The Smoky Hill and Republican union. [volume] (Junction City, Kan.) 1861-1864, 1863-02-07
MIDDLE AND WESTERN KANSAS.

EDS. USoS Being q resident of Middle Kan
sas, near Fort Riley, since 1853, claim the
privilege Of writing for your paper series o.
articles on the climate, health, extent, natural
resources, obstacles, adaptation. openings for set
tlement, difficulties to be encountered, causes o
the country being sparsely settled, and mode o.
farming and the result of the same.
Believing that the true mode of developing q
country is to give to the public correct state
ment Of facts. shall endeayor to do it, though
it may be unpalateable to some.
EXTENT.
Kansas is four hundred in length from east te
west, and about two hundred in breadth. East
ern Kansas may properly be said to extend from
a line drawn north and south through the Potta
wattomie Reserve to the eastern limits of the
State, while Middle Kansas is that tract lying
west Of this line, and extending one hundred
and eighty miles to line running north and
south through the main forks of the Solomon
river and south towards Fort Larned to the
Arkansas.
The climate is vast improvement on almost
any of the Western States. Our winters are
mild, lasting usually only about three months
with but few cold days, and little wet and mud
The summer is long, while the nights are cool
We have in the fall. winter and spring, at times
high and disagreeable winds. but these winds SC
disagreeable to us, are not half so bad for either
people or stock as the rain and mud all over the
Western States.
Taken as q whole this vast tract is we'll sup.
piled with excellent limestone water as it is cut
from side to side with numerous branches of the
Republican, Solomon, Saline, Smoky Hill, Kan
sas. Neosho and Arkansas rivers. very large
proportion of this entire tract is most bountfully
supplied with the best of limestone rock, we'll
adapted for fencing or building purposes. The
stone crops out on the brow of almost every
knoll and little ravine. apparently inviting che
hand of energy to put them in buildings and
proper fences.
The timber Of Middle Kansas may be regarded
as scarce but time will show that its numerous
creeks, cutting the prairies in every direction,
and all more or less wooded, will quite we'll
supply the country with all necessary for fuel
and building purposes. The traveller, taking o
birds-eye view of this section, sees but q very
small amount of the timber for the reason that
it is concealed in the valleys and among the
hills of the creeks There is one fact becoming
more and more patent every day. and that is.
that the ease with which stone can be had here,
will very soon place wooden feuces and build
lngs at a great discount. Hence the supply of
timber Will be ample to meet all necessary wants,
SOIL.
The soil of Middle Kansas is much the same
as the eastern portion of the State except that
the very hilly portions are more stony. and the
vsllies far more extensive and rich. The Repub-
lican, the Solomon, the Saline, to not notice the
numerous creeks with most beautiful valley land,
have each tract of rich. level bottom lands,
ranging from one to four miles in width. And
while you find some hilly, rocky land, still the
divides between the streams are generally roll
ing prairies, well suited to agricultural purposes.
A very large proportion of these lands are still
open to settlement. In my next l shall show
why they have not been settled, what are their
adaptation, the obstacles in the way, how to
remove them, &c, H.