The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-05-23
oil. Climate ana Scenery Of Ksusas.


4 Kansas correspondent oft New
York Tri5aas, who has spent nearly q
year in the West, and has made ex.
tsnsive examinations in Illinois, Iowa,
and Nebraska. as well as in the Terri
tory from which he writes, gives the
following description of the country.
All of which we heartily indorse:
In many respects Kansas presents
decided advantages over other portions
of the West. In all the Western
States, good land in desirable locations
is held at high prices. In Kansas it
is cheap. Kansas surpasses most of
the West in the beauty of its scenery,
the abundance of Its good building
stone, its natural adaptability for good
roads, and its soil for fertility is un-
surpassed in America, even by thesSae-
ramento valley. This is generally q
black vegetable loan, strongly impreg-
mated with alkali and lime. Its eli
mate is healthy, it is well watersd, and
is literally endowed for schools. Its
scenery is nearly medium between the
gorgeous foliage of Nicaragua and the
picturesque grandeur of California
Through many other portions of the
West there is marked sameness of
scenery here, as the traveller progress
ses, it is ever varying-now q smooth
lawn stretches out before him, skirted
on all sides by timber, with perhaps q
gurgling brook winding its way along
the oaks then the prairie swells up
into grand rolls. like the great waves
of the ocean, and again pretty valley
mssts the eye. 1t wants only the
hand of art to render this one Of the
most Substantially beautiful countries
Of the globe.
It is only on the brow of the rolls
that the stone comes to the surface,
therefore it eneumbers but little
ground. It seems to underlie the
whole country. 1t is mountain lime
stone, the highest rock known to geol.
ogists, which leaves the whole geolog-
ical chapter as a margin for minerals.
In many places, coal, more valuable
to the country than gold. has been
found in abundance. Most of the
creeks and ravines have stone bottoms,
and the country is almost destitute of
those horrible sloughs which are COM
mon, and at some seasons of the year
almost impossible in many parts Of
the West. But little expense is re-
quired to make roads here that will be
good the whole year. After heavy
storm they are dry again in few
hours.
Many vegetables Indigenous to New
England, will doubtless do well here.
This must in time, become a fruit
country; and for grazing purposes it
is unsurpassed. The natural prairie
grass resembles Eastern meadows but
it is of much better quality. From it
all the hay of the country is made.
The most serious inconvenience is
the high winds which are common, but
hills are plenty to afford shelter
Good water can be had by digging at
moderate depths. Every township six
miles square has two sections of land
which Government has set apart for
school purposes. which, if properly
manged and not sold until land be-
comes more valuable, ought to produce
School Fund of from $4,000 to
$15, 900 for each township. The an
nual income of which, together with
what may be raised by taxation, ought
to render her school facilities equal to
those of any State.
There viii doubtless be a home
market here for produce for years to
come each years immigration being
sufficient to consume the settlers sur.
plus.
New villages are springing up in all
directions, and the country is being
much better settled than If the land
were in market. Being subject TO
claim, people take up every quarter
section in large districts, which az
fords them the advantages of neighbor-
hood while in other parts of the
West where land is in market. specu-
lators have entered so much that these
cannot be had. This gives Kansas a de-
cided advantage; it is earnestly to be
hoped that the Land Office will not
open, except for prescriptions, for
some time yet. a6 ~
Labor is in gand demand at fair
prices. More mills are needed. Good
-four mills would soon pay well, and
be of great advantage to others
Merchants viii find good openings for
business here, Mechanics of all des-
criptions are wanted. Land specula,
tors and lawyers, it is to be hoped will
Igo elsewhere. Kansas invites true
hearted patriotic men, and offers them
strong Inducements 10 make homes on
| her soil. She calls on them to come
with brave hearts and willing hands,
prepared to endure some. temporasy
hardships, with good, high principles,
1 habits of induSfrv and aconoxox- rl