The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-04-06
THE GREAT WEST.
Our Colorado Letter from Wet
YIrginian-A Trip from 81. Louis
to Pueblo.

VirGinian-A Trip from 81. LoUi
to Pueblo.
Correspondence of the Register.
PUEBLO, CoLr March Il, 1873.
Leaving St. Louis at 9.45 P. NJ, ",
reached Kansas City at Ills the mex
morning, where, after o wait Of halt AZ
hour. we embark on a tram Of tn
Atcbison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad
and take the through sleeper for Pueblo
distant about 600 miles. The train Is
composed OF first class, handsomely tin
ished cars, equal in all respects to thai
class OF cars on any of our eastern roads
while the civil answers and generally
polite attention accorded all passengers /.
in strong contrast 10 the surly and often
insolent manner OF the employees Of mat y
of the aforesaid eastern railroads. After
travelling in the east this civiity on the
part of conductors and train men ls sutll'
GENTLY refreshing to deserve special
mention.
A ride ofthree hours from Kansas City
takes US through the towns OF Lawrence
Lecompton and Topeka all of which arc
situated in thickly settled, rolling
prslrie country of great fertility. Wheat
and corn are the staples, and give Ebund
ant Weld. 1t is also an excellent frui,
country, apples, peaches ana pesGs yield
ing largely. The soil IS limestone, very
clean and rich, and well.watered. Many
of the farms a-e handsomely improved
with stone or brick dwellings and good
out buildings. The fields and gardonl
look trim and well-kept, and everything
denotes prosperity.
We stop twenty minutes a. Topeka
II is a large, handsome and substantial
looking town, built principally Of brick
and stone,
A few miles further west brings us &c
= large coal field, where good quslity
of bituminous coal, in yiens Of abou! ~
inches, is obtained by shalting fifty to
Ixty feet.
The next important point reached is
Hutchinson, $50 miles west OF Topeka,
and lying in the valley Of the Arkansas
river. j. is most active, thrifty look
ing town of 5000 inhabitants, and Is the
county seat of Reno, one Of the leading
agricultural counties OF Kansas, and
probably one of the very best
.arming districts on the Continent
Inc soil Is limestone, exceeding y
productive of all kinds Of grain,
fruits, berries, and vegetables. 1t Is ex-
celleuty wa.ered by clear, perpetual
streams The county has filed up rap
ldly with a good crop OF Eastern farmers,
many O. whom have made handsome
improvements and who seem to be reap
ing most liberal rewards from the rcl-
ness of the soil. The country for many
miles east and west of Hutchison and
living Immediately on and adjacent to the
At. 81 ). + railroad, is unquestionaoIy
one of the most fertile regions OF the en-
tire West. 1t is exceptionally well
wstered, and has the inestlmaOle advan-
tsge of an almost perfect climate. The
winters are comparatively mild and
the summers always pleasant. 81
say old residents there, and ali
with whom l conversed Concurred
in that opinion. The altitude is high,
hence the atmosphere is light and pure,
partsking in great measure OF the
peculiar health-giving qualities of The aiT
of Colorado. My observation and cnqui-
~ force me to the conclusion that the
section referred to offers extraordinary
advantages Zone of the most important
of which being the c,imste), to persons
in search of farming lands, especially to
those with only small capital. 10 such
the A, T. II J. f, Railroad Company
offer great inducements upon the lands
scguired under their grant, y great part
of which lands are now in the market -,
almost nominal prices and upon liberal
terms to sc.usl settlers.
In charity to the many w-o are
struggling with Improbable farming
lands in the East and elsewhere, l
would suggest that they correspond with
Nh S. B. Hynes, General Agent OF A.
Z. & j. r. r. r., St. LOUIS. Mo, who
will furnish actual facts and full intorma-
ton as TO the resources Of the lands o.
ferei by that company. l would also
to Mr. Hynes' polite attention
all who design coming in this direction,
and can strongly recommend the rail-
road he represents IS q most satisfactory
route to the West.
At Hutchison We reach the Arkansas
river. and follow it up scross the plans
to Pueblo. It's appearance Is tina.
of sluggish, shallow stream,
the surface seeming about
level with the plsins until at Paeblo its
chs-scter is changed to that OF swift,
clear mountain stream. The country
from Hutchison to Pueblo is nearly all n
level plain, covered y. this season with =
short. dead-looklng grass, but which,
nevertheless, has in the curing process
retained its nu,rimeut, and upon which
the thousands of cattle which we see
feeding upon the open prairie keep IN
GOOD flesh the winter through. They
are never sheltered, but feed upon the
open prairie the year round.
When we fairly reach the plains the
towns become less frequent. All are
small and have the most temporary
sppesrsnce. Some are mere remnants
Of their former selves, the principal
psrt of them having been moved for
ward AS the line Of railroad advanced.
Grenada, for instance was once town
of 5000 inhabitants; 1t has now prcba'
blv not more than a dozen houses and
not more than that many Inhabitants,
the balance of the town having "pro'
gressed" with the construction of the
railroad.
Adobe houses and the sristocratic dug
out" are another feature of the plains.
Coming directly through, Pueblo j:
reached in twenty-eight hours from
Kansas City and torty-two hours from
St. Louis. Via this route it is pleasant
and decidedly interesting trip. The