The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-06-15

CHICAGO. June. q 1877

CHICAGO, June, 6, 1877.
FRIEND MAC-I promised when left Et,eps-
burg TO drop you few lines, bur so many
letters have been written giving deScriptions
and particulars about Kansas that I Thought
nnything might say womle. not enliehten Vs,ur mr.
readers to any great extent on that subject
However, it you think this will be of interest
People who visit Kansas are at once struck
with the beauty of the country and richness of
the soil, great part of il being high rolling
prairie, with but little timber, except along
the banks OF the rivers and streams and what
has been planted by residents. Good water is
plentiful and easy TO get at where there are no
springs, rs II can be found by boring to the
depth OF ten or hfteen feet, and in very few
instances rock will be found at that depth
and hence it is that water can be procured with
very little cost. there being no necessity to
quarry out hole about eight feet in diameter
aud wall it up. but simply to bore a hole large
enough Tor pump stock. The fact of timber
being scarce makes il quite inconvenient for
settlers. though lumber can be bought for a
comparatively low figure. Furniture, grocer
les, dry goods, etc, can be had almost as cheap
as in the East. and cheaper than in some places
thug that can be had in New York city can be
had in Kansas. provided of course you have
the thing. You have to have money TO go to
Kansas. | advise any one who designs going
at home. 1 visited most of the principal cities
and towns in Kansas, and although | was not
very long in the State, CLEANED good many
facts concerning the farming and business in
tcrests. EnOticed that the cities and towns are
about them. While travelling from one town
to another a stranger is surprised to find how
thiniy settien tne country Is from q mile
out, and is more at a loss to know how such
large places can be supported when depending
solely upon the farm-trade surrounding them.
Every branch of business seems 20 be well re-
presented. and there would be trouble i'm
buying any kind of business cheap at a imo-
ment's notice, provided you have the ready
What Kansas wants is what every place wants
at the present time--money. Less grasshoppers
would be almost as desirable. People i'm the
East have but faint idea of the injury the
ravages of these pests infiict upon the Western
country. The chinch bug is also very destruc-
tive on the grain at certain seasons. All these
things should be taken into consdera fion by
those who design going to Kansas. which is
not the only State, however, that is annually
visited by these ScOurges- TEXTS, Nebri ska,
Coior;ido and the western parts of NJ .ssouri and
Iowa have a fair per centage.
There is no State in the East | venture to
say that Is more Overrun with mechanics of all
kinds and laborers than is Kansas at the pres
ent time. stock raising is the most sure and
remunerative business in the line of farming
carried on. as stock can pasture about nine
months in the year. and he only cost is that of
herdng and making hay. The winters are so
mild, too. that they need shelter. Some
have corrals made of poles placed horizontally
and Others laid crosswise on the top of these
and covered with hay, but there are barns.
Land seems TO be the least thing man stands in
need of to go TO farming. and although there is
plenty OF the very Dest farming land IL. Kansas
which can be bought for a tritle. il poor man
had n million acres of it he would be infinitely
worse of than the chap who won the elephant
at Il rattle. Yours, &C., S w