Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-09-21
Notes from Kansas.
ABILENE, KAN, Sept. 10, TO.

boundary of Missouri to the eastern
boundary of Colorado, containing
about eighty-fve thousand square
miles, being nearly twice as large as
the great State of Tennessee, and
has population of about 100000.
The physical features of Kansas, in
every respect, present quite a con-
trast with those of Tennessee.
Here one does not meet with the
sublime, the grand, the awe~inspir-
ing, but is delighted with the beau>
tiful, the agreeable, the useful. No
majestic forests of the oak, pine, or
tulip tree; no Handicapped noun
tains, no variagated landscapes. no
roaring cataracts or sparkling cas-
cades greet the eye as in East
Tennessee. But instead, one vast
prairie, whose monotony is only
broken by the hand of art, attracts
the attention. The surface of the
country is sufficiently undulatlng
for drainage. The soil is very deep
and exceedingly rich and most pro-
ductive. The most of the land is
arabic; in this respect it is very un =.
like Tennessee, where not over half
of the surface is susceptible of cul-
tivation. Most of the land will
bring from eighteen to fifty bushels
of wheat per acre, from fifty to one
hundred and twenty bushels of corn
per acre. But Kansas, like every
other place without the limits of
Eden, has it's objections. Kansas
is subject to severe droughts.
It is also affected by the locust
or grasshopper and the chintz- bug,
which do great damage some sea-
sons. Kansas is pre-eminently an
agricultural and grazing State.
Farmers say they have, ON an aver
age, about four good seasons in five,
which is a better showing than Tens
nessee makes. Farming here, so
far as labor is concerned, is almost
nothing compared to farming on
most of the farms in Tennessee.
One hand and four horses can culti-
vate as many acres as FIVE hands
and ten horses in Tennessee, and
will have five times as much grain
at harvesting. Here you ride and
pillow here you ride and NOW !;
here you ride and reap. Hence, a
Tennessee farmer can never success
fully compete with Kansas farmers
In the markets Of the world.
Roads are par excellence, level
and solid. Ten miles per hour in a
buggy is ordinary travelling here.
the State is traversed by two
railways, from east to west; the
Kansas Pacific, from Kansas City
to Denver, and the Topeka and
Santa Fe. There are several other
roads which intersect these two
great trunks at different points,
making almost any point in the
eastern portion of the State accessi-
bic by rail, and there are several
other roads in process of erection.
Not only the fertility of the soil,
but the location of Kansas is des,
tined to make her a great and
wealthy State. On her west is
the vast mining country of
Colorado, while on the east
she is washed by the waters of the
Missouri and by means of various
railways has direct communication
with the great cities of Chicago, st.
Louis and the cities of the East.
The social condition of Kansas is
perhaps superior to any State west
of the Mississippi. Her citizens
are hospitable, energetic, industri-
GUS and thrifty, as is evidenced BY
her growing cities, towns and viii
lagos, and well improved farms.
Kansas has a splendid system of
education. The school house is the
most elegant building in the land.
In this, Kansas is far ahead Of Ten
nessee and second to but few States
in the Union.
Business seems to be prosperous
and improving. The health of the
people Is generally excellent. The
water in this part of the State is
very good. The weather has been
balmy and pleasant since my ars
rival in the State. The wind seems
to be the great objection urged by
the Tenncsseans who are here.
But they are saved of doing a great
deal of "wind work.
Wind mills, similar, l suppose, to
the one the Sir knight Don Quixote,
mounted on Rosinante, charged, in
one of his sallies, are very nuner-
Gus and quite as curious to the Ten
nesseesn as to the Sir knight. .
Abilene, the point at which I am
staying for the present, is beauti-
full town of about 2, 100 inhabitants.
1t is the county seat of Dickinson
county, situated on the Kansas Pa
cifc railway, one hundred and sixty
three miles west of Kansas City.
Ii is town of ten years growth,
and Is fast imnrnxinn