Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-11-04
ror,hs oSrori Democrat.


quire about .Kanns." seeming to know
very little Of It's geographical position. or
agricultural and mineralosieil character, mr.
il. present high standing in poin, Of cduca-
ton. religion, and the improvements ncce'.
.ary to social and domestic happiness. ~
YOU well know. wa. one Of the early pho.
nccrs Of the country, having Ieit ola Oxford
in March, 1855, hing one Of tho company
,ha, leit Boston ior Kaua. on the 18th u
that month. In some of my former letters
written from Kansas. your readers were in.
formed Of the character % the spil and Ia
vorahlc facilities pre-entod TO tho neU emi.
grant Tor speedily obtaining competence
Tor himself and family. Those facilities are
now increased, and the yearly improvements
going on in that Territory will soon make
IT, inhlbiiant, second 10 those Of no other
State or Territory, in the possession ol those
means that conducc 10 our social, -luca-
iional. religion. and political happiness.
In answer n lhc inquiries which arise in
tho mind. of rcr.ons who wish o., s.itlo in
more mild climate. and upon a more fertile
soil than Now EngIand possesses, | would
say that Kansas hrs between the 37ih and
iOtb d gree. II North latitude. The Indi.
an Territory bound. i, on the South, Utah
and New MeHlcn IN the West, Nebraska on
the North, and Mi..ouri on the East.
There are many streams OF water in the
territory. The Arkansas, which rises in
the Rocky Mountains. run. 800 miles thro'
IL. Ransa. River. which empto. into the
Missouri at wyand,ti City, has many forks
OF considerable size, via the Republican,
Solomons Fork. Grand Saline Fork, Yer.
million. Little vermillion. Soldier Crock,
Grh..hoppcr Crock. Big Blue, Pawnec Fork.
Walnut Greek, wakarusi, and several 9th.
ou. The country !. we'll waisred, and on
all the rivers grows timber Of large siie and
in great variety. There is not an extreme
scarcity, and there Is far from an ov r.abun-
dance Of wood sufficient can be procured
on reasonable terms or ordinary purposes.
The advantage resulting from the limited
supply iFfar greater than the disadvantage:
Tor the Consequence il freedom from
roots and stump', the frequent occurrence
Of which, In many section. Of our country,
proves serious incouycnisncc TO the asri.
cuturis,. and require. Tor removal an *.
reniiiurc Of much time, money, aud labor,
in order to place the ground IN an arabic
condition. The Law Of Compensation is
here found admirably eIemplifrd; Tor the
undsr..urply Of wood Tor fuel Is more than
made good by the vast coal drpo'i,e' known
To exist in the Territory-the under supply
Of timber for building purpose. is made good
hy the abundanc, ~ lime and cliy-the de-
fciorcy Of fcneirg .iuI by suitable material
for walls and in a few years by cultIyating
the Usage Orange, which will grow luHuri-
antly. hedges will supsrsede the necessity ol
any other means for forming Enclosures.
Though timber, to a psr'on from alomber
region. would seem scarce, the scarcity j.
not one tina, will necessarily be constantly
on the increase. as settlements multiply, and
the lands are reclaimed from their present
state, inasmuch as the limited growth ari.
scs. not from uncongeniality Of climate. un.
.uitablencss OF soil. or absence Of seed. but
from the frequent prevalence, year after
year, OF vast prairie fires that sweep every.
thing before them, and thus stint, or entire
ly prevent the growth Of tree or shrub. Ar.
rest the fires, and woodlands will soon
| abound.
The river bottoms are very fertile, being
covered with an alluvial black coil from IL
to - inches dc'p. These bottom. vary in
width from two 10 seven miles. Another
bottom oye5 which tie water, must have
once flowed, Is elevated some - to ~ icet
from the rivers. and high ur .omo 60 to 20
feet lie. the immense undulating prairie,
teeming with buffalo, deer, antelope, wolf.
prairie chickens. and other game. Wild
turkeys and ducks abound near and upon
the river bottoms. The various kinds of
oak, white maple, elm, red.howcrcd maple.
hack aud white walndt, locust. box. elder,
Wild cherry. cottonwood. blackberry, and
sycamore, attain a large size, and arc found
on the various streams.
Grasses Of many kinds, some Of them rank
and high, but the mos, Of them possessing
highly nutrItiye qualities, grow sPontano.
Ously on tie prairies, and afford nouri'h.
ment to immense quantities Of game and
cattle.
The water OF the Kansas river is always
turbid, and compares well with the Nilsson.
ri, but the streams tributary to it are gene.
rally clear, and the springs pure and plenty
in many parts. Water, clear and good, is
obtained by wells dug from % to so feet
deep.
The general character Of the formation OF
this country, is the same as Mi.sourl--a 50.
condary limestone. The natural wild fruits
are the crab apple, plums OF various kind.
grapes, gooseberries. blaekberries, black
n.pberries, strawberries, mulbcrrcs. and
choke cherries. which afford desirable ell.
ible to the new settler. and contribute not a
little tn the luxuries OF his wilderness home.
The introduction OF the peach, pear, apple,
cherry, and plums OF improved qualities,
will soon add much to tho pleasure and
profit Of the inhabitants,-the soil and eli.
mate being favOraJls.,O their growth.