The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1879-06-26
CORRESPONDENCE.
FROM WESTERN KANSAS.
JEWELL CENTRE. KANSAS, !
H.. ~ lA-0 4

JEWELL CENTRE. KANSAS,
June l6, 1879.
EDITOR CnIEF:-Duiy demands that should full
fill my promise to write you another letter. descrip-
tive of our journey eastward from Leadville.
After shaking the filthy dust of LealvilIe from our
feet We started eastwar the clad range.
one hundred and twenty miles, to the snug little vii
lage of Manitou nestled at the foot of Pixies Peak
and being the situation of the famous iron Soda and
sulphur springs Of Colorado all of which in close
proximity. This valley is a famous resort for in
valids and contains three elegant hotels, fitted up
for their accommodation.
The next to meet gaze was the old town of Col
orado City. This town was founded on the strength
of the Pixies Peak rush Of 1853, but is now ON the
wane, and most of the buildings are badly dilapi
dated.
Colorado Springs is fine little city, of about 5000
population, and is kept neat and clean as new
pin; and as fellow remarked to me, "they had more
pure air to the acre around Colorado Springs than at
any other place he had ever been" We paid flying
visit to Monument Park, Garden of the Gods, and
other places containing splendid works of Ma
ture But, by the way, while descending the Ute
Pass, little above Manitou, met old friend,
Mr. Monroe, of Troy, slowly climbing up the Pass,
bound for Leadville He seemed in good spirits, and
anxious to get to his journeys end.
The next city worthy of note is Denver, which
seems to contain sbeut twice many people as are
necessary to carry its business, although the city
is growing quite lively.
The cattle interest of Colorado is getting to be
quite item. Several ranchmen own from ten to
twenty thousand head, and the Colorado ranchmen,
as class lead the easiest and LATEST life of
any other men in the State.
On the 9th ult., we started to cross the .Great
American Desert" from Denver east, by way Of the
Kansas Pacific One very little of interest be-
tween Denver and the State line except here and
there a ranchman stream, idly watching the
growth of his cattle sheep; and occasionally a
herd of antelope breaks the monotony of the Journey
Crossing the State line pass down to the eastern
line of Wallace County, where the first settlements
Of the western pioneers loom up, generally in the
shape of sod palace the most interesting furniture
Of which is abundance Of ieas And it is astonsh-
ing to a man used to verdant growth of vegetation,
see how have risked their all here upon this
dry and barren country, their only hope being that
the cultivation of the soil will improve the seasons,
and make rain plentiful. The towns of Green
field, Buffalo and waKeeny all growing rapidly,
upon the faith alone that the people have in reclaim
ing the country from its present barren state But
as to the SOIL there certainly is better west of the
Missouri River il proves this wherever there has
been q snow%lrft melted, other moisture, where it
produces splendidy and this is the with most of
the land along the line Of the X p, between the State
line and Denver.
The hail has entirely destroyed the wheat in many
parts of Rocks, Phillips, Smith and Republic Coun-
ties The beetle is also very bad the potatoes in
the above Counties We saw abundance Of young
hoppers in Wallace County, which were causing
some fear among the settlers Many also borrow
ing trouble from the report that Sitting Bull intends
to water his ponies out of the Solomon River, this
Summer Many of the settlers complain Of the way
the Government has treated them. in furnishing them
with old, inferior arms, with which TO defend them
selves against Indians armed with Springfield rifles.
We notice quite a number of Uncle Sans 'boys in
blue" around the frontier forts; and, judging from
the place that their brooches out first their Ia
bors not excessive. And the settlers say that
when it to fighting Indians, dozen ''cow
boys are terrorizing to the redskins than a
whole company. of soldiers
The noble buffalo and the homestead will alike
be things of the past in Kansas. But for fear
of crowdng out matter of more importance in your
valuable paper, will close. with my regards to the
folkso Doniphan County. Respectfully,
1T MIDEg.