The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-04-19
TIE GREATEST COUNTY IN THE STATE
OF KANSAS.
watered by Three Rivers aad Over 0ne-Ealf
Of It's Entire Area Bottom Land.

Watsred by Three Rivers aad Over 0ne-Eali
Of its Entire Area Bottom Land.
In natural resources, Sedgsvick county i.
the grandest county in the State of Kansas IN
an agricultural point of view No other
county in the State boasts three flll-fledged
rivers within its borders and no other county
has within % per cent. so great an area OIL
valley lands in fact, but few counties in the
State have one fourth a. much true valley OF
bottom lands as has Sedgwick county. These
are facts. and are so set forth in the statistical
reports issued by the State Board OF Agricul-
ture. The result so far has been the most
rapid settlement that ever occurred in any
county in the State. Sedgwick, that was six
years ago only wild range, is to-day more
thiekly settled than threo-fourths OF the older
counties of the State. And at no time since
her organization has th. increase OF ropula-
ZION, the taking up OF homestead and Govern
ment lands, and the opening up of new farms,
been so rapid and great as during the last-six
or eight weeks. Sedgwick county has 4 ,0S2
quarter sections, or 645,l2o, or over q half
million, acres within her boundaries, and al
the present rate OF settlement, it will be but a
few months when every quarter section will
be occupied -and cultivated. Settlers from
the western part Of the county, along the
Minnesota or Good river, say that the rapid
iiy with which the wild lands are beng taken
up is perfectly astonishing.
~ thrce-fourlbs OF the counties of Kansas,
yes, nine-tenths, there are large bodies Of
high, rolling prairie that is best adapted for
| grazing purposes. and which viii not be put
under cultivation for great many years to
| come. The result is 4 newness or wildness
which IS remarked by new corners. Go back
from TIE valleys OF the Kansas, Neoshe. Cot
tonwood, Marais Dcs Cygnes, Wakarusa, Re-
publican, or Smoky Hill rivers Of this State.
but a few miles, and the absence of Farmers
houses and improvements is painfully notice
able. Not SO in Sedgwick county. There is
not foot OF land in it that is not adapted to
| agricultural purposes. OF a consequence our
county appears more like az Old settled county
than counties that have been settled for TWEEN
~ years.
We are in receipt Of the report OF the Kan
sas State Board of Agriculture Tor the months
OF February and March, in which we find
much in confirmation Of the foregoing asser-
tions. The average condition of fruit trees,
as compared with past years, is set down at
l2J; Of sheep, no; horses, mules and other
animals, 10. Diseases among horses, cattle
and hogs, none are reported for Sedgwick.
We had on The 1st day OF March. GG4 $50
bushels OF Old corn on hand. We produced
! f,- 4 -,
acres planted. scdgwick county has 100 Or
ganized school districts, and paid out 81
524.4l for teachers in 1876. The valuation OF
taxable property in Sedgwicb county for 1876
was S2,405, 034.24. leading three-fourths of the
older counties in the State, such as A Hen, An
derson, Butler, Chase. Cofey, COwley, Dick
inson. Davis, Greenwood, ia ckson, Mont
gomery, Usage, Riley, Saline, Wyandotte and
many other less prominent but equally As old
counties.
We have grand county, with possibilities
second TO none in The great State Of Kansas;
au1 we predict that in ten years, one short
decade. by 1887, Sedgwcb county will be one
of the wealthiest. if not the wealthiest aud
most pro perous and desirable county, in the
State OF Kansas.
From the western and southwestern parts
OF the county come the most favorable reports
regarding the growing crops. Wheatis look
| Ing magnificent; oats are growing finely, and
large number OF farmers are nearly through
with corn planting. on the Ninnescah, grass
is sufficiently high to afford excellent grazing,
being over six inches in many places. In all
that region there are no signs of grasshoppers
and no fears are entertained by the farmers
| that any damage viii be done by the pests
unless they should come again this summer,
which is not very likely. In all this part OF
| the State we know OF no section where more
work has been done, more Improvements
made Or more energy exhibited than can be
! seen IN the southwestern townships. Ia the
| townships OF Viola and Norton, the country
bears no sort OF resemblance to what il was
year ago. Then il was one vast stretch OF
! prairie, with here and there :. house. Now
almost every quarter section has 4 comfort
able house upon ii, and patch Of wheat,
warming its emerald blades in the soft spring
sunshine. The change is marvellous and
shows the wonderful energy Of the people
who are settling up the Great American
Desert,
THE dead line for Texas cattle was moved
ninety miles west by the Legislature last win
ter, by making Dodge City, on the Atchison,
/ Topeka & Santa Fe railroad, and Hays City,
on the Kansas Pacific, the nearest shipping
1 points cattle can be driven to. Unhl the
change was made the dead line was along the
west side OF sumner county. Wichita, by the
change, win cease entirely to be shipping
point for Texas cattle"
The above extract we find floating around
among our exchanges. As far as Wichita is
concerned she viii ship psarly as many cat
tie this year a, last. There Is nothing in the
dead law line prohibiting the shipment Of
winlered Texas cattle, l. e, cattle that have
been wintered over 10 the State About
twenty eight thousand head of Texas cattle
were wintered on the range west and south
Of Wichita. and VIC suppose they will be ship
ped from this point. together with native cat
tie. There are 4 few towns in the State that
would like to figure out Wichita's death or
decline, but The thing can't be did yet for a
few years. As far as Wichita and her pros
perity are concerned, Texas cattle are no
longer a factor
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