Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-09-02

rises from the streams in succession OF
the most beautiful slopes and swells
that could be imagined. Within com
paritively short distance of the stream
from which it rises The land attains its
highest elevation, its additional height
being scarcely perceptible above the ad
joining swells which rise like waves on
either side. This dividing ridge is inva
riable styled "ihe divide, or the high
divide" as the case may be. The name
is very naturally suggested by the wa
ter being divided and taking different d.
rections at this point. 1t must have been
on such a scene that Bryant gazed when
he spoke of the prairies, that wave-like,
indeed seem ike an Ocean
"With all its rounded pillows fixed
And motionless forever"
The smile is very appropriate and
was often called to mind in many a
wearisome mile of my journeying ovel
the rough and blackened prairie stubble
The soil is very rich dark loan, dry
and loose and remarkably fitted to stand
drouth, the one thing needful in climate
so remarkably dry as this. 1t is often
from four 10 six feet in depth, on the
bottoms and even more, but grows thin
ner on the uplands where patches oI
stiff clay sometimes appear at the sur.
face, though rarely. The subsoil i:
usually light porous clay, resting on a
limestone base, beneath which fine,
easily worked sandstone is frequently
found. This suggests my next topic.
STONE
So far as l know and can learn stone
is abundant in every locality. Persons
having claims on a stream or with q
high ridge of ground passing through
will almost as certainly have an abundant
supply either of limestone or sandstone,
frequently both. Many claims have in.
exaustable quarries of both. My claim
contains both of the above mentioned
kinds of stone, besides freestone. On
small streams l have repeatedly seen the
bank of the stream for a short distance
composed entirely of limestone, laid up
with almost mathematical precision, FIRE,
quently in blocks of such convenient
sizes that single man could have taken
tons of it away without getting out OF
his wagon to load it. Where it occurs
in ridges and bluffs it is full of seams
and it is easy TO obtain any size desired
Blue and grey limestone is abundant.
WATER, STREAMS, &C.
The Missouri, Kansas, Usage, Neasho
and Arkansas are the principal streams.
The first forms the eastern boundary ol
the territory from Nebraska to the mouth
of the Kansas, distance of about 100
miles. 1t its fast becoming thickly dot.
ted with the Free-State towns which
Yankee enterprise is projecting at every
available place for landing The Kan
sas withits tributaries waters the northern
and the last three the southern portion
of Kansas. The Kansas river is q sec.
ond edition of the Missouri, having al
its discouraging features, wide shallow
bed, muddy water and shifting chan.
mel. But little hopes are entertained oi
its ever being used to any extent fol
navigation. The vallies of these streams
viii sustain an immense population which
they must soon have. The small creeks
of course dry up in the summer, though
many large pools are left in shady places
which have been used alike by man and
beast the whole summer through with
out injury to either. Good water can
invariably be found at depth of Is to
so feet. It is invariably hard.
COAL.
Coal is supposed to be universally dis
tributed, indications of il are to be found
in abundance. Only one or two banks
have been opened as yet. While jour-
neying from Ossawatomie tc Ottumwa a
member of our party found specimens
of coal almost daily at places widely
distant. At the last named place hole
is shown in the bed of the Neasho where
it is said couple Of medug out twenty
five bushels of coal in couple of hours.
A Blacksmith who had used it told me
it was equal to any he ever saw. l my
self got several pieces and tried them.
1t is soft free burning coal and doubt
less exists there in iuexaustible quaint
ties.
TENDER.
To one. coming from heavy timber
ed region Ike the Reserve, the apparent
scarcity of timber here will at once strike
them as the great want of the country
ThatimpressionI annOteasily overcome.
Owing to the high winds that prevail
here a great deal of the timber is almost
worthless, save for frewood, as it grows
up very stubbed and gnarly; especially
is this the case on the smaller streams
where the strip of woods is thin On
the high banks it is quite as bad for
there it is full of mind SHAKES. A resident
of QuindarO. a thriving town on the Mis-
souri, told me that tie timber there was