The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-05-17
Light Wanted.


Uncle Charley Wilmington sends
us a letter from Mr.. Chas. DeLsnd,
of Sibley, Iowa, dated April 18th,
who says:
"L notice your address in a paper in
your county, and hope you will excuse
the liberty take In writing to you. The
article / saw containing your address
stated that you had been a resident OF
Lyon county % years; this may be so,
although did not know that that county
through the country thereabouts 81 years
ago this summer, and / saw no settle
ments. / want to tell you what did see,
and 1t was remarked by those with me,
that It was destined TO be a rich farming
country. / camped for TWO days on the
Cottonwood, aud speaking for myself as
well as those who were with me-twelve
in number--we should like to make set
Element there, but during those two days
we encountered one OF the severest storms
OF ram, hail and wind ever saw or heard
Oft was simply terrible-no human
being could withstand its violence eX-
posed and live. We were informed by
some half-breeds, Spanish and Indians,
that these storms were OF no uncommon
occurrence in that country Indeed we
saw evidences Of former tempests in
the twisted in trunks Of trees, etc. have
In the 20 years past since that time, often
thought of making residence there. The
climate, its adaptibility for stock-I aising,
farming, ETC., being the principal induce
ment, but as often thought OF the storm
i encountered, and that was one feature
did not like to expose my family too, or
induce my friends to go there, so emf
grated here, 1t is too cold and too much
expense to raise stock here. At first l
had made up my mind to go to that country
and seek home the coming fall, and hav-
ing so determined, did not think it ad-
vlsable (for me al least) to make an ad-
vance trip. Now comes the news of your
terrible storm. Now, tell me as a friend,
do you consider that section more subj ect
to such Yisitations than other localities.
j may meet you there and talk this mat
ter over. but do not wish to come espeUi-
ally for that purpose. 1 expect to combat
the elements anywhere. Storms do, and
will occur in all places; but is that a
place where they all combine frequently
or periodically to pour their wrath. am
aware that am asking much of a strang-
er, but hope you will in some way answer
my Inquiries l ask you as one who has
been longer acquainted with the charac-
teristic of the country. am pretty we'll &C
quainted with the general appearance
soil, climate, etc., having spent one en-.
tire summer or 81 days there, in which
time ! never saw a cabin or settler save
the Indian.
Your description of the recent storm
has been copied in a great many Of the
seldom that we have tOrnadoes in Kansas
bat Illinois and Iowa papers will make t
great blow about IL In order to stop sOmI
OF the grafton that are seeking towaTC
this Lofty Land OF Canatan." They have
become so accustomed to hurricanes II
Iowa, that although a storm may SWEEP
from one end o. the State to the OF her. the
paper say but little about 1t. i lived II
Iowa 10 ears, and saw more wind storm
their in one year than L have seen II
~ hnNFI
seen the wind lift II X-pounder cannon
and carry 1t 80 feet, that happened II
FIT. pes MONIES in 1913. My old-tim
friend. Robert Roberts, informed me tina
the recent hurricane Is the only one h
has seen in Kansas, and he has been II
that country over II years"
Mr.. Wilmington replies as fol
lows:
ENCLOSED you will find n letter from Al
Iowa man, asking for more light In regar'
to storms In Kansas, before he emigrate
TO this state. do not blame a man liv
ing In Iowa for trying to ind countr
where they do not have hurrtcan ever!
full moon"
We may add, that we have beer
Kansas twenty-one years, and neve
saw tornado until the one whicl
occurred few weeks ago. Kansa
is as free from destructive storm
as any country we know of. MI
De Land must have been consider
ably west of here at the time b
speaks of, as the country TO
fifty miles along the Cotton
wood west of this had settler
at the time he speaks of, Their
have been settlements in this coun
ty since 1856, and he could hardl
have travelled much through her
without running across some {
them.
We can assure Mr.. d. that he ca
come here and feel as secure froI
storms as in any country he will b
apt to find.