The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1860-09-29
From the Leavenworth Daily Times. Sept. =
THE DR0UTH IN KANSAS.


RESULT OF THE OBSERVATION OF MEssRs H.
Art AND ARHY--sTATIsTIcAL IEFoRAA-
TON, &C.
We had the pleasure of call from Judge
Army the other day, who, in company with
Mr.. Thaddeus Hyatt. has been travelling
through the greater portion of Kansas, with
express reference 10 note the extent of the
drou,h, and to find out how well the people
of the various localities that were affected
could sustain themselves until another crop
could be raised. As was to be expected
from the philanthropic and energetic gen.
tlemen who have made the tour of the Ter
ritory, they have gathered a large amount of
information in regard to the present re-
sources of the portion traversed, the num-
her of bushels raised to the acre, and the
amount sown.
The counties of Otoe. Butler and Hunter
lin the extreme Southern portion of the
Territory.) seem to have suffered more than
any others. These counties are new, and
the number of acres put in small. The
drouth nearly destroyed the crop, and what
was left the grasshoppers ate up. AS
matter of course, the settlers will be obliged
| to look elsewhere for means of subsistence
until next harvest.
/ L
| Shawnee. the crops are almost an entire
| failure. the corn crop not averaging more
than three bushels per acre. The crops in
Madison, Linn and Coffey counties are a
little better, averaging about FIVE bushels
per acre, and in Anderson and Lykins the
average will be about ten bushels. In
Douglas and johnson counties the yield of
corn on the river bottoms will be about
twenty bushels per acre, while on the up
1 lands the WELD is about FIVE bushels. In
many instances, no crop can be gathered.
The Weld in Jefferson and jackson coun-
ties will be from Eve to ten bushels per acre.
The Northern tier of counties have not suf-
fered as much from dreuth as the other por-
tons of the Territory, and the Southern
counties of Nebraska we have heard but
little complaint.
The late drouth was an extraordinary one,
and the like has not occurred for at least
fifteen years, and whether or not so severe
an one has ever occurred, we are unable to
determine; that venerable individual, 'tthe
oldest in habitant," has never seen the like
before. Col. Whistles. an old Indian agent,
and one of the first settlers in Kansas
having been here some fifteen years-states
that he never knew so severe drouth dur
ing his residence here. On his farm, in
Coffey county, last year, he raised fifty
bushels per acre, and this year the Rest
portions of his crop will yield but ten
Judge Baker, of Breckenridge county, who
has resided in Kansas for fourteen years,
confirms the statement of Col. Whistler.
He states that he never knew crop to fail
until this year.
Messrs. Hyatt and Army held meetings
i in various portions of the Territory, with
reference to the object of their visit, and
were well received by the people. Wemay
expect, in few days, fall statement of
the whole matter. the outlines only Of which
4 we present TO our readers.
Mr.. Hyatt has gone East to make ar
rangements to supply the wants of those
who will be destitute. He is man of gen.
erous heart, and has the means 20 carry out
SO noble an object as that which he came to
Kansas to investigate. Much credit is due
to Judge Army; he has nobly aided Mr..
Hyatt, and we'll deserves the thanks of the
people of our Territory.