The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-06-22
from the Weston Democrat.
A TRIP TO EAANSAS.
Our Idea Of the West.

Owing to the sickness ola near relative, it
became necessary, two or three weeks ago.
for us to take trip "out Yves" even co
"bIeeding Kansas unto the city of
Lawrence, where Quantrell and his 'merry
men" made havoc with the yaluables Of the
citizens thereof during the war-and where
in times gone past, border ruGans," Gree
hooters" and other nuisances Of similar
character, under the head of John Brown
and such as he, fitted out their ''expedi-
tons"
We propose to tell a plain unvarnished tale
as to the country, its prospects, and the people,
as they appeared to us Our opinion can be ia
ken for what it is worth. We have no desire
to become physician where an individual hes
an attack Of the western fever" for in that
case, trip to the West will be the best med
icine in the world; but will merely state
facts as they occurred to US. All this will
cost the reader nothing, and ne may judge
for himself.
In the first place we cannot conceive how
a Western Virginian, accustomed to the grand
old hills of his native State, can be satisfied
in country where mole-hll IS an elevation
almost unheard of. For hundreds Of miles
the land is as the floor in your house
stretching out in one vast and dreary expanse
of prairie, until the eye of the traveller be-
comes set and weary Of the monotonous
scene.
Again, you may travel hundreds Of nilea
and not tree will gladden. the eye. Moth
ing but tall, rank grass here and there and
everywhere-until the general view is as
though it was IN ocean you were crossing,
and not the far-famed western States Of
America. Once in fifty or hundred miles,
small stream will be reached on the banks
of which once grew few stunted trees-but,
alas the scarcity Of such things have made
them valuable-and long ago they have been
whitfield down by the timber-hungered set
tiers. Of course, lumber cannot be dispensed
with, and this item is terrible one to the
settler. Nearly all the lumber used is
brought from the northern lakes vla Chica-
90. and when exposed for sale in the Kansas
| marke It, it costs a fortune, almost, to build a
| house-let alone fencing in farm For il
| ustration: Good lumber can be bought in this
country for from $12 to SIS per 1000 feet
| but such an article in Kansas is scarce and
| in great demand at from 80 to 800 per
1000. How is that for hlgh2 Then again
coal is scarce at from rs to 20 cents per bush
Gland wood for fuel is a luxury only to be
dreamed Of
Again. the water is the most villainous
liquid ever poured into mortal stomach
Cincinnati whiskey not excepted. AS con-
sequence of the level character Of the coun-
try, every pool Of water becomes stagnant
and this, in great measure, creates that ter
rible scourge known as the 'ager.' Shortly
after our arrival at Lawrence, we drew q
bucket of water at the well of our relatives
premises. Imagine our horror at finding the
| fluid mixture of all manner of bugs, insects
grass and dirt-with little aoater. A sec
ond and third trial were made, without any
better results, and upon inquiry we Learned
that this was the usual quality Of water usec
there. IF you, reader, can stand this, Why
| by all means move out West.
| A great and serious objection to this ives
tern country is the terrific and DESTRUCTIVE
! storms Of wind which frequently visit it,
What would be pleasant breeze here is !
matter of import there. Upon one occasion
| during our stay, we ventured to a post-otfc'
"a quarter of a mile away-when it was will
/ difficulty we kept on our footing; yet we wer'
assured that the wind on that day was moth
ing" The tops of the small fruit trees wer
then almost touching the ground-and ga'
we were that we did not have to endure
gust of wind when it amounted to "sonae
thing" A noticeable feature was that man