Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-01-16
Southwestern Kansas.

next train, and thence ON through
Warren, Mendoza, and many other
towns and villages In the beautiful
State of Illinois, till rea, he'd Quin-
cy, about noon of Wednesday. Our
train crossed the Mississippi River
here on asplendid Lridge, and then
we sped along over the Hannibal and
ST. 10. r. r. across the state of Mis-
souri,, reaching North Atch;son about
10 P. NJ. the same night. We were
transferred, with some thirty or forty
others, to the inside and outside of a
tremendous bus. which was driven on
to the deck of steam ferry boat and
SO we were carried over the river 10
Atchison, Kansas. Leaving it about
P. NJ, we sped along rapidly through
Topeka, Emporia, and towns of lesser
note, reaching Wichita at noon of
Thursday, just about Is hours after
leaving Darlington.
Here We have remained, ard probab-
ly shall remain for some time to come,
as we find work enough in our line to
keep us busy, and SO | shall write con-
corning things as we find them since
coming here.
First-the climate, Promising that
the winter has been unusually mild
with you, L may say it has been ex-
tremeIy pleasant here. generally, with
few short spells of cold weather, and
snow furries twice. New Years and
the following day we're as mild as May
and the whole winter, SO far, has been
more pleasant than last October was
in Southern Wisconsin. People tell
US that it is milder than it was Last
year, and of course we believe them.
One thing is certain, that while the
ice crop was all harvested here by this
time last year, there has been none. at
all gathered yet, that | have hea I'd OF,
while the walls of new brick store,
two stories high. are just being finished
having been commenced in December
and the masons are laying the founda-
ton for another one now.
Second-Crops All kinds of grain
is raised here that is raised at home,
but more corn in proportion to the
rest than with you. They Nave ship
ped from this station,a number of cars
loaded with castor-oil beans. raised
near this town this last season, and
some Is or 20 bales of cotton, raised,
ginned, and baled in Sumner County,
just south of this. Sweet potatoes
and all other egesables flourish here,
while fruit will be plentiful by and by,
as orchards shall come into bearing.
Peaches did.not come up to expecta-
tons last year, but the buds are swell
ing even now with rich promise for
this season. am told that an excel
lent quality Of tobacco has been raised
in small quantities near here, and
tina hemp and flax will do splendidly
Third--Society. In this city there
are four Protestant and one Roman
Catholic societies organized, of which
the Methodists, Baptists and Catholics
possess churches, while the Presbyte--
rians and Episcopalians are at present
without. There is an excellent school
with five teachers and "a principle, and
the county is very rapidly being
supplied with schools, school houses,
and teachers, these necessaries Of
American life. l find two grades of
people here, one just as refined, solid
substantial and moral as can be found
anywhere, and the other the rough,
rowdy element which is always to be
found on the outer edge of civilization,
but the former class is rapidly increas-
inG, and the other as rapidly decreas-
ing.
The Methodist church numl ers over
$50 members, the Presbyterians over
100, and the Baptists perhaps ifsy,
and may be as many Episcopalians;
which, in a new town OF less than
four years growth, and 5000 people is
doing well, and shows that there is a
strong religious element in the popula-
ton. A Lecture and Library ASsocia-
ton is on foot, and the Arkansas VAL
ley Institute for the instruction of
scholars in advanced branches, is
claiming public attention also.
Fourth-Land. The soil is dark
and rich, with sandy tracts near the
rivers. Government land can be home
steaded from IL to 20 miles northwest
of here. bnt this city is within the
limits OF the Usage trust lands, which
must be pre- en- pied, settled on, and
paid for at $l,z5 per acre, at the end
of the. year. Improvements can be
bought very often, and now is good
tine to buy. for many cannot raise
money to 'prove up" their claims, and
will sell cheap rather than to loose all
their labor. Money is being loaned
on land here, at from and J to 4 per
cert per month, and because many
cannot or will net borrow at those
rates and others are ready to jump
their claims. they prefer to sell for lit
tie and try again. r
Poor men have hard work to get
started, but men of means make things
turn SO as to rapidly increase their re-
sources.
If any of your readers desire furth-
er information concerning this desira-
bic country, or intend coming here,