The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-01-23
f"E THE INBErESDENr rEESS.
Western Correspondence.
W EslON. Mo, Jan. |.

DEAR PA.-Iour kind letter came to
l''nd last evening, which tounl me well, and
hope doin" Well. But nm a.lmoni,!,-
c'l by every days occurrence, that man
knows not what a day may bring forth, and
especially out West, is lie hap!,azard
thing
l'ut turning from the gloom, to the light,
Christmas Is over, and WAS ahead OF any
thing ever brtore witnessed. On Christ
mas eve. the old men, the young men and
boys, began firing crackers and Roman
Candles, :,n! continued al night the next
day all hands got drink, an,l then then
were several fights.
On tl.c night Of the 2IIh ult. | was at
the Masonic ir>ivi1v. aud it WAS certainly
Il grand ai,ir. The Masons here have the
fines! lodge ever visited. While we were
ut supper, II lire broke out in the mex, square,
which consumed f,ur stores, | never wit
nc$<",l so murh excitement in my lie. Alter
the fire hand been cx'inwu>hcd, | heard
that two men l:ud their LEGS broken
during the excitement. But that did no,
suffice, all naulS wvlc soon drunk, and
never SAW 50 much fighting in my life. All
night it WAS kept up without any cessation.
The n"y. day you could sec those who were
in the fracus passing through the streets,
some with an arm broke, Others with one
eye out &c. Persons who live in the quiet
old State Of South Carolina and never leave
it, know nothing about hard times. We
have had two corp>es here at II time, since
| left Kansas, orr:.sioncd from drinking
One of these while Intoxicated killed him
self
| SAW n man from our State the other
day, who was 50 badly frostiit;cn that it was
necessary to have both legs amputa'cd.
H.. WIS caught ont in Suow Storm two
hundred miles from here in the Territory.
The river here has been iced over since the
81 of December.
Weston is upon the Missouri River and
the house in Which am staying is one hun
drcd and fifty yards from lis banks. The
other side is Kansas Territory, am fifteen
miles from. I.cavcnworll, four miles from
fort Lcavcnworth, forty miles from Kansas
city, five hundred miles from St. Louis, and
about nine hundred miles from the head Of
navigation, for large boats; small ones go up
higher. mention these things in order that
you may know where the different places are,
and because you asked in your letter how far
was from Kansas. Icould be in Kansas in
fifteen minutes, 10y walking across the Mis-
souri, upon the ice. y wagon was crossing
the other day upon the ice and broke in.
The wagon and team were lost, but the dri-
yer saved himsclf-Tcll A>bury that poor
John Laborde is dead and WAS buried at
Atchison grave yard
We have now Methodist protractcd
meeting going on in this place, which was
commenced u week ago; though very cold,
two have joined. Last night WAS watch
night, and was kept as such by the Metho-
dis,s here. Write often. on the 9th Of Feb
ruary to Atchison. will be there by the first
of March, and try to secure good claim, but
if find that lostilities continue. and no
money to be made in several years, will
try to secure my claim, which will be worth
money some day, and come home, so as to
be there by the last Of April or tho first Of
May.
II You know Of any one having land
warrants tell them to send them to me at
Atchison, aud will either pay for them or
take up claim for one fourth of said claim
leaving it entirely to them wien to SELL
could mako money out here very fast, if 1
would associate with the lower class, but
that cannot consent to do.-My love to
you and the family. I am your affection.
ala Con - ! '-s. - f'...