The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-09-01
MIS- C ELLA N Il O u s!
Notes Of u Trip up Kansas River.
Including Observations on the Soil, eli.
mate, Scenery, &c.
BY GEORGE s. PARK.

Casting loose from the landing at Park
vile, we passed rapidly down to Kansas city;
and, late the same evening, leaving the eddy
ing waters OF the "Mad Missouri" turning
her PROV towards the setting sun, heading
gaily towards the Rocky Mountains, the "Ex-
Gel" was steaming at fine rate up the Kan
sas. II is more than 600 yards wide at the
mouth. The water Of this river is mixed with
a sandy sediment, like the Missouri; but it is
freer from snags, the banks are less liable TO
wash aud fall in, and the current is not near
so rapid. For the first hundred miles or so,
its average width will reach 600 yards; from
Pattawatome to Big Blue, 400 yards; from
Big Blue to Fort Riley, 200 yards. The
Pawnee or Republican, and Smoky Hill forks,
are scarcely 100 yards wide. The Smoky
Hill is the narrowest and deepest. Below
Unio ontown, (abcut, 1870 miles, by water from
the Missouri river) the Kansas is quite
straight, but above that point it is crooked
1t will be good navigobe river for two or
three months in each year--perhaps three or
four in wetseasons; penetrating westward, as
it does, into the heart Of the Continent, it
therefore must become important in COM
mercial point of view.
Some of our Company joined us at Della
ware. Above that place the land is heavily
timbered on both sides of the river-with
some wide, high bottoms, on either bank,
consisting of high, dry, rich aIluvion. Every
five or six miles IN this region we passed fine
bluffs on The river; and on our right, immedi-
ately below the mouth Of "Stranger," there
is a beautiful! one, with open woods, and high
rolling prairie in he background. Just above
the junction of that stream with the Kansas
river, there is great bend, like horseshoe,
where tract of excellent, high bottom-land
can be easily enclosed by short fence
across the neck. On the south side Of the
river, opposite that bend, there is a pretty
town site, rising gradually back from the
edge Of the water--the plat covered with
grass and scattering timber, forming a green
lawn backed with high pruiries. In this
neighborhood the shore is rocky. We passed
bald bluff on the north; with rich bottom
on the south side, and Il high open lawn in
the rear. A little farther on, the elevated
prairies strike the river, giving charming
variety to the scenery--while on the north
are extended bottoms of rich timbered land.
In this vicinity we saw many Indians along
the banks; we also passed a grape thicket, in
the bottom, spread over several thousands OF
acres--whiie j st above, on our right, rose q
rocky bluff, covered with open woods. A lit
tie way above this, Sugar Creek empties into
the Kansas, from the right; and a little far
ther up, there is low blufl:-a short distance
beyond there being another fine grape thick
ct, and rich walnut bottom. On the right
side of the river coal has teen found, and
here again rises beautiful undulatlg emf
nence aliording magnificent site for town;
on the height there being open woods, and a
fine prairie about Il mile back.
On the lett, short distance above, the
Wakarusa flows in--a considerable stream
with good timber Cor some way back Below
the mouth there is good bluff, and behind
are the Wakarusa settlements. Here the
Methodist Church (Norih) have Il mission
Coal has also been discovered above the
Wakarusa. The Shawnees have sold with
out reserve, all their lands in this direction;
and the whole country on the south side oi
the Kansas, above, on its waters Except u
strip five miles wide, and thirty long, owned
by the Patiawatomies) is now open to settle
ment. There will probably be some vacant
lands beiOU, after the Shawnees have made
their selections.
In this connection it may properly be re-
marked that the Wyandots own 80 sections in
the forks OF the Kansas and Missouri rivers
The Deawares, by their recent treaty, re-
serve strip 20 miles wide and 40 miles
long, running up nearly to the mouth OF the
Grasshopper. The Kansas Indians, too
have reservation % miles long, by mile
wide, north of the river, below Pattawato.
mie; while tie Pattawatomies have 30 miles
square, partly on each side of the Kansas
and the Kckapoos hold small reserve near
the head OF Grasshopper. All the balance
OF the vast regions, drained by the Kansas
river and its tributaries are now open for set.
tlement, and will soon arrest the attention OF
the enterprising settlers.
On both sides of the river, above the WAX
arusa, there are excellent bottom lands; and
short way beyond these, another fine site
! for town presents itself on the north side
while still farther up on the south bank, the
high prairie comes right down to the water +
edge, presenting another appropriate place
where the busy hum of commerce may by-and
by speak the presence of city. Here we
saw numerous cabins of settlers; and away
as far as the eye could reach, in southwes
terly direction, the prairies were high ant
rolling like the waves of Old Ocean. South
ward, beautiful groves dot the prairie, anC
the dark line of timber that stretches along
the Wakarusa valley--with the great Prairie
mound, so to speak, fixed there as the land
mark of perpetual bearty--the meanderng
river, with its dark skrting forests of timber
on the north--all are scenes in natures Mag
nificent Panorama, here brought within range
of vision. Proceeding north, high rich bot
toms extend for many miles, and we saw vas
thickets of grape vines, pea-vines, raspber'
ries, and pawpaws. The timber was princi'
pally oak, walnut, ash, hickory, mulberry
blackberry, linden, cottonwood and coffee
! bean.
A few miles below the mouth of the Grass
hopper on the north, the prairie undulate'