The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-04-05
Z N PO Ri IA.
It's Location aad SURROUNDINGS.


Its Location and SURROUNDINGS.
Lyon one of the Best Counties for I'm
migrants.
Above we present a map OF our county,
showing the townships, location of the
towns, streams, school houses, post Offices,
railroads, mills, etc. For this map we
are Indebted to Hon. Alfred Gray, Secre-
tary OF the State Board OF Agriculture.
This map gives an excellent idea of the
condition of the county.
Emporia was located in February, 1857
1t is situated within eight milss OF the
center Of the State north and south, and
near the center Of population east and
west. 1t is in the heart Of one of the fin
nest agricultural and stock raising re-
giOns in the West. It's population is
5000 to 8. 800. Its growth has mostly been
made since the advent of its two railroads
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, and
the Missouri, Kansas & Texas, which
cross here. Its trade is large and perma-
nent and extends from fifty to one hum
dred miles in ali directions The jobbing
trade of our merchants Is 3 Xery consider
able item. In regard to the amount of
business now transacted, and prospects
for its growth, no town in the State Is
more favorably situated. There are bust
ness houses here now which make from
100000 to 100000 sales per annum,
while there are not few whose sales run
from $40, 600 to $50, 600. We point to Com
mercIal ktreet-our business thoroughfare
with q proper degree Of pride, and
claim that it is one of the best built bust
ness streets to be found in any town Ell
Their east or west, of the size of EmporIa
Either side of this street ia lined with first
class establishments, whose proprIetors
have the necessary enterprise to keep up
the business interests of our city.
SCHOOLS.
Here is located the State Normal School.
1t has one of the finest and most convent
emily arranged buildings in the West.
This contains tN ent five rooms. and will
accommodate about 500 students. The
highest attendance last year was in the
neighborhood of one hundred. The
corps Of teachers are able educators select
ed from the best institutions of the east
and the school, though new, and stTug
CLING with all the hindering cireumstan-
ces of a new country, has taken high rank
among the educational inttitutions Of the
West.
The excellent system OF graded schools
adopted by our state is in complete and
successful operation in the city. We en-
ploy corps of eleven teachers, several Of
whom are graduates Of our State Normal
school. The number Of scholars in the
city is 1925.
Throughout the county our excellent
common school system Is in successful
working order. There are some eighty
good brick, stone and frame school
houses, in each Of which school is taught
from six to nine months per year.
WATER AND TIMBER.
Lyon county is one Of the best Watered
and timbered in the interior OF Kansas.
1t is traYersed by the Neosho river from
the northwest to the southeast, and by
the Cottonwood from west to east, the two
forming junction six miles east Of EN-
poria. Both of these streams have abund-
ant water and are skirted on either bank
by the best walnut. oak, blackberry, COT
tonwood and other varieties OF timber.
Besides these are large number Of tribu-
taries, afording abundant water and tim
part Of this county The streams and
timber are well distributed throughout
the county.
CROPS AMP FRUITS.
Along the streams may pc found some
Of the finest and best improved farms in
the west. We will let the farmers who
have been here twelve to fifteen years
those who have been industrious and en-
terprising-speak for the ceunty's eapa
bilitles. The successes which are seen on
every hand in going into the country,
stamp this as a good farming and stock
raising county. The extensive fields and
improvements, and the number of farm
ers who commenced here on little or moth
ing, who have grown into aeasy cIreum-
stances'' by the products Of their labor,
are the best recommendations of the pro-
duetiveness of our soil. The crops mostly
raised are wheat, oats, corns rye and po-
t&toes. The average yield Of these is very
atisfaetOFy-mOstiy more abundant than
in any other western state. The farmers
think fall wheat poorscFop il it turns OF
less than twenty bushels per acre. II
sometimes goes to thirty. The ayeragt
yield of corn is flfty bushels Some sea
sons it goes rs high as eighty, Oats al
most always yield an abundant crop. Rye
does exceedingly well. Hungarian /.
much raised. Timothy does finely where
/ It has been tried, as do clover, blue grass
etc. In fruits we can surpass any coun
.lty We have over seen especially in al
small fruits. Lyon county cannot be ex
eeiled in the quality or yfed Of grapes
raspbsrFies, strawberries. gooseberries
cherries etc. Last year our apple cFoE
was SUFFICIENT to supply twice cur popu
Iaticn. Peaches soma seasons are sold =
low ss twenty-five cents per buahs1, \
abundant sssre shsys IN fYs o. nEx yezr