Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-11-28

On the 10th of June last | left Boston
to make Il tnur through the grain-pro
ducing sections of the West, for the pur-
pose of examining the operations Of the
small farmer and of his new competitor
upon the great bonanza farms OF Kansas,
Minnesota and Dakota to learn, ii pos
sible, what are the actual conditions
/ there obtaining and to what extent, ii
amy, opportunity is offered for the re-
mmerativc employment Of the idle and
distressed among the people.
On my arrival in Topeka. the capital
OF Kansas, ! was particularly struck with
the inquiry that appeared to he on the
tongues of all, and was being discussed
by the Press and State officials, from the
governor down. as to the ways and means
of providing for the support. during the
coming winter, of the great numbers Of
destitute farmers and others i'll that State
At the same time the State. through every
available avenue, was inviting and re-
cicvlng II large emigration of settlers
upon its lands, and assuring the world
that her soil offered competence and com
fort to every worker Certainly, there
WIS much apparent ground for the assIr-
ance made, and for the hope that had
taken such multitudes to that State.
During the year 1878 the product Of
wheat had been y, 900, coo bushels, and
that of corn S9,000,0 900 bushels; and
other crops were similarly abundant,
which sufficiently demonstrated the re-
markable fertility of her soil. But not
withstandinG these facts, amCng the great
class of food producers there was dis
al, F., l.,
relief
Through the courtesy of the acting
land commissioner OF the Atchison, To-
peka and Santa Fe railroad, ! WAS given
every facility under his control to help
my examinations, which extended to
Pueblo. in Colorado, 56S miles West of
Topeka Something over loo miles Of
that distance was through the valley of
Tia" Arkansas and in the Southern portion
OF the State The soil of the rolling
plain is Il deep, light loan, very fertile.
and III seasons Of sufficient rainfall yield
ing abundant crops. Along the line OF
the railroad, ut distance of about every
six or ten miles, are towns of from 800 To
5000 inhabitants. The towns are mostly
built Of wood having some buildings OF
brick and stone they are Of good appear
ancc, and are generally well supplied
wifi rLur,.L ou1 scbn,J Facilities tIn,,a
stn,as ,1,,l.r,,,'.. ,,,l LAWYERS arJ d.r'
tors.
m, ,l,i,,s ar. ,lntt.I avon, vitI, r,,,n-
hous,s nt interval. nf f,,,,, I,..If = mil. f.,
10 milr- The Ernrr no,t;nn of thcse
IwrlInn; ere moro sbontias mr. sheds
that al , Iittlp distance L,vc tb. onncor-
arce of dry-o,nJs hny,s stou,Iipp m the
ploiu witLnut fences traa ar nutLuuso
that ntf,.rs tn. I,,,st cheer ar relief tn fine
eye 4 near ,,nnroorh revroIs - roual,
wooden box oLnnt II ar III feet souurr
Of one story onJ usu,IIv one rn5m
rarely tw, mr. NOR, -,r,I,tbrJ unpl,s-
tered wiiL,ut mimi ipsilr ar nIit with
very IittIr b,rsnInIJ furnit,,rn anil nrn-
ernily with tI.. niua nr , cnnI; stow. prn-
icrtinntbrnu.I, ond , IittI, ohove thr roof
Thcs, shouti,s are often witbout frames
the boarding. brino unriobt and tb, crack
bottrned 4 rrsiJania ,n,rn IosnI,tr ar
uniuyitiuo it j. dif,iruIt f., ;n,nirr Hut
JwcIlinns ,,,,,.. u,,;uyitir,, vol nrrh,us
comfortable are only tnn frruu.nt
= ms. are hut mere holes in fin. crnrnd.
.,.,U i "Juo-nut, onJ or,. mall. Inv Ji.e-
..ir.. ,,h,t ,ni,,l,f scan, a snail collar IN
lh..,,I.,;p .,,. in tbe siI, If ., hlufr ar ris-
i,,.. ...,,,,,,I .,rj ,.,,a.;,,,r u u;tI, .ti,Ls
fL.u viii str,u bo,. ~. aa,.tI, ,,, II ,,,y
b.. = roof If bnurIs onJ sLmoI.s The
npprarunc,. is that If n small r1nf stand
mo or tL, ,,r,,InJ or :, L,o, nf .,r,v n,
,urtb TLn only EoLt anil v.nt;I,ti,,
or,. fr,n,, fin. ontr,ra,' -, ami AMI ,,r
L,us a sin"Ia w;rJnw hos;Jo tL" Jnor
nmI g., I;ttI. uuan;m" W, uinInu nmI.r tI,n
r,,J,I.. at tI, ,,tbnr nni r. ,i'o In, has