Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-09-16
LETTER FROM KANSAS.

arriving about four weeks ago, | have
visited several large towns. Lawrence,
where we stop, Ottawa, Topeka, and
Olathe. From here Ottawa is about
thirty miles south and Topeka thirty
miles west. Besides going to these
towns | have travelled some through
different parts of the country, and seen
a good deal of it.
Our first impression of Kansas. as we
struck the soil, just out of Kansas City,
were not very fattering. Soil covered
with scrubby timber, or rank weeds, it
did not look inviting. But still we no.
ticed after little, as the cars whirled
us toward Lawrence, that gigantic corn
grew where it was planted, and we soon
found ourselves calling the attention of
one another to its monstrous growth.
Just tasseling out, it was already full
two feet high, and babe fair to be two
or three feet higher The bottom lands
of the Kansas River, or Kaw, as it is
here called, are very rich for corn. Last
week in going west from here to Topeka,
we passed through cornfelds that sur
passed anything before seen. For about
ten miles west of Granville, it was
solid mass of corn the whole way. It
would average about twelve feet high,
and as | stood on the car platform, the
road gradings the height of the platform,
and my own extensive length, just ena-
bled me to look even at the top Of the
stocks The whole ten miles was brok-
en- only by space here and there, of
thirty feet for road, or two feet for
fence. This bottom land territory was
from half mile to two miles in width.
AS Drs. Curry and Abel Stevens were
passing along the same route while
ago, and DR.. Stevens lost in admiration
at the vastness of this product in Kansas
cried, "Why can't we have corn cake
now and then in New York %
Of the general features of Kansas,
much might be written. 1t is mostly
high prairie, aside from the alluvial bot
tom lands along the rivers, or creeks
|
The prairie is high, generally and more
rolling than had supposed. Often a
ridge of fifty or more feet will rise quite
sharp, and dead level. is not to be
found, save along the bottoms. Timber
is scarce. The pine for building, is en-
tirely brought from the north-mostly
from Chicago. Hickory, blackwalnut,
sycamore. cottonwood, oak, &C., grow
along the rivers and creeks. None of
these kinds are used for building, save
for temporary cabins. They furnish
fencing, fuel, &c. Wood costs in town
per cord about S.. Sycamores grow to
giant size. Three of us were only able
to touch finger tips about some we found
the other day.
Water in the streams is muddy, and
useless except for cattle. But here and
there good springs gush out, and fair
wells are found by digging from ten to
thirty feet. On most prairies rock is
found after digging u few feet, through
which it is necessary to blast.
Coal of fair quality is found about
the state, and furnishes the home mar
ket. Good building stone is found in
abundance and at Junction City there
is quarry, that is used extensively fol
facing and fine work that is of superior
quality. 1t is soft at first, so it car
readily be sawed with crosscut saw
The State house at Topeka is built Of
this, and presents fine appearance
In another article may give you de-
tailed account of some of the public
buildings of the State.
Large towns are springing up on every
side. Monday / passed one of TIVE
years growth. 1t contained about eigh
; hundred inhabitants, and has severa
public buildings of worth, among then
I three finished and dedicated churches
! Six years ago Ottawa was prairie, nov
/ it has 5000 inhabitants. Lawrence ant
Topeka are fine cities, each with abou
twelve thousand people. In the forme
) I have seen two or three charred ruin
of houses that have not been rebuilt
since Horace Greeley's brother Guam
trell, sacked and burnt the city, an,
/ massacred so many of the people.
3 man, who the other night was going u
our street to Greeley meeting, wa
9 choked and otherwise severely handle
: by Col. Walker, for blatantly affirm
4 ing that Quantrell did right in sackin
q Lawrence.
The houses of the State, outside O
8 the towns, are not SO fine as the Yer
2 mont farm-houses. Lumber is dear, an
1 the first installment of houses in mos
s cases still remain. Doubtless in du
% time better and more commodious one
9 will be built. The absence of goo
: barns is surprising. But few are to /
2 seen. Cattle do very we'll out all viii
9 ter, and the fodder is stacked. A she
5 or apology for barn every farmer US,
% ally has, for his horses and mules.
10 The winter wheat crop was a tot;
:. failure this year. The winter was tt
oo1I fo,. ~ onI ovorx, MAN L. =,