Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-04-07
KANSAS LETTER.
The Season, Prairie Fires. Etc. Etc.


NEosHo FALLS, March 2S, 1881.
All the hopes of an early spring in
dulged in by the people here were doomed
to disappointment, Tor the season is un-
usually late. Generally, by this time in
the season, oats are well up. and corn
planting in order at least, so we are in
formed,-the prairie is green and garden
''sass" is almost ready for the table. But
this year everything is behind hand. The
farmers are but just commencing to plow,
very few oats are sown, the prairie is
brown and dead, and garden truck is in
the distant future, very little having yet
been planted. All our spring showers have
been snow storms, and the "gentle breezes"
have been "kanSas Zephyrs" from the
north. But the most of the last few days
have been warm and pleasant, and we live
in hopes.
just now the principal occupation of the
farming community seems to be burning
prairie for summer pasturage. This is
nearly all done in the evening; and every
evening the horizon is lighted up by the
red glare of the burning grass, frequently
so near that we can see the flames. Some
times more than dozen can be counted at
one time. Night time is generally chosen
for this work, for then the wind is not apt
to be high. Some, on a still morning will
start up fire, and then the wind will come
up, and they will have to spend the whole
day, perhaps, in fighting fire and keeping
it within bounds.
A dozen years ago, when there were but
few cattle on the prairie, the grass would
grow to be six or eight feet high; so tall
that it would hide man on horseback
Then when fires got sCarted, nothing could
stop it but lack of fuel; and the prairie
fires of those days were dreaded and guard
ed against with the greatest vigilance; but
through the carelessness of emigrants, and
sometimes through design, these fires
would get started, and then rage un-
checked, till there was no more to burn,
carrying terror and destruction to all with
in reach, and causing loss of life and prop
erty to such an extent as can scarcely be
estimated. No wonder they were dreaded
as the plague, when in few short hours
they would reduce the settlers house and
barn to heap of smoking cinders, and
make the work of years of no value, de-
stroying hedges, orchards and fields OF
growing grain; in fact, everything in its
path. But now the grass is kept down by
the herds of cattle that subsist upon It,
| and these fires are no longer the terror that
they were in days gone by. So the cattle
business is profitable in more ways than
one, for, while it is very remunerative to
those engaging in it, the cattle, at the same
time keep the grass down, SO that there is
less danger from fire.
| The Legislature this winter passed ar
act accepting the ornithological collection
of Col. N. s. Goss, free gift to the State
and providing for the removal fthe same
to the State capitol. Kansas may wet.eo,l
gratulate herself upon securing this su
perb collection of North American birds
1t is said to be the finest and most com
plete of its kind in the world. There is on
ly one collection in the United States thai
suTpasses, or even equals it, that of tho
Smithsonian Institute. But that embraces
specimens from all over the globe, whilt
Col. Goss' is composed of none but the
birds of North America. So please under
stand us when we say that it is the mos
complete ofits Kind in the world; that is
the best collection of North American
birds.
| We had the privilege of spending very
pleasant and profitable hour with Colone
Goss, in his rooms, at this place; and ever
looked singIlarly life like and real. We
shall not attempt to describe it, until VIZ
have an opportunity for more thorough
examination; but content with this mere
mention, pass it till another letter. Col
Goss is the lawyer of the A. r. IL st. Il.
the NJ. X. q T. r. RS, and perhaps anoth
er one or two. His office is in Neosho Falls
but a greater part OF the time he is away
on his hunting expeditions. During last
summer he was on the coast of Nova
Scotia and the Gulf of st. Lawrence Fol
some weeks past he has been on the Gul
coast, and perhaps may ramble into Mexi
co and Central America before he returns
He offered his birds to the State as Il free
gift, on condition that it, should provide I
place for their safe keeping, himself being
custodian during life, and that it should bt
forever known as the Goss Ornthologica
Collection. This certainly is a royal gift
and the name of Col. Goss should be helC
in grateful remembrance by the people 0
Kansas as long as she is a part of this un
ion of States.
The Legislature also did another very
important thing, it passed the prohibition
liquor law, of which we shall have more t,
say in future. G. l.. e.