Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-04-11
FROM KANSAS.
No Money Laying Around Loose, but
Plenty Can be Dug out Of
the Ground.
DELHI, OSBORNE CO., Kan,


DELHI, OSBORNE Co., Kan.,)
April 2, 1877.
EDITORS COURIER AS 1 have not
bothered you for some time please
permit me through your columns to
give short sketch Of Osborne coun-
y. Osborne county is no longer on
the frontier. Its settlement and or
ganization date back to the year 1870,
since which time it has attained q
population of about 4, 500 people, who
in the interim have made good pro-
gress in retaining the country from
the wilds. They have opened up
fine farms, erected hundreds of COM
Portable dwellings, built school
houses in nearly every ncighborhood
and organized various fraternal So
oietics. The emigrant of to-day
opens his eyes in surprise at finding
himself amidst so much civilization.
Though all this has been accomplish
ed, still the country has surrendered
none of its carly advantages to set
tiers. Those who are familiar with
the course of development in the
West readily understand that this
county has just now reached stage
where it is capable of Offering the
best opportunities to settlers. A
county does not settle up in day
nor year, and though Osborne coun-
ty has settled more rapidly than any
western county, still there are as
good farms waiting occupants as any
that have been taken, and q man can
often buy the improvements on q
piece of land some one else has taken
for less than the improvements have
cost.
The progress of settlement in Os.
borne county, as compared with 9TH
er counties, is ample proof of the su
periority of the Solomon Vale,
country in the estimation of those
who have seen it. Though settled al
later date and not facilitated by
railroad advantages this county has
attained a population nearly double
that of the counties on the railroad
south of us and is leading all sections
Of the State in development. We are
still DESTROYS OF having emigrants 10.
cate in our midst and assist us in the
work of development. The prosper.
ity of those already here depends
much upon this. At the same time
SO far as it is in our power, we desir,
to secure men and women who vii
by mental, moral and educational fit
ness give tone and elevation to socie
ty.
! Can I do we'll there is the frs
question man will ask who contem
plates emigrating to Kansas. To on,
class we would answer in the affirma
tive-to another in the negative. i
a man is steady, industrious and per.
severing; if he wishes to acquire ,
home that in time will be a fortune il
itself; if he wishes to accumulate
wealth and is prepared to work ant
wait for it as he would have to any
where else, we would say come, COM
to Osborne county. Such men will
do well here and will be gladly wei
coined in the community. The mel
we would caution against coming ar
those who are seeking some place t,
make money easy without mucl
work. There is no money lynn
around on the top of the ground her
but there is plenty Of it buried in tn
soil. This We will say to all-ther,
are more men right here, to-day, il
proportion to the number of inhab
itants, who are accommodating wealtl
than in any part we know Of not ex
cepting the Black Hills. Fall whea
in this part looks fine. The peopl
are all done sowing the small grain
and the larger share of them are nov
blowing for corn. Respectfully,
KINDER DoTTON.