The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-11-03

Ihetopa, both too far from the track to
% seen to any advantage. They are I
I've and growing towns. The country q
5 among the best in Kansas, is timber
ID and watered better than most por-
ions of the State, and looks very fer
lie and beautiful. i
Weentered the Indian Territory for
The first time. This far-famed country
looked much as we had pictured II in
our mind. Its distant hills, rolling
prairies, and streams skirted with tim
Der make it look Just like Kansas. 1t
is simply Kansas over again. Its love-
illness and fertility make it desirable.
Richardson prophesied that 1t would
one day make great State. No judge
of the elements of a State, so far As
nature is concerned, can go through the
Indian Territory without comingto the
same conclusion. Il must be opened, At
no distant day, to the advancing army
of progress and civilization. 1t Is not
destined to lay much longer in idleness.
The Creator never intended it for
hunting ground, and nothing more.
We believe the rights of the Indians
should be protected. They should be
made citizens, as they are far advanced
in civilization, and. be taught TO culti-
vate the soil. They shonld have their
full share of the land, and become
prosperous and af1uent.
About noon we came to the crossing
of the Atlantic s. Pacific railroad which
is pushing ahead rapidly to the West.
At this point there ara several new
buildings, mostly small. The place is
called Vinita. It is in fine locality
and will, without doubt, make an i'm
portant point when the country Is
thro wn open to settlement and the two
roads come to an agreement as to
where their junction shall be. About
half past two o'clock we arrived at
Gibson Station, two miles north OF the
Verdigris river, and about eight miles
west of Fit. Gibson. Here we found
about twenty-five board shanties, tents,
ETC., and a motley crew of Texas freight
ers, Indians and hard cases. Twenty
five miles before we reach Gibson Sta
ton the country becomes absolutely
enchanting. The grass and trees were
green, and there was 8 sort of an ap.
pearance of perpetual spring which
} made everything look lovely. We
have meyer seen anything that excelled
the Verdigris valley in beauty and fer.
! tility. n5 80
; Here Manager Stevens had erected
; large tent, under which was spread q
dinner that wonld have delighted the
most fastideous epicure. There. was
about $50 hungry men and women, and
after walking about the village fol-
half an hour the word was given, and
! o, how they did go for that dinner
} The earnestness of VIM. Nye, Esq, il
going for the Heather Chinee was NJ
. circumstance to that evinced by thu
/ excursionists when they ''lit into" Boil
: Stevens dinner that day. All wer'
! surprised at the variety presented anC
2 at the neatness of the surroundings
: On the table we're nicely printed bills o
E fare, and by casting 3 look over thu
= table one could easily imagine himsel
r at u No. city hotel or restaurant. Tn
? bill contained fresh oyster soup, chick
I ems in three styles, turkey, roast pig
e venison, full list of vegetables, ant
8 Telishes, lemon, cocoanut and peacl
e pie, dozen varieties of cake, nuts
= etc. The half is not told. This din
4 ner was gotten up by james L. Barns
in box car, standing AT the station
I This is the only hotel in Gibson.
. was good enough for US that day, sure
: After dinner, goodly number of tn
: excursionists accepted the invitation G
n Major Garland, commander, to visit F
b Gibson, eight miles below. We wer
d loaded into Government freight wagon
n drawn by the inevitable governor
y mule teams. After ride through th
f timber, mud, weeds, etc., and after croI
II sing the Neosho, which is here larg
n and beautiful stream, running twice q
n much water as the Kaw, we visited til
e deserted Fort. The location is I'm
Is overlooking, as it does, both the Nee
l. sho, or Grand river, and the Arkanss
y valleys. Scattered over a couple {
q miles square there are probably fift
- buildings Of various kinds. Here d.
Ia ring a portion of the late rebellion
s. some twenty thousand refugee Indiar
= were fed by the Government. Most
D. the buildings look dilapidated. Som
le are tumbling down, and are the fit hal
ic itations of owls, bats and lizards. Thel
W il not over dozen genuine soldie
1T here, we believe, with few teamste
ID and hangers.on, the Government havir
e lately abandoned the fort. A few
the buildings are neat and substantis
and it seems sin to let them go to d
7. struction. While portion of the con
pany visited the Fort, others amuse
ri themselves by crossing the verdigris
fiat boat and having q genuine o.
fashioned dance upon the green. II
q excursionists all enjoyed their stay he
to the fullest extent. They returned
the station about eight O'Clock. n
ST Stevens had erected hall where mo
Il of the company repaired and spent
y couple of hours in dancing. This pa
70 of the programme was enjoyed by tho
who participated, judging from the TO-
,, GUS laugh that rang out through Il
ID rude hall, and the eyes that sparkle
IN with fun and delight. On the 70,
Dr. were seen q number of the natives peel
B. ing through the cracks, and about Il
y" doors and windows were gathered
10 large crowd of Indians, negroes, TIE,
g ans, etc. There was no disturbanc
Dr. Poor -Thiskey flowed freely, and the
e. was some whoopiBg and yelling, but 4
% insults were offered the excursionist
q In the early part of the evening the II
le disns took half dozen of the harde
D. cases. and binding them hand and foo
l. slowed them away in an out building
u This did much to quiet the boisteroI
y portion OF the hard crowd about Il
q Station.
At 10 o'clock we all returned to til
cars and soon were vending our wa
TO the North, with "breakfast ct Fo
" Scott" on the brain. We awoke Ii
next morning and found ourselves will
in few miles of the modern Pittsbur,
Y What change! A trip which two veal
ago was hazardous one, and whic
:. took days to accomplish, was made b,
y tween supper and breakfast, while "