The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1877-11-08
Items from the West.

BRooEvILLE. Kas.. Oct. 9th. 1877.
EDITORS JOURNAL: Our trip through the
west and south west portion of Saline county
presented TO Us some features of the county
we must confess we did know but little about.
In going up the Spring creek valley, above
Bavaria few miles. the country presents a
very abrupt appearance on each SIDE. extend
ing some miles beyond Brookvile. From
this fact. IL Is supposed that all the country
back OF these bold fronts is also as abrupt
and broken. Ii is true In some places, high
rocky divides and canous extend back quite
4 distance.
We find, however. some fine sections OF
land well situated for farming. both govern
.nent and railroad. Ii Is for this reason, we
thus write OF this section to apprise those
seeking homes In Central Kansas, that some
good claims may be found In town IL, range
5. town Is, range @. and also town le. range
5. aud soms Tine rail- road lands at very low
figures. as good ~ any Ia Central Ksnsss. In
town l6, range 5, We found but few bonsfde
settlers near the north line Of this township
the main branches Of south 5pring crrek take
their rise, which water aud form some nice
little valleys. There are no better stock ranges
ia the county aud We are surprised that this
part Of the country Is not more settled. There
Is -oine pretty rough country here. but !; all
makes good grazing land for cattle and sheep.
south of Brookviilc there srs some nice farms.
Mr.. L. ). WooIcott has fine place. and his
neighbor Mr. TAFT. Their crops look well
aud the soil seemed as productive as any IN
Western Kansas. We met At Wooico,ts three
Chicago gentleman, viz: Mr.. james Combs
aud SONS. who have purchased some railroad
land. aud also took government claims. Their
purpose Is TO rsi-e stock la connection with
farming and they will no doubt be quite All
acquisition to the country, as they viii induce
other good and enterprising citizens TO
follow them.
By the way. shouId,you. Messrs. Editor, wan,
a claim In this section. don't fail TO stop with
our host Mr.. aud Mrs. Woolcott and family.
They will feed aud treat you well.
From here We iourneyed south some six
miles 10 the summit or divide OF the waters OF
spring creek and smoky Hin river. This d.
vide is almost level plain-some places al
least mile understanding eas, and west :,
the plain terminating quito ssTaysly toward.
Tire smoky Hill river, only = lew MILES belo~
u. Here we psu-ed. We looked back some
miller. and could see the last settlement Ihis
way but beyond u, the sfring creek valley
united ~ith the Auibury. and they in the dir
IsHCe merged into the Saline and smoky Hill.
Beyond was the North Pols Mound. and still
b-yond, we're white spires upon the high up-
laiIds OF Otizwz county, houses, OF bat recenl
growth.
We turned to the east aud followed the out
lines OF the Smoky Hill river. BY ita cSt,ou-
wood margin -iu sill ;h-ir 4nt1mnzl besuiy-i
sround through saline xad AcPhersoc coan-
tie: vAy into Ellsworth county, distance
1t more than forty miies--until we saw the
depOt building of old Fort uxrxer SOM Is
mll-- 20 thu wcst- A few miirs east Of 90 lies
the smoky Hill Butrss. 80 named by the path
finder. Col. John T.. Fremont. July. $50
thirty four years ago. From their summii he
trzc-d thu Outlines % The xrrst b~rd Of The
>usky Hin. which Ia his journey Re describes
"a the .hor-e shoe bend" AZ he stood there
az the frs, American explnp-r. with The ban
ner Of bis cnuHtry anfuri-d. noshing bat vas;
wildrrDess Err~trd his vision. the homes Of
wiid b-zsts Of the plans and roaming ssvAzss
To Day. from this szG=s stand point. ne woald
49, the hoa-s Of more thxa ter thousand pro
pie. and yet th~re 10 room for ten thousand
more fe skrpric. encne ard sse. Tnsos.