The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-04-08
MY VISIT TO KANSAS.

the Utica Herald.
OFF to Kansas is the cry these days II
almost every part of the world ThitheI
they go from Canada, New England, this
Empire State, Ohio, Wisconsin, the
Southern States, Great Britain, Ger
many and Southern Europe. Individ'
uals and colonies settle down there dali
1y. The Welsh likewise are on the move
there, both from the States and Wales
i BY the request of several friends in
Utica, started in company with Rev,
James Grifffths and three others to visit
Kansas, to seek locality where a few
hundred Welsh families might make q
comfortable home. We commenced our
Journey on the first of March, when the
State of New York was shrouded in
deep snow. Travelling on day and night,
we passed the snow regions near Column
bus, Ohio. Arriving at St. Louis, a snow
storm had just visited them, but had
gone, and all traces of it had vanished.
1 Another night of rolling on brought us
TO Kansas City, where they had heard
nothing of snow or rain for several
months. From there on we enjoyed the
most beautiful spring weather, slightly
cold and freezing at nights. 1t was very
pleasant; the birds, fiocks of wild ducks
and prairie hens, flying about in every
direction. Our first halt was Emporia,
a very thriving town lying in the midst
of vast plain; my only objection to it
was that the country all around was
rather flat. But it was no use making
any suggestions as it was too late to
mend, and the Inhabitants were all thor
oughly convinced that the scenery was
the most beautiful under the SUI, every
thing as it should be, and their town
destined to be the greatest in the land.
| hao III Of oil nd Ic
certainly growing very fast. Stores of
all kinds were being built when we were
there. The Welsh are numerous, and an
| important element in that community.
The coroner is a Welshman, DIR. Nor
ris, from Remsen, and the Register of
Deeds is a Welshman. Emporia has
first-class hotels, kept by very attentive
and accommodating proprietors but
no saloon can be found i'll the place. l
may as well say here, lest forget, that
did not hear any one cursing or swear
| ing anywhere in Kansas, hint to many
l have met in older States that they will
find but little welcome there.
Emporia is surrounded by plenty of
timber. We could see large forests in
the distance, and there is pretty large
river about one mile from the city; but
the inhabitants depend now for water
on cisterns to hold rain water. They
were telling us that cistern water is
much healthier than any other, which
was n great comfort, especially when
we thought we tasted SCOT in it. We
| found afterward that water is easily
found almost everywhere in Kansas by
digging from Is to so feet, and some
how the great admirers of cistern wa
ter forget to drink it when their well is
ready. Everybody in Kansas seems
very anxious to have more come there,
and my impression is that many of
them told few white lies in order to
produce an impression favorable TO
their adopted land. Everything is good
| there, and they allowed no drawbacks.
We saw ourselves that the land was
good, but the great difficulty was to
find out the best. One would advise us
| to go sixty miles to the south, for there
we should find land flowing with milk
and honey. But another would come
on and say, that the land still further
south was far better; in the southern
border of the State, or in Arkansas
there was land such as could not be
equaled in the world. 1t is true there
were q few Indians, several mosquitoes,
and fever and ague now and then, but
nothing worth mention. However, we
made up our minds to turn nOrthward
and visit some lands where the inhabit-
ants of Fort Riley would be handy in
case an Indian should show fight. The
greatest part of the land has already
| been taken up by spectators, but actu-
al settlers may buy it still at very low
prices. We found piece which we
thought very suitable for settlement,
fine elevated prairie. The few pieces
that are are already cultivated were
very attractive and paid exceedingly
well for the laborer's toll. 1t is our
hope that in a few years we shall see
there very fiourishing colony OfWelsh
people, many of them such as have of
late in our fatherland gained the emil
nent distinction of political martyrs"
Because they voted in accordance with
the dictates of their consciences for lib
eral members to the English Parliament,
the Tory landlords have elected them
by hundreds. They turn their faces to-
ward the Western world, and the great
object of our association (The Welsh
Land and Emigration Association of
America) is to provide for locating
these men of principle, who will favor
ably compare with the first settlers of
New England. Taking all things to-
gether, we are of opinion that Kansas
will be a splendid home for them, and
that these sons of liberty will prove a
blessing to Kansas.
We were highly pleased with the land,
its climate, and its inhabitants. 1t is
now so well known that it is useless to
descend to particulars. must not omit
to mention the kindness of Mr.. Elliott,
land agent, and editor of the Manhattan
Standard. He is man from Chenango
valley, and has spent some time at Utica.
He took our whole party through
great part of the country, showed us
everywhere, and everything, to our
hearts content. He is ono of the most
pleasant companions that could be de-
sired, and well suited to welcome strang-
ers and make them feel at home in
Kansas. The firm of Adams 81 Elliott
is located at Manhattan, one of the most
pleasantly located cities have ever seen.
1t seems to be gaining very fast, as we
saw masons and carpenters at work ev-
erywhere. One of the most wonderful
places that we saw in Kansas or any
where else, was Union City. How large
| it was on paper we did not learn, but to
our organs of sight there was visible
only a one story building, consisting of
| two rooms, each 16X14 feet. It is desig-
mated "Union Hotel" the first
class hotel in Union City. One
room is kitchen and bed room,
and the other is sitting-room and bed
room. The first night we were there,
we were only sixteen, ten strangers and
| the family. we all HaQ supper ana
breakfast, which we greatly enjoyed !;
ten slept in the sitting-room and six in
the kitchen. The next night we were
fourteen strangers to supper, and they
felt confident we could ali find sleeping
room, for they had sometime previous
ly entertained twenty-five for the night
/ think the little inn could contain any
number equal TO Bagg's Hotel and But
terrified House had it been little nearer
summer, so that those who wished
might go and sleep out of doors. 1t
was too cold for that the night we were
there. The landlord and landlady were
highly intelligent and respectable, such
as would have made very creditable
show in the most polished company.
We enjoyed our trip to Kansas, turned
back and found New FORK in the midst
of terrible snow storm. Some of
the party talked of returning by next
/ train to Kansas.
s'That's good gun of yours, stranger ;
but Uncle Dave here has one that beats
] it." "Ah! how far viii it kill hawk
with No. shot?D 81 dol't use shot or
ball either" answered Uncle Dave for
himself. 'SThen what do you use, Uncle
Dave?7 II shoot salt altogether. I
kill my game SO far off with my gun