The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-01-25
FROM KkNS AS.
BRYANT, Butler CO.. Ken.

BRYANT Butler Co, Ken.
Elt0rs Free 7ru.ler-Thiuking that l might
write somethi:g of interest to your many read.
e-s. and perhaps of value t some, there being .
great eni,,rasion 20 this part of the west, with
visionary hopes OF perpetual sunshine and plen
ty, is my apology for troubling ysu with this
ecrawi. A great many have come here without
rIeans Of suppS thinking they would bs ell
right if they could only reach sunny Kansas, the
land OF perpetu spring aud plenty, the land
flowing with milk and honey. But how changed
the visionary scene to cad this beautiful land
covered " tn snow and ice four to ak inches
deep and rem aiming so for four weeks, with the
thermometer at times IRON IA to Is degrees be.
low zero which it has been this winter, with al
most perpetual wind. The people are provided
with poor shelter for winter, and grea: many
with none At all for horses or cattle. Consequent.
/; there is loss of many cattle. The country is
generally rolling. In Allen, Greenw wood and
Butler counties there are plenty Of rivers and
small creeks, which afford plenty of water for
stock; bu. there is very little timber, and that
very poor, mostly ella. The bottom land is all
river, it being the easiest cultivated and most
productive. The prairie is very rolling, and \
'-ge portion very stony, SC that it islmpossible
to plow it. Where they can pillow they strike
beds of flint stene il all conceivable shapes and
sizes, whici' it ve-y unpleasant for an
InivIs tlrmer TO f,iow here. 1t requires nearly
double the amount of teams to break prairie here
that it does in Illinois, and much longer to sub.
due il after breaking up.
There people here from all parts-a great
many very destitute and want to sell their
claims. Some leave without selling, and Others
would if they could gst enough to do So Others
like ii very we'll. Times are very dull; no work
of any kind going on in the country; no money
TO be hal. Corn appears to Do the staff of life
A..,- ana great many very little else.
There seems to be u great Indifference about the
men here Ole man told me all the men want.
cd here i'll SIMMER for house Was board fixed
high enough that rattle snakes could not reach
them. They would lie and sleep we'll enough after
some practice. In winter fear it is otherw wise
But as &c the women, they have got to cook the
Johnny cake and take care that the rsttlesuakes
don't bite the babies. One woman told me the
ground was SO hard 10 plow that they had to 20
into the field and ride 90 the plow beam to keep
the plow in the grou'f.. Ladies', of Illinois, how
is that TOR highf
BY what sec aud learn from those here
could not ad'',e any man with family to come
here witt At meHns to support his family for.
two yes Those that have come nere without
mear ofsuprort have found out their mistake
az nuch las the man that toggled the chain with
mis- finger.
There Il some trouble with the Indians and
buffalo hunters sorno two hundred miles west of
here. l. hunter to-day stated that the Indisns
attacked Il lunte's camp the other day, killed
two vhi,e men snd took three woman
prisoners The hrntelg pursued, killed six In.
dianc, but ionn, nothing oi the women. More
trouble expected eoon-- hunters are leaving.
GILBERT DoMINY