The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-08-04
For the Farmer and Mechanic
From Raleigh to Topeka.
Continual. }

Reach ST. Louis at 6:l5 p. m. Cross
the Missouri River over a magnificent
steel bridge; thence By underground
railway through a portion Of the CITY 70
Union Depot. The bridge is owned by
the st. Louis Bridge Co. and judy
ing from the amount of travel. freight,
e.. passing over it | conclude that 1t
must pay an enormous profit. Before
reaching the bridge Bridge Tickets
are Issued TO the passengers and taken
up on crossing the bridge. These are
worth pc. aud are collectable out of
Hest railroad centers In the Vest. |
spent two hours at CnionsDepot, inter
estcd III watching the surging masses.
thousands. of every nationality, size,
shape aud color. | look on the "Bulie-
thu Board and find eighteen trains all
billed for the same direction and leav-
ing within a few minutes of each other.
Perhaps as many more going out IN
other directions, and from other depOts,
and this is a constant thing, day and
night. Leave at $50 p. ~. and enjoy
a good nights sleep. | am arou I'd
next morning about daybreak by the
porter believing Mexico | rubbed
my eyes and wondered if, North Caro-
linian a. | was, | had been playing
rip Van Wrinkle" aud had gone to
sleep III Missouri and walked in the city
of Mexico. | am relieved when | look
out and fnd this is but a small town.
The country is simply splendid, every
thing looks new, the towns are new,
farm buildings are new. the lands are
new. Rich plains and fine p~rairies as
far as the eye eau see, dotted over with
large herds of horses, mules, cattle,
hogs and sheep. Splendid meadows,
with a much larger percentage being
plowed for corn than | have seen else
where. We are constantly meeting
long train loads of hogs going East.
Here We are again crossing the Missouri
River. a filthy, sluggish stream with
low banks. How different from our
North Carolina rivers and rivulets with
their clear sparkling waters. It IL al
most enough 10 give native tar heel
a chill to look at it. But | am charit-
able enough TO excuse its present con-
dition as it Is just 10Y recovering from
one Of its periodical over1ows, produced
each spring by the breaking down Of
lIIc lCt dtlu SllOW " l. loChl IODI
tains in Montana, aud the Black Hills
of Wyoming. We are now creeping at
snail pace over the road where the
bed has been washed up for miles. The
Whole face of the country is covered
with mud aud drtt-wo1d. Many houses
are washed away. | see some standing
with the mud mark" up to the caves
or OH the roof. Here is a farm house
standing coated with mud almost to the
top with wh dc trees that will measure
perhaps ) or 4 feet, root. trunk and
beach, piled up in the front yard as
rustic ornaments. Splendid country
this to move from. | am right here to
repeat Greely's injunction and say
young man go-South. The road
side for some distance Is covered with
drift wood, saw logs, wrecked buildings,
vines, plank and wire fencing, barrels,
boxes, &c, Sc. Over this part of the
road we are going at break neck speed
to make up for lost time. Here we are
at Slater, a h%ourishing town just ttc0
gears old, 50 miles East of Kansas City.
This is claimed 20 be the finest portion
of the State. The lands are very rich
and sufficiently elevated to give it the
appearance of being healthy. This Is
the Sabbath and here is the first drunk
en- man [ have seen yet. AS soon as it
is discovered that he is drunk the con
ductor leads him to the platform and
pitches him headforemost down the
embankment, but the poor fellow is not
without revenge for he turns over on
his back as the train moves off and calls
the conductor a d. TT Reach Kan
sas City at ii o'clock a. ~. THIS is a
considerable city, the population being
| about seventy thousand people, and is
divided into East and West Kansas
City. West Kansas City is located on
the low lands or river bottoms and has
just been submerged by the overflow Of
the river 50 hat the cars could not
reach the depot which is located in this
part of the city. This is the .Sodom
of the West. Sunday is the big day
for trade here. Stores, bar rooms, &c.
are all open and doing a lively business.
| had concluded to spend the Sabbath
here and rest, but prefer to be on the
road rather than trying to rest in such a
place. AS [ have some time to wait for
the mex train going West | indulge in a
ramble over the city. | soon find my.
self in a region infected with small pox.
All Of the afflicted have been removed
to this point for treatment, and this is
not a hundred yards from the depot
where people are congregated by the
thousands. | have to pass through IN
order to reach a point at which | can
climb up into East Kansas City, the
two being separated by an abrupt and
almost perpendicular bluff hundreds OF
feet high, and this part of the city Is
reached from below by going around in
a circle as if ascending a mountain.
The location is very uneven, being com
posed of high hills, abrupt bluffs, and
deep chasms. 1t continues some very
fine and some very costly residences,
and is withal a very pleasant place, es-
p~ecially when contracted with the Lo.
dam below. At 10 O'Clock p. IN. |
leave for Topeka over the Kansas Pa
cific road, reach the city between one
and two o'clock a. m. of 23d. and take
lodging at the Gorden House to rest for
a week and enjoy the society of friends
and comrades In the great temperance
reform.
NATURES SLUCE- wAY.-The kidneys
are natures ~sluice-way to wash out the
debris of our constantly changing
bodies. If they do not work properly
the trouble is felt everywhere. Then
be wise and Us soon as you see signs of
disorder get a package of Kidney