Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-08-13
Advice to Emigrants.
Special Correspondence of the SPECTATOR.

llnd's eye the phantom phrase, young
IAN, go west and grow up with the
ountry." They may have hardened
My to the random shot from the rifle
f some hero, who has been feted, wined
nd dlned in his palace car-who, thus
appears, has rushed into print with
lis tale of the "Elysian fields" which
kirts his pathway, and almost puts to
lush the original version of the cara
ian Nights'-without any particular
egard for what he will find in the new
Western home, which he has pictured |
o himself, and where he has hoped to
pend the useful years of his life in &C
the competence which his
orefathers have made and perhaps lost
before him, when he finds himself
in new country, contending
With all the evils and temptations of
western town in embryo, of quick
growth and faster inhabitants-that is
he child of some railway motor, whose
name has been heralded by circulars
and flaming posters, on every fence and
in the waiting rooms of every depot in
the thriving towns and cities of the east.
Generally he gets as far west as st.
Louis, and during his trip hence he
may have cOnversed with smart, bright,
western men, who seem to be "well
fixed" in the world, and who are all i'm
pressed with well favored opinion
that they are settled properly and theirs
is the locality he should settle in, but,
as he progresses, he finds that they, as
well as the railway company, whose
excursion ticket he has bought with its
precise limits and restrictions, all have
an sax to grind" in their special spheres,
nnd hofnro f6ic iIno f,,1Jxy ov,N1n6cc 70
has visited many of the places which
look so well on the railway maps, and
finds that the charming coterie of "buc-
cancers" who have entertained him so
well with literature are so thoroughly
Autographed in his mind, with sections,
manifestations and town lots, that he
finally gets disguised and starts out on a
prospecting tour for himself, which is,
in reality, the primary point of his use
fulness to himself and friends, who are
watching his progress in the west with
such anxiety as only fathers and moth
ers can watch. The writer of this has
seen and learned from practical expe-
rience just what all this means, and as
this is written in the interest of young
men of stability of character, who
think of coming west intending to en-
gage in raising and the handling par
ticularly of sheep and cattle, which is
really themost remunerative ofanything
he may find to engage his capital in, it
is hoped it may receive the attention OF
those contemplating such a project
Practical men struggling with hard la
Dor and limited means, are keenly alive
| to every opening for loss or gain, and
are controlled by these results, and
| though they sometimes form opinions
wide of the mark and prej1dicial to
| their own welfare, it is interesting tC
see how often their experience and in
telligent observation lead them to sound
conclusions. A few words from One
who is there cannot come amiss, as these
things have been one of the most effec-
tual barriers toward success with young
men coming west. 1t is readily observ-
able to all that the State of Kansas
more than any other region, occupies the
middle spot of North America. Equally
distant from the Atlantic to the Pacific
from the frozen waters of Hudson's bay
to the tepid Gulf Stream on the South
constituting the precise territorial center
of the whole vast continent. To such
advantage of location, on the very high
way between two oceans, Is added soil
of unsurpassed richness, and fascinat-
ing undulating beauty of surface, with o
health-giving climate calculated to nur-
ture a powerful and generous people
worthy to be the central pivot of Amer.
lean Institutions. Kansas, taken COL
LECTIvELY, does not, after years OF ex-
perience, leave anything more than O
favorable impression, but, INDIVIDUAL
LY, it is success, as any one who has
not real estate to sell in any particular
locality will tell you. What she really
needs is active, earnest young inen. who
come with capital to develop the boun-
teous resources with which nature has
so graciously and generously endowed
| her.
Do not buy excursion" tickets, tying
you to any particular iiae of railway
until you are sure where you want tc
go; and do not jump at conclusions
from any rose-colored description you
may read, for if you do you will be sure
to regret it, as settling in the west is nc
boys play. Keep clear of counties hav-
ing "herd law" as it is worse than
| useless to try to raise stock without &
| free range, well watered with clear run
ming streams of good water, which is
indispensable. as nothing so contributes
to the health and general welfare of the
| herd as to roam free liz the open air up
on clean pastures, eating and drinking
moving and resting at pleasure. DO not
invest largely in land, as it is not neces'
sary until your success is assured, fol
with $50 acres (one-fourth section) al
from $l.25 to SIS 90 per acre. your stock
can range from 5000 to 5000 acres Of
land free of fences, lying in common
and not likely to be settled up for years.
There is no locality which the writer
who is an Eastern man, has seen in his
travels through the States of Kansas,
| Colorado, Texas, and California, with
| Utah, Wyoming, and the Indian Terri
tory, which, considering the length OF
the grazing season and the character OF
the soil, presents such field as Green
wood county, Kansas.
Here scanty pasturage is unknown,
while the comforts OF civilization are
within easy reach.
In this climate the raising of stock
does not involve so much feeding as in
colder ones, and does not require hous-
ing in eastern Or northern ATTITUDES.
while sheep and cattle are act sub
jected to the oppressive heat of the
| consequent exposure in attempting
to fill themselves, and is not followed
by the sultry night Of other climates,
invariably by cool evening breeZes
assisting, instead of delaying the action
Of the nutritive grasses which grow in
ABUNDANCE.
For its agricultural products it is only
necessary to call attention to the striking
exhibit OF the well rounded cereals and
fruits from this part of the State at the
centennial" The average yield of
corn is IS bushels, and that of wheat 80
bushels to the acre, equal to any portion
of the State. Coal is easily mined, but
no shafts have been sunk las vein of sur
face coal to 16 inches thick is in many
parts of the county, giving e good sup
ply for domestic purposes. Feed is in
great abundance at little or no compar-
alive cost. Hay being S1.50 per ton, and
corn can be bought for % cents per
bushel. The average cost of wintering
cattle is $500 per head, wni,e that of
sheep is 40 cents.
The county seat, Eureka, with pop
ulation of nearly 1900, the objective
point of the Kansas City, Emporia and
Southern with the 5th Parallel Rails,ay,
is city whose moral status is fixed,
having no saloons or gaming places, and
q good healthy blushing honor seems to