The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-04-03

Manhattep. Kansas, March Is, 1860.

Kansas Correspondence.
Manhatten, Kansas, Aarch Is, 1860.
Ed. REPuBLIcAx Stage coaches are an inst.
tuition in this Territory Railroads have no, vet
blessed the sight and seats Of Kansas settlers,
and consequently coaches, or more properly
cloth-covered hacks, run in every direction. IL
person loves his trends, and has far to ride in
these stages, he had better get his life insured
and make his final adieus before starting, for
death is as certain as rickety horses and drunken
drivers can make II.
The SEATS were narrow-the hack was small
and there we're eleven passengers upon It.
The above mentioned outrage was perpetrated
all the way from st. Joseph, Missouri, to Leav-
enworth, Z. T.
And to crown all. We got through that night
only we didn't. Distance thirty eight miles.
Upon arriving at Weston, Missouri, where the
Big Muddy was to be crossed, the captain Of the
Ferry boat coolly informed US that he bad laid
up for the night. Neither brides nor threats
could move sold Washturn" to FIRE up and fzzle
US across. Here was = pretty so. Two stage
racks, eight horse frames, and twenty two pas
sengers, all in row upon the bank, and an OBJ
stnate ferryman who utterly refused to take US
over to the promised land on the other side Of
Jordan" Those Of the passengers who knew
how swore badly, the rest of US thought deeply
upon the subject and finally all hands concluded
to 60 back to town and sleep upon it.
Sleep had a soothing effect, and we were put
across the next morning without single oath.
The tiger of the evening before was lamb now,
| ,....~~ -~ursuIy as tuuuSu az
never drank a barrel of whiskey in his life.
At Weston We saw the evil effects OF allowing
things generally to run at large. The Big Mud
| DIV in former times had its channel and place oil
business close up to the town.
The people relying upon the stability OF the
firm and its extensive run of business built
wharf at the end Of principal street where
boats and buses might exchange freight.
But alas the softness and other charms oil
the opposite bank wOoed the river away, and il
now runs a good halt mile from the dirty city OF
Weston.
Ii is mainly useless for man to become an
owner of the soil in Kansas. Why? What is
the use of owning that which you must inevita'
bly, take up and carry away upon your boots
The mud is stickier than mOlasses candy and
much worse to take, and when dry it is said tc
be an excellent substitute for gun finite. You
can easily imagine what nice time people have
cleaning their boots.
The appearance OF the Kansas praires ii
much different from the idea one gets from mere
~ reading descriptions of them. They need tc
be seen to be appreciated. There is no leve
land in the territory except the bottoms border
ing the rivers and creeks. The prairies are roll
ing and immensely billy. Not rolling with &
uniform swell like the waves of the ocean. But
tossed about and tumbled together in all sort:
of confusion. A settler described them much
more accurately than could hope to do in pa
ges of 'hifalutin.' Said he, "they look JUS
like potatoe hills" The rolls and bluffs are no.
very high but from the top of almost any o
them one gets fine view of all the surrounding
country. One peculiarly l especially noted
that from the summit of any bluff or hill per
son seemed to look down upon the whole vicinity
and all that joined.
The Indian reservations embrace some Of the
finest lands in the territory. The Pottawatomi,
Reserve is thirty miles square, and is divided
from east to west by the Kansas river. Upol
TIC iiv,sh sia~ ~ .'.~ .i'-. :; i-.~d Co. No. =
Catholic Gission-a neat collection of white 10!
and frame houses, occupied some by priests an,
others by Indians. This tribe is about as mucl
civilized as any in the territory. Saw farms fen
ced and cultivated-some estimated to contain
two hundred acres; and patches of corn stubbl
all the way from ten to sixty acres in extent
Many Canadian French have married into til,
tribe, and half breeds abound to an alarmiu.
extent. The Pottawatomie Indian drains lik,
white folks, builds bridges, works at the anvil
sugars in English, and gets gloriously drunl
; upon every convenient occasion. Wheneve
natives get in the last named condition it is sale
that all their dead friends appear to them anc
they weep and wall for them as heartily a
though but recently lost. l saw one old broad
) chested fellow in this condition, fat upon hi.
back, and singing out at the top of his voice
Whether he talking to friends departed OF
to whisky barrel was more than l could tell
!, At any rate he was ms de the subject Of a stale
and wretched pun by an aspiring genius of the
Young America stripe.
"Ah," said he indignantly, " it was too bad o
John to knock him down" "John-did Johr
do that" said one e? "John who:" enquired the
sold John Barley Corn" replied the sprig
and Immediately retired upon-his laurels.
Upon the south side of the river is another
mission-owned and sustained by Baptists.
;. QUEO.