The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-12-01

Vulnerable ricks of hay, scattered over the
prairies. The trees which were robbed
of their foliage, have put forth fresh
leaves and show no sign of desolation. |
have seen numerous herds Of cattle fatten-
ing upon the Iich and unlimited pasturage
OF the prairies. This Indian summer is the
very perfection of pleasant weather, and
the people whom meet seem to be cheer
ful, contented, full of hope and energy
who are able and willing to bear their own
burdens.
The grasshopper plague, however, after
all is said that can be said in mitigation,
and in correction of exaggerated reports,
did fall with almost crushing weight upon
some individuals, and to them it was q
very great calamity. The old settlers and
those who had been here two or three sea-
sons, and had put in wheat as we'll as corn,
will weather through but the emigrants
of year ago who came in quest of a
home stead claim, with barely enough to
carry them through one season, and also
others who ventured everything upon the
one crop Of corn, have lost all. In the new
settlements of Western Kansas, there were
number of such cases. A large portion
of them have left the country, vending
their way back to the older states in their
emigrant wagons, and to all inquiries as to
their destination, giving the one answer,
"Going back to wife's folks" Many of
them intend to find employment during
the winter and will return in the Spring
to begin anew with fresh courage, and
here they will soon establish them ,elves
in comfortable homes, where, N time,
"Wife's folks" will receive a generous and
ample return for the hospitality extended
this winter TO the young Kansas settler
But others who drifted into Kansas with
the current, aud have now drifted back,
will find refuge with "Wife's folks" until
some other current carries them Off again
and so they win drift back and forth,
shufiling their shiftless way through life,
until they " shuttle off this mortal coil. -
know not how many people have assured
me that the grasshoppers are to be credit
ed with one blessing the State of
sinary in one of our Western counties said
to me, "The grasshoppers have cleGnsed
Kansas"
Some OF the recent emigrants, who re-
mained here, will need and will receive
help from their neighbors. Some were left
without the means to procure seed-wheat,
but in some way or other this want has
been supplied. A large portion of the
latest corners had purchased land Of the
A. It. s. s. f. Railroad. In such cases,
and indeed, in the case of many home
steadOrs, the Railroad company furnished
wheat for seed, when necessary.
l have asked the farmers whom have
met what is their present opinion of Kan
sas--its prospects, &c. To hear their. re-
plies, one might suppose they were all real
estate agents, for their praises of the coun-
try are very positive and emphatic In
two or three things they all agree That
they never lived in so healthful II country
as this that new country never had
such schools (this is true without a doubt);
nor was ever SO we'll supplied with church
es, mills, roads, bridges and railroads ; and
that this is the best country they have seen
for winter wheat. l fiud some difference
among them as to the industry in which
it is most profitable to engage. Some pre-
fer stock-raising, because the pasturage is
SO plentiful; the winters, general, 80 mild |;
the labor so light, and the profits so sure.
Others, and the majority, think that farm
ing and stock-raising combined, will give
the greatest profit. Still others are deyot-
ing all their attention to sheep, claiming
that this country is the ''Sheep's paradise" F"
These Kansas folks not only like the coun-
try, but also the people who live in it. A
gentleman in Marion country, said to me,
"This is the ciyilest community ever was
in.p A clergyman, well out towards the
frontier, tells me his congregation is Of a
higher average grade of intelligence and
culture, than that he ministered to III the
East.
The people here have fully recovered
from their panic, and are little ashamed
of their fright. In the midst of the grass
hopper raid, the panic among them was
almost universal. A Harvey county farm
mer tells me that at that time, he and his
neighbors were anxious to sell out very
cheaply but now no one would sell, ex-
cept at a large price. l find that vaiua-
tions have gone back to their former stand
ard. They viii remain there for season
without any attempt to advance them for