The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-07-05
ALYoN COUNTY HOMESTEAD.
what six Years Of work Can Do on
Two Cents Cash Capital.

What Six Years Of work Can Do on
Two Cents Cash Capital.
In April 1872, J. d. Phillips and tamil
", wife. four boys. two Of good size, and
two girls reached Emporia in a farm wag-
on, drawn by team Of horses, and &C
companled by cow and calf. In addi-
ton to his household goods in the wagon,
Mr.. Phillips had q cents in money, % OF
which he spent for crackers and cheese,
and then punished on over Ehe Cotton
wood. After passing Phenis creek one
Of his horses died from over-wOrk, it be
ing like this, 3 very wet season. Near the
SPOT where he lost his horse, Mr.. Phillips
found a good 80 acre upland tract open to
demonstrating, and he promptly csmped
on and proceeded TO improve 1t His
wagon and horse ne sold to settler on
the Cottonwood, to obtain lumber to be-
gin building with, and went to work
breaking ground, fencing, putting in a
sod crop, and farming some bottom land
on shares. Life was little tough that year
and for some years afterward, as labor " as
about all the currency he had to offer In
exchange for the various articles he need
ed and he used that currency to the extent
OF his ability. The wet weather this
season reminds him Of the high water of
1873. He went one morning then to cul-
tivate his 50 acres OF corn on shares in
the bottom, and found men and boys
sailing in boats oyer the corn, spearing
fish with pitehforks in six feet depth of
water. He went back to work without
trouble in mis- own upland patch.
OF the efforts OF Mr. Phillips and his
family to make home on their claim we
need not Of course speak in detail, but as
this article is to show men OF Industry
and grit what labor will do In six years.
time in Lyon county, we will simply state
results. Mr.. Phillips 80 acre farm is
paid for, 30 acres fenced, 20 in cultivation,
has large and fine orchard, with sever
al hundred trees Of different varieties in
bearing, q fine winery, two acres of straw
berries, grove and avenue of young for
est trees, good comfortable, strong house,
one and one-half stories high, I6x20 feet,
upholstered but bFieked up to the second
floor, good dry rock bottom cellar under
It, lean-to kitchen 8x20 feet grouted and
/ ceiled, bedroom addition Sx9 feet also
grouted and ceiled. His barn is of rough
stone wall, with hay roof and stone floor,
but he has the stone aud lumber on the
ground, except shingles, to build q barn
26x4O feet, and shedding for 400 cattle.
His present sheds cover room for 80 or 40
cattle. Attached to his corn CRIB is tool
house which ill shelter tools and ma
chinery to the amount of $1,000 worth.
He has q full set of tools to do all the
work Of farm, carpenter and stone
work included, and in the way of ms
chimes has q cultiVator, combined reaper
and mower, single mower, horse rake and
full assortment of smaller tools. Good
flag walks run from his house to his sta
BILE, Germ crib, chicken and other OCT
buildings, enabling the family to reach
any building with out stepping into tht
mud in the wetter weather. His orchard
| lying between his house and barn, com
prises 1900 young and old trees, and ii
enclosed on two sides by g stone wal
and two sides by hedge. His pasture o.
| ten acres is enclosed by stone wall arounC
and has a splendid running spring, stoned
down seven feet, which gives a never
failing supply of water. He drives hi!
i
no strays. It serves as fine calf lot, anC
barn yard generally. The range comes
up to the gate, and extends for severa
miles round him, most CT it in sight o
| the house, which commands q beautiful
view of the Cottonwood and creek val
leys, of Stafford, Plymouth and Emporia
His land is all tillable except a rock!
piece of about seven acres in one corner
| which supplies any amount OF building
stone and flags. Springs abound in tina
locality, and the stock range being goo
he has DEVOTED his attention more t,
stock, fruit, buildings and fences, than q
grain crops. The great prairie fire whicl
burned his neighbours hay and barn
few seasons ago, stopped at his ston
walls, he being the only one i
the vicinity who had hay left, and e'
capped with little if any damages. hi
live stock now on hand is nine head c
cattle, three mules, five horses, an
twenty hogs. and he owes about $75.
This farm is simply evidence of whit
can be done in Kansas by hard work an
economy, in six yeass' time, on cas-
capital of two cents, cow, calf, or
horse, and the usual family outfit thi
can be put into q wagon. It is a very ia
record for any man to make, ana espec
ally q man who before coming west ha
his skull fractured by falling from
bridge, so that he has never since bee
able to labor without sudden and unez
peeted prostration. Strong arms. willin
hearts, self denying stomachs and back
enterprise, prudence, fair judgment an
perseverance, will bring success in Kal
sss, and in Lyon county to any man an
family. What Mr.. Phillips and othe
: have done, others can do, If they wi
simply try and stick to it.