Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-02-16
For the REPUBLIcA
A TOUR WEST.

MEssRs, EDIToRs:-1n our last
communication to your paper We
promised to say something in re-
gard to the obstacles, met with
by emigrants to Kansas. The first
of these which we will mention, is
the violence of the Wind.
Although this annoyance is not
noticed by persons coming from
other Prairie States to Kansas: as
the wind is no more violent here,
than in other Prairie States. Yet
persons coming from Timber States
are much annoyed by it. 1t is not
true however that the wind blows
constant gale here. If l had re-
mained in the State two or three
days only; 1 would have thought
Kansas a land of perpetual storms.
But in few days after my arrival
the wind ceased blowing, and the
weather became calm; and remained
so, for a number of days in success
sion. When the wind is high it
blows constant gale in one direc-
ton, and does not whirl about, in
every direction, as it does in Ohio,
or in other Timbered States. Very
little damage is done here by violent
winds. Indeed they are turned in
to good account Windmills are
constructed for grinding grain, and
for other mechanical purposes.
The sudden changes in the tenn
perature of the atmosphere, during
the winter months is more objec-
tionable feature. The day before
my arrival in Kansas, Jan. 8, the
farmers were blowing in their shirt
sleeves. But on the day after my
arrival, the thermometer indicated a
temperature of 10 degrees below
zero. The effects of these sudden
transitions, from warmth to extreme
cold, is very severe on both man and
beast. But the extreme cold only
continued a few days, until it mod
Grated to such an extent, that the
bees, and other insects were flying
about. The time of feeding stock
here is shorter by two months than
it is In Ohio.
The mud is of tar like appear
ance, and adheres with unyielding
pertinacity to anything it touches.
But it is remarkable that the mud
never gets deep on the roads; which
are always very fine in all seasons
of the year. The snow falls some
times to the depth of foot or more.
But unfortunately the wind is usual
ly high at the time ofits falling; and
is consequently drifted off of some
portions Of the roads land piled up
in other portions, so as to make them
almost and in some instances alto
gether impossible. So that sleigh
ing will never amount to much in
in the latitude. By the way,there is
a larger and more beautifully plum
aged snowbird here than 1 ever met
with anywhere else.
The price of land and other prop
erty in and about the Capital is so
exorbitantly high, that person COM
ing from any Of the older settlements
would have to locate on a less
amount of property here, than he
possessed in his former location.
For example; good residence in
Topeka Kan. is valued at $4,000.
And farm adjacent to the city, is
held at 5000 per acre. And farms
at a distance of four miles are val
ued at 500 per acre. And wild
lands at the same distance from the
city are considered worth $50 per
acre. But as good land as there is
in the State, may be obtained for So
or So per acre, by going back from
the old towns. And that too, within
four or five miles of railroad sta
tions.
The want of a proper Distribu-
tion of water is the greatest objec-
tion 1 find to Kansas. There are
thousands of acres of land in one
body, that in dry season, have
no stock-water above ground. In
that case the stock would have to be
driven for miles to water,or else the
water would have to be pumped from
wells. Water is said to be obtained
readily by digging, at the distance
Of from fifteen to thirty feet. The
deficiency of stock-water might be
remedied to a great extent by MAX
ing artificial pools. Which would
be filled during the wet season and
would thus furnish stock water dur
ing the drouth. ...
Congenial society is not always
met with in Kansas. There is a
conglomeration of people here from
all the States in the Union; and
from several States and Countries,
not embraced in our government.
So that it is not strange that we do
not always find ourselves at home in
the society we meet with. The best
way to insure in this respect, would
be to form colonies and settle in To-
cations, not preoccupied by settlers.
And where land could be obtained
by preempting, or for an almost
nominal sum.
The lack of timber is scarcely an
objection. AS the limestone rock
furnishes an abundance of building
material, and may everywhere be
obtained. And the Usage Orange
will in a. few years make hedge suf-
ficient to protect the crops against
all intruders. And there is an abun-
dance of coal for fuel.
Sheep raising can not be made
profitable here for many years to
come. A number of men have al,
ready sunk large fortunes in the at
tempt. The grazing is excellent.
But the wolves are an inseperable
barrier to successful sheep-raising.
l was told by man that had exper-
imented in that business; that while
the shepherds were keeping watch
over their tiocks, in broad day light,
prairie wolf would leap from his
den, and carry off lamb, making
good his retreat to his burrow in the
ground. Cattle raising however is
very profitable. As they will flour
ish on grass nine months in the
year, and prairie wolves will not dis
turb anything of the COW kline. The
raising of hogs in pens, or small
lots, is also very profitable, as great