The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-05-21

Concerning these we have information TO the
effect that they have prospered beyond their most
sanguine expectations. Their prosperity, OF
course, is according to the means they had when
they reached their destination and according to
the judgment, business capacity and industry they
severally possessed, and in some instances favor
BILE opportunities. With the exception of one fam
ily all have homes of theirown, and all are in the
enjoyment Unreasonable health and comfort. The
contentment prevailing among them is all that can
be expected with the great change they expert
enced in breaking away from the old moorlngs In
the east and removing so far to the west, probably
all that was desired Their general prosperity Is
the foundation of the contentment they are enjoy
ing for the majority of the colony have doubled
the wealth they took with them TO Kansas while
some Of them have trebled theirs. Not single
family of this colony has returned 10 the east nor
are any likely to return after remaining six years.
A number of them have paid visits to their former
homes within the intervening six years and highly
enjoyed meeting and commingling with their old
friends but were always glad to return to their
new homes in Kansas
By referring to the map OF Kansas 1t will be seen
that Dickinson county lies pretty near the central
sas branch of the Union Pacific railroad passes
through it from east to west dividing it nearly in
halves. The county in point of wealth and popu-
lation is the second in the state. Besides the
above-named Cumberland Countians the following
persons also, several years ago, located there:
Samuel Bricker, Abilene; Chas C. Hutchinson,
Plympton; Jacob S. Hollinger, Plymptom; Daniel
Keller, Plympton; Daniel Hollinger, Plympton;
fn EpphanQuar HOna- .Iapnh StnuTfar-
PlymptOn; Mr.. Pyke, Abilene.
Last month, as was noted in these columns, John
o. Dill, Alfred B. Strock, John Kaufman, Solomon
Markley and their families and quite a number of
other persons from Cumberland County, stopped
at Abilene with the intention of locating there.
Nearly year ago We had the opportunity of tax
ing good look at Dickinson county. We went
there on other business but enjoyed the scenery
and the meeting of old acquaintance about as
well as if we had gone there expressly for that
pleasure. Arriving at Abilene in the afternoon we
stopped at the Henry House The character of
our business made it necessary TO hunt up the
sheriff. We found him in his Office at the Court
House, large new brick building standing in the
middle Of big lot which had been planted to
corn and which was nearly as tall as corn gets in
Kansas. The sheriff was q Pennsylvania from |
Luzerne county, and learning We were from his |
State he took us to the County Treasurer who, he
said, was also Pennsylvania from Cambria |
county. The Treasurer was out but his deputy |
was in and he was a Pennsylvania from York |
county and had often read the Volunteer. A lit |
tie while afterwards, on the streets we were in
troduced to Honorable J. S. Hollinger, Penn |
sylvanian from Franklin county; still a lit
tie later We met a young man named |
Stouffer, brother of Enos StoufTer, of Mt. Holly.
and then we met Sam Bricker, who made
us feelas much at home as if we had dropped in On
him on the hallowed ground of old Silver Spring
ITSELF We then took drive Of eighteen miles or
so out south, through one of the most delightful
farming Countries we ever saw. 1t was in the sf
ter part of the day and the sun was castinclon
shadows across the undulating landscape. Var
vest was on the wane, and on all sides was eyi.
dence of its abundance. Immense fields shorn Of
their crops by headers or reapers lay all around us
and the grain was stacked in long stacks IN sor,a
suitable rise TO await the thresher Other io1ds
we're yet untouched while still others We're partly
iown, and large forces of men and bovs vra-o =,
gagged upon them. The corn fields were Iurnr; SIi-
10 look upon. The waving stalks were all as b;cS
Is they could be without being in tasseI WbaS.o
mere were FENCES they were of wire or hedge, bnt
many fields had no fences at all. The wboIe coDn
Try around, from horizon TO horizon was ore 5,as,
-olling area of wheat and corn fields. and If va
lard to tell which of the two grains had the pref
srence. Here and there farm buildings iopci,a5
'ut of clumps of trees of intensely green foiIaoe
N from behind clusters Of wheat stacks. ana
low and then we passed orchards which inr NJ
iably had only thrifty young trees and n va |
mes. There were no woods or hills to interrnrt M
he view, only an occasional rift in the nictnrs
where stream held its sluggish course. tie rast
vas all satisfying eye-feast. That WAS Dict-in |
on county as il lay in the soft twilight of q TnIr
evening south of Abilene; the next day we node N
niles northeast Of the town, with ewes wide onan
nd hungry, and found il much the same Kind 81 |
country with probably a little more raw Land
'ver that Kansas landscape We rode and loola5 |
nd thought hew wise were the Pennsylvanians
nd others-who had come and there anchored. |
nd were building themselves homes and caTyin.
Ut fortunes for themselves and their Children!