Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-09-05
OUR KANSAS CORRESp ONDENCE

| fOCh hdNDhO [ OHHEof ONDENtE.
Failing or Of rents and business-Lie in Atchi.on-
Company Of Say HACKERS" Jorming-1 seeessionist
Q6ts fat job from Uncle SdDt"-U. S. Land Office
The Overland mail &c.
ATcHIsoN CITY, KANSAS, Aug. 90, 1861.
10 the Editor Of tie Phenir business
here now is most awful dull, still it is the live
lest town in Kansas, OF anywhere between the
"Big Muddy" and the Rocky Mountains. Two
years ago, buildings that rented for S25 a
month can now be got for So, and the Hughes
House, which then rented for 5000 per annum,
can now be had for $40 per month. Two years
ago | saw no less than six hundred buildings 90
up in this town, but doubt whether more than
fifty or seventy-fve will be erected in 1861.
! About the only places where there is any
thing done now is at the Post-ofiice and groce-
ries. The Atchison and Weston lager-beer
wagons make trip into town every morning
with ten or fifteen barrels of the liquid and by
twelve clock at night it is all consumed. 1t
would astonish you to parade the BUSINESS
streets OF this town on Sunday eve and be-
hold almost every other building dram shop
opened and filed with people playing cards
and drinking and carousing making noise enough
to be heard all over the city. While passing up
Commercial street last night had the curiosity
to peep into three saloons-the "International"
the eagle" and the "Pearl"-and also the city
confectionery establishment. In the first there
were a score of rum suckers making all kinds
of boisterous noises, while two were very busily
engaged playing billiards. In the next were
three parties of four each playing cards for the
'drinks" as suppose, while in the Pearl half
dozen were standing at the bar drinking to the
health of jeff. Da Wis, two were engaged with
the "cue," and two or three pcrties were seated
around card tables trying to win the lager" out
of some unlucky fellow.
From here / crossed the street and entered
the well ftted-up rooms of the confectionery
establishment. Here l found no less than
thirty men and boys seated around card tables
some playing for one thing and some for an
other-and to satisfy my curiosity, surveyed the
room pretty extensively to know who were in
it.and what they were doing. Two other par
ties were playing "euchre," one or two "sevcn
up'' or sold sledge" as it is sometimes STYLED.
In one corner were two lrishmen amusing them
se.ves with game of 40" and in another
corner were party playing "rounce." One
fellow plays it "alone.' and gets euclred and his
partner informs him that Ben. McCulloch in
Askansas hangs folks 70 getting euchred on
lone hand. At another two were "sawing Off
for four dishes of ice cream, while nearly all
the Dutch were going it for the "lager" At
another table four had been playing so long
they were hungry and each ordered piece of
pie and cake. -Four Duthcmen then called for
pie and lmberger cheese and glass of lager
to wash it down. By this time thought it
about time for me TO leave, but while there
saw people playing who considered themselves
of the firsf-class in society, and | actually saw
men whom know to belong to the church and
are in good standing (P) who were as expert
at handling the "Keerds" as any in the room.
The people out here think nothing of this
arrangement but it is something that would
not for one moment be tolerated in any Of the
Eastern States. Nearly half of the stores and
groceries are opened and kept open here on
Sunday until nine and ten o'clock; but there is
hardly grog shop in town-ond there are no
less than thirty-that does not keep open on
Sunday the same as a week day. l presume
might name dozen more saloons where card
playing is kept up on Sunday as usual, but
do not think it necessary.
The war excitement still continues at its high
est ebb, and volunteers are constantly marching
for the field of battle. A company passed
through this city on Friday evening for F.
Leayenworth to be mustered into Lanes brig
ade. Capt. Jennison has authorized the rails
ing of company of "Jay llawkers" in this
town, and although there cruiting Office was only
opened Saturday morning last, and nearly $50
having left here previous, to fight for the stars
and stripes, this company is more than half
filed, and probable by the time you receive this
letter the company will have been mustered in
at TT. Leavenworth, and on the line of march
, for TT. Scott. Atchison has done nobly for the
war and can still scare up ga few mere" If
are secessionists and if they do not carry them
selves mighty straight they will receive an I'M
profitable visit from Jennson and his crew.
} The steamer ~. G. Morrow" left here on
Tuesday last with load of Government freight
for 1t. Randall, nearly 1000 miles above here
on the Missouri. L.. c. Choliss of this city
has the contract for carrying the stores and is
an avowed secessionist, having strutted these
streets when the war excitement broke out,
+ wearing secession cockade, and wishing the
Union dissolved.
} The U. S. Land Office in this district, which
for years has been the only thing that has kept
that renowned border-rufIian holo--yclept Kick
apoo-aliYe, has been removed up here and will
be open on Monday, the I'd proximo.