The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1881-05-10
LETTER FROM. KANSAS.
OTTAWA Co., KANSAS, April rs. g

OrrAwA Co., KANSAS, April rs. 'Sl.
Ed. SPIRIT: Thinking little Kansas
news might interest some OF your many
readers, l write you short history Of
my trip.
On the goth OF March we left New
Castle, Ohio, for Salna, Kansas, II per-
sons in all. my mother, wife, Z daughters,
9 sons and myself, by way of Claring-
ton and river to BeIaire, where we took
rail by way Of the c. & P. Railroad to
Alliance, Ohio; then took the Pittsburgh
end Fort Wayne to Chicago, Ill /; then
TOOK the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
road for Leavenwor,h, Kansas; then the
Kansas Pacific for Salina, Kansas, where
we arrived safe on the I'd day OF April,
At 8 O'Clock in the morning, We then
had 2S miles to travel by wagon; gave
IA man S12 for bringing the family ard
goods to the farm on Saline River, where
we arrived the evening of the same day.
except the eldest son who came With the
baggage wagon. which failed to get here
until the next morning, which left US in
q bad shape. When we arrived we pre-
pared to- get supper and put up beds, and
none came; we waited until 9 o'clock,
IL of US, and one blanket was oil the
he'd clothes we had. then went to
kind neighbor who loaned Us some he'd
clothes and a buffalo robe; We made
beds on the floor, anh all laid down and
took family sleep. So passed the frst
night on the Saline.
/ bought s fnll tickets at Bellaire for
$l5s and got 1000 pounds OF baggage
through free. The cost Of the trip from
New Castle to the farm on the Saline
River, Sl9S. goods shipped bv freight
Included, 700 pounds, making 2,700. l
give this 90 that persons coming west
can see the cost. Had 1 known before
coming, I would have brought more
things than did. When person sells
as they have to there and then pay as
they have to here, for the same thing, it
will pay to bring them with them.
I will say that Kansas is nice coun-
try. generally, although they say they
have had two hard years last past. Yet
it seems as though everything is plenty !:
wheat at 75c per bushel, corn soc, and
the prospect for the wheat crop this year
is magnificent. There is large breadth
out this season. think more than half
Of the land under cultivation, and II the
season remains as good as it has been
since l got here, there will be more
whea! than the granaries will hold. l
guess they will have to do like the rich
man, tear down their barns and build
greater ones.
There is plenty Of room here for a
great many more farmers, and stock
men especially. II man has the cspi-
tai and the grit to stick TO the stock bu-
siness here, he can make it pay. This is
q grazing country no doubt.
am we'll pleased with my new neigh
bors; they are very kind, accommodate.
ing and intelligent. I believe car see
fifty dwelling houses from our house, hut
some OF them are quite ways off. This
is comparatively new settlement =
Eighteen years ago it was occupied by
huffsloes, wolves, prairie chickens, etc.
Now there is school houses, churches
and large towns, and there is railroad
surveyed up the Saline Valley and will
be built in short time, no doubt, as the
counties it passes through have voted
$500, 900 toward the construction Of it.
l will still give you little Kansas
news after ] get better acquainted with
the country. Yours,
NAT. Fl. EDDY.