The Kanzas news., 1858-07-31
From the Western Metropolitan.
The Neosho Valley.
Klrsaa O. Innn.

7
The Neosho Valley.
Kansas CfTY, June, 1853.
Messrs. EDIroRs: Having recently re-
turned from trip to Southern and South
western Kansas, allow me to give you .
sketch of what is going on in the way of
Improvements in the great Valley of the
Neosho, which is one of the best bodies of
land, supplied with every advantage for
farming interests; ever saw. 1l5aesE -.
From Council Grove to the mouth of the
Cottonwood, the country is somewhat bro--
ken, but not too much so to admit of set
tlement; and upon every quarter section
you may see comfortable log house and a
fence spread round a thrifty looking corn
or wheat field. potato patch aud garden,
which the hardy hands of industry have
reared. Between the waters of the Neosho
and Cottonwood just above the junction,
is the beautiful and fiourish,ng town of
Emporia. This place bears the marks of
enterprise. 1t is situated upon high di
vide between two streams, and on either
.sideiof it, near the town site, are two large
bodies of the finest timber. While there
took some pains to ascertain from the cit
liens where they purchased their supplies,
and at what point on the Missouri river
they landed their families, goods, chattels,
etc., when passing to and from their former
aud latter homes. The: general reply was.
Kansas City. That place. said they, is
more easy of access for teams, better. sup
piled with warehouses and furnishes better
stock of all kinds of goods, wares and mer-
chandise, than any other. AT this point /
met with settlers and traders from AS far
to the southwest of Emporia as one hun
dred miles. interrogaled them in like
manner, and their answer was the same
They reported 10 me the length and breadth
of their settlements and the nature of the
soil, timber. etc, and really / was very
much surprised to find that they had in all
that distance. one of the finest farming and
stock raising countries in the world. From
the mouth of the Cottonwood passed on
down the Neosho, first on this side, and
then upon the other, and found a still rich
er and more slightly body of land, and a
continuation of the timber-timber better
than can be found ON most of the Missouri
river bottoms. The Valley of the Neosho
is generally from one TO seven miles wide;
rising from the banks of the stream gradu
ally until it breaks up gently into up-lands,
which are also sufficiently level for cuitiva-
ton, and supplied with an abundance of the
finest springs of water, and good building
stone, underlying which are beds of the
finest stons coal =
This fine vally is nearly all taken up by
squatters, almost every quarter section hay
ing signs of farming. aa 49, tr.sz,T 80.
L noticed several saw mills at intervals,
in this valley, marking out some of the 6n-
est lumber I ever hehefd, much of which is
put into fences, the balance put into houses.
This country finds Kansas City the only
reliable market. In passing down this val,
ley, in almost every neighborhood, I met
with persons whom had seen in our city
buying supplies, loading teams, or hunting
for saene one whe could direct them TO the
Neosho Valley. asYa -
After leaving the mouth of the Cotton
wood, We noticed several small towns be-
tween that point and Burlington, beauti-
fully laid out and fiourishing village, con-
tanning several stores and shops. one large
hotel, and first rate steam mill. This
place is situated on the south bank of the
river, some thirty-fiye or forty miles below
the junction of the Neosho and Cotton
wood, and is surrounded with a fine coun
try of soil, water and mber; and family
may be found on every quarter section for
the river. Any one who travels over all
the territory contiguous to Kansas City.
and will notice how well nature has endow-
ed it with all the elements of wealth and
luxury, and its peculiar adaptation to the
wants of the husbandman, and notice its
facilities, good roads. big corn, fields and
numberIess head of cattle, sheep and hors-
es. cannot question the importance of Kan
sas City as commercial mart and her Pc
.culiar adaptation for the profitable invest
nent of capital in manufactures for the sup
ply of this vast region.
Beyond this valley of the Neosho we
may find fine soil and timber as far as the
West Verdigris, q stream that ruus some-
what parallel with, and empGes into the
Neosho somewhere south of the south line
of Kansas Territory. There are settlements
upon this stream also, as upon all the in
ftermediate streams of. less note. The Ver-
digris Is stream of some note, not so large
as the Neosho, and is to the southwest OF
the latter some sixteen or eighteen miles.