The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1867-08-08
Missouri Correspondence.
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. July "a, 1867.
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country" As yet l have failed to com.
ply, except in few instances; but as ]
have at length satisfied myself, l would
gladly be permitted to reach my many
acquaintances through the columns Of
the "SrANDARD."
Had l the time, I might ask you to
indulge me in a series of articles on the
,cest in general, and Missouri and Kan
sas in particulars but for the present
propose to write only single letter.
"Brevity" is said to be "the soul o.
w.t." and as | was never noted for hui
NOR, | will be excused for making plain
statements.
Since coming west, l have explored
Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas
from Iowa to the Indian Territory, and
have examined pretty carefully the soil
water, timber, stone, productions, eli
mate &c with an eye to the natural re-
sources, and advantages for a desirable
home in the future. There are many
things which make up the aggregate Of
good country, and while the entire
district / have mentioned, extending
from Iowa to the Indian Territory, is
a country possessing rare advantages,
yet some particular localities are far
more desirable than others. In select
ing home, one must compare different
localities by placing the advantages and
disadvantages in different scales, and
carefully balancing them. All things
else equal, it will readily be admitted
that the immediate vicinity of the cities
on the great western lines of railway,
should be preferred to all others; but
there are three or four different routes
contending for the prize on our golden
coast; and the question, as a matter Of
course, will be asked (Which is the
best 2"
The line via Omaha and the Platte
River, is at present most rapidly ad-
yancing, but, in my opinion, it is the
most impracticable of the rival routes.
Passing, as it does, through a desolate
region for nearly seven hundred miles,
it will ever be subject to great priva-
tons. The sandy soil and frequent in
undations of the Platte, are ever chang
ing its channel, and must necessarily
(as has already been the case) cause
great damage to the road-bed, while
the entire want Of timber and coal, as
well as water in the dry season, on a
great part Of the line, will subject pas
sengers to great privations, and the
Company to Inconvenience impossible
to surmount; while in winter the road
must necessarily be blocked up for a
great part Of the time with snow.
The route via st. Louis, Kansas City
and Smoky Hill, usually known as the
Smoky Hill route, also passes through a
country but little better, and the terrors
Of timber less and sterile plains, hun
dreds of miles in extent, stare the
Genius Of progress in the face; and
even last March on this road, west of
Topeka a train was blockaded by snow
storms for several days, and the pas
sengors must have been reduced to
starvation, but for a few barrels of eggs
on the Express car, which they, in real
soldier style, "pressed into service"
The southern route via St. Louis,
Snrin nUfeld tha Canadian and Rio Col
Orado Rivers, is in my opinion, by far
the most practicable. West of Spring
field, Missouri, the country is unsur-
passed in richness; the water, stone,
timber, and climate are the finest in the
State while the Cherokee and Usage
lands in south-eas Kansas are unsur-
passed in these particulars. This line
to the Pacific, will never be blockaded
with snow; there are great quantities
of wood and coal along the line; ii
passes through the best grain and fruit
country in the west; the mild winters
obviate the necessity of several months
feeding; while the excellent water and
pure atmosphere insure general health.
Nearly the entire route may be made
one of the richest agricultural districts
in the world; and already the great
flood of emigration, which has been
sweeping westward for q half century,
checked by the sands and sterile plains.
has taken q southwestern direction,
and is now pouring its thousands of
emigrants into the districts Of country
along the uth-West Branch Of the
Pacific Railroad, even far out towards
tho Rocky Mountains. So much for
the general advantages Of the S. w. B.
P. r. r. AS regards particular locali-
ties, l am not 50 we'll prepared to ad-
wise, but my own preference is strongly
in favor of the Spring River Valley.
This river rises in springs in the vicini-
ty Of Springfield, Missouri, and flows
southwest, passing through the cele-
brated "Cherokee neutral lands" Of
southeast Kansas; thence through the
north eastern corner of the Indian Ter
ritory, where it flows into the Neasho,
branch Of the Arkansas. / have just
returned from visit to that country,
which / found rapidly filling up with a
superior class of emigrants, many Of
whom were possessed Of capital and
were establishing mills and manutactu-
ries along the streams, which afford the
finest water privileges in the west.
Tho crops were looking very finei
the wheat was III the shock, and, not.
withstanding it was 50 terribly injured
last fall by grasshoppers, "a thing neyel y,I