The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1858-11-27

The Southwest
A correspondent of the Kansas City Me-
tropolitan, writing from Emporia, Nov.
18th, says
"Emporia has improved much since I
was last here, as also the country round
about. The crops have been excellent
this season, and most of the farmers have
a surplus of com. wheat potatoes, etc, on
hand. Winter wheat has succeeded, as a
crop, much better than spring wheat, and
the climate and soil are undoubtedly per-
fectly adapted to its culture. Some Of
the farmers in this vicinity have raised
fifty bushels of winter wheat 10 the acre
the past season. Lime is one of the chief
constituents Of wheat growing SOIL
Whenever this becomes exhausted the
soil is worthless for wheat culture. Lime
exists in the Kansas soil to remarkable
extent-is seemingly inexhaustible. The
sub-stratum, too, is invariably limestone
80 that the exhaustion Of this necessary
ingredient here, is not likely to take place
soon. 1t has thus been wisely ordered by
Providence, that the country which, from
its natural position, commands all the av-
enues of approach to the mineral regions
of the west, should be best adapted TO
the production of the great staple which
the necessity of those regions demands.
The bulk Of this years emigration to
Kansas has sought the Valleys of the Ne
osho, Cottonwood, Whitewater and Wal
nut-or, in ether words, Central, Southern
and Southwestern Kansas. There is q
reason for this. The inducements offered
to emigrants by this region, are far supe-
rior to those of the more northern por-
tons of the Territory. Timber is more
plenty, the soil is warmer and better
adapted to the growth of grain, the
streams are larger, and water-power more
abundant. Coal and fine building stone
are found in abundance everywhere. The
Neosho Valley will undoubtedly be the
center of wealth in the Territory before
the expiration of five years. Il Is en-
phatically the Garden of Kansas
II am told that an effort Ia now being
made to secure the immediate establish
ment Of mail route between this place
and Kansas City, the mail to be conveyed
by line of stages-thus making Kansas
City the point of Decentralization for the
travel to the Central and Southwestern
portions of Kansas. The opening of this
route would do much to center the trade
Of this region at Kansas City, and would
also be great advantage to this end Of
the route. Those who never visited this
portion of the country, cannot form any
idea Of the resources which are being de-
veloped by the trained industry Of the
free North. The difference between Kan
sas settlements one year old and Missouri
settlements twenty years old, is very great,
and entirely in favor Of the former. The
fact of it is, that the sight of these broad
prairies so lately consecrated to freedom,
and the scent of the mountain breezes
sweeping over them bearing the fragrance
of flowers, is of itself enough to infuse
new life and energy into any person not
entirely lost to the grand and glorious in
nature. Highly cultivated fields, covered
with wealth of grain, the fruits of in
dustry, snug farm houses, the picture Of
happy contentment, are to be seen on eve
ry hand, around whose hearth stones smile
again
"The homely, old-time virtues Of the North"
"The rapid settlement of Kansas, and
the quick growth here Of all the distin-
gushing features and elements Of the
highest order of civilization, is one Of the
p.eblems of this generation and time.
~ have been pleased to observe that
the people generally begin TO look with
moro favor upon Kansas City, and the re-
suit will be that, with proper effort, the
whole of the trade Of this portion of the
Territory, enough of itself to build city
of no ordinary magnitude, can be conferred
at Kansas City. OF course, the people
feel that it would be more to their pecu-
mary advantage to build up such city
within their own borders. But they con-
trast the energy and enterprise of your
Kansas City merchants with the interia
of those of Leavenworth and Wyandott,
and draw their own conclusions; there
fore, let Kansas City move in the matter
of roads. 1t should be their first endeav-
or to penetrate this portion Of Kansas ct
once with good road. A good direct
road from Kansas City to Emporia would
secure the trade Of the whole Southwest
also, which is obliged to come through
this place in going to and returning from
the mines. And while the future of
Kansas City, by these means, is made
gloriously certain, Emporia Is destined
to be the largest inland city in Kansas
This will be the result, in part Of its CEN
trail and commanding position geograph-
ically. 1t will, therefore, be more to the
interest of Kansas City to connect herself
with this place than with any other point
in the interior"