Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-07-03

set out half a hundred trees in that
time. That h what he might have
done In tree planting time, but from
himself learned that In tree planting
time he was engaged in the same labor
ious labor Of holding down boxes. All
the settlers and farmers are not like
him. preferring tO remain home, but
there Is not one Of them who could not
have planted ut least two trees. and
thereby added two years tO the life of
women bought from Eastern homes to
the miserable EXCUSES where they now
eat and sleep.
The men discourse upon the wealth
10 be gained In this county by n system
attic mingling Of farming and stock rails
ing. No one who looks over this coun-
try can question this, for the valleys are
rich, and the hills afford good pastur-
age. There vet remains. however, too
much Of the cattlemen's instinct. which
leads one 10 search after gold, lay IL up,
and keep In mind the home back East. -
These men will not change, and IL re-
mains for the new conner To change the
face Of this country and make it the
paradise now claimed.
Medicine Lodge, laboring under the
disadvantage Of being long distance
from the railroad, became "A good little
town. Later ON there were prospects Of
n railroad, and having knowledge Of
the wealth gained by trading in town
lots In Attica, Cheney, Kiowa and num-
erous other towns in this direction, the
citizens became wild. and nearly all Of
them owning land adjoining the village
saw In themselves rivals OF Vanderbilt
and Gould, and Immediately figured the
expenses Of n trip 10 Europe out Of the
proceeds Of lots in the various additions.
One hundred acres laid out In lots,
twelve tO the acre, would give, at an
average price Of $50 n lot, $4,000.
The first cost being only from 5000 TO
$1,000, TO which would be added the
cost Of surveying, plating and printing
which would not amount 10 much, was
the way the thing figured out. The lots
being but twenty-five feet front ,it can be
seen that the sale Of one would necess-
itate the buyer purchasing another.
This Is the way lind things Mt Medi-
cine Lodge, and as "a natural cOnse-
quence wOuld-be purchasers are driven
away; some Of them going TO Kansas
City, where they can buy lots Of fifty
feet front for less money. This relates
tO residence lots alone. On the bust
ness street, lots range from 5000 to ST.
40. While seemingly high, these prices
are not exorbitant, and may be consider
ell cheap, for In the nature of events
business must be confined To the main
street, and a merchant must be on this
street, within range of three or four
blocks, TO do any business. The limit
eel space TO which trade will go makes
that space valuable. There may he
run for smaller houses, such as restau-
rants, shoe cObblers and lemonade
stands on the street running down the
hill To the depot, but the trade will
cDme To the main street, rs II now is,
when there are many substantial build
ings and large houses.
The situation of Medicine Lodge Is
oil that could be desired, the center of
the town being ON the backbone Of a
ridge, on top OF which, running length
wise, Is the business street. The gentle
slope on either side is fairly well built
up, and the entire town is far better
drained than any other place IN the
state. Elm creek ON one side and Med
icine river on the other supplies living
water the year round. and carries of the
wastings OF the town, making il excep-
tlOnally healthy. AS soon as the cOntem-
plated water works are placed, IL they
eyerare, there will not be as healthy n
place In the state OF Kansas. There
are several large business houses and
very many small ones. The church
eiihces probably accommodate all who
attend, but having been built when
lumber had To be hauled very many
miles, their size and capacity may readi-
~ be excused and the people given
credit for what they have done. The
school building, large when built Is now
small. The first thing that strikes the
visitor Is the number Of brick buildings
and brick sidewalks, the latter because
the scarcity OF stone. In fact the town
looks much like river town and would
be taken for one by n river man If he
were set down here at night. His first
question the next morning would he:
Where Is the leyeep' and then he
would be both puzzled and astOnished
tn find himself about 800 miles in the in
terror.
Not much more than one-half Of Bar
Der county can property he called farm
ing land, although enthusiasts will
claim that II Is nearly all tillable. IL rs.
perhaps, q great r source OF wealth that
there is the amount of land that must
perfOrce, be devoted To grazing. The
incoming Of settlers has worked one
good 10 the cattlemen-the full blOOded
stock has increased, and the grading of
cattle gives farmers with their small
herbs In pasture, a good lot OF market
cattle.
Up ~ this hour there are nine towns
IN Barber county. though before this
letter reaches you there may be more.
The county u growing and there
must be n supply for the demand for
good marketable towns. One town
agent tonight told me he could make
money from town site that did not
nave n house within ten miles of Il.
His father, | understand. WIS one of
The town site men of Eastern Kansas
In its early days.
Tho settlers coming in this year are.
rs learn. better fitted. financially, 10
meet reverses than those who came i'm
former years, and are now ready 10 sell
outand move on. but by far the larger
number pass on through tO the newer
counties OF COmanche, Clark and
Meade. and even further west. They
do not fear the hot winds that may come.
nor the billiards. that are sure. They
areatter land, and they get it.