The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-06-13
Union Pacific Railway ExeuTSIon.
DAwRENoE. KANSAS june 8, 1861.

OH E1clhe HALLWAY EXCURSION
q LAWRENCE. KANSAS, June 8, 1861
Editors IateEEfgeneer:
My last line to you was written jus
as our train left the st, Louis depot Z
the Missouri Pacific Railroad. mi
road extending from st. Louis acr0g
the State of Missouri to Kansas City
nearly three hundred miles, was a an
tinct corporation until lately 1t ha
been absorbed in the great Union Pa
citc Railway, Eastern Division. 3
which It now forms the eastern iinI
II runs through slightly rolling coufi
try, known as prairie, though diner
Ing much from the fiat and uniforu
surface Of Central Illinois called by III
same name. "A part of, this Northwest
ern Missouri, is said by those posted 4
be the finest country in the West. IN
soil Is marvelously deep, black AM
rich. Though this region Is much OF i
new and undeveloped, ,especIally al an,
distance from the railroad, vet Il look
very different to one whose idea of 1
new country Is founded on forests anC
mountains. The rich prairie whici
mas never been touched by the plough
is dressed In thicker verdure than on,
most highly cultivated fields.
AT Kansas City, or rather at Wyau
dotte, Kansas, the Pacific Railway
1 proper, begins. As It was necessary
on account Of a difference OfRauRe or
the railroads, to change the trucks or
which our Philadelphia cars had come
from st. Louis, where a previous
GGnange had been made, we went up &c
Leavenworth, in order to allow time fol
Lnat arrangement, instead of COMING
directly on to Lawrence. At Leaven.
worth we met with II reception equally
as cordial as those at our previous resi-.
ing places. The whole command took
up quarters at the Planters' House,
MheEe we got dinner that astonished
those who thought civilization had not
crossed the Mississippi. Carriages CON.
Yeyed the visitors to what is called Fort
Leavenworth, although in reality, the
place is not at all fortified, but simply q
military post. Here General Hancock
entertained the party at the residence
OF the commanding officer, in a very
hHspitable manner. The most remark.
numerous items about here are
Tue grasshoppers, which although
yet very small, not a barley-corn in
length, have devoured much of the
vegetation. The officers of the post tell
us that later in the season plants are
stripped bare by these pests. Indeed,
az other points, such as Kansas City,
missouri, the people mention these
grassheppers as the only drawback.
and anticipate their future voyages
with some apprehension, as the plague
Increases every year.
A good deal of rivalry, not always
good-natured, exists between these
nelghbortng towns of Leavenworth and
Kansas City. The inhabitants of each
take as much delight in depreciating
tne population, prosperity, hotels,
Preachers, lager beer and public men
OF the other, as in extolling their own.
rhey are both really dourfshinE and
rapidly growing. Leavenworth with a
population liked by itself at tWentY-six
thousand, and by Kansas City at twenty
!!nSusand, and Kansas City with Is, 600
inhabitants as they say, though Leav-
enWorth can count but 1900 OF them,
Elther OF these towns progresses with
an amount OF public spirit and enter
prise that would put to shame Wheel
ing, which is certainly not behind either
IN natural resources and opportunities.
II really seems as II the most energetic
and useful talent produced by the East
migrates westward, and in its new
home far excels what It could do II
cramped up In its old. ffl1 r
Just before we left LeaVenworth, at
o'clock on Tuesday, Major Calhoun of
the Philadelphia P eSS, being called on
by the excursionists to do SO, made a
ntt!e speech expressive of our pleasure
ana gratlhCatiOn at the hospitality with
which we have been everywhere greet
eu, ana especially at our cordial recep-
ttOn at Leavenworth. AS Major CAL
houn took occasion also to extend
thanks to the Railroad Company
Tor their kindness, Gen. Thomas
Y: Price on behalf of the company, and
ol tne citizens OF Leavenworth, at their
request responded in some clever and
humorous remarks. This probably be-
gins the regular speechmaking Of the
Irlpi (the irregular variety has always
been PLENTIFUL and hereafter we shall
probably hear frequently from our no.
The next stage of our journeyIs from
LeaVenworth to Lawrence, 81 miles,
which werun over slowly, giving every
one an opportunity to observe the
country and the people.
Ihe Indian taces appear more fre-
quently now, chiefly Of the Pottawata-
mie variety, as we approach the reser-
vation OF that tribe, which Is a large
Tract tract, 81 9t land md set apart by the Govern
We are compelled to agree with Mr..
2. q. Leland In what he has said about
the shocking bad hats which these
heathen wear, and the shock-
ing bad style. in which thew wear
them. While the undersigned has
seen some bad hats in his time, and
once or twice has been accused by I'll
Judging friends Of wearing something
that came within that description, vet
he never saw anything to compare with
these PottAwotamie chimney-pots,
They defy description of pen or sketch
OF pencil. Although this bad hated
tribe are said to be christIanized, Il Is
limited that they with their neIghbors
are given to picking up little things,
audit was very evident that the one
we saw had too. much civilization
aboard from the way he travelled, with
his legs wobbling under him, to his
patient pony and when In the saddle
rolled from side to side SO frightfully
that we unsophisticated folks from the
states" looked to see the naughty red
man bite the mud, but the knowing
told us that 1t was impossible for him
TO fall on or his horse TO throw him odI
such good riders are they; and so II
proved. Sill many ofthese Pottamota.
mics are wealthy, own large
farms, and send their children East 70
be educated. We were introduced
70 one named John BooTShAW, who
seemed very intelligent, and as we are
told, Is the author of several literary
productions. But their general re-
putation is not very good, In fact they.
are so thievish and generally wicked
that think am justified in quoting a
verse written about them by an old
missionary and which the missions
-@J "SS JaSbAAOA III "EltIuks
The ChoctaW and the Cherokee,
The RiokRpo0 and KRW, Tf1g' 'gg-al
LikeWtSa the PottA WotarnIe -.7. ~.
Oh give them ali thy law.h
At Lawrence we were received with
the noise OF a brass band and about All
the people in town as far as I can fudge,
TO which the post band OF Fort
Leayenworth, whiSh through the
kindness of General Hancock, ac-
companiesi responded with several
vigorous melodies. A good supper,
speeches made by several of our Con-
gressmen to the eLaWrentians assembled