The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1869-12-31
JOTTINGs.


above the mouth of Fail river are quite
narrow, but rich. The hills rise NJ
abruptly, and are sometimes covered
with sandstones, black jacks and post
oaks. There are great many beautiful
mounds along its whole course. II
ought to be called Mound river. The
soil at the base of these mounds is good.
In late trip down this river, passed
through, or near, the following towns
Coyville, Guilford, Altoona, Verdi, Ne
odesha, Independence, Liberty, ely
more, Westralia, Parkersburg, and Cof-
feeville- Towns enough for one little
river. The most Of them are new, and
a good number propose to be county
seats. Some of them will die. Two of
them may be county seats.
Elk river heads up near the western
line of Howard county, and runs almost
east through that and Montgomery
county, emptying INTO the Yerdigris two
miles above Independence. The APP
pearance of the stream and the country
around it are very much like that de-
scribed above. There are not SO many
towns, but the country is filling up fast.
Montgomery county joins the Indian
Territory, and is the third county west
from Missouri. 1t is good county,
but no better than many of its more
northern and western neighbors, Lyon
for instance. 1t has much good timber,
and deal of stone. 1t is one of the
most newly settled counties in the State.
1t is about full. "Poor Lo" is being
rooted out. Almost every quarter Sec
ton is claimed. What will this mighty
flood-tide of emigration do? tits now
Singing up against the Indian Territory,
and believe it will break over before
many years. What will become of Lo I?
He must become civilized and go to
work, or ego UNDER The working
man will take this world, but the lazy
man will perish. God made man to
work, and if he refuses to do SO he will
have to meet the consequences.
The greater portion of this emigration
is from Illinois and Indiana-some from
Iowa. There is colony of "hardshell
Baptists" from Kentucky, on Elk river
They are all Nasbyites, and bitterly op-
posed to niggers, free schools, railroads
and TEMPERANCE societies.
The people are now enduring the pri-
vations of new country. They are
living in hay shanties and cabins with
out floors. 1 saw hay shanty with
three families in it. 1t was the liveliest
hay stack ever saw. The town of In
dependence is full of living hay stacks.
They haul their provisions from the old
er settled counties north of them.
Labette county joins Montgomery on
the east. We have described it hereto
fore. Its towns are improving, except
Nicola. Chetopa is going ahead of every
thing in the county, save Oswego. There
are several buildings going up now that
would do credit to city. The Metho-
dists are building large stone church.
The walls are up. The Presbyterians
are building good frame house. EN-
poria is the only town in the Neosho
valley which goes ahead of Oswego.
They, too, are putting up some fine
buildings. They are building one of
the best school houses in the State. It
is now inclosed. The Methodists are
building good frame church, and the
Congregationalists small but neat stone
house.
Montana, eight miles above Oswego,
is lively little town, and improving.
1t commands good trade.
III
county, are both improving and fighting
over the county seat.
All those towns have licensed whisky
shops. 1 wonder if a majority of the
men and women sign petitions for whis-
ky, drunkenness and rows? Just below
the Mission saw on the corner of cab
in board about six inches wide with
whisky" scratched on it. 1t is the only
thing of the kind ever saw in Kan sas.
But there are great many Irish Catho-
lies in that country, and they must have
"wee dhrop of the crature."
And now let me say l have "done"
Southern Kansas several times, and the
more 1 travel over it the more fully /
am impressed with its greatness. l
travelled over fifteen counties quarterly,
all of which are good in many respects,
and destined TO be rich and great. just
tell Rer. VIM. Campbell, of Trumbull
county, Ohio, that 1 know his state
ments to be false. He may stay in Ohio.
like Kansas. have been in the State
since '55-have seen the most Of it, and
1 like Southern Kansas we'll enough to
make my home in it. G. r. r.