The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-29
The Newbern Excursion.
ATRIP SOUTH FROM ABILENE THROUGH
BEAUTIFUL AND PROSPEROUS
COUNTRY.
CAMBRIDGE, Kan, May "a, 'S4.

art full of glee, for a pleasant trip to
the southern part of Kansas and into
fhe Indian territory. Never did set
off fellows start out with more visions
and schemes of success than we on that
bright morning.
We hied away to the south at good
rate and soon found ourselves ENJOYING
a glass of Haberlin's best cider. Filled
with INDIGNATION because we could not
GET any thing better than cider we laid
Whip. declaring that when we got out
of the only temperance county in the
state we would get something that
would be a good internal application
for snake bite.
About IL o'clock it began to rain and
continued until about 8, about which
time we drove into Cranes ranch;stayed
short time and pulled out for Canton.
We had equipped ourselves with guns
and ammunition before starting and we
now had good chance to try our skill
at shooting. AS we saw three antelopes
looking defiantly at us-bang! bang!
went the various shooting irons, but
the shots did not have the desired eff
feet, as the antelopeS bounded away
short distance, stopped and looked at
us as if saying, "cOme on" We fol
lowed awhile until they seemed to get
tired of the sport, and bidding us good
bye, were soon miles away. We were
so badly picked up by those three quad
rupeds that we determined to kill some
thing; but after making about fifty
shots at chickens, which seemed to be
very plenty, we landed in Canton with
out any game. After seeing our teams
well cared for in a good stable we took
quarters for the night with Mr.. Ashley,
the gentlemanly proprietor of the Com
mercial House.
Canton is quite nice little town Of
about 500 inhabitants. It has grown
up in the last five years, has two
churches, very many business houses
and good land all around it, which is
selling at SIC to $40 an acre. Next
morning we bid adieu to Canton and
started south. If the land we saw in
Mcpherson county is a sample of the
whole county, we certainly think it is
one of the finest countries in the world.
The wheat, which is the principle crop
here, is looking fine. Leaving McPher
son we crossed the southwestern part
of Marion, and were much more i'm
pressed with this than we we were with
the northern part over which we had
travelled the day before. We got into
Harvey county about noon, took dinner
and started for Newton. the county
seat. This is fine town of about 5000
inhabitants and chuck full of business.
Continuing our course south we drew
rein at the lively little town of Sedgwick
and put nd for the night. SedgWick
has a population of 500 and is situated
in the heart of a beautiful country,
which sells ready at $25 to so an acre.
The writer is really in love with this
place. We saw the earliest wheat in
Harvey that we had yet seen-large
fields all headed out and will undOubt-
edly soon invite the happy farmer to an
abundant harvest. They raise great
deal of corn in this county and the bot
tom lands around Sedgwick are eSpec-
tally adapted to this cereal. leaving
Sedgwick we soon arrived at the thirty
ing little village of Valley Center in
Sedgwick county. From the great piles
of cobs we saw here we should judge
the whole comfy had been in corn, and
indeed it is a wonderful corn county.
We tarTied few moments viewing the
little village with its 800 inhabitants,
and then pulled out for the great me-
tropolis, Wichita, which we reached
about noon and whiled away three
hours in the city which contains pop
ulation of Is, 900. Its streets were lined
with people, and from the buzz we
should say Wichita is all business.
We soon arrived at Hayesville, and
being tired we stopped for the night.
After taking a good nights rest we
started out fresh and vigorous. We
soon saw about thousand prairie dogs
and our skillful marksmen amused
themselves for quite little while try
ing to bring these little fellows to time.
The boys swore they put hole through
every one they shot at, but they failed
to bring any to the wagon and we are
inclined to think the little animals were
not at all hurt.
Crossing the Squaw river. we soon
came to the highlands of Sumner cOun-
ty. We could now see thousands of
acres of the finest kind of land dotted
here and there width the beautiful resi-
denceS of the prosperous farmers. We
put up for noon with an old temperance
lecturer, and after spending an hour In
pleasant conversation, mostly ON pro-
hibition, and Learning from him that
there were ten or twelve saloons run
ming in Wellington, we made haste for
that place. Wellington contains busy
population of 5000 and is growing very
rapidly. 1t has just completed mag
nifcent school building and is erecting
a court house that will cost 100000.
1t is destined to be a large city at no
distant day. We now turned east and
stayed all night at Oxford, town of
about 500 inhabitants situated on the
Arkansas river. Sumner county is
fine body Of land and its people are
prosperous. Leaving Oxford few
moments brought us to the pOntoOn
bridge acreSS the Arkansas into Cowley
county. After travelling ten miles over
very fine country we reached Winfield
the county seat. This place is about
like Abilene, with population of 4 900.
If Abilene had as good railroad facii-
ties she would outstrip Winfield in
few years. Wishing the city many
years of prosperity we resumed our
journey over the toughest country we
have ever seen in Kansas. / think
there is enough stone between Winfield
and Cambridge to fence every mans
farm and have plenty left.
Since we left Mcpherson we find the
peach trees loaded with fruit. Kansas
is certainly grand country. A few
years ago this whole section was
thouoht fit for only SavapeS and will