The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1868-01-24
LETTER FROM KANSAS.
The Prairie State = Laurence Cuy-7hs
Public Schools The Country-.Sol and
Predictions Sheep Raising ng-The
lndians-1he.. Climate, ETC., etc.
LAwRENoF, Kansas. Jan. '6s

OF the West might interest some Of your
readers, aud l propose, with your consent,
to send few notes from time 10 time for
publication in your columns.
Every man and woman of the older States
who paid any attention to the history of our
country during the last decade, knows what
conspicuous part Kansas has held in the
battle Of freedom. She was born Free
State and consecrated to liberty and the
equal rights Of all men, through the blood
of the best and noblest of her citizens, and
the story of the cruel scenes of rapine and
carnage which have been witnessed on her
blooming prairies aud in her towns, are ia
miliar TO all. The same noble spirit that
carried them triumPhanty through every
trial in the old troublous times imbues her
people yet.
No State in the Union offers better adyan.
tages to the industrious and enterprisipg.
There is rom for millions. Although only
few years have elapsed since the State
was settled, it contains cities of considerable
magnitude, such as Leavenworth, Atchison,
Lawrence, Topeka, Manhattan; junction
City, Fort Scott, and numbers of others, all |
filled with thrifty and energetic people.
Lawrence, though not equal TO Leaven-
worth in population, is perhaps the most
noted city in the State. Though she has |
been the particular object of the hatred of
rebels and outlaws previous 10 and during |
the war, she has grown and prospered won
derfully. Burned and pillaged in August,
1863, by Quantrell ard his cut-throats, and |
her best men murdered, she has risen from |
her ashes and now numbers ten thousand |
inhabitants. TB business houses aud pub |
lie buildings are of a substantial character,
mostly built of brown sand stone quarried |
from an adjoining hill, with brick fronts.
The principal stores on Massachusetts street |
will compare favorably with those of any |
city Of equal size in the Union. The sys-
tenn of public schools is managed in supe-
rior manner. There are three large school |
buildings situated in central parts of the
city, and fine succeed stone building-the
State University hill in the
western suburbs. From the summit of this |
hill grand view of the country for many
miles is obtained the wooded valley Of the
Kaw aud the beautiful rolling prairies, dot
ted all over with cultivated fields aud farm
buildings, present rural scene seldom sur
passed.
The prairies Of Kansas, unlike those of
Illinois. are mostly high and rolling, rising
here and there into hills of considerable ell
ovation. There is little level land except
the bottoms along the streams, and no swamp
land at all. The soil of both bottom and |
upland is rich black loan, very fertile, and
adapted to the cultivation of all the cereals.
An excellent quality of winter wheat is
grown, from twenty to thirty five bushels
per acre being produced. Fruits of most
kinds succeed well. The trees grow with
extraordinary raPidity. The grape is being
largely planted and no doubt will become an
important branch of industry. Live stock
of all kinds thrives; young cattle and hors-
es receive but little attention in the winter.
They are generally turned out on The prairies
to shift for themselves The climate is Pc
culiarly adapted to sheep raising, aud when
the cultivated grasses take the place Of the
coarse prairie grass, Kansas viii be the wool
growers Paradise.
The best improved farms in the immediate
vicinity of Lawrence are valued at from
fifty to one hundred dollars per acre. From
six 10 ten miles away, improved lands rate
at from fifteen to thirty dollars per acre.
Wild lands range in price from one dollar
and fifty cents to thirty dollars per acre.
The bottom lands, on account of their tim
ber, sell at higher prices than the prairies,
though the latter are really The most desira-
Ole homes when once improved and fenced.
The Delaware and Ottawa tribes of In
lians are moving this winter TO The Indian
Territory. The Delawares owned very
Taluable tract of land lying between the
Lawrence d Leavenworth and the Union
Pacific Railroads, which is said TO be the ,
,cst watered and timbered in the State.
Thousands of acres are for sale at low 6g-
lrcs. .4s
Kansas is being intersected with Railroads '
n all directions. The people of the various
,ounties through which the Roads pass give
old aid to their construction, voting money
With lavish prodigality unknown in the
'lder States. Taxes are high in consequence
'ut the people nevertheless are bound 10
ave the Railroads. The first thirty miles = :
f the Leavenworth, Lawrence e. Galveston
Z. R.-to run from LeaYenworth to Calves =
on, 700 miles-was completed the 3Ist of
Dec. The present terminus is at Ottawa, a
hrifty town of 1900 people, laid out only I
,ur years ago.
l have not met many citizens of the
Black Swamp" in Kansas. Mr.. T. A.
lerrill, formerly of Wood county, is doing
lively business as a land agent in this city.
he weather is very fine the sun is shining
5 brightly and the breezes are blowing
ON the wide prairies as softly and warm 81
$ in May. There is no fire in the room in m N
hich | am writing, yet it is perfectly COM ci
,rtable Think of that, oh ye dwellers .,
1