The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1873-10-09
THE ARKANSAS VALLEY!
ITS CAPABILITIES, FERTILITY
AND DEVELOPMENT.
Lands and Homes for the Millions.


Lands and Homes for the Millions.
In .his article we shall attempt Civ
ing the readers of the EAGLE living in
other states, and who may contemplate
coming west TO make a home, a prac-
teal idea of the more striking charac-
terisiics of The great Arkansas river
and its valley, for within the bounds
of this valley are found the richest
lands, the most fourishing towns and
the most prosperous people to be
found. probably, upon the American
continent. Certain it is that il offers
the greatest Inducements for home
seekers of any yet remaining in, or be-
longing 10, the public domain.
THE ARKANSAS RIVER
l. little less than 1000 miles in length,
being one of the longest and swiftest
running streams upon the continent.
Rising in Colorado territory, latitude
one hundred and six and one-half de-
grees west ofGrecnwich, and longitude
thirty-ninc and one-half degrees north,
receiving its waters from riyulets and
springs that are fed by the melting of
the eternal SHOWS Of the snowy range
which rears its rugged, lofty aud snow
crowned peaks 1870 miles west of. and
5000 feet above the base of the Rocky
mountains. it flows completely around
the south peak, surgcs and sparkles AT
The base of Mount Lincoln and rushes
ont through canyon in Pixies Peak
range into the valley of Eastern Colo
RADIO and on eastward. Within ten
miles Of its head rise the Grand and
Platte rivers. Bearing the SHOWS of
onc-half Colorado, il flows through the
gorge. and valleys of the mountains,
is deep and impetuously strong, but
entering upon the broad plain pasture
east of the mountains lis bed widcns
aud its flow FROM thence TO the gulf is
quiet, yet swift. In Colorado ii re-
ceives several tributaries, most OF them
rising in the mountains. among which
are Fontainc. Ca Bouic, Greenhorn.
1Iucrfano, Apishpa, Tinpas, Purgato-
RE, Little and Big Sandy, etc. II en-
tiers Kansas seyenty-live miles north of
the south line of the state. runs due
eeast 40 miles, DIVORCES seventy-fvc
miles northeast, then angles to the
southeast, forming what is known a.
the Great Bend. thence a little south
of east through Kansas, the Indian
territory and the state of Arkansas,
emptying into the Mississippi midway
between Memphis and Wick sburg. The
Arkansas is broad and shallow
stream. with many islands, low but
well defined banks, varying from four
TO ten feet in height. The most re-
Iaarkabc features are that although
draining a country. before reaching
Kansas, larger than all New England,
and although il carries the melting
SHOWS in June, July and August of
many thousand square miles, il never |
overflows its banks. but its waters are |
curiously kept within the bed of the
stream, working "A great benefit TO the
soil of the valley for miles upon each |
side. The fact is the bed of the stream 1
throughout its source in Kansas is |
composed Of sand and gravel, as also |
the subsoil of the adjacent lands. The /
superintendent water spreads itself
through this subsoil, instead Of over
flowing the country, as would be the |
case if the subsoil Of the wide valleys |
was clay. So completely does the |
porus subsoil drink up this water that /
most of the year il is easily fordable
with teams. and there has been times /
when, in the western portion of the |
state. the river bed would 90 dry, al |
though water could be obtained three |
or four inches below the surface, where |
in reality the river was flowing in the |
gravel. The river al Wichita is about |
! 800 feet wide. at Hutchinson, forty /
miles further up. il is 600 feet wide.
THE VALLEY AND SOIL.
This description will be more par
ticularly confined TO the valley lying |
between The Great Bend and where the /
river enters the Indian territory. In
this area are included more particular
the counties of Raymond, Reno, llar-
vey. Sedgwick. Sumner and Cowley. |
These counties embrace the finest. rich
est aud best watcred lands to be found |
in the whole 1000 miles traverSed 10y |
the Arkansas. This portion of the |
valley is from five to twenty miles wide.
The soil is chiefly a sandy loan, made |
up of such mineral elements as have |
been washed from the Rocky noun |
tains 10y the attrition Of ages. 1t is a
marked feature of this soil that il con |
tans a much larger proportion Of min-
cral matter than the prairie soils of H. |
LIMOS and Iowa. which are chiefly |
vegetable mould. For this reason our
valley will improve by cultivation.
To those accustomed 10 murky soil,
there appears TO be in places in this
valley too much sand. but the expert |
eucc of our farmers is directly the OPP
posite. Read what the editor of the
american IgrjcoltUraijSt, who visited
this valley in April Of this year. has TO
say:
The soil is deep black loan. rest
inc on lighter colorcd subSoil con-
sisting of loan. clay and gravel, both .
soil and subsol being so porus that
surface water readily passes through
them. and IN no case is there any diff
fcultv experienced in crossing with
horses and wagons or stock, any water
courses or beds of streams. Teams
may be driven across springs or creek
bottoms tearlcssly. without danger of
miring. This porosity of the soil,
while il renders il capable of being
plowed or worked Immediately after
the heaviest rains. nj the same time
keeps il constantly moist from evapo-
ration below. and protects IT from
drouth. Within six hours of the ccs-
sation of rain in which | judge at
least three inches of water fell. saw
farmers breaking sod and cultiyating
the Young corn. The crops of corn.
oats. rye. spring and fall wheat, pota-
toes and garden vegetables. which |