Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-04-05
Letter from Kansas.
NEosHO RAPIDS, KANSAS, }
March O1Ct 1874 I

FFteHd rare II nave been asked by q
score or more of the readers of the Stand
ard to write to them concerning the pros
poets in Kansas and to save quill driving,
if you have no objections, l will answer
them through your paper.
We came by way of Ogdensburg, Chica-
go and Quincy; and were five and a half
days, and five nights, on the way. One
word in regard to the route West. think
the Grand Trunk is the shortest and cheap
est; but | wouldn't go on that road again,
unless | was prepared to go through Cana
da without carrying anything; for the diff
ference between greenbacks and silver is
made the excuse for charging the most
exorbitant prices for everything by every
body. At the St James Hotel, Toronto.
which caps the climax for dirt, insolence and
pure cussedness, one of our party was
obliged to take change for a large bill in
silver at 20 per cent premium. They would
neither give back the bill, nor reduce the
premium, and as it was train time, they
had us. 1t was a cut throat operation,
compared with which stealing would be
respectable. The most of the way, in Can
ada, we found the snow about foot deep
at Detroit three inches, and west of there
we found none. Through Illinois and Mis-
souri, we found very warm and pleasant
weather, but at Kansas City we found it
quite cold. The best land saw east OF
Kansas, was on the Hannibal and St. Joe
railroad. There are thousands Of acres,
fenced and unfenced, as level as water
The improved land is held at from 800 to
$40 per acre; the unimproved at from SO
to $40. | was surprised to see so much
timber on first entering Kansas. Crossing
the Kansas River and going up the north
side for the first twenty-five miles one sees
but little land that is not covered with a
heavy growth OF cottonwood and oak then
the road gradually climbs the bank of the
ravine and follows the prairie to Topeka
There is enough to Topeka to make quite
respectable looking town, but it need,
sorting; for brick blocks and livery stables
stone fronts and board shanties are placed
together so promiscuously that it spoils the
appearance of the place. They have Just
finished an $4,000 toll bridge across the
Majestic Kansas, as the local papers call it
but where the majesty comes in it is hare
to tell, for there is not water enough any
where for man to swim across, without
grounding. Travellers should not take toe
much baggage; three of our party paic
from three to five dollars extra for having
too much in weight. At Topeka we tool
/ the cars for Burlingame, twenty miles t
the south. The country is high rolling
! prairie with a creek once in three or fou
miles. The open prairie along the road i
worth so per acre, and the bottom lane
and timber IS. One description for Kan
sas prairie will answer for all | have seen
Standing on some high roll one sees frs
from one to three miles Of open prairie
then tree tops marking the ravine, then be
yond more prairie, and in the far distance
another line Of tree tops. The creeks hay
BASIN or ravine, from one to twenty rod
wide along their banks are covered wit
timber.
Burlingame is pleasant little plac
with a large steam Touring mill, and a pull
lie school building that would be a cred
to any Eastern town. Two of US footed
from Burlingame to Emporia, a distance {
thirty-fve miles. The country is the sam
succession Of prairie and timber line
creeks land midway between these creek
is held at from three to five dollar
per acre, and on the creek at so to 81,
1t it great country along that route fC
tired people, and Judging from the numbt
of wells saw, should say Kansas wf
very 1ceH watered. At Waterloo, whic
consists of one house and out building
We stopped to refresh ourselves with ii
cup which cheers but does not inebriat
and refreshed, after some grumbling abol
Yankees calling for tea. | will give Kal
sas credit for sudden changes of tempert
ture. During the first five days of II
} sojOurn in the State, two overcoats wou
not have kept a man warm, and the wiz
= blew so that it would take the dirt off
r. mans face; but on the sixth / travelled q
g day on the high prairie, and straw h
hox
| outfit. Stopped at Duck Creek over mig
| where we found the best of beds and in Il
morning we curled up our legs under
r table loaded with first class New En-
2 land breakfast. Duck Creek forever! v
+ next crossed -mile-prairie, which h
neither wood, water or houses on it, al
arrived in Emporia tired and foot sol
: with grub basket and bottle empty. Ell
poria is a large and thriving place, wi
many fine buildings. 1t has three hOte
one of which is kept by Kellam & Bi
: formerly of Barton, and they say go
I chance for more. The State Normal SchC
$ is located here with fine stone schC
building Emporia is built on a low h
or roll of prairie, but not low enough I
= water, without digging from fifty to o
o hundred feet. A great part of the count
d is fenced with Usage Orange, andits thor
= make quite a good fence in three ye'
s from planting. Coal is plenty and is us
/. for fuel in most places. 1t retails at
cents per bushel. They are doing but !
=, tie at farming here now, as it is too dry
|, break up, and is not time to plant corn.
The NeOsho river here has some splenC
bottom land, and much timber along
:, banks. There is large grist and saw N
= at the Rapids. They have one-sixth
! grinding wheat, and one-seventh for ott
=. grain. There is coal mine one mile fro
the river, and coal can be had at the mi
for l2@ cents per bushel. Lumber is
N per M; corn, 80 cts. potatoes, so ct
g per oushel. Pork IL cents per pound, a
D board 80 per week. Open prairie S. to
n per acre; bottom and timber land fir,
'r $50 to $50 per acre. Prairie chickens a
is all kinds of water fowls are abundant.
e party are at present at work for Legit
% Doolittle. RUNNER