Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1877-08-18
AMONG THE FARMERS.
The Soil Proves to be Rich and the
Harvest Abundant

this week. twelve months latef, We Flsit-
ed il again. What change in those few
months. The first visit We found but
three or four families and about as many
houses. Mr.. Seward. Mr.. Baldwin, the
MeiIicker brothers. Mr. Sidlow and Mr..
Lyster Marks were then just commencing
TO open The new praifie on their grassy
claims to cultivation. They did not
ali even have houses built. 1t was wild
looking plain, the home OF the buffalo
and antelope, with herds OF Texas cattle
undisturbed by the hand of civilization.
But now il Is different Instead OF the
below If the bison we hear the hum OF
the reaper, the roar of the thresher, the
sound of the hammer and the song OF the
Iaborer. We see the wheat, the oats, the
barley, the corn, the potatoes an0 the
gardens filed with vegetables, in place OF
the smooth mating of buffalo grass which
covered the bosom of mother earth year
ago. Locking out of the car window, in
stead of the herds of wild animals. we
see that most appropriate of all emblems
of civilization. the place where Young
America is taught 20 read ana write-the
school house.
Leaving Dodge City on Sunday even
ing, while the sacred sound Of the minis
ter's voice was still fresh in our ears. and
the words Of the text" firmly planted in
our memory, we boarded the freight for
Oiierle, twenty five miles east of Dodge
City. and one mile east of the Ford conn
~ line. Right here let us remark that
Oaerle shonld have been built in Ford
county. We need its taxable property.
and We might have had II if we had only
ccmmodicus MOTEL, - by so feet, two
stories high, the Trenton House. kept by
Mr.. J. McCollister and his daughter, re-
Gently from Pekin, Hin Ms. Mr.. McCol-
lister has clam in Ford county, where
he makes his home. The Trenton House
is a neatly, well kept house. and supplies
the demand of the many land hunters
with entire satisfaction. The ''viIlage
store is kept by Mcssrs. Abner and Ed.
O.ferie. and from their father the town
inherits its name. At this store is kept
the post office and A. I. & S. F. K. r.
depot. A gentleman by the name of Robb
keeps lumber yard on the opposite side
of the track from the post Office. and al
though without opposition, sells lumber
at very reasonable prices. This CON-
prises the town Of Otferle at present, but
preparations are being made to build other
buildings and make additional improve
menta Mr.. S. S. OFT. of Geneseo, Ills. :.
stirring. energetic man, and q good
talker. has accepted the agency Of the A.
7. Il S. F. Railroad lands, and he will
doubtless make some extensive sales be-
fore winter. All the land east of Spear
vile is in the market. Mr.. OFT has let
the contract for building his residence
and Office, and this week went east after
his family.
House. and struck out early the next
morning TO interview the Ford county
farmers. Just 3 mile west of Offerle is
the farm of Mr.. J. W. Sidlow; in making
the foundalion-the land-for this farm.
nature has did her part perfectly. There
are so acres, a homestead and timber
clam. just rolling enough, and not too
broken. Mr.. s is an industrious young
man. and with two strong teams and a
hired man, and an abundance of farming
machinery. the earth is being made to
weld plentifuliy, and the farm is doub-
ling its value svory year. Besides other
small grain. thirty acres of fall wheat was
raised. which will average from q to 80
bushels to the acre. Several tons of wild