The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-03-14

On the 10th of Oct. the fourth party
| arrived, numbering two hundred and
thirty persons.
The fifth party arrived November
Doth, consisting of one hundred.
The sixth and last regular party of
eastern emigrants, arrived December
1st. numbering fifty.
The aggregate during the fall season,
amounting to six hundred and seventy
persons.
On the line of travel from Boston
to the Missouri, persons coming to
Kansas Joined these parties for the pur-
pose of safety and mutual assistance !;
and on arriving here. selected such
points of settlement. and such business
in the Territory as suited their incli-
nation and taste.
Other portions of the country, feel
ing the influence of the great western
movement, set in motion by this So
ciety, were quickened into activity
The Pennsylvania Company attribute
much OF their success to the encour-
agement given them by the New Eng
land Society. Their agents visited the
officers of that Society at Worcester
and Boston. Immediately on their
return they started with company of
three hundred persons. who arrived in
Kansas on the 9Th of November. In
1ividuals who had been sent forward
the spring previous, to select loca-
ton for this company, had been deter
! red from entering the Territory by the
Pro- Slavery party on the borders, and
had reported unfavorably to the enter
prise. The whole scheme would in all
probability have been given up had it
not been for the courage and success
Fof the New England Aid Society.
Ohio sent forward her pioneers who
We're also strengthened in their purpo-
scs to locate here by the same cause
The intense feeling of the whole free
North was concentrated, organized and
put into efficient action, by Mr.. Thay-
cr and the other officers Of the Aid
Society.
The emigration from Indiana and
Illinois rolled forward in wagons and
found locations in all parts of the
country.
The Aid Society forwarded saw
mills to various places but as it nec-
essarily took time to start them, it soon
became evident that something new
must be invented to meet the wants and
necessities of the people. Ten or fif-
teen thousand people thrown sudden
ly into the Territory, without shelter,
or lumber to build, made the prospect
of comfort for long winter rather
gloomy. But the settlers were equal
to the occasion. A new style of DWELL
ings was invented for the .'intcr shell
Ter. The builders went to the bank of
the river and cut cottonwood poles
These they inserted in the ground. in
two rows thirty feet apart and about
three feet apart. in the rows, and fas-
tened them togcthe + at the top about
twelve or fifteen feet high. To
these poles were fastened others, hori-
zontally, at suitable distances for
thatehing with the long prairie grass.
which was found in abundance in the
vicinity. For greater warmth, some
covered the outside with turf, and for
neatness some lined the inside with
cotton shceting. thus making very neat
and comfortable dwellings, but with
cut floors.
Inthe boarding houses and hotels,
the beds were arranged on poles. one
over the other, as in steamboats,. The
largest sized buildings were thirty BY
fifty feet.
The first settlers were not entirely
deprived of female society. About
twenty, mostly heads of families, win
tered in Lawrence. DR.. Harrington
and lady, performed their first house
keeping in shanty of the above des-
cription on the banks of the Kansas.
Mrs. Gates and Mrs. Bruce were the
first enligrant ladies who arrived
They lived in tents and performed the
motherly duties of the company. Mrs.
Bruce and husband returned East be-
fore winter. and Mr.. and Mrs. Gates
moved on te claim joining the town
| on the west. -
As soon as the buildings were COM
pleted, other ladies' came IN who were
waiting in Kansas City.
With such Accommodations ast these
the settlers spent very profitable and
agreeable winter. MIR. L. P. Fitch
tanght a school in the rear of the
Mayors Office. lie had forty schol-
ars--thirty -one of whom were from ten
| different States, viz two fom Mas
sachusctts !: four from Wisconsin
ten from Pennsylvania four from
Indiana; four from New York two
from Missouri; one from Iowa two
from New Hampshire two from
Illinois one from Ohio; the for
mar residence Of the rennaindel
not known. General Pomercy John