The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-08-23

From Kansas.

there Is one That seems TO be more frequently
made than any other, and that is 1t is drouthy.
| will attempt to answer this objection, To the
best of my ability.
BY consultation of the weather statistics
for number of years back, it will be seen
that no other state in the Union has had so
great a fall of rain as Kansas. 1t is fact that
at times it has been very dry here, but not to
the extent a great many think. The drouth
of 1860, and in consequence almost IA famine,
has done more to spread the impression that
Kansas is drouthy than any thing else. 1t
very naturally occurs to people that If Kansas
was obliged to call upon other states for aid
in the way Of provisions to sustain them on
account of the famine occasioned by the
drOuth, the assertion that she is drouthy
seems to them of course true, little thinking
that there were other things instrumental in
bringing around this state of affairs. There
doubtless was much suffering during that
time from lack of food and provisions Kan
sas did not produce enough for home con
sumption. 1t will be remembered that for
few years prior to 1860 there was considerable
emigration into Kansas, and during that time
they were blessed with abundant crops, yet
notwithstanding that the amount of grain
raised to the acre was great, there was barely
enough for home consumption
There was a small part of Kansas under
cultivation at that time, and of course an eX-
ccedingly dry time, coming as it did then,
accompanied with the opening of the war and
the consequential destruction Of lives, crops
and other property would naturally necessi-
tate much suffering. Yet in consequence of
this, Kansas must bear the inappropriate
appeliation of "drouthy Kansas | have
been reliably informed by some Of our old
residents, that in 1860 many of the fields
yielded 10 and 90 bushels to the acre. The
land cultivated at this time being able only
to support the people with good crops, could
not of course support the same number with
only onc-tourth of n crop, or even one-third
of crop. Kansas has occasional dry spells
but no more | think than other states | am
of the opinion that she will compare favor
ably with any other state one year after
another in respect to the quantity of rain that
falls. This is my third summer in Kansas
and during this time there has been IN abund
ancc of rain, and have it from good author
itv that there has never been a want for rain
since the year of 1860. | think with the cul-
tivation and development of the country our
showers will even be more frequent.
Two more Objectionable features frequently
made to Kansas are high winds and too warm
weather. YOumust think, Messrs. editors
that Kansas has all Objectionable features.
The fact is, we usually want to retain the best
things until the last, and in these articles |
may perhaps not dcviate from tins custom
il it may be called such, but defer "a descrip-
ton of the advantages of Kansas until the
last; but to return to my subject, Kansas
being considerably south Of you, that is, this
part, it would seem that the heat would be
greater in proportion to the difference OF lati
tudc; but not so, from the fact that we have
our cool, refreshing brcezcs and winds that
keep the atmosphere at a pleasant tcmpcra-
turc. | can assure you that | have expert
enCcd less unplcasantncss from warm weather
in Kansas than | did in Illinois. Above all
places Kansas is the greatest that have yet
as though a Kip Van Wrinkle sleep
would be a relief;sit matters not how warm
the days may be the nights are always cool
and pleasant Let one get out from the re
frcsling influences of these breczcs and he
will find the heat at times intense. We have
had less wind this summer than either of the
two previous summers and on that account
have had more warm weather than usual but
this will abatc with the setting in of our fall
winds. The thermometer has indicated dur
ing the summer when at its highest % and
9G deg. in the shade, amply warm for comfort
On the other hand our winters are not as "A
usual thing severe OF course | must make
exceptions to the winters of 1872 and 1873
even in thcss winters it was no colder here in
than 1t was in other states, The
winter Of 1873 will be remembered all over
the United States as remarkable one for cx-
IRENE GOODNESS.
"
with little snow, so much so that sleiChs are
rare things
The climate of Kansas is without exception
the most desirable in the United States, it is
even better than that of the same latitude east
of the Mississippi river. The winters are, as
| have before stated, usually short, dry and
pleasant, with but little rain or snow The
grass is green in the forests and on the
prairies until midwinter, and frequently herds
of horaes. mules and cattle roam a large dur
ing Il portion Of the winter without any
additional feed or care.
At the close of February We are reminded
bv a soft gentle breeze from the south that
winter is gone: and the grand prarics inter
spcrsed with every variety of flowers, and