Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-02-14
Letter From Kansas.
The Journey ChIcago-Cio-e Hotel Quar-
ter-- Frontier The People Prices
weather Wind Chance fora Miller
HeaIth-CIimaIe and Soil
January 23d, 1878.

over the different Iron Works and Stove
Founderies, and the 18th of November,
the day before election, LEFT there for
Kansas. Stopped over in Chicago few
days and walked over the burnt district,
and visited what other places of interest
we could conveniently-all the horse
cars and buss lines being laid up by the
Epizootic, and the sight seer there at
that time found Chicago really city of
magnificent distances, and that was about
all, except an occasional sign of small
pox on the door Of some unfortunate's
dwelling, and we walked by that easy,
holding our breath for block
Chicago in a year will be far in ad
vance of the Chicago Of 1871 before the
fire, so far as architectural beauty can
make it so. The business houses, hotels,
etc., now built and being built there are
equal to any in New York City, or any
other eastern city.
After our freight reached Chicago and
we had re.shipped it, we started again
by way of the Rock Island IL Pacific to
Wilton Junction, Iowa, thence south
west on a branch of the same road to
Atchison, Kansas, when we strike the
Atchison, Topeka & Sante Fe Railroad,
| oroea;nox .Lo M,ssour; p;,ar 81 Atobic0n
on steam ferry. The river at this
point is about like the Connecticut above
the Falls, with the difference of rather
low banks in comparison to those of the
Connecticut. From Atchison we came
to Topeka, stopping there with some
friends over Sunday and visiting the State
House, stone yards, etc., Saturday and
Monday, leaving Monday night fol-
Peace, our final destination. After leav'
ing Topeka we went in south-westerly
direction straight to the much talked OF
frontier, where, according to dime novel.
lists and sensational newspaper men, the
Indian and horse-thief reign supreme
The country generally we found to be a
beautiful rolling Prairie, not level, by
any means, and no mountains, but roll
ing enough for good drainage and inter
spersed with rivers and small streams
every few miles. At Burlingame anC
Usage city, respectively q and 80 mile
southwest of Topeka, we found exten
sive coal mines now being worked ant
the coal shipped in all directions. 1t il
all soft or Bituminous coal, and selling
at 123 cents per bushel, or SO, 13 per tor
delivered on the cars there and forward
ed toany point on this road at 2 cts. PEI
ton per mile. At Newton we enter thu
Arkansas River Valley, passing through
Halsted, Burton, Hutchinson, and Nick
erson, arrived at Peace about o'clock
a. M, 236 miles southwest of Atchison
on the Arkansas River, the wind blow
ing perfect hurricane and cold asGreen
land. We found hotel kept by Yer
monter, Mr.. I'll. ID. Goss, formerly o
St. Johnsbury, who had Just got started
and had but poor accommodation 70
any one, especially women and children
: The house was full and the chamber con
) sisted of one room the full size of tn
house, filled with hunks and all occupied
by strangers, men women and children
all in the same room. We improved
little on this the next day bv hangin,
up an old rag carpet around our beds
making small room for ourselves ant
hanging our extra shawls, overcoats
dresses, etc. around the side of the room
: to keep the wind out, the building bein
merely sided up without any plasterin
: or ceiling inside, the clapboards bein
poor, second class and put ON inche
to the weather, unseasoned lumber an
checked in all directions; the wind wen
terough it like an old sieve, this was
little discouraging, but could not
, helped. The country around here is a
open Prairie, (rolling) the soil a rich
dark sandy loan. We have here tw
dry good stores, blacksmith and cal
riage shop, bakery, lumber and Goa
yard, post-ofice, depot and telegraph
office. The town is only one year old
and we have now population of abou
500, all American emigrants, intelligen
religious and industrious; some Quak
ers, Methodist, Wesleyans, Presbyterians
ana few Catholics (Roman.) We hav
J a good school house where religious ser
I Vices are held every Sabbath and schoo
is now being taught with regular al
: tendance of about forty scholars. Gu
people are mostly from Iowa, Illinois
Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio;
few from New York and New England
] 1t is at least fair to suppose that on
e soil Is at least equal to that of any of tn
II above States, or we should not draw mr.
u on them for emigrants. Last season 8
10 to 40 bushels of corn TO the acre was III
lie general yield on the sod, and MANY bv
Is little more careful attention got so to 6
= bushels. Fruit in the eastern or mo,
settled portion of the State is equal