The Evansville daily journal., 1854-11-03
KANSAS CORRESPON DENCE.
DONIPHAN CITY, X. T., Oct. l6.


teresting to some of your readers, l have
concluded to drop you few lines.
| started on a tour over a large portion Of
it last week, and made my starting point
near the Kansas river, in the Delaware
country. By far the best region in this ter
ritory lies on the Kansas river, but unfortun
ately it is all, OF nearly all, included in the
Indian Reserve; both the timber aud the
land on the Kansas are excellent, but as it
does not belong to Uncle Sam, it is hardly
worth while to speak of it. Timber is no
small consideration in this country; no bet
ter soil can be found. but nine-tenths of the
territory cannot be settled for the want of
timber.
The first site for town that I visited
was Leavenworth City, on the Missouri riv-
er, one and a-half mile below Fort Leaven-
worth. | was there on the day of sale of
city lots, and was very much surprised at
the very large prices they brought; lots 90 by
l4o sold for from $3.50 to $3.50. but it was
generally supposed that the share holders
were the principal bidders. Leavenworih
City may make large place, but doubt it
much; it has no country to support it. A
vast plain extends for hundreds of miles
back of it, with stream now and then with
perhaps a dozen sticks of timber. A country
affording perhaps one farm in IS miles, is
not calculated to build up great many cit
les. And it is not the scarcity Of timber
alone that it has to contend with, but it is
the situation. II is not where nature intend
ed i should be-Fort Leavenworth is the
for town | ever saw, and as soon as it is
open for settlement, it will kill the other
Uncle Sam has very pretty town there al
ready. The Governor has his seat Of gov
ernment at the Fort at present. 1t is gen.
orally supposed that the Fort will be sold as
soon as the Indians are removed. There are
but three houses at Leavenworth City, ore
occupied by retail liquor merchant, another
by tavern, and the third as the office of the
"Kansas Herald"
The next town in contemplation above
Fort Leavenworth is called Kickapso. II
is where the Kckapso village now is, aud
is a very pretty place, but has no advantages
save its landing. All along the river we fnd
the country about the same, the timber along
the bottom is excellent, but farther back il
/! is all prairie. The prairies are generally
rolling near the river, but farther back they
are level. Eighteen miles above Weston
town is laid out called Atchison. The pro-
prietors are men Of wealth, but the place is
very poorly situated. 1t is altogether too
uneven for a.town. There Is considerable
excitement about it now, but think cold
weather will kill it. Six mil above Atch.
ison is another site for town, and a much
better and preitier than either of the others.
This place is to be called Doniphan. Itis
al the mouth of Independence, very good
mill stream. The town is on a large bend
Of the river, and extends farther back into
the country than any other point on the
Missouri river. There is some very good
timber back Of it on Wolfe river, In-
dependence, and several other streams; the
roads leading to it are good. and the country
around it is already covered with pre.emp.
tion huts. Tn site for the town is beauti-
ful; it is gradual slope from the buff and
an excellent landing. The view both up
and down the river is fine, and taking all
things into consideration, | think il is the
prettiest place on the river. The sale OF
OTIS will come off about the lst Of Novem-
ber. liked the situation of Doniphan So
much. that | took two shares in the city ,and
am going to be one Of the early settlers of
the place. The sale of lots took place at
Atchison few weeks ago, and they had Il
Jolly time of it. Gen. Atchson was there;
he made speech and had his whisky bottle
setting by him; he took swig Uf it occa-
sionaly, and when he went to start for
home, he couldn't bulge. | am told he roll
ed around the sand bar finely. He told them
in his speech that there were two kinds of
rascals-horse thieves were rascals, and abo.
litionsts were damned rascals.
AS to the slavery question, it is hard to
tell how it will 60 in Kansas. Let the set
tiers alone vote, and vote as they please, it
will undoubtedly be free State; but if the
citizens of Weston, St. Joe, aud other places
on the river in Missouri, 20 over and vote
as it is their intention to to,it will be slave
State. | bee7e majority of the people
are for free State, but they are afraid to
express themselves. A great many of the
settlers are ignorant farmers, and they are
made to believe that the State will be over
run with free negroes if it is made a free
State.
1t is getting late, and I must stop for the