Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-05-26
THE ARKANSAS YALLEY.
SO1I-Climate-WOO grI-
eulture-stOek iRaising-SchOols-
Churehes-CheaP Lands, &c.

EGS. Iek.-naVlng IraVeled extensively
through the western States and Terrific
ries in search of rich and healthy agTicul-
tural country, where land is cheap, winters
mild and markets good. l am satisfied
with this portion of the Arkansas Valley,
in the vicinity Of Great Bend, Kansas,
which, through the kindness of my friend
here, Hon. D. N. Heizer, L have been ena-
abled to explore and examine during the
last fortnight, and although l cannot accept
all that some real estate agents may say
of it, yet believe that the principle eandi-
tions necessary to secure large crops of
grasses, grains, vegetables and fruits exist
here.
H THE som
here is rich, black, alluvial deposit, from
three to five feet deep, underlaid with sand
and gravel, through which good water
flows near the surface, rendering severe
arouth impossible, as Vegetation receives
sufficient moisture from below to insure a
rapid and mature growth and large yields
of grasses, grains, vegetables and fruits.
CLIMATE.
The average annual rain fall here is
about thirty-five inches, and the most of
this falls during the spring and summer,
so there is little of rain orsHoY in the win
ter, and with the almast constant bright
and genial sunshine the
HEALrHFULNEss
is remarkable; also because the altitude is
from two to three thousand feet above the
sea level; and the surface though not hilly
is sufficiently pndulating To secure perfect
drainage, and there are no swamps, stag
nant waters or oyerfowed lands within
hundreds Of miles; and its proximity to
the mountains secure bracing and exhili-
arating atmosphere, and at the same time
the air is not so rare and dry as to cause fa-
tai hemorrhage of the lungs of eonsump-
tives, by compelling excessive inhalations
in order to secure sufficient oxygen to aer-
ate. the blood, as is often the case with those
afflicted with..that desease, rush too rapidly
to the higher regions Of the mountains.
TIMBER
In the vicinity Of Great Bend is yet sufi-
cient to supply the settler with fuel in the
vail ey Of Walnut Creek which was named |
from the quantity of walnut timber found |
in it. Superior coal is delivered here at |
from five to eight dollars per ton.
PURE WATER
S abundant and found in springs and run
ming streams or by boring to depth of
rom six to fifty feet. ra zJ4sG
AGRICULTURE.
This portion of the Arkansas Valley is
decidedly the best farming and grazing
country we have found in the thirty-hve
states and Territories through which we
nave Travelled. In this vicinity the land
produces from thirty to eighty bushels Of
,orn per acre, and the yield Of wheat is
rom twenty to ffty'bushels. oats thirty to
ixty, barley twenty to forty, rye fifteen to
orty, potatoes eighty to two hundred, and
arge yields Of sweet potatoes, onions,
'umpKlns, melons, anu all klnus OF YegeI-
bles and fruits.
la STOCK RAISING.
Cattle, sheep and horses live and grow
at on the native grasses as rule; yet ex-
erience proves that it is profitable to pro-
ide both feed and shelter for all kinds Of
We stock, as storms may co me here as in
L other countries, though not so severe.
MARKETS.
Since the first settlements here, there
rs always been a good home market forthe
lrplus farm products, as many immi-
rants come in in the fall or too late in the
,ring to raise crops and must buy their
rovisions during the first year, and since :
10 Atchison, Topeka 8 Senta Fee railway /
IS been completed to the Rocky g
ountains, the markets here are still bet