The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-06-01
LETTER FROM KANSAS.

WI. Uroy, Wuoso iaihiiy Has hInuiy iut'
nished US with the following letter, leh here
las, March. The letter will be read with
in,eres, by his numerous friends in ,hi,
place, who wish well for the prosperity Of
the emisran,s OfFreedom.
TOPEKA, K. 7. April 22d, 1855.
l am by the blessing Of Heaven still in
good health, but canno, tell how much
want 10 see you or even hear from you.
have written before, but have received nc
letter from you as yet, neither have any Of
US heard one word from Biddeford since we
left.
We arrived safe a, Kansas city after a
long and tedious week on the boat. Our
passage was slow in the cars, and still slow.
er up the Missouri river, the wafer being
extremely low. The boats dragged on the
bottom, and were frequently obliged to stop.
back of the sand bars, and try for deeper
water. This river winds its way through
an immense forest, with small towns scatter.
81 hose ."i hio.s -ieuy its banks. The
prairie lands are seldom seen from the boats,
as the trees are tall and large, with many
bluffs coming down 10 the waters edge.
We found it very cold lun,il We reached
Kansas city aher leaving tina, place the
grass began to look green, bu. i, is ye, too
dry for vegetation 10 flourish. We found
every thing new in Kansas as we expected
but the country, natural resources, &C., are
far superior 10 illinois, or those Of any Of the
States | ever visited, and il is being PEG
pied fast by intelligent settlers, 4 great
part Of them from New England. There i.
lack OF timber on this side OF The river
no, so much Of il as might bc.desirable, bu
stone and coal abound, and the land is well
wa,ered. The prairies now look quite
green, dry as i, is, although the grass grows
rather slowly. The wild plum is in bloom
there is small tree here that very much
resembles the Lilac in bloom also. Black
berries and crab-apples are not plenty here,
There are gooseberies in abundance, bu,
they are too far advanced to transplant, this
season. saw strawberries in my garden
which shall cultivate.
We have 10 draw lots for our house lots
in the city. l have one on Kansas avenue,
abou, half way between the river and the
park, 1t Is larger than both lots | len at Bid
dstord. This lot is on the beautiful level
land between the hill and river. The other
lot is on The hill. You may think tina, a
hill on prairie is something out Of the or.
der OF Nature, bu, ii is no, so in this coun-
Try, there are hills, rocks and valleys, and
some timber. Two lots seveniy.five fee,
wide, one hundred and fly back, are offer
ed 10 those, who wish to settle in the city.
on condition that they will build house on
one oi,hsm the presen, season, and on con.
di,ion that there shall be no spurious liquor,
Kept on the premises, a restriction which
some cities a, the east might DO we'll 10 adopt.
This place is on the south side Of the Kan.
sas river. There is small skirt Of timber
on this bank, and on creek a little to the
cas-, is a strip Of old oaks. On the opposite
bank Of the river is heavy growth OF large
old trees, such as white oak, sycamore,
black walnut, elm, hickory, locust, &c.
This Is beautiful spo, Of earth, the prairie
high and rolling, much more so than the
Pra''ies oil Illinois, and far superior to them.
Topeka Is new place like all Others in the
territory There are but few buildings in
the city, but several new ones building.
The city Of Lawrence is also quite new.