The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1875-03-11
Ahnut Southern Kansas.


Mr.. EDITOR Having recently visit
ca the city of independence, Montgom
cry county IN this State, take this oc
casion to give you nay impressions OF
that place and that portion of Southern
. Kansas.
Montgomery county is 2ix26 miles
Every eighty acres or quarter section Is
taken and occupied by actual settlers.
The county stands fifth, | think, in pop
uIation, having eighteen thousand inhab-
itants. There are one hundred school
districts in the county, and ninety five
school houses. This is certainly rush
ing things considering that the county
is not vet more than five years old. The
face Of the county is much more beauti-
full and picturesque than this part OF The
State. There is considerable more tim
Der and a large portion of 1t is hard
wood-shell bark hickory is very plenty,
and is almost the only kind OF wood
used for fuel 1t sells at from $3.50 to
$3.50 per cord. There is also abundance
Of coal in all parts ct the county. As to
the quality of the soil, | should judge
from my own observation, and from
what learned from others, that it Is es
pecially adapted for fruits and small
graiE-not so good for Germ except IN
the valleys on the streams. Certainl Y
saw no such rich black soil as we have
/ in Saline county. OF course, there Is
considerable difference in climate. Fall
wheat through all that county looks very
promising. The city Of independence is
/ the county seat, and situated very near
the center OF the county. 1t is a city of
| The second class-with about 5000 in
habllants, it Is beautifully located on 4
section Of land set apart for the town
size. Just the day before my arrival,
large fire, in the very business center,
destroyed about So, coo worth Of prop
eriy. In lie course Of twelve months,
The burnt district will all be built up
again with solid bricl, and stone struc-
lures. ! ought to remark here that there
is plonty Of fine building stone, and in
deed plenty Of stone for every purpose.
The sidewalks are ia;d down with solid
stone, certainly great improvement
over pine lumber. Immediately after
The ire the city council passed an ordi-
nance prohibiting the erection Of any
but bricI; and stone buildings III Tie bus
mess part OF town.
There is one thing IN which Salina
can certainly claim superiority over In
dependence and that is in HEY school
house. We have q school building that
is a credit and an ornament to our city,
and will not suffer in comparison with
any similar ediice in The State. But thc
school building in independence is of
different sort and it cost very nearly a.
much as ours did. 1t looks mere Ike
an old fashioned mill or distillery thar
an educational establishment. There is,
however, good graded school taught in
thc building, with over iour hundred
pupils an! six teachers, Prof. Lamon
being principal.
formed great mary pleasant &C
quaintances, both gentlemen and ladies,
many Of them of high culture and char
acter. The South Kansas Tribune is n
large Republican paper published by the
Messers. Ioe Brothers. Ii is ably edited
and the editors treated me very nicely.
The Rev. a. Beatty, Episcopal minister,
and Rev. G. Holman, Methodist preacher,
are both excellent gentlemen and doing
great good. Col. York we did not see.
We understood he has good practice as
u lawyer. The following gentlemen we
would especially mention, as having con
trbuled much to our comfort while So
journing IN the city, viz: Judge Turner, |
Judge Craig and Mcssrs .Otia. Barwick, /
Si:kes. Bishop, Dr.. Miller and Steven /
son. Nor can we forget the kindness of
Judge Scott and Major Ballintine and !
others. The Land Office is established |
here, with Mcssrs Martin and Waters rs
It's excellent officers. We also formed /
the acquaintance Of J. ID. McCue, q /
young and rising lawyer in that part of
the State. In fact we never spent few
weeks more pleasantly IN Our life, and |
all because the people, men and women,
gave Us such cordial welcome as at
once TO relieve ali embarrassment and
make Us feel at home.
The South Kansas Methodist Episco-
pal conference met last week IN indie
pendence. About one hundred and fifty
persons belonging to the conference had
to be entertained, and they were enter
tanned cheertuliy and in good style.
Think of that for city about four years
Did There are number of good church
buildings in the city. The Presbyterian
.hurch cdiicc is built Of brick and cost,
think, 81 eco or S., 900. There are also
quite a number Of fine privatc mansions.
There is no doubt that independence
viii DE the main city in that part of Kan
,as. 1t Is a central point Of business for
| large scope of country. The city has
! most commanding and beautiful sitaa-
ion-about twelve miles from the south
IN border and seventy-fve from the
a,tcrn. NIAr0a.
From the Mulberry.
MULBERRY, kAs., March l0.h, 1875.