Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-08-09
lrrreR FROM KANSAS.
FREE WILL, Osborn Co., KAN.)
July %, 1876.


FREE WILL, Osborn Co., KAN.)
E.& July %, 1876.
EDS. COURIER Permit me through
the columns of your paper to give n
short sketch of this country. 1t might
do some poor wandercr some good
that is halting between two opinions,
whether they shall forsake friends
and seek home in the West. NY
object in this article is to recommend
Osborn county, or at least to invite
persons wanting free homes to take a
look at this county. Perhaps the best
recommendation I can give it, and
the one that will convey the best idea
of its superiority is its location in the
great solomon valley. The Solomon
valley is famous almost the world
over as one of the finest regions ex-
tant.
1t is known as one of the most fer
tile and most productive portions of
Kansas. 1t has always astonished the
world by its enormous yields of
grain and vegetables. Osborn coun-
ty is situated little north and east of
the center of the State. 1t is not,
strictly speaking, frontier county,
having been settled for. upwards Of
five years and now has a population
of about 1000 people, who during
this time have improved the country,
built numerous school houses, organ
lied churches and other societies, and
in fact, established most of the essen
tial conveniences of older settled
counties. Not one half of the land
has yet been claimed, however, and
there are just as fine lands yet to be
had as any that have been taken up.
Now is the time for the prudent
man who desires to settle down and
obtain good home, without depriv-
ing his family Of the advantages of
civilized society and sGbjecting them
to the hardships incident to a border
life, to make his home in Osborn
county.
The county is excellcntly watered,
embracing within its limits the two
main forks of the Solomon and nu-
merous tributaries. Timber is also
plenty, all the streams being heavily
skirted with timber, and is actually
cheaper than in most of the older
states. The timber claims have all
been taken in this county. We have
herd law to protect the farmers
crops from the ravages of stock, so
that newcomer may go to work,
pillow and plant his ground and save
the time and expense Of building
fences. There is plenty of room for
free pasturage, and all the owners of
stock have to do is to keep it upon
the free range. Stock raising is one
of the most profitable pursuits in this
part of the country, especially that of
cattle and sheep. Owing to the short
winters and mild climate stock will
live and do well all winter on the
range, except in storms, when they
should be sheltered. To stock raisers
| refer you to E. B. Done, Freewill
r. O., Osborn county, Kansas, and
John McCreary, Pittsburg, Osborn
county, Kansas. These men are ex-
perienced stock raisers and have been
here four years in the business.
Osborn City, the county seat, is a
town of $50 inhabitants and has an
advantageous location on the south
fork of the Solomon river. Lots are
given away in this town to those who
will improve them. No railroads
have as yet penetrated the valley but
from the nature of our location
about equidistant from three differ.
ent lines-onr people are able, by
competing interests of railroads, tC
lay down freight at their doors, after
hauling fifty miles across the country
at less cost than those living imme
diately on the railroads. A railroad
is expected in about another year.
Our county can boast of as GOOD
society as any county in the State
Dram-shops and kindred institution,
are not known in the county. Church
es, Sunday Schools, Literary Associa
tions, Agricultural Societies and Fra
ternal societies are fourishing in
nearly every community. I invite
people to come to Kansas, and whe1
they do SO would like to have then
visit Osborn county and see how i
compares with other sections, an6
that is all that is necessary to ask
There have been objections raised to
inviting poor men to come as thu
hard times experienced two years age
pinched snch pretty hard and created
prejudice against the country. But
know men that came here very poor
and are now comfortably fixed, and
these men were once citizens of Wa.
pello county, Iowa. 1t is an up hill
business, however, and so it is for Q
poor man to get start in any coun
try; and l believe it to be a fact that
a man who would succeed anywhere
could do so in Kansas, and thousands
otherwise would never have Sc
cured for themselves and families
comfortable homes and a good living
Government land can be obtained
in Osborn county. Any man car
have homestead of 100 acres of Ian
which will cost him $l4. Then he car
take what is called q timber entry Of
l6O acres more and he has five year!
to plant and cultivate 40 acres O.
timber and it is all his. In addition tt
this the State offers premium of s:
per acre for a term of Is years on thu
40 acres of timber.
Large colonies can be settled In ont
tneighborhood on government land il
this county. Crops are good
Wheat, oats and barley of this years
crop are in the granary or in tn,
stack. Potatoes are good and arc
ripe. Corn looks well. If corr
should be failure this year there il
a surplus from last years crop sufii
cient to supply the people. We hav,
fine magnetism limestone quarries in
every neighborhood in this county
Yours respectfully,
KINDER DoLToN.