The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-10
WALKING moran KANSAS.
The Riss and Fan OF villages on the Line
of the Pacific Hntlrond.

SALIVA. Kan, Sept 2.-The poverty aud
lstnessness " the little towns along the line Of
the Kansas Pacific Railroad are depressing.
Everywhere you are told Of former prosperity
everywhere except In the farms and ranches
you see decaience aud a want VI vim startling
20 anyone used to the hustle and activity OF the
East. A princip 4 reason for tn. condition ei
In the fact that as the lnsas Pacific line wa,
gradually pushed across the plains. every town
that formed tom orary terminus became apoin.
ofimportance. and went into career OF feV,ri-h
pros eritv and speculation: stores and dwell
Ing places sprang up seemingly by magic. money
was spent layisuly, and places Of auusemeut
and dissipation aOounied. Thus YOU ase toll
thAt when kii Carson was the end OF the line It
haG five hotels, twelve SALOONS. and three dance
houses. Kit Carson now consists OF Two gro
cerics. nd place labelled " Beer and Billiards"
which Is locked 40 most Of tle tme.
None Of these Things can be seen from the
windows II railway carrllge,, nor tho facts
cleaned oy rl7hins from point t. point Mt a
rat" = thiny Wll'- ~ h"ur II "a onN m" loot
traveller. hks m,suit. VINO can nDie tho true
cpuutfpu II Tue country. | ual formed gfe Z
cNp"ctIil ms a. = ri u y sworlh, Al 81 'ns
during my " TX through Kansas had heard
that u Ma al loa-t city 81 con-ideraOe IN
portanct q growing. thrNllS, bIrtlins pa -
tlat in the near future was u be one Of
tue great cities Of me continent. arfiv ii
appe r. nee was somewhat DISAPPOINTING;
tho usual two lines Of ,itts stores fronti ~ each
otn-r, ON bOth -tIes Of the railroad a Trans
verse street. on the northern branch Of when u
block OF two story buildings II the yellow lime
-tone.of the district was beng cons rIcted ; ana
at the end OF the southern Orinc1 n small sus-
pension bridge across the smoky Hill river, lead
tdS 10 the region oe'ond. \ sm all restaurant
took INV fancy, and | entered aud seated myself
nj ths table. 10 WAS mere shaniy. the dining
doom " - a)out twenty feet long by siI bro ID.
ana beyond was Il Kitchen about ten feet square.
Iuis was the whole establishment. In answer
To my summons Tor 4 meal a Oright-eNed, snub-
nOsed WV ciOds girl, barefOoted aud unkempt,
soon SUPPLIED mo WIN coarse nut paiitaD,s
solids and guOI coffee. Sne WAS the sole
daughter OF the Establishment, learned, ana
often al 'essed lme grumoling, wheehy' dis
contented p-r.on IN the kI chrn a. Ma" |
SAID 10 her that understood Ellsworth 10 be
very lively, prosperous place.
"Oh. NY, no." sue re piled, mot now. It's
going down rwfully 1t used TO 10 AS lively ~
YOU could wish; that was about two years 20
getting worse every day"
Way, Nou surprise me-" | answered. An
along my road have heard So much about Els
worth that nave been lei To- suppose IL was
yer'. PROSPEROUS. lively town"
" ilmes IA changed"
"Wei now do vow account for nf Isn't
there Trade for cattle heief'
ION, no; thai was two years ago. Then there
used TO be plenty OF money mere. No" All that
has been put "A stop To by the Dead Line"
" The Dead Line! what is thltT'
"Why, yol know, the cattle used to he brought
here M droVes across the country anu THIS was
tegui r. market Tor them; aud there was lot,
% business done mere; aud everybody had
ulsn,y II money. Buf, YOU know tae farmers
didn't like the citte drove over IN" r farms, So
they mad a law passed. liking dead lines in dinor
/ cut puts 81 the ~ tte and IA mustu't drive
cattle over my OF turse Ines, OF IL you do youll
he uued a. mead Tor every steer, COW, or horse.
/ " hN, So cannot turn out COW or a viz in his
township, without = tttng fined g.. lh,tisu n
! 10 the 1t of september after mat date you
| may turn out cattle or hogs TO ua-tura FIR the
! winter, up 20 the lst OF May. aud YOU don't get
| fined tor them. The DEAD Line law mas been In
operation Two wears, and II II ~ ruined Ellsworth
! and all those r abroad towns
| rue Wheeling person Ia the background @ ilcd
| this iVel, young person, in tones ~ Tumbnng
! indignation, 10 20 to the well and get a bucket
| OF water, As loon as sne was gone there arose
! sudden, tremendous hurricane Of wind, which
| shook the sudntN 10 It's foundation, In An in
| slant such cloud OF dust was raised rs | never
before beheld, All Ellsworth tor ten minutes "a
| Invisible The wheszy, grumbling person u tho
| kitchen hereupOn made her appearance, to
close doors aud windows, and remarked with
! lndign ttlOn that do what she could II was in
| possible To keep such a mace ci0tn.
| Presently the storm suhsldsd, and | took my
| way reached Fort lIarker ~ six in the even
lng. ii IA well situated On tha top of "A BLUM (Vf
| which there are taw IN this region) ana WAS ad-
| mr. bly, "a Culated To resist AN attack of In
| dians, VINO we're numerous here ten Years ago
| Tho fort Is gloomy III the extreme. There are
| the storehouses, then the little chlpel-but not
| "a human being TO be seen, believe II is under
| charge OF one man, a ram storm caught me In
| the very midst II the plaiu; luTid cloud,
| wnica shot form occasional lightnings, CON
| irOntod me 81 made my way u the nearest
| railway cmbapkment, ana wrapping my water,
l proof around me, oucampod for tho night.