Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-04-28

NEosHo, Mo. !. ArRIL 10, 1870,

EDS TRIBUNE - Having few moments
leisure. resume my sketches by the
way" which may not entirely devoid Of
interest TO your readers
Leaving Chetopa we took the bnck
track for about five miles across the Ne-
osho bottoms, when we struck OFT in
North Easterly direction for Columbus,
the county seat for Columbus County,
twenty-five mile, South of Girard, which
Mace was the terminus of the Fort Scott
Rail Road on the 10th inst, but on the
18th the cars were running to Columbus,
and the track laid several miles below,
in the direction of Baxter Springs, two
miles from the South line of the State
at which point the iron horse will
take water on the 25th inst, and great
prepasations are being made for cele>
brating its arrival.
After leaving the timbered region Of
the Ncosho river, we passed over de.
lightful rolling prairie, Literally supplied
with running water, gushing from beau
tiful springs In crossing the streams
we found no mud, but q hard grayely
bottom. Nearly the entire country IS
occupied by squatters, on the rail
road lands, and much improvement, in
the way of breaking, fencing, and put.
ting out orchards, may be seen, though
there are few dwellings, except canvass
tents, in which large families are congre
gated. No better soil can be found, and
predict tho lands will nearly all be pur-
chased very soon after being brought ln>
10 market At present however there
| is much trouble and contention IN re-
gard to claims 1t has been found me-
cessary to station II company OF soldiers
at Columbus, to be ready to quell rlotous
proceedings among the contendlng par
ties for claims, and even this precaution
! does not prevent an occasional murder,
On the day was in Columbus, the dead
body Of one of their citizens Was brought
INTO town. He had made u cluim about
three miles from the village, which had
been Jumped by stranger, learning
which, ne went and ordered him Oh, a
dispute arose between the claimants,
which resulted in the use OF firearms
and the death of one of the parties. The
murderer made his escape and although
! the soldiers were in pursuit within a
few hours, | have no doubt he succeeded
in GLIDING their vigilance, for they APP
pcared in no hurry to oyertake the OBJ
! Jet OF their search,
Columbus is pleasantly situated on a
high rolling prairie, and contains per
haps three hundred buildings, ut least
one half of which are small, generally
! l6x20 teet( and have been put up within
the past three months. BESIDES these
there are numerous tents, some OF them
in the very heart OF the village, Hail
road excitement runs high, and property
is held far above its true value,
From Columbus to Baxter Springs
thirteen miles South. The face of the
country is similar to that between Che-
topa and Columbus, but much more
thickly settled by thrifty farmers, some
of whom have fine buildings and web
cultivated farms.
Ac Baxter we found the people per-
rectly wild from rail road excitement -
A few weeks before they had fears that
! the rail rbnd would leave them out in
the cold, and pass several miles West
but the laying Of iron to within a few
miles Of them, and the work upon the
depot buildings in their midst has sent
town lots to figures well calculated to re-
tard the growth OF the place Baxter Is
live town possessing many advantages
over most OF the localities in South-wes'
tern Kansas, and il property could be
bought at reasonable figures, its present
population Of about 1000, would double
IN very short time. Il will remain the
terminus of the Fort Scott Road until
the Indian Territory is organized, when
the road will be continued on TO the Gull.
The location OF the town is on high
rolling prairie, with ian abundance OF
coal timber, and the best OF pure water
within convenient distance a vein OF
lead ore has lust been struck about six
miles East OF the town, which promises
an abundant yield of mineral Of about
eighty per cent, pure lead Specimens
that we're shown me, were AS pure galena
as any that can be found in the mining
district of Wisconsin Spring River, u
stream about the size of the Nc0sho,
and much more rapid is about a one-
half mile East of Baxter and affords
excellent water power The waters of
this stream are the purest and most
transparent of any | ever saw. its bed
is beautiful gravel, and at a depth of ten
feet pin may be seen as plainly as at
the bottom Of bucket Of the clearest
spring water of Wisconsin, Business
at Baxter was unusually active, New
corners can hardly wait to put up build
ings, and canvass tents are not unlre~
Iqueut. One of the largest wholesale
grocery establishments of the place, is
in canvass tent Of large Dimensions -
Situated az is Baxter, in tho center Of
the wind belt, there is almost con-
stantly strong gale from the south and
n man wearing u wig would need strong
tnstenings to keep his hair on his head.
| n ono SpnsC however at this time this