The Leavenworth weekly times., 1876-02-17
OUT ON THE ROAD.
A Trip Over the Kansas Central Rail-
road to HoIton.
What was Seen Between That Town
and leavenworth.
From our own Correspondent ]

HoLToN, February Z, 1876.
We boarded the Kansas Central early in
the morning, and were soon carried at the
rate of fifteen miles an hour on our way to
Valley Falls and Holton. The limited
time allotted to our journey compels US to
pass through Winchester without stopping,
but We view it from the car window, while
our little iron mustang is being fed and
watered, pleased to note the abundant evil
dence of thrift. Valley Falls. is the point
where the Central crosses the A. T. d Santa
Fe road. The town was called Grasshop-
per by its founders, but that word became
odious some time ago, and was dropped for
the more enphonious cognomen-Nalley
Falls. 1t contains 200 inhabitants, and
its principal production is Miss Puella
Domblaser; a young lady who shas both
written her name and made her mark on
the pages OF Kansas literature. In imagi-
nation We clasp the friendly hand, and bid
her press onward and upward till her "pull
back" futters from the highest pinnacle of
fame. The town is the commercial center
of Jefferson county. 1t contains two banks,
twenty stores, including dry goods, cloth
ing, hardware, drugs and groceries, one lum-
Der yard, q fine three story stone school
house, six church buildings, three hotels,
one wooden and two Touring mills, one
grain house, wagon shops, blacksmith and
harness shops, etc. 1t supports an excel
lent local paper, the Ne,U Era, edited by Mr..
Huron, to whom we are indebted for many
courtesies. Half dozen legal luminaries
absorb the loose cash of the quarrelsome,
and As many doctors maintain a very re-
spectacle cemetery.
From Valley alls to Holton, the road
follows the meandering of the Della
ware river and - principal af-
fluent, Elk 81. The broad
level bottoms of these Kansas streams fur
nish natural grade for a perfect system of
railroads, while their varied and inexhaus-
tible resources will in few years render
such a system an imperative necessity.
The ascent to the upland is so gentle
that it is difficult to determine where the
valley ends and the hills begin. Stretch
ing away on either side, as far as the eye
can reach, are endless corn fields, relieved
at intervals by gem-like patches of wheat,
as green to-day as before frost fell, or
thrifty looking farm, houses, with immense
stacks and barns fun to bursting-silent
witnesses testifying TO the abundance of
last years harvest.
At Holton our ears are greeted with the
metropolitan cry, Free bus for the City
HOTEL" and from our inmost we invoke
. benediction on the man who invented
free buses for tired Bohemians. Our re-
Gently acquired real estate quickly disap-
peared under the melting influence Of soap
and water, and in half an hour we are seat
ed at friend Teer's hospitable board, stow
ing away provender with an energy that
portends famine.
Holton is a fourishing little city of
about 200 inhabitants. 1t is the county
seat of JACKSON county, and the present ter
minus of the Kansas Central.
Its merchants are substantial, enterpris-
ing men, and being centrally located in a
rich agricultural district, enjoy a large
and increasing trade. All branches of bus
iness are fully represented. 1t has four
banks, q large number of first-class stores,
a large steam Touring mill, an excellent
school building, four churches, and one of
the finest court house buildings in the
West. During our soiourn there, q Mrs.
Hodgson, one OF y family which has
achieved more notoriety than fame, was de- |
liyered Of son and heir while confined in |
the county Jail on charge Of larceny. The
sheriff, our genial friend, Leon Williams, |
kindly removed her to room in the court |
house, and acted a. master of ceremonies |
on the occasion. We found very inter-
esting revival progressing, under the aus
pices OF the Rev. Dra Gunn, of Atchison,
and Sullivan, of Holton. The churches
were all united in the work, over q hun
dred conversions had been made, and tie
intense interest everywhere manifested
promised still more abundant harvest
from the good seed sovn with prayers and
faith. We are indebted TO Messrs. Beck
& Sinner, of the Recorder and Express, J. J.
Tabor, G. F. King, Leon Williams, and
others, for many acts of kindness-favon
which We hope for an opportunity to re-
pay. Like Marx Twain, We were never
treated so we'll in our life-nor so often.
Tpyv