Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-03-04
KANSAS LETTER.
FORT LARNED, KANSAS,
February 26, 1876.


18th inst, Mr.. w. Il. Ress, proprle-
tor of the Sedalia Land Record, and
myself. in company with twenty e1-
cursionists, whom Mr.. r. had gath
cred up, came out to this portion of
Kausas to view the lands lying IN the
Great Arkansas River Valley, and
along the Atchlson. Topeka & Santa
Fe II. r. This road runs from At
Gibson, Kas., aud Kansas City, Mo-,
along the Arkansas river, through
central x ansas. to Pueblo, Colorado.
For 20 miles,ee each side of this road,
the company owns every alternate
section of land, amounting in all to
s. 200, 600 acres. There will be great
deal of emigration to this district in
the spring, aud the best way to con-
vince people of its fertility, and its
capacity to become . great agricultu-
raj and stock district, 10 to let pros
pective buyers eco it for themselves.
| By arrangement with the company,
Mr.. Ross procured round-trip. land
exploring tickets from Sedalia to
Larned, for his party, at $l4.
1 have always been incredulous
about the capacities Of new coun-
try like this. but confess that my
prejudicss have been removed to
great degree by this trip.
Thus far, the portion Of country
around Larned, is the only part
have seen in daylight, or examined
with proper care. The surface of tho
country is high. rolling prairie; IS
rich a. the good lands Of central Mis-
souri,, and is selling at from SIS. to
50 per acre, at any distance within
20 miles from the railroad. The town
of Larned aud the country around
it, has been settled, for the last three
years, the time during which the
road has been completed through 1t.
IL is the county seat of Pawnee coun-
ty. aud 10 situated at the confluence
of the Arkansas aud Pawnee rivers
The town lies on q beautiful level
bottom between the railroad track
and high ridge of prairie land or
the north, which protects it from
wind. There are now 600 inhsOl
tauts, stores, carpenter-shops, hotel'
and every thing else necessary to con
stltute . thriving town. In the bluff
around the town is q line quality o
sandstone In In exhsustible quantities
,, which is now being largely used TO-
building purposes.
To-day we took drive fifteel
miles west of town, to view the coun
try aud examine the soil. As far q
the eye could reach the land was dot
ted with farm-houses, showing tha
the country is becoming rapidly filled
Whest is raised here in large quaint
ties; corn makes . fiue crop, an
;; there is no country that l have eve
seen superior to it for stock raising
The surface of the prsirios is YER
smooth the grass luxuriant and tn
water in streams, and by means
dug wells, very abundant. Timbe
is scarce, but all along the line of tn
road coal is dug, and furnishes abur
dant fuel, even now, though coal
not raised in many places whore it
known to exist. There are no fence
;. 40 all stock 10 herded, aud there is n
necessity for them. This 10 real ~
vantage. Instead of spending tim
money aud labor on fences, the settle
can devote all his time to breakin
aud improving his land. Sheep raj
ing is already = great industry her
), 1 saw q flock to-day containing &c
head.
From all indications, L believe tbs
in two or three years this will be OF
Of the most thickly settled and pr'
ductivs agricultural regions in tt
n. west.
A party of 100 prospecters frol
Pennsylvania are on their way her
And a few days later party Of Il
is expected to arrive.
These lands are being sold on eleve
years. time, with z per cent. intsre
ON tho principal. 1t seems to be tt
first desire of the railroad oompal
b to get bona fide settlers. Before n
I'd return, expect to stop of at all tt
10 principal towns on the road, and e
u, anime the country around each tho
an oughly. The mirage in this count
Is wonderful. 1 have seen it here f
the frat time. AS, while drivil
al over the prairie, saw, about M
Gu from us. what appeared to be VI
ne lake Of silvery whiteness, with
ck waves leaping forward ceassless
'ot All the party expressed their I
ao bounded admiration. at its beaut
and we Immediately began to ma
r.. inquiries of our guide as to its nan
ex extent aud capacities ss = hshi,
,y spot. Our guide drew our sttenti
me from it, and then after five minut
1sv attention, told us to look at it aga
ma Mirabilie Elsa i! it was not there !;
had vanished like q shadow, aud
only the broad prairie.
cut 1 saw q prairie hawk play cunni
an trick. A prairie dog was sitting
en- the mouth Of his hole, drinking in
se, genial floods of sunshine which po
'et- cd from q cloudless sky. Like fl
'ao from . cloud, the hawk swool
n.y. down on the little fellow, and tt
'er, raised with the animal struggling
its sharp talons. Out came our
ma, volvers, bang! bang! bang! "
I'M, the shots. down came the hawk .
rid tho prairie dog. We rushed for
'ew prey. but the dog gave his last L
It A. we picked him up, having b
disenlboweled by the cruel claws
the hawk. A stack of buffalo boz
two hundred feet long, lie at the
tion, awaiting shipment. These 10
are the relics of the vast numh
he which were slain upon these prail
Gno years ago by the Indians. They
;.e. gathered up by the farmers, sell
cen ats per ton, aud are trans formed