Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-05-18

Correspondence Gallipolis Journal.
From Kansas.
FT. SCorT, KANSAS, MAY 9, 1876.

Correspondents 0aiiipOllS JOurnal.
| From Kansas.
FIT. Scorr, KANSAS, May 9, 1876.
/ Mr.. EDIroR:-Thinking some of
yonr many readers who have been
contemplating a trip to the West
would be pleased to have little in
formation concerning this beautiful
western country, l will give you a
flew items.
| Although l am not resident here,
yet have travelled over a oonsidera-
bic portion Of Eastern and Southern
Kansas. and central and Southwest
ern Missouri, and have gained con-
siderable information relative to the
climate. products, health, &c, and
the country in general.
There is yet an abundance of corn
Through this portion of the west, va
rying in price from 20 to 80 cts. per
bu. Wheat, as general thing, looks
fine, although in some places on low
prairie, it is pretty much drowned out
by the exceedingly heavy rains in
the past week or two. In fact some
of these western storms are now very
high.
| AS came along the banks of the
Missouri river (by rail, l noticed in
many places where the river was out
of its banks, and in Bates and
Vernon counties, Mo-, the Marmaton
and the Marias des Cygnes (pro. Ma.
rydesseen. rivers are out of their
banks, and backwater to the depth of
from 20 to 25 feet is over the prairie
and main road leading north from
here. 1t is also over the r. R. track
in many places, and in one place the
car wheels were some 6 inches in the
water. Indeed it locked like any
thing else but safe to travel over it.
There are some lives reported lost.
Although this looks like one of the
drawbacks to this section of country,
vet it is said that the like. has not
been known for many years before,
and one who intended purchasing
land here, of course should ascertain
first if it is low land.
The price of land varies here from
$3.50 to $500 for the unimproved,
and improved at, say from $500 to
$4,000 per acre. Us per cent. dis
count for cash on r. r. lands are
given.) In regard to the general
face of the country, the statistical re-
ports are as follows, viz: Bottom
lands, Is per cent; upland, S5 per
cent; forest or timbered, s per cent,
and prairie, 80 per cent. Average
width of timber belts one mile; vari-
cites cottonwood, oak, walnut, burr
oak, sycamore, blackberry and hick
ory.
In almost all instances the public
school buildings are better than those
east,
All religious denominations seem to
A Ta Txe blfsess lffseesfsfqteS 81 ay gooss, g..sv..vz,
&c, seem to compare well with east
crn prices. Prints from to 10 cts.
coffee "a to 80 cts; sugar 81 to 124
cts, and everything else in proper
tion.
The grass is growing finely and
stock have been living well on it for
the past three weeks or more. Cattle
are still somewhat scarce and will
command a pretty good price. Hogs
are very scarce, and ponies, horses
and mules vary in prices from $15 to
$40 for ponies, and horses and mules
from $35 to 800.
There are hundreds of emigrants
travelling yet in all directions, al
though at the present writing many
are ''camped out" on account of high
water. Among these are many In
dams and half-breeds. / took a lit
tie stroll just after dinner to-day and
visited some of their camps; the
squaws seem to be doing more work
than their male companions. Some
of them are working hair-work,
stringing beads, &c, and making into
small balls, (about the size Of small
hen egg), the tin and silver polish
that is often sold by peddlers with
us. They are however low, filthy,
dirty class Of human beings.
Every passenger train on the r. R.
seems to be we'll loaded with passen-
gers and emigrants, and the freight
trains are heavily laden generally
with stock, agricultural implements,
sundry merchandise and coal-the
latter is in great abundance along the
line of the r. R., but not SO good 1
think, as a general rule, as ours
along the Ohio river.
Everything in nature that can,
seems to be doing it's utmost to add to
the beauties of Spring. Although I
will not attempt to describe the
beautiful scenery, landscapes, &C.,
one sees in even a small trip like this,
for 1 know l would fail.
q