The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1875-05-27
Correspondence of the News.
Letter from Kansas.--No.2 2.
MULBERRY. Saline Co. Kan. May 6. 1s7.

MULBERRY. Saline Co. Kan., May 6, 1875.
Mr.. BoARDMAS:-I promised in my last letter, to
tell the readers of the 'sNews" something more
about Kansas. Inow propose to describe few
places more in Saline Co. and then to speak of the
resources of this countryside.
The first town west of Salina on the Kansas Pa
cifc R. R. is
1t is a small but thriving town in Saline county,
with two-story School House, Town Hall, &c.
Scarcely time to stop and inquire about things in
general till the iron horse gives warning. that he
is in readiness pursue his westward bound course
A few minutes brings US to
BRooKvnLE,
the end of the Second Division of the railroad on
the west line of Saline county. 1t was laid out a
little two years ago. and is nice little village
The R. R. Co. have round house and repair shop
here. The town has good site and a fine grazing
country around it. Here we leave the R. R. and
cross beautiful prairie to my present place of writ
ing Mulberry, which is a small country P o. on Mul
berry creek, which courses its way through one of
the most beautiful well of the richest val
leys in the western country.
But promised to say something of the
RESOURCES OF THIS COUNTRY,
And first think no part of the s. that have WIS.,
tied is more.abundantly supplied with good and
wholesome water than this part of Kansas. Here
are hundreds of miles of water-courses, affording
excellent drainage to the country. In many places
pure natural springs are common, and good water
mag be obtained by digging from 12 to 40 feet.
There is a lac! of timber here, bat the Usage Or
ange hedges grow go rapidly that it is said they
make the cheapest and most durable fence that
be used.
Under recent Act of Congress, any citizen of
the United Safes is entitled 16O acres of public
land, on condition that he plant protect and keep
in growing condition, 40 acres of timber for 10
years. Residing upon the land is not required
under this Act Side by side with the lands of the
of the R. R. are millions of acres of rich Govern
ment lands that may be obtained under the provis-
ions of the Homestead and Timber Acts.
STONE,
for building purposes, is abundant. When first
quarred it is quite soft and easily dressed but
hardens on exposure to the atmosphere. 1t is OF
dark reddish brown COLOR and in many places almost
smooth and uniform in thickness as the stone of
the Hixson quarry, in Penn Township, in Old High
land. Some of the most elegant edifces in the
West have been built of this material; as the Gov
ernment buildings af Fort Riley, the magnificent
capitol at Topeka and many Of the finest structures
in nearly all the towns along the railroad.
COAL,
it is thought can be successfully mined in various
localities, especially in Ellsworth ond Russell coun
ties where il is frequently cropping out on the
surface of the ground. Near Bosland and Bunker
Hill stations, mining operations have been success
fully carried on, and it is thought that in few years
coal will be mined in abundance at comparatively
little cost.
/ GYPSUM,
OF Plasterof Paris, so valuable for building an6
farming purposes, exists in various localities, es
pecially in Saline, Ottawa, Lincoln and Ellsworth
counties About eight miles southeast of Salins
perhaps the largest bed is to bound, and it is pro
nounoed by workmen to be of the best quality.
SALT.
A very fine quality of this indispensable article il
manufactured in large quantities by the Continen
tai Salt Company west of Solomon City. Thei
works cover several acres; the brine is pumpe'
from wells, and produces from ten to twelve ounc
es per gallon.
CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.
Churches of all denominations, and free school