The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-11-23
Kansas Correspondence.

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OswEGO, ,LOvETT Co., ,KAs., Nov .1O, 1876
ED. PRESS will try once more to
interest your readers by giving dis
cription of the West as far as l have
been.
find scattered through Kansas and
Nebraska now and then Portage
County man. The first happened to
come across was Mr.. Olin. He is from
Streetsboro', is Douglas Co., Kansas,
running a cheese factory,a cha, act, 6.
tic of the Western Reserve, still at the
old trade. Next was Mr.Thompson, of
Shalersvillc, in Lancaster Co., Ncb.
He has fine farm was glad to see a
Portage County man, the first he had
seen for five years. Next was Mr..
Delhi, of Hiram, doing well in the
same County. Next was Mr.. Goodell
and Mr.. Il. H. Crane, both of Shalers-
vile. They live neighbors in Mont
gomery County, came to Kansas poor.
but now are rich farmers, having each
River bottoms which yield immense
quantities of corn and wheat. Mr..
Bean is an auctioner in Independence,
Kansas. He, like the rest is well off.
These are all Portage county men and
all have happened to see in years
constant travel in these states. 1t is
tar from being hard times west OF the
Mississippi and whatOhio men are here
invaribiy say they could not be in
duced TO return and be obliged to live
there. do not wish to exaggerate
nor say any thing more than is true in
regard to Kansas, bat do say, l see
men every day who came to this coun-
try poor, who are now worth half Sec
tion with good houses and barns. The
wheat here ia cut with headers, and to
see man riding his gang plow driv-
ing two span and plowing his seven
acres day is nothing uncommon.
But the grasshopper 1 forgot. They
have eaten all the wheat that has come
up this fall and deposited their egg sand
next spring woe unto the crops of all
kinds. Let me say that to see the grass
hopper when he first appears in new
section is sight. They appear like
snow flakes at first until the air is SO
full Of them az to resemble clouds. 1t
was common sight for a month to
see the ground perfectly red with them
all the way from Lincoln, Ncb., to In
dependence, Kan, about 500 miles. A
brief description of some of these
Western towns might interest you:
First, Lincoln, the capital of Nebraska,
has about 5000 Inhabitants, nicely To-
Gated near the salt basin on a mound
which overlooks a beautiful prairie,
dotted with farm-houses as far as the
eye can reach. On the public square
there is an artesian well, (which flows a
stream of mineral water six inches in
diameter constantly. The State Asy-
INN and Penitentiary are as good as
in Ohio. Second, Kansas City. will
say nothing of it except its pork and
beef packing houses. There are from
two to three thousand Texas cattle
killed there daily. Two men do the
shooting of all these cattle. They are
both armed with two brecch-loadlng
rifles, and they shoot until their guns
are 80 hot as to make it dangerous
when they charge. Kansas City has
Increased in population twelve thou.
sand in the last year. l certainly
think there is more iniquity in this
city than any other in the United
States. Third, Lawrence, city about
the size of Lincoln. This is where
Quantrill and his band made such a
of the massacre are to be seen yet.
Will write again soon. N.