The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1885-06-04
80 sdurHWEsfERN kANsAs-
CLEARtFAfER, COMASCHE Co,
NJ. nnIh Ia.l

OLA XIV AIEht AUlA wi I
May 18th, 1885.
Ed. JoURNAL.-Before starting on
this trip I promised several Of my
neighbOrs to let thOm know some
thing about this part Of our state, and
believingit to be Of interest to many
Of your readers, send you this COM
munication. We started from Saline
county by way OF Marquette and Ster-
ling, and went right through the cor
ners OF Rice and Reno into Stafford
county. There 40 and 50 miles from
railroads we found fine farms, well
improved, farmers evidently thriving
and doing well-althOugh settled not
over TO years. Pratt county on the
south has been settled only very re-
Gently. but they seem well pleased
and eontenled with their condition.
This ls mostly high fiat land Of excel
lent quality, bat in most places water
deep to reach. The famous sand hills
are one Of the disagreeable features Of
this part Of the country. but even
these are being taken up as far as grass
grows on them. They are said TO be
comparatively productive. II ever we
were disgusted with a country, and
wished TO get out speedily. it was
Barbour county, after we were en-
quilted in its hills and GU lehes Of red
soil, which latter we viewed with es-
pecial distrust, but changed our Opin-
ion as TO the quality Of said red soil
after we saw the crops growing there
on in the valleys ofthe Elm and Med
Ieine Lodge creeks. Between these
two creeks on a raise Of the ground
lays Medicine Lodge, presenting q
very picturesque appearance. Busi-
ness is brisk there on account Of the
immense immigration aud freighting
taking its course through.
From here we followed the Sun
City trail towards COldwater. This is
the road taken by most OF the emf
grants aud freighters for the counties
OF the southwest. For a distance Of
45 miles IL follows the windings of the
Medicine, which Is timbered nearly
a. well as the Saline river. The
gulches and ravines in Barbour cOun-
IS were once well tiTnbered, but cut
down pretty well by this time. In
coming down we passed through that
part of Elm Greek Valley which Was
the scene of the disastrous flood about
the end Of April. Many are the signs
that awaken TecOllectiOns Of the sad
aud hesrtrending occurrence. Parts Of
houses, furniture, clothing and bed
ding are entangled in brush aud sand.
Acres upon acres of the valley land
are covered with sand and rubbish,
fences torn away, and the height to
which grass aud rubbish hangs in the
trees shows how impossible it would
have been for human help to reach
those poor unfortunate who were torn
from = comfortable home into the
cold, cruel torrent at midnight hour.
The eastern part of COmanche county
is high, rolling, with gulches grown
with timber, well adapted for stock
shelter. The western part IL more
level and sandy with broad streams
once well timbered. Less than one
year ago there was not All habitatiOn
where COldwater now stands. A
smart little town trade kept up by
the traRslt passing through. Ash
land, Clark county, about 40 miles
southwest OF COldwateT has the
promise of becoming al important
town through the cattle trade.
Rivalry between these two towns is
rife. COldwater deridlng the antiei-
patton af a railroad at Ashland, which
those people are expecting with con-
fidenee. Up to these points and
through Clark county. government
land is pretty well taken. Further
west there Is plenty TO be taken yet,
but people are rushing on wildly,
some Of them evidently ready tO stop
and think after they are settled. In
my next l will give a description of
the country between here and our
road, and the impression / gained
from what ! have seen which 30 far
expresses itself I'm this way: II you
can make your living in Saline
cnunty, stay there. The old county
is hard tO beat. y CORRESPONDENT