The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-06-27
EDITORIAL JOTTlNGs.
In IllinOis-Thr CrOPs-Hard Workers
Eating Houses. Etc.

find it something of an undertaking
to keep cool" here. The song of
''little snow-bird in the tree" has
beauties never before appreciated.
This portion of Illinois is rather
level, and has a good deal of timber.
Leaving out the trees, it would look
very much like some of the leveler
portions of Kansas. The soil looks
thin and poor, and ranges from q
yellow clay to dark, ashley color.
but 1t seems to raise good crops,
and the farmers generally look pros
porous. 1t certainly is good wheat
country. Last year we remember
of seeing here in Richland county
the best wheat between the Neosho
and the Potomac, except a little
strip in Maryland. And now the
wheat is larger, more forward and
promises better than anywhere be-
tween Emporia and this point.
Spring wheat does no good here,
and is not raised at all. Corn and
oats look tolerably well, but in these
crops, Kansas can beat this section.
West of st. Louis fifty or seventy
five miles, the wheat is very poor.
1t is short, thin on the ground, and
is not good color.
The season here, as we'll as in
Kansas, has been very backward
and wet. The farmers are badly
behind with their work, and are
working day and night to catch up.
We do not remember to have seen
a more Industrious set of people.
On many of the farms in this neigh
borhood, the breakfast bells ring at
5 q. M, and soon thereafter the men
are in the fields. In many instan-
ces the women turn out with hoes
in their hands and work hard all
day. "Early to bed and early to
rise" is certainly a very popular
maxim here. 'The undersigned"
has never been distinguished for a
faithful practice of the late Mr..
Franklin's advice as above quoted,
and it would probably cause smile
TO appear on the faces of some of
his loving friends to find him stir
ring about these bright summer
mornings several hours in advance
of his usual custom. But the old
gentleman who formerly watched
over our welfare, follows Franklin's
maxim very closely, and there is no
use talking. 1t is strange what an
influence early education eXerts on
one. When boy we would not
for moment be guilty of hurting
the governors" feelings by wait
ing to be called twice in the morn
ing, because the aforesaid governor
was q firm believer in the wisdom
of Solomon, especially in his obser-
walton in relation to the use of the
rod. So we find ourself "piling
out" as in days of yore, on the first
notification. Our "sarkasum" about
going to bed at shutdown and get
ting up sometime in the night has
no effect whatever at "these head
quarters"
Olney is a place of about $500 or
1000 inhabitants, and improves
considerably every year. The site
is level and the city is scattered con-
siderably. 1t has a fine school
building, some nice residences and
usiness houses, and does a large
trade. The worst thing about it is
its general ragged and sleepy ap-
pearence. A general fixing up of
fences, sidewalks, houses, and free
use of paint would add much to its
surroundings. 1t has large mills, a
carding machine, two patent news
papers, etc. The country around is
rather beautiful, and is being i'm
proved every year. The people are
industrious and thrifty. The Ohio
and Mississippi railroad runs
through tie county, and there is
talk of road from north to south
through Olney, the county seat.
We are eight miles from Olney, and
not far from Embarrass river, a
stream about the size of the Cotton
wood. Land here is held at from
$50 to $50 per acre. Corn sells at
from 30 to 40 cts, oats, % cts, wheat
s l,2j, cord wood 81 to $3.50. The
country is we'll timbered with jack
oak, water oak, white oak, hickory,
ash and Cottonwood. Most of the
timber back from the streams is
young, and il has evidently been
but few years since the prairies
were as naked as those of Kansas.
With the exception of this imme-
date locality the crops in the Vicin-
ity of Emporia look as well as any
we saw on the road.
The NJ. X. and Il. road we found
in most excellent condition. The
trains make good connections, the
officers are very attentive TO travel
ers, and at Parsons we took a mag
nificent sleeping car, which we did
not leave until we arrived at st.
Louis. We were informed that in
few days this sleeping ear will
run through to Emporia. We can
recommend this route to both West
efn and Eastern travellers, as all its
appointments are first-class, and it
passes through beautiful country.
Parsons, where we stopped for
dinner, has more than doubled since
our last visit. 1T VIII make large
town.
One thing we wish to condemn,
and that is the practice OF the eat
ing houses along the railroads in
chaging such exhorbitant prices for
meals. They charge ju ST as much
new, when everything in the pro-
vision line is cheaper than eyer be-
fore, as they did when provisions
were high. A person goes into one
of these and probably cats Is cents
worth of food. The inevitable 20
cts. always greets the travellers ear
at the door, Most every person
goes away feeling that they are
aud TO tell the truth. these
n =