Nebraska advertiser., 1869-04-29
THE REPUBLICAN, VALLEY.
Clfmate--Ag rEeultura1---stocIk X 60 ,stl
t1en1ents---Indians and 8aalrOads. 1
CLOUD CoUNTY, Kansas, !

CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS,
April 10, 1869.
Editor Advertiser Through YOU
paper I wish 70 inform the many
friends in Nenaha county who wer,
anxious to hear from me, ofnly Where
abouts and surroundings.
On my road here I passed through
Tarysyille, Kansas, situated on ia,
Big Blue, eighty miles west Of Whit,
Cloud and twelve miles south of Ne
| braska thence west to the Little Blue
thence up that river to the mouth O
JAY creek; thence up to the head o.
this cree thence north to Rose creek
up Which we travelled until we reach.
ed the, sixth principal meredian
thence 10 the head the South Branoh
of the Little Blue; thence on to Sail
creek and Elk creek, down which we
went until we reached the Republi.
can; thence up the Republican tc
Lake Sibley, where we rested from
our travels, in Cloud county, Kansas.
This county is situated directly west
Of Atchison 40 miles, and the sixth
principal meridian bounds the county
on the east, and "a miles south Of the
Kansas and Nebraska line brings Won
TO the north lire Of the county.
The Republican river runs through
- - L -
when it turns north and runs across
the north line, within six miles of the
western line, and among its many
tributaries are Elk creek, Pony creek,
Salt creek, Camp creek, Cheyenne
creek, Buffalo creek, Dry creek, Oak
creek, Plumb creek and Elm creek.
All these tributaries affords ample
drainage to the country, and nourish-
ing along their shores, forests of oak,
walnut, ash, elm, locust, mulberry.
hickory and other varieties of useful
and ornamental wood, which are an
nnally increasing as the fires are sup
pressed.
Coal of an excellent quality is also
in abundance. Veins from the crop
pings show two and three feet,
and doubtless gradually become thick
er as they extend Into the the bluffs.
When i came out here I thought
that would secure a coal bank, but
found it so plentiful that i changed
my mind to that of a piece Of farming
land without riding switch, when at
the same time I could have had tim
bered land, but not without getting
more or less waste land.
r so l.
ums Of coal underlying this whole
country, save the river vallies, and
that too Of good quality. There is
five or six different places where the
coal crops out and shows for itself, and
these are all the discoveries that have
yet been made. No attempt has been
made to make further discoveries, as
there is now plenty found to furnish
fuel for the next two generations. The
State GeOlOgist Is of the opinion that
there is seven stratas Of coal under
this whole country.
Water is in abundance, and that of
the best quality. Salt springs and salt
marshes are numerous, affOrding salt
for the millions of cattle that will in
the future Craze on these beautiful
and rich prairies.
Timber is of ordinary quality, such
as is found on the tributaries of the
Missouri river, and can be taken up
or bought at from ten to twenty-five
dollars per acre; posts can be bought
for three cents, rails three and half,
and there is no sale for fire-wood |;
coal can be had for the trouble of Dig
ging and hauling.
This oc a for41ai f1nr o0s4y, fT-qrs II oo,14ol
to any in the west, save that Of corn
raising, when the drOuth occasiOnIy
comes, andthen it is very scarce.
The last year was the greatest
drouth that ever visited this country,
and from the most reliable information
that can gather, crops yielded as well
here as any where west of the Mis-
souri, river, when properly tended,
save the Missouri bottom.
The average crop of wheat was II
bushels TO the acre corn varied from
nothing 70 30 bushels; oats, and in
fact all small grain does well here,
much better than many other places
and in cander, my opinion is about
this give this country an equal chance
in proper cultivation, and taking all
crops together, it will produce more
than the Missouri river YallieS, taking
any one county.
You will at once ask the question:
Why did I hear that the people out
west were suffering for food? Well /
will tell you: Take Nemaha county
for an example; first deprive One-half
of the farmers from farming, and the
other half, allow them ten or fifteen
acres only to tend, and then imagine
how much of a surplus you would
have, having nothing Of old crops left.
Would you believe me, should I tell
you that farmers have raised corn to
sell, and even sold corn last year. It is
a fact, and my honest opinion IS, that
those who are industrious will always.
raise enough any wear to support
them. But the worst cause Of the
drowth was this: The majority of
the settlers here is of class that will
not work, and to make a living they
take claims and sell them. They
probably have q little garden spot
which they half tend, and then cry
for aid. God forbid that I should do
any one injuitice, but this aid is the
greatest curse Of the two, the drowth
or aid. Friends. / know you thought
That you were doing q christian act,
and hope you will be rewarded for It,
but it only works q curse to the people
whom you aimed to assist. And
now am confident that If they will
use proper industry they can obtain
all the aid necessary to support life.
I viii cite you to farmer of this
county, Mr.. Coplen, who raised seed
corn to sell, and sold il to q new CONF.
er, whose house I am now winter
ing in.
Give us enterprising farmers and I
viii assure you that aid would be an
insult to them. And good Lord de-
liver US from settlers who come here
hooking for aid from abroad. And
Just here let me say IN honor to indus
try, that only part of the settlers re-
ceived aid, and some Of them, was
told by good authority sold the same.
But before another call VIII be made
for aid, i hope to see this. country set
tied up by settlers of enterprise.
Fruit win do well here, judging
from what / have been told Of wild
frgTit cranes p5naoio1lv Puf tho Tals-