but ~
s id.rca and equal in soils and productions ana s-
perior in purity and vitality OF atmosphere ms Ter
tile district does not graduaHg deteorate as we pro
gress westward to the second dstrct Dut ceases ss
S,rIy Travelling from Independence westward its
bourdary is Sandy Creek tributary OF the kansas.
and travelling ON The Santa Fe trail 1t Is bounded ny
Copnci Grove. Within a belt OF one hundred yards
IN width from the northern to the southern boundary
rrral tiaI fkNn IA
soils marking the first and second districts. The hun
drsd yard belt is not right line from north 10 Sou'i
but is serpentine, and with general direction hor'h
and SOUTH
The second district presents 10 the eye surface ap
psrently of sand but il must be impregnated largely
with pnrtiye properties for it is covered with grapes
and PUSHES In the valleys and bolows where the son
is moist the grapes are abundant during the Whoe
season: but upon the ridges it becomes stunted IN
June and July and dry enough to burn after the md
die Of September This district is essentially pas'o-
raj region There is timber upon IT, ana NOT trees
enough 10 serve frew0od for any great iength vi
time The only trees to be found al an are IN li'e var
lev of tse Kansas and they chiefly cottonwood
and willow II is wholly unfit for agricultural Pur-
poses and must remain so forever. It's geooscai
structure is sufficient Indication of this iact inns
district from Sandy Creek extends westward 10 horh
and south line a few miles east oil fort Lardme-S"!
about $50 miles.
The third district is formation of mari and earthly
limestone and is continuation southwark OF similar
district described in my former letter as existing IN
Nebraska IL is in this district that what are termed
ks,s most frequently occur. These butes are eleya
tons varying in width from hundred feet to several
hundred yards. They are not knobs or hills. lne'r
surfaces fiat and their sides are nearly perpehdcu
lar They can be kened 10 nothing but the trap doors
an the stages of tbeaters when elevated above the
Hoors IL if the general surface had suddenly
sunk down. leaving them scattered all over the plains
have never heard plausible guess made touching
the causes of their existence, and imagine that geoio
Ia ,,uchtr cd tn
Of this formation that what called by the traders
in consequence of fancied resemblance to these oo
jects the Court House, the Cathedral, and the
Chimnies-noted objects on the road to Oregon ana
California--are made. This is, however, only mar
row. irregular belt and is succeeded by the fourth ans
trct, intervening between it and the Black Hills 1t is
yer, fertile and admirably adapted to grain and vege'
tables. II is wholly destitute of timber.
The fourth district is somewhat similar to the first
Mt least along the base Of the Black Hill, where has
been enriched for ages by the dor's There is more
wood upon il than in the last named because the small
sfuens of the great streams are more numerous aphs
the base of the Black Hills than anywhere else Inc
eastern portion Of it is pastoral IKE the second u
trct; but the western portion, skrlting the mus, con
sists Of broad bank Of fertile SOIL ninety toeie" a'
watered, and Astounding in game, VIVA 'ru',s an'
aowers II is one of the most lovely and desirable re
sions upon the Continent ,.. A., p,,
Hills and the main cham Of the ROCKY mountains
Here nature has presented with every variety o
.sp.ct and coil. There supendOus mountains thu
grandeur and sublmity of which create mingled emo
tons of awe and terror There beautiful valleys un
bosomed by amphitheaters of hills, where Calypso and
her nymphs might have delighted 10 ramble varegated
by hill and dale traversed by sparkling rivulets and
adorned with placid lakes. Fruits and flowers span
gle the grcensward; vines hang in festoons from tree
10 tree; cascades spring in rainbow hues from the
cliffs; pines and cedars the growth of ages, spread
their somber shade upon the mounainsides, and the
stupepdous peaks shooting up into the skies are
crowned with glittering coronet OF snow. few
hours travel leads out of this scene of primeva
beauty into in intense contrast with II. Here we
find a sterile expanse OF many miles in extent covered
with waving lines Of sand producing only suntcd arte
nisa and few other miserable plants; the rivuets
are lost they descend from the bare ridges around;
their hollow murmurs may be heard beneath the feet,
and the surrounding peaks are immense piles oi bare
granite. which seem to have been thrown by some
great CONFUSION into inextricabe confusion. Small
settlements WILL in the progress of time be made in
the rich valleys and they will be happy little COM
munitss.
The Republican and the Smoky Hill forks take their
rise in the Rocky Mountains and unite to form the
Kansas River in about latitude S9o and longitude 96'
II flows thence in general course eastward to its
mouth in latitude $50 and longitude $40. The upper
portions of its two great forks are timbered with pop
lar cedar pine and other trees OF mountain origins;
thence 10 the eastern line Of the first district have
described the growth is cotton wood willow and other
smaller shrubs and the first district 10 the State
line the growth is hickory, ash walnut, oak and sugar
maple. The valley OF the Kansas is not over twenty TO
forty miles broad in the first districts il becomes mar
rover MS the stream is assembled. 1t is deep suyion
and wonderfully productive in grain and vegetables
The tributaries of the Kansas are not numerous and
their valleys are narrow. The only portions which
can be occupied for agricultural purposes the
first district and the valley of the Kansas Flocks and
herds must forever occupy the second district. The