, 1865-08-24
THE SOUTHWEST.
Letter From Geo. s. Park, Esq.
Railroads s-Em1Erat1on to Missouri -
Prices of fLQndA-11c0rEan
bel 1IeEfra.


gently rolling surface, well watered and most
productive soil. Lying vest Of the swamps
and mountains, and east Of the arid plains,
nature seems here to have done her choicest
work in stretching magnificent belt of coun-
Try, d!agonnlly, across cur territory. write
from personal observation, having just previ-
ous to the war, while engaged IN Railroad in
tcrest, extending in that direction, examined
the entire line through 10 tho Gulf Of Mexico
and the Rio Grandc
Tho unsurpassed agricultural country from
Chicago to Burlington and Quincy, and around
those two cities, as centres, Is too well known
to your readers to need description. Tho
next paint as centre on this line, southwest,
is the mouth Of Kansas river. THIS point Il
ncar the centre OF United States territory, and
is surrounded by body Of most dcairnnle
country. Jo. Smith once told his followers,
This is Paradise." Here the peach, the
pear, the apple and The grape flourish. No
region can surpaks IL for fruits, Timber Is
abundant in Western Missouri, and portion
Of Eastern Kansas The soil Is light, black,
rich mould. Limestone abounds, and excel
lent water have thought Il any country
was more desirable than Illinois, this was that
country. Here the markets begin to open
West among the golden mountains and on the
head waters Of the Missouri river. TO this
ta:c;sscc1a section converge and a;seree many
lines Of rni1way.
TheneIt point as centre We will notice Fort
Gibson, From Kanzas river TO this point there
opens high, elevated plain, of good soil,
agreeably ipterspersed with timber, and we'll
watcrcd. Extensive coal fields abound Ia
Southern Kansas. These stratra crop ont
Ono strata saw wus four feet and another six
feet thick. There Is fine SAILING region as you
descend toward the Arkansas. On the cast Of
Fort Gibson, toward the Boston mountains,
arc. large bodies Of excellent timber. This
section Is thought 10 be far superior to my Ia
that latitude III TIE United States.
The next centre, In the line southwest, We
shall notice, y Preston, on upper Red river.
There the prairie soil is black mud waxy,
gradually being mixed with sand as you Eo
west, The soil from here 10 the Brazos river
Is undcrlaid with chalky limestone. Timber
Is abundant. This stif SOL brings the best OF
winter wheat. II natures about tho first Of
Nothing can exceed the beauty Of these prai.
ries when covered with the snowy fleece. The
soil Is Of exhaustless fertility. Strata OF coal,
Of unusual thickness. crop out near Fort Belk-
mp.
From Rcd River to San Antonio and the Rio
Grandc, the line or belt OF fine country VIC are
speaking OF, divides very nearly the pastoral
fom the cotton and sugar, growing districts
ofTexas. The pastural region Of Northwest
eln Texas consists Of undulating prairie plains
md low, grassy hills, with very narrow strips
Of timber on The watcr courses, some open
groves and scattering patches ofmuskect, re-
scmbling old peach orchards. The climate Is
dry and sa1ubr5ous. Il seldom ruins. No
crops can DC raised without irrigation. II il
that take their rise IN the big springs along
the foot Of the Wicheta hills, the Llano Esca~
tado, and the spurs OF the Santa Fe monn-
tains- This Is paradise for stock The
musquit~ gTass, {prononnced muskeet) Is
,dapted to this dry climate, and covers the
both summer and winter. Its fattcnlng qnal.
ities are far superior to Blue grass. Sheep
an1 the Cashmere goat thrive here, and ars
bcing introduced In great numbers, aud -four
ISL we'll Inc plains arc covered WILL Wild
horses anu 10ualos.
These vast i'ersnn1ai pastures hayc invited
capital and eaitle falsfnE nas become ma.
nia. 1t was estimated N le6o that one lme ot
railway could moi CARY NE cattle to Chicago,
The ports Of the Gulf aye 100 warm TO sianzh' ia &,
ter beef, und Chicago, tho iascs. ana thc s.
Lawrence arc On line 10 bee{ eattis, !Eatslene,
md III cool climate
RAILROADS.
We Will next no,icc the nroo,csz or Rail,
uays through this marniacmcnt "a belt of conn. nm
try. rom CG|caro 10 the Rio Grnnie and fhc
GHifoT Nerinn F7ret ~, th;s H. IL u rts ~
rnco Rnr7ingto, + Gn3n.r anI - Har,;at .uu III
EeSt JnsapG H,N-op5n ,.,~ ,.....Sn ~
nwnrr nj ihe hus;ness thew a,e aof,T Tha.e
roads fnrnish fncontcstSI,c nr1of that th;s
linz Tins far. Is second 10 none n thc nmon,,t NM
of traffic. md fhc nrodnctirc never ~ H.
eo@ F1nIn c.meno, M ths uanr,ho, T. g.
seph RaIload. the ParSy1iie and Grand ~. r,yer so
Rai1nond cnnnncfs that rn.1 W;sI, t1a rrsoa
Tocifsc ~ n a. NO MAUI, ~ E.nses ;,.a.
This rrsail /, trfndei frnm FarrfIle m ti;a Mi
eour; liver. TO he Hannibni &: At. Josenh
Hailroaa, distance Of fo1ty-e3sht miles X
runs through The centre Of {hnt line countrv
heTsaofore descT;bed. II IA e1nected Il iii
soou be completed. AZ II ii mn imnorfnnf linz
in the great cbafn. both West ami Southwest
also Connecting With the Pariflc nt Kansas
City, and With The west branch Of The Norfl,
Missouri at Parky;llc-
The Union Pacific Railroad. East Division.
ofthe Kansas, to Lawrence. f5rty niles. and
viii be rapidly extended up lhe kaesas val,
lev. md onward 10 the PacIfIc Occan. with n
lGaucb 10 Santa Fe.
A railroad Is projected from the mouth of
the Kansas 10 Fort Scott and south. Annfher
Leayenwo.th, LAWRENCE L Fort Ssfbson
Railroad. TIis mad has larrs innd rTant1
and the COUNTED afonr HE line afe faksnss = hid
Of the road with d deteminaiion 10 mt It
through. The Cherokees and Choctaws have
offered to gire large strip Of land alone thc
line for aid In lis Construction throucR the
indian Territory. It Is to be hoped fhat. in
the treaties about to be entered into. st Fort
Galveston 10 Red Rlfer, TO meet this road at
Sherman or Preston. It IL completed about