The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-12-27
THE CENTRAL STATE.


The centre of the State of Kansas is
very nearly the geographical centre of the
United States. Il may therefore with
great propriety, be called the CENTRAL
STATE of the Union. This is well, as
il is perhaps the most fertile, as it is I'M
questioDsbly the most beautiful of the
great sisterhood; and through it's centre
the great artery of the world commerce
is destined 10 flow. There is hardly a
sterile spot. as there is not a miasmalic
swamp, nor a rugged mountain, within
its broad domain. Much has besa said
about Kansas, but the half has not yet
been told. AS the UuIon Pacific Rail
way, Eastern Division, is pushed forward,
section after section. up the Kansas, now
several hunded miles beyond the Mis-
souri-seltlers by thousands follow it, and
even precede it, and already, numerous
towns have grown up along the line. each
surrouuded by well titled and productive
farms. Josiah Copiey, Esq, in a pampt-
let of one hundred pages. on Kansas
and the Country Beyond" says: That
this portion of the earth's surface is as
unique as 1t is stupendous. While one
part Is sublime 10 altitude and rugged
grandeur, the other part is equally SO ia
its vast extent. and its continuous and
ever varying beauty. The prairies look
as if an ocean, hesviug in grand long
swells, had become suddenly indurated
and clothed with luxuIiant grass and
flowers. Day after day man may tray
Ell, and still one word will characterize all
he sees-BEAUTIFUL! Yet there is no
monotony, for every mile reveals beauties
in new and peculiar forms. Such is all
Kansas, and such is all the country south
fiat grounds which skirt the Mississippi
aud the Gulf. OF railroad routes, it is
understood, that there is a strong desire
on the part of the people on this side of
the Mississippi that the U. p. r. r Co.
shall at once extend their route into New
Mexico, whether they go to Denver, and
hence via Salt Lake City to California or
not They contend that the route through
New Mexico and Arizona will do infinitely
more 10 develop the resources of our great
interior, as well as be better route 20
California, than the more direct but mors
mountainous line by way of Salt Lake,
duO aClOSS tue AJ4SA1 ~ dIdS lhF -uOI III VI
San Francisco-tLat both the high noun
tain grades and the tremendous SHOWS oil
the other route will be avoided Although
the road to San Francisco may be lsngth-
eued some hundreds of miles this will be-
more than compensated by the dimunitionI
OF grade, the avoidance of snow, and BY /
the fact, that the road will touch the tide
water of the Pacific at least two points, |
before San Francisco is reached-the |
head of the Gulf OF California, and San
Diego, good port on the coast of South
ern California, more than four hundred |
miles south of San Francisco. Aud when
to these considerations the superior value
of the intermediate country Is added, i'll
is insisted that there ought to be no hest
tation. The reader by referring to a map
may trace the routes here indicated, and
Judge for himself OF the soundness of the
arguments. Either the Government, aid
ed by a company, such as this, of able
and energetic capitalists, must push a
Railway through these vast regions, from
the Missouri to the Pacific. or they must
lie undeveloped and uuimproved, from
generation to generation. Individual en-
ergy and enterprise can never accomplish
the work-the locomotive must precede
the plow-the town the farm No farm.
er, however bold, but would recoil from
the task of going forward. as the farmers
of the States east of the Mississippi did in
advance of these mighty forces of civil
izsd life. When people come to see the
stream of civilization following the line
of this road through the most beautiful
of valleys. and enjoying as high civili-
cation aud as many of the comforts of
life as are anywhere to be found, "the
right plan of human progress will have
been hit npon at last. "-Hialoatba Sen
ineL