Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-12-21
Letter From Kansas,


TOPEKA, DEC. Is, 1860.
Three days and half and three |
nights from New York landed me in To- |
peka, where | found lots of Irasburgh BOYS
all of the Kellam boys and Uncle .Sabe.'
who by the way looks full younger than
when he left Vermont, and what is better.
they are all in business and am told that
what of them are not already rich are get
ting so as fast as they can. Geo. Kellam
and Dana are in the farming line George
has farm near the city of 200 acres that
he has been offered 800 per acre for the
entire farm. c. c. Kellam Is in the drug
business and has got stamps out Of it. Our
old friend Joe deals in horses, and has got
some fine specimens. He gave me a ride
after one he calls Kansas Boy, that takes
the lead in this country forstyle ana speed,
as he proved by practical demonstration at
the State Fair this fall Joe don't feel
much proud of him. You will remember
that Joe was always pretty much all hoss,
and ! am inclined to the opinion that what
he don't know in that line he calculates to
learn. find many Orleans Co. folks here.
Dwight Bill of Albany is here in a large
clothing establishment; f. H. Blake Of
Derby in the hardware trade R. K Tabor,
formerly of Derby Line, in land specua-
ton. He is = stirring fellow, with part
ner that Is all business, and predict for
them rich harvest of stamps. | have
said nothing about Kansas, and in fact
have as yet seen but very little of it. but
| have seen enough to convince me that
| young man with a few hundred dollars to
/ invest and energy to back him can come
to Kansas and make more money in five
years than he can with the same money
and same labor in New England in fifteen.
Real estate in Topeka is very high, but
you may put your money into this very
property and you may be sure of its doub-
| ling in a short time. Lands here near the
city are worth from one to four and five
hundred dollars per acre, and any man of
means can do well to invest in them and
for men of smaller money, 60 back a few
miles and buy your lands for from one to
twenty dollars an acre and you are Just as
sure of an advance on your property only
slower. Corn is the principal crop here.
Much of it is still standing in the field, Ell
ther in the shock or as it grew; and oh
Nermonters if you could Just look upon
one cornfield of a hundred acres you would
throw down your hoe in disgust, and sling
knapsack and start on a forced march fol
the West. You may ask what they dc
with so much corn. Well, they put it in
to cattle, hogs, horses and mules, and senC
piles of it into the market, and when Woo
and coal are high burn it as substitute
and it makes a good one Corn here nov
is worth SOC bushel, wheat from 75c t
ST. all kinds ofmeats, eggs, onions, potatoes
and in fact all kinds of provisions bea
about the same price as in Vermont; bu
you try to get board at the same price an
see how quick you don't get it. Why
Because rents are away up. Any one hay
ing one or two good rooms to rent has
fortune in his hand. Board at hotels fro1
$3.50 to $500 a day-S12.00 to $4,000 pc
= week with room. You can get board at
L second class boarding house for $500 pc
c week and pay from g to S. per week fc
T lodging, and then ifyou want fire, flu
, nish your own fuel, and your washing el
n ira. Ifyou are good fnanciergou ca
IL get around with about so or So week
o but you must understand there is anoth,
Il side to the question. If you get work you
g pay is large enough so you can afford
Is pay for your board and accommodation
: high as they are. | have not said anythir
u about the climate of Kansas and the We
L and will save them for another time.
4 Very Truly Yours,
IL 0. T. STILES,