The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-08-18

place OF tue DuHCny DuualO grass, duu
weeds common to this section of the State
are finding root The country in the vic.
Unity of Ellsworth is rapidly losing the
appearance Of the plain, and the yegeta-
tion peculiar to that region.
A very good topographic division OF
Kansas and Western Colorado would be
into three grand divisions, to be called
the prairies, the plains, and the desert.
The first extends from the eastern ,boun-
Diary Of the State to Fort Harker and Els
worth, 223 miles the second from Ellis
WORTH to Sheridan, 1872 miles west of ELS
worth; the third from Sheridan into Col
orado say 1870 miles. The first comprises
lands among the richest and best OF this
continent, country capable Of supporting
dense population. and that is now FILL
ing up more rapidly than any other por-
ton of this continent. The second, the
plains region, is susceptible of tolerably
thick settlement 1t has some fine val
leys, and the uplands are excellent for
grazing purposes. Paradise valley, we
are assured by Col. Webb, at the head of
the National Land Company in this State,
is the finest valley in the West. 1t is
about forty miles in length, and is thick
ly covered with luxuriant growth of
the choicest timber, extending out
into the plain a considerable distance
from the stream. There are several 9TH
er nne valleys in the plains region, many
of them containing generous supply OF
timber, and the finest farming lands in
the world AS yet there are scarcely any
settlements on the plains proper. The
only difficulty in making this whole re-
gion blossom as the rose with fertility, is
the scarcity Of rain, for right here Prof.
Agassiz has located the future great
wheat-pIoducing belt of this continent.
Of the capacities Of the soil to grow all
kinds of grains and cereals, providing a
more equable temperature of climate and
seasonable rains can be secured, there is
no room for doubt Can this be secureds
And can the desert be reclaimed? We an
swer affirmatively, and confidently pre-
dict that in one hundred years the whole
region known now and appropriately
termed the desert, will know no longer
the Indian, the prairie dog and the buff
falo grass; and that in their place will
be seen rich farms, Thrifty orchards, splen
did fields, and commercial towns and cit
les, where now are only arid wastes and
prairie dog Villages. Weare safe in max
ing the prediction, at all events, rcmem-
bering that posterity will doubtless be as
generous as we are, and will say nothing
concerning the dead, except it be in
praise; but we make the prediction in
all seriousness and earnestness. The
prairies are already being Tricky settled
The heavy rains and frequent, seasonable
showers have killed the drouth in East
ern Kansas. The plains have been prac-
tically reclaimed, and are rapidly en-
croaching upon the desert, which is fast
receding, and will ultimately disappear
altogether ta si
But how, soonest and in the most prac
tical manner, to accomplish this great
task, is a grave question. It is worthy
the mind and grasp of our wisest states
men and greatest political economists.
Here is ali empire covered by what we
have termed the desert and at present
it is no misnomer. 1t embraces large
portions of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona,
the Indian Territory, Kansas, Colorado,
Nebraska and Dakota, IL all not less than
100000 900 of acres. Can this vast tract
be redeemed and made susceptible of set
Element? We believe it can. The fault
is not in the soil, but in the lack OF water.
This difficulty can be overcome by break
ing up the soil, planting trees, and build
ing railroads, for we verify believe that
the theory is not altogether a fanciful
one that the supply of railway iron pro-
duces an equilibrium of electrical cur
rents, resulting in the secretion of moist
ure and frequency of showers. We verify
believe we should have had drouth in
Kansas this year, but for the settlements
made and the reducing of gocdly por-
ton of the soil to tillage and cultivation.
To accomplish this great object-the
peopling of the plains and the reclamation
of the desert-the Kansas Pacific Rail
way is accomplishing more, and for the
whole country, than the Congress, with
its present material, can do in score of
years. AS stated by the Kansas Farmer,
their work is no less than the redemp
ton of the vast plains on the line of its
road, lying midway between the Mis-
souri, valley and the mountains. These
plains are to be taken from tie Indian
and the buffalo, their trackless surface
covered by forests, orchards, hedges and
farm buildings, breaking wind currents
and modifying climate, until nature an
swer5 back to the work of the husband
man, in her most generous bounty oil
grain, fruit and flowers. The company
has determined to test, in the most care
full and thorough manner, the capabili-
ties of soil and climate, throughout the en-
tire breadth of this hitherto uncultiyated
waste. To this end special agent has
been appointed, to be known as the In
dustrial Agent of the Kansas Pacific Rail-
way Company" under whose supervising
care experiments are to be made by the
company, and bounties offered to induce
private enterprise in the same direction.