The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-09-12
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
NEWTON, Kansas, August 90, 1877

NEWTON, Kansas, August 49, 1874.
If you look at map of the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad you will find
the young town of Newton marked at the
Wichita Junction of the road in Harvey
county, and l question whether any place
in the State presents more desirable loca-
ton for the farmer and business man.
The land is capital and the town, anticipat-
ing bright future, is full of enterprise,
and composed of class of most intelli-
gent, social people. But anticipate my
story and will go back and bring the reader
up to this place over the road, pointing out
what is most noteworthy that appears, as
the cars speed along.
From Topeka to Emporio, town of
some three thousand inhabitants-estimat-
ed and claimed by the citizens to have that
number of inhabitants-ad distance of about
60 miles, is a fine variegated country, much
of it owned by Spectators and conse-
quently not settled. These gentlemen gen.
orally hold for high prices. The town is
surrounded by fine country with some
timber on the Cottonwood The best spots
are picked out and farms opened, fenced,
and with what may be termed fair improve
ments for this country. The largest part
of the land is better adapted to grazing
stock than farming, owing to the rolling
character of the country and nature of the
soil which incline it to wash very much
where the sod is broken.
The grasshoppers in their raid appear to
have skipped some places, but presume
they will eventually return and finish what
little of corn the straitened settlers have
left as the sole dependence of many of
them for support the approaching Winter.
This is wonderfully bleak, treeless coun-
try. Occasionally a stream is crossed with
scanty growth of what we in the East
would term brasil, but here it has the proud
name of timber conferred upon it.
This is hasty glance of the appearance
of the country seen from the car windows
to this place, Newton, where l stopped a
day and made more critical examination
of the country and where I participated in
my first prairie chicken hunt. Newton has
at present population of eight hundred,
so claimed by its enterprising citizens.
Two years ago this was the terminus of the
railroad, famous cattle point and saloon
town, where the bull whackers, who follow
the Texas cattle, congregated. gambled,
drank and fought in the dance-houses.
One night in great saloon, dance. house
fight, about dozen persons were killed
and wounded, and the citizens took matters
in hand after that, and the roughs were
compelled to succumb.
Wichita pronounced Wish a-taw, accent
on first sylable) is now the paradise of
these border ruffians, and latterly that
place has been made uncomfortably warm
for those gentlemen of the revolver. A
police has been organized and armed with
heavy revolvers, with orders to use them
on the roughs freely, and in addition to
this force, the citizens are also organized
into kind of vigilance committee, each
man being prepared with a shot gun charg-
a preconcerted signal agreed upon. Before
this formidable array the ruffians quail and
consult their safety by keeping compare
lively quiet.
Newton is progressing in prosperity not
withstanding the extreme dizziness of the
time. Several substantial and handsome
stone and brick buildings have been put
up here, and at least twenty others are in
the course of erection at present. Masons'
and carpenters wages range from 50. so to
81 per day. The country round about
town is very fertile and sufficiently undu-
lating to insure drainage, and not rolling
enough to wash. 1t is being rapidly set
tied up, all the Government land has been
pre- empted, and most of the railroad lands
are already bought up. Railroad land
ranges from 81 to SIS per acre, in the
immediate neighborhood of Newton, which
is a pretty good barometer for the future of
the place. While out cunning 1 was shown
one very nice tract of about $50 acres of
unsold railroad land located on creek,
which was assessed at 81 per acre, which
would make a splendid farm. 1t was about
four miles from town. School opportuni-
ties are good and constantly improving,
with school houses built in nearly all the
districts. A brief but perhaps as intelli-
gent description as can be written of this
country is comprised in a few words. 1t is
a rich undulating, prairie country, adapted
to farming and stock raising most admir-
ably, and where, with reasonable amount
of care groves would soon flourish and
hedge rows expand and lengthen round the
farms, in a few years changing the whole
face of the country from that monotony
which nature has fixed on all the prairie
regions, to a landscape of variety and
beauty.
Water is tolerably plenty and sweet; and
rich abundant pastures afford food for
stock. Plenty of land can be purchased
here, partially improved, at very low fig
ures. People have settled and -empted
Or purchased land who had but little CAPT.
tai, and the grasshoppers taking their corn
crop, has dishearted them, and they are
ready to sell very low for cash. A little
money could be well invested, if man
could spare it from his business, but no
man should come to the West to settle
unless he has enought capital to live on for
one or two years after stocking his farm
and getting ready for work. He is then
independent and secure against pinching
want which failure the first season may
bring upon him. A man who could COM
mand capital of $4,000 to $4,000 with
good business talents, and reasonable de-
gree of caution or prudence could scarcely
fail in few years to grow wealthy, honored
and influential according to his merits.
Society is now good and will constantly
improve. There is a constant flow of immi-
grants and people on prospecting tours,
coming over the road and stopping at all
points. Our train had four or five cars
filled principally with this class Of people
| rrn,, tho tatoS aact ,post1v from Illinois