White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-07-16
From the Cleveland Plaindealsr.)
Kansas Correspondence.
LEAvEEwoRTH, Il. T.,
June 16, 1857. l

LEAvESwoRTR, H. TIL
June 16, 1857.
DEAR DEALER Leaving Omsha, on
board the "Asa Wilgus," we rapidly
dropped down the muddy. meanderinE
Missouri, or " Big Muddy" as il is tech
nicalIY called. The first place made in
the far famed Kansas was "a Iowa Point"
Just at the close Of the third day Of the
sales ef the Iowa reserve lands. The
place was literally filed with strangers
and strange " critters"
The sales had so far gone of quietly at
appraised value and in all cases to the
claimants, who (many of them; say -
only squat the day before the sales com.
menced-sell out and leave the day after.
Some spectators had in their employ as
many as q dozen Of these penaileSs vaga-
bonds. the principal value Of whose ward
robe consisted in leather girdle in which
was suspended a revolver. Staggering,
staggering, drinking, unthinking, lower
extreme specimens of Border Ruffians.
/ rushed into the crowd, and slboued
my way to the middle of the groups,
where. with cards on a log or box. or on
the knee, were fleeing or being Aeeced,
those who were fond of the sport. Il
have no taste ttakFay. saw. too, the
supposed or real insult followed by the
ready revolver drawn, which was the sig
nal " for draw and cock" the clicking Of
which throughout the crowd resembled
the first drops Of rain on the approach of
a shower. These, however, were the cow
ards of the crowd. My opinion of the
morals Of the West during three weeks
travel in Iowa and Nebraska, had been
wonderfully changed for the better, but
this was an awful setback. Some hun
dred of them, having sold olt." came
aboard homeward bound" where six
card-tables partially accommodated them.
Those pinks are really off to "claim
again, AID be ready for the sales which
come of on the oath, and thus Uncle
Sam, the clever old soul. has his conf
dence abused BY his Alegitimate children.
There seems nothing naturally in the
broad; beautiful and inviting fields of
Kansas to engender discori. but we are a
wide-awake nation, at rest as a nation, its
individual members restless and excitable
and strive fer the sake of the strife and
its consequent excitement. Rushing to
opposite extremes they deceive themselves
with the belief that principle alone is the
basis Of all their action. At this time,
however, peeuniGry matters have almost
totally swallowed up political matters,
and are in about as sickly and unnatural
condition at this time The speculative
excitement, like the political, is, in my
opinion, rapidly approaching its 4th Of
Novem bel. when the tomb of its Laban
Farkes viii become q sacred relic, and the
ghost Of its Leavenworth Baby will, too,
haunt and disturb the dreams Of the dis.
appointed. This city is. no doubt des-
tinel TO go ahead finely after its first
check. which at the prices here asked for
property seems to he inevitable.
OF the approaching election there seem
to be no new reliable featup. The old
Fort. one mile above this city is composed
of ten rine blocks set on the bluffs, and
presents an imposing appearance. The
buildings are two stories high and kept
with disciplined. neatnesS: - Ts-+st5.Fes