Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1885-08-18


EIflr Nrflrf UrlHrrIf
Il may Dr dauog presumption on my
part @ write fof ylaf paper a, ! AN a new
haniat .uch matters ani am far away
from The scenes that most Interest your
rcairrs Bat one % my excuses Ani 90
Iect. Nlll be- d Try aud give 10 your rad
ers some account of TIE times AMI state
In which May % thclr icnis are living
know that many persons oi Ne" hog
land thlak ktnsAs IL away out west TIE
sane A. 10 used - b., bui that i mistake
A. they will see by looking on the map OF
these Unltci State. that ksnsAs i ia The
center Aui not on The western siis 0f oar
country Ia fact an iusi fourteen miles
west OF the geographical centre OF ihe
Ualtci States Railroad and steam have
changed distances 90 rather, the manner
OF expressing 70. Tor where 10 used 10 be
spoken % A. - many miles, We now say
Ills 80 many hours, OF days % such place.
We say Maine q, only three days away,
Ant spoken Of In that way Kansas does
not seem Ike the way out west OF thirty
years ago Last year a train load or silks
a 4 teas passed through here en- route from
Chlna. via san francisco, 20 New YORK,
which hat been only four days from San
Francisco. Is1eAk OF this u show how
great has been the change In the mode OF
travel during the past thirty years. Then
All freight WAS iHii t-hfckcf across the
plain. AZ the rate OF about twelve miles
DIR day. with the advent Of railroads
into this State immigration has steadily
Owed 10, aud under the hardy toll OF The
citizens. the Great American Desert so
called has been changed Into great gar
den. yielding not only flowers OF beauty
bot the more substantial and remunerAiive
wheat aud cora. Enough wheat aud corn
raised last year In Kansas 10 feed the en-
tire population OF these United states TOT
one wear. Now I don't want any OF your
readers % Imagine that the people OF Nan
sas have an easier time than they, for the
reverse Is the more probable view OF The
case. There are many farmers la New
England who would not like 10 move on 10
hundred and sixty acres OF land, taking
IN as homestead. and live In q dug-out
until they were able 10 build houses FOR
themselves, aud only have q stfaw'siaek
for a stable; bat that Is repeated over aud
over again in any OF the Western states.
know OF many well-to do farmers OF
today who nine years ago we're living 10
rlNlN lNNAN MNA wv W N-Nh
who owe their present prosperity 10
their own pluck and hard work. There
are thousands OF acres Of gOyernment land
10 Kansas that q man can have choice OF
any homestead containing one hundred
aud sixty acres II he will live on aud I'm
prove IL for 1--we years. A large per cent
OF farmers who homssteaded land 10 Kan.
sss had only money enough 10 get on 10
their land. AMI | leave you 10 Imagine
their struggle for existence aud those
who succeeded did not obtain success on
fiOwery beds OF ease, bat cOnteuded with
the raw unbroken prairie, FAR from town
or mills no lumber TO be had, water hard
% get. aud the climate new aud strange.
The dug-Out was the only house they could
have, aud more comfortable than many OF
the cheap frame houses built little later
Ia the fAst-growing towns.
II you think the foregoing worthy q
place In your paper, will try and write
another soon. aud will enter more fully
into matters In detail.
Yours truly,
GEo. A. TALnor.