The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1873-10-03
LETTER FROM KANSAS.

--... BURRTON, KAN, Sep. q, '73.
EDS. JRFF.-As this is Sunday, and
a rainy, lonesome day-and having
no church In reach, l thought l would
pen few lines for your columns.-
Since / last wrote you, 1 have located
in Harvey Co, Kan, two and one
half miles south from Barton, q vii
lage situated on the Atchison, Topeka
and Sante Fe Railroad, and about
thirty-tive miles northeast from
where the Little Arkansas empties
into the Big Arkansas, and between
the two rivers-and think tthe finest
country in the State-not troubled
with any timber or rock. Fine soil,
black sandy loan, from one to three
feet in depth. Subsoil and yellow
clay mixed. Some parts of the
State have suffered this season from
drouth, but where 1 am situated, being
between the two Arkansas rivers, we
have felt no effects OF it. Had ex-
cellent wheat and oats in the valley
this season, and corn is yielding
abundsntly. Potatoe have been
some destroyed by potatoe bugs and
webb-worms-but will. an aver
age yield. We have been feasting
upon melons since the first Of August.
which will continue till frost kills the
vines. Have had water melons that
exceed two feet in length, raised up
on sod ground, just broken up this
season, without any cultivation. We
fad no trouble in raising anything
we plant and eultivate-and iG Ger.
tainly goes ahead of any country
have ever seen for vines of every
desc rption.
Our little town of Burton Is quite !
3 tiourishing little place, only six
months in building, and has several |
active business houses, and 3 fine !
school building just completed. We
think it the best place for persons
coming west to locate there is in the
State, as it has excellent land sur
rounding it, and good railroad facll'-
lies. This county has only been two
years in settling, and is now far
ahead of other parts OF Kansas that
has been settled five or six years =
Begins to look like en- old farming
The Government lands are
all taken up by actual settlers, ard
some railroad lands are being cold.
We have school houses dotted all
over the country, and, in fact, i'm
provements Of every description are
being made ss speedily as possible
We have no running streams near.
except the two rivers, hut have coca
sional lakes on the prairie, and have
no trouble in getting plenty Of water
by digging the depth Of ten or fifteen
feet, and get the water in a quick
,and. You may think, as we have no
timber, that fuel is scarce, but we have
,oal shipped US on the railroad, and
he supposition Is tnat plenty Of coal
,ould be found between the two
Arkansas rivers. Many persons burn
,orn, which is Q good substitute as
-uel. In regard TO fencing we have
! herd law, and need no fences until
Ee can grow them, and for building
purposes we buy the pine lumber.
The health Of the country is so
yood thst doctors are starving cut,
md must look elsewhere for some
4
hing 10 do in their line Of business
or, if they remain here, they must
Ill the soil.
We have plenty of game in the
7slley, antelope, prairie chiekens, &c,
which Aford great amusement to the
hunters, and are excellent for their
neat. The rattlesnakes, though not
70 useful, have been very numerous
his season. When we send the
.atiles East to our friends they think
hem quite novelty. While cutting
lp corn 8 few days since, killed 2
Of medium size, the rat
les OF which / enclose to the editor.
ID. Z. KRAMER.