The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1878-10-03
From the Kansas CITY Journal.
WONDERFUL KANSAS.


From the Kansas CITY Journal.
WONDERFUL KANSAS.
The GARDEN State at the Kansas City Expo
sition.
Kansas never ceases to be a wonder
and those who fail to visit the kan.
sas Building" at the Exposition
grounds, miss the evidence of the
most remarkable fact in the history
of modern civilization and American
progress.
When we look at it, and think Of
the time the Journal first saw it
when white man could not obtain
title 10 an acre of it's soil, twenty-five
years ago, il seems TO US almost in
credible. But we cannot go over thai
ground again at this time, and viii re-
fer to a few facts that the exhibit
shows as something without prece.
dent.
We saw over sixty samples OF wheat
from almost as many different coun.
ties, not one of which fell below
tHCutN DusItlS W ttiC dLlC, aHNA
double that, aud as fine wheat as can
be raised on any soil east of the Rock y
Mountains. But what we saw every
one may see, and we will not weary
with repetition.
The evidence Of settlement and pro-
duc;ion which the history of these
wheat fields give, is the wonder. 20
illustrate, take the nine counties OF
Harvey, Reno, Pawnce, Mcpherson.
Rice, Edwards, Sedgwics and Rusa,
which are oniy six and tour years old,
and il the world can furnish anything
like their history it has not fallen uu-
der our observation or reading.
For example. Reno county, in 1872:
had two acres in wheat, aid produced
thirty bushels. This year, 1873. il had
SO, 10 acres in wheat Welding !, 4l5,3l0
bushels, while its corn crop is esti-
mated at 1,656,9l0 bushels. This is a
seven year county.
Next, let US take a five year county,
Pawnee. In 1874 there were thirty
three acres in wheat, with Il product
OF 1886 bushels. In 1873 there were 20
S96 acres in wheat, aud 45S, is bushels
aud tie corn crop estimated at $685.
$50 bushels.
Aud now We take four year coun-
ty, Edwards. Ii had not bushei of
anything IN 1874. La 1873 there were
206 acres in wheat with yield Of
3,0S3 bushels, and in 1873 there were
1865 acres aud yield of 81, $50 bush
els, with corn crop estimated at l07, :
sos bushels.
These are simply marvellous figures !,
but they are correct, for Kansas gath
ers her crop statistics through the
township assessors, part oi whose Of
Iicial duty it is to collect them. The
acreage for 1878 is official but the
product estimated as the crop is not
threshed. But the estimate is below
the average of usual yields, aud is in
side the actual yield, being placed at
twenty bushels TO the acre.
The story the facts tell, when taken
all together, is that Kansas, almost
the Youngest Of the States, is to-day
the second in bread production in the
Union. And to these two crops we
must nat omit to add oats, barley, rye
and other products III proportion.
These nine counties we have select
ed because they are Of the newest, land
the rapid growth of Settle
ment. Great as these results are We
expect to see them excelled next year,
because the imlnigrat on into Kansas
this season has been beyond all prece-
dent, and the influence of it viii be
apparent IN 1879.
These counties, we may also say ARE
all in the Arkansas Valley, and in
" bat seven years ago was the buffalo
range. aud when it was even ques-
lion OF their adaptabiiity to agricul-
ture. They are all on aud convenient
Df access from every part OF the Atch-
son, Topeka IL Santa Fe road. And
hey further enjoy exceptional adva.t-
ages as TO health, being / AS TO 2,22i
feet above the level OF the sea. At
his altitude all grains belonging to
he grass family mature better, with |
anger, more plump aud solid berry,as |
, rule, than Ill the I'M mid bottoms of |
lie great rivers and their adj aceut up |
aDds. Experience has demonstrated |
hat all that is necessary 10 certainty |
If crops is TO put the seed in the |
round early enough to receive the
'eneiit of the late spring and early
umfDer rains, and their southern lat-
,ude makes the climate mild aud gc-
ial and healthy.
Taking all tue conditions requisite
or an agricultural people. soil, climate,
sasoiiable rain, tonic atmosphere and
he comforts OF outdoor life, we place
Aansas at higher average than any
tale OF the Union, not even except
ig Missouri. And from the charac-
sr OF her population FOR tariff, intel
gence, Industry, 3nd that enterprise
iat comes from a practical aud scien-
nc knowicGgc of her resources AMI
ipabiiliics. we make the confident
reelection that Twenty-Five years mole
III place her far beyond any central
tate in population, in the wealth
lat comes from the soil, and in the
'erage Independence and comfort OF
er people.
She has, too, the advantage of har-
g begun right. Her State debt is
ereiy nominal, aud with the excep-
Oh of \ very few counties. her local !,
lot is equally light Her State affairs ,
e managed with great economy, and
e has wisely made what nature has
United out-iier soil--the principal :,
.jeci OF administrative care. Rather.
e would say. she has helped nature
system oi admirable agricultural!
1tistics, and tie most jlsdicious meth.
: OF advertisement. Her State Board :
Agriculture is the MOST valuable i
stnre al isfr material It ATE eeonomy. K
.usas has also been fortunate in the e.
aracter OF her railway corporations. :.
n roads have been managed in the
ierest ofihe sale ana settlement ol Il
r lands, instead OF that OF the stock 70
ard, aud much OF her maryelon.
pwth and her enyia5ie stand before
; immigrating world Ut home aud
road is due TO the wise policy aad
crafty of tie railway corporations.
he ii all in ali, Kansas has had the
1d fortune 10 secare honest aud
eral policy oa all hands in aid Of
exceptional national advantages.
What BE is Daiag.