The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1872-07-05
kentucky AND KANSAS.
tive Advantages ef the two states.


to the Cowier-Joprnal, from a native Of
Kentucky. from Towanda, Butler
county Kansas. We think it will be Of
inteust TO those Of our readers who con.
template emigrating TO that State. 1t !:
al fan, impartial representation of the
best part Of Kansas.
"Bcing native Of Kentucky, and
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Of contributingas much
as can to the interest or qualification
q Mntuckians, I propose to say few
things through your valuable paper rela.
tive to a small district pf counry in
Southwest Kansas. | do not propose Ia
say anything that has been told me.
That.1 could have done before I left
Kentucky. Only tospeak ofwhat have
seen. have Travelled through Marion,
Sedgwick, Summer, Butler and a por-
ton of Cowley. This county Buttler, }
has fifteen hundred and twelve square
miles, or 6,04S quarter sections of land
Of l60 acres each. The other four coun-
ties mentioned have about the same
number Of sections, making the aggre-
gate, about 10000 quarter sections; and
! am confident that eight out of every
ten acres will raise ten barrels Of corn to
the acre, and, from the amount Of snow
that falls during winter, it is confidently
hoped that it will be first-class for wheat,
rye and oats, Garden stuff and vines
are a success certainly. And what |
have seen in the way Of fruit is very
good, there not being many trees from
which to judge ;Eet what there are, prom
isc 50 well that nearly every farmer has
planted out from one to three hundred
trees. The water ON this side of the Ar
kansas river is like that in Kentucky,
hard limestone. On the other side (west)
lis freestonc, slightly mixed with min
erals. 1t can be procured anywhere by
digging from twenty-five to fifty fee,
The Arkansas river is the most impor-
tant stream in this part Of Kansas, will
average about 40 feet in width, very
shallow, the bottom of which Is a rolling
led Of sand. The lands upon the Ar.
kansas are from five to twelve miles wide
in the bottoms, perfectly level, and, to !
iarIasr from the mountains of Kentucky,
seaptifal. The soil in the bottoms Is
from two to three feet deep, underlayed
by substratum of sand to depth un-
known. Water can be had by digging
to the depth of six or eight feet, or to the
level of theriver surface, proving conclus-
lively that the sand-bed underlying the val
lev us saturated by the water from the riv-
er, makingits true width the entire extent
of the valley through which it runs. 1t
is claimed by citizens in the valley and
the mushroom town of Wichita that the
Arkansas river valley is thoroughly sub
irrigated; that by porus or capillary at
traction the water would be attracted to
the surface sufficient for any vegetation.
How that may be, you must form your
own opinions. The surface has consid-
erable sand, and / think too much insome
parts. Yet on the sandiest parts the
and particularly the corn,
was growing luxuriantly.
As to the health of the Arkansas val
ley, (you will pardon me if | spend my
opinion too freeley, and am confident
that no one will be offended unless this
should meet the eye of some one living
in the wickedest town l have ever seen
west of the Missippi river-Wichita y
it is a most billious-looking district, must
raise a fine crop Of chills every year.
The bottoms on the other streams, Big
and Little Walnut. Whitewater, Cow
skin, Ninnescah, and Slate creek, are
from half mile to three miles wide,
very rich, and more or less subjected to
chills. The high praries between the
streams regard the best location, all
things considered, crops, health, &c,
except for stock water. Yet that diff
guilty can he overcome by making artifi-
,ial ponds, or attaching windmills to the
wells and raisingthe water. As to the
power, there is an inexhaustable supply,
sufficient to run all the windmills in the
world.
4 II 4
There are many Kentuckians in this
part Of Kansas. One settlement from
iear Lebanon KY, on little Walnut /;
me from Lincoln and Garrard, in Ma
ion county; in fact, some from every
,ounty, even ROckcastle and Laurel.
The Lord knowsTHEY ought to be pleased.
All the States North are well represented,
md our universal opinion is that South
vest Kansas, for farming and stock-rais-
ng, contains all the natural elements
lecessary.
There are some objections of course.
Where is there a country that has no
aultsi The bluegrass region in Ken
ucky perhaps has as Few faults as any
,ountry Ca earth. But it has one very
one. and that is, it takes too
much money TO get toe hoh. That is not
heobjection here now, but il will be, and
hat before many years. The faults l
nave now are. there Is too much wind,
lot enough timber, some chills, &C.,
But take It as you find it. and there are