Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-01-01
Letter from Kansas.

first we have seen for more
than q month-and you may well imag-
inc it createda a sensation, each member
being anxi0us.to hear from Penns VAL
ley. The appearance of the journal
also reminded me Of the fact that l had
promised TO write you, when once set
tied, so l concluded to write at once.
We areuet yet settled, nor do we eX-
pect to be'Tor some time. Winter is
here but our house is not vet complet-
ed. Should we have an ordinary Kan
sas winter, We will be able to move in
the course of six weeks, otherwise we
may not get into it before March.
With but few exceptions we have
had the most delightful weather-clear,
pure and healthy; to-day however we
have winter in real good earnest. 1t
would pass for genuine Pennsylvania
winters day.
So far our health has been remarka-
by good, and all of us feel quite at
home. We have been able to adapt
ourselves to our new surroundings with
ease and pleasure. We would not be so
foolish as to claim we had entered an
earthly Paradise, nor Purgatory, true
we miss many comforts we enjoyed IN
Penns Valley, and then there are ad-
vantages here which we could not have
in our former home. Emporia is live
town, and bids fair to become one of
the first inland cities of the west.
Three of the leading railroads pass
through it, and is the seat of the State
Normal School. 1t is the centre of q
thrifty community AMI its location is
such that it will control the trade for a
circle of at least 40 miles.
It's growth is rapid and healthy. AS
you are aware, l visited this place last
July. since then some Two hundred rev
houses s-some very fine ones-have been
erected, and the population has increaS-
ed about 1000. 1t is difficult to supply
the demand for houses-A small house
two or three rooms without cellar or
outbuildlngS of any kind will readily
command SO per month rent, in adj
vance. Business houses with suitable
conyenienceS rent at from $50 to 500
per month. Emporia furnishes cash
market for the farming community for
10 to 20 miles. There is scarcely aH
end to the corn. pork, beef, hay aud
wood brought into town daily from the
surrounding country. There is no
more desirable place i'll Kansas for
farmers than Lyon county. If men
will only come here exercising good
common sense. This raw prairie will
not produce equal to the we'll cultiva-
| ted fields Of the east, but after it once
becomes cultivated it will exceed the
east two fold, and grain can be raised
+at half the expense, while stock at one
fourth and will command prices nearly
equal to those of the east. To illus
trate: Beef is selling for So to SO per
hundred, pork sells readily at $3.50. so
that if farmers will come here expect
ing to deny themselves only one twen-
tieth part which their fathers did W hen
they first settled the east and combine
stock-raising with grain, in few years
they will succeed. Lyon county Is sit
uated i'll the NeoSho valley, one of the
most fertile and healthy III the state
and is we'll supplied with water, coal
wood and building stone, There are
some few cases of Fever and Ague, but
not more than you will find anywhere
else in new country. and not one
tenth which you find along the Susque
hanna.
Persons from the east make mistake
by going to the western part of the
state. 1t has not the same amount of
rain fall, is more subject to severe
drOuths, has more fever ard ague, has
not nearly the same advantages fol
schools, churches and civilization gen
orally. The only advantages they haye
is in.the cheapness of land, but this il
more than overbalanced by other and
higher considerations. There are YET
thousands upon thousands of acres tc
be had IN Lyon county within reasona-
bic reach of schools, churches and mar.
kets, for from So to 800 per acre, ow
ing to location and improvements.
Prairie lands can yet be bought at d
distance of S, or 10 miles from the
city for from So to SO per acre. City
lots sell from $25 to $1,000 each.
In the east you hear much said OF
Kansas winds and mud. Cur expe
rience is that the winds are not more
severe here than in Penns valley; and
as for mud, it is Of short duration
With the exception of perhaps or 1C
days the roads have been dry and dusty
eyer since we are here.
We have made an encouraging com
mencement towards establishing a Re
formed congregation. We expect tx
organize on next Sunday, and may
hereafter give you the results. There
is no mission field in either the Luther
an or Reformed church more promising
than Kansas. What is wanted is mon
ey to give congregations a start, ant
they will soon take care of themselves