Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-10-04
From Our Travelling COrresp Ondent.

I MANHATTAN, KANSAS, Sept. q, 1871
EDITOR CHRoNICLE:- My last
communication left me on the way tC
the Indian Territory. spent foul
days in the last of August in COM
pany with Capt. Marvin of the NJ. X.
and T. Road, at the southern end OF
the track, which now runs about
about eighty-five miles below the
Kansas State line and within a few
miles of the Arkansas river. While we
were there the con Dtractor was laying
about six miles OF track day with a
force of one hundred and twenty-five
men. This is the only road which
has secured the right of way through
the Indian Territory. 1t is the in
tention of the Company to push on
10 Galveston, expecting to get large
cattle and cotton trade as soon as they
get into Texas. In fact cotton is now
freighted from Texas to the end of
their road, a distance of two hundred
and fifty miles; which shows that
when the Missouri, Kansas and Texas
road reaches the State of Texas, cotton
may be expected to take that course
to market. Kansas people think that
cotton can be manufactured in Kan
sas as well as in New England. Why
not?
Chetopa, the last town on the above
Rail Road in Kansas, for several
months enjoyed the felicity of being
the terminus of the road ; and, on the
strength of that, grew to "A size and
importance which / find she cannot
maintain: though she still has con-
siderable trade with the Indians and
half-breeds in the territory. Labette
Co., in which is Chetopa, and Mont
gomery Co. west, both on the southern
boundary Of the state, are good
agricultural counties, well watered
throughout.
At Humboldt in Allen Co. I met
our friends AIcElroy and Sherman,
both graduates of the CHRONICLE
office, and both as you know doing
credit to their early instruction by
the liveliest paper in
Southern Kansas. They are both
loud in their praises of Kansas, and
think Humboldt is the new "hub "
Of creation. 1t is q fine town; has
good railroad facilities, and is now
reaching out after manufacture
That is what all of these Kansa
towns must do sooner or later, aud /
those which learn the lesson soonest |
will get the best of their neighbors.
lola, the county seat of the same /
county and only eight miles from /
Humboldt, is Humboldt's rival in all 1
,hings. lola has just secured a large
Of Kings iron bridges"
which is now in operation employing
lbout eighty hands; ergo, Humboldt
s negotiating for rival factory which
hall be ten feet longer and four feet
wider. On Saturday the 9th inst.
Revs. Lewis, of Humboldt, and Stod-
lard, of Independence, and myself
made flying visit to Rev. Howard
". StrattOn at lola, formerly of
Warren. We found him and family
.njOying farm life on a fine forty acre
rack about a mile from lola and
the town. Mr.. Stratton's
characteristic energy is making q
'eautiful home for his family, while
lis parishoners do not go neglected
or his farm. !,
Leaving lola spent week at In
in Montgomery county. :
This is a year old town and has all
he energy of youth. They failed of
citing the LeavenwOrth, Lawrence
nd Galveston Road which ran along
he eastern edge of the county; but
hey are now negotiating for a ten
nile branch to run to independence,
7hich branch will undoubtedly be-
ONE the main line. Independence
J in the centre of one of the finest {
ounties of Southern Kansas; a county l
'hich is neither cursed by rail road I
lnds nor lands held by spectators,
5 is the case with most counties in
le state. There is scarcely quarter
eetion in the county which has not .
settler and his family on it. The :
,wn of Indepenpenee is beautifully :
tuated on the south west side of the {
'erdigris River, and / think is des- I
ned to be a town ofsome importance.
he land office was to have been '
loved there from Humboldt on the l
)th inst, but the Humboldt people :,
e making Herculean efforts to re- =
in it, and, understand, have so =
r succeeded as TO get the removal Z
Ispended for a time. OF Emporia !
I'd the towns along the Kansas river =
the future tell. !,
Yours very truly, q
N.Y.. y