The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1872-04-26
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THE SOUTHWEST.

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The following is an extract from a
letter written by w. c. Woodman of
this place to a friend in st. Louis.
which We clip from the st. Louis
Democrat into whose hands it some
how fell. 1t SAYS:
you ask my views of the Usage
country. Igivc you them as the result
| of two years close observation in the
Usage valley of the Arkansas river.
In what am about to say, Kansas
and the Usage valley of the Arkansas
are distinctions important to be re-
mcmbercd. Kansas as state is as
beautiful as the faircst picture: but it
embraces many varieties and qualities
of soil. Many good and very many
miserably poor lands, and the good
and bad often lying SO near each other
that one section may be worth fifty
dollars per acre, and the adjoining sec
ton so reproductive as to be utterly
worthless. Hence there is great risk
i'll investing in lands here. except upon
actual observations. In Eastern Kan
sas. the valleys, without underlying
hard-pall. are good. but those valleys
are narrow. breaking abruptly into up
lands, which are rocky, ridgy and film
ty, clothed in summer with a light,
short growth of spreading bunch grass.
making good herding and grazing
grounds, where the rock and flint are
not so shgrp as to lame or cripple cat /
tie. When Ispeak of the Usage valley
of the Arkansas leave those high and /
fiinty hills and refer to the country I
commencing ut the Whitewater. or /
western boundary of Butler county and /
extending westward to the plains, some
sixty to eighty miles, from the fifth
parallel on the north, extending south
and west far into the Indian Nation.
embracing Sedgwick. Sumner. Cow
ley. and other counties living south
west of this place. | write from nv
present home in Wichita. Here but
two short years ago, i'll this beautiful
valley (this region is all vallev) me-
andered by a thousand silver streams.
carpetcd in spring and summer with
most llxuriant grass from one to ten
feet high, embelished with an endless
variety of most brilliant hucd and fra
grant flowers. In this valley of the
Arkansas, this country of the Usage.
plenty, Opulence and ease awaits the
energetic business man.
But two short years ago the Usage, the
Cheyenne and the ArapahOe, Slaughter
er at will buffalo, elk. antelope and
deer, from the vast herds which roam
I'd and grazed in this valley. To-day.
his city, Wichita, has population of
800 souls, and the counties of which |
speak teen with population and thrift.
ire dotted all over " it'll towns. post-of-
ices, churches and school houses.
n a. al no
the advantage of a railroad
until recently within hundred miles
# us. learn with sorrow of many
antilles from the older states. who
anne out last fall with their little all,
ceklng homes i'll Kansas, and after
angling over the rugged uplands Of the
aStern part of the state, returned bro
en III spirit and estate. Parties here
ow speak of meeting such by hum
reds on their Respondent return. If
UGH cmigrants had come into this val
~ they never would have returned.
)ur soil is black vegetable mould.
rom three to ten feet deep, has a slight
dmixture of sand, is always ready for
he pillow, never bakes. and is never
luddy only for few hours after rain
Ills. 1t is warm, quick and active.
Gliding abundantly all kinds of farm
nd garden products, is really wonder
ii in righteousness. Water of the
est quality, soft and pure. is abund-
ut everywhere. Building and fencing j
mber is scarce. Wood. suitable for
lel plenty at 81 cord. Plenty of
BOD building stone and excellent CLAW
# brick. Discoveries of coal have
zen made in the valley. Climate de-
ghtful. A blanket was desirable for
'vering every night last summer. so
'ol was the night air. Timely and xii
,undant rains fall here: drouths are
lusal. Scarcely any snow fell here
st winter--the deepesg was from two
three inches, and melted in few u
'urs after falling. Roaos were very
le all last winter. The Climate here
subject to some sudden changes from 7
lii to cold, but with soft, dry at =
Dsphcre such changes are not severe SIP
felt. A railroad will be completed
this young city about the first of
ny, 1872, and the vast herds of Texas
tile reaching here will be shipped
I'm this point by rail during the com
: summer, Some six or eight hun
ed thousand head Of cattle passed I
re last summer. We cannot conjec- sta
re what the number will be this sea-
n. The business last year was sue O
sion OF heavy losses to drovers. and The
IS thought on that account much pri
: number will be driven from Texas An
this point in 1872" MORGAN. orr ORR
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