The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-06-19

ID L ASTE KIN ~ U b n 4
D The following letter Is from Mr..
late from our city.
Hamhn, Nay 10. 1857.
Dan WIZ AND CHILDREN As We have
settled upon spot to stop. and have our
future course marked out, will now try
and give you an account Of our travels and
First, then, We had good luck,
and got on well after We LEFT Biddeford Il
landed at Iowa Point, in Kansas Territory,
lust two weeks from home. On our way up
we fell in with Mr.. Sargent, ono Of the Saco
Co., and came on with him to this place
Then for four days we travelled, at least, 50
miles day, and viewed all this section Of
the Territory. We found all the wooded
claims taken up. The Maine men had bot
their claims Of the fr;t settlers, and altho'
there is vast extent Of beautiful lands as
the mind of man ever dreamed Of, still un.
claimed, could not satisfy myself to sit
down without wood Of my own. After
mature elaboration, and consultation with
Messrs. Morrill,, Deering, Sargent, Shaw,
Lcavitt, and Others, from Maine, all 6ne
men, who seemed disposed to do all in their
power to assist US, We concluded to buy o
claim, and now have secured 800 acres Of
the best land ever saw, with sufficient wood
on it for the use Of six families, without di
minishing the present amount. Then we
have good log cabin, as gooda COW as there
is in the Territory, with beautiful calf for
the children to play with. Oh! lwish ]
could pour half the milk into your dish
twice day. We have sack Of Tour! 30
lbs. of ham, dozen hens, a tub and wash
board, Q lbs. of good tea, 4 lbs. Of sugar,
saleratus, pepper, ginger, molasses, and ev-
erything to make us comfortable. We have
quite a lot Of fruit trees-apple, pear, peach,
apricot. cherry, &c., which will soon fur
nish us with fruit in abundance. Then we
can gather any quantity of grapes, goose.
berries, cherries and plums, by and by,which
grow spontaneously, and arc, we arc told,
us rich and juicy as the best cultivated fruits
in New England, and any quantity Of straw.
berries. We have peas inches high in our
garden-lettuce-a fine lot Of beans, corn
and cucumbcrs, which look finely and We
expect, with Gods blessing, to raise 500
bushels If corn this year. So far We have
both of US enjovcd excellent health. James
is highly pleased with our prospects, and !
AIN fully satisfied that this is the best move
l have made. If my family was here now,
should never desire to see Maine again.
Here we have 800 acres of land, IS much
richer than the best garden in Biddeford, rs
that is richer than Josh Clark's poorest
plains land. Three deer arc now sporting
within 20 rods of my cabin. We have not
tUc HtdIt W
All have enumerated will cost US $3.50,
when paid ior-S35O for improvements. &c,
$500 to tho Government. And now want
John and Benjamin to come here just as
quick as possible, and bring one Of the girl,
with them. If Lizzie was here now, she
would be worth her weight in gold to us. I
never heard such call for help as there is
here now, and no help to be had. If John
and Benjamin were here now, to take up
claims, they might make double what they
can in Maine, only by selling their claims
next year, if they chose to do so. They
might take claims adjoining ours, which
would give us GAO acres in body-enough
for Calvin and all. have wood enough for
US all, and there is coal close by, and lime
stone enough oil round. A person who's
could not be satisfied here, would not be
satisfied any where in this world. I have
paid 5000, reserved the rest Of nv money to
get my land broke up, and to meet contin
gcncies, and given my note for $50, paya.
BILE in three months. James and ] have al
hard summers work before US, but we both
feel like going through with it. . u
| have seen no signs Of border ruflianism,
and do not expect to. We arc in the health
lest place in the Territory. Every man here
is in excellent health. Mr. Deering looks
better than l ever saw him in my life, and I
think any man may enjoy better health here
than in Maine. wish Mrs. Sarah James
was hero to cook for us. ought to have
said before that VIC have plenty Of good wa
ter in the stream, within rods Of the house,
and can obtain it by digging well mo-
deep-as near the house as VIC 500 ft. The
place where We intend to build by dby, is
very pretty, and command, tho finest pros
pect you ever saw. Tell Calvin if he ever
intends to leave Kennebunkport, now is the
time. l can assure him, the same amount
IF labor that would raise 100 bushels of corn
in Maine, would give him 500 here, and so
IF potatoes, and as to grass here, G may
ut ten thousand tuns IL no chooses, and one
'ow here yields more profit than three in
Maine. We arc expecting
hat in two years VIC shall have railroad
light by us. We are on Walnut Creek, %
niles from Iowa Point, 20 from White
loud. Yours. &c.
SIMON BURNHAX.
q The Musical Entertainment given at