The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1873-08-28
THE ARKANSAS Valley!
ITS CAPABILITIES, FERTILITY
AND DEVELOPMENT
Lands and Homes for the Millions

Lands and Homes for the Millions.
In .bis article we shall attempt Civ
inc the readers of the EAGLE living in
other states. and who MAY contemplate
coming west 10 make home, a prac-
tical idea of The more striking charac-
trristics Of the great Arkansas river
aud its valley. for within The bounds
OF This valley are found the richest
lands. The most Aourishing towns and
the mos; prosperous people TO be
found. probably. upon the American
continent Certain il that il offers
the greatest Inducements for home
seekers Of any yet remaining in, or be-
longing to. the public domain.
THE ARKANSAS eiVER
/, little less than 1000 miles IN length.
being one of ,Ac longest aud swiltcst
running streams upon the continent.
Rising in Colorado territory, latitude
one hundred and six and onc-half de-
elFt~ " 1t Va vi 'Nii " ~
thirtv-ninc and 0nc-haif degrees north.
receiving its waters from riyulcts and
springs that are fed by the melting OF
the eternal SHOWS of The snowy range
which rcars it, rugged, lofty and SNOW
crowned peaks $50 miles west of. and
5000 feet above the base Of the Rock
mountains. il flows completely around
the south peak, surges and sparklcS at
the base of Mount Lincoln and rushes
range into the valley of Eastern Colo
RADIO and on eastward. Within ten
miles of lis head rise the Grand and
Platte rivers. Bearing the SHOWS OF
omc-half Colorado, it flows through the
gorgei and valleys Of the mountains.
is deep and impeiuously strong, but
entering upon the broad plain pasture
east of the mountains its bed widens
and its flow from thence TO the gulf is
quiet. yet swift. In Colorado i: re-
ceives several tributaries, most Of them
rising in the mountains, among which
are Fontainc. Ca Bouic, Grccnhorn,
lIuerfano, Apishpa, Tinpas, Purgato-
rte. Little and Big Sandy, etc. Ii en-
tiers Kansas seventy-five miles north of
the south line Of the state. runs due
ceast 40 miles, DIVORCES scventy-fivc
miles northeast, then angles to the
southeast, forming what is known as
the Great Bend, thence Il little south
of east through Kansas, the Indian
territory and the state of Arkansas,
emptying into the Mississippi midway
between Memphis and Wick sburg. TIL"
Arkansas is a broad and shallow
stream. with many islands, low bui
well defined banks, varying from foui
iaarkable features are that although
draining Il 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
ovcrflows its banks, but its waters ar"
curiously kept within the bed of ia,
stream. working great benefit 10 III,
soil of the valley for miles upon Gael
side. The fact is the bed Of the STREAM
throughout its source in Kansas j.
composed of sand and gravel. as al,
the subsoil Of the adjacent lands. The
superintendent water spreads itscli
through this subsoil. instead of over
flowing the country, IA would be the
case if the Subsoil of the wide valley.
was clay. So completely does The
porus sub-oil drink up this wafer tina
most of the year il is easily fordabl,
with teams. and there has been time
when, in the western portion of the
state. the river bed would go dry, al
though water could be obtained tire,
or four inches below the surface, where
in reality the river was flowing in the
gravel. The river at Wichita is about
1,500 feet wide, at Hutchinson, forty
Illico luTintI up. IL II !. oV' ictt Niut.
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, Har-
vey, Sedgwick, Sumner and Cowley.
These counties embrace the finest, rich
est and best watered lands to be found
in the whole 1000 miles traversed by
the Arkansas. This portion of the
valley is from five TO twenty miles wide.
The soil is chiefly sandy loan, made
up of such mineral elements as have
been washed from the Rocky noun
tains by the attrition of ages. Ii is a
marked feature of this soil that ii con-
tains much larger proportion of mill
cral matter than the prairie soils of IL
linois and Iowa, which arc chiefly
vegetable mould For this reason our
valley will improve by cultivation.
TO those accustomed to n murky soil,
there appears to be in places in this
valley too much sand, but the expert
cnce of our farmers is directly the OPP
posite. Read what the editor of the
ImericdR IgricUlturdltSt, who visited
this valley in April of this year. has TO
say:
The soil is deep black loan. rest
inc on a lighter colored subsoil con-
sistinc of loan. clay and gravel, both
soil and subsoil being so porus that
surface water readily passes through
them. and IN no case is there any diff
ticultv experienced in crossing with
horses and wagons or stock. amy water
courses or beds Of streams. Teams
may be driven across springs or creek
bottoms fearlessly. without danger Of
miring. This porosity of the soil,
while il renders il capable Of being
plowed or worked Immediately after
the heaviest rains. at the same time
keeps ii constantly moist from evapo-
ration below. and protects il from
drouth. Within six hours of the ces-
sation of a rain in which | judge al
least three inches of water fell. | saw
farmers breaking sod and cultivating |
the Young corn. The crops of corn. |
oats. rye. spring and fall wheat. pota |
toes and garden vegetables, which ,
saw growing. both on new and old
breakings. in various localities in the /
valley. arc equal to any that | have I
ever seen elsewhere. during many /
wears experience. | know of no part I