The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-01-25
Letter From Kansas.

Letter From Kansas.
Boundary FertiEyef SoH. Solujrjy@ GU
mate, Population. .lcre0ge mder Caitira
Hon and Produc'ioa. IVoBdeJW Gro,oth
Coming 10 Koasas Where 10 buy Home.
"Hdppy ha0SoS.'
Special correspondence of the FREE TRADER.
HUTCHINSON, Kansas, Jan. t., 1879
Kansas is bounded on the east by Missouri,
on the west by Colorado, on the north by Ne,
br,,ska and on the south by the Indian Terri
tory, and in tins great young state is found the
geographical center of the United States She
is two hundred miles from east to west, with
AN area of -, O43,j50 acres, and is unsurpassed
IN fertility of soil, salubrty of climate and
the magnificent beauty of her scenery Of the
entire state area seventy counties have NUM-
cipal organizations, while in the unorganizcd
counties there remain, in addition to the I'M
settled lands of the former, 4G44S,21j acres.
These lands are open to settlement without
cost to those who will occupy and cultivate
them for period of five years.
But few years ago Kansas was admitted
as state with a population of 100000 souls
At that time there was not a mile Of railway
within her borders, Less than 100000 bushels
to-day there is II population of over 100000
people G,500,0 900 acres under cultivation, with
Il yield in wheat alone exceeding the great
state of California, and placing Kansas as the
lnl " arr N n ila l',,i.,
The corn crop is large, live stock foot up two
and half millions, and we are iron beled
with over two thousand miles of railway. This
remarkable development il unoXamplcd
and with IA continuation of her present social
intellectual commercial and moral advance
mcnt, Kansas will in the future, as in the past,
prove an unsettled problem to The statiStician
and economist.
The intelligence OF Kansas today demands
Il premium. This fact is attested by the many
school buildings and church cdifices that have
been erected in the last two or three years. OF
the former nearly five thousand have been
erected at cost Of upwards Of 81 ,337 654, while
the amount invested IN permanent school funds
returns IN annual dividend of $15l,359 Es-
pccialy Is Kansas proud Of her school system
and OF tins magnificent fund, which in future
generations Will stand rs Il monument to the
memory Of the founders of this young COM
monwcath and as an eternal patrimony to
generations to come.
These unmistakcn evidences of thrift and
prosperity demonstrate that Kansas is rapidly
increasing in wealth and AS rapidly in popu-
lation, With such invincblc proofs standing
out before the world to-day, her reputation is
settled The capabilities of her soil and her
healthlulness, are the two magnetic links that
bind the tide of emigration within her borders,
and form II basis for the belief among her peo-
pie that the Great Central State" is destined,
at no distant day, to lead the west in the race
for wealth and power Happy Kansas"-your
people are admired by an cnvious world-you
are rich in material stores and you pour them
into the lap of "A commercial god, yet we can
not purchase from you with our golden mil
lions, the moral, political and progressive
greatness that belongs to you
W lill tllt lllllil'llN' lIlu'luItlbUS Oh EIull,
fruit, horses, cattle, swine etc, it is necessary
that facilities for transportation Of them to the
great markets should keep pace with their
rapid growth, and as time goes on the noun
tains and plains of Colorado, Utah, New MeX-
co and Arizona will fill up with a vast popu-
lation to the advantage and increased benefit
of our people. The Alchison, Topeka q Santa
Fc railroad already penetratcs the southwest
IN the direction of the Pacific, and also into
the rich mineral regions of the San Juan and
Southern Utah, and before the close OF the
present decade will have reached point where
the Southern Pacific Railroad of California APP
proaches from the west. This state will then
be connected by line via the Great Arkansas
| Valley, Of Kansas, the acknowledged garden
of agriculture, with the Pacific ocean. The
prospects are then, very iiattcring for the flu
ture and during the lifetime ol many this
great state will DC second iononc of the Amcri-
can states IN wealth and population.
4. !. RooF.