Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-05
WEST OF WICHITA.
o the Editor OF the Daily Eagle.

To the Editor OF the Daily Eagle.
The finest laying land / ever saw is strip
running through the center Of Pratt county
and across the southern part 'of Edwards
and the northern part of Commanche coun-
ties. As far as the eye can reach across this
beautiful country is continuous stretch Of
gently rolling prairie, seldom broken by a
stream and never cursed with sand hills.
Nearly the entire country, comprising
tract from ten to twenty-five miles wide and
about fifty or sixty miles in length, is sus-
ceptible of cultivation. In the greater num-
Der of sections every acre can be piowed,
and nothing obstructs the easy working OF
the rich soil. Yes, the soil is rich and deep
and Just sandy enough to be easily culti-
waited. have seen wells and cellars where
the rich surface soil extends to depth of
several feet. OF course it is not all so deep,
but the soil have seen will outlast the till
ers of it. These few solid facts seem TO be
appreciated by others beside myself. do
not believe any portion of Kansas was ever
settled faster. Last spring all the western
part of this tract was open to settlement
now nearly every quarter has been taken
and some very comfortable houses have
been built and where year
ago the prairie dogs held undisputed
sway there are now the certain
evidences of the speedy displacement OF
these pioneers by the farm and the thriving
little towns which are springing up every
where.
A naturally rich farming country must
of necessity support good towns. The
surveyed line of the Wichita & Western
railway runs directly through this fertile
territory, and the probability of its early
completion from Kingman to Dodge City
has aided materially in locating farmers on
these lands as well as caused several new
towns to spring into existence. One of these
and very promising onc-is the lively
little village of Greensburg, which has lately
been located on the line of the new road.
1t laws in the center-east and west--of
Edwards county, about twenty-five miles
southeast of Kinsley and thirty-two west of
Pratt Center. The first house was built on
the 18th of September For some weeks
the growth of the place was retarded by the
rival town of Janesburg, three miles west.
The latter town finally succumbed and
moved down to Greensburg Notwithstand-
ing this delay and the severe storms since
that time, the town has made steady and
rapid progress, and now has about nifty
buildings completed. Sixteen business
houses are already completed and occupied,
besides hotel, two boarding houses and
two very good livery stables. Another
boarding house will soon be completed.
The great demand for lumber with pros
poets for a still greater increase has
called into existence three good lumber
yards, which are doing thriving trade.
The town was named for the famous d.
r. Green, the "Cannon Ball" stage man. l
believe if some one should discover spring
in the midst of the Sahara desert, Green
would Immediately start a new daily stage
there. He has done as mnch or more for
this western country than any other one
person. He runs daily hacks in every d.
rection from Kingman, where he lives. One
line runs to Greenburg by way of Saratoga
and Pratt Center. No matter what the
weather is, Green's 'Csnnon Ball. is sure to
90 through, as he changes teams every few
miles along the road. The advantages of
this stage line has aided largely in settling
all this western country. The mail is car
ried over the daily "Cannon BalP' as
far as Pratt Center, and it is expected
that the line will soon be extended to
Greensburg. The mail to that place is car
RED by private contract from Kinsley which