Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-09-15
For the Freeman.
On the Plans.

fortunes, and go there to invest money.
The mountains are the resort of invalids,
special correspondents and excursionists.
TO visit Colorado, and see neither 4 mine
nor a mountain is an unusual thing, but
may be very enjoyable. Having no money
to invest, the mines had less attraction;
being in perfect health, not being parasites
of any newspapers, and more fortunate
than some of our Western friends, having
spent most of our lives under the shade
of the Green Mountains, we left our
Kansas home to pass vacation. not in the
mountains, but on the plains.
Travelling from Baldwin City TO Topeka
in wagon, We had fine, opportunity to
see the country. and the grass-hopper de-
vastation. In all that distance we saw
but two fields that had not been almost or
quite destroyed. Favorable rains had
fallen when most needed, and these two
fields were cheering. but all else had a
sckening look. One OF our party being
a reporter for Kansas paper. we suggest
ed that the ride thought the country would
give her a fine chance to make items.
Unfortunately" she replied | can report
nothing favorable, and have had instruc-
tions to write only of the good leaving out
the bad. lest immigration be checked.
which would be detrimental to Kansas"
That being the case, we thought she could
truthfully say. that the top Of some of the
corn could not be seen, and let all who
could, believe it was too tall.
Leaving Topeka on the Atchison. To-
peka and Santa Fe railroad,a few minutes
ride brought us in sight of fine corn fields,
garnered wheat fields, and a country
Such a growth Vermont never saw. Acres
of corn were passed. the stalks standing
ten and twelve feet high. and we ceased
to wonder how Western men could get
lost in their own cornticldS.
Great stacks of wheat ready for thrash
ing. showed what Kansas soil can do.
Wild grasses, taller than we, waved in
graceful motion, while the brilliant prairie
flowers made of the country one large.
beautiful flower garden.
Next morning. day light found us in
the Arkansas valley. The Arkansas is 4
beautiful river, Notwithstanding its muddy
waters. 1t flows through grassy banks.
without a shrub or tree for miles, to mark
its course. Gradually corntields disappear
ed. villages become smaller and fewer.
the buifaoes trail became visible graves
of men killed only last year by the Indians
were passed, and we We're reminded that
we were in the Great American Desert.
Thousands of cattle We're grazing on the
nutritious buffalo grass, while their size
and flesh proved that the country was fine
for grazing purposes. We were constant
ly feeling sorry for the herderS. isolated rs
they were from society, exposed to the
hardship and dangers OF such 1 life. We
found, however, they We're not only con-
tented but happy. On our return we met
one, who was taking L carload of cltt.e to
been in the States for sixteen vt...-. We
noticed that he began to grow restless. as
the time advanced. Thinking he might
enjoy Il change for n few days. We invited
him to stop ut our home on his return.
Thanking Us. he replied that already lie
wanted to get back to his ranch.
At Granada, Col. at that time the bust
ness terminus of the AT. & 5. .Fe railroad,
we saw Il Mexican train arrive with guam
titles of wool. Each Greascr drove four
pair of oxen. They We're from New Mexi-
co. and at this point carry on a considera-
bic trade in wool.
Granada not being y desirable place for
a long stay, we gladly availcd ourselves Of
theipermis>ion given us by Superintendent
Morse. to 90 up on the construction train
to the place where they were laying the
track at the rate of Il mile day. A heg
of spikes on an open ear, loaded with iron
rails made very safe, if not pleasant
seat: lust rs we were ready to take it.
however, we recognized in the fireman an
old acquaintance and he took us into the
engine. This ride of eighteen miles in an
engine, revealed to us more of the work
ings of the machinery than all the Ma
tural PHILOSOPHERS we had ever studied
Reaching the side track we found one
building called the store, but what in Il
settled country would be called whiskev
shop. While waiting in the store for the
train that came down from the end of the
track to take up the building materials, two
Young men entereI and asked the clerk
if he had any thing" Womanly curiosi-
ty led me to observe what the anything
was, and. although, it was the first time l
had ever seen the stuff dealt out and drank,
l was right in conjecturing that it was
whiskey. Two things seem to precedc,
the settlement of this new colntry-the
departure of the Indians. and the introduce
ton of dram shops.
4 With the construction train we found
} great enjoyment. Sleeping in the car
occupied by the engineer corps, taking
our meals in the boarding car, and spend
ing the day in specimen hunting. the
weeks passed quickly by. The favors of
all the men, and especially of Mr. Lake.
superintendent of the work, made our stay
doubly pleasant. We found great pleas
ure in hunting Indian relics, some Of
which we found where the "red man. had
left them.
Game was abundant. Prairie dogs.
iack-rabbits, wolves and antclopes, we
"chased over the plain, and as we al
ways saw some game in our rambles we
usually went prepared to shoot at it; then
there was the least chance of meeting a
skin, and we deemed prudence the
better part Of valor. Having walked
three miles from the train one morning, to
} visit bluff. we saw a shower hanging
over us, and not hav ing time to return We