The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1872-04-12
Correspondence Of the EAGLE.
THE ARKANSAS VALLEY.
HUTCHINSON. RENO Co. Kansas. }

EDITOR EAGLE: In attempting to
outline the most striking characteris-
tics of the Arkansas Valley, one natur-
ally commences with the River which
flows through the valley.
THE ARKANSAS RIVER.
pronounced according TO the best aui-
thority of the state bearing that name,
Acknowledgement on the first syIla-
ble) is one of the largest streams in the
United States, as its winding course
measures little less than 1000 miles. 1t
rises in Colorado Territory, latitude
lO6 1-2 dogs. west Of Greenwich, and
longltue 80 10 dogs. north. Its source
is in the Rocky Mountains, at an alti-
tude of about ten thousand feet above
the ocean, where it flows from the
base Of Mount Lincoln, one hundred
] miles southwest Of Denver, and imme-
diatcly to the west Of that delightful,
but almost inaccessible region known
as the South Park of Colorado. Grand
River takes its rise i'm the immediate
vicinity and flowing westward unites
with Green River. and these cOmming-
led torrents are thereafter known as
the Colorado of the West, which flows
into the Gulf of California, at a dis
lance Of 500 miles in an air line from
the head Of the Arkansas. The latter
stream, intent upon an eastern outlet,
breaking through invurnerable moun-
tain barriers, hcws for itself gOrges
and canOns in the eternal rock, floods
over precipices, receives innumerable
tributary rivulets fOaming with clear
blue water from the mountain sides,
and finally, after as rapid run of two
hundred miles as river ever made, de-
bouches into what may be termed the
upper plain region of South Colorado.
From thence its flow due eastward is
more tranquil, but yet very rapid. In
Colorado it receives several large trIb-
utaries, most Of them rising in the
Rocky Mountains, among which are
Greenhorn, HucrfanO, Apishpa, Tin
pas, Purgatoire, Squirrel, Little Sandy,
Big Sandy, &c. The Arkansas enters
Kansas Is miles north of the south line
of the State. runs due east 14O miles.
and then makes an angle to the north
east about Is miles, whence it DIVORCES
to the southeast forming what is known
as ''the Big Bend of the Arkansas
River. AT this point is situated Fort
Zarali, an abandoned government post.
The course of the Arkansas from Ft.
Zarah is southeast, to the state line. a
distance of $50 miles. where it enters
the Indian Territory. Its general
course hence is little south of east, +
until it enters the Mississippi River,
in the state of Arkansas, at a point /
midway between Memphis and Vicks-
burg. 1t must be remembered that the
distances above given are in direct /
lines and not by the windings of the
stream. The Arkansas is broad .
shallow stream, but SD far as l have
seen it, is unlike the Platte in that it
has well defined banks and few islands.
Its banks are very low, varying from
four to ten feet in height. But We
come now to one of the most remarka-
bic features of the river. Although
draining country before reaching
Central Kansas, larger than all New
England, and although it carries the
torrents from the melting SHOWS ofonc
half of Colorado, il never flows outside
its shallow bed. Its banks during May
aud June are nearly full, and apparent
ly its vast and rapid waters are about
to flood and dcvastate the entire valley,
but it is curiously kept from injury
and caused to work great benefit to
the Valley. or, at least to the soil of
the lower bottom lands.
This remarkable phenomenon is ca
sily accounted for, when the facts are
understood. The bed of the river, at
least throughout its course in Colola-
do and Kansas, is composed of sand
and gravel. and the subsoil of the adja-
cent lands consisting of the same mate
rial, the super abundant waters spread
through this subsOil. i'll
stead of overlooking the surface if the
country, as would be the case Of the
subsOil was composed of clay. So
does the porus subsoil
drink up this river. that last summer,
a winter of extraordinarily
light fall of snow in-the mountains. the
bed of the river was in places absolute +
~ dry, although water could be OBJ
tanned short distance below the sur
face, where in reality the river was
flowing in the gravel.
The attention of the impatient read
er is now invited to that portion of the
Valley below Big Bend, which proba-
bly, includes the largest amount Of till
able valley land to be found in an equal
distance along any stream in the Uni
ted States. The river varies in width
quite considerably in this distance of
POO miles of windings. but have only
accurate figures at two places
At Hutchinson the measurement for
the bridge shows width of 1853 feet.
while at Wichita, 10 miles farther
down the stream, the bridge will be
loco feet long, with a short ill at each
end.
TIE VALLEY AND SOIL
The word valley is ordinarily appli-
cd to such lands. called in the west
''bottoms," as are adjacent to a stream
and considerably lower than the up
lands or hills which lie farther from
the stream. Applying the word strict
~ in this sense. it is difficult to tell
the width of the Arkansas Valley.
There is occasionally tract ofland on
the margin of the river, which is SO
low that il is too wet for cultivation