The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1879-05-08

rovation in the shape Of
LABOR SAVING INVENTION
was an adherence. The bottom land o
the county will average about eleven Pc
cent, and the forest land, according to The
government survey, Is something over four
per cent, the largest acreage of timber
| land OF any Of the counties in the north
west, the average usually being not much
over two per cent. Indeed, II is something
unusual to see Kansas county, with the
exception Of those bordering upon the Mis-
souri, river, with a timber scgrgge Of four
per cent. and in the matter of forest,
therefore, Clay heads her competitors, and
stands first among the counties Of the state
in this regard. Many farmers are also
paying considerable attention to the
FLAMING OF TREES,
and the cultivation of artificial forests, SO
that, together with what nature has done
for the county, and Whist man is doing for
her, Clay is swell fixed" vulgarly speaking.
The average width OF the bottoms OF the
county il from one half to three quarters of
a mile, aud the width OF the timber bells
from one EIGHT to half mile. The varie
ties of timb.r found are the oak, cotton
NDON, uidCr SiAi, ~
Gust and black berry, and those cultivated
extensively are the cottonwood, black wal
nut. maple and box elder. Ii Ia difficult
matter to estimate the number Of artificial
forests in the county, as complete returns
have never been made, while large rumbers
Of trees have been printed along the high
ways and in scattered patches.
THE REPUBLICAN RIVER,
which affords splendid water, il the prin-
cipal stream fl)wiDg through the county,
having sou,heasterly Cause from the
northwest to the southeast. IL has Iumer-
Gus ;ributariei. some Of them being quite
large, of which the Five Creeks creek Is
the principal one. Chapman Creek, taking
a scuthessierly course through the south
western part OF ;he county. is sls0 good
sized stream The cyuu'ry is very well
supplied with springs. sEd good well water
can be ob,aiued at reasonable G-pih. As
to coal, the tim Der supply Icing abundant.
and calculated to supply the wants Of the
people for many years TO come. No par
ticular attention has been paid to prospect
ing, although Prof. Nudge has certified
that there il a ten inch surface vein in ex-
istence in Mulberry and Bloom townships,
in the north western part OF the county,
While
THE DISCOVERY OF VEINS
is also reported in other localities. When
needed. however. Flag county can develop
her cCal resources, and the question OF
fuel can never become vital ole. Build
ing stone abounds in inexhaustible quan-
titles, and nearly every farmer in the coun-
" has quarry of the very finest building
material upon his farm. The msgnesisn
limestone is the most plentiful, and being
easily Guarried and dressed, besides being
very durable, "a it hardens upon expOrure.
is exten,ively used. This stone il one of
the handsomest building materials TO b.
found anywhere, and besides being used
for business blocks it is being utilized ex-
reusively in the county in the erection Of
farm houses, outbuildings, etc.
BROWN AND RED SANDSTONE
are also found in several of the townships
of the county, while gypsum has been dis
covered of good quality, in Oakland and
Goshen townships. Fire clay is also re-
ported az having been found ia the former,
and pottery clay in the latter.
THE COUNTY HAS TWO RAILROADS,
the Junction City and Fort Kearney branch
Of the Kapsas Psciic road, running from
junction City through Clay Center to
Clifton, and the Central Branch of the
Union Pacific road, which however, merely
touches the county at Clifton. Stree the
Change 10 ownership of the Kansas Central
road, the people Of the county are having
high hopes OF its extension from Onsga,
in Pottawotomie county, westward TO Clay
Center, while the fact il in the matter be-
ing talked up and proposition will prob
ably be IN ade by the railroad officials, who,
it is understood, are anxious 10 go to Clay
Center, and who are bnt waiting for some
sort OF fair inducement.
TIE EXTENSION OF THE KANSAS CENTRAL
would make new era in westward rail
reading, and with the great capital now
behind it is safe TO presume that when the
little iron pony begins his journey towards
the setting sun, he will not rest until his
shrill neigh reechoes among the reveIberat-
ing canons of the mighty Rockies. The
people of this part of the county have a
great deal of faith in narrow guage rail-
roads and will most heartily aid in the
furtherance of any scheme which will be
the meas of securing to them the benefits
oil another eastern connection. A visit
from the officers of the road to Clay Center
will be made in few days and it will
then be seen a. to what arrangements can
be arrived at in regard to the IN sitter of aid.
The extension of the road would be
BIG THING FOR THE COUNTRY
through which it would pass, and be the
means of building it up still more rapidly
than at present. although the way in
which the people are coming in at the PIES
ent time can't surely be grumbe d at. Clay
county's shipments of all articles of farm
produce for the past year were immense
and if che should secure another railroad
they would be proportionably
greater. The county has already won a
great name among the counties OF the State,
and as a MISTER OF course with increased
market and shipping facilities she will do
better than she has ever before. The in
crease of cultivated acres for 1877 was over
l. 600, and for 1873
MUCH GREATER THAN THAT,
whilo 1priro tho pro,apt vaar tho & ,ures If