The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-06-24
From Kansas.

our turn. ID.
From Kansas.
GUILDFoRp, WILSON Co., KAN.
GEN. J. M. HEDRIcK,
Ottumwa, Iowa:
Gen: We are away down here in
Kansas, whore vegetation is much
earlier than in Iowa. All kinds of
grain looks well, although the season
has been very wet. We left Nevada,
Vernon county, Mo-, juno sth, for
Fort Scott, Kansas. Travelled four
teen miles, when we met tho rains,
and very severe storm; the wind
blew, the thunder roarcd, tho light
ming flashed, tho rain foil, and wo in
q great prairie, some two or three
miles from houses, sheltered only by
our wagons. The next morning, af.
tor ten miles drive, we reached TT.
Scott, the county seat Of Bourbon
county, Kansas.
II is an old trading post, containing
some very fine business houses full
of goods, and some beautiful rcsidcn-
ces. It has good prospects for a
railroad from Kansas City.
From Fl. Scott we travelled in a
southerly direction to the northeast
corner of Crawford county, and on
to Girrard, it's scat, which is small
town, three miles east of Grawfords-
vile, the former county scat, which
is about "pctered. Crawford is
among tho best counties in tho State.
Its land is mostly good, rich, rolling
prairie; with settler on each quar-
ter section. Timber is scarce in this
and Cherokee counties. Crawford,
Cherokee, and six miles of tho south
side OF Bourbon counties, is tho neu-
trail, or Dog lands, about which there
is much excitement now, in regard to
their respective rights. l do not ap-
provo of the course the settlers have
taken; but one thing do say, to-wit:
our government ought to provide
for all bona tide settlers on tho Dog
lands, that they may have their claim
of 160 acres each, at slips per acre.
From Crawford, wo started fol-
Usage, Mo-, county scat of Neosho
county, situated on the north bank
of the Neosho River. Arrived with,
in ono milo OF Missouri, near Flat
Rock, and found the river bank-full
All the ferries on the Neosho, from
the Missouri to the Humbolt, was
reported either gone or sunk SO We
turned our course south, and Travelled
four miles, stopped and guy-ropcd
our horses to let them Craze, stepped
into q house, and the first thing | saw
was The Ottumwa CouRIER-not only
the Weekly, but the Daily, which
you may be lsure, / laid eager hands
on and perused with delight. The
lady of tho house insisted upon us
remaining for dinner. They hat
left Wapcllo county, Iowa, in Apri
last, moved here, and taken claim
had erected a comfortable dwelling
stable, &C., had some sixteen acres
broke and in corn, and leo acres
stakcd off ready to fence, and all thil
done by one man. His wife (Mrs
Hopkins-such woman are hard tx
fnd,) gave us good dinner, and WI
parted with our best wishes for, thei
common happiness and prosperity
In reaching Trottor's ferry, on TIT
Neosho River, at the southeast cor
ner of Neosho county, we passet
over some rich farming land. w,
crossed the river, whom the rain com
menced-a novelty land we tool
quarters for the night, lying down il
our wagons until next morning. whcl
tho rain had ceased but the waite
was there We had to change ou
coulse, taking northwest course OIL
the open prairie, without any roads
We had much difficulty in travelling
on account of so much water, and TIN
streams being so full and the groun,
so wet.
Labott lios south of Ncsho county
the Neosho River runs thro' Ncosh,
and Labctt counties, and are boil
good counties; and in few year.
the Neosho valley will be the place
We came to the Verdigris River
which was also bank-full. Laid W
until to-day, when we crossed Owe
to Guilford, near the centre Of Wilson
county; small town, about ono yea
old, which, in few years, will b.
the seat of justice for tho county,
Hero VIC again found tho COURIER
Wilson county lies north Of Mont
gomcry. The south side of Wilson
and Montgomery is on the Osag,
lands, the treaty for which has moi
yet boon ratified, and l think SHOULD
not be. Our government should buy
no moro land from tho Indians in the
manner it has been doing; but shoe
see that each ono Of them gets 160
acres, and not permitted to sell i,
but compelled TO make his own living
Tho time has como when our COY
eminent must not pay the Indians
regular annuities, but see.that they
are taken care Of and required t.
support themselves.
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