Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-08-16
Letter from Kansas.
GRANADA, NEMAHA Co., 7
Kansas. July 90. 1870.

Kansas, July 30, 1870.
Dear Standard Now that the harvest
is over, bountiful harvest, that maketh
glad the heart # the husbandman,
will snatch a moment while the rain is
falling to respond to your late inquiries as
to my whereabouts.
am right here on my farm in northern
Kansas, and here l hope to remain, thro'
many a seed time and harvest, among
groves and orchards planted by my own
hand.
While now sit at my chamber window
and look out over the beautiful fields, on
and on, as far as the eye can reach, rising
in gentle undulations until in the far dis
lance they seem like mountains towering
to the clouds-broad fields dotted with
shocks OF ripened grain, or dark with grow
ing corn, with here and there belts of nat
ural forests marking the course of the
streams fertile meadows upon which many
herds are grazing and all, field wood and
meadow, radiant with a multitude of flow
ers, as various and beautiful as the heart
could wish. When l look upon all these,
l say to myself, Is it possible that this is a
new country, but lately the abode of civil
lied man-just redeemed from the savage
herds, and more savage men that roamed
over its broad expanse? And yet, so it is /;
but yesterday in the wildness of primeval
nature, and today, bearing the appearance
of an old and long cultivated country.
| The old oak that has stood a thousand
years, under whose shade the red man has
for ages pitched his tent, is at last cut down
to fence our fields, while the coal mines
and quarries of stone over which those saw
age herds of beasts and men roamed so
long, are now first being raised from their
long repose to minister to the wants of a
more civilized race.
The rain is falling beautifully today,
and is quite timely; for corn is now just at
that point in its growth when rain is need
ed to develop the full ear. A week ago
some apprehension was felt that we might
share in the effects of the drouth that seems
to be so wide spread over the land, but re-
cent rains have put an end TO all such
fears, and while a fine crop of wheat has
been harvested corn is now safe from drouth
though no more rain should fall.
have read the lively letters of your
correspondent in the southern part of this
State with much interest. That part OF
the State is, think, increasing in popu-
lation much faster than the more northern
counties, and principally, perhaps, for this
reason: There great part of the land is,
or was recently, in the hands of the gov
eminent, and open to settlers under the
homestead law; while here the reverse is
true. Consequently there is a more grad.
ual increase in population coming only SC
fast as it can be absorbed, without any
strain upon the present resources of the
country, thus maintaining proper balance
between capital and labor, and between
supply and demand.
But these vast throngs of people, desir.
Gus of securing from the nation SO munifi
Gent gift as farm in her finest domain
. rush thither in such numbers as almost
to surpass belief. The scarcity of supple.
, consequent upon so sudden an increase il
: population, in parts distant from river,
and railroads, large portion of whom
, must for time be nonproducers, does 0
: course occasion many inconvenienees, ant
: causes sort of temporary condition o
. things, which, though Internationally ant
almost unconsciously often grow to be per
e manent through negligence and habit
: suppose it has always been the case tina
e the first settlers of State have mostl,
e been poor. Possessed when they reacl