The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-07-10
OVER THE KANSAS PACIFIC.
Prom ths chicaso Trioane.

souri," What has been added to our
stock OF knowledge? Have We studied
the habits of the prairie dog. buffalo,
and Indian, aud gazed sadly over the
barren wastes of the Great American
Desert''p Nay, nay. These objects,
80 interesting 10 our forefathers, are
rapidly trotting after "the years beyond
the flood" Even now they have be-
cone almost invisible, and their places
are filed by fair cities and waving corn
fields. Thus has the snort OF the
steam engine scared away tho wild man
aud his compani )ns, and the plough
share Of civilization turned the desert
into a blooming garden.
Here in Denver
BLACruUL DENVER!
with her charming railroads, her un-
surpassed hotels, her wondrous atmos-
phere, her lovely mountain views; in
short. With nearly all that nature and
art can bestow upon city to render
life delightluI-wo sit down in our cosy
quarters oi the "Grand Central" and
bethink us OF what We have seen. We
stepped on board the Kansas Pacific at
Kansas City. Bat In our haste we
must not forget
KANSAS CITY,
the very type OF Western town life
With its nine or ten different railroads
daily depositing their miscellaneous
human freight, how could it be other
wise than medley of roughness, and
wildnsss, and refinement, and enter
prise. and energy? Here the Kansas
Pacific has one Of its eastern terrnini,
the other being at Leaven worth, twen-
ty-uane miles northwest. This railroad
sends out daily through trains for Den
yer, Pueblo, Santa Fe, Salt Lake, and
San Francisco. under the direction of
Robert T.. Carr, Esq, General Mana
ger. and 4. L. Oakes, General super
int.ndent
OF the
IMMENSE AGRICULTURAL WEALTH OF fTIB
CoUS-rBY
on either side Of our route, Wa saw aud
heard abundant evidence. For 200 or
300 miles west Of Kansas City We con.
stantly passed through tracts of land
winch had already yielded heavy crops
OF wheat, or were ripeniog other CO
reals 10 the harvest. In this respect
Saline and Dickinson counties are mar
velously rich. Hero, Of n surety, Ce-
res pours forth her choicest gifts.
Snch. at least, j. the opinion of the
people Of the many villages scattered
over these counties.
ABILENE,
the county seat of Dickinson county,
is also railway station; and while
waiting there We picked up tho follow
ing items. Only a few years ago this
was the leading town for the shipment
of Texas cattle, but the rapid settle
ment Of the country pushed that bust
ness further west leaving Dickinson
county chiefly TO the agriculturist.-
That gentleman exerted himself. A
herd law was enforced. Now the tiller
of the soil finds himself overwhelmed
by his enormous crops. Tho wheat
Weld here - stated 10 he immense,
first returns from the prairie often run
ming from twenty 20 forty bushels per
! acre. THIS summer tho 700 acre
, waeat-deld at Abilene has been the
! wonder and admiration Of all passers
! bv Other evidences OF agricultural
success are frequently met with, in the
! shane II elevators ut the various de-
pots, and rsapers and threshiug ma
/ chimes lying at the stations along the
line, until they can be conveyed 20
7 their places Of destination ia the ada
cent country.
Here II may be well to mention the
4 SEVERAL COLONIES LoCtTrD BY TIE KAN
sAs PACIFIC CoAPASY.
At Salina. lively town lSj miles
west oi Kansas City, Is located the
! Land Department of the Company,
under tho management OF 5. =. Gil
more. Land Commissioner. from whom
, full information can be obtained. Here
We heard u tile first colony sale. II
consisted oi I3,0D0 acres living in the
+! bend of the Smoky Hill river, fourteen
! miles south of SalIna. purchased Sep
d. t-mbeT, 1863, by the First Swedish Ag-
ricultural Company, II Mcpherson
county, every acre long siHce paid for,
/ and another purchase contemplated
f. Then ia November, 1858, the Swedish
Emigration Society Of Galesbure, Ill
hought -, ,0U9 acres about sixteen miles
south of the same place. These two
communities have established tho
towns OF Swedale and Lindsburp. 49,
Some sixty miles east Of these aud hf-
teen miles north Of Manhatton. around
the village OF Bala, nestles the little
Welsh colony which bought its 1910
acres and settled IN 1870. Then, six
teen miles north of Junction City, the
traveller on the Junction City & For,
I kearney Railroad "a branch Of the
Kansas Pacilcl will come upon Wake
field, the headquarters - the English
colony, purchase Of ., 600 acres made
in August, 1859, and town laid ont long
before this branch of railroad was
built. But we must leave the 'fcolo.
nies" with bare mention OF Bavaria
the German settlement, IN sight Of the
road, nine miles west OF Salina; and
the famous Donmeycr settlement, sew
en- miles east Of Saliua. whence thrifty
Germans from Pennsylvania send forth
large shipments Of grain. potatoes
butter. and hogs, from "parccl oi
ground on which fonr years ago not q
sol had ever been turned.
One OF the most noteworthy enter
prises OF Western Kansas Is
THE VICTORIA ESTATE
Of George Grant, Esq. But lev
years since Ar. Grant brought with hin
I lINll i4lAfl ihlA nlH AlOltft lliN HAuCk
aud his perseverance,: invested them IL
Kansas Pacific lands, and what hal
been the resun7 Hons.s and barns
corrals and cattle sheds, hundretls o
cattle and thousands of sheep! Al
= honor TO Mr.. Grant, and honor, too, {,
, Kansas soil and climate, Hear th
testimony OF W. A. Fuller. a promi
; nebt settler 80 Walker Station, feV
, miles east OF Victoria. in tho 81. Loui
: Republican ~ the 2sth II Hast June
, He says. "Wcsturn Kansas can nov
boast ~ as hne crops as ever wsr
raised Ia niy Eastern state A
: Tor stock, n costs nothing to keep, sN
+ ccp. herders Wagrs. We ar
happy and rontented and expect 90 b
I rioh some Of these days And eli
| very appsarnnce of the unbroken Ian
, corrc6Orates this tsstigoDF. TAX
I Ellsworth snd Russell counties, wateI
ed by the Smoky Hih aud Saline Hiv
2 ers, and many small streams al,
. creeks. u this uot
b vEmrAHLE LAND or GOSHEN
: "a paradise of (or rather for) lock
r ani liordsf The place ~ strongly sug
j. gestivo of oceans Of milk, nonntains o
9 Outtaf, aud unknown quantities Q