Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-08-15
FROM KANSAS.
The Great Metropolis Of Baxter's Springs
Kansas Cities on Paper-Pecularities Of the
Cattle Trade Petroleum Springs Why
they Cannot be Worked.
Correspondence of The Star.l


BAXTER SPRINGS, KANSAS, August 6, 1870.
This town is situated on Spring river, one
and half miles north OF the Indian Territory
line, and about five miles west of the Missouri
State line, and on Spring river. Spring river is
a very pretty stream Of clear water running
through limestone rocks, and it and the Newsha
river flowing together form Grand river, which
empties into the Arkansas at the head of navi-
cation, near Fort Gibson, in the Indian Terri
tory.
Baxter Springs is the present terminus OF the
Missouri River, Fort Scott and Gulf Railroad,
and now contains about 500 inhabitants. The
location is a fine one, and shows Oft well TO one
approaching 1t, but like the distant views of the
old Eastern cities, one is quite disappointed
enchanting as first appearances suggested; for
at present, with few exceptions, Baxter Springs
consists of nothing but frame buildings OF the
sharty order hastily thrown together, and
the exceptions are not much better. Like
all railroad towns in the West, Baxter
Springs had, in the estimation OF its
founders, great future, and was TO be
in a few years the great metropolis Of south
eastern Kansas, but four short months and the
advent of two opposition railroads TO the same
section OF country, but TO rival towns, have
served to weaken their confidence in all human
representations besides letting down the price
of Baxterian real estate about $50 per cent.
Still there are some who hope against hope for
the future greatness of the place, and a stranger
making inquiries would be still surprised to
learn of the future wealth to be acquired and
prosperity achieved by investing in few lots in
Baxter Springs, and could hardly be induced to
believe that he stood upon the site Of future
birmingham or Manchester. There is, bow
ever, little doubt but that the place will grad
uaily grow up to be quite tiourishing inland
town, and now that some new energy has been
infused in it by the advent OF a few enterprising
business men from northern Ohio and Michigan
and neighbering States, business matters and
values have become more settled and directed
m mi a 10 ha ntr
cumstances under which the town originated
the class OF people brought together here prove
10 be very orderly and law-abiding commu-
nifty, and but few frontier towns can boast
OF as few offences against the laws as it
can, though its rivals have spared no pains
to circulate all the derOgatOry tales they
could hear and invent. Tue settlement Origi-
mated about four years since, and was caused
partly from the circumstance that 1t was the
hrst camping place in Kansas, on the only good
road, the old Military TRAIL" running from
Forts Smith and Gibson to Forts Scott and
Leayenworth. snd from the effects of the law
enacted bv the Legislature of Kansas which
prevented the driving Of Texas and Cherokee
cattle through the State during the summer
months, causing those who brought their herds
forward early in the season to remain in the In
dian Territory, near the line, until they could
drive OH without infringing the law. Afterward
the NJ. L. Ii. 5. ard Gulf railroad was pr 1iected
TO tins point and finally reached here last May,
making ii the most convenient shipping point
at present for Texas and Cherokee cattle as the
Catile law uoes not prOecrlDe their being carried
thrI u IN the State. The trade OF all the
towns along the border Is derived from the stock
business, in the main, and from the few Indians
and Indian traders that come over to buy for
their own consumption. Southeastern Kansas
has been newly and thinly settleo. and little ex-
cepting cattle has been shipped from it, nearly
all being Texas or Cherokee stock that have
been kept over 10 acclimate and fatten. The
soil throughout is OF medium quality only and in
some places very poor il is or an aslIy gray
color in some localities strongly impregnated
with alsali, and in others very rocky win very
thin soil. In fact, the whole OF the southeastern
portion OF the State may be ad Judged as an in
different farming section. As stock or cattle
raising country IL Is very much over estima ted
there being no winter grasses a. all, ami some of
the winters are quite severe. Every winter cat
tie on hand have TO be carefully fed and taken
care Of; and when one realizes that all wild cat
tie, such as come from Texas, have to be learned
to eat hay and corn, they can imagine that tax
ing care Of a small herd OF such cattle during
the winter Is no easy undertaking.
From the Indian Territory one may safely
say that nothing Is eXpOI ted except few cattle;
and no one, not a member of a resident Indian
tribe, can residAjn the Territory without spc-
cial permission u the tribe on whose reserya-
ton he may oe, their agent and other authori-
ties, and at their pleasure. No one can hold or
get title to real estate in the Territory that
would be lawful.
Mineral springs of different kinds are thickly
strewn about Baxter Springs. Seven miles from
here, in the Indian Territory, there are some
very hne wh'se sulphur springs, and near to
them spring from which eXudes crude petro-
leum or coal tar, though no one can utilize
them because they are in the Indian Reserva
ton. WV.