The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1875-07-08
TWhOle No. 2O4I.


that there will be several millions of bush
els for export from that part of the State.
This will be godsend to the new settlers,
who lost their crops last year by the grass
hopper visitation, and are depending on
this years crops to get them out of debt,
and lay by something for the future.
The barley and rye crops will also be
lhrge, while corn, oats, potatoes md other
vegetables were all in a forward state and
promise an abundant yield.
The climate of Kansas is said to be re-
markably healthy, and we do not see how
it can well be otherwise. There are no
low, swampy lands to breed malarial few
ers, and the great elevation of the country
above the sea level gives q dry, pure, bra
cling atmosphere, which must be conducive
to health. From Atchison west to Granada
the country rises gradually about 6 or
feet to the mile, until at Granada the ele-
vation above the sea is nearly 5000 feet.
The climate is said to be especially favora-
BILE for diseases of the lungs, and many
consumptives have been entirely restored to
health by a few MONTHS residence in this
elevated region.
The hot days of summer are generally
tempered by steady breeze, and the
nights are always cool and pleasant. The
winters are short, compared with our lati-
tude, though there is generally some snow,
and sufficient cold weather to furnish ice
for summer use.
As a stock country, especially for cattle
and sheep, Southern Kansas certainly
possesses great advantages. The rich prai-
rie grass furnishes abundant food for both
summer and winter, and cattle seldom need
feeding more than two months in the year.
Immense herds are grazed upon the prai-
ries west of Great Bend and Dodge City,
where the settlements are yet SPARSE and
the country is perhaps better adapted to
grass than grain, owing TO the diminished
rainfall as you go West. 1t is said, how
ever, that wheat can be successfully raised
even as far west as Colorado, without irri-
cation, but the seasons are probably too
dry for corn.
Water is abundant and good throughout
the region traversed by the railroad. Wells
are easily and cheaply made, and good
water is generally found from to Is feet
below the surface on the bottoms, and a
few feet lower on the uplands.
Abounds in the country from Topeka to
Usage City, and is furnished at from Is to
25 cents per bushel.
SCHOOLS.
The school system of Kansas is very COM
plete and efficient, and the ample provis-
ions for education in so newly settled
country justly excite the admiration and
surprise of all who visit the State for the
first time. Fine, large school houses, with
all the modern improvements, are to be
seen in every town and village, and through
out the country good school houses and
churches dot the landscape, and indicate
the intelligence, morality, thrift and enter
prise of the people.
INDUCEMENTS TO SETTLERS.
All along the line of the A. 7. & s. F. r.
R., from Topeka westward to Colorado,
are thousands of acres of Government
land, open to entry under the Homestead
and Presumption laws, and other thousands
in alternate sections owned by the r. R. Co.,
lying within twenty miles on either side of
the road. Government lands within 10
miles of the road are open to entry at
81. so per acre; those outside the 10-mile
limit at $1.25.
The r. r. Co. is offering the greatest in
ducements to purchasers of its lands. The
Co. owns nearly three million acres, which
it is selling at 80 to IS per acre, with re-
duction of 22i per cent. to actual settlers
who improve One.ttth of their lands within
payment are exceedingly liberal. Only
one-tenth of the purchase money is required
to be paid down, and credit of II years is
given on the remainder, at per cent. in
terest. The second and third years no pay
tnent is required on the principal, thus af-
fording the settler two years time to i'm
prove his land and make it productive, be-
fore meeting his first deferred payment.
Persons desiring full particulars in regard
to the Company's lands, with description
of the State, maps, tables, &C., &C., can
obtain them by addressing A. s. johnson,
Commissioner of the Land Department,
Topeka, Kansas, or n r. Warwick, Gin
cinnati, Ohio.
We should like, if time and space per-
mitted, to speak more in detail of some of
the towns we visited, but to do so would
extend our article beyond reasonable limits.
Atchison, Topeka, Emporia, Newton and
Wichita, are all thriving and growing places.
Topeka, the capital, and Emporia, are ex-
ceptionally handsome towns, attractive as
well as prosperous.
We first saw the ravages of the
eRAssHoPPERs
in Missouri, about 25 miles east of Atchi-
CON Thev had deyoured the corn pota-