The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-09-13


the line of Neosho county, established b,
the last Legislature. aud now being or
ganized by the election of county off
GERS, &c.
Prior to 1925, the Osages claimed al
the country south of the Kansas rive
and north Of the Red river, their eastern
boundary being line drawn. south from
the mouth of the Usage river, and thei
western boundary a line drawn soutl
from the head waters of the Kansas riV
er. These limits embraced the large
part of the present State of Missouri ".
10 south of the Missouri river, the who'll
of Southern Kansas, the present Indial
Territory AID the larger part of the Stat
Of Arkansas. By the treaty ofI825 The
OSages ceded to the Uoitsd States ;he
whole of this vast terrtlry with the ex
ception Of the reservation they have con-
tinued to occupy until within two years
past, for twenty annual payments oil
seven thousand dollars each. Their late
reservation abutted on the Cherokee Neu-
trail lands on the east. (which last, it will
be RENE bered, lies in the southeast cor
ner of the State, being fifty miles north
and south, an twenty FIVE miles east and
weat). The Usage reservation, therefore
had a width of fifty miles north and south,
and extended in that width, west to a line
drawn due south from the sources of The
Kensas river, i. e., from the head waters
of the Smoky Hill, which stream has al
ways been regarded by the Kansas and
| Osages as the Kansas river. The south
ern line of this reservation was adopted as
the southern line of the State, aud their
reservation therefore extended from with
10 twenty five miles of the eastern line OF
the State, fifty miles wide to its western
boundary. By the treaty of 1865 the
OSages sold to the Government a strip OF
thirty miles off the east end of their re
serve and extending i,s entire width, fly
miles. They also conveyed TO the Gov
ernment in trust, to be sold for their ben
Eft. a strip off the north side of the resi-
due of their reserve twenty miles wide
and extending west its entire length.
The only lands therefore now held by the
O5ages in Kansas is a strip thirty miles
wide, lying along the south line of the
State. commencing three miles east Of the
Verdigrs river. Within the limits of the
land so sold and conveyed lie the valleys
IF the Neosho, Shetope. Labeue, Fall
RIVER and the eastern tributaries of the
Verdigris, which constitutes a tract of
country second to no other in the West
in poiut of fertility. and supplies of wa
ter. timber and coal. Il is settling up
with marvellous rapidity.
Below Humboldt our party found the
valley of the NeosEo wider than above
that point, frequently ex ending to a width
OF eight or ten miles from the higher lands
on each side. and the crops along the
route afording the same evidences of lux
uriant fertility, with plentiful supplies of
rick and timber. No obstacles TO a
cheap road were anywhere met with; on
the contrary The valley appeared to be-
formed especially for a railroad track.
with soil to afford an unfailing amount
of Ireights in the shape of grain and
stock
The Usage Mission was reached at
dark. This establishment is under the
supervision of Father oemaker, well
known missionary of the Catholic church.
An excellent school for the education of
the Gage Nation has long been maintain
ed here, but our party were too intent 90
secular, to obtain many statistics on spi-
ritual matters. Father Shoemaker was
absent, but the inequalities of the mis-
sion was cordially discharged by an as
s.stant, Father Ponce de Lon.
Inquiries were directed especially to
supplies of coal. Unfortunately none OF
the beds were located sufficiently near the
Mission to enable our party to examine
them in place, but from the concurrent
testimony of all who spoke 90 the sub
Jet, it is pretty well established that
this portion of the State is one vast coal
field, which has been cut 10 places, by
| the Neosho. the Lsbette, Shetope and the
tributaries of the Verdigris. These coal
fields also extend east into the Cherokee
neutral lands, and west beyond the Yer
digris. The veins are represented at
from two and one-halr to FIVE feet in
thickness, and the opinion expressed that
the supply was inexhaustable. Speci
mems of il were shown US, but none OF
our party were sufficiently skilled in geol-
ogy to determine to which variety it be
louged. Il was of clear, bright color,
aud of hard close texture. 1t appeared
100 light in weight for anthracite, TO pure
for Ignite. According to the statements
Of those who have used it, it burns with
light, bright, blaze, emitting but little
smoke, and leaving 20 ash or cinder. It's
steam producing qualities are represented
Is marvellous. one enthusiastic individual
declared that the first time it was tried
Tor that purpose, to the di-may of all con
oerued. it burst the engine" in a few
minutes after being ignited. A specimen
of it has been taken east by Major Beach
with a view to having it analysed, and its
variety determined.
Sabbath evening. August the 19,h. The
party returned 10 Humboldt. Here W.
were met by General Scott aud Mr.. Rob
Iiuson, Of Leroy, who in behalf of the PEG
pie Of that place. invited US to return oil
the northeast side Of the river with
view to examining the feasibility of th
route on that side. This of course was
part Of the programme.
At Humboldt we met-and converse
with many agreeable gentlemen, anon!
them Messrs. Enert. Stewart, Bond
Thurston and others; but among Their
We found no fast friends of our enterprise
outside the Register of the land ofic,
Their affections are fixed upon the La y
: renee & Galveston road 10 its aid A
, tlen county has recently voted SI25 90
r Lor honds conditioned that IL shaU mas