The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-12-06
LETTER FROM KANSAS.
GULF HOUSE, Fort Scott, Kansas.
November Gath, 1873

SSLP AiOlSE-, Toll SCott, huuSdS,
November Gath, 1873
Mr.. EDIToR:-I arrived here safe, after
pleasant trip of five days duration, and
i'll accordance with your request, will tell
you something about this section of Kan
SaS.
Fort Scott is situated on the lines Of the
Missouri river, Fort Scott and Gulf, and
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroads,
in the Southeastern portion of the State,
distant about $50 miles southwest of Kan
sas City, Mo-, and 60 miles east of the
Indian Territory. 1t now numbers about
5000 souls, and if Governor Shepherd and
his Board of Public Works, of Washing
ton, were here n short time, it would soon
be made a beautiful place. 1t was first
settled about forty years ago, at which
time General Scott erected large fort
while fighting the Indians. Hence its
name. On account of the scarcity Of lum-
Der and brick, the houses are necessarily
small, built in cottage style, and conse-
quently very much alike in appearance.
few of the streets are McAdamized, but
none are yet very handsome. There are a
number of quite large business houses,
however, and trade seems very lively.
There are two average hotels here, who
seem to do thriving business at their own
prices. Rents are high, and the demand
for houses is greatly in excess of the sup
MI L., r.,
here to settle, he must stop at a hotel, live
in tent or build a house. If man
build and live in his own house, he can
live much cheaper than in the East; but
the rates of board here are even higher
than in Washington, while the fare is not
more than half as good.
A newspaper editor told me this morn
ing that emigration from the East is very
heavy, there being an average of thous-
and emigrants passing through this sec
ton of country weekly, and says, "know-
ing whereof he speaks" that the soil and
climate are not excelled by any portion of
the habitable globe aud that the major
part of Eastern people who emigratc to
the West are settling in this State. The
soil is rich and fertile, and is, in many
localities, underlaid by veins of excellent
coal, the climate is mild and the winters
short, while the farm laborer is cooled by
refreshing breezes from the Gulf during
the hottest summer days. The farmers do
not shelter their stock during any season
of the year, except they erect shed for
their favorite horses during the winter. A
great many emigrants are locating along the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fee Railroad,
as the lands of that road are said to be
among the most beautiful and fertile in
the State, and are sold on easy terms and
long credit. But that which has given me
the greatest surprise, was to see people
digging coal, only t,oo feet beloar the sur
.ftece within the corporation limits of this
place. 1t is said to be excellent coal, too.
They were stealing it, however, as the
authorities have stopped digging within
the limits of the town. One gentleman
told me that in digging a cellar for his
house he got out enough coal to last him
five years. Good quality of coal sells here
from $500 to $3.50 per tou delivered at
the door. The farmers peddle coal here in
the same manner as the farmers of Cecil
pcddle wood in Elkton. Just outside of
town the fields are spotted with the tents
of miners. Most of it is shipped to St.
Louis and Chicago. There is generally
about two feet of rich, black soil, vein of
excellent building stone, averaging one
foot in thickness, and then veins of coal,
averaging from two to twelve feet in thick
ness.
Game of all kinds is very plentiful here.
Hunters bring in wagon loads of quail,
rabbits, prairie chickens, wild turkeys and
geese, squirrels, &c. A gentleman who
was shipping game last season informed
me that he paid, wholesale, for rabbits, s
to 10 cents per dozen; quail, Tor partridges)
80 to so cents per dozen; prairie chickens,
which are about as large as ordinary farm
hens, 10 cents per pair, and purchased
wild geese, turkeys, squirrels, &c, at about
the same proportion. They are nearly all
shipped to Chicago. A man can take a
gun, go one mile from town, and kill as
many prairie chickens as he wants. South
of here, in the Indian Territory and Texas,
there are said to be an abundance of deer
and buffalo. l have not been hunting yet,
but will tell you how / succeed when do
60.
There is a species Of rabbit here called
the Jack Rabbit" which are about three
times as large as the ordinary rabbit, hav-
ing very large ears, and their speed is said
to be even faster than the deer. They are
becoming scarce now, however, for as the
country settle up they go further West.
They are hunted only with grey hounds.
1t is said that when he is aroused from his
resting llace by the ordinary hounds, he
starts off, like locomotive, very slow,
which greatly encourages the dogs but
after he "gets steam up" he leaves them
with such rapidity that they invariably
stop and look with mute establishment.
They are said to often run ahead of loco
motive crossing the prairie for distance
of fifteen miles before leaving the track.
| have made Il trip through the Indian
Territory and into Texas as far as Denson,
and will tell you something about the In
dams and their country in a future letter.
The remainder of Captain Jacks band
were taken there last week. c. F. w.
Sc -
CARD ETIQUETTE.-Few not in the i'm
mediate circle of the bon ton have any con-
ception of the important part played by
cards in high society. A wonderful sig
niticance is attached to few simple words,
or even single word on card; and the
arrangement of that word speakes volumes
to those who understand card language.
Louis Dreka, card engraver 1898 Chest
nut street. Philadelphia, has issued neat
little pamphlet, which gives all of this
curious information about cards; the most
approved styles, their language, etc, etc.
We make the following extract from this
book of card etiquette: