The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-02-22
FROM KANSAS.

Being an old settler of La Sale county, feel
| like saying few words to her people through
your most valuable paper the FREE TRADER)
| Being unbiased by any speculative motive. I
will try and make a true statement in reference
to this part of Southern Kansas whittier the tide
OF EMANCIPATION is wildly rushing. Through the
medium of the press, prompted by railroad mo-
nopolies and land sharks, the people have been
induced to emigrate to this state, entirely un-
prepared for the hardsh;ps and prlvations Of a
new country. thinking tina. in sunny Kansas
comfortable houses were not necessary. But
they have been sore!y disappointed to find them.
selves overtaken by severe snow storms as are
ever experienced in La Sale county. On Wed.
nes3ay morning. Jan. Gosh, the Thermometer
stood % degrees below zero at this place, one
milo from the Indian Territory the same at
Taklesuah one hundred and fifty miles south
Of this place.
Parker Is situated on tbs east bank Of tho Yer.
digris river, one mile from the Indian Territory.
1t has very pretty location and contains about
800 inhabitants, rather on the decline: city off.
oials very bad men. 1t is the terminus of the
Leavenworth, Lawrence and Galveston r. r.
Now to the country passing from Butler coun.
ty to the northeast portion of Cowiy county,
the ground is very rolling stony, and very little
timber; the valleys along the creeks are very
good land. all claimed: very handsome farms,
but great deal more sickly than prairie. Pass.
ing into Howard county, we fad some very pref.
ty prairie near the town of Boston. Farther
esst. through Cowly and portion Of Montgon.
cry county, is the stonest, rockiest and toughest
country l ever saw, not excepting Bridger's
Pass over the Rocky Mountains. As you get
near the city of Independence, in the valley Of
tAe Eerdigris river, the soil il better with more
timber. In the southeast portion of Mont gom.
cry county the soil appears better, and So on
down into the Indian rerritoy there is some as
handsome prairie as ever saw in Illinois, and
as good, we'll watered by small creeks; but no
white is allowed to settle there.
The trouble with the farmer here is tina. the
soil i. hard to subdue, and no market no money
TO be had. They seem to have become indo!ent,
and improve bu. very little, great many living
In miserable shanties, and expecting no winter
IN sunny Kansas. Many have come here with.
out means of support and now have to live upon
what they used to throw away. Towns and
cities which sprung up like mu.h roous. ars now
on the decline. great many OF the best claims
are for sale for what the improvements cost, and
many for less. Great chance for speculation,
but hard place FOX poor man al present l
think there will be better time when the far.
mers get in shape to make living, which a
great many ere not doing at present.
, To sportsmen the game is not near a, plenty
as IN Illinois thirty or forty years ago. AS to
the climate, see no advantage over Illinois for
health. The weather is very changable and very
windy. From what have and learned in
this part of Kansas, and 1t is claimed to be the
best part of the state, I could not advise man
of family to come here. unless he has means to
support his family oEe or two years. 1t takes
longer TO subdue the land than in Illinois.
Young men can come and rough it for year or
two-get things well fxed--then fetch their
sweeties md live ike white folks, which they
c,nno. 30 vt present without the stamps.
G.. DOMEST.