Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-07-19
WESTERN WANDERINGS.



with those further south as we went on
our way. The corn crop through Bu-
chanan is better than that in Linn so
far as we saw it by this route The
wheat crop has more rust on it in Bu-
chanan than further south. As to grass
and oats we could not see much differ
ence.
We remained at Cedar Rapids from
II A. NJ. to 7:3O P M. In that time we
called on many Of the former residents
Of Independence, and found them COM
planning of dull times there. In fact
they did not seem to think Independ-
ence bad town to stay in. The train
on the main line of the B., c. r. Il N.
was an hour behind time The ticket
agent at Cedar Rapids interested him
self in our behalf, and as there was II
persons bound for Kansas and west by
the same route, he telegraphed ahead to
ColG%,hMs junction and had them hold
the c., R. l. 4 p. train for us. We ar
rived at Columbus junction at 10 ?.
NJ, and found the train waiting t0.take
us to Atchison. We were soon on the
road and on our way west. The next
morning we were at Princeton, Mo-
Here we saw good crops-some of the
wheat cut corn standing about 81 feet.
Some of it had been worked and laid by.
Oats in head and beginning to turn ripe;
grass very large. This part of Missouri
is fine rolling prairie, with timber along
the streams, and raises considerable
fruit, as the orchards showed. There
was not much change in the character
of the land or the forwardness of the
crops until we reached the bluffs of the
Missouri. Here the land looked poorer
and the crops showed less growth.
Some where about this time we no.
ticed man come into our car in great
hurry, followed by another who handed
him hat and went back. The person
went to the rear of our car, changed
hats, sat down in seat and was appar-
emily asleep in a few seconds. Soon
another came through the cars looking
for some one but did not find him. Then
a man with gray beard and well dressed
looked in and then consulted with the
other man. On inquiry we learned that
the man with the gray beard had lost
$115 by betting with a man on three
card monte, and was trying to find the
man. At Rushville, Mo-, the train
slackened, but did not stop. 1 looked
around for our sleepy friend and he was
missing. l looked out the window and
saw him scrambling up from the bank
of the railroad and make off; so | con-
cluded he carried the money of our
gray bearded friend with him. On
reaching the Missouri bottom our train
slackened again, and the man who came
in with the hat and gave it to his friend
jumped off and started back towards
Rushville We concluded they were
chums, and had got $1l5 out Of man
that was old enough to know better.
The Missouri river was quite high.
The water overfowed the flats to a great
extent, and was we'll up to the railroad
bridge. Our train had made up it's lost
time and we were landed in Atchison
on time, to-wit: 1O:45 A. NJ, July 2.
We found the train for Pueblo all
made up and standing ready to receive
our baggage and ourselves. AS the time
for change of cars here is only 30 min
utes, we did not have time to see much
Of the city. At 11:15 we pulled out
from Atchison, and in short time had
passed the bluffs and were out on fine
rolling prairie country, well settled and
crops looking very finely Wheat was
mostly harvested, and showed a large
crop. Oats were ripening, corn tassel
ed and silked, grass large crop. They
complain here that the season has been
the wettest they have had for years.
The growth Of crops show that the
earth has not lacked moisture. The
country presents no special change to
Topeka. 1t is all very fine. At Topeka
the train from Kansas City and our
train were joined together and proceed
ed west as one train.
From Topeka our course was nearly
south, and we passed over the divide
between the Kansas river and the
streams running south into the Arkans-
as. This high land does not show a
rich SOIL 1t does not look rich and the
crops were not good.
At Carbondale, on the south side of
the divide, they find coal near the sur
face, and better coal at greater depths.
We saw some farms fenced in with stone
and there was considerable rock in sight.
As we begin to descend into the Nosho
valley the crops and the land improve
in appearance. Some farms show good
cultivation and have good crops. Others
show such crops as neglected lands do
everywhere.
At Emporia is the junction of the
road from Persons with the A., T. &
S. +. Here some of our passengers left
us. At Olymote, on the Cottonwood,
the corn and crops were the best we
had seen south Of Topeka. This Cot
tonwood valley appears to be the best
Kansas valley. This valley of the Cot
tOnwoOd has the reputation of being
very fertile, and the crops this year 60
to sustain such a reputation. A rich
sub-soil, with fine crops Of corn and
oats growing, and wheat in shock, show
ing that they have good crop Of wheat.
Along this valley we first saw bluffs
that were water-washed, with an out
cropping ledge Of lime rock some 30 feet
above the river. On the bluffs here can
be counted eight water lines, showing
that the water made as many stops in
it's decline after the bluffs were uncov-
cred before it reached what is now the
best farm land in the country.
Farther west we saw some brown
stone, but it was not plenty. After
that the bluffs began to assume more
broken or knobby appearance. At Pea
body we commenced descending into the
Arkansas valley. w. H. Pettibone, who
is now division Superintendent of the
west division Of the A., 7. & S. F. r.
r., came on the train at Emporia and
was with us until we reached Newton,
where his headquarters are. Mr.. Petit
bone was Assistant Superintendent of
the B., G. r. 4 N. when the Postville
branch was built, and many of our citi-
zens will remember him. He gave me
note to Major T. j. Anderson, the Gen
eral Agent of the road at Pueblo, to as
sist us in getting through the Rocky
Mountains. And permit me to say that
all the officers and conductors on this
line do all they can to make the travel
pleasant for the passengers. The road
bed is good and the cars and rolling
stock is good. Everything passed off
pleasantly. We were at Newton, Kan
sas, at about 9 P. NJ, July 2, and at
Dodge City at daylight, July 3.
At Dodge City we first saw persons
living in dug-outs, and also saw large
number asleep on the ground near the
.1 ii II ~ T.