The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1876-04-06
THE STREAMS OF SEDGwICK COUNTY
Thres Fine Rivers and Many Brooks.

The secret of the extraordinary area
of valley land found within the bound
aries of Sedgwick county lies in the
fact that the waters of three rivers
and thirteen creeks and brooks flow
through her borders. The L. S. sur
veys give Sedgwick county more '.bot-
tom land than any other county in
the State of Kansas, while the State
report pla!s show fifty per cent, or
322, $50 acres, of strictly valley land in
Sedgwick county. Undoubtedly it Is
the best watered portion of Kansas.
If springs and waier-course in whose
channels aquatic plants, needing for
their existence constant moisture if
frequently streams if rains
frequent and copiously descending if
ali these are proofs, then there is abun-
dant testimony that all through the
valley there is ample rainfall. In fact,
after all that has been written of the
Arkansas river, it is almost supcrflu-
Gus 10 say that the water of this val
lev region is abundant aud pure.
The Great Arkansas River, as will
be seen by the map elsewhere, flows
diagonally through the county from
the northwest TO the southeast. II
rises in the heart of the Rocky Noun
tains, mid the everlasting hills and
eternal SHOWS of the snowy range.
whose whife-capped peaks rear :heir
heads II eco feet above the sea, thence
flowing through the picturesque can
Won Of the Pixies Peak range il glidcs
out into the great valley, its sparkling
waters ciiefveseing liz the sunlight.
watering the great buffalo range and
flowing o. and on until at length over
1900 miles from its head il falls into
the Father of Waters midway between
Vicksburg and Memphis. Ii is broad
and shallow stream, with many ISL
ands, low but well defined banks, vary
ing from four TO ten feet IN height.
The most remarkable features are that
although draining country, before
reaching Kansas. larger than ali New
England, and although it carries the
melting SHOWS in June, July aud Au-
gust of many thousand square miles, il
never overfiows its banks. but its wa
tiers are curiously kept within the bed
of the stream, working great benefit
TO the soil of the valley, for miles upon
each side. The fact is the bed.of the
stream throughout its source in Kan
sas is composed of sand and gravel, az
also the subsoil of the adjacent lands.
The superintendent water spreads it.
self through this subsoil, instead of
OVERLOOKING the country, as would be
the case if the subsoil of the wide val
leys was clay. So completely does the
porous subsoil drink up this water
that most of the year it is easily ford
able with teams. At Wichita the river
is fully one thousand feet wide. while
in no true sense navigable small fat
boats containing produce and adveu-
turers have been floated upon its broad
bosom to the Mississippi.
The Little Arkansas River has its
confluence with the Great Arkansas
River at Wichita. Ii is said by trav-
/ elers to be the finest stream of pure
never-failing water TO be found within
| the boundaries of Kansas. AS sure
source of reliable water power it has
few equals anywhere. With higher
banks and more timber than the larger
river il still has clean gravelly bot
tom. No droutlI has ever been known
to affect it. As compared with the
Great Arkansas its length is magnifi-
cent, its head being only about IFS
miles northwest of Wichita. Within
Sedgwick county it occupies the same
valley with its namesake, and, as will
be seen by reference to the map, it is
only separated from the main river by
strip of valley from one TO five miles
wide.
Ninnescah in the Indian dialect sig.
nifies 'Good River" This river, rising
far out on the southwestern range
flows almost directly southeast, pass.
ing through four townships Of Sedg.
wick county. A large amount of fine
Government lands, we arc informed,
are situated on this stream within the
borders of this county. which for The
production of wheat or the raising OF
stock are unexcellcd, and which can be
had for the Government price. The
Indians in naming this river Good
were not mistaken in It's character.
In addition to these principal water
sources we name Sand Greek, Souti
Minnesota, Shoots Greek, Clearwa
ter, Cowskin, Gypsum Greek. CHS
holm Creek, Spring Greek, Dog Greek
White Water, all nice streams ant
each fringed with more or less timbel
and all of whose valleys go to maxi
up the grand aggregate of Valley Land