The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-04-09
Letter from Hon. J. W. Whitfield,


Hon. James Chestnut, Jr., sends The
following letter to the Camden Journal,
with yiew," he says, "of furnishing
iatounation to those who may feel an in
terestin the enterprise now undertaken
by the kershaw Kansas Association.'-
lie adds that a company of emigrants
will start under the auspices Of that As
socation. about the first of May.
WAsnISeToS, March ls, 1856.
Dear SIR: At the request of Hon. w,
w. B ,yce, take great leasure in Civ
ing you such information in regard TO
Kansas as will be useful to persons emi-
grating to that country. In regard 10
soil, Kansas is unsurpassed, producing
from sixty to eighty bushels OF corn per
acre, twenty five to forty bushels OF wheat
per acre. The finest oats | have ever
seen grow, we raise in Kansas. In fact,
J have seen nothing planted in Kansas
Except cotton) that does not produce
more to the acre than the best lands in
Tennessee.
BESIDES being fine grain and grass
growing country, it is part Of the hemp
region of the United States. Hemp is
decidedly the most profitable crop now
raised, and the statistics will show that
the planters Of Western Missouri are max
ing more moneyrrper hand than is made
in amy other State in the Union. 1t is
nothing uncommon for farmers to pay
three hundred dollars hire for negro men
per year. White men cannot be hired
for less that S25 per month. In addition
To our advantages rs an agricultural people
we have u trade with New Mexico, Utah
Oregon and California, amounting to sew
cral millions OF dollars per annum, besides,
our Indian trade amounts to more than
one million per annum. In addition the
torernment for military supplies expend
very large sum.
Military s:ores are sent out to all the
posts of New Mexico and the Indian coun-
try, and to give you some idea of the
amount Of transportation required for that
department-onc firm last year employed
over seventeen hundred men, and twelve
oxen. Kansas is the starting point for all
einigrants gong West Of us. was rails
ed in Tennessee, and have been in nearly
every State of the Union, and say to you
in all candor, that have never seen anv
country that possesses rs many alvanta-
ges to new or old settlers rs kansas.-
Our friends in Western Missouri-wi,h
SIMILAR soil TO Kansas, make from six to
eight hundred dollars a hand per annum.
This will, | have no DOUBT, seem large to
you, but | assure YOU it is strictly true.
The climate of Kansas regard as being
far better than in Tennessee; from lst
September until lst March we have but
little rain-mostly clear, dry weather.
: The past winter has been, though, collier
than ever known before. Our country |
regard very healthy; in some localities
chills and fever prevail to some extent
we have no pulmonary diseases in Kan
'as. In r.gard to supplies you can pro-
cure anything You may want in Missouri,
if you get to Kansas 10y May or June
you can raise plenty Of corn. Our lands
are ready clearcd-you can make your
location one day and commence farming
next.
In conclusion, permit me to thank YOU,
and to thank tue people of South Carroll
ma for the noble effort they are now E,a.
king to assist us in preventing the best
county, in nv opinion, in the United
States from falling into the hands Of the
Abolitionists.
Respectfully y"ur "b't serv't.
J. w. WHITFIELD.
ilon. JAS. CHEsNUT, Jr.