The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-03-06
Stafford County, Kansas.
SOME FACTS THAT WILL INTEREST OUR
READERS.

of them are. contemplating making invest
F ments therein, We publish below from tn
, st. John ddvance Il summary of the ad
vantages offered in Stafford. The lands o
, the Virginia and Kansas Land Company
, an organization embracing number O
! substantial citizens in this and adjoining
counties. are located in Stafford count.
and run up to the town of st. John.
The Aduaace says:
Stafford county lies in what is known a
the great bend of the Arkansas river. Th'
northeast corner of the country is abon
J four miles south of where the river crosses
the east line of range IL. but in a north
east direction it is but two miles to thu
river The northeast corner of the count,
is but few rods from the river, while
: farth st point on the north line is about 81,
mile. A lire drawn east and west touch
ing the southern boundary OF the count,
would intersect the river in Edwards cOun
, ty Oh the west and Sedgwick county OF
the east SO it will be seen that Staifore
county lies directly in this great bend. OF
in other words is centrally located therein
The advantage of such a location must be
patent 10 any observing mind. The geo
graphical center of the State is but about
Is miles northeast of the northeast corner
of the county. The population OF the
county is now about 0.000 souls. and Is
comprised of as an intelligent and indus
trious class of people as can be found with
in the borders of any county i'll any state.
The Climate cannot be surpassed dis
ease is almost unknown, and that horrible
scourge so prevalent in most all sections OF
the east fever and ague, is entirely un-
known. p
| Stafford county contains 1872 square
miles. or 506 $50 acres.
The county is one of the best agricul-
tural counties in the State, and the oppor-
tunitiPs fol- raising wheat. corn. oats,
broom corn sorghum. millet, and all other
farm products. and the grazing of large
herds of cattle and sheep are SO naturally
divided that neither iiterferes with the
other. All kinds of farm produce can be
and is raised in abundance.
The soil is a dark sandy loan, and the
purchaser can suit himself inregard to the
amount of sand he desires i'll the soil he
purchases. He can get it all sand or no
sand, or ut any intermediate stage Be
meath the soil are various kinds of subsoil !:
in some places it is blush loan, and in
others it is of a yellowish hue.
The entire county is snb-irrigated and
in sinking well sheet of the very purest
of water is inyariable struck at various
depths, corresponding with the elevations
of the surface. The depth of wells ranges
| from u to 80 feet, and are never failing.
| Wind pumps are placed in wells where
| farmers have much stock and are not near
4 a stream, and an abundance OF pure, fresh,
clear. cold water is always obtained. Wa
| ter can also be obtained in this way for
irrigating gardens or supplying fish ponds.
There is no better stock country than
| Stafford county. There are thousands of
acres of fine grass lands that will never be
used for any other purpose, which furnish
both range and hay in abundance. There
is room here for thousands OF cattle and
sheep on as good range as every lay out OF
doors, and where an unlimited supply OF
pure. fresh water can be obtained in a few
hours. The principal stream in this coun-
ty is the Rattlesnake creek which runs
through the county from southwest to
northeast, affording water the year round
| for stock. There is on this stream an abun-
dance of water power. A mill is now in
successful operation about miles up the
stream from st. John.
There is no desirable government land
now vacant.
The railroad land is about all sold, most
| 600 acres was recently purchased by a col
ony of Dunkards in Virginia. The colony
will locate 90 and 100 families OH the land
this spring.
In This county. as in all other places, not
excepting the garden of Eden, there are
men who are discontinued, or of a rowing
nature, who wish to dispose of their farms
or claims and go elsewhere. Farms can be
purchased at various prices, according to
| location.
The county has never had a railroad
| x.o1F ,o fhn,, nj icrr ole
retarded its growth and prosperity. The
| fact that the settler would have to travel
| from Is to 40 miles to railroad has deter
red many from settling within our borders,
preferring to pay higher price for land
nearer railroad. The difficulty has now
| been overcome and in a few short months
the Denver, Memphis & Atlantic railroad
will be built through the center of the
county. This line is the great connecting
link between the vast narrow gauge sys-
TEN of the east and west. 1t gives a di-
rect communication with the great mining
regions of the west, and brings to our doors
| the best market upon the continent.
| At present land is cheap in this county,
the price being governed by the location,
but in the very near future cheap land in
this county will be q thing of the past.
| The building of the new railroad will cause
la great advance in the price OF land, and
the few good bargains now offered will be
taken by the first arrivals. There will be
a large immigration to this county this
spring, and the first to arrive will get the
best bargains.
st. John is the county seat OF Stafford and
is a hourishing village OF 29O inhabitants.
1t is situated about two miles from the
geographical center Of the county, end one
mile from the Rattlesnake creek. st. John
is live town. The trade center of a large
tributary territory, it enjoys a healthy bust
ness, and as its vast surrounding country
is yet sparsely settled, comparatively,
| though in advance of the town, it's pros
poets for future growth rests upon no
doubtful basis. The growth of the town
was seriously retarded during the time
that the county seat question was unset
tied, but the permanent location OF the
county seat here by a nice majority, settled
the dispute for all time to come. The town
| company built large, commOdlOuS build
ing and presented to the county the free
use of it five years.
| We have a fine twO-stOry brick school
house, well finished at a cost of nearly ga
| Co., We have two teachers now employed,
with 100 scholars enrolled.
The MethodistS have a large frame
| church, we'll finished, which cost 81 500.
The Baptists have a large church in course
| of erection, and Will hayelt completed III
few days. By referring to the church direc-
tory in another column you will observe
that we have regular services by several
denominations. We also have we'll con-
Quoted Sabbath school, at the NJ, E. church
every Sabbath.
One Of thu first inquiries thoughtful
man Of family makes in seeking a new To-
cation is s'What are it's school facilities ?n
In this age of universal education, school
ing for the children is the matter of first
Importance. and that community which
best meets this demand OF the times should,
and does receive the most attention from
immigrants. Kansas, as State, is noted
for it's school privileges, and Stafford coun-
ty keeps in the foremost ranks of new
counties.
Through the kindness of superintendent
Spickard we are able to present the follow
ing: There are IN the county As organized
districts there are $40 children of school
age; the value of school property Is 800
600; the number of teachers required, 40 4;
the amount expended for school purposes
during the year ending July 81, 1888, was
$5,8l4.67.
| Our space will not admit of detailed
description of the different business houses
in town. BY referring to our advertising
columns you will see that we are well rep
resented here in most all branches. Our