Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-05-30
Kausa. Correspondence,
oAAf oS Ia WALNUT CREEK, }
Kansas, May 20, 1867.

but having wlntered here ana thinking
perhaps few facts might prove inter
estiag to your many readers, send you
this. The past winter has been one OF
unequaled severity in this region, es'
pecially the latter part, December was
splendid month, with the exception OF
one sleet storm about the middle. Far
mers Or there were any might have
plowed or built stone fence all the
month the 22d was so warm that some
of the boys having set trap for quails,
caught mouse, and it was hy-blown
in an hour but the night after was very
cold, that appears to be the great I'M
pleasantness Of this climate sudden and
frequent changes. January came In
with the thermometer six degrees below
zero and about four inches of snow,
which lasted four or five days, though
most of the month was very pleasant.
February and March were much colder;
the coolest days OF the season were the
18th and 14th of March, when the mer-
curry fell to ten degrees below zero.
Cattle died by hundreds, many of the
stock-raisers losing nearly all they had.
People who have lived here ten years
say they never saw the spring so back
ward by month. The most promising
crop at present is grasshoppers, which
began to hatch about one week ago, and
now cover everything by millions. On
a windy day they may be found half an
inch deep in little hollows away from
the blast. Many people are afraid to
plant crops on their account, but hope
they will pass away. Most of the pres.
ent settlers on this land are refugees
from Missouri, many of them original
secessiOnists, but too cOwardly and in
dolent to fight even for the wrong, so
they ran away to this wilderness, built
little miserable log cabins, organized
bands and went over into the Indian
Territory and stole the Cherokees' cattle
while they were gone to the war, and
settled down to live on corn bread and
bacon till their land comes into market,
then many of them will either sell out
or abandon their claims and push on to
some wilder place. Large numbers can
neither read or write and seem willing
that their families should grow up in
the same blissful ignorance but am
happy to say there are pleasant excep-
tions, and we have here many fine cult
waited minds who have already got their
log sch DOL. houses built, and are laboring
diligently to make pleasant and beauti-
full homes, which can be done as easily
and Cheaply here as anywhere on the
American continent. Notwithstanding
the very unfavorable light under which
the unprecedented winter and backward
spring have made the country appear
now, believe it to be most favorable
region for man with small capital to
settle. 1t will never be thickly settled
probably few towns Of much note will
spring up here-but for an eNterprisipg
rural population it is most excellent. l
have no doubt many would come here
and soon be Disguised and homesick.
1t has not our New England society and
privileges; it is wild and rude; by the
side OF every creek stand the frames of
Indian wigWams but just deserted by
their wild builders; on the summit of
every high hill stands the Indian mon
ument to point out ford, or spring, or
camping ground on many 8 knoll and
in many grove stands the rudely deck
ed Indian grave, from one of which one
of our boys took tea-bell, green with
rust by another's head stands a rude
post on which l counted seventeen
scalp marks, some Of them very small
He whose resting place they mark had
been Sac chief and fought in the Black
Hawk war in Illinois and Wisconsin,
perhaps scalped some friend of ours.
There are no works Of art or schools Of
science, but if Yankee enterprise can be
attracted this way, it will soon make
good land of it. If | had few of my
Brandon or Rutland friends near me I
should be very contented to settle here.
We shall have it surveyed about the first
of July and then it will probably soon
be offered for sale. With best wishes
for success and desires to get where l
can take your paper, remain
Yours, GEO. w. WALKER.
MvvrcAN ARPA1Rs-The cable telp-