National Republican., 1883-04-21
KANSAS AND coLoRApo.
Observations OF n "Republioan Corre-
spondent ln the Far West.
Special Lene


LES AN1MAs, Col, April 13.-The farther
west we come the more advanced the season.
In eastern Kansas nearly all the ground Is
plowed, oats are sown, and farmers are plant
ing corn in earnest.
just at the close of the war the writer
Joined the multitude who were pressing for
ward to Kansas. Then the great unbrokon
prairie extended from Kansas City westward,
tall rank grass waving In the breezes, with
here and there settler with few acres
fenced. Now Kansas City is a vast metro
polls, Lawrence, Topeka, Emporia, and q
host of cities, illustrate the unbounded en-
orgy Of tho pioneers who came to the state
whore freedom dared assert itself, in spite Of
slavery's power i find the land nearly all
under cultivation, but little prairie grass re-
naming Comfortable farm houses are thickly
studded all over the prairie, largo barns, we'll
| filed with hay and fodder, graineries with
abundance of corn, yet remaining after q
severe winters feeding. Piles of apples lie
in every orchard that ought to find an east
market. One man, Mr. Barnes, of Vinland,
had 10000 bushels last fall, and tells me II
they all were Missouri pippins he would have
had 10000 bushels. This is prominently an
apple country, and tho Missouri pippin
is favorte aud profitable variety.
There is fine show of stock. Every farmer
seems to have n goodly number of cattle, and
they are in fairly good condition. l sec no
common hogs; all are fine breeds, tho favor
ties being Berkshire and Poland China. Here
ford cattle are taking the lead, although the
Durhams are vet most numerous. All the
cattle seem to bo of good grades. Sheep arc
numerous farther west-in tho edge of Kan
sas and Colorado, and along the line of tho
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway.
Much has been done in ornamenting
the homes. Groves of forest trees and or
chards with many overgreens surround every
homestead. Hedges seem to be moro nc
elected than formerly, wire fences taking their
places; decidedly think this u great mistake.
Hedges take up considerable land, require u
| large amount of labor and are several years
growing into u fence. But, on the other side,
they make n good wind break, temperng
the storms, and, by no means the least favor
able feature, horbor and encourage bids. With
out birds insects increase so rapidly that in q
few years they would destroy all the farmers
! production.
The year of the grasshopper raid millions
of birds were destroyed. The result was
such an increase of locusts as TO destroy all
the entire crops of the state l see few prairie
chickens now, but good quantity of quais.
Tho Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe rail-
way has done great work for western Kan
sas Numerous towns and settlements have
sprung up along the Arkansas valley that
seem to be prosperous, making business for
many persons and homes for large numbers OF
farmers and stock dealers. The extreme
western part Of the state and eastern Colorado
are unfit for general cultivation, except by
aid of irrigation. The Arkansas valley af-
fords large amount Of water, both from the
river and by means of wells, windmills are
numerous, pumping water for stock. Water Is
reached in the valley at from six to fifteen
feet in unlimity quantity.
This place, Les Animas, in Bent county,
Colorado, is mostly built Of adobe (sun dried
brick), plastered inside and out, resembling
stone These houses are warm in winter and
cool in summer, and are very neat in appear
ance where neatly built. Some houses are of
stone others of wood. The town is three
miles from Fort Lyons, has two hotels sew
eral large stores, a Jail (being the county
| seat), aud several fine residences. A business
of 81, 900, 900 per annum is done here, the prin-
cipal support coming from the stock men, a
number of very large herds Of cattle center
ing here. Seventy thousand haad of cattle
are assessed in the county, and 100000 within
a range of the trade of the town. Yet one at
first glance would think the merchants could
not pay their clerk hire.
The soil is very sandy, called an adobe soil,
| but underlaid with quicksand. Water is
brought in bitches from the river Arkansas
at point eight miles above. Rain is much
needed now, the river being very low. Farm
| ing is discouraged by the residents, the in
terest of the stock men being to let cattle
range at will. This destroys the irrigating
bitches and makes fencing very expensive.
The railway trains at Kansas City were
very much crowded, ten cars ON the train
These, however, gradually dropped off from
time to time through Kansas, not more than q
fourth being TO points west of this place, so
that the emigration to Kansas is quite brisk
this spring. j. p. b.