The Smoky Hill and Republican union. [volume] (Junction City, Kan.) 1861-1864, 1862-05-22

Poavattamie Reserve, having crossed sew
eral streams With timber on each of them,
and many godd farms, cultivated BY Indians
|or halfbseeds. This tsact Of land 10 des-
tined to become thickly eettled and will be
dotted with thriving villages and pleasant
cities, very sooa afier it is opened for set
Element to the whites. It will be one Of
the richest agricultural counties in the
State, sid l think win grow slmost any
kind Of crop that can be grown anywhere
|in the sane latitude. Wepitched our tents
next on the Wild Cat creek, some two miles
above the confluence of the Big Blue with
the Kansas river. We crossed over tract
of country that rescmbled some of the worst
portions of Wisconsin, being very sandy
With scrubby timber, and rolling very much,
with little water and Of poor quality. As
We neared the Big Blue, the land again
improved, the streams more numerous and
the timber of better quality, continuing
until We crossed the river and passed
through the village of Manhattan, where
We halted a few minutes. giving time for
the boys to get very favorably impressed
With the town and its surroundings, parti-
cularly with the large school house, college,
and thres churches. The next days march
brought us to our present camp near the
Fort where We have had ample opportuni-
ty to see the country and discover its beau
ties. The land close on the river, both
above and below the junction of the Smoky
Hill and Republican forks is sandy, but
further back it is very good; while between
the forks there il considerable timber, yet,
in the absence of discovered coal, scarcely
sufficient for the need of the Fort and juno.
ticn City. Between the ferry across the
Republican and the city is lovely plain,
extending entirely from stream to stream,
back beyond the city where gentle swell
leads to the upland prairies. The great OBJ
lection to this part of Kansas is a scarcity
Of timber yet, if coal is found within
reasonable distance, the lack of timber will
not be very severly felt, and that there is
coal, and plenty of it too, is the reiterated
assertion Of majority of the citizens, while
evidences in the shape of black slate &c.,
are not wanting as collateral testimony.
The country is we'll furnished with soft |
species of limestone, abundantly capable of
supplying all demands for building or fenc.
ing, and from specimens we have seen along
our route through the State, in both public
and private buildings, as we'll as in fences,
it is Of superior quality; aud, when burn
ed makes excellent lime. Almost every
farm on the uplands can furnish rock
enough to fence it, and erect the necessary
buildings upon it, and l haveseen but very
little poor stone in the opened quarries.
The bottom lands have been settled FIRST,
and most Of the timber land has been tax.
en- up, but the best of uplands are awaiting
settlement, and for beauty and fertility as
we'll as IN extent, fully equal if not surpass
the far-famed prairies. of Illinois. The wells
furnish cool delightful water, but if springs
we're more plentiful, the value of the coun.
Try would be very much enhanced.
A treaty has been approved by the Pres
ident on the part of the United States, and
sundry chiefs. on the part of the In1ian |
tribes concerned, whereby, after making
certain deductions from the present amour:
of land reserved, ,in determined quantities to
present Indian holders, the whole of the
Delaware Pawnee and Potawattamic Res
ervations, most magnificent tracts of land IS
the sun ever shone upon, are granted to the |
LeavenWorth, Pawnee and Western Rail- |
road, ou copditions that the road is COM
pleted and equipped to the Western line Of
the Delaware Reserve before the expiration |
of six years, when the United States will |
issne patent to the company for the land
donated in that Reserve; giving three years
more to finish their road to the Western |
line of the Potawattamie Reserve, and Sc
cure the patent for the land donated in that
tract thus binding the company to build
and equip good road from Leavenworth
City to Louisville, Potawattamie County,
within nine years, and as it is intesded to
push this road past Fort Riley, through
Junction City, and on up the Smoky Hill
fork towards Denver City, it will cause the
galley of the Kansas river to be one of the
richest and most beautiful valleys in the
West. Already many cities, towns and vii
lagos dot ITS surface, but these will rapidly
increase in size. and be emslated by many
more, Jet unloeated.
The Paci6c Railrosd bin which lately
passed the Hosse Of Representatives. locates
the road righa mp this valley, % that one
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