Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-09-29
GARNErT CRY, Kansas, Sept. &c.


EDITOR ARGUs-DEAR Sir = Having
been requested by several friends and &C
quAintances to give them acme description
of this part of the country, have decided
upon this method of informing them, pro-
vided you will give these lines place in
the columns of your paper. Not, however,
that l think you will be benefited By any
information which they may contain, as
presume you do, through exchanges, keep
yourself we'll posted in regard TO the most
i'm portAnt transactions in, around, asd about
nOst of our Western towns. To enumerate
the various changes produced by the very
rapid growth aud progress of this glorious
fraIt-growlng region, one knows only by ths
name of drouthy Kansas, would take 9 more
skillful and wide-awake person than pre-
tend to be.
In the first place you are aware that we
are alive to our interests with respect 30
railroads here. An election was called tbs
l4th inst, at which the voters of this coun-
ty, we're to accept or defeat q proposition
requiring one hundred and sixty thousand
dollars worth of bonds to secure us anothe
railroad, which will give Us 9 direct eastern
outlet, thereby producing q competition with
the road We already have, reducing freight
rates to this place, & c., beside . grea: many
other advantages it will give Us. Two days
after, the city voted for or against deliver
ing fifteen thousand dollars worth of bonds,
to be included in the same project The
result of said elections have not been open
ly made known, bat we have positive evil
dence or assurance that the people unAni
mously voted for the bonds At their respec-
f1r hal 0oR = d k.a q.
= slight depression during the summer, ow-
ing to scarcity OF money, but nov IS the
immigration begins to pour in from the
east, times are becoming lively again. l
think If there is anything We should indulge
great pride in here, it Is the genuine, re
fined, well bred tone of society, which char
scterlzes the people throughout Kansas, SE
Ageneral thing. The next thing TO be sp-
plauded 10 our school system. Wherever
one travels, the neat and commodious
white school-house is to be seen, filed nov
with healthy children, over which
an intellie gent, active, teacher presides. The
churches are numerous and well built, most
OF them furnished in Q style which would be
considered elegant even down east, and from
the pulpits of which the sacred truGhs are
explained by talented ministers. Also there
bursts forth from the choirs strains of rich
melodious music not often excelled By the
probably more cultivated voices of the eas
tern part of the world. Our town contains
| six churches, all substantial edi6ces, two
good hotels, besides . score of respectful BILE
boarding houses, and all seem to drive q
brisk business two Touring mills, one saw
mill, eight or ten dry goods stores, as many
grocery stores, restaurants without number
barber shops, blacksmith shops, silver
smith shops, three hardware stores, three
drug stores, one fine two story school house
oDe college, one extensive banking house,
etc. Garrett City is most handsomely sit
uated near the geographical center Of the
country upon beautiful plateau which
gently inclines toward the Potiawstomie
! river, and from the city q landscape unex-
celled for grandeur meets the vision wher-
ever the eye is turned. The land surround
ing the town, in fact ell over the country, is
proven by practical farmers who are CON
sidered 80 be the most competent judges) to
be as rich land as ever was stirred by the
pow, well adapted to all the cereals Wheat,
corn, and oats were never of better quail.
ty than they are this year. Stock raising lie
receiving better attention as regards the
selection OF fine thorough breds than in
most places in our Eastern States. AS for
pastures (wild) have never seen better.
Farmers are putting up immense quantities
OF hay, which, owing 10 the plentifu rains
through the summer, is abundsnt and of ex-
cellent quality. Fruit is plenty and cheap.
Everything is obtainable here ct as low
rates as the same articles are in the East,
with the exception of pine lumber, and thas
will be great deal cheaper when we have
our other railroad completed to this place.
In fact there 10 nothing wanting here but
the development of the States natural
wealth. Raw prairie sells ct from three to
eight dollars per acre, and, as railroads are
being constructed over the State in every
direction, land ia going to soon rise out OF
the reach Of the low in purse. We do moi
ask our friends to come and settle here We
only ask them 10 come and take look at
our country, and then We think they will
decide 81 once to make this their permanent
home.
Before closing these brief descriptive
lines | wish to return thanks to Mr.. VIM.
Criss, of Milan, (who, BY the way, 10 a frat
rate man and en- energetic farmer,) for q
copy Of your most valuable paper, the
AaGHs, for one year. consider it rs desir
able 9 present 80 he or ssy one could wish.
Hoping you wall deem this letter worthy of
publication remain yours, etc.
!. A. ]. oILAR.