The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-03-19
Kansas Correspondence.
CoNcoRDrA, Feb. 25th 1879.


Mr.. Editor:-I ask the privilege of
taking advantage of your columns to
answer the many letters that reach me
from friends in Vermont inquiring about
Kansas. To answer most of them singly
would involve an elaborate description of
each county of the state, its soil, climate
and people, its prospects and retrospects.
[ should have to enter into detail to such
an extent as to require personal visit
to each county accompanied by a botanist
to write up its fora, mineralogist to
search for coal, diamonds and the phioso-
piers stone, a disciple Of Agassy to
describe its fauna, Typographical survey
er to furnish a scientific description of
the surface and an agricultural chemist
to analyze the soil and report what kinds
of grass, fruits and vegetables can be sue
cessfully grown there.
1t would be necessary to ascertain its
precise latitude and longitude, what is
othermal lines pass through it, its exact
distance from all the principle cities and
towns in Kansas and finally should be
required to introduce voluminous extracts
from Kansas history to prove that Old
John Brown had scalped some notorious
} border ruffians and killed many buffalo
and Jack rabbit upon its historical soil
, From these reports and investigations |
should have to make up an answer, after
, the manner of scientific journalist and
mail, in very large envelope to each of
7 my inquirers.
. But Mr.. Editor, my time, (being by
profession milkman) financial condition
/, and imperfect scientific attainments will
{ hardly warrant such an elaborate answer.
7 Anxious inquirers will have to be disap.
t pointed. propose simply to draw upon
@ the resources of my own limited knowledge
1 and experience and write few plain
facts about Kansas, but more particular
h ly this portion of the state. l trust
: shall neither exagerate nor underate lis
J. merits.
i This is the great homestead and pre-.
: emption region of Kansas. No twenty
d miles wide railroad grants traverse the
d country in all directions as in most other
d portions of the state limiting the settler
}. to eighty, instead of l60, acres. Here
o the settlers can take full quarter sec
70 tion and choose his own location.
e Do not infer that | am opposed Il
n granting land to R. R. companies, tina
is all we'll enough and wise on the par
= of the government when the object is t(
e induce tho settlement of portions of ou
s, domain that would not otherwise b
l settled. But northwest Kansas need
'r no railroad to induce immigration, as tn,
k monthly reports Of entries at our lam
rs Office in Concordia will show. 1t i
l settling with rapidity unprecedented il
,r in the history of the state. Our beauti
N full valleys and broad prairies furnisl
the necessary inducement.
t. Railroads are quick to scent the tract
to of emigration, and we do not spend sleep
Of less nj ghts or gloomy days fearing W
gs shall never hear the animating whistle o
the locomotive AS for this county,
y expects to enjoy full railroad communi
as cation with the rest of the world by mex
of fall. We voted bonds last fall in aid q
ut the Central Branch U. p. r. r , which
OF according to contract, is to be complete
u the west line of the county by mex
lis November. We shall not suffer for til
want Of railroad before that time.
It, A railroad is projected up the Solomo
ut river which will no doubt be built at n
| distant day. These two roads will Civ
On Northwest Kansas ample railroad facil
ou ties. So much for railroad prospects.
er speak of these first because invariabl
tn the first question asked is about railroad
y. The next is an invariably about
nu CLIMATE.
This is far more difficult to treat of tina
LIS railroads. | presume no person eve
ut came or ever will come to Kansas will
m out being disappointed in the cimat
in New corners, without exception, find til
At "too windy country to suit them
ID. Before they leave the sheltered val,
do of New England they understand the,
'rs winds to be gentle zephers "flled wit
ID balm" ever so softly signing among Il
,al leaves and flowers. After their arriv
is, they find the breezcs do sigh through Il
IN leaves but that they, not unfrequentl
in take large portion Of the leaves alor
is with them.
Ike The wind is unquestonably the mo
Of disagreable feature of Kansas climate
lat yet there are few things that have n
Bile some good in them. After a residen,
ity of few years it will be plain to IL
Ire cursury observer that if it were not f
ip- the almost constant breeze, fever al
ith ague and such diseases would be f
'ry more prevalent in consequence of
u.s. much decaying vegetation. As it is, 1
ain masmatic oders are quickly dissipat,
an and the air kept constantly pure and
i'd, vigorating. Those afflicted with pu
a monary diseases may expect to find I
ce. lief here.
she There is one feature of our china
has that 1 would not especially recommeu
oe, the sudden change of temperature in
yer seasons of the year. Though there
ms. very little complaint of colds &c, resu
ion ing therefrom these changes are far frc
lew agreeable.
ar The winters, judging from last wint
ses and this one so far, are nearly as &C
lrt- and long as your Vermont winters, &c
lelr eral impressions east to the contrary NJ
'ies withstanding. The fall of snow howev
are is very slight.
md This winter the ground froze abo
ing the middle of November and has renal
yet ed frozen ever since to Feb. 25th. Ploug
lew ing can generally be commenced abe
the Goth of March, though in some yet
.om much sooner. Late frosts are comm
led in Kansas, however, and it is not safe
in. plant anything that is liable to be inj,
all ed by frest until the middle of Ap
ex. or perhaps later In the month of Ap
Dor. 70 and II and on the 10Th of May
.;na we had severe frosts which did consid
po1 able injury.
ms The summers | fnd, are far me