The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1879-08-14
LYONS.
The County seat OF EIce County. and
One OF the Live Towns or KANSAS

The County seat OF Rice County. and
One OF the Live Towns or II ansas
LYONS, Rice County, Kan, August Z.
EDITOR TINES: Thinking a short de-
scription of this place and surrounding
country may be of interest to your readers,
l will this morning with your permission,
endeavor to enlighten them as to which is
the garden spot of the Arkansa. Valley,
and which city is the future great of said
valley. Lyons is the county seat of Rice
county, situated in the exact center of the
county, and very near the exact center Of
the State, making it very probable that at
some future time the capital of the State
will be removed to this point. 1t is ten
miles north Of Sterling, on the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe, and thirty.two miles
south of Ellsworth on the Kansas Pacific
After you get north of Sterling four or i've
miles the land becomes less sandy, and it's
capacity for resisting drouth being increased
very much thereby. The present season is
forcible illustration of this fact, and he
who runs may read it. in passing over this
section. For twenty-f five miles north of
Lyons until the bluffs If Ellsworth county
are reached the soil ia the same deep, rich
black loan, very level but sufficiently roll
ing for drainage, and not an acre of
uncultivatable land in all that distance.
making of this the fairest spot in fairy.
Kansas. Lack of railroad facilities has
prevented the development of this country
to anything bit limited extent. While
lands lying nearer the railroads on
each eide of it remained un.
sold this had no chance, being
30 far from market. But now a change
has come over the spirit of our dreams
The railroad boom has struck Lyons, the
bonds for the extension of the Marion &
Mcpherson railroad we're carried last Sat-
urday by large majority and our people
here are iubilsting accordingly. 1t is con.
ceded now that the A. T., 4 S. F. intend
making this their main line of road, as it
materially shortens the distance and lessons
the grade. The extension leaves the main
line in Marion county aud strikes it again
at or near Eilinwood in Barton county.
The distance saved is supposed to be be-
tween 30 and - miles and the highest
grade reduced from IS to so
feet to the mile The contract
with the railroad company compels the
completion of the road to Lyons BY the lat
OF June, 1850, but it is thought that they
will get through by the 1st Of January on
account of being able to hire the laborers
so very much cheaper this fall than they
could possibly do next spring. In confirm
alton OF this report came in last night that
they had commenced grading west Of Nc
Pherson Center Yesterday. Lyons feels the
thrill of the new order of things that is 80
soon to envelope her. New faces are seen
on the streets; lots are changing hands, and
the sound Of the carpenters' hammer is
heard on every side. There are openings
yet Tor many lines of business, and men
with capital to invest would do we'll to pay
this place visit. The railroad has been
secured by voting little over . 600 dol
lars mile, which will be no burden at all
with the increased valuation that it will
bring into our midst. The county il com
paratively free from debt, and the admins
trstion OF its affairs is in the hands of ca
pable and efficient officers, who keep posted
on the worlds doings by taking the best
paper in the Missouri Valley, the same be-
iug the LEAvENwoRrH TINES.
LYONS