Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-02-05
KANSAS CORRESPONDENCE.
GlRARD, CRAwFoRDCO,,


the township of Ashtabula and now PIv-
mouth, at the four corners, near where
W. w. Mann-ny cousin-had a store
before he became resident of old Ashta-
bula village
When we contrast the growth of Ash
tabula with some of our western towns
the mind wonders at the slow progress
these old towns have made Fort Scott,
in south eastern Kansas, has for several
years been city of 5000 people, while
the pride of my youth cannot now-after
an existence ofnearly eighty years-claim
as many souls
Yet I love the old town How vivid
ly appears before my mind the days of
my boyhocd, the many wanderings
among the eyergreens of the Outfits
perpendicular hillsides, its little rivulets
and dancing cascades; the meandering
pathway up the little brook eorduroyed
for teams laden with the products OF Ply
mouths productive soil l well recollect
such men as Bennett Seymour-with no
mouey-only his ak and stout arm, with
firm desire and purpose of having a
farm; plying bis sturdy strokes to the
telling Of dense forest, logging and burn
ing, fencing, sowing and harvesting. and
by such labors earning farm. Paying
for his farm by his industry, with plenty
around him, after an honest and eVentful
life, he passed away to a better world.
where he was certain of his reward. So
it was with many of4he youth of North
ern Ohio.
What contrastis this beautiful country
with that 10 which my mind so natural
ly reVerts, and write for the informa-
ton of those who, having no home in
Northern Ohio, would like one among Us
of Southeastern Kansas.
Among your readers, Mr.. Editor, there
are many 10 whom my name is familiar.
and to whom address myseIfin all can
dor and honesty 1 will not misrepresent
in one iota, in my description and ac-
count Of this country, where have re-
sided since 1852.
In all old countries there are N any
good citizens who have no home of their
own. There are others who have not
possessions commensurate with their in
creasing families, who can sell their small
farms and by going where land is cheap
er, provide for the branches clinging
around the old vine. And, Mr.. Editor,I
trust you will be willing to extend to
such the information will give them in
this hurried. communication.
You have heard much of the terrible
deVastations of the grasshoppers, last
summer and fall, and it may be you are
embued with the general idea, that all
Kansas is IN a state ofdesolation, and her
territory barren waste Western and
Northern Kansas did suffer from the ag-
gressions of the devouring grasshoppers,
but assure you, Southeastern Kansas
did not. Our harVests were abundant
never have we harvested such broad
fields of golden sheaves- Our wheat aver
aged from ten to forty bushels TO the
acre, and in every instance where the
ground was properly prepared, and the
seed put in in good season, the crop was
remuneralive. The same may be said of
corn and other crops.
Among our most profitable crops, aside
from what you usually cultivate in
Northern Ohio, are cotton, fax-seed and
castor bean and peanuts. Our soil will
produce one bale of cotton to the acre,
from ten to eighteen bushels Of fiax-seed,
from twenty to forty bushels Of castor
beans and from eighty to one hundred
and forty bushels of peanuts, worth from
81 to So bushel.
Instead of dense forest, providence
has given to man this rich country. GOV
cred with native grasses-as it were, a
meadow, ready COR the plOw, easily turn
ed and subdued by one span of common
horses. What it costs to clear one acre
in old Ashtabnla, or half the amount,
will pay the first cost here, and oflen the
first or second crop win pay for the land
upon which it is grown.
All the land in Crawford Co.
not owned by our people, belongs to our
railroad company, and held at from s. 90
to $I4 90 an acre Almost every quarter
section has a ravine. which can be easily
damned at a small expense, and thus
create pond of pure water for stock.
For well water, we have to 90 dewu
from 10 to 40 feet to find an abundance.
Our streams are all skirted with timber
belts, of 4 to miles in breadth, and Of
ten at the confluence of streams, or 6
miles. The most common varieties are
oak, blaekwalnut, blackberry, elm, cotton
wood, maple. &c. Blackwalnut is COM
monty used for shed boards and rails.
We build principally OF pine, from Wis
consin and Michigan, delivered here by
railroad and sold at from 81 to $50 per
NJ Coal underlies much of the country,
from one to five feet in thickness, and
sells on the streets of Girard for 81 so q
ton, or &c a bushel. Our farmers 60 TO
the coal field and thus furnish themselves
with fuel without money.
The Usage orange is almost native OF
this climate, and by its rapid growth viii
turn stock in three years from planting
No fences are required in this country.
Crops are protected by law, and our
stock dealers keep a boy or man con-
stantly with their herds.
We have mild weather until about
, Christmas time. This winter, We had no
ice until about the 10th inst Spring
ouens in April, and sometimes in Nay.
The Railroad Co. have now on their
hands over three hundred thousand acres
of this beautiful and rich country, for
sale, on ten years time, per cent inter
est. They demand none of the principal
, until the beginning OF the fourth year
except the advance payment Of % Genus
an acre.
Ifyou think this correspondents SoR'
,hy Of publication, it will be followed ~
others of greater interest, rom SCUM
/, western Kansas, Respectfully
WM. II. WARNER.
T. "a announced that the Pope has
tatsn up project which he formed
: many wears ago of placing twelve
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